Ways of War and Peace

by Delia Austrian

Though Moscow is an old city, great effort and large sums of money have been spent making the place modern and attractive. Everywhere are the houses surrounded with trees and gardens brilliant in color and laid out with exquisite care.

That the city is old is shown because it is irregular and without plans, but there are new sights at every turn. The city is inclosed by a number of old gates. Passing under an ancient gate one reaches a narrow street suggesting an Eastern town. Then crossing the Red Place, one passes through the Holy Gate to the platform of the Kremlin. This part of the town is as old as it is interesting. It is more picturesque because of the large square and round towers surmounted by spires. The walls on one side are skirted by the river. A splendid effect in color is had by the gold and silver domes shimmering against the brilliant green, blue and red of the sky. A magnificent view is had from Sparrow Hill; the ascent is made by a steep and tortuous road. From this point the river looks like a silver belt girding the city. On the opposite side the wooded hills run steeply down to the water.

The general view of Moscow is brilliant and grand. The many-colored roofs give richness to the picture. From the middle rises the fortress of the Kremlin, the many churches send up a forest of dome-capped towers. The Kremlin speaks of many centuries, as it was founded 800 years ago. The principal place is the Kittye Gorod in front of the Spasskie Gorod. It is entered by a vaulted road, where is seen a handsome and a world-famous bell, supposed to have been cast in 1800. A great quantity of gold and silver was used in the making; the height from the summit to the base is 16½ feet, while the greatest thickness is 22 inches.

Another interesting feature is the Museum of the Imperial Treasures. The interior is wonderfully light and graceful. In the first hall are resplendent banners and suits of ancient armor; the other halls are filled with many costly treasures. There are gold, silver, agate and crystal vases, silver tables and gold plate of every description.

The city proper is as unusual looking as the fortress. It is a lozenge shape, lying northeast and southwest. In the center of this is an octagonal area inclosed by a second line of ramparts or walls. This part is really the city; beyond is a suburb laid out in gardens densely inhabited. Within the octagon is a third area called the "Chinese City." Its southern wall is washed by the small river Moskya. This is a southern barrier of the Kremlin and is a fortress of nearly triangular shape. The two outer walls are modern in style. The city is laid out in a succession of concentric zones which start from the Kremlin. The streets are hilly, therefore the tram cars are drawn by four and six horses.

Then there are the droskys—vehicles set on either side with no support to the sides or to the back. But the peasants consider the tiligae their national vehicle. It is a rough sort of basket fixed on four or six poles. Primitive though these carts are, they are well adapted to the hilly and uneven roads. In the street one sees a motley crowd of venders, myriads of women with bright-colored kerchiefs over their heads, street-hawkers, beggars and priests in long, black, flowing robes. The streets are lined with cobble stones and bowlders and low, white houses, mostly one-story high.

Moscow has a number of pretty parks; the Petropki Park is the most noted. A part is ornamented with flower-gardens and statues, and the remainder is woodland. At the entrance are some pretty summer villas built of wood and ornamented with fretwork.

Moscow, like all others in the empire, is rich in churches and shrines. The most sacred of all these minor chapels is the Iversky Virgin, situated at the gate. The exterior walls are made of imitation malachite; the roof is a sky-blue cupola spangled with gilt stars. The facade is panelled with paintings of saints, framed in embossed brass; in front is a platform raised three steps from the ground. The number of worshipers and visitors to this shrine are so many it was found necessary to make the steps of iron. When the Czar arrives at Moscow, the first thing he does is to worship at the shrine. Another interesting church is that of Vasseli Blagemor, which occupies one end of the place with its bouquet of fantastic cupolas and spires built by order of Ivan the Terrible. This church is considered unusual because there are two chapels in the basement. Above are nine chapels. The interior glitters with hundreds of brass tapers that are always lighted. The image, which is the usual Byzantine type, is a dark brown color. It has a big jewel on the brow, another in each shoulder and a net of real pearls on the brow. Because of the many styles of architecture and the many chapels, this is considered the most original church in the world. The belfry building is a curious mixture of styles. The tower is Arabian and Byzantine, with a suggestion of Indian on the fourth story.

The palace is in the form of a square. The state apartments are particularly rich and are in good taste. The hall of St. George is 200 feet by 65 wide and 58 high. The handsomest of the state apartments is the banqueting hall. The ceiling is splendidly decorated and the windows richly draped. The hall is large enough to accommodate 200 guests. The service is wonderfully beautiful; most of the food is served in gold vessels.