This is a non-standard album - we're roaming in Moscow. To avoid possible naggings let me make a note that Moscow can also be considered as located in St.Petersburg surrounding, though a far one. ;-)
Since my comments are quite subjective, they are amplified with words of local resident Mari in attempt to restore the truth. :) Her comments are displayed in
blue.
...And are not less subjective but frankly partial sometimes. :)
Thus Moscow. The city having no common style but a great mixture of them, where straight streets are rare.
It's simple: Moscow is a city made up by foot-passers. First tread, then asphalt. That's why the streets have ...hmm... their own individuality. ;) Somewhere we plant trees and put benches - that's how the boulevards like this one are made.
A house with an original architecture. :) Be sure it's not an optical effect, the house really looks as shown.
A pal supposed a dance hall there. I have no confirmation about it. :)
Besides the things mentioned above, there are some details in appearance of Moscow distinguishing it from St.Petersburg.
For instance, newly erected buildings look quite strange being mixed up with ancient ones.
A careless treatment of traffic lights by pedestrians as well as the same attitude of street policemen to these pedestrians is striking.
More and more of old buildings along the boulevard and at the squares in the city centre are being repaired. Sometimes it seems like smart cleansed residences of the past centuries look much fresher than cheerless "new" builings of the Soviet period.
Metropol
I would rather say: "hotel Metropol". However, despite the dazzling mosaic, a lot of decorative towers, balcony and lanterns, in fact it's only an ordinary hotel. :)
Red Square. A smoke in the background has blent quite well closing factory chimneys from the camera.
Temple of Christ the Saviour. Possibly, one of the most nonsensical constructions of our time. This pictute is certainly linked with the previous one. When I visited Moscow about a year ago, one of the crosses at the temple dome could be distinctly seen from the Red Square over a Kremlin wall. Nowadays it's unable to see it staying there. I can't explain why.
Cumbrous and unnative erection for Moscow. Rises up a feeling of either incompleteness, or frank roughness of the work. Bulky and monotone.
Stylish lanterns staying around the building. Not good to observe: a small thing in the ring is an image of the temple itself.
'Rent dwelling-house', tells an inscription. Without exaggeration, the most interesting building I've seen in Moscow, except the Kremlin, of course.
Above mentioned "absence of common style" gives this a bit absurd house an unexplanatory fascination. I'm of feeling that the architect has put here all the aesthetic things he was able to create. ;) Mosaic, tracery arch-portals (unfortunately, almost absent in the pictures), balcony, relief, towers, animals, windows of quaint form - everything makes an impression that a certain absent-minded Storyteller has participated in the house decoration. And worth to say, the result is charming. :)
Seems like in Tallinn exist buildings of a similar architecture, but this one significanltly differs from them by its "unregularity". For instance, the left edge of the house looks like unfinished.
There are a lot of similar buildings not only in Tallinn, but also in Amsterdam. However, all of them follow the style rules more strictly, their authors do not venture upon making a mosaic with Slavic semiwomen-semibirds under Gothic roofs. ;)
A latter addition of our visitor Vladimir Beshenkov:
"The most beautiful building" is a house of civil engineer Pertsov, has been erected under his own project. Facades are decorated by painter Malyutin (remember the tower in Talashkino...) "The bat" cafe has resided here in the basement in the beginning of the 20th century, and Vertinskiy has sung his songs there. The top-floor rooms were painters' studios. The building was never a rent-house in the full sense of the word, because its apartments were rented by artists, painters, etc. (from Dmitriy Shvidkovskiy book "Moscow Private Residences")
Two large-scale constructions in one picture. Left in the background is Temple of Christ the Saviour, right in the front - a monument to Peter the Great. Fortunately, high constructions are forbidden in the centre of St.Petersburg! ;)
Nothing to object. We're guilty, we permitted. :( And now dragging it out from the island will be more expensive than it was to set it up...
Close-up of architect Tsereteli's creation. The disproportion between the figure and ship is startling. ;-)
Sculpture in front of the Central Palace of Painters (in the background), where some part of Tretyakov Gallery's exposition (20th century) is also exhibited.
A lattice there. Attracted my attention having a strong resemblance to the
lattice of Letniy (Summer) garden. Saying frankly, an interesting coincidence. :)
That's the design wonders. :) Pay attention to the colors and ornament of the church. No comments. ;)
The main building of the Moscow State University. A lighting colored it nicely.
Worth to say, the illumination of buildings is quite solid in Moscow. Everything that can be illuminated, is illuminated. :)
Thus everything is visible everywhere even at night. Windows, street lamps, building illumination, electric signs, night stores - all give light. The city shines at night with all its strength. :)
That's all. I'm back again in St.Petersburg hearing the rain (or moist snow) outside. East or West, home is best! ;-)
