russian yacht standart interior

Subcategories

This category has the following 5 subcategories, out of 5 total.

• Figurehead of Standart (ship, 1895) ‎ (3 F)
• Interior of the Standart ‎ (20 F)
• Marti (ship, 1895) ‎ (2 F)
• People aboard the Standart ‎ (81 F)
• Standart yacht (Fabergé egg) ‎ (13 F)

Media in category " Standart (ship, 1895)"

The following 23 files are in this category, out of 23 total.

• Imperial yachts of Russia
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Alexander Palace Time Machine

The home of the last tsar - romanov and russian history, imperial yacht standardt - big view of the yacht, from a 1896 british magazine.

Not the best quality, but a valuable view from 1896. Here's the text from the article, the magazine is unidentified:

THE RUSSIAN IMPERIAL YACHT " STANDART."

We give this week, on pages 175, l78, and 183 some further illustrations of the fine yacht built by Messrs. Burmeister and Wain, of Copenhagen, for the Czar of Russia, and of which we published other drawings, together with a description, in our issue of January 28 last. The graceful appearance of the boat is well shown by Fig. 18, page 183, which represents the Standart at anchor. As will be seen from this engraving, she is rigged as a three-masted fore-and-aft schooner. The great size of the funnels, which is a necessary accom paniment of the great  boiler power fitted, makes the boat, perhaps, appear rather smaller than she actually is; but the steam launch shown in the foreground serves to correct this impression, and to convey a truer idea of her real proportions, her displacement being 5255 tons. We have already published illustrations of the Emperor's deck cabin and sitting-room, the dining saloon, and the upper deck; we now add (Figs. 14 to 17, page 175) views of the sitting-rooms provided for the Empress and Dowager-Empress, of the church, and of the officers' mess. The engines are shown in Fig. 10, page 178. They are of the twin-screw triple-expan sion type, with cylinders 41 1/8 in., 65 1/8 in., and 105 1/8 in. in diameter by 54 in. stroke. The low-pressure cy linders are fitted with double-ported Trick slide valves, balanced by means of relief rings at the hack; whilst the high-pressure and intermediate cylinders have piston valves. In the case of the latter cylinder the valves are double, both spindles, however, being con nected to a single crosshead. Steam reversing and turning gears are provided, the former having an all round motion. The engines take their steam at a pres sure of 165lbs per square inch from a battery of 24 Belleville boilers working at a pressure of 245 lb. per square inch, the steam being passed through reducing valves before reaching the engine stop-valves. The crankshaft is hollow, the external diameter being 171 in. and 18 in., and internal diameter 8 in.  The main condensers are cast in one with the hack columns of the low-pressure and intermediate cylinders, the circulating water heing supplied by means of two independently-driven centrifugal pumps.  On trial the engines have given an average of 12,000 horse-power for a period of 12 hours, the corresponding speed on the run being 21.5 knots.

Palace Tour

Gala parade halls.

• Small Library - Dining Room
• Large Library
• Palace Chapel
• Billiard Hall
• Semi-Circular Hall
• Marble - Mountain Hall
• Portrait Hall

Restoration of the Palace

• 2012 Update Facade Looks Fantastic!

Rooms of Nicholas II

• The New Study
• Tsar's Bathroom
• Tsar's Reception Room English Español
• Working Study English Español Français

The Children's Floor

• Aleksey's Bedroom
• Aleksey's Classroom
• Crimson Room
• Grand Duchesses's Classroom
• Grand Duchesses's Dining Room
• Maria and Anastasia's Bedroom
• Olga and Tatiana's Bedroom
• The Maid's Rooms

Rooms of the Right Wing

• Alexandra Memorial Chapel
• Bedroom of Empress Maria
• Blue Boudoir
• Study of Alexander III

Palace Park

• Children's Island
• Chinese Theater
• Imperial Farm
• Imperial Horse Graveyard
• Llama House and Elephants
• Palace Park Views
• Retired Horse Stables
• White Tower

The Imperial Garage

• The Imperial Automobile Sport Club of Tsarskoe Selo
• The Imperial Garage - the Tsar and His Cars English Russian

Imperial Dining

• Alexandra's Names Day - 1897
• Easter in Imperial Times
• History of Court Dining
• Russian Imperial Stout
• Tatiana's Birthday

Plans, Maps and Churches

• Designs for the Alexander Palace by Quarenghi
• Feodorovsky Imperial Cathedral
• Floorplan of Nicholas and Alexandra's Rooms
• Floorplan of the Parade Halls
• Ikon of Our Lady of Tsarskoe Selo
• Map of the Alexander Palace and Park
• Martha and Mary Convent of Saint Elizabeth Moscow
• Our Lady of the Sign Church in Tsarskoe Selo
• Palace Floor Plan
• St. Catherine's Cathedral in Tsarskoe Selo
• St. Sophia Cathedral

Imperial Yacht Standardt

• Big View of the Yacht
• Chapel on the Yacht
• Dowager Empress's Room
• Empress's Drawing Room
• Officer's Mess
• Standardt Engines

Enthusiastic Ongoing Technical and Marketing Support

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Virgin and Child in the Apse of Hagia Sophia

Here's a page dedicated to this famous mosaic in the apse sem-dome of the great cathedral church of old Byzantium.  It dates from the original redecoration of the church after iconoclasm ended.

Nicholas II

Emperor tsar saint, imperial yacht standart, imperial yachts exhibition opens in kaliningrad.

Posted on 11 Days Ago by Paul Gilbert

On 31st August 2024, a new exhibition The Imperial Yachts opened at the Museum of the World Ocean in Kaliningrad. The exhibit is joint project with the Peterhof State Museum. The exhibition explores the history of the Imperial Yachts, and their role in the life of the Russian Imperial Court, from Peter the Great to Nicholas II.

