Things to do in South & West Of Moscow
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Assumption Cathedral
Smolensk's big green-and-white working Assumption Cathedral rises at the top of a flight of steps off ul Bolshaya Sovetskaya. A cathedral has stood here since 1101 but this one was built in the late 17th and early 18th centuries; it is one of the earliest examples of the Russo-Greek revival in architecture following the Europeanisation trends of Peter the Great's reign. Topped by five domes, it has a spectacular gilded interior, which was partially damaged by fire during WWII.
According to legend, Napoleon was so impressed that he set a guard to stop his own men from vandalising the cathedral.
Immediately on your left as you enter, an icon of the Virgin is richly encrusted…
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Fortress Walls
Built between 1596 and 1602, the impressive 6.5km-long, 5.5m-thick, 15m-high walls originally had 38 towers, with 17 still standing. The pleasant Central Park of Culture and Rest backs onto a longish southwest stretch of the walls. Overlooking the Spartak Stadium just outside the line of the walls on the west side of the park, the Korolevsky Bastion is a high earth rampart built by the Poles who captured Smolensk in 1611.
It saw heavy fighting in 1654 and 1812. The park has a 26m-high cast-iron monument to the 1812 defenders.
At the foot of the walls (southeast of the Glinka Garden) you'll find an eternal flame memorial to the dead of WWII and the graves of some of the Sov…
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Znamensky Monastery
The crumbling tower visible over the town's north end is the early-19th-century Znamensky Monastery. For a nice hour-long hike, follow ul Sovetskaya towards the monastery. At the fork in the road, veer right downhill to the water and cross the handmade footbridge. A bit to your left will be the base of a stone stairway leading up to the monastery. All that's left today are remnants of the old wall, the shell of a tower and an unsurpassed view over all Yelets. The large blue cupolas off to the right, as you look out from the monastery, belong to the now-abandoned Church of the Nativity (Tserkov Khristorozhdestvenskaya).
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Church of Ascension-Ilinsky
The 1786 Church of Ascension-Ilinsky was used during the Soviet era as a warehouse for the Dom Knigi bookshop, a hulking neoclassical structure placed smack in front of the strawberry-milk-hued, 18th-century church. With the fall of communism in Russia, the books were moved out and the church reopened. When a regional bank was constructed next door in 1997, tinted glass was used to reflect the church, creating the illusion that it is once again part of the main street. Inside, you can see original frescoes by famous icon painter Vasnetsov.
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Regional Museum
Yelets’ Regional Museum houses artefacts from its colourful past. Particularly interesting are the model of ancient Yelets and the collection of Russian coins from the 4th century BC to the Soviet era. The second room is dedicated to the Mongol cavalry that ran roughshod over Yelets in the 13th century. Upstairs is a collection of paintings by local 19th-century artist Meshchkov and information on Yelets’ devastating WWII experience. Beware of overcharging for entry tickets.
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Assumption Cathedral
At the south end of Krasnaya pl is Kursk's most distinctive building, the domed 1816-28 Assumption Cathedral. The Soviets converted the cathedral into a cinema, but it's recently been restored to its former glory. Behind the greenish-blue walls, you'll find a mix of the lavishly ornate (gilded columns, an enormous chandelier) coupled with even larger paintings depicting scenes from Christ's life.
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Kursk Battle Museum
Around ul Sonina is the two-room Kursk Battle Museum, upstairs in the elaborate red-and-white former House of the Nobles, now the Officers House (Dom Ofitserov). Admission buys you good views over town, documentation and artefacts from the battle, and an enthusiastic former Red Army soldier who will tell you all about it and then some.
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Sergievo-Kazansky Cathedral
A block east of ul Lenina, on a pleasant, tree-lined street, is the fine baroque Sergievo-Kazansky Cathedral, built between 1752 and 1758 and designed by Elizabeth I’s court architect, Rastrelli. The construction was ordered by a wealthy merchant who sought repentance for a murder he committed (more or less in self-defence so the story goes).
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Krasnaya pl
The foot of ul Lenina opens into Krasnaya pl , surrounded by imposing Stalinist buildings - the House of Soviets on the east side, the post office on the west, the Hotel Tsentralnaya on the northwest and the matching city council building on the northeast. At the south end of the square is Kursk's most distinctive building, the domed 1816-28 Assumption Cathedral.
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History Museum
Smolensk’s History Museum doubles as a fine-arts museum, displaying a hodgepodge of 18th and 19th century portraiture and 13th-century iconography and graffiti, along with battle maps and Soviet paraphernalia. Particularly interesting are the fragments from the 1812 war, including a French uniform from one of Napoleon’s soldiers.
