A Visit to Russia in the Autumn of 1862 (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1863 edition. Excerpt: ... not attempting to give a detailed description of Moscow, we may direct the attention of the traveller to the Foundling Hospital, the Riding-school, the University, and the Post-office; also to the statues in honour of Pojarski and Minnin in the Krasnoi-Ploschad, or the Red Place, which were erected by Alexander I. in commemoration of their having delivered the country from the invasion of the Poles in 1613. These statues are of bronze, and nearly fourteen feet high, and stand on a block of red granite, on which is an inscription in Russian and a bas-relief, the whole surrounded by a handsome iron railing. This monument is well worthy of examination. It represents Minnin appealing to the Prince to put himself at the head of the people and attack the Poles. It was on their expulsion in that year that Michael Romanoff, alleged to have been descended in the female line from Rurik, mounted the throne of Russia, and became the founder of the present dynasty. In a court close to the Treasury are rows of cannon taken by the Russians at various times, a large proportion of which consists of those captured from the French in their retreat from Moscow in 1812. Prussia and Poland contribute their share, as does, in fact, nearly every nation under the sun excepting England. The views of Moscow from the Kremlin-terrace, and also from the Seminoff monastery and the Sparrow-hill, are the best that can be obtained. It was on the Sparrow-hill that Napoleon obtained his first view of it, and counted those chickens which were not to be hatched. We ascended the tower of the Seminoff monastery, and obtained, as we thought, the best view of the city, which was spread out before us like an enormous panorama. The principal features in it are the Kremlin, with...