The Country of the Firebird: Architectural, Artistic and Religious Traditions of Russia May 22 June 7, 2010 with Dr. Valery Efimenko Travel to Russia is a unique opportunity to get acquainted with Russian history and culture. This fascinating journey will take us to Russia s two magnificent capitals - Moscow and St. Petersburg - as well as to some great places around them. Moscow is called the heart of Russia due to its enormous cultural, economic and political role in the country s life. This city united Russian people to fight off the Mongol invaders, and since then it has grown to become the largest city in Europe with active trade, buoyant culture, fascinating architecture and expressive lifestyle. Astounding domed churches dot the skyline despite 70 years of official state atheism, and architectural designs can be found dating back hundreds of years. Our tour will include the Moscow Kremlin with its beautiful cathedrals, the Red Square, the Tretyakov Gallery, and Bolshoi Theatre. St. Petersburg, Venice of the North, is the second largest city of Russia and its former capital, founded by Peter the Great in 1703. Italian and French architects planned the city, giving it the classical beauty. One of the world s most brilliant cities, St. Petersburg has been a lavish scene of Russian literature, music, theatre, and ballet. We will visit historic and artistically notable sites palaces, cathedrals, museums and parks, including the Winter Palace and the Hermitage Museum, Peter and Paul Fortress, St. Isaac s Cathedral, Russian Museum, and the Mariinsky Theatre (former Kirov Ballet). In addition to these two great cities, we will take a short trip to the Trinity Lavra of St. Sergius, the most important Russian monastery and a popular tourist destination, in Sergiyev Posad near Moscow, as well as Petrodvorets and Tsarskoe Selo, beautiful suburbs of St. Petersburg with summer residences of Russian tsars and magnificent parks. Orientation The orientation course will consist of five Wednesday evenings, April 21, 28 and May 5, 12, 19, 2010, 7 9 pm, held at the University of Calgary campus. Topics for discussion will include history and culture of Russia, with a focus on art, religion, and architectural traditions. Background information on the sites we will be visiting will also be provided. The itinerary, travel arrangements, and health matters will be discussed in detail. Itinerary Meals that are included are shown in brackets following the daily itinerary. B: Breakfast, L: Lunch, D: Dinner. May 22 23 Fly from Calgary for Moscow. (D) MAY 24 A tour of Moscow with an overview of its history and architecture. After lunch we will focus on what is probably the most famous city square in the world the Red Square and enjoy the sights of the Kremlin, with its impressive walls and towers, St. Basil Cathedral, Lenin s Mausoleum, and the Alexandrovsky Park, with the Memorial dedicated to WWII. (B, L, D) May 25 We will spend most of the day in the Moscow Kremlin. The Kremlin is the oldest part of Moscow and the official residence of the Russian President whose offices are located in the Grand Kremlin Palace. We will take a guided tour around the Kremlin grounds visiting the Cathedral Square with the Assumption, Annunciation and Archangel s Cathedrals. Another major sight to explore is the Armoury Chamber, the treasure-house of Church of Saviour on Spilled Blood, St. Petersburg 13
Canals of St. Petersburg Russia that contains some of the rarest and most precious items of the Russian Crown, and its Diamond Fund that houses the most valuable jewels found on the territory of Russia, nuggets, jewellery, and other precious items, including the famous Faberge Eggs. (B, L, D) May 26 Today, we begin with a guided tour of the Tretyakov Gallery. Their collection contains a wide range of genres including icons, paintings, sculptures and graphics from 11th to 20th century. The world renowned Old Testament Trinity by Andrei Rublev is on display in this museum. In the evening we will attend a live performance of an Opera or Ballet. (B, L, D) May 27 We take a short trip outside of Moscow to the medieval town of Sergiyev Posad. The Cathedral of Holy Trinity (Troitse Sergiyeva Lavra) found here is one of the oldest and most important Russian Orthodox monasteries in Russia, where by tradition all Moscow royals were baptized. (B, L, D) May 28 In the morning we will explore the Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts. Their exhibits include works by Rembrandt, the Minor Dutchmen, Botticelli, Canaletto, Cezanne, Gauguin, van Gogh, Matisse, Renoir, Picasso, and many others. Our second destination will be the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour, possibly the tallest Eastern Orthodox Church in the world. Afternoon free. (B, D) May 29 Today, we will explore the Stalin Classicism, an architectural style of Moscow high-rise buildings characterized by their rich decorations with Soviet symbols. The best examples of this style, also called Stalin s Empire style, are eight high-rises built in 1950s the Moscow University, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Hotel Ukraine, and Hotel Peking. Other high-rises were mainly occupied by prominent Soviet scientists, famous actors, and party apparatchiks. Next, we re off to the Moscow Metro, the largest subway system in Russia, famous for its ornate design of many of its stations. Finally, we will visit Moscow s famous Izmailovo Market, a Mecca for Russian souvenirs and folk art. Lunch on our own at the market. (B, L) May 30 We ll begin the day by visiting Novodevichy Convent, one of the most beautiful monasteries in Russia. Then we will explore the