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Dieteticheskoe Café
This cosy cafeé and restaurant makes a lovely spot for a light meal or a drink in the evenings. Dishes include spaghetti, small sandwiches, goulash and zhorenaya riba (smoked fish). As is usual in Russian restaurants, the portions are small, but they are cheap enough so that you can order a few courses without having to run to the ATM.
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Flax Museumhttp://atlas.lonelyplanet.com/ui/merge_pois/new?ids[]=494080&ids[]=1101677
The pink former Church of Trinity Monastery now houses a small Flax Museum. Historically, flax production has been one of Smolensk’s main industries as the moderate climate sustains soil ideal for growing flax. Exhibits here are sparse, but you’ll get an idea of how the process works. Walk around the back to find the entrance.
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Glinka Concert Hall
Attending a concert is the best way to get a look at the reconstructed hall where Glinka once entertained Russian nobility and launched the history of secular art music in Russia. The local orchestra uses balalaikas in lieu of violins and is quite good. Tickets run from R80 to R800, depending on who’s in town; some shows are free.
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Khrennikov Museum
The Khrennikov Museum pays homage to the successful Soviet composer on the site where he grew up and first studied music. Original furniture, photos and artefacts fill the small house; because Khrennikov was favoured by the Soviet state, the documentation is also interesting as a history of Soviet aesthetics.
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Farfalle
A few blocks south of the Glinka Garden, this Italian restaurant strives to play the part, with a painting of Venice along one wall and the occasional aria playing overhead. Though far from authentic (no pasta on the menu!), the decent pizzas and salads provide a nice respite from eggs, mushrooms and bliny. Carlsberg on tap.
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Flamingo
Battle axes, coats of arms, stone walls and the general feel of a medieval dungeon pervade this atmospheric restaurant. The European-inspired menu includes Nottingham stewed beef and Irish-style meat with mushrooms (the local interpretations of these dishes, anyway). Look for the small red door opposite the fire station.
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Stary Gorod
If the Brady Bunch were Russian, this is what their basement would look like. Lights fancifully strung along the walls of the various dining rooms don't improve the 1960s den interior, but the cheeseburgers, omelettes and buterbrod (open sandwiches) are passable. Enter through the courtyard.
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Museum of Russian Vodka
The one-room Museum of Russian Vodka gives visitors a brief overview of the drink’s colourful history. Fifteen-minute guided tours (in English or Russian) end at the makeshift bar where you can purchase a glass (or better yet a bottle) of some noteworthy Smolenskiy brands.
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Kafe Russkiy Chay
Set with long wooden tables and benches, this simple eatery remains a bastion of communal dining, its popularity persisting despite the basic, almost tasteless fare. Pelmeni (small dumplings usually filled with meat), bliny, soup and salads are among the options. Order at the counter.
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ul Mira
Horse-drawn carts would look perfectly appropriate on ul Mira, perhaps the most picturesque street in town; it's also the main shopping street, filled with pedestrians throughout the day. At the southern end is the main square, pl Lenina, which looks like a movie set for an Ostrovsky drama.
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French Café
Brightly lit and friendly, this café serves coffee, small salads, caviar, sandwiches and many opportunities to satisfy your sweet tooth. Some uniquely French dishes are available – frogs’ legs anyone? It’s in the same building as the Hotel Tsentralnaya.
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Konenkov Sculpture Museum
The Konenkov Sculpture Museum contains playful woodworks by Sergei Konenkov; Lenin seems to have been captured in the midst of a ballet manoeuvre. The museum also has steel, bronze and aluminium works from some of the other noted artists who hail from Smolensk.
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Great Count’s Church
Built during the early 1900s, Great Count’s Church has a distinctly modernist, even art-nouveau flair, with an exotically tiled interior of metallic hues. The cross on the top is made of crystal, supposedly donated from the local glassware factory.
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Art Gallery
The town’s Art Gallery, south of the fortress walls, has paintings by famous artists such as Rerikh and Ivanov, a good sampling of socialist realism, 14th to 18th century icons and works by Smolensk artists patronised by Princess Maria Tenisheva.
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Dvoinoe Solntse
A surprising find, this place attempts to replicate a traditional Japanese tea house, complete with floor seating, screens and low tables. Waiters spend inordinate amounts of time sitting at your table preparing, smelling and pouring your tea. Sushi is also available.
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