The Russian Imperial Yachts fell under the administration of the Naval Guards, founded in 1710, during the reign of Peter the Great. The Naval Guards conducted their service on the Imperial Yachts, and carried out regularl inspections of the vessels. In 1912, the Naval Guards also included Emperor Nicholas II, Dowager Empress Maria Feodorovna, Tsesatevich Alexei Nikolaevich, Grand Dukes Alexander and Nikolai Mikhailovich, Kirill Vladimirovich, Konstantin and Dmitri Konstantinovich.

During the 18th century, the Baltic Fleet already had more than 30 court and admiralty yachts. Some of them, for example, the yacht Happiness , impressed with their rich exterior décor and luxurious interior decoration. Over time, the design and appearance of Imperial Yachts change significantly. In the middle of the 19th century, during the reign of Emperors Nicholas I and Alexander II, elegant high-speed ships appeared, designed for better seaworthiness and increased comfort. Their interior decoration close ly resembled that of “floating palaces”.

The exhibition introduces visitors to the construction and operation of the Shtandart / Standart , the favourite Imperial Yacht of Emperor Nicholas II . The Shtandart / Standart , was the largest ocean-going yacht in the world, with the most advanced engineering and naval technology of it’s time. Other Imperial Yachts included the Livadia , Tsarevna , Alexandria , Derzhava and Polar Star – the personal yacht of the Dowager Empress Maria Feodorovna . Both the Shtandart / Standart and the Polar Star had their own on-board chapels, in which members of the Imperial Family could attend services and pray while at sea.

The exhibition features more than 100 items, including maritime paintings and graphic works, a unique collection of services – porcelain and glassware – made for the Imperial Yachts, as well as navigation and other maritime items used on board. The exhibition is further complemented by scale models of the Imperial Yachts, uniforms, clothing and personal items of members of the Imperial Family, books and photographs which reflect life on board these luxurious vessels and their respective sea voyages.

The Imperial Yachts exhibition runs until 25th November 2024 at the Museum of the World Ocean in Kaliningrad.

© Paul Gilbert. 31 August 2024

Of Bygone Days: The Memoirs of an Aide-de-Camp to the Emperor Nicholas II

Posted on July 4, 2023 by Paul Gilbert

*This title is available from AMAZON in the USA, UK, Canada, Australia, France, Germany, Spain, Italy, Netherlands, Poland, Sweden and Japan *Note: prices are quoted in local currencies

CLICK HERE TO ORDER THE PAPERBACK EDITION  @ $20.00 USD

English.   214 pages, 10 black & white photos

First English translation with introduction and notes by William Lee

NOTE: The first Russian-lanaguage edition of Fabritsky’s memories was published in Berlin in 1926. The first English-language edition of Fabritsky’s memoirs was published in Canada in 2016. This title has been out of print for many years, so I am delighted to offer this new edition.

“ The time I spent with Their Majesties – over the course of many years and under varied circumstances – will always be the source of my most precious memories, and I am very happy to be able to share those memories now with a wide public. I hope at least to give an absolutely truthful account of what I saw and heard ” – Semyon S. Fabritsky. 1926

Semyon Semyonovich Fabritsky (1874-1941) had a fascinating career during the twilight years of Imperial Russia. He began his naval career in the very first days of the reign of Emperor Nicholas II.

In 1909, Fabritsky was personally appointed Aide-de-Camp by the Emperor himself, a position he served with immense pride and devotion.

During his service to Nicholas II, Fabritsky earned both the trust and friendship of the Emperor. Through his often uninterrupted contact with Russia’s last sovereign and observing him at all hours and under a variety of conditions, Fabritsky was able to form a clear picture of Nicholas II and his family, through his own personal eye-witness observations.

He also served aboard the Imperial yachts, partaking in holidays with the Emperor and his family to the Crimea and the Finnish skerries. He shares interesting details and anecdotes about the Alexandria , Polar Star, and Standart .

This book will also be of great interest to any one with an interest to the Russian Imperial Yachts and the Russian Imperial Navy .

Fabritsky provides great insight to the treachery, cowardice, and deceit which prevailed every where. He acknowledges ministers and generals who were either unworthy of their posts or unfit for them. Sadly, it was these men who surrounded Nicholas II during his 22+ year reign, who contributed to the downfall of monarchy and the destruction of the Russian Empire in 1917.

©  Paul Gilbert. 4 July 2023

Emperor Nicholas II and King Edward VII meet at Reval, 1908

Posted on June 9, 2022 by Paul Gilbert

PHOTO: Pyotr Stolypin, Queen Alexandra, Emperor Nicholas II, King Edward VII, Vladimir Frederiks, Grand Duchess Olga Alexandrovna, Empress Alexandra Feodorovna, and Grand Duke Mikhail Alexandrovich, on the deck of the Russian Imperial Yacht.

On 9th June 1908, a meeting of the Russian Imperial and British Royal families took place in Reval [today Tallinn, Estonia]. The historic meeting marked the first visit of a reigning British monarch to the Russian Empire, although Edward had previously visited Russia as His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales in 1866, when he attended the wedding of the future Russian Emperor Alexander III in St. Petersburg. The meeting at Reval in 1908, served as an important diplomatic purpose in the aftermath of the 1907 Anglo-Russian Entente, which settled colonial disputes and instigated the Triple Entente.

King Edward VII arrived on the royal yacht Victoria and Albert roadstead of the port of Reval. He was accompanied by his wife Queen Alexandra (sister of the Dowager Empress Maria Feodorovna) and daughter of Princess Victoria of Great Britain. They were met by the Emperor, the Empress, their five children, Dowager Empress Maria Feodorovna, Grand Duke Mikhail Alexandrovich, Grand Duchess Olga Alexandrovna, and Queen Olga of the Hellenes (nee Russian Grand Duchess Olga Konstantinovna). In addition, the Emperor was accompanied by prominent members of his retinue, including Prime Minister Pyotr Stolypin, and the minister of the Imperial Court, Vladimir Frederiks.

