Kolomenskoye - Unexpected Jewel of Moscow

With a population of 12 million, Moscow is the largest metropolis in Europe besides Istanbul. Although the city lacks the density and bustling energy of London or Madrid, the Russian capital could be quite hectic after just a few weeks. Within central Moscow, sometimes you felt this suffocating feeling. It may be the heavy security presence or the imposing architecture from the Stalinist era; the city often feels cold and impersonal.

Imposing architecture of Moscow State University.

So when our friend Olga invited my roommate Meghan and me to visit one of her favorite spots in Moscow one late autumn afternoon, we gladly accepted her offer. Olga was the best ambassador for her hometown and is always excited to share her encyclopedia knowledge about Russian history and architecture. So when she mentioned her favorite spot, I knew we were in for a treat.

Located about a half-hour southeast of central Moscow, Kolomenskoye was a vast imperial estate on the bank of the Moskva River. After a quick fifteen-minute subway ride, we arrived at Kolomenskaya Metro Station, one of the less attractive in the system. Once we returned to the street level, I was sourly disappointed with what greeted us. We were in the middle of a busy six-lane expressway, and I started to doubt Olga’s judgment, to be honest. Looking around, all we could see were massive apartment buildings that were typical of suburban Moscow.

A characteristic apartment outside of Kolomenskaya Metro Station.

The scenery changed dramatically after going through a few rows of charmless Khrushchyovka, the Soviet-era type low-rise apartment block. We arrived at the formal entrance of Kolomenskoye. With beautiful onion-shaped wooden dormers, the unassuming Savior Gate was a welcoming respite from the ugliness of residential areas we just passed through. Immediately to the right was a handsome field of foundations, which was said to be the remnant of the bakery and kitchen of the former nearby palace.

Foundation remain of royal kitchen and bakery.

Early October was a gorgeous time in Moscow. The autumn foliage was at its peak while the lawn was still beautifully green. We were not the only ones who decided to spend this beautiful Sunday afternoon in the park. Seeing how many young children were having the best time by simply rolling around amid the fall foliage. Before long, we noticed many locals making head wreaths out of the yellow leaves. Of course, we had to partake in this free activity, and it was one of the most memorable experiences I have had in Russia. It was surprisingly easy, and you don’t need any tools.

Further down the past, we walked past the beautifully petite 17th-century Church of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God. Even after a few months in Moscow, I still felt slightly excited whenever I saw orthodox churches. In contrast to the Catholic or protestant churches, the characteristic onion dome reflects sunlight differently and sports a lovely color. In particular, I am a sucker for those bearing gradient colors like the ones atop this church.

The history of Kolomenskoye was quite interesting. Originally a village dating back to the 14th century, Kolomenskoye gained great prominence during the reign of Vasili III, the Grand Duke of Moscow, who constructed a wooden palace here. But the crown jewel of Kolomenskoye is the Church of the Ascension. Constructed in 1532, this impressively vertical church was built to celebrate the birth of a future heir, Ivan, commonly known as Ivan the Terrible. Isn’t it funny that this beautiful church is connected to one of the few Russian tsars we all happened to know?

Architecturally, the Church of the Ascension’s claim of fame was that it served as the architectural inspiration for the icon Saint Basil Cathedral on the Red Square. The design is commonly attributed to Italian architect Petrok Maly. He was reportedly sent to Moscow as part of Pope Clement VII's delegation after the Sack of Rome. The church is unique in terms of its emphasis on height, and it indeed was the first brick structure that sports a polygonal hipped roof, also known as a “tented roof.” A series of decorative kokoshnik further added to its vertical expression. Although a common feature of Russian architecture nowadays, the tent roof design at Kolomenskoye was a major breakthrough. Perhaps that was why Ivan the Terrible made this an inspiration for the Saint Basil Cathedral on Red Square.

