Page:Blackwood's Magazine volume 137.djvu/844

838 with details: old walls with rugged and quaint parapets, flanked by towers at the angles, each tower a truncated cone, with grotesque dome or minaret; ponderous gates which lead to a vast area, on the summit of which stand the three old churches, that of the Assumption, the Annunciation, and the Archangel Michael, the Tower of Ivan dominating all; also on the highest part of the hill is the great palace, ugly enough in its modern architecture, but really magnificent inside. Each of these churches has five to six domes, besides minarets or turrets; these are all gilt, and glow in the sunlight with marvellous effect. The roofs of the other buildings are generally of a bright green, so there is no lack of colour. We did the three churches, and noted well the scene of the coronation of the czars, the tombs of the saints. The whole history of John the Terrible and his son Alexis comes before one vividly as one stands beside their tombs; and every step of the "red" staircase which leads from the Church of the Assumption to the palace, could tell a tale of horror and of barbaric interest which would fill volumes. The great hall of St George in the palace is very grand in its white simplicity. Adjoining is the hall of St Alexander Nevsky, all gold; and beyond, those of St Andrew and St Catherine. Then there is the old part of the palace, where the Czar Alexis lived, connected with the more modern part of it, and full of objects of interest.

At 6.30 (Sunday 31st) we went to hear the evening service at the new cathedral of St Sauveur. This grand church has just been completed, and it is certainly the grandest modern sacred edifice I have ever seen. It was begun in 1812 to commemorate the expulsion of the French, and has thus been seventy years in course of construction. Porphyry, marble, mosaic, gold, and painting all combine, and the general effect is delightful. As for the choir, what shall I say? No words can express the charm of those long-drawn-out chords: every voice clear and distinct, yet harmony preserved under all conditions, and time absolutely faultless. If our choirmasters were to come here for a month's training, they would begin to know what church music ought to be. In the great dome is a grand painting filling the whole space, representing the First Person of the Trinity – a bold undertaking, but, I am bound to add, successful. We have seen a fine collection of the works of Vereschagine, a Russian artist of note, and are now going off to the Petroffsky Palace.

Sabiansky Bazaar Hotel, Moscow, Sept. 1, 1884.

The weather has changed decidedly for the worse, and to-day we have had rain nearly all day. The vice-consul has been to see me, and has accompanied me to one or two shops. We have had a good look at the treasury, where there is a most interesting collection of historical objects – crowns, arms, captured standards, plate (the gift of various foreign sovereigns), coronation chairs, robes, &c. – down to the most recent date, so that you can behold in a glass case the coronation dress of the present Emperor and Empress. All Catherine II.'s old clothes seem to have found a home here, her saddles (she rode en cavalier), and her carriages and sleighs. The barbaric splendour of the jewelled crowns is very striking, and the veneration for personal relics of great sovereigns is a noteworthy trait