On the morning of 9th June 1908, the hills and the wooded shores of the bay were crowded with thousands of well wishers. At 7 o’clock, the Imperial Train arrived in Revel from Peterhof. Crowds of children lined up to greet the Emperor and his family: “It is impossible to describe the delight of the children when the Imperial Family passed by. Their Majesties … were very touched,” the head of Nicholas II’s secret personal guard Alexander Spiridovich recalled. Passing the cheering crowds, the Imperial family proceeded from the train station to the port, where they boarded the Imperial Yacht Standart . Two other Russian Imperial Yachts were also in port, including the yacht of the Dowager Empress, the Polar Star and the smaller steam yacht Alexandria .

PHOTO: Nicholas dressed in the uniform of Colonel-in-Chief of the Royal Scots Greys, on the deck of the Imperial Yacht Standart. His son and heir Tsesarevich Alexei is standing beside him. 9th June 1908

Prior to meeting the British king, Nicholas dressed in the uniform of Colonel-in-Chief of the Royal Scots Greys. Nicholas II was appointed an honorary member of the distinguished regiment by Britain’s Queen Victoria in 1894, after he became engaged to Princess Alix of Hesse (Alexandra Feodorovna), who was Victoria’s granddaughter. King Edward, in turn, put on the uniform of the Russian Imperial Army, but it turned out to be clearly too small for him, but despite this, the king looked by no means impressive.

The British yacht Victoria and Albert anchored in the roadstead between the Standart and the Polar Star . The Imperial and Royal yachts were surrounded by British and Russian warships, also lying in the roadstead.

On board Nicholas greeted the British King by saying, “It is with feelings of the deepest satisfaction and pleasure that I welcome your Majesty and her Majesty the Queen to Russian waters. I trust that this meeting, while strengthening the many and strong ties which unite our Houses, will have the happy results of drawing our countries closer together, and of promoting and maintaining the peace of the world.”

An eyewitness recalled: “While the guests were very cordial towards one another, it was felt that Edward showed some condescension towards his nephew – he seemed to patronize him … he warmly hugged and kissed the Empress, and then carefully looked at the grand duchesses, who looked a little embarrassed. Then he went up to the heir [Alexei], took him in his arms and kissed him.”

The Dowager Empress Maria Fedorovna was delighted to once again meet her beloved sister Alexandra, the British Queen, with whom she maintained a prolific correspondence throughout her life. A luncheon was served on the Dowager Empress’s yacht, the Polar Star , but no speeches were made at this affair. The menu was traditional for such occasions: Toulouse consommé, pâté, champagne lobster, truffle and grouse rolls, vol-au-vents, Nantes duck, vanilla peaches and frozen strawberry puree.

At five o’clock, tea was arranged on the Royal Yacht Victoria and Albert . The Tsar arrived without his wife, since the Empress suffered from another attack of sciatica.

PHOTO: Imperial hosts and Royal guests gather for a state banquet in the dining hall of the Imperial Yacht Standart . Empress Alexandra Feodorovna can be seen in the center of the photograph, seated between King Edward VII [on the left], and His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales [future King George V, on the right]

At 8 pm, the hosts and guests gathered together for a state banquet on the Imperial Yacht Standart . During dinner, the orchestra played works by Borodin, Wagner, Liszt, Grieg, Glazunov and Gounod, while the monarchs made official speeches, both in English. The King thanked the Emperor for the warm welcome, recalling his previous visit to Russia, when he was still Crown Prince, and expressed hope for the Anglo-Russian alliance to be strengthened: “I believe that this will serve to closer uniting the ties that unite the peoples of our two countries, and I am sure that this will contribute to a satisfactory peaceful settlement of certain important issues in the future. I am convinced that this will not only contribute to a closer rapprochement between our two countries, but will also help maintain peace throughout the world,” Edward VII said. The emperor answered in the same spirit.

Early in the evening, boatloads of German and Russian residents steamed about in the roadstead and serenaded the Imperial and Royal visitors with national folk songs. After the sun set and darkness set in, the warships were all illuminated, and the Imperial Yachts Polar Star and Alexandria displayed special electrical effects.

The following day, the Emperor and Empress received a delegation from Reval, after which they again received British guests at lunch, during which a misunderstanding occurred. The King turned to the Empress and joked about the terrible accent with which the Grand Duchesses spoke English. The criticism hurt the Empress, especially since the King himself spoke English with a clear German accent. But the conclusions were made and soon the Grand Duchesses were appointed a new English tutor – Charles Sidney Gibbes , who after the revolution would follow the Imperial Family into exile to Siberia.

The inevitable exchange of gifts took place that day. The King presented his nephew with a sword made by Wilkinson, on which were engraved the words: “To His Imperial Majesty the Emperor of All Russia from His Loving Uncle Edward, Revel 1908.” The Emperor, in turn, presented his uncle with a jade vase with cabochon moonstones and chalcedony.

PHOTO: King Edward VII and and Emperor Nicholas II, Reval. 1908

That evening, dinner was served on the Royal Yacht Victoria and Albert . Shortly after the arrival of the Imperial couple, the King was faced with a dilemma. Who will accompany him to dinner: the Queen or the Dowager Empress? English protocol required that the Sovereign’s wife should precede the Dowager Empress, but this could offend Maria Feodorovna, who was also his wife’s sister. On the other hand, if the Empress was forced to take second place, she might well take the opportunity to leave. The King handled the situation with his usual aplomb. Taking both ladies by the arms, he declared: “Tonight I will enjoy the unique honour of inviting two Empresses to dinner.” After dinner, the King and his Imperial guests sat in comfortable chairs, coffee and liquors were served. There were also dances during which the Grand Duchess Olga Alexandrovna danced with the British Admiral John Fisher (1841-1920). Around midnight, the Imperial couple, having said goodbye to the guests, left the Victoria and Albert and returned to the Standart .

At 3 o’clock in the morning, the Victoria and Albert weighed anchor and arrived in Port Victoria in Kent three days later.

CLICK on the IMAGE above to view an album of photographs of the meeting of the Russian Imperial and British Royal families at Reval, on 9th June 1908

© Paul Gilbert. 9 June 2022

125th anniversary of the first voyage of the Imperial Yacht “Standart”

Posted on November 27, 2021 by Paul Gilbert

This year marks the 125th anniversary of the first voyage of the Imperial Yacht Standart [ Shtandart ].

