What is the main attraction? The most interesting cities in Russia: rating, attractions. Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts

World Travel

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28.06.15 12:21

Without a shadow of false patriotism, we note: our country occupies such vast territories that extolling its charm protected areas it is possible indefinitely. Of all the beautiful natural attractions of Russia, it is very difficult to choose the very best, but we will try.

Siberian pearls

Part of the Altai Mountains, including the Katunsky and Altaisky reserves and the Ukok plateau, is called the “Golden Mountains of Altai”. Under this name, in 1998 they were included in the UNESCO heritage list. Lake Teletskoye and Mount Belukha are one of the many natural attractions of Russia located in this territory. Almost one and a half thousand ridges and glaciers stretch in the south of Siberia. Rare animals live here - the snow leopard, the Altai argali (large wild sheep) and Siberian mountain goats.

The Lena Pillars Nature Park is another pearl of Siberia, although it is located in the northeast of the territory. As the name suggests, these rock formations are located along the beautiful Lena. In addition to the fact that these places fascinate any traveler, they also carry valuable information. The steep “walls” contain fossil organisms that lived here during the Cambrian period. A real excursion into the distant past!

The deepest (more than 1640 meters), the purest, the oldest - only superlatives are suitable for Baikal. After all, this is truly one of the most beautiful sights in Russia. 20 percent of the planet’s fresh water is what Baikal is. Many of the animals and plants that live in the lake are endemic (meaning you won't find them anywhere else on Earth). In total, there are more than 1,700 representatives of fauna and flora in the Baikal waters (and on its shores). Of course, UNESCO could not help but add this miracle to its famous list!

Drifting Dunes

The stunning beaches and shimmering golden dunes of the Curonian Spit are another Russian “jewel”. This is a narrow strip of land separating the Baltic Sea and the Curonian Lagoon. She stretched across Kaliningrad region and abuts the territory of Lithuania. Our kind of “piece of the Baltics”. It is the high dunes, reaching 60 meters, that are the main curiosity of this place - because they are constantly drifting.

Hidden in a volcano

There are several beautiful volcanoes in Kamchatka, among which we highlight the Maly Semyachik stratovolcano. He is unique in his unusual lake, hidden in one of the largest craters. The light green, seemingly fluorescent glow of this hot body of water attracts many travelers - they risk their lives climbing the slopes of the volcano and admire the view. The diameter of the Troitsky crater is approximately 700 meters. The color of the lake is due to the high content of sulfur and aluminum.

Among the "Seven Wonders of Russia"

Kronotsky Nature Reserve is the pride of Kamchatka. After all, it contains unique Valley geysers, according to a 2008 survey, she was included in the “Seven Russian miracles" Interestingly, this place was opened quite recently - in 1941. Alas, the number of visitors here is limited (and “wild” tourism has been completely prohibited since 1967). A mudflow in 2007 caused serious damage to this natural attraction - only half of the 42 geysers remained undamaged, but later some were restored, including the Great Geyser. If you watched the wonderful Soviet film “Sannikov Land”, then you can imagine what the Valley of Geysers is - the movie was filmed there.

Another lucky object that made it into the “seven wonders” is Mount Elbrus. This inactive volcano, the most high peak Russia (5642 meters). It is located slightly north of the Caucasus Range and divides Europe and Asia. Hiking in these most beautiful places very common; several groups of climbers climb the mountain every year. Are you familiar with Greek myths? Poor Prometheus was chained to one of the Caucasian rocks (for sharing fire with people) - this was the verdict of Zeus. But some believe that the titan suffered torment precisely on Elbrus.

Land of Ten Thousand Lakes

And again we return to Siberia! One of the most pristine and remote natural attractions of Russia is the Putorana Plateau. This basalt “plane” is located at a high elevation. On both sides the plateau drops off very steeply, but from the south and east it is quite easy to get to it - along gentle slopes. The plateau covers an area slightly larger than the UK. This is also a UNESCO protected site; it is called the land of 10,000 lakes and 1,000 (this is a record for our country) waterfalls.

The largest river in Europe and a unique cave

Of course, we couldn’t do without Mother Volga on our list of beautiful natural attractions in Russia. Beautiful flamingos, majestic pelicans and other rare birds splash in its waters; this is the most large river in Europe. The Volga flows through many major cities central Russia(among them are four “millionaire” megacities).

