2nd
International IUPAC Conference
on Green Chemistry
14 - 19
September 2008
Moscow - St.Petersburg, Russia
Historical information
The ship travels along Moscow canal via:
Peter the Great had an idea to make a water way from
Moscow to the Baltic Sea, as it could be quite reliable and cheap. For
this purpose he used to go to the town of Dmitrov for researching the
future water route. However, only one hundred years later the real
potential for linking the Volga and the Moskva River was talked about
quite seriously.
A great volume of work was in prospect. But all kinds of activities at
the canal were put an end to, because of making the railway line between
Moscow and St. Petersburg.
Only at the beginning of the 30-s of the XX century the idea of linking
the Volga with the Moskva River occured again. The erection of the canal
has been fulfilled in an unprecedentedly short time, 4 years and 8
months, and it was put into operation on the 15-th of July 1937. It’s
total length is 128 km, of which 19 km are taken up by reservoirs. The
Channel of Moscow is 47 km longer than the Panama Chanel, 29 km longer
than the Kyl Cannal and 71 km longer than the Manchester’s.
For short periods of time builders have erected 240 large structures
including 11 locks, 11 dumps, 19 bridges, 3 river ports, a passanger
terminal and lots of other stuctures. Currently all activities conducted
here are taking place due to the need of supplementing the available
water resources in the reservoir for their eventual transfer onto the
Greater Moscow city water-supplies.
In the process of construction 202 millon of cubic meters of ground
works have been carried out. In comparison with Suetsky canal, the
volume of ground works accounted for 75 million of cubic meters, that is
2,7 times less. Further more, it has been erected only in a period of 10
years. If we could load all the ground, displaced during the process of
it’s erection, into the rail vans; the giant train would be capable of
surrounding the globe as much as 5,5 times around the equator.
The canal was mainly built by political prisoners who worked in terrible
conditions do the expenses were minimal.In 1947 when the capital was
celebrating its 800th anniversary and the canal its 10th aniversary it
was named after Moscow.
It serves various purposes. Historically plagued by short water supply,
Moscow by the 1930s urgently needed linking to the major water source.
Well water utilized in the 1700s had long dried up: spring water used in
the 1800s had also been exhausted. A 1904 pipeline to the Moscow river
provided relief only about 25 years, after which time the river becomes
so depleted that it could be crossed on foot in front of the Kremlin.
The Channel made the water level much higher which has insreased the
navigation and new ports have been opened. The banks of the Channel are
a popular pleasure resort of Mosocvites.
Moscow became the port of five seas. Currently this canal route carries
annually some million tones of cargo for the ports of the Baltic, Whtie,
Caspian, Azov and the Black Seas.
In the shortest time, builders have erected a marvellous monument – one
of the best and the lafgest navigation canals of theworld.
It was founded as a fortress by Yury Dolgorukiy in
1147 and now is among the biggest cities in the world. Kremlin is the
historical center of Moscow. The heart of it is Armory Chamber-the
treasury of all Tsars and Grand Dukes of Russia. Here you can visit
Blagoveschenskiy Cathedral where the works of famous Russian
icon-painter Andrew Rublev are presented to the public.
Famous Russian Giants can be found here as well; Giant Bell and Giant
Canon are the unique masterpieces of Ancient Russian Foundry. Red Square
is a symbol of Russia. The central Spasskiy Tower with the famous
Kuranty Clock and St.Bazil' Cathedral are among places of interest when
visiting Moscow.
Moscow is a many-sided city. Shady Tverskoi Boulevard, picturesque
Stoleshnikov Lane, quiet Big Nikitskiy Lane and busy Arbat Street are
the first places to visit in Moscow. Streets and lanes of Zauradje,
Zamoskvorechje, China City preserved many ancient churches, relic market
places and houses.
There are more than 100 museums in Moscow. Tretiakov Art Gallery and
Pushkin Art Museum have the richest collections of paintings. There is a
famous Ascention Church (16 th century) which is situated in the open
sky museum Kolomenskoe.