museum of Kolomenskoye a former royal estate where Tsars in the 14th century built their summer residences. The Church of the Ascension, built in 1532, is one of the earliest examples of a traditional wooden tent-roofed church on a stone and brick substructure, which had a great influence on the development of Russian ecclesiastical architecture. Here we will enjoy a folklore program, and Russian samovar tea with pancakes. In the late evening, we board the first-class overnight train to St. Petersburg. (B, L) May 31 Arrive in St. Petersburg and check into our hotel. After breakfast, we take a tour of the city covering Nevsky Prospect, the embankments of the Neva River, the Palace Square, and the Winter Palace a magnificent, Baroque-style palace which was the official royal residence of Russian monarchs. After lunch we explore the Peter and Paul Fortress, which houses the Mint of St. Petersburg and serves as a history museum. The central monument here is the Peter and Paul Cathedral. (B) 14
June 1 A tour of the Winter Palace and the Hermitage Museum will surely be one of the most fascinating experiences during our stay in St. Petersburg. (B) June 2 Our first stop today will be at one of the most spectacular orthodox churches in the world, the St. Isaac s Cathedral, built in 19th century by French architect Montferrand. Then, we re off to the waterways of St. Petersburg. This city is situated on over 40 islands with more than 70 rivers and canals running through its territory, which is where the comparison to Venice comes from. From the Senate Square, with its monument to Peter the Great (the legendary ` Bronze Horseman ), we will take a boat tour to enjoy this network of rivers and canals and see the city s major attractions along the way. Then we will take a walk around one of the most romantic places in St. Petersburg the Summer Garden with its breathtaking collection of Italian statues set in a natural environment of linden trees and ponds. (B) June 3 We will go on an exciting tour of Pushkin, formerly known as Tsarskoe Selo ( Tsar s Village ), a former residence of the imperial family and visiting nobility. We will see the impressive Palace of Catherine II, her favourite summer residence, with superbly decorated interiors and a vast magnificent park with innumerable Rococo style grottoes, pavilions, lakes, canals, and bridges. The Palace is home to the exquisite Amber Room, sometimes called the eight wonder of the world, thanks to its beautiful decorations of amber panels backed with gold leaf and mirrors. (B, D) June 4 Housed in the former Palace of Michael Romanov, the Russian Museum established in 1895 houses the world s largest collection of the Russian art from the 10th century to the present day. Here we will see the old Russian icons, including several superb works by Andrei Rublev. The museum s greatest pride is its immense collection of 18th to 20th century paintings representing all major artistic trends in the Russian art. It also has the world s finest collection of the Russian avant-garde. The Church of Saviour on Spilled Blood is just two steps away from the Russian museum. It was built to mark the spot where Alexander II was assassinated by the terrorists of the People s Will in 1879. Despite its tragic designation, the Cathedral looks very ornate and is one of the best known symbols of St. Petersburg. In the evening, we will enjoy an Opera or Ballet performance. (B, L) June 5 We will visit the Blockade of Leningrad Museum. The rest of the day is free to enjoy on our own. (B) June 6 We take a speed boat to reach Petrodvorets, another summer residence of the Romanov royal family located on the southern shore of the Gulf of Finland. The main attraction here is a former imperial residence of Peterhof with the palace of Peter the Great surrounded by small palaces, now converted to museums, and vast parks that rivalled Versailles and were famous for their amazing fountains and cascades. The most spectacular part of the Peterhof complex is the Grand Cascade decorated by numerous gold-leafed statues and fountains. We will return to St. Petersburg by bus. (B, Farewell Dinner) June 7 Return to Calgary. (B) Accompanying Resource Person Dr. Valery Efimenko graduated from the Oriental Department of St. Petersburg State University where he studied Indian languages, literature, history and culture. He taught History of Philosophy and Comparative Religion at the Institute of Social Sciences in Moscow, and at the Moscow University Touro, the first American university in Russia. In 1990-1991 he was an exchange professor in Jawaharlal Nehru University in New Delhi. For over thirty years, his academic interests were focused on Indian studies; however he designed a special course on Russian history and cultural traditions for the international students at the Moscow University Touro. In 2004 Valery Efimenko joined the University of Calgary Continuing Education with his courses Comparative Religion and History of Western Philosophy. Two other special courses History of Modern Russia and The Land of the Firebird: Introduction to Russian Culture were designed by Dr. Efimenko for our Humanities program and have been highly enjoyed by our students. Cost Airfare $ 1,600 Land, Tuition and other costs 6,000 GST 50 TotaL 7,650 Single supplement + 2,300 Cost includes Tuition and five-week orientation course, airfare, accommodation, transfers, all surface travel, and meals as listed in the itinerary. The tuition portion of $1000 will be shown as a tax deduction on the final payment receipt. A deposit of $500 is required with the registration form. There is a $200 withdrawal fee prior to the final payment date. Final payment is due on December 15, 2009. Please see the Refund Policy section for withdrawal/refund procedures and liabilities. Fees are based on the information available at the time of print and are subject to change to reflect any changes in currency rates, airfares, or land costs. There are possibilities of decreases or increases, and any changes will be reflected on the final payment and passed on to the participant. All fees are based on double occupancy. 15