On the border of the Urals and Siberia there is one of the largest caves in our country - Kungurskaya. This is also the most beautiful natural attraction of Russia, annually attracting thousands and thousands of tourists to its depths. More than fifty grottoes and seven dozen underground lakes, and almost 6 thousand kilometers of passages - that’s what the Kungur Cave is. The ice formations inside it are bizarre, the stalactites and stalagmites are beautiful, and there are also so-called “organ pipes” (almost one and a half hundred of them).

This week the results of the Russia 10 competition were summed up, the purpose of which is to select the main attractions of the country. New visual symbols of Russia, chosen by popular vote (in total, almost 225 million votes were taken into account), according to the organizers of the competition, are designed to promote the image of Russia as unique country with a rich cultural and natural heritage.

We present to you the 10 winners of the competition, selected from more than 700 objects.

(Total 10 photos)

1. Lake Baikal (Photo: Gennady Losev)

Baikal is the largest reservoir of high-quality fresh water, the deepest and one of the oldest lakes on Earth. In 2008, Baikal was recognized as one of the Seven Wonders of Russia.

2. Rostov Kremlin (Photo: Valery Abramov)

The Kremlin was built in the 17th century as the Rostov Metropolitanate, that is, the residence of Metropolitan Jonah. Therefore, there is no reason to formally call it a Kremlin; the stone walls were of a rather decorative nature and were not supposed to serve for the defense of the city. In total, the Kremlin has eleven towers. Inside there are several cathedrals, among which the Assumption cathedral with its four-domed bell tower stands out. The Kremlin also became famous for the fact that it was here that episodes of Gaidai’s film “Ivan Vasilyevich Changes His Profession” were filmed.

3. Peterhof (Photo: Ilya Shtrom)

Peterhof is a kind of triumphant monument to the successful completion of Russia’s struggle for access to Baltic Sea. The monument of world architecture and palace and park art includes a palace and park ensemble of the 18th-19th centuries, as well as the world's largest system of fountains and water cascades. The Peterhof Museum-Reserve unites 21 museums, including such unexpected ones as the Imperial Bicycles Museum, the Playing Cards Museum and the Collectors Museum.

4. Nizhny Novgorod Kremlin (Photo: Alexander Sinderev)

From the chronicles it is known that Nizhny Novgorod was founded in 1221 by the Grand Duke of Vladimir Yuri Vsevolodovich. The city's defensive fortifications - deep ditches and high ramparts - were originally built from wood and earth. The Nizhny Novgorod Kremlin became stone in 1515, when the need arose to strengthen the defense of the city - the main stronghold of the Moscow state against the Kazan Khanate. The new Kremlin was surrounded by a two-kilometer wall with 13 towers. In the 16th century, the fortress was repeatedly besieged by the enemy, but the enemy was never able to take possession of it.

5. Mamaev Kurgan and the sculpture “The Motherland Calls” (Photo: Anastasia Andreeva)

The memorial “Heroes of the Battle of Stalingrad” was opened on Mamayev Kurgan in Volgograd in 1967. From the Square of Sorrow, the ascent to the top of the mound begins to the base of the main monument - “The Motherland Calls”. Along the serpentine, in the hill, the remains of the soldiers - the defenders of Stalingrad - were reburied. The statue, the work of sculptor Vuchetich and engineer Nikitin, is made of 5,500 tons of concrete and 2,400 tons of metal structures. The height of the monument is 86 meters, the height of the sculpture itself is 53 meters. Moreover, the thickness of the walls of the sculpture is no more than 30 centimeters. The sword in the hand of the Motherland weighs 14 tons and has a length of 33 meters. They say that a car can easily fit in the palm of the statue. In 2008, the statue of the Motherland on Mamayev Kurgan was also recognized as one of the Seven Wonders of Russia.

