Durango semi-weekly herald., 1906-01-01
MOSCOW NOTED FOR
IT'S MANY TRAGEDIES
Official Capital OF Russian Empire the
Scene Of eutehery and War

pIre. In picturesque sights and wealth
of tradition IL is not surpassed by any
in the world. and the events OF yes
terdsy and the day before have made
it stin more historic, by adding an
other bloody chapter TO its chronicles.
For many centuries Moscow was the
chief city OF the realm, the heart OF
Muscovy, where the czars held nigh
court In the barharously beautiful
buildings which they erected TO per-
petnnte their memory. Even now. al
though for reasons of convenience the
governmental activities have been
transferred to st. Petersburg, IL is
still the official capital of the empire.
Here the slow growth of years has
built up that mighty inclosure OF pal
aces and fortresses. the kTemlin. with
In the walls of which are grouped
many famous buildings
Scene of Many Tragedies.
Here Ivan the Terrible, murderer OF
5000 men and women, held his srim
sway. Here, when boy, Peter tho
Great saw his two uncles butchered.
Here Boris Gounufi craftiest of the
boyars, smiled and crineed until his.
chance came and then usurped the
throne. Here every czar and scion
OF the royal line OF Rurik nas been
buried, usually after a violent end,
Here Napoleon star began to set in
the smoke OF flaming houses. Here
Graud Duke Sergius was blown to
pieces by bomb less than one year
ago II ghosts returned TO earth 10
haunt the scenes of tragedies. Moscow
would be- populated with uDcanpy
shadows.
After passing down the very streets
which today are stained with blood
and strewn with corpses, tnrongb the
Red Square and along the walls OF
the kremlin, Theophile Gautier, the
famous French man of letters. wrote:
Before long we reach the Kitai'
Gorod. which Is the business quarter
on the Krasnaia, the Red Square, or
sia the words red and beautiful are
synonymous. One OF the sides OF this
is occupied by the long facade OF the
Gostiny.Dvor. an immense bazaar, in
terscoted oy streets, covered with
glass roofs and containing not less
than 5000 shops. The wall of the
Kremlin or Kreml rises at the other
extremity, with it's doors pierced In
| it's steep-roofed towers. allowing a
glimpse over its battlements OF the
cupolas. towers and spires Of the
churches and converts within.
Church Like Dream.
Al the other corner, strange as the
architecture OF d dream, rises like a
vision the impossible church OF Vas.
sill Blaiennol. which causes the reas.
on TO doubt the witness OF the eyes.
One gazcs at 1t with every appear
ance OF reality and asks oneself If il
is not a fantastic mirage, an edifice OF
clouds. strangely coiored by the sun
shine, that the movement of the air
will transform or make vanish. 1t Is
beyond doubt the most original mon
ument in the world, recalling nothing
that one has ever seen. nor attaching
itself to any other order Of architect
ure One might call ii gigantic
madepore. Il colossal Capitalization. a
grotto of stalactites turned upside
down
"A legend is told of Vassili Blajen-
mol that probably is not true. hut that
does not on this account the less ex-
press with force and poetry the feel
ing Of dazed admiration this edlfce
must have produced upon the balf-bar.
barous times in which it was built, so
singular, so outside of all architect
ural conditions Ivan the Terrible had
this cathedral built as q thanks-offer-
Ing Tor the capture OF Kazan, and
when II was completed he found 1t so
hSauNhuI' duilliIdDlt anu ilHdlitlP. ttll
he ordered the eyes OF the architect
an italian, 1t was said---to be put out
in order that he might not be able 10
construct any other like it.
Architect Put to Death.
According TO another version of
the same legend, the czar asked the
author OF the church if he could not
build II stin more beautiful one. and
upon his replying iu the affirmative.
he had his head cut on, so that Vas.
sill Blajennol should remain without
"a rival 1t would be difficult to mag-
inc a cruelty more haaering in its
jealousy, and this Ivan the Terrible
must have been at bottom true art
list, an impassioned diletante, This
ferocity in matters OF art displeascs
us less than Indifference"
After speaking OF the extraordinary
shape OF tae structure, seeming As il
the architect, seated in The middle
of his work, had beaten out build
ing au repousee." Gautier describes It's
amazing color scheme. or lack of II.