View on the Thousand Years of Russian Church, State and Heritage , 15 days
Type: special offers, corporate offers, around Moscow, excursion, historical, events, culture heritage, recommended, discovery, Golden Ring
Route: Golden Ring , Seliger lake, Tojok, Pаlekh, Dmitrov, Pereslavl Zalessky, Moscow, Vladimir, Suzdal, Sergiev Posad, Tver
Dates: upon request, all year round
Group: 2-20
Tour led by Mr. Vasiliy Novakovskiy
The two weeks duration tour to the central region of
The center of that struggle and development became
The tour is based on
The main tour- effort to be provided by automobile (by bus) driving around
People visit ancient churches, monasteries and fortresses, holy places, memorials of the wars and battles, relics of the old and modern time and history, monuments by famous people and victims of the collapsed Bolshevik (Communist) regime.
Most of the tourist objects are Orthodox religious places. Tourists should be dressed according to Orthodox tradition (women should wear long skirts and have heads covered, men also have to use long trousers).
There is a good chance for each tourist and pilgrim in this trip visit the Orthodox Churches to get a pray and light candles. Close to the churches it is possible to buy religious things and some of Orthodox souvenirs.
The description of this day-by-day itinerary gives some information about the places and historic events as well.
All the tour is led by the well educated and English speaking nice- looking guide. Everywhere tourists can make photo - video and buy unique Russian souvenirs.
Breakfasts always to be provided in the hotels people will accommodate.
Tour Highlights:
Based in Moscow St. Andronikov Monastery (XIV c) – one of the eldest Russian Monasteries was founded in a middle of XIV c (approx. 1360) by St. Andronik. He was one of variety adepts and Orthodox apostles of St. Sergiy Radonezhskiy. Monastery is favorably endowed with religion history, Christian halidoms and eval icons.
Based in Moscow city Pokrovskiy active Women’s Monastery with the convent of St. Matrona of
New Jerusalem Monastery (XVII c) and Fortress – there is a big and famous religion center and men’s monastery with large Cathedral historically consists of 29 churches (side-chapels) inside. At present time there in monastery is keeping the Grave (church hallows) of Orthodox Russian Patriarch Nikon (XVII c), well-known as a very important church and political person in Russian History. His person’s activities influenced principally the next three centuries of
Volokolamsk city (XII c) - is an old Russian town. It was made as a ground fortress Town was built as one of the main points of the Northern branch of the
St. Josef of Volokskiy Monastery (XV - XVI c) - this ‘a God man’ St. Josef of Volok was the head quarters of the famous and great church ideology. “…Church should be very rich and rule the state, participate in politics and everyday life…, said St. Josef.. “… God gives the power to
Tver - is ancient town located on the bank of
Torjok - is XII century fortress situated on the
Close to Ostashkov there is located the most important Monastery of
Years monastery was destroyed. In a middle of Soviet time in 1939 - 1940 Polish officers were imprisoned in the Neil Monastery. It was used as a ‘concentration camp’.
Now Monastery returned to the its exclusive position. Following the main present Russian church idea – “…people always needed in treatment of heart and soul. They are tired of the ideological and administrative pressure…”
St. Trinity Sergiev Lavra - located at Sergiev Posad city. St. Sergey Radonezhskiy is one of the most important Saints of Russia (XIV c) had created this Monastery in XIV c.
It is a centre of Russian Orthodoxy. Founded in the 14-th century the Monastery had a great influence on Russian religion and culture both. The monastery is a real ‘pearl’ of ancient Russian architecture. Splendid monuments of 14th-18th century have been preserved. The magnificent collection of icons in the Holy Trinity Cathedral and the other temples includes works by St. Andrey Rublev and other Russian outstanding icon-painters.
Godenovo village – is the holy place in
Palekh town - the best famous and historical icons painting center of
Suzdal and Vladimir – the ancient Russian cities along famous all over the world the Great Russian Golden Ring. History, visit Orthodox Cathedrals (XIV-XVII c), Museums.
Assumption and Dmitry Cathedrals in Vladimir and unique Church of the Intercession on the Nerl river, Museum of wooden architecture (Suzdal), convent of the Intercession etc.