6. Pskov Kremlin – Krom (Photo: Valery Abramov)

Pskov Krom is the largest fortress in Europe. The length of its walls is 9 kilometers, the area is 3 hectares. Krom is located on a narrow cape at the confluence of the Pskov River and the Velikaya River. Now the Kremlin territory unites two different parts of the city: Detinets with the Trinity Cathedral, bell tower, veche square and Dovmontov city. The pride of Russian art of the 17th century is the seven-tiered iconostasis of the Trinity Cathedral. Particularly revered shrines of the temple include miraculous icons, an ark with the relics of Pskov saints and Holga’s cross. For many centuries, the threat of enemy attack constantly hung over the city, which forced the Pskov residents to constantly improve their defensive structures. The Pskov Kremlin has withstood 26 sieges in its history. The fortress, which was in active military use for almost 1000 years, has reached us in almost its original form.

7. Mosque named after Akhmat Kadyrov “Heart of Chechnya” (Photo: Timur Agirov)

The “Heart of Chechnya” mosque in Grozny is considered one of the largest, most beautiful and majestic mosques in Europe and the world. It was opened on October 17, 2008 and named after Akhmat-Khadzhi Kadyrov, the first president of the Chechen Republic. The mosque is located on the picturesque bank of the Sunzha River, in the middle of a huge park with a cascade of colored fountains and night lighting. The external and internal walls of the mosque are decorated with marble, and the 36 chandeliers installed in the mosque, with their shapes, resemble the three main shrines of Islam: 27 chandeliers imitate the Kubbatu-as-Sahra mosque in Jerusalem, 8 are modeled after the Rovzatu-Nebevi mosque in Medina and the largest, eight-meter chandelier, repeats the shape of the Kaaba shrine in Mecca. The creation of a collection of exclusive chandeliers took several tons of bronze, about three kilograms of gold, and more than one million parts and Swarovski crystals.

8. Trinity Lavra of St. Sergius (Photo: Vera Ostroumova)

The Trinity-Sergius Lavra is located in the center of the city of Sergiev Posad, Moscow region, on the Konchura River. Founded in 1337 by St. Sergius of Radonezh. The earliest building of the monastery is considered to be the white-stone Trinity Cathedral, erected in 1422 on the site of a wooden church and perpetuating the traditions of Moscow architecture of the 14th-15th centuries. This is a unique historical object, one of the few cathedrals where an iconostasis has been preserved, painted by the greatest icon painters - Andrei Rublev and Daniil Cherny. In the Trinity Cathedral lie the relics of St. Sergius of Radonezh, which hundreds of parishioners come to venerate every day. In 1744, the Trinity-Sergius Monastery was awarded the honorary title of Lavra. Today it is active monastery, the spiritual center of Orthodox Russia. Since 1940, the Trinity-Sergius Lavra has been a state museum-reserve. Is under the protection of UNESCO.

This is a unique historical, cultural and natural complex, which is especially valuable object cultural heritage of the peoples of Russia and an object of the World Cultural and natural heritage UNESCO. The basis of the museum collection is the ensemble of the Kizhi churchyard. It consists of two churches and a bell tower of the 18th-19th centuries, surrounded by a single fence - a reconstruction of traditional churchyard fences. The Church of the Transfiguration, rebuilt after a fire in 1714, was built from wood (including 22 domes and a cross), without nails, using an ax and a chisel. The long life of Kizhi churches is precisely explained by the fact that they were erected without the use of a saw - processing wood with an ax does not disturb its structure, so the churches are not destroyed. In 1966, on the basis of the architectural ensemble of the Kizhi Pogost, the State Historical and Architectural Museum "Kizhi" was founded, where, in addition to the buildings existing in their original locations, a large number of chapels, houses and outbuildings from Zaonezhye and other regions of Karelia were brought.

10. Kolomna Kremlin (Photo: Alexey Ustal)

The Kremlin in Kolomna is one of the most powerful fortresses of the Moscow state, built in 1525-1531 during the reign of Vasily III. The Kremlin is located at the confluence of the Moscow and Kolomenka rivers. Unfortunately, time has not been kind to the Kremlin - only a few towers and a couple of fragments of the fortress walls remain from the fortress. Despite this, the Kremlin still amazes us with its grandeur and power. The most interesting of the seven surviving towers is the Marinkina or Kolomenskaya Tower. There is a legend associated with this tower: the wife of False Dmitry, Marina Mnishek, was supposedly imprisoned here. Currently, a military-historical sports and cultural complex is located on the territory of the Kremlin. Knightly tournaments and games of knights, competitions of fighters, wrestlers and shooters, ancient rituals, folk festivals and fairs are held here.

