The Dillon tribune., 1882-05-27
.@isttlla',ex.
At MOSCOW.

Moscov n moro like Constantinorle than
anv okher place that can think OF. with
towera. instead Of minarets, with much
superiority in golden domes. but with only
the smal) river Moskeva. which finds it, way
20 the Volga, and the Caspian Sea. 'nstesd
Of the beautiful Bosphorus, which renaefe
Constantinople superior to al, IN its sneos
upon the beholder.
The city has nearly seven hundred thon-
sani people and nearly i've HUNDRED cnufcn.
@, whose exteriors resemble mOsques. out
the interiors resemble the Roman churches.
with wcarce esen an image, bat al their
saints painted and emblazoned upon NAT
! ,rfG,es. Like the Mohammedans, they
eschew images. Their doines are 70 VARIED
style, shape, and design. % to render
them quite attractive. the Cathedral OF 81.
Basil alone having eleven domes, each dit.
fe, ent in color and design from the others,
anl each covering beautiful chapel
These churches contain such great wealth
IN silver and gold, shrines and saints, bas-
r,liefs comp etely studded with the most
costly gems, that the truth almost surlMs>e
belief. For instance, the Cathedral Of the
Assumption in whirh all the tsars have
been crowned, and in which Alexander ILL.,
will probably be crowned next spring. has
shrines Of departed saints covering the en-.
tire wall Of the church over the altar, to
the ceiling, which are of silver. gilded and
sparkling with large dinmonds, and other
precious stones, Of great value. A picture
Of the Holy Virgin OF Vladimir, said to have
been rainted by st. Luke, which. came from
Constantinople in the eleventh century, Ia
adorned with jewels valued ut $225.UOO,
Que emerald being valued at $780, ON.
1.-THE Temple Of the Saviour" T. the
largest, ami perhaps the newest, OF oil the
churches. 1t u said to be r,ca in malach,te
columns, and other precious materials.
lsaac's, the great cathedral Of st. Peters.
burg. 1t has not yet been consecratt.d, and
is not open to visitors. Many Of tn 81
churches were founded in the thirteenth
ami fourteenth centuries With the excep-
ton OF the great metropolitan, vino IA
selected FROM the monasteri 9. all the
priests Of the Greek Church are required to
marry before being ordained.
The Kremlin IL nearly triangular for.
tresx IT about one end cne.half NIL. In cir
cumf,rence, situated upon an eminence
VIII Oh overlooks the whole city. It has
four large towers at the four corners Pc
culia ~ picturesque aud Oriental. and
several lesser ones along the differen sides.
There are five grand gateways; the Re.
dee,ner gate, over which 10 picture OF
| the itedeemer Of Smoienski, and under
which no person il allow. to pas without
uncover,ng the head, the Emperor himself
observing that custom: the Truitskii, or
Trinity gate, through which the French On.
tere.i ulld evacuated the Kremlin; the Nj.
k..l>ky, Or Nicholas gate, and the Borovitski
ga,u Each gate IL surmouhted by beau.
TIT tower Within the walls are the palace
o. The tsar and treasury, or museum, Of
the magnificent properties OF the crown.
the arsenal, tribunal tower of Ivan the
GreuL, and several churches. appertaining
to or especially used on great state occa.
sions. The palace il OF vast proportions
with magnificent halls Of reception, whose
walls are covered with battle scenes and
rich aorations Of gold, more splendid than
lave yet seen.
The arsenal contains the cannon taken
during the retreat Of the French-three
hun red and sixty .fve pieces hundreds
OF others captured in war. The huge Gun.
oon cast in 1856, which | have often read
about, IL there it weighs about forty tons.
The tower Of Ivan the Great, a25 feet
IN hei. ht, erected in 1900, 10 very pictur-
esque. aud 10 surmounted by gilded
dome. 1t contains thir, s-six bells, which
are frequently rung or, ut least, heard
chimes Of bells constantly, from church aud
towcr, OF very melodious sounds,
Near the foot OF the tower is the g great
aell of Moscow, "Tsar K6lokol." or king
Of bells. 1t wus first cast early in the
seventeenth century, aud recast in 1854.
During fire it fell and buried itself in the
ground, u piece being br. ken out Of the
side. i'll 1887. In 1875 it was raised upon
\ l'e' 'cstal, where it now remains. Il
Weighs 444,OOD pounds, height 2U feet 4
inches. circumference " feet II inches,
maxlMum thickness feet-llurtJord
LvuaWMt,