It was on 8th September 1896 [after sea trials], that Emperor Nicholas II and Empress Alexandra Feodorovna first travelled by sea on board what many considered the “most perfect ship of her type in the world”. The Imperial couple were accompanied by their first-born child Grand Duchess Olga Nikolaevna.

The Imperial Yacht made its first long voyage to Europe stopping at Copenhagen (Denmark) – Plymouth (England) – Cherbourg (France), before returning to Kronstadt, its primary port.

The ship, built by special order at the Danish shipyard Burmeister & Wein, served the Imperial Family until 1914, when the Great War began, it was pressed into naval service. She was scrapped at Tallinn, Estonia, in 1963.

The hull of the yacht was made of riveted steel. The vessel had two decks – upper and main, as well as two platforms at the ends – fore and aft. In the middle section of the Standart , under the engine and boiler rooms, there was a second bottom, which was divided by watertight compartments.

The bow superstructure consisted of two tiers and had a navigating bridge. In the first tier of the bow superstructure, the navigator’s room and two cabins for the commanding staff were located. The second tier of the bow superstructure was the wheelhouse.

PHOTO: Emperor Nicholas II, on the deck of the Imperial Yacht ‘Standart’, colourized by Olga Shirnina [aka KLIMBIM ], who consults with Russian historians and other experts to ensure the correct colours of the uniforms worn by Emperor Nicholas II 

The large aft superstructure was finished with mahogany, it housed a dining room for official receptions seating up to 70 people, a study and the emperor’s reception room. The flat upper deck was lined with American teak planks. On the main deck were the imperial apartments, which included a common living room, separate offices and separate bedrooms of the Sovereign, Empress and Dowager Empress, dining room, salon, cabins of the Heir, cabins of the Grand Duchesses, officers of the yacht and the ship’s wardroom. The bow platform housed storerooms, workshops, showers and crew quarters, below there was a cargo hold and a powder magazine. On the aft platform there were playrooms for the Imperial children, rooms for servants, a radio room, showers, and below – refrigerator chambers for perishable provisions.

The yacht’s life-saving accessories included 2 large mahogany steam boats, 2 powerboats, 2 large 14 row boats, 2 10 row boats, 2 six-oared yales and 2 8-row boats.

The yacht was powered by steam-sailing, with 24 boilers and two steam engines with an indicator capacity of 6000 hp each, which rotated two bronze screws.

The armament of the yacht consisted of 8 single-barreled 47-mm Hotchkiss cannons, which were located in the bow of the upper deck on both sides.

On the 125th anniversary marking the first voyage of the Imperial Yacht, a model was recently donated to the Monastery of the Holy Royal Martyrs Museum at Ganina Yama, near Ekaterinburg.

Other models of the Standart are on display in the Imperial Yacht Museum in Peterhof, which has a small room dedicated to the vessels; the Central Naval Museum in St. Petersburg; and at the Burmeister & Wain Museum at Copenhagen

CLICK on the LINK(S) below to read more about the Imperial Yacht Standart:

Exhibition: Imperial Yacht Standart and the Family of the Last Russian Emperor + VIDEO – published on 15th December 2019

The Fates of the Russian Imperial Yachts ‘Standart’ and ‘Polar Star’ – published on 21st October 2019

‘Ten years in the Imperial Yacht Standart’ by Nikolai Sablin – published on 27th August 2019

© Paul Gilbert. 27 November 2021

Exhibition: Imperial Yacht Standart and the Family of the Last Russian Emperor

Posted on December 15, 2019 by Paul Gilbert

NOTE: All of the articles pertaining to Nicholas II and his family which were originally published in my Royal Russia News blog, have been moved to this Nicholas II blog. This article was originally posted on 15 February 2018 in my Royal Russia News blog – PG

The following exhibition ran from 26 January to 4 April 2018

The exhibition Imperial Yacht Standart and the Family of the Last Russian Emperor , opened on 26 January at the Central House of Artists in Moscow. The exhibition is based on memories and original photographs from the personal archive of Captain 2nd Rank Nikolai Pavlovich Sablin (1880-1937), who served on the Imperial yacht Standart from 1906 to 1914.

A significant part of these historic images were photographed by the co-owner of the photographic studio “K. E. von Gan and Co., the famous Russian photographer AK Yagelsky, who had the title of Court photographer of His Imperial Majesty. Yagelsky also owned the right to conduct filming of the imperial family. The exposition includes photographs of the photographic studio K. E. Von Gan and Co., as well as unique newsreel footage taken on board the imperial yacht. In addition to the photographs, original letters of Emperor Nicholas II written on board the ship, watercolours and a collection of postcards dedicated to the Imperial yacht, a yacht logbook and a number of other unique documents will be on display.

The photos taken on board the yacht Standart are not widely known to the general public and are associated with the inner life of the royal family, moments not intended for an outsider’s eye and therefore very sincere and direct.

The exhibition was first shown at the State Museum and Exhibition Center ROSPHOTO in St. Petersburg, from 2 August to 24 September 2017 and in Smolensk from 18 October to 15 December 2017. Click on the VIDEO above to view highlights from the St. Petersburg venue.

The exhibition Imperial Yacht Standart and the Family of the Last Russian Emperor , runs until 4th April 2018, at the Central House of Artists in Moscow.

Click HERE to visit the ROSPHOTO site for more information and photographs of the Imperial Yacht Standart – in Russian only.

© Paul Gilbert. 15 December 2019

The Standart Yacht and the Family of the Last Russian Emperor

Photographs by the K. E. von Ghan & Co. photo studio and remarkable documentary shots taken on board the imperial yacht

In partnership with the Russian State Archive of the Navy, the Russian State Film and Photo Archive, and the Central Naval Museum

Exhibition The Standart Yacht and the Family of the Last Russian Emperor  is based on memoirs and original photographs from the personal archive of N. V. Sablin, captain 2 nd rank, who served on board The Standart yacht from 1906 until 1916.