The 30 finalists of the competition also included the Golden Abode of Buddha Shakyamuni Temple, Kungur Cave, Solovetsky Archipelago, Curonian Spit, Valley of Geysers, Cable-stayed bridges in Vladivostok and other attractions.

Nature creates amazing and delightful places. Their beauty can attract the attention of tourists no less than interesting man-made attractions. We will tell you about such creations of nature in this top 10 natural attractions of Russia.

10 Oymyakon Valley

This place is located in Yakutia, on the left bank of the Indigirka River. This valley is one of the “Poles of Cold” of the Earth. It is often called the harshest place on the planet where people constantly live. The village of Oymyakon is accustomed to incredibly low temperatures. The average temperature in July is only 14.9 degrees Celsius, while average temperature January is minus 46.4 degrees Celsius. This place is a world of frost and snow.

9 Orda Cave


IN Perm region, on the left bank of the Kungur River, on the outskirts of the village of Orda, there is an entrance to a cave called Orda. The cave appeared in gypsum and anhydrite of Permian age. It is divided into underwater and “dry” parts. The length of the underwater part is 4600 meters, and the “dry” part is 300 meters. Orda Cave is the longest flooded cave in Russia. Among the gypsum caves of the planet, Ordinskaya Cave ranks 21st in length.

8 Kungur Ice Cave


In the Perm region, 100 km from Perm, on the right bank of the Sylva River there is the village of Filippovka, located on the outskirts of the city of Kungur. It was there that one of the most famous attractions of the Urals and Siberia lurked: Kungurskaya ice cave. Together with Ice Mountain, it is a historical and natural complex of regional significance. Kungur Ice Cave is one of the largest karst caves in the European part of Russia. It ranks seventh in length among the gypsum caves in the world. The length of the cave is approximately 5,700 meters (1.5 kilometers are accessible to tourists). The Kungur Ice Cave has 58 grottoes, 70 lakes, 146 “organ pipes” - high shafts that rise almost to the surface.

7 Putorana Plateau


In the north-west of the Central Siberian Plateau is mountain range, where the Putorana plateau is located. The maximum height of the plateau is 1701 meters. The Putorana Plateau occupies over 250,000 square kilometers. There are many beautiful places on the plateau.

6 Altai Mountains


The Altai Mountains, also called simply Altai, are located in southern Siberia and Central Asia. Altai consists of mid-mountain and high-mountain ridges, which are separated by river valleys, as well as intermountain and intramountain basins, which reach quite large sizes.

5 Lena Pillars


On the banks of the Lena River, in the Khangalassky ulus of Yakutia, 104 km from the city of Pokrovsk, there is an interesting geological formation called the Lena Pillars and natural Park, which has exactly the same name. Lena Pillars are rocks stretched upward that border the banks of the Lena River for many kilometers.

4 Valley of Geysers in Kamchatka


In Kamchatka, in the Kronotsky State Biosphere Reserve, there is one of the largest geyser fields on the planet and the only geyser field in Eurasia. The Valley of Geysers occupies approximately 6 square kilometers in the canyon of the Geysern River. This area contains incredibly high biodiversity. Natural conditions and microclimate have a high contrast. The Valley of Geysers has many hot springs, mud pots, thermal areas, lakes, waterfalls and, of course, numerous geyser outlets.

3 Manpupuner


Manpupuner - this place is also called Weathering Pillars, Mansi Boobies or Bolvano-iz - a geological monument. It is located in the Troitsko-Pechora region of the Komi Republic, in the Pechora-Ilychsky Nature Reserve, on Mount Man-Pupu-ner. The geological monument is located in the interfluve of the Ilych and Pechora rivers. Its stone pillars have bizarre shapes. A visit to this geological monument must be coordinated with the administration of the reserve.

1 Lake Baikal


On South Eastern Siberia There is a lake of tectonic origin called Baikal. It is the most deep lake among the lakes of our planet. Lake Baikal is the largest natural reservoir of fresh water.

Having visited any of the above places, you will admire the beauty of nature, which created such wonderful sights.

Russia is an incredible country. This is not even a country, but a whole world, which has everything - from architectural masterpieces and a huge number of museums, to a wide variety of natural attractions - mountain lakes, geysers, glaciers and much more. It is incomprehensible how all this survived throughout the history of the largest country in the world, rich in wars and uprisings.