It took me a minute to recognize the similarity between the two churches. But it was one of those situations that once you saw it, you would always remember it. If you demolish all the onion domes and side chapels, Saint Basil Cathedral is a colorized version of Kolomenskoye. Another innovation Kolomenskoye gifted to Saint Basil was the covered walkway surrounding the church. This seemingly banal invention makes much more sense to give the beautiful surrounding landscape. At the east-facing side of the gallery was a white “throne” that was said to be a “royal pew”. It was fun to imagine that Vasili and his son Ivan once sat at this spot.

The Falcon Tower & the belfry of Church of St. George the Victorious.

Unfortunately, the church interior was closed during our visit. But judging from the exterior, I imagine it was quite tight. Olga also did not seem to consider it a big miss. The whole ensemble around the Church of the Ascension was incredibly charming. The adjacent Church of Saint George the Victorious, also attributed to Petrok Mal, is a beautiful synthesis of the Italian Renaissance and Muscovite-style Baroque.

But by far, my favorite building on the ground is the Vodovzvodnaya Tower. The amusingly phallic-shaped building was built in the 1670s to house the massive hydraulic engineering system that supplied water for the former royal complex. According to legends, the upper story of the tower once housed the falconry of the stars in the 19th century. Thus, it is also nicknamed the Falcon Tower today. The rectangular-shaped building is a great architectural contrast with the octagonal Church of the Ascension and the round belfry of the Church of St. George. It was a beautiful assembly of free-standing structures, almost like a perfect collection of post-modern architectural follies.

I could never get over this view of Moscow.

By far, the best feature of Kolomenskoye was the beautiful view toward the Moskva River. Because the park is gently sloped toward the river, it creates a terrific foreshortening effect. Luckily, Moscow preserves large swaps of land along the riverbed from the urban sprawl. With foliage in full swing, a ribbon of red and yellow snakes and the river. Even without the iconic skyline of Moscow in the distance, this view of Moscow is the one I will always remember. During our visit, we were blessed with a performance by a group of musicians playing some bronze-plate carillon. It was some ancient Slavic instrument, but it reminded me much of Chinese bianzhong. With music, medieval architecture, and beautiful views, what more could we ask for?

A part of Kolomenskoye that we missed was the wooden palace: Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich’s Woode Palace. Well, technically, we missed it by a few centuries. This massive palace once stood beside the Church of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God. After the relocation of the capital to Saint Petersburg by Tsar Peter the Great, Kolomenskoye lost its status as a royal residence. The disrepair followed, and it was subsequently razed under the order of Catherine the Great. However, a modern full-scale replica based on the surviving painting and documentation was constructed on the ground of Kolomenskoye.

Modern reconstruction of historical monuments had long been a passion of the former mayor of Moscow, Yury Luzhkov. Under his leadership, many 19th and early 20th-century structures in the city center were razed and replaced by "scientific reproduction” made out of reinforced concrete. Luckily, Mayor Luzhkov did not get to resurrect this modern reincarnation at its original location. Instead, the massive wooden palace was built a few miles away, at the southeastern edge of Kolomenskoye's natural reserve park. For the intellectual elite of Moscow, these reconstructions, including the massive wooden palace, were a crime against Russia’s cultural heritage. Olga seemed happy that we wouldn’t be visiting it. Based on the photograph, it looks more kitschy than beautiful.

Without hesitation, I would proclaim that Kolomenskoye has the best spot to enjoy a peaceful sunset. I could confidently say that there was no other foreign tourist in sight. Although quite a bit out of the way from most of Moscow’s marquee tourist attractions, a visit to Kolomenskoye is warranted for anyone who gets to spend more than a few days. Besides the reconstructed wooden palace and monuments we saw that day, Kolomenskoye also hosts many historic structures transported here for cultural preservation.

It was not until a few years after my visit that I noticed that Kolomenskoye has been inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1994. Along with Novodevichy Convent and Moscow Kremlin/Red Square, it is just one of Moscow's three world heritage sites. I do wish that I would be able to revisit Moscow one day, and Kolomenskoye will still be on my itinerary!

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