A significant part of these photographs were made by the co-owner of the K. E. von Ghan & Co. photo studio, a famous Russian photographer A. K. Yagelsky, Court Photographer to His Imperial Majesty. He was entitled to conduct photo shoots of the imperial family. The exhibition includes photographs by the K. E. von Ghan & Co. photo studio, as well as remarkable documentary shots taken on board the imperial yacht. Besides photographs, the display features original letters of Emperor Nicholas II, written on board the vessel, watercolors and a collection of postcards devoted to The Standart , yacht log book, and a variety of other unique documents.

Photographs taken on board The Standart yacht will be presented to the broad audience for the first time ever. Visitors will have a chance to get a glimpse into the private life of the royal family through these little-known photographs, which were meant to be kept away from prying eyes, hence their sincerity and frankness.

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Installation photos

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Emperor Nicholas II. On the 150th Anniversary of Birth

The exhibition features 150 photographs and 30 minutes of documentary footage In collaboration with the State Archive of the Russian Federation (Moscow), the Russian State Film and Photo Archive (Krasnogorsk), the Russian State Archive of the Navy (St. Petersburg), and the Central State Film and Photo Archive of St. Petersburg

The Russian Imperial Yacht “Standart”

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Still standing tall: Russia’s incredible Ryazan kremlin

Ryazan Kremlin, south view. Background: Cathedral bell tower, Dormition Cathedral. Foreground: wall of Transfiguration Monastery with West Gate&Church of St. John, Transfiguration Cathedral (right). Aug. 28, 2005.

At the beginning of the 20th century, the Russian chemist and photographer Sergei Prokudin-Gorsky developed a complex process for vivid color photography (see box text below). His vision of photography as a form of education and enlightenment was demonstrated with special clarity through his images of architectural monuments in the historic sites throughout the Russian heartland.

In summer 1910, Prokudin-Gorsky made a series of journeys along the Oka River, a major tributary of the Volga. During these trips, he took numerous photographs in Ryazan, 190 km southeast of Moscow. My photographs of the town were taken over an extended period from 1984-2006.

Ryazan Kremlin. Background: Dormition Cathedral. Foreground: wall of Transfiguration Monastery, Transfiguration Cathedral (far right). Summer 1912.

At the time of Prokudin-Gorsky’s visit, Ryazan had a population of around 45,000. Today it is a growing city with a population of over half a million. Known for its historic monuments, the Ryazan kremlin has one of Russia’s most imposing cathedrals at its center.

A turbulent history

Few of the ancient cities of the Russian heartland have endured a more turbulent history than Ryazan. Already an important town in the 11th century, by the middle of the 12th century Ryazan had become the center of a major principality that held sway over extensive territory in the Oka River basin. It had massive earthen-wall fortifications, portions of which have survived to the present as one of the largest archeological sites in Russia.

Ryazan Kremlin, northwest view. From left: Archbishop's Palace, Cathedral of Nativity of Christ, Dormition Cathedral, Epiphany Church, Transfiguration Cathedral, bell tower. Summer 1912.

In 1237, Ryazan was devastated by the Mongols, and attempts to re-establish settlements in the immediate area were undercut by Tatar raids over the following decades. By the 14th century, the local church and political leadership decided to re-establish Ryazan at the better-defended settlement of Pereyaslavl, 55 km northwest at the point where the small Trubezh River empties into the Oka.

For centuries, the town was known as Pereyaslavl-Ryazansky. By the beginning of the 15th century, Pereyaslavl-Ryazansky had a large fortress (kremlin) whose earthen ramparts are well preserved. Prokudin-Gorsky and I both photographed the kremlin from the northwest, but his view - available only in a contact print - shows the Trubezh River more clearly.

Ryazan Kremlin, northwest view. From left: Church of Holy Spirit, Archbishop's Palace, Cathedral of Nativity of Christ, Archangel Cathedral, Dormition Cathedral, Epiphany Church, Transfiguration Cathedral, bell tower. May 13, 1984.

Although the threat of Tatar raids eventually waned, the region was afflicted by famine and disease at the end of the 16th century and wracked by violent disorders in the early 17th century during the dynastic interregnum known as the Time of Troubles. In 1778, the town was designated simply Ryazan.           

A cathedral’s construction, collapse and resurrection

The city's greatest monument is the Cathedral of the Dormition, whose name derived from the 12th century cathedral of the same dedication in Old Ryazan. At the turn of the 15th century, a masonry cathedral dedicated to the Dormition was erected in Ryazan. In the early 1680s, Metropolitan Pavel of Ryazan (served from 1681 to 1686) undertook to build a much larger cathedral to meet the needs of an expanded diocese. Work began in 1684, but the completed structure, poorly built, collapsed on an April night in 1692.         

Ryazan Kremlin. Dormition Cathedral, west facade. Summer 1912.

After the initial debacle, the project was entrusted by the next metropolitan, Avraamy (who served from 1687 to 1700), to the renowned architect Yakov Bukhvostov. Like his hapless predecessors, Bukhvostov faced serious challenges with the foundations and the roof vaulting for the immense structure. He was also involved in other projects at the time and faced court litigation on one of them. Nonetheless, with the assistance of local master builders, the structure was completed in 1699. Another three years were spent on its interior, including the construction of a large icon screen. In August 1702, the cathedral was consecrated by a third metropolitan, Stefan Yavorsky (1658-1722), who became one of the leading prelates of the Russian Church during Peter the Great’s reign.

But the travails of the building were not over. Thanks to its exposed location and height, the roof and cupolas, as well as the upper windows, were frequently damaged. The structure itself seemed under threat because of leakage and resulting cracks in the walls. In 1800, the Holy Synod in St. Petersburg issued a directive stating that the structure should be demolished and rebuilt.

Ryazan Kremlin. Dormition Cathedral, west facade. May 13, 1984.

Fortunately, Metropolitan Simon of Ryazan (bishop from 1778 to 1804) decided to consult with the local council and, with the support of wealthy merchants, marshaled the resources to undertake fundamental repairs. Russia’s architectural heritage benefited immeasurably from the wisdom and diplomacy of an experienced bishop. Alas, Simon died in January 1804, a few months before the reconsecration of the cathedral in August.

