Trips and Tales (Part 22)
On the Beaten Track: Moscow Must-Sees (continued)
Red Square
Well you have to really… Red Square has been the focal point of Moscow for centuries. Originally incarnated as erstwhile Russian favela for sections of society whose status forbade them from accessing the city’s medieval boundaries, its various historical roles include: trading site, parade ground, battlefield, coronation site, necropolis for Soviet notables (including Lenin,Yuri Gagarin and casualties of the October Revolution), execution site and meeting point for political mob-rousing. The “Red” part of the name is actually a translation from the archaic Russian krasnyi, or beautiful: originally a well-justified reference to St Basil’s Cathedral, it came to describe the whole area. The political “Red” association occurred post-revolution and became iconic during the Cold War.
The days of the Soviet Union parading its military might to the world from the platform of Red Square have mercifully passed, leaving behind a magnet for tourists (beware of pick-pockets), an iconic World Heritage Site and in addition a contemporary stage for celebration and the arts. One of the square’s most striking aspects is the contrast between its main architectural players: the awesome and austere Kremlin walls, the beautiful and otherworldly St Basil’s Cathedral, the solid, stark red and white symmetry of the State Historical Museum, and across the way the vast, classical facade of the Gum (proounced goom) store.
Kilometre Zero
The notion of Red Square as centre is reinforced by the location of Moscow’s Kilometre Zero plaque: the marker from which all distances referencing Moscow are measured. It’s made of bronze, with a central circle and four external, detached bas-relief quadrants outlining a square. It’s a popular custom for tourists to stand on the plaque, face Resurrection Gate (immediately in front) and throw money over their shoulders for “good luck” or to make a wish come true (this applies to newly married couple apparently).
The moment anybody does this, a loitering flock of elderly babushkas will descend to pluck the “good stuff” (i.e. roubles) from the ground like capitalist pigeons, in a spectacle that at first seems humorous, then degrading, and finally just sad. The impact of this spectacle (a tangible statement about Russian elderly care) is magnified by the fact that the plaque is only a few feet across. They are literally standing next to you, waiting to stoop for your small-change cast-offs. And all in front of iconic Orthodox images that include the resurrection of Christ. I suppose it’s also inadvertently a statement about wishing for luck, as opposed to going out and grabbing it for yourself. More of a statement about poverty though.
St Basil’s Cathedral
Just amazing, and almost fantastical with its eight lavish, psychedelic, onion-domed towers, which are actually sub-churches surrounding a taller central church, all on a stepped base with decorative arches and detailed curvilinear relief/mouldings/overhangs throughout its striking red brickwork. Mystery surrounds its design concept: an eight pointed star (as seen from above); a representation of The Heavenly Jerusalem; a vision of the erratic state of its commissioner’s mind; a fire reaching to the sky; or even a reconstruction of Qolsharif Mosque. All in a unique hybrid of Russian and Renaissance architectural styles.
Its correct name is: The Cathedral of Intercession of Most Holy Theotokos on the Moat – which just rolls off the tongue, don’t you agree? The popular “Basil” name comes from Basil the Blessed, Fool for Christ, who was buried at the site’s original Trinity Church/Cathedral. The elaborate modern form has its origins with Ivan IV (Ivan the Terrible), who commissioned a cathedral to mark the capture of Kazan and Astrakhan. Internally it features vaultings with specific dedications, fine architecture and murals all threaded with a labyrinth of corridors. After a bewildering history of modification, extension, abuse, renovation, redesign, re-construction and decoration, what remains is something altogether unique, a lavish visual spectacle both inside and out.
Next time: Trips and Tales (Part 23)
Moscow Must-Sees (continued): Lenin’s Mausoleum.
[Photo by thisisbossi]