Moscow, Russia.

[sve]

Photo report from Moscow.

[ukanfoff]

one of these days i gotta go to russia... ..

[Rhynome]

Yeah, I'd like to go to Russia as well. Everybody talks about the Western cities though, I wonder what the ones more to the East are like.

I see in one of the pictures that there's a two headed eagle with a crown above the two heads. Now I know just about every European royal family since the Hapsburgs has used an eagle, and the two headed eagle is Hapsburg itself, but surely any eagle/crown references would have been removed with Communism?

So does anybody know the story behind these sorts of things? For example that spire with the eagle on it, would that have been placed there recently, or maybe replaced, or what?

I know Poland took the crown off the eagle, but what did Russia do? As I see in that second from last photo the red-star is still standing.

What happened to all the religious buildings also? It seems there's still a Cathedral there, but how were the different religions and buildings associated with them treated. Especially Eastern Orthodox as surely it would be a very unwise and unpopular move to try and get rid of that; even if it was a Communist State.

Hopefully someone can answer some of my many questions.

[sve]

Hello.
Thanks, ukankoff, I take it you liked something in these pictures. I'm glad.

Hey, Rhynome. Very good observation skills again, you are right. Both symbols (From Communist era, red star and from royal Russian house ) present in current moment on the important buildings in Russia. But two headed eagle has historical sense now, Russia took it from Byzantine, projecting itself as heir of Orthodox religion.
Here is the link to read. I think they are answers to your questions.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coat_of_arms_of_Russia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Two-headed_eagle

Two headed eagle was restored recently, it was removed of course by communists.
There were religions functioning in Russia during communist era, it was just not appropriate. Some of the churches were destroyed and now the Cathedral you are talking about is brand new restoration, it is build at the same place where the old one was before. Between them there was a huge covered swimming pool.
Other religions. I know there are several official religions in Russia including Buddhism, Judaism, Islam, Catholicism.
Orthodox religion is the one which takes the major part of state pie.

[hurricane]

Great !!!!

[blacky]

..................Home sweet home...................
(not that I'd ever been to Russia/ Moskow)

it's the People and those little charakteristic details, that make me wanna go back and visit my homecountry again.

Thanks for those
(checked out the others too, they are all splendid n wonderfull)

Hope you had the time to visit some artmuseums while being in London.

So long....

[mat_brunner]

russia is so beautyful. i want to go there.

[guggemmaneuver]

Thanks for sharing your beautiful pictures, sve...in particular the market-ish ones really stand out as being nice and capturing a great deal of character. you are too good to us! thanks again!

joel