By: Jomana Aly
Egypt finally made it to the FIFA World Cup 2018 and we can’t wait to see our pharaohs make us proud! If you’re going to see the Egyptian national team play in Russia or you’re just curious what the country looks like, here’s a full guide to Russia’s landmarks and top tourism destinations:
Saint Petersburg: St. Petersburg is a Russian port city on the Baltic Sea. It was the imperial capital for 2 centuries, having been founded in 1703 by Peter the Great, subject of the city’s iconic “Bronze Horseman” statue. It remains Russia’s cultural center, with venues such as the Mariinsky Theatre hosting opera and ballet, and the State Russian Museum showcasing Russian art, from Orthodox icon paintings to Kandinsky works.
Winter Palace: Colonnaded, waterfront, former residence of Russian emperors, with extravagant state rooms.
Church of the Savior on Blood: Gleaming mosaics & marble line this richly decorated 1880s church topped with colorful onion domes.
Saint Isaac’s Cathedral: 1818 Russian Orthodox cathedral & museum with gold-plated dome & an opulent, multicolored interior.
Palace Square: St. Petersburg’s central square contains Alexander Column marking victory over Napoleon’s armies.
Mariinsky Theatre: A monumental neoclassical building most impressive for its sheer bulk and the beautiful decoration of its auditorium.
Moscow: Moscow, on the Moskva River in western Russia, is the nation’s cosmopolitan capital. In its historic core is the Kremlin, a complex that’s home to the president and tsarist treasures in the Armoury. Outside its walls is Red Square, Russia’s symbolic center. It’s home to Lenin’s Mausoleum, the State Historical Museum’s comprehensive collection and St. Basil’s Cathedral, known for its colorful, onion-shaped domes.
Moscow Kremlin: Immense, fortified compound of churches & palaces, with museums of Russian state regalia & art.
Red Square: Landmark square, site of the Kremlin, the 16th-century St. Basil’s Cathedral & Lenin’s mausoleum.
Saint Basil’s Cathedral: Multicolored domes top this 16th-century former cathedral that now contains a museum of the church.
Tsar Bell: The Tsar Bell, also known as the Tsarsky Kolokol, Tsar Kolokol III, or Royal Bell, is a 6.14-metre tall, 6.6-metre diameter bell on display on the grounds of the Moscow Kremlin
Lake Baikal:
Lake Baikal is an ancient, massive lake in the mountainous Russian region of Siberia, north of the Mongolian border. Considered the deepest lake in the world, it’s circled by a network of hiking paths called the Great Baikal Trail. The village of Listvyanka, on its western shoreline, is a popular starting point for summertime wildlife-spotting tours, plus wintertime ice-skating and dog sledding.
Irkutsk:
Irkutsk is a city on the Angara River in eastern Siberia, Russia. The river embankment is lined with hurches, including the Epiphany Cathedral (Sobor Bogoyavleniya), with gilded onion domes, and the Spasskaya Church, with its soaring bell tower. The restored neoclassical Moskovskie Vorota arch is also by the water. Near Kirov Square, the Irkutsk Regional Art Museum has ancient icons and more recent Russian artworks.
