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Facts and Information About Russia
Russia, also known as the Russian Federation is a transcontinental country
straddling the continents of Asia and Europe with Moscow as its capital city.
With an area of 6,592,800 sq miles (17,075,400 sq km), Russia is the largest
country in the world spanning 11 time zones and covering more than one eighth
of the Earth's land surface.
Russia has a population of about 142 million people at 2007. The
country's history and culture went back a long way and because of this,
although the Russian landscape is so rich and diverse, its main tourist
attractions are its historical monuments and sites of majestic buildings,
cathedrals, ancient cities and museums. Nevertheless, nature loving tourist to
Russia will always marvel at the largest freshwater lake in the world, rivers
and forests teeming with fish and wildlife, majestic volcanoes, and towering
mountains.
Tourist attractions in Russia
Moscow – Since Moscow is the capital of Russia, it is also the main
gateway to Russia and tourist will usually start their sight seeing tour,
exploring Russia from this city. Moscow itself is also home to several tourist
attractions such as the Kremlin and the Red Square amongst others.
Moscow is one of the biggest cities in the world and occupies an area of
about 400 sq miles (1035 sq km) with a population of about 9 million people.
This is not counting the more than three million tourists and visitors to the
city yearly.
Moscow buildings are rather unique because its architectural style
combines the features of Eastern as well as Western cultures and features. The
Vysantium styles are mixed with architectural styles of Britain, Italy and
other West-European countries.
A visit to some of Moscow's 80 museums are indeed eye openers as these
museums preserve invaluable treasures ranging from rich collections of Russian
and foreign art and culture. The Kremlin, the symbol of Russian might and
power stands proudly towering over the left bank of the Moskva river. It is
the oldest part of the city and is its political, historic and cultural center
and the seat of Russia's legislative power. It is also the site of several
museums.
Another tourist attraction in Moscow is the famous The Red Square which
is the main square in Moscow and Russia not unlike what Tian An Men square is
to China.
St. Petersburg – St Petersburg is another well known city in
Russia popular with tourists because it is one of the most beautiful cities of
Europe and affectionately called Venice of the North. St Petersburg is the
second largest city in Russia after Moscow and has a population of about 5
million people. The city was founded by Peter the Great in 1703 and was the
capital of the Russian Empire for about 2 centuries from 1712 – 1918. This
historical city was the scene of the February and October revolutions in 1917
and was a besieged and fiercely defended city during the last world war.
St.Petersburg is an impressive display of remarkable
architectures which can be seen from the cathedral of the Peter-Paul Fortress,
the Summer Palace, the Winter Palace, the Smolny Convent, the Vorontsov and
Strogonov palaces, the Kazan and St.Isaacs Cathedrals. It is also the soul of
Russian fine arts in its rich world class music, ballet, and theatre
performances.
If you are in St Petersburg, then you must not miss
visiting The Hermitage Museum. This is one of the biggest museums in the world
which was founded by Catherine the Great in 1764. Here is a treasure trove of
famous works of luminary greats such as the likes of Leonardo da Vinci,
Rafael, Titian, Velazques, Murillo, Rubens, Van Dyke, Hals, Poussin, Watteau,
Monet, Renoir, Cezanne, Picasso, Matisse, Michelangelo and Rodin, just to name
a few.
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Velikiy Novgorod - Velikiy Novgorod is located on the banks of
the river Volkhov River which is about 120 miles (about 190 km) south of
St.Petersburg. This amazing ancient city was founded more than 11 centuries
ago and is a popular tourist attraction today.
Velikiy Novgorod suffered severe damage from German bombing runs in the
Second World. The good news is that many of the historical monuments are now
restored to its former splendor and glory.
Murmansk – The town of Murmansk is located in northwestern Russia and
has a population of almost half a million people. This town is now an
important fishing port and is home to one of the largest its fish-processing
plant in Europe.
The best time to visit Murmansk is during the Festival of the North,
which is celebrated in the last week of March with a ski marathon and reindeer
races.
Sochi – After touring some of Russia's city and towns, let's take a look
at Sochi, Russia's favorite resort by the Black Sea with towering Caucasus
Mountains serving as the beautiful resort's backdrop.
What makes Sochi such a popular resort in Russia is because of its cool
subtropical climate, warm blue sea and the modern resort complexes. This
resort also attracts dignitaries like local and foreign head of states and
movie stars as its guests.
To cater to the demands of tourists, you can find dozens of hotels and
campsites with more than 50 sanatoriums. There are also natural beauties to
enjoy such as picturesque waterfalls, wonderful hilltop views, mineral springs
spas and alpine vistas to stroll in.
Vladivostok – This is also another important Russian town that is worth
visiting. Vladivostok is an important seaport and administrative center of
Primorsky Kray region, in southeastern Russia and is extremely rich in Russian
military history.
The town was founded in 1860 and is now the chief educational and
cultural centre of the Russian Far East. The city is famous for its performing
art theatres and its philharmonic symphony orchestra.
Vladivostok is surrounded by the Ussuri Nature Reserve and the Far East
Maritime Reserve. Nature lovers can find bumbling black and brown bears,
Siberian boars, majestic Ussuri tigers, the rare Amur leopard and colorful
migratory birds in these reserves.
The Trans-Siberian Railway – The best way for tourists to discover and
tour the vast expanse of Russia is by The Trans-Siberian Railway. The rail
trip on the train from Moscow to Nakhodka takes about eight fascinating days,
passing through forests of birch and pine, quaint Russian villages and
beautiful steppes.
The train will also rumble past Siberia's Lake Baikal which is as big as
Belgium and is home to the world's only freshwater seal. Other tourist
attractions along the journey are the multicultural town of Irkutsk and
Ulan-Ude city which is Russia's center of Buddhism. – Tourist
Attractions in Russia was published in 1 Feb 2008
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