Russians are quite strange people - they are proud of their history, but at the same time they can write a word from three letters. They are delighted with the nature of their homeland, but they are too lazy to clean up the empty bottles after the picnic. Nevertheless, this is a great people with a difficult fate and attitude to life, which no philosophical concept can explain.

Foreigners go to Russia to check whether Dostoevsky, Tolstoy and Pushkin wrote about it, and to see with their own eyes attractions this unique country. Here short excursion according to the main ones.

1. Trans-Siberian Railway

Part of the world's longest railway, the historical section of the Trans-Siberian Railway stretched from Miass (a city in the Urals) to Vladivostok along the border with China and North Korea. It was this that Tsar Alexander III began to build in 1891, and his son Nicholas II completed what he started. 1916 The length of the oldest part of the Trans-Siberian Railway is more than 7000 km, and total length railway track connecting Moscow with Vladivostok - 9288 km.

Most travelers use the train for overnight accommodation; there are first, second and third class sleeping accommodations, the most expensive compartments have separate showers and toilets.

2. Elbrus

Mount Elbrus with a height of 5642 meters belongs to Caucasus ridge, located in the south of Russia. Elbrus is included in the Seven Summits - the highest mountains located on different continents of the planet. This is the most high mountain Russia, and thousands of beginner and experienced climbers come here every year.

Previously, Elbrus was a volcano, but not a single eruption was recorded, so it is believed that it is extinct forever. The 3800 meter mark can be reached by cable car, which is very convenient. At an altitude of 4130 meters, there used to be the Shelter of Eleven hotel, which burned down in 1998, and a new building is now under construction.

3. Valley of Geysers

Russian Far East - amazingly beautiful and unusual place. There are a lot of unique natural attractions here, one of which is the Valley of Geysers on the Kamchatka Peninsula - the second largest geyser field in the world.

The valley was discovered by Russian scientist Tatyana Ustinova in 1941, and since then many tourists and researchers have been coming here. The valley is included in the reserve, so there are certain rules for organizing excursions. The most convenient way to get to the Valley is by helicopter, but it is very expensive, so it is better to rent a helicopter with a company.

In 2007, a landslide descended into the Valley, after which it was flooded, but in 2013 a new landslide destroyed the natural dam, and the geysers began to flow again, and there were even more of them.

4. Kizhi Island

This is one of the main attractions of the Republic of Karelia, located in the North-West region of Russia, bordering Finland and washed by the waters White Sea. Since the 13th century, Karelians have lived here - a Finno-Ugric people who found themselves at the crossroads of the cultures of the West and the East.

Kizhi Island is a real museum under open air, you will not find anything like the local wooden churches anywhere else in the world. The 37-meter Church of the Transfiguration with its 22 domes is especially beautiful. The church was founded at the beginning of the 18th century and is entirely built of wood. In addition to it, there are wooden peasant houses, windmills, bell towers and barns. There are very few indigenous local residents, but they carefully preserve their traditions - they weave various crafts from birch bark, do embroidery, sew national clothes, knit lace and sing folk songs.

5. Hagia Sophia in Novgorod

Incredibly beautiful church - main temple Novgorod, a very ancient Russian settlement. The cathedral, in turn, is the oldest surviving church built by the Slavs, completed in 1050. The Hagia Sophia Cathedral is located on the territory of the Novgorod Kremlin, the height of the church is almost 40 meters.

The temple is crowned with five domes; several ancient Orthodox shrines are kept here, for example, the Icon of the Mother of God “The Sign”, which, according to legend, saved Novgorod from an attack by one of the princes in 1170. His army besieged the city, and when the residents realized that they could not fight back, they began to offer prayers to the Lord. On the third night of the siege, Archbishop John heard a voice commanding him to take this icon out of the cathedral, and he followed the will of God. When one of the arrows of the besiegers hit the icon, from the eyes Holy Mother of God Tears began to flow, after which the army of the besiegers threw down their weapons and ran away.

6. Lake Baikal

Traveling along the Trans-Siberian Railway and not enjoying the views of Lake Baikal is simply stupid. This ancient lake- the cleanest and deepest fresh water body on the planet. It contains 20% of the world's fresh water reserves, and the depth of the lake reaches 1642 meters.