A unique building

The Ryazan Dormition Cathedral represents one of the most distinctive designs in the history of Russian church architecture. Over 40 meters tall with five large drums and cupolas as well as extensive window space, the structure is balanced on a complex system of cellar vaults, which also support a terrace platform for the cathedral. The cathedral's roofline was designed as a horizontal cornice with decorative brick patterns.

Ryazan Kremlin. Dormition Cathedral, north facade. Carved limestone columns. Summer 1912.

The tall windows were framed with carved limestone columns and pediments. The 5,000 blocks comprising the limestone details were standardized, thus enabling the architect to complete the structure within six years, a relatively short period in view of the complexity of the project. Although preserved only in a contact print, Prokudin-Gorsky’s direct frontal view from the west conveys with striking clarity the segmented facade design.           

Ryazan Kremlin. Dormition Cathedral, west facade with main portal. May 13, 1984.

The window surrounds and the paired brick columns (painted white) that vertically divide the brick facades provide a palatial ambience to one of the largest churches of the 17th century - larger, in fact, than the Dormition Cathedral in the Moscow Kremlin. Prokudin-Gorsky’s detailed photographs and mine convey the vivid contrast between the white ornamental trim and the red brick background.

Ryazan Kremlin. Dormition Cathedral, west facade. Main portal. May 13, 1984.

Closed in 1929, the Dormition Cathedral was used for archival storage and in the 1960s began to function as a museum. Services resumed in 1993, and in 2008 the cathedral was formally returned to the Ryazan Diocese.

To the west of the cathedral at the edge of the kremlin stands the enormous bell tower, built over a half-century from 1789 to 1840. At least three architects were involved in its construction, including Andrey Voronikhin, one of the major architects of St. Petersburg at the beginning of the 19th century. Prokudin-Gorsky’s contact print - and my photographs - give an idea of the scale of the bell tower in relation to other kremlin structures. The contrast between the Neoclassical bell tower and the decorative mannerism of the Dormition Cathedral provides an exemplary view of the dramatic changes in Russian architecture over the long 18th century.

Ryazan Kremlin. Dormition Cathedral, east view. August 28, 2005.

In the early 20th century the Russian photographer Sergei Prokudin-Gorsky devised a complex process for color photography. Between 1903 and 1916 he traveled through the Russian Empire and took over 2,000 photographs with the process, which involved three exposures on a glass plate. In August 1918, he left Russia and ultimately resettled in France with a large part of his collection of glass negatives. After his death in Paris in 1944, his heirs sold the collection to the Library of Congress. In the early 21st century the Library digitized the Prokudin-Gorsky Collection and made it freely available to the global public. Many Russian websites now have versions of the collection. In 1986 the architectural historian and photographer William Brumfield organized the first exhibit of Prokudin-Gorsky photographs at the Library of Congress. Over a period of work in Russia beginning in 1970, Brumfield has photographed most of the sites visited by Prokudin-Gorsky. This series of articles will juxtapose Prokudin-Gorsky’s views of architectural monuments with photographs taken by Brumfield decades later.

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Ryazan city, Russia

The capital city of Ryazan oblast .

Ryazan - Overview

Ryazan is a fairly large city in Russia located on the high right bank of the Oka River, about 180 km south-east of Moscow, the administrative center of Ryazan Oblast, a major scientific, military, and industrial center.

The population of Ryazan is about 529,400 (2022), the area - 224 sq. km.

The phone code - +7 4912, the postal codes - 390000-390048.

Ryazan city flag

Ryazan city coat of arms.

Ryazan city map, Russia

Ryazan city latest news and posts from our blog:.

8 August, 2017 / Ryazan Kremlin - one of the oldest museums in Russia .

27 February, 2017 / Vvedensky Church in Pet - the gem of the Ryazan region .

15 July, 2010 / The architectural monuments of Ryazan oblast photos .

24 May, 2010 / Ryazan oblast beautiful abandoned cathedral photos .

History of Ryazan

Foundation of today’s ryazan.

The first settlements arose on the territory of today’s Ryazan as early as the Middle Paleolithic era (from 300,000 to 30,000 years ago). Near the city, in the village of Dubrovichi, archaeologists discovered a flint ax made more than 80 thousand years ago - the most ancient material monument found in the Ryazan region.

Slavic tribes, in this case the Vyatichi, came to the Oka around the 6th century AD. Already in the 7th-8th centuries, a whole network of settlements was founded around the future Ryazan. These people were mainly engaged in arable farming.

Until the middle of the 10th century, the Vyatichi, like several other East Slavic tribal unions, were politically dependent on the Khazar Khaganate (650-969). The Old Russian state played the decisive role in its decline. In 964, Prince Svyatoslav freed the last Slavic tribe of the Vyatichi dependent on the Khazars. The Ryazan and Murom lands were included into the Old Russian state.

The presence of several large settlements on this territory led to the need to create a single military center. In 1095, the town of Pereyaslavl-Ryazansky was founded on a high hill at the confluence of the Trubezh and Lybid rivers.

More Historical Facts…

Ryazan in the 12th-17th centuries

At the beginning of the 12th century, the Ryazan lands separated into an independent Murom-Ryazan principality. It was a time of rivalry between its two largest towns - Ryazan and Murom - for the right to be the capital of the new principality.

As a result, Ryazan, which was located about 50 km down the Oka River from Pereyaslavl-Ryazansky, won, since it was here that the princely court was taking place, the episcopal see was located, feudal unions were concluded, from here the princely troops went on military campaigns. Moreover, Ryazan was well fortified. Pereyaslavl-Ryazansky by this time was one of the fortified outposts of the principality, surrounded by a network of guard posts.

In the winter of 1237, a large Mongol army (tens of thousands of people) approached the walls of Ryazan. This was one of the first episodes of the Mongol invasion of Rus and the western campaign of the Mongols. The town was captured after several days of siege.

