Day 12: Moscow at Night

Dad and I headed back towards the Kremlin and then along the Moscow River to take some pictures of the Kremlin and Moscow at night.  It’s something worth doing at least once, despite the lost sleep, and since we were leaving the next day for St. Petersburg, this was the only opportunity we had. 

On our way back to the Kremlin, we passed the “Vladimir Lenin State Library of the Soviet Union” (technically, the name has changed to the Russian State Library, but as with many buildings in Russia they haven’t bothered to change the name on the building itself).  The library holds a copy of everything published in Russia, comprising some 43 million items in 247 languages.  I actually popped my head in on our way to Arbat Street but as it turned out, you need a registered library card to even step foot inside the library (you have to scan in and out of the library with your card).  Of course, I’ve never been to the Library of Congress, so maybe this isn’t an unusual level of security for such an important library.

The V.I. Lenin Library with a statue of Dostoevsky out front.	In Soviet Union, library checks out you!

As we crossed the bridge over the Moscow River, we saw a red moon rising in the distance and saw some absolutely amazing views of the Kremlin at night.  I won’t weigh down the rest of these pictures with extended dialog – we had a relaxing walk back to the hostel, took some pictures, and savored the moment.

Red moon rising… not be confused with “Red Storm Rising” which is an awesome Tom Clancy book about World War III.	The Pashkov House, traditionally considered one of the city’s most beautiful buildings it has alternated between government use, a museum, and a library and currently houses the Russian State Library’s rare books.

The Kremlin at night.

St. Basil’s Cathedral and the Spasskaya Bashnya (Savior Tower), which is 500 years old and stands 200 feet above the ground.  It also features the gate to the Kremlin that opens directly onto Red Square.