Baikal was formed about 25 million years ago, and currently it is one of the most famous and beautiful bodies of water in the world. The lake is very large, so many local residents they call it the sea, and another common nickname is the Pearl of Siberia. If you decide to spend a few days here, you can stay in one of the tourist centers or rent a house, and for a very reasonable fee, and lovers of exotic holidays can put up a tent in some picturesque place on the shore.

Please note that your impressions of Baikal will be incomplete without trying smoked Baikal omul - this is the most delicious fish in the world.

7. Suzdal

The city of Suzdal was previously the capital of one of the principalities Ancient Rus', and now it is part of the so-called Golden Ring of Russia - ancient cities in which beautiful examples of medieval Russian architecture have been preserved.

Each city of the Ring is unique in its own way, but Suzdal is just one big architectural masterpiece. There are many beautiful, surprisingly well-preserved cathedrals, churches and entire monasteries, and in the very heart of Suzdal is the famous Suzdal Kremlin. Unfortunately, its wooden towers were destroyed by fire in the 18th century, but the earthworks and several buildings still exist, so there is a lot to see.

Suzdal is like a huge open-air museum: walking along the streets, it’s easy to imagine that you are in the distant past.

8. Moscow Kremlin

To describe all the beauty of the unique buildings and relics of the Moscow Kremlin, there are not enough words even in the great and mighty Russian language. Located in the historical center of the capital of Russia, this architectural ensemble became a long time ago business card countries.

The first wooden fortifications appeared here in the 12th century, and under Grand Duke Dmitry Donskoy the Kremlin became white stone - in the most important towers and fortifications, wood was replaced with white stone. By the way, the memory of this was preserved in the speech of the Russian people - Moscow is still sometimes called “white stone”, although the Kremlin was “repainted” red long ago: Ivan III the Great (by the way, the grandfather of the first Russian Tsar Ivan IV the Terrible) ordered the best Italians to be sent from Europe architects, and they rebuilt the prince’s residence using baked bricks.

On an area of ​​27.5 hectares there are the Faceted Chamber (formerly it was the main ceremonial hall of the Kremlin), three cathedrals - the Assumption, Archangel and Annunciation, the Armory, the Ivan the Great Bell Tower and many other architectural masterpieces.

The Kremlin museums allow you to plunge headlong into the richest Russian history - it will take a lot of time to go around all the exhibitions and look at all the exhibits.

The Moscow Kremlin still serves as the residence of the rulers of Russia: reception halls and the official office of the president are located here, and concerts and various ceremonies are held in the Grand Kremlin Palace.

9. Hermitage

The Hermitage in St. Petersburg is the main treasury of Russia, in the literal and figurative sense of the word. Literally - because in the halls and storerooms of the museum it is stored great amount priceless paintings, jewelry, samples of sculpture and ceramics, you name it! Figuratively - because it reflects the culture and history of Russia and the whole world, this is a real book, or, rather, a whole collection of works, but instead of a dry description of beautiful masterpieces, you can see them with your own eyes, it’s a pity you can’t touch them.

The museum began in 1764 as a collection of paintings by Empress Catherine II the Great, who spent considerable sums on the acquisition of paintings by brilliant European artists. Most of the paintings hung in the halls of the famous Winter Palace(the favorite residence of the Russian emperors), which then received the name “Hermitage” (in French this means “secluded place, shelter”).

Initially, ordinary people could not admire the masterpieces - the museum was opened to the general public only in 1852. Anyone who has ever been to the Hermitage will remember it for the rest of their lives, because there is an absolutely incredible atmosphere here, the luxury and splendor of the palace halls will not leave anyone indifferent. Please note that for photo and video shooting you need to purchase a special ticket, and you can only take photos without a flash.

10. St. Basil's Cathedral

This unusual and amazingly beautiful temple is located in the center of Moscow, on Red Square. You will find a description of the cathedral in any tourist guide, but it’s better to see it with your own eyes, because it’s impossible to describe it in words. It looks like a huge fire burning in the heart of the Russian capital: when the bright Moscow sun plays on its multi-colored domes, it is an incomparable spectacle.