The main military forces of the principality were defeated earlier in the battle on the Voronezh River. Ryazan with a population of up to 8 thousand people was completely destroyed. It was never able to recover and soon the few surviving residents left it. Today, this place is known as Old Ryazan. The capital of the principality was moved to Pereyaslavl-Ryazansky.

By the 14th century, Pereyaslavl was finally formed as the capital of the principality. The heart of the town was the fortress (kremlin) with wooden walls and twelve towers. At the beginning of the 15th century, the construction of the Ryazan Kremlin with stone buildings began. In 1611, during the Time of Troubles, Ryazan initiated the convening of the first people’s militia to free Moscow from the Poles. The Ryazan nobleman Prokopiy Lyapunov was elected its head.

Ryazan in the 18th-19th centuries

In 1778, with the formation of the Ryazan Governorship, Pereyaslavl-Ryazansky received the name Ryazan and its own coat of arms depicting the figure of the Prince with a sword in his hand. In 1780, the regular plan of Ryazan was approved.

The ensemble of the Ryazan Kremlin with the beautiful Assumption Cathedral (1693-1699) remained the center of the town. In 1787, an opera and drama theater, one of the oldest in Russia, was opened in Ryazan. By the end of the 18th century, about 8 thousand people lived in Ryazan.

In 1837, a large fire destroyed a lot of wooden buildings. The construction of new stone buildings began, including artillery barracks (the building of the hospital on Pervomaisky Avenue). In 1860, about 21.6 thousand people lived in Ryazan. In 1863, a railway line connected Ryazan with Moscow. Ryazan became a major railway hub. By 1897, the population of the city was 46 thousand people.

Ryazan in the 20th century

In 1913, the city power plant was put into operation. In December 1915, the first female teacher’s institute in the Russian Empire was founded in Ryazan. In 1930, after the liquidation of the Ryazan Governorate, Ryazan became a district center of Moscow Oblast. In 1937, it became the administrative center of the newly formed Ryazan Oblast. In 1939, its population was about 95,000.

In the fall of 1941, during the Second World War, the front line reached the Ryazan region. Ryazan was of great strategic importance, as highways connecting Moscow with the central and eastern regions of the country passed through it. German troops were stopped 30 kilometers from the city.

The rapid development of Ryazan began immediately after the war. The city turned into a large industrial, scientific, and military center of the European part of Russia, home to giant factories that occupied entire urban districts: the Ryazan oil refinery (the largest in Europe), “Ryazselmash” (the only manufacturer of potato harvesting equipment in the USSR), the calculating and analytical machine plant, the heavy forging and pressing equipment plant, the chemical fiber plant, etc.

Several large universities were opened in Ryazan - a medical university, a radio engineering academy, an agricultural institute, and an institute of culture. The military potential of the city was finally formed. Ryazan becomes the main training center for the Soviet Airborne Forces. The city was surrounded by numerous training centers and military training grounds.

Greening became one of the city’s fundamental development strategies. Ryazan was surrounded by green rings of forests and parks. Large parks were laid out in every district of the city. Ryazan was repeatedly declared the winner in greening among the cities of the Soviet Union. By 1987, the city’s population exceeded half a million people.

During the years of Soviet power, the population of Ryazan grew more than fivefold. The city participated in the state program for providing housing to builders of the North - a lot of workers of enterprises located beyond the Arctic Circle subsequently received apartments and registration in the city. Some decline in growth was observed in the 1990s, coinciding with the general demographic decline in Russia. In 1995, Ryazan celebrated its 900th anniversary.

Streets of Ryazan

Architecture of Ryazan

Author: Zapletkin Pavel

Modern architecture in Ryazan

Author: Mikhail Maksimov

On the street in Ryazan

Author: Sytnikov Vitaliy

Ryazan - Features

Ryazan, one of the oldest cities in Central Russia, is located in the center of the East European Plain, in the northwestern part of Ryazan Oblast. It is included in the so-called inner ring of large cities located 150-200 km from Moscow.

About 50 km downstream of the Oka River there is a historical and landscape museum-reserve Old Ryazan - the old capital of the Great Ryazan principality. The present city (initially known as Pereyaslavl-Ryazansky) was renamed in its honor in 1778.

The climate of the city is moderately continental. Summer in Ryazan is warm, winter is moderately cold. The average temperature in July is plus 19.2 degrees Celsius, in February - minus 7.9 degrees Celsius.

The coat of arms and flag of Ryazan represent the image of the Prince holding a silver sword in his right hand, and a silver scabbard in his left. The sword raised to the chest symbolizes defense. The Prince is a collective image of the defender of the Motherland and has nothing to do with a specific person. The City Day of Ryazan is celebrated on the first Saturday in August.

The favorable economic and geographical position of Ryazan on the navigable Oka River, proximity to Moscow predetermined the significant development of the city. Ryazan is crossed by the M5 Ural Highway, railway lines to the south and to the center of Russia. The leading local industries are tool making, machine tool building, power engineering, petrochemistry, mechanical engineering, metallurgy, building materials industry, woodworking, food and flour-and-cereal industries.

Main Attractions of Ryazan

Ryazan Kremlin - the oldest part of Ryazan, a historical and architectural open-air museum-reserve, an architectural monument of federal importance. The construction of stone fortifications in Pereyaslavl-Ryazansky (today’s Ryazan) began in the 15th century. The main structures built in the 17th century have survived to this day. In total, the Ryazan Kremlin ensemble includes 18 monuments of history and culture of the 11th-19th centuries. You can reach it by any public transport that goes to Sobornaya Square.

Assumption Cathedral (1663-1699) - the main dominant of the Ryazan Kremlin built in the Naryshkin Baroque style. The stylized image of this cathedral is one of the symbols of Ryazan. The Assumption Cathedral and its bell tower are built in such a way that they can be seen from almost anywhere in the city. For a long time, they served as a visual reference point when navigating on the Oka River. Inside there is a magnificent 27-meter iconostasis, consisting of 7 tiers and decorated with stone carvings - a real masterpiece of decorative art.