Itinerary
1 day Arrival in Moscow. Transfer. Check in the hotel. Free time and rest.
At evening a sightseeing guided bus city tour in Moscow (2 - 3 h) is possible.
Dinner and night in the hotel in Moscow. (D)
2 day In Moscow Breakfast. City tour in Moscow. Visit to the Red Square and Kremlin
(territory and Churches of XV - XVI centuries). (2h)
Lunch in the city
Visit Gallery of Russian Art and Paints (2h). Guided walking tour through the center
of Moscow. (1-2h). Visit Moscow Metro (1h)
Dinner and overnight in the hotel in Moscow. Free time in the city (B)
3 day NOTES. Days 03 - 07. Five days bus trip to the north, North-West of Moscow
Tourists visit the ’ key points’ of Russian Church and State History.
Day 03. Breakfast and check- out of the hotel in Moscow.
Drive. Start point of the bus tour along Volokolamsk highway (North – West direction)
to Tver city.
En-route, visit to the New Jerusalem – the great Monastery (XVII c) and Fortress. Grave (church hallows) of Orthodox Patriarch Nikon (XVII c), well-known as a very important church and political person. His person’s activities influenced principally the next three centuries of Russia and the World Orthodox History Visit Churches (XIV - XV c) and memorial places of 1941 fighting of the second War with German Army.
Volokolamsk (XII c) Old Russian town was made as a ground fortress and one of the main points of the Northern branch of the Great Silk Route. "Volok" means the place where the ships were transferred by land (rolls were used to help movement) from one river valley to another one.
Vikings were protecting the Route in Volokolamsk. Vikings had founded in Novgorod the Great the first Dynasty of Russian kings in 862. It lasted for almost 700 years. Their grandsons became the kings (Russian tsars) of Moscow.
Yaropolets is an exclusive historical and cultural place, presenting memorials of the XVIII - XX centuries. It was a ‘gold XVIII-XIX century’ of palaces&gardens culture and architecture in Russia.
The very important place we will visit in this day is St. Josef of Voloksk Monastery
(XV - XVI c). This ‘ a God man’ – Mr. Josef of Volok was the head quarters of the famous and great church ideology. “…Church should be very rich and rule the state, participate in politics and everyday life…, said Josef”. “… God gives the power to Moscow administration...etc” The monastery as a state political institute for centuries was as the center of Russian inquisition which had been much stronger then Spanish one.
Tver is an ancient town located on the bank of Volga river. Upon a time and until XVI century this town was a political, trade and military center of Russia. Later and due some politic reasons it was colonized by Moscow. The distance from Moscow is about 200 km.
Lunch in Volokolamsk
Overnight in the hotel in Tver. (BLD)
The basic trade, church and war events were happened there.
In these places in the XII century started Russian (Moscow) civilization.
All the trip is lies in the area of the Great Silk Route (the Northern branch connecting between Northern Europe/Scandinavia with Byzantine Empire, Persia,
India and China).
4 day Breakfast. Check- out of the hotel in Tver.
Drive to Torjok (100 km) along the high way road connected Moscow to St. Petersburg.
On the road visit Mednoyey place. There was located in 1939-40 Stalin’s totally regime concentration camp. Memory museum and cemetery of innocent victims of the regime. Polish military cemetery (6500 Polacks were killed there in 1940). Polish officers were captured in 1939-40 when Soviet Union together with Germany (Molotov - Ribbentrop pact signed in 1939) invaded Poland in September 1939. Actually that is a time and a memory place of the beginning of the Second World War.
Visit to the palace of Russian aristocrats (XVIII c) at Znamenskoe-Rayok settlement.
Torjok is XII century’s fortress situated on the Northen Silk Road. At this place in the XIII century had been stopped Tatars (Genghis Khan Army) invasion.
Visit Museum of Russian wooden architecture. There is an unique wooden church (XVII c) still is stood on the historic place.
Lunch in Torjok.
Transfer to the North-West to Seliger lake (the Ostashkov city).
Seliger Lake is the most important place of Russian ‘historical civilization’. There was a connection of water routes with Scandinavia, Constantinople and the Eastern countries. It is a distance of 150 km from Torjok.
