KREMLIN TREASURES

                 So Much to See

            Stalin opened the Kremlin to the public in 1953. In the Kremlin our first stop was the Armory to view the country’s jewels and treasures. Created in 1806 it is Moscow’s oldest museum and opened to the public in 1911.

The Armory Palace, Moscow’s most fascinating and richest museum, flanks one side of The Kremlin at Red Square. The crown jewels, Catherine the Great’s coronation crown with its 5000 diamonds, religious icons, priceless artifacts, and fabulous world famous Faberge egg collection are housed in the Armory. Gold and silver shine everywhere in bowls, goblets, chalices, and jewelry.  Also included are carriages, royal vestments, robes, and headdresses as well as the 189-carat Orlov diamond.

            We spent a long time walking the many rooms of the Armory while our guide explained different displays as everything was written in Russian. No English subtitles here! At times the glitter was overwhelming. Thousands of pearls decorated gowns, crowns, book covers and more.

            We were all agape at the tiny waists of past female czars as we viewed some of their garments. “My gosh, my thigh is bigger than that waist!” I remarked.

           I was fascinated with the bronze floor to ceiling gate that protected one room. It displayed a coat of arms of each Russian state/district, and was truly a beautiful work of art.

Emperor Cannon

The huge 40-ton cannon, cast in Moscow in 1586, is the oldest and largest cannon in the world, but it has never been fired. The length of this monstrous cannon measures over 15 feet (5 meters). The external diameter of the barrel is 120 centimeters. This unique piece of work was a natural result of the development of the oldest branch of Russia’s craft-foundry business dating back to the 10^th century. The cannon has been moved several times over the past 400 years and since 1960 has stood here in Ivanovskaya Square. The four cannonballs stacked beside it weigh 1000 kilos each.

Emperor Bell  

            Stopping at the 210-ton bell our guide told us, “This is the largest bell in the world. It has stood here for 150 years. This large chunk broke from its own weight and of course it has never been rung. It is a unique monument of Russian art molding of the 18^th century. Many large bells cast in the 16-17^th centuries have broken in various ways.”

            In my wildest dreams I never thought I’d ever visit the Kremlin. It was a fascinating visit and it was wonderful to have a good guide interpret for us. It was at the Kremlin where I saw onion and helmet domes close enough together to really see the difference.

LJUBLJANA continued

    A Vibrant City

            I always enjoy walking tours of a new city with a local docent. It is a great way to pick up a lot of information that one might miss otherwise.   

            During the walking tour of Ljubljana, Slovenia’s capital city, our guide stopped at the statue of a well known poet telling us that it is the landmark for the city’s meeting place. Turning, she pointed down a lane to show us the orange woman in a picture frame on the second floor of a yellow house. “She is Julija, and to the right of her is Hauptman House, the only structure to survive the 1895 quake.”

            There were lots of bicycles, but we noticed only a very few of them were locked and that says a lot about the crime rate in a locale. We walked down a cobbled lane until the guide stopped in front of a 1706 baroque church, saying, “This door was made for the pope’s visit in 1996. It depicts the history of Christianity and the city. In ancient times churches were built on a hill with a protective wall around them. A linden tree will always be near a church. People sit under it to contemplate and solve problems. The country’s national tree has a heart shaped leaf and is a symbol of hospitality. Tea is sometimes brewed from the leaves.”

            During WW II Italians built a 23-mile long barb wire fence around the city that stayed for 105 days.  Slovenia is a country of bee keepers. Painted bee hive panels are a popular folk art souvenir item. The country produces 50,000 liters of honey a year. Fruit brandies are popular in this part of the world and in this area the drink is made from pears.

            From the cobbled square one has a good view of the picturesque medieval castle sitting high on the hill. It looked imposing. The   fortress provides a panoramic view from its vantage point.  The 12^th century Roman castle was added on to in the 17^th century. It fell into disrepair and was rebuilt in the 1940s and renovated in the 1970s. Two trails and a tourist train lead up to the castle/fort.

            St. George (dragon slayer) is the patron saint of the city and the dragon bridge has been the symbol of the city for years.   Several quaint bridges span the Ljubljana River flowing thru the heart of city.  The Triple Bridge with its Venetian vibe marks the half way point between Vienna and Venice, the crossroads of the Italian and German worlds.

            Everyone associates the Lipizzaner horses with Vienna, but this is the original home of the famous equines.

            Ljubljana is a vibrant exciting city, and I liked it a lot. People were very friendly. Many spoke English so language was not a problem. I had no need to play charades  which I do not do real well.