Saint Isaac’s Cathedral is located in Saint Petersburg. When it was first constructed it was the central and largest cathedral in Russia. It holds some of the most beautiful artwork, statues, and granite columns. It also offers an unparalleled view of the city. The cathedral was built in the honor of Peter the Great’s patron saint: Saint Isaac.

Saint Isaac’s Cathedral was turned into a museum around the 1930s, it was used as a Soviet Union tactic to disprove religion. The cathedral later reopened as a place of worship after the fall of communism in Russia. Our tour guide Sergei, described during the tour how he visited the cathedral when it was a museum. He showed us where the Foucault pendulum used to be held. The pendulum was used as a communist tactic to dispel religion. The Foucault pendulum proved that the earth was not the center of the universe. This pendulum was removed during the reopening of the cathedral.

When I first entered Saint Isaac’s Cathedral, I was blown away. Its use of vibrant colors to illustrate the heavens and story of the bible were breathtaking. I have never seen granites, marbles, and malachites used in a place of worship before. The tall pillars of malachite enhanced the overall beauty of the cathedral. Along with the viewing of the interior, my tour group and I were able to go on top of the cathedral. It was a long climb up, but extremely worth it. Walking alongside the dome of St. Issac one can see a 360 degree view of Saint Petersburg. Getting to see both the city and Moyka River was an incredible experience that I will never forget.

While in Moscow, we visited the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour. It is a Russian Orthodox cathedral with an interesting past. The cathedral is actually a remake and was constructed in 2000.  The Cathedral of Christ the Saviour was demolished in 1931 under the reign of communism. Its demolition was ordered by Joseph Stalin in 1931. Between 1931 and 2000 the ground the church used to stand on was planned to be made into a giant house for the Soviets and a place to do governmental/legislative work. Due to World War II this building was never finished. It was also at one time a public swimming pool named “Moskva Pool.” The most fascinating part of this cathedral is centered around how it received funding for its reconstruction. It was done with the help of donations for Russian citizens. The cathedral was thus able to be made anew. The amount of time and money that goes into the creation of these buildings is astounding. Seeing the Russian collectivist notion of coming together for a common good can be realized in the reestablishment of the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour.

It was also very interesting to note the differences between Russian Orthodox religion to other forms of Christianity. In the religion they value suffering as a way to be close to God. For instance, none of the Russian Orthodox cathedrals have chairs to sit on. The cathedral attendees must stand for hours during the ceremony and preaching. The crosses were also different. For example, in Russian Orthodoxy there are three horizontal lines, instead of the usual one. The last line is slanted and according to Sergei it is supposed to represent how one of the two men crucified with Jesus were saved (the slanted line is pointing up in the direction of heaven) and the one who chose to not accept Christianity  is slanted down pointing towards hell. The very top line has an inscription that usually translates to “King of the Jews.” Visiting these monumental and stunning cathedrals truly displayed how some Russians deeply value Russian Orthodoxy and show the differences with varying forms of Christianity. 

http://www.saint-petersburg.com/cathedrals/st-isaacs-cathedral/

Sergei

Saint Isaac’s Cathedral Tour

Cathedral of Christ the Saviour Tour

http://www.moscow.info/orthodox-moscow/cathedral-christ-saviour.aspx

As a part of the Russian Study Abroad Trip, our group toured Mosfilm. It is the largest film studio in both Russia and Europe. The tour included a comprehensive display and explanation of different sets, props, cars, and history of the studio. According to our tour guide it was founded in 1920 and the first film was released in 1924. The film studio produced films during both major wars and consequently has never halted production. According to Mosfilm, it was imperative to keep making films whether it be as war propaganda or enjoyment for the citizens of Russia. Mosfilm is still to this day the leading film company in Russia.

On the tour we looked at vintage cars and carriages. The tour guide told us that any director/filmmaker of the studio can come and use whatever props they see fit for their film. It was interesting to see how a prop could be used in a variety of ways. For instance, the same piece of pottery could be seen in both a science fiction film and in a period piece. We were also able to see costumes, wigs, and makeup prosthetics. Mosfilm has a wide array of military costumes and regal wear. Most of the regal wear was used throughout the film Anna Karenina.

The tour also involved the showcase of a backlot, set, and green-screen. The backlot was a reproduction of the streets of Moscow and old Saint Petersburg. The buildings were made to look old and built of stone, when in reality they were made of a cheap and inexpensive material. After we viewed the backlot, we were taken to the main production lot. The tour guide took us to one of the smaller sets. The set was of a church and we were able to see the immense detail that goes into the creation of a stage set. From the fake candelabra and recreation of old cathedral artwork, the set looked exactly like the inside of a tiny Russian church.

We were then taken to one of the bigger rooms on the production lot: the green-screen room. It was a giant room painted neon green. The room is primarily used for post production work. Here filmmakers can put visual effects and virtual backgrounds into their film. Compared to the green-screens in America, this studio was very small. This was something that I noted throughout the tour, American film studios have a wider array of props, sets, backlots, costumes, etc. than Mosfilm. I believe this is due to influences such as monetary funds and other such factors.

The tour put into perspective all the work and production that has to occur in order to create a film. It was interesting to see all the effort that goes in behind the camera for such films to be constructed. I have watched my fair share of films produced by Mosfilm; thus I found the tour to be both informative and fun. It was exciting to be able to see costumes and props from films I have deeply enjoyed such as Kidnapping, Caucasian Style and Moscow Doesn’t Believe in Tears.  

During my group’s time in Saint Petersburg we meet with Russian film students. This was one of my favorite parts of the trip. I was able to witness firsthand the influence of Mosfilm on these students and get a deeper understanding of Russian culture from their perspectives. I talked with a student named Anton Beesonov, he discussed how films directed by Sergei Eisenstein had influenced his career choice of going into directing. The students also discussed the way film has been evolving in Russia since the fall of the Soviet Union. More advancements in technology and the use of such items as a green-screen have started to expand cinema in a more creative way. This discussion and the tour of Mosfilm truly encapsulated how the Russian film industry has inspired the desire for creation and imagination.

Mosfilm Tour

https://en.mosfilm.ru/main.php

https://www.moscovery.com/mosfilm-museum/

Anton Beesonov