En-route, visit and stopping for old churches and interesting places.
There is the most important Monastery of Russia located close to Ostashkov and named as St. Neil’s Solitude (ashram, as a religious retreat) Monastery. It is a big fortress (XIV - XVI c) situated on the island of Seliger lake.
St. Neil as a historic person was the founder of the "ascetic" direction of church life. According to St. Neil thoughts church works only with the soul and does not participate in the life of the state. Before 1917 it was ‘number one pilgrim place’ in Russia. In a middle of Soviet time in 1939 - 1940 Polish officers were imprisoned in the Neil Monastery. It was used as a ‘concentration camp’.
Now it is returning the exclusive position. “People needed treatment of heart and soul. They are tired of the ideological and administrative pressure… “- that is the main concept mind of Present Russian Church
Night in the hotel in Ostashkov (BLD)
5 day Breakfast. Bus tour to Ksty village. In 1942 Germans fired up this village with people alive (85 victims). Memorial is very serious and energetic.
Not far from Ksty nearby Shirkovo village is located a fantastic wooden made Orthodox Church (XVII c)
Lunch in the local café-restaurant in the aristocratic palace (XVIII century) and rest on the shore of Seliger Lake.
Afternoon trip by bus to the sacred place of Russia - the source of river Volga. Russians upon a time thoughts that Volga is the ‘mother of Russian civilisation, towns and state’. There is the monastery and the chapel on the spring.
Night in the hotel in Ostashkov city. (BLD)
6 day Check-out of the hotel in Ostashkov.Transfer to Torjok (other return way back, 120 km). On the transfer visit to the holy water spring of Okovets.
Okovets is the main and the most ancient holy water spring of Russia. In the old times pagans made human sacrifice there. Christians put bodies in a water obtained in this spring cleaning of their souls, renewing of their spirits. Russia was baptized in 989.
Okovets is situated in the center of the Silk Road on the connecting between North with the South. Tourists can also anointing in Okovets water spring. There is a chance to get a pray close of this holy place in a small domestic Church.
Lunch in Torjok.
After lunch the bus trip is to Staritsa town. It is an ancient fortress of the North West of Russia. There is monastery in Staritsa was founded the XI century. In the XVI century the monk of this monastery named as Jove had became the First Patriarch of Russia.
After Staritsa highlights tourists will be transferred to the hotel to Tver. On the itinerary old churches and palaces visiting is possible.
Night in the hotel in Tver city. (BL)
7 day Breakfast. Check- out of the hotel in Tver.
Sightseeing tour in Tver (3 h). Museums of ‘history and art’. The best example of Russian provincial Art gallery.
Lunch in Tver.
Transfer to Moscow (170 km). On the transfer visit to the memorial by Russian solger Mr. Slava Vasilkovsky, who in 1941 in a battle closed by his own breast (body) German machine gun. Russian character is usually ready for sacrifice. Actually that is typical Russian Orthodox mentality.
Overnight in the hotel in Moscow. Free time in the city. (BL)
8 day In Moscow
Breakfast. Visit Moscow Museum of the Second World War (2h). Weapons of the war, heroes, the main events and relics (halidoms).
Lunch in the city
Museum of Russian Icons (2h).
Visit Pokrovskiy active Women’s Monastery to the convent of St. Matrona of Moscow. She is the famous modern Russian Saint person was predicting future. (2 h )
Night in the hotel. (BL)
9 day Breakfast. Visit to the Museum of the War 1812 with Napoleon.
Bus tour (4h) to the field of Borodino(100 km). In 1812 there was a great battle with Napoleon. In 1941 - with Germans. (In Europe the similar place is Waterloo).
On the transfer stopping at interesting historic places and monuments.
Lunch in Borodino. Return to Moscow. Free time.
Night in the hotel. (BL)
10 day NOTES. Days 10 – 13. Four days bus tour to the east of Moscow. In these places the state of Russia was organized. Important monasteries, holy places and fortresses will be visited during the trip. The ancient capital of the state - Suzdal city is in the itinerary.
Day 10. Breakfast. Check- out of the hotel in Moscow.
