Сочинение на тему icons of Russia

Icons of Russia. Russia is a very old country. It has a very long and interesting history. It is famous for its beautiful cities with ancient architecture. Many of them compose a Golden Ring of Russia. All these cities have the majority of sights or the so-called "Icons of Russia". It is very difficultFor example, the Kremlin, which is situated in the heart of Moscow, the Bolshoi Theater, which is also in Moscow and many others. Saint-Petersburg is famous by its magnificent architecture. Almost every building in the city looks like a rare masterpiece. Many people take trips along some Russian cities, called Golden Ring. The Golden Ring of Russia includes such cities as Suzdal, Vladimir, Ivanovo, Yaroslavl and many others. These cities are famous for their rich history and ancient churches. Also, tourists can take part in some authentic festivals when visiting these cities. Another famous sight in Russia is situated in the center of Asia. It’s called Altay. Many tourists want to see this amazing region, which is known for its crystal clear lakes, high mountains and other natural wonders. The deepest lake in the world, Baikal, is also situated in Russia, in the East Siberian region.  to choose which of the sights to describe.  Russia is also famous for its Churches. Let's speak about one of them. Saint Basil the Blessed, also called Pokrovsky Cathedral, Russian Svyatoy Vasiliy Blazhenny or Pokrovsky Sobor,  church constructed on Red Square in Moscow between 1554 and 1560 by Tsar Ivan IV (the Terrible), as a votive offering for his military victories over the khanates of Kazan and Astrakhan. The church was dedicated to the protection and intercession of the Virgin, but it came to be known as the Cathedral of Vasily Blazhenny (St. Basil the Beatified) after Basil, the Russian holy fool who was “idiotic for Christ’s sake” and who was buried in the church vaultsWhile the church is widely known as St. Basil's, or Vasily Blazhenny, the official name dating back to the mid-1500s is Pokrova Bogoroditsy, based on the Russian Orthodox holiday Pokrov Den, when the tsar's forces took Kazan. Only later was the church popularly referred to as St. Basil's — not after the Russian Orthodox St. Vasily, but after Vasily Blazhenny, a pauper who sat outside the church seeking alms. Some 60 years after the church was finished, a cozy little chapel was added in the name of Vasily Blazhenny. This addition not only spoiled the symmetry of the church, but it effectively changed its name. The church that may have inspired Ivan to maim his architects was, in fact, quite different from the one that stands on Red Square today. Indeed, the original architects, even with their vision intact, would not be able to recognize their original masterpiece, a symmetrical, eight-domed structure: four greater domed towers with four smaller ones in between. The larger, tented Pokrovsky tower stood over the central chapel, and all of the towers were then united by an open-air gallery. The composition of the church is particularly interesting. It originally had no main facades, only towers topped by simple metal domes. St. Basil's also represents a breakthrough in building technology. It is one of the first Moscow monuments in which bricks instead of white limestone were used.  According to some studies, the builders of the cathedral were so fascinated with the color and texture of bricks that they did not paint over them, mixing the red brick with some limestone details. But the striking effect of today's St. Basil's is the result of a major reconstruction undertaken in the late 17th and early 18th centuries. At that time the smaller, metal domes that were part of the original design were replaced by the merrily painted, exaggerated onion domes we see today. The exterior surfaces were subject to the same colorful decoration. The slightly leaning Pokrovsky bell tower was also added, and the open gallery was enclosed in glass.  St. Basil's is also unique for its synthesis of styles. Although rich with elements of Italian Renaissance style, such as the elaborate entablements and rusticated columns, there are also elements reminiscent of English Tudor style, such as the triangular frontons. .