Exploring the Cradle of Russia

A day trip out of St Petersburg to the first and most ancient city in Russia, Velikiy Novgorod was an experience back in time to the mid 9th century and a wonderful encounter with rural Russia.

 The monastary of Yuviev on the banks of the Volkhov river, with the St George Cathedral at its centre.  A stunning example of medieval architecture with its simple but beautiful proportions and teh ever-present Russian style helmet cupola.

 The fresco painting of the interior was breathtaking in its beauty.

 The traditional wooden architecture of northern Russia was showcased at an outdoor museum (Vitoslavlitsky) where wooden buildings from the early 19th century have been rescued and restored to protect an architectural heritage that has been mostly destroyed by war and the ravages of time.

 From an early windmill

 to a traditional fencing style - known as the drunken fence

 To the intricately carved all timber church, barn and house buildings that represent a building craft that is both functional and beautiful in its simplicity and form.  The following pictures say it all.

 The Kremlin (old Russian for fortification) of Novgorod is impressive and a World Heritage site.  The bell tower, shown in the first image on this post tells the story of the bells of Novgorod - from ancient times the main bell at the Cathedral of St Sophia (above), Russia's oldest Christian church called its people to meetings.  Legend says that after Novgorod was pillaged by Ivan 3rd the bell (a symbol of popular sovereignty) was to be taken to Moscow.  On the way the bell was said to shatter and its fragments taken into peasant households throughout the region - which kept alive Novgorod's spirit of liberty.  The bell is today revered as a reminder of the traditions that once lay at the heart of the cradle of Russia.  Beautiful bronze bells remain the traditional souvenir of Novgorod.

St Petersburg - A Celebration of Spring

Following the IFLA 2015 World Council meeting in Moscow, I attended the 52nd World Congress in St Petersburg (previously known as Leningrad).  St Petersburg is a city known for its garden and park history and is packed full of public parks and gardens.

The city has undergone major restoration and renovation recently, with a new pedestrian street 'the big stables' as above being put in place.  A nice notion with the centre of the street being set aside for casual strolling the length of the street (with seating and park-like setting) with focused retailers on the footpaths adjacent to shops in more traditional way.

 The city has put in place a colour theme which guides the painting of heritage facades.  The palette is based on the shadows of light that play on the water of the many canals and rivers with watery pastel hues.

 Many manors and palaces line the rivers of the city - this one famous for being the home of famous Russian poet Derzhavin.  

The home and garden have been fully restored based on extensive original architectural plans and drawings.  Interestingly, most of the parks and gardens were designed by architects - I like to think these men (as they were mostly men - albeit often comissioned by women) were closet landscape architects!

 Like much of St Petersburg it was either English picturesque gardens or French formality that influenced the garden styles of the rich and famous.

 It was spring in St Petersburg and a main feature of the city are the extensive plantings of lilac.  These plants with their short-lived colour and scent provide an intense sensory and visual experience that intensifies the delight spring brings to a city of people who have come out of a long and dark winter.  Lilac makes sense in St Petersburg.

 Manor of Dezhavin with small water feature ponds and bridges.

 The garden came after the house and with the second wife of Derzhavin, who was desperate for a garden and was a talented botanical artist.

 And the buildings in St Petersburg are phenomenal - highly decorative and dripping with stone carving and plaster detailing, I had to restrain myself with the photos...

 Restoration of the city has included re-planting some of the original formal specimen trees.  A major challenge however is that the salt used to melt snow off the streets in winter gets into the tree pits and often kills the trees.

The Summer Garden is in the Dutch formal style of the 18th century that was put in place by Peter the Great (and recently restored to its original plan by the city).  The Summer garden was the first garden created in the city.  Above to the left is the Field of Mars garden and to the right is the Summer garden.

 The garden sits opposite the palace (where the IFLA gala dinner was held).

The palace was as impressive inside as it was out and was a spectacular setting for a celebration of Russian cuisine and landscapes.

My only regret was not being able to see St Petersburg in winter as I believe the beauty of the buildings and structure of the city itself would be intensified in the starkness of crisp white drapery.

Moscow - City on a Grand Scale

The 2015 IFLA (International Federation of Landscape Architects) World Council meeting (of which I'm the current New Zealand delegate) was held in Moscow, Russia.  This was my first trip to this vast country and that word itself epitomises the general impression - the skies, landscapes, forests, landmass, buildings and ideas combine to create a dramatic scale.

 There was of course the iconic and stunning Russian architecture of Red Square, but the big surprise in Moscow was the vervour in which local residents (and visitors alike) were celebrating the onset of spring. 

 This was evident at its most profound in the public parks which were packed full of people enjoying the first rays of sun from the intense, long and dark winter.

 Gorky Park, a huge heritage park (designed by Constantin Melnikov in 1928 - he was a constructivist architect - but its not very evident in the park) with a stunning new contemporary section created in 2011 is located on the river and near the massive sculpture of Peter the Great (see above - 98m high - I did say things were big here)!

 The contemporary area has some lovely boardwalk features - a necessity in the melted snow and inevitable water ponding of the Russian winter.

 Some lovely recreational features were located throughout the spaces for people to use - like these giant bean-bags.

 There were spaces for quiet contemplation near the water.

 For promenading by the river - with a riot of colour and perennial planting to give lightness and brightness to the short summer experienced in Russia.

 A truely lovely interactive water square was packed with children and adults alike having fun in the sun - its interesting how the notion of recreation can unite.

 I particularly liked the variety of spaces created throughout the park - something for everyone.

 And who would have thought a bunch of chains hanging from a beam would create quite such a stir with kids - it was a really fun tactile experience.

Bikes, scooters and skateboards were accommodated in innovative ways alongside paths.

All in all, the public spaces of Moscow were a delight and show that the global phenomenon of recreation has a profound impact on the way people interact and enjoy the landscapes around them.