Russian Travel Guide

Zhostovo painting

In the Moscow suburb of Zhostovo in the 19th century a craft appeared which was to bring fame to these Russian craftsmen all over the world. And what exactly was their claim to fame? Nothing other than carefully painted trays decorated with detailed images of flowers and other colourful pictures. Such trays were initially designed for townspeople and peasants as the everyday item played a central role in the Russian tea ceremony and was also a sign of a family’s prosperity. With time this purely utilitarian item transformed into a piece of art. Among collectors these trays are valued for the colouristic richness of their subjects, defined by the free, full movement of the brushstrokes. In Zhostovo the art of painting these beautiful blossoms on planes of metal is passed down from generation to generation. To this day there are craftsmen in Zhostovo whose ancestors were the first to popul...

Золотошвейная мастерская Троице-Сергиевой лавры

Donskoi monastery

The Donskoy Monastery is one of Moscow’s oldest — it was founded in the late 16th century by Tsar Fyodor the First as a sign of gratitude for the help received in protecting the city from the forces of the Crimean Khan Kazy, Girai. Active since the day it was founded, Donskoy welcomes new inhabitants to its monastery every year. The monastery is home to one of the most revered icons in the Orthodox world — The Donskoy icon of the Mother of God, which hundreds of believers visit every day to see and pray to. The Donskoy Monastery’s necropolis is another interesting sight and is nowadays the oldest surviving cemetary in Moscow in which distinguished Russian figures are buried. One of the most important ceremonies carried out at the monastery is in preparation of chrism, the consecrated oil and balsam mixture used during baptisms and other religious ceremonies. During this sacred rite, 300 ...