Russia World Cup Notebook - Day 14
What you need to know:
- The fortified complex is at the heart of Moscow, overlooking Moscow River to the south, Saint Basil's Cathedral and Red Square to the east, and Alexander Garden.
- Onion domes, those onion-shaped, bulbous structures sitting on top of buildings like Jamia Mosque in Nairobi, or SGSS Building located on Racecourse Road, are a common architectural feature of houses here in Moscow.
On Russian roads, keep right unless...
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Russian cars are left-hand drive and the traffic rule is that drivers must keep right on the road unless overtaking. Russian cities have wide roads with an express outer lane reserved for public service vehicles and taxis.
VIPs also use the express lane, so when Russian president Vladimir Putin and Fifa boss Gianni Infantino were coming to preside over the Fifa World Cup opening ceremony on June 14 at Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow, there was no disruption of traffic that is characteristic of African cities. You could hardly notice that VIPs were in town.
Moscow Kremlin just one of many
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You have probably heard of Moscow Kremlin, but it is just one of the many kremlins. Kremlin is a major fortified complex found in ancient Russian cities.
The Moscow Kremlin is the best known of Russia’s many kremlins and according to records, it features five palaces, four cathedrals and the enclosing Kremlin wall with Kremlin towers, all sitting on some 27 hectares of land.
The fortified complex is at the heart of Moscow, overlooking Moscow River to the south, Saint Basil's Cathedral and Red Square to the east, and Alexander Garden.
Golden Ring a must visit location here
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Much the same way Kenya’s South Rift Tourism Circuit features popular tourism sites such as Hell’s Gate National Park, Lake Nakuru National Park, Maasai Mara National Reserve and the Mara Triangle, Russia’s Golden Ring is a group of eight cities north east of Moscow and is a major tourist attraction.
It is popular with both local and foreign tourists keen to learn about Russia’s history. The towns are rich in history and are called “open air museums’ and boast unique monuments of Russian architecture from the 12th to 18th centuries including Kremlins and monasteries.
Onion dome erections common in Moscow
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Onion domes, those onion-shaped, bulbous structures sitting on top of buildings like Jamia Mosque in Nairobi, or SGSS Building located on Racecourse Road, are a common architectural feature of houses here in Moscow.
From churches, kremlins to social halls, many buildings in Russian cities have huge onion domes sitting atop the roof.
According to records, onion domes are a common feature of Russian architecture borrowed from Russian Orthodox Church design. Many Russians here have told me it is an adaptation to the climate
