A day without Niko was a day without sunshine. Well, almost. It rained in the morning, but by late afternoon, it came out in time for Bob to take a few photos during a leisurely walk-around.
The Bronze Horseman, which someone once described as Russia's version of the Statue of Liberty, overlooks the Neva River. It's of Peter the Great and paid for by Catherine the Great, who hoped it would help solidify her Russian credentials, since she had ascended the throne by marriage and murder. It sits on a 1500 ton stone that was moved there by hand. For good luck, newly-weds like to be photographed in front of it, and even though it was still drizzling, two couples showed up in the five minutes we were there.
Although we have yet to visit it, Bob photographed the Peter and Paul Church, because its gold-leaf 404 foot spire, the highest in the City, glistened so brilliantly in the sunlight across the Neva. Begun by Peter the Great in 1703, it is the oldest church in the City, and the one where all but two of the tsars are buried. Just recently, Nicholas and his family also moved in.
Alexander's Column in Palace Square is made of a single piece of red granite 83 ½ feet high and over 11 feet wide, and it weighs over 600 tons. It has military scenes around its base, probably honoring Alexander I, who reigned during the time that Napoleon tried unsuccessfully to conquer the country.
Between Palace Square and the Neva stands the Hermitage, one of its building having been the tsar's Winter Palace. The museum now has over a thousand rooms and one of the world's largest collections of art. Catherine the Great used to buy whole collections in Europe when they came up for sale. Although we are scheduled to visit tomorrow, Karin wanted to be photographed in front of it just to prove that she had FINALLY made it! (Ditto for us.) So Ryan, Kyle, Chris, Susan and Gene...here's the proof! (BTW: She keeps wondering why she hasn't heard from Ryan or Kyle. Email works, ya know!)
In the morning, Bob's fatigue had caught up with him, so while he took a long nap, Karin and Steward trudged off alone and in the rain to the Yusupov Palace, which had been owned by one of Russia's wealthiest families before the Revolution.
 |
| Yusupov Palace |
 |
| Tsar's Box |
The family used to have parties for 2000 guests, and because one of their daughters liked theater, they built her one that seats around 180 people with a royal box and two balconies surrounding the main floor. Because its last owner helped kill Rasputin, he was expelled by Tsar Nicholas, thereby saving his life when the Revolution came. Its extensive collection of art was appropriated after the Revolution, so only a few copies now hang on its walls. Its former opulence is diminished, but the place is still worth a rainy morning, and Karin came away with many ideas for her interior-design clients!