There are 30 theatres in Moscow, among them is the biggest Bol'shoi
Theatre.
Ostankinskaya TV Tower is among Moscow miracles. Its height is almost
540 meters. Moscow Subway Stations, resembling palaces, also attract
many tourists.
Moscow University named after the famous Russian scientist M.Lomonosov
is a pride of Moscow.
Uglich is a town in the Yaroslavl province, a river
port and a railway station. It produces clocks, watches, cheese and
other milk products. Heavy machinery is repaired here. There is a
hydroelectric station. The population numbers 39,000. The town has a
museum of art and history.
The name of Uglich is a derivative of “ugol” (“a corner”). The Volga
makes a sharp bend at this place, forming a corner, or “ugol”, hence the
name.
Founded as early as 937, it was first mentioned in chronicles only in
1148. A local legend says that the town existed in the days of Holy
Princess Olga, Equal-to-the Apostoles. It served as the capital of the
Uglich principality from 1218 till 1238 when it was seized and
devastated by the Mongols who killed most of its population. The rest
were taken prisoners or fled to the dense forest surrounding the town.
In the 14th century Moscow began uniting Russian lands and Uglich was
annexed to the Moscow principality. In 1371 it was burnt to ashes by the
prince of Tver who struggled with Moscow for supremacy.
In the 15th century the town prospered and even coined its own money.
After Ivan the Terrible’s death, his son Prince (Tsarevich) Dimitry, the
last in the Rurik dynasty, was sent to Uglich with his mother and was
killed here at the age of eight in 1591 in uncertain circumstances. His
death was not only a tragedy for his family, it was followed by many
troubles in Russia, such as internecine conflicts and a Polish invasion.
Three false pretenders to the Moscovite throne (one after another)
claimed to be Prince Dimitry. They are known as False Dimitrys.
In 1606 the prince was canonized and his relics were tranferred to the
Archangel Cathedral in Moscow.
In 1611 Polish invadors destroyed the town and massacred its population.
After the disaster the town was restored slowly. The process was
hindered by the decree of Peter I forbidding stone constructions
anywhere but in St. Petersburg. The emperor also ordered removing the
bells from the churches of Uglich, melting them to make cannons because
Russia was at war with Sweden. During Catherine II’s reign the town grew
rapidly and flourished.
In the 19th century its citizens led tranquil, yet cultured provincial
life. A museum, a library and a theater were opened here.
The 1917 revolution changed the course of the town’s history. It was
serously damaged by construction of the hydro-electic stations in the
1930s. The Intercession Monastery, a major architectural sight in the
south western part, and other churches and buildings dating from the
15th, 16th and 17th centuries were blown up and then flooded. The huge
structure of the hydroelectric station stands on the former monastery
site today.
A team of restorers has been working in the town’s historical center
since 1952. As a result, many old buildings have been saved from
destruction. According to the plan for Uglich’s development and
construction, recently approved by the local authorities, its historical
center will be preserved intact.
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Welcome to the Northwest of Russia, the village of
Goritsy, home to the Resurrection Convent, standing at the shoreline.
From Goritsy a bus will drive you to the town of Kirillov, 8 kilometers
away, to tour one of the major Orthodox strongholds of Old Russia, the
Monastery of St. Cyril on the White Lake.
Founded in the 14th century, the monastery has preserved its remarkable
architecture and fascinates the visitors by its majestic churches
enclosed within austere fortress walls. The monastery is also famous for
its museum of icons some of them are the oldest in Russia.
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The island of Kizhi is located at the northern end of
the Onega Lake, the second largest lake in Europe. This region is called
Zaonezhye (“behind the Lake Onega”). The island is 7 km long, 1,5 wide,
longwise and elongeted. The central part is a little elevated.
The word “Kizhi” means “game” in Karelian. Probably it was a site of
pagan rites for Ugrian and Finnish tribes. The island first gained
significance in the 14th c. as a spot on the water route for trade
between the White Sea to the north and the merchant-dominated city of
Novgorod on the Volkhov River. In 1951 an open-air museum of different
wood structures brought in from nearby villages was founded there. In
1960 it became State Museum of History, Architecture and Ethnography and
contains more than 70 chapels, belfries, log-houses, mills, bath-houses,
barns, smithies.