General Information Fees Cost includes: tuition, orientation course, airfare, accommodation, transfers, all surface travel, and meals as listed in the itinerary. The tuition portion will be shown as a tax deduction on the final payment receipt. A deposit is required with the registration form. There is a withdrawal fee prior to the final payment date. Fees are based on the information available at the time of print and are subject to change to reflect any changes in currency rates, airfares, or land costs. There are possibilities of decreases or increases, and any changes will be reflected on the final payment and passed on to the participant. All fees are based on double occupancy. Fees in all programs exclude airport taxes, passport and visa fees, luggage, cancellation, medical and other personal insurance, gratuities for local guides, wine, liquors, and other items not specifically mentioned as included and other personal services. Single Supplement The single supplement fee is listed in each program description. Every effort is made to find a suitable roommate for those who wish to share, however, if this is not possible, a single supplement charge will be applied. Refund Policy Please call 403-220-5052 or write to Lois Kokoski at the address on this page. Up to the final payment date, a cancellation fee of $200 will apply. After the final payment date, the amount of refund will depend on the amount recoverable from the tour operators. We highly recommend insurance. Insurance We highly recommend cancellation and medical insurance. Information will be sent out at the time of final payment. Liability and Responsibility University of Calgary and their travel agents will exercise all reasonable care in making arrangements for conducting the tour. They are, however, acting only in the capacity of an agent and do not assume liability for any damage to persons or property resulting from or arising out of any act or inadvertence of any hotel, carrier, restaurant, or other company or persons rendering any of the services included in the tour or for any damage caused by other factors beyond their control. The passage contract in use by the airlines concerned when issued shall constitute the sole contract between the airlines and passengers. All prices are based on current international exchange rates and airfare prices at the time of planning the tours, and are subject to change. In the event that it becomes necessary or advisable to alter the itinerary or arrangements for any reason whatsoever, such alterations may be made. Additional expenses, if any, shall be borne by the participants; conversely refunds will be made to participants if any savings are affected thereby. The right is reserved to decline, accept, or retain any participant or tour member at any time. Contact Information For further information please contact: Lois Kokoski Program Director, Educational Travel Study Program Phone 403-220-5052 Fax 403-284-9242 kokoski@ucalgary.ca conted.ucalgary.ca/travelprograms Mailing Address Educational Travel Study Program Continuing Education University of Calgary 2500 University Drive NW Education Tower, Room 220 Calgary, AB T2N 1N4 Registration Please complete the registration form on page 27 and mail it with your deposit. 26
Registration Form Indicate the Travel Study Program(s) for which you are registering... Thailand and Cambodia January 12 29, 2010 with John Gilchrist Discover Cuba March 21 28, 2010 with John Reid From Andes to Amazon Rainforest: A Cultural and Eco Trip to Peru May 7 24, 2010 with Isabelle Alvarez The Islands of Italy: A Cultural and Archaeological Journey May 10 28, 2010 with Dr. John Humphrey Scotland and Wales: Castles, Crags, and Celts June 5 23, 2010 with Dr. A. Mary Murphy Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia September 17 October 4, 2010 with Peter Herrem California Wine Country October 12 18, 2010 with John Gilchrist Jordan and Syria: an Historical and archaeological Journey November 15 December 4, 2010 with Dr. John Humphrey The Country of the Firebird: Architectural, Artistic and Religious Traditions of Russia May 22 June 7, 2010 with Dr. Valery Efimenko Name Home Phone Work Cell Address Fax E-mail Official name (as it appears on your passport) Will you be travelling with another person? Yes No Name Would you like to have a roommate? Yes No Please note that if you wish to share, every effort will be made to find you a suitable roommate. However, if this is not possible, a single supplement will be applied. If you are registering for a trip, your deposit of $500 must accompany this registration. Remit by cheque or money order in Canadian funds payable to University of Calgary. Cheque enclosed Credit Card Payment: Visa MasterCard Card Number Expiry Date Signature This information is collected under the authority of the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act. It is required to register you in the program, forms part of the permanent student record, and will be used to notify you of other courses and programs. If you have questions about the collection or use of this information, or, if you want your name removed from our mailing data base, call 403-220-2952. 27