The cathedral was erected in 1555–1561 by order of Ivan IV the Terrible. According to legend, after construction was completed, the cruel Russian Tsar ordered the architects Barma and Postnik to be blinded so that they could no longer build anything equal to this temple in beauty and grandeur. The king achieved his goal - in no corner of the world there is anything similar to this architectural masterpiece.

11. Red Square

A walk along Red Square is the first thing everyone should do in the Russian capital foreign tourist. The main milestones of Russian history are associated with this place, as evidenced by historical monuments- Execution Place, where Russian tsars executed troublemakers, criminals and rebels; a monument to Kuzma Minin and Dmitry Pozharsky, who led the people’s militia at the beginning of the 17th century to drive the Polish occupiers out of Moscow; Mausoleum of V.I. Lenin and much more.

On Red Square, various events dedicated to public holidays, and military parades, from here on November 7, 1941, Soviet soldiers went straight to the front.

By the way, in the old days the word “red” meant “beautiful”, and if you see the square with your own eyes, you will understand why it was called that.

12. Derbent

The unique city of the Russian republic of Dagestan is not very popular among tourists, but it is worth visiting if only to walk along the streets of one of the oldest inhabited cities in the world.

Derbent is famous for its truly Caucasian hospitality and rich cultural traditions. Among the main cultural and historical attractions are the Derbent Wall, which is about 1.5 thousand years old, and Naryn-Kala, ancient fortress, which once faithfully served the defenders of the city. The oldest Muslim temple in Russia, the Juma Mosque, built in 733, is also located here.

Among the city's attractions, one cannot fail to mention Derbent cognac, which is made from Dagestan grapes. If you happen to get to Derbent, be sure to try it. Now it is the second largest city in Dagestan: the population is about 100 thousand inhabitants, most of whom are Lezgins, Azerbaijanis and Tabasarans.

13. Altai Mountains

If you think that the most beautiful mountains on Earth there are Alps, which means you have not been to Altai. This is the highest mountain system Siberia, on its territory the borders of Russia, China, Mongolia and Kazakhstan converge, and unlike European mountain resorts, not all the paths here have been trampled by the ubiquitous tourists.

IN Altai mountains powerful and deep-flowing Siberian rivers are born - the Ob, Irtysh and Yenisei, and in the stunningly beautiful valleys there are rare animals that you will not find anywhere else. There are many poachers here, whom the authorities are trying to fight, but so far not very successfully, mainly because officials themselves have more than once been seen exterminating unique representatives of the local fauna.

Since ancient times, distinctive tribes and peoples have lived in Altai, somewhat similar to the Indians: they worship gods in animal forms and practice pagan rituals.

Sights of Russian cities

When talking about Russia, foreigners imagine endless expanses of forests and blue Lakes, as well as the most recognizable symbols of the capital - Red Square with the Kremlin and St. Basil's Cathedral.

Of course, pedestrian and bus routes in Moscow, the main attractions are not limited to: tourists can see more than a dozen cathedrals, get acquainted with the exhibitions of the Tretyakov Gallery and several museums. Children usually visit the Moscow Zoo and one of the city’s huge water parks.

People come to St. Petersburg for European architectural beauties: it will take at least a week to see the most famous palace and park ensembles and houses of writers in ancient buildings. St. Petersburg museums house huge collections of royal treasures, antiques, culturally significant finds and objects belonging to different eras. A mandatory point of the program is a visit to Peterhof, the most elegant palace and park ensemble in the vicinity of St. Petersburg.

The most famous cultural and historical route is not limited to one city: the attractions of the Golden Ring of Russia include entire cities with a centuries-old history, where beautiful churches, ancient Kremlin fortresses and other examples of Russian architecture have been preserved. The classic list includes Suzdal, Rostov the Great, Yaroslavl, Vladimir, Kostroma, Sergiev Posad, Pereslavl-Zalessky, Ivanovo. However, the thematic route can be safely supplemented with a visit to the cities of Gus-Khrustalny, Uglich, Myshkin, Rybinsk, Kalyazin and some others, very interesting in terms of history (mentioned in chronicles), architecture and traditional folk crafts.

Architectural landmarks and rich cultural heritage- one of the main reasons to go to Kazan. The destination is very popular all year round: in winter, walks along the walls

 

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