Monuments of wooden architecture
The exposition displays an image of the traditional folk architecture
and mode of life.
Kizhi Pogost
The architectural ensemble of the Kizhi Pogost contains the Church of
the Transfiguration, the Church of the Intercession and the tower that
stands between them.
The major structure is the magnificent Church of the Transfiguration
built in 1714, with 22 onion-domed cupolas, some of which rise to a
height of 121 feet. The composition represents three octagons of
different size placed one on another. The work was performed by the
carpenter Nestor. Next to the Church of the Transfiguration stands the
Church of the Intercession (Pokrovskaya, built in 1764). Both churches
interiors are richly ornamented with religious objects: the former has
especially noteworthy iconostases, the latter – locally painted icons.
The Church of the Transfiguration is actually closed for restoration.
The architectural ensemble is completed with the bell tower situated
between the churches. The bell tower is the latest of the three
structures of the Kizhi ensemble. It was built in 1862 instead of the
old dilapidated bell tower.
The Church of Lazar of Murom is located nearby. It is the oldest
monument of wooden architecture in Russia – the Church was built in the
middle of the 14th century. This church was brought here from the Murom
Monastery, situated at the southern shore of Onega Lake, in 1960.
Among the many examples of wooden secular architecture are several
peasant houses ranging from the simple hut to the quite substantial
Oshevnev family`s house-barn that sheltered farm animals, tools and
grain as well as the family. A wooden wind mill, large and small
granaries, and other farm buildings also represent this category of
wooden architecture.
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Small village of Verkhnie Mandrogi is a romantic vision from the past.
The village has been recently created by men of enterprise and artistic
taste as tourist attractions. Their cosy log cabins designed in old
Russian style attract visitors who can enjoy here the fanciful
wood-carving, visit a museum of samovars, buy some souvenirs made by
local craftsmen and have a good meal with Russian vodka or tea.
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St. Petersburg. The city is situated on the estuary
of the Neva River in the mouth of the Baltic Sea. The North Palmira,
Russian Venice – thats how St. Petersburg is called (in 1924-1991 years
– Leningrad), it is one of the most beautiful cities in the world.
Freely built by Peter I on marsh, new capital became a window into
Europe for reformed Russia. Since that the history of the city is
indisolublely connected with the history of the country.
Creations of architectures D. Trezini, F. Rastrelli, P.-A. Tresini, D.
Kvarengi, V. Brenna, A. Voronihina, O. Monferan, K. Rossi, V. Stasov,
sculptors E.-M. Falkone, P. Klodt, M. Mikeshin are turning St.
Petersburg into the city-museum.
World fame got ensembles of Winter Palace and Dvorcovoia Square,
Isaakievskaia Square, the Admiralty, Strelki of Vasil'evskii island,
Petropavlovskaya fortress, Summer garden.
Cruiser "Avrora", Marsovo field and Piskarevskoe graveyard are keeping
memory about dramatic events of the revolution of 1917 years and heroic
defense during the Great Patriotic War.
Here one can find numerous city-museums, the most famous of them are
Hermitage and Russian museum, keeping unique treasures of culture and
arts. Not less interest offer memorial and literary city-museums:
exactly here A. Pushkin, N. Nekrasov,
F. Dostoevskii, A. Blok, A. Ahmatova, P. Chaikovskii were creating their
masterpieces.
"Held down in granite" Neva river, tens canals, drawbridges, missing see
ships at the nights throw the town,- all this gives to the city
incomparable charm, especially in white nights season.
Saint Petersburg – is a birthplace of numerous musical festivals; more
then 20 theatres are opened in the city. Suburbs of Petersburg are
wonderful: Petergof with cascades of fountains, Pushkin with picturesque
ponds, imperials palace and Pavlovsk, Gatchin, Oranienbaum parks, Gulf
of Finland coast.