Bus trip to the North to ancient Dmitrov city (XII c). Walls of the ground fortress, 15 meters high. Local Museum. Churches and icons, altar-screen XVI c etc.
En-route, stopping at Memorials 1941 of War II events. In Dmitrov region rather close to Moscow city the War turned to Russia its face. The Great way of Victory 1945 was started here.
Dmitrov city was the center of the Stalin politic prisoner’s camp in 1932 – 1937 as well. More than half a million victims died in this camp. The large Volga – Don river’s Channel by Moscow
was built by its prisoners there in these years.
Lunch in Dmitrov.
Drive to Padonezh historical place (30km). Visit to the Memorial by ‘1000 years of Russian Christianity’.
Drive (15km) and arrival to St. Trinity Sergiev Lavra located at Sergiev Posad city. Excursion in Lavra, visit territory and some Cathedrals. Participation in the evening Orthodox Mess in the St.Trinity Sergiev Lavra with the monastery’s Orthodox quire singing and bells.
St. Sergey is one of the most important of Saints of Russia (XIV c). His hallows kept in Trinity Cathedral of Lavra. Upon pilgrim interests they can get pray on his grave of St. Sergiy.
Transfer to Pereyaslav Zalesskiy city (XII c). Hotel accommodation. Night in Pereyaslavl.
Total distance in this day is about 200 km. (BLD)
11 day Breakfast. Churches and Museums of Pereyslavl Zalesskiy. Famous old-time holy wonders-working icons.
Visit to Godenovo village. Praying to the Saint Cross, which was appeared in 1423 from the sky down up in the forest and a large local bog.
Lunch in the local road cafe
Transfer to Shuya (XIV century) (120km). Visit Monument to the priests were killed in the Stalin Soviet times. Evening mess in the XVII centure Church. Observe of the highest in Europe bell tower (106 m). The height of Ivan the Great Bell Tower in Moscow’s Kremlin is 86m only !
Night in the hotel in Shuya. (BLD)
12 day Breakfast. Drive to Palekh town. Visit the best historic icon painting center of Russia. Museum. Visit to the artist studio. Visit Orthodox Cathedral in Palekh decorated by local made Icons (XVII-XVIII c). Museun of lacquer miniature painting and others handicrafts.
Lunch in Palekh
Drive. Visit Lukh town (XII c). Ground fortress and Churches of the XVII century. Museum. Contacts and meet with nuns and monks is possible there.
St.Tikhon Monastery (XV c). Holy pond, was dug by St. Tikhon. Having an anointing in the Holy Pond. That is treating heart and soul. Getting meals (Orthodox lunch) in the Monastery together with monks.
Drive and visit Dunilovo village. There are six Orthodox churches and three monasteries located in one village. Visit to the Orthodox school for orphans in the monastery.
Visit St. Nikolay Shartom Monastery(XII c). That is the Residence of the local Bishop. Possible getting a meeting with him. Return to Shuya.
Night in the hotel in Shuya. (BLD)
13 day Breakfast. Check- out of the hotel in Shuya.
Transfer to Suzdal (XI century). Old monasteries. Museum.
Susdal was formed in the beginning of the History of Russian state. Many important Church and State Historic events had took place in Suzdal.
Lunch in Suzdal.
Transfer to Moscow (180 km) via Vladimir. Stopping en-route in Vladimir for explore this ancient city.
Arrival in Moscow. Night in the hotel in Moscow. Free time in the city.
Optional explore of Moscow night life style. (BL)
14 day In Moscow
Breakfast. Time at leisure. Hotel.
Optional excursions and visit at night Russian /or Gypsy folklore, Russian State Ballet Theater
etc (B)
15 day Breakfast. Check - out of the hotel in Moscow. Transfer to a/port. Departure. (B)
Price
From € 1848
Included
- arrival and departure transfers
- нotel accommodaion with breakfasts
- аccompany english speaking guide
- visa support (if needed)
- English, German, French, speaking guide throughout the tour
- excursions per program with entrance fees
- meals per program
- transport assistance per program
- English, German, French speaking guided excursions per program with entrance fees
- local english speaking guides / interpreters