Nativity of Christ Cathedral - the first stone building on the territory of the Ryazan Kremlin and one of the oldest buildings in Ryazan Oblast. The cathedral was founded by the Grand Prince Oleg Ryazansky on the territory of his court at the end of the 14th century. In the 14th-15th centuries, five Ryazan princes and three princesses were buried in the Nativity of Christ Cathedral. As a result of numerous reconstructions, the current architectural appearance of this cathedral combines elements of baroque and classicism.

Palace of Prince Oleg - the largest civil building on the territory of the Ryazan Kremlin, which was built in stages over the 17th-19th centuries. Until the 16th century, a princely court with bishops chambers was located here. Today, the premises of the palace house the exposition “From Rus to Russia”, as well as exhibitions “Old Ryazan” and “The Legend of Evpatiy Kolovrat”.

Soborny (Cathedral) Park - a public garden located near the Ryazan Kremlin, where residents and visitors of the city like to stroll in the shade of trees. The most convenient way to get to Soborny Park is from Sobornaya Square, through the front entrance with columns. The main alley of this park leads to the Ryazan Kremlin and the Ryazan Embankment. There are several interesting sights here: the Church of the Savior on Yar, Ilyinsky Cathedral, the monument to Sergei Yesenin, the chapel of the 900th anniversary of Ryazan. It is a place where you can buy Ryazan souvenirs, ride horses.

Ryazan Art Museum named after Ivan Pozhalostin - one of the oldest art museums in Russia. The collection includes about 12,000 works of Russian and Western European art of the late 15th-20th centuries: paintings, graphics, sculptures, decorative and applied art, folk art. The collection of Western European art includes paintings by Italian, Dutch, French artists, porcelain from Germany, France, and England.

The collection of Russian art includes Old Russian icons and sculptures, Russian paintings, sculptures and graphics of the 18th-20th centuries, including works by local artists, porcelain, glass, and furniture. A significant section of the collection is the folk art of the Ryazan land: costumes, weaving, embroidery, lace, ceramics, clay toys. Svobody Street, 57.

Museum of the History of the Airborne Forces - the first and largest official museum on this subject. On both sides of the entrance, on the pedestals, you can see combat vehicles, artillery and airborne self-propelled guns. The basis of the exposition is made up of banners of airborne divisions and brigades that participated in the Second World War, examples of Russian and foreign small arms, parachutes, military equipment. Margelova Square, 1. The historical and memorial hall of military equipment and weapons of the Airborne Forces, a branch of this museum, is located at Voyennykh Avtomobilistov Street, 12.

Memorial Museum-Estate of Academician Ivan Pavlov - one of the most famous sights of Ryazan located in its center. The complex consists of picturesque wooden buildings, among which there is a two-storey house of the early 20th century, where the world famous physiologist Ivan Pavlov, the first Russian Nobel Prize winner, lived. Inside, the historic interior was recreated with Pavlov’s personal belongings. Pavlova Street, 25.

Summer Club of the Noble Assembly (1905) - a beautiful wooden house decorated with skillful carvings, the main decoration of the Ryazan City Park. Until 1917, the local aristocracy met here to chat, discuss current events, or just relax on pleasant summer evenings. Today, it houses the center of folk art. Uritskogo Street, 72.

Sculpture “Mushrooms with Eyes” - an interesting sculpture dedicated to the famous Ryazan proverb about mushrooms - “In Ryazan, mushrooms have eyes.” Allegedly, because of this, it is difficult to gather mushrooms in the surrounding forests. The art object depicts a whole family: a father mushroom and his two sons surrounded by forest dwellers. It was installed on the territory of the Lower City Garden in 2013. Lenina Street, 26.

Long-range aviation museum at the Dyagilevo air base . The exposition of this thematic museum and exhibition complex brings together a large number of objects related to the history of the development and use of military aviation of the USSR and Russia: combat aircraft, examples of weapons and equipment, uniforms, equipment, personal belongings and awards of pilots, documents, maps, photographs, etc. It is located about 11 km west of Ryazan. A visit to this museum is possible only as part of an excursion group (5+ people) and by prior arrangement. The tour takes two hours and you can take pictures for free.

Sergei Yesenin Museum-Reserve in Konstantinovo . This museum complex located about 40 km from Ryazan is devoted to one of the most well-known Russian poets of the 20th century. The main building is the wooden house of the poet’s parents, where his personal belongings and old photographs of the family are kept. In the 1980s, a whole ensemble of museum buildings was formed in Konstantinovo, which included the estate of L. I. Kashina with an adjoining park, a village school building, the Church of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God, and other objects.

Starozhilovsky Stud Farm . It was founded by order of Baron von Dervies in the 1890s. The stud farm building constructed in the Gothic style by the architect Fyodor Shekhtel is of particular interest. Unfortunately, during the Second World War, during the evacuation across the Oka, all the horses died. Today, about 300 horses are kept here. The stud farm is located about 55 km south of Ryazan in the village of Starozhilovo.

Ryazan city of Russia photos

Sights of ryazan.

Monument to Ryazan firefighters (GAZ-AA)

Author: Kiyanovsky Dmitry

Tulips and a fountain in front of the concert hall Moskva in Ryazan

Assumption Cathedral in the Ryazan Kremlin

Author: Sergey Duhanin

Churches of Ryazan

Boris and Gleb Church in Ryazan

Church of Alexander Nevsky in Ryazan

Nikolo-Yamskaya Church in Ryazan

Author: Alexander Glebovsky

The questions of our visitors

The comments of our visitors.

I came to Ryazan in 1990 to fly hot air balloons! We all had great time and your hospitality was wonderful. Our translator was a girl called Olga who later came to visit us, with her mother, in the UK.

I never realised the incredible history of the area when I was there. It was such a short stay. I'm getting older now but will never forget your kindness. Maybe I'll plan another visit!

Great to read your website, I'm glad I found it. When Olga visited she gave us three small glass hedgehogs as a present which I still have and I was trying to find their origin! If you know Olga and mum say hallo from me!

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Rating: 3.1 /5 (167 votes cast)

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