The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1873-07-03
Mosoow s
The Ancient Capital of TussIa-Its Pecu
IiarIffes ana PnhIic Rnifdfncs.

l. T T. - =
The Ancient Capital of RussIa-Its Pecu
Iiarifies ana Public BaiIdfngs.
3zS ~ s5s----
4 Moscow, the ancient capitol of Rus
sia is situated in the midst of one o
the most productive agricultural dis
tricts of the empire, and when view ct
from the summit of the Sparrow
Hills, and amphitheatre TO the low
wooded, hills, it presents to the eyes
of the spectator truly enchanting
panaroma, which Alexander Won
humboldt said had made an overpow.
ering impression upon him. At your
feet the MoskVa river, which divides
the city into two equal parts, winds
| through beautiful meadows; rising
beyond, you see a mingled mass OF
towers, gilded and painted domes,
churches. monasteries and palaces
The whole when seen on a sunny day,
/ and under clear sky, possesses an
almost unearthly splendor, from the
dazzling Whiteness of the buildings,
and the glancing brilIiance of the
| gilded church domes.
The city covers larger extent of
! ground than any other European cap
| ital except London and Constantine :
/ pie; and when the traveller sees the
seq of houses on the broken and hilly
surface before him extending to the
horizon, he feels inclined to estimate
the population at millions upon mill
ions. And yet it IS only about four
hundred thousand, and its Increase is
by no means rapid. It is divided in
to three distinct circles. The first, or
most remote from.the center, is called
Zemlianoi Gorod, or Earth City; the
Boloi Gorod, or White City; and the
third the Kitai Gorod, or Chinese
City. In the first of the three live the
lower and middle classes. The houses
are mostly built of wood, and have
gardens in front of them which gives
a singularly attractive appearance to
the streets. The Baloi GOrod is the
aristocratic quarter, and here can be
found hundreds of imposing castles.
The Kitai Gorod, finally is the bus
mess part OF the place, and it is also
briefly called "Gorod," or city. 1t is
enclosed by an embattled wall, and
covers a very extensive space of
ground. Its largest portion is occu-
pied by what is termed the Gosteeny-
Dyore. an immense mass of building
divided into rows of shops, ware
houses, and store-houses, each row
being devoted to the sale of particu-
lar kind of goods, and having the
name of the article sold, as, for in
stance, knife row, Silk row, Linen
row, Plate row, and the like.
On the southwest of the "Gorod,"
and separated from it by a large |
square called the Crasshaia (the Red |
square), stands the Kremlin, the an
cient fortress of the city. This IA |
nous Kremlin, which has so often |
played a conspicuous part in the his /
tory of Russia, is built on the brow |
of a low hill, at the foot of which |
flows the Moskva river, and it is sur
rounded by a high crenellated wall,
broken at intervals by towers of va
rlous heights. Taken as a whole, the
Kremlin is one of the most original,
beautiful and striking objects that can
De conceiued. Its commanding situa-
ion on the banks of the MoskVa river;
is high and venerable white walls,
With its Variously colored towers and
'teeples; the number and size of its
inc buildings. with their painted
'oofs; the cathedral, churches, mon
IsEeries and belfries; their domes,
,iIt, tin-plated or green-the whole
PRESENTS grandeur and beauty indes-
and altogether unique.
Two gates of remarkable architec-
ure led into the interior of the Krem-
in-the gate of the st. Nicholas on
be right, and, and the holy gate, or
'poss Vorrora on the left. Over this
D the miraculous picture of the Vir 8
in, and no one is allowed to pass it
Without uncoVering his head. Before l
ntering he wall see to his left the fa- S
nous picture of the st. Basil, Pro- c
eeding through the Sposs Vorora the t
isitor tinds on his right, square in s
yhich are the principal churches of t
fOscow, among them the cathedral
t the assumption decked out with e
and extraVagant ornaments.
n this chucch the Emperofs are in s
ested with the ancient crown of the q
zars, The highest of the steeples of
he church is that of Ivan Velek (John u
le Creek, from which 8 splendid
lew of the city may be enjoyed.
The imperial palace, modern erec-
on, replacing the older one, which, t
/ former times, had been occupied BY n
le Cars, and in which Napoleon / v
Id spent part of his disastrous So a
urn in MoscaW, Is q fine structure,
ut seems out of character with the b
More characteristic Il
Id striking ediflces are the treasury, is
ith its wonderful collections, the ar c.
nal, with its trophy guns, and the d
snate house. n
Street life in Moscow is exceedingly
tractive for the Western traveller on b
count of the semi-Asiatic appear C,
ice of tWo-thirds of the people seen 81
the principal thoroughfares. The tt
tY is the greet center OF eastern Il
ade, and its merchants are by far ie
ealthier than those of St. Peters ce
lrgA, k
The history of Moscow is that of ii
9 Cars. 1t has witnessed within its b.
alls many stirring, memorable and h;
rrible events-the atrocities of Ivan al
g terrible, the wise and mild reign ci
Ivan the great, the extirpatioa of re
e Strelitzi under Peter the great, &C
d above all things. the confiagration bt
1872, by which more than three gl
arths of it were destroyed. But ey
oscow was rebuilt with wonderful fr
pidity, and is now by far finer city til
an it was before Napoleon entered w
after the battle of Bosodino.-Ap- TIA
st0n's journal. os
of
DRUNKENNESS IN SWEDEN. ia
Z