STUDENT HANDBOOK Edition 2007

1 STUDENT HANDBOOK Russian History ...... 3 Useful information...... 4 Climate...... 4 Time zones...... 4 Electricity...... 5 Holidays ...... 5 Opening hours ...... 5 Communications ...... 5 Money ...... 5 Safety...... 5 Our language centres...... 6 St. Petersburg ...... 6 Moscow...... 6 Complaints Procedure ...... 7 Administrative Information ...... 7 Life in a Russian family...... 8 Activities (culture and leisure)...... 9 Saint Petersburg...... 9 History...... 9 City sights...... 9 Theatre...... 12 Excursions...... 12 Going out...... 13 Restaurants and cafés ...... 13 Nightclubs...... 13 Transport and Travel...... 14 Moscow...... 14 History...... 14 City sights...... 15 Excursions...... 18 Going out...... 19 Restaurants and cafés ...... 19 Nightclubs...... 19 http://eng.moscowout.ru/nightlife/nightclubs/...... 19 Transport and Travel...... 20 Travel between Moscow and St. Petersburg...... 20 Frequently Asked Questions...... 21 On Travel and Arrival ...... 21 On accommodation...... 21 On booking and classes...... 22 Living in St. Petersburg and Moscow ...... 22

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Добро Пожаловать!

Dear Student,

Welcome to Liden & Denz and our language centres! We hope you enjoy your stay with us and that your time here is unforgettable.

Our aim is to provide you with the best possible learning environment at our schools and in your host family. We also do all we can to help you to familiarise yourself with life in Russia. In addition to your classes, we organise several excursions each week to help you get to know the country and its people. Both St. Petersburg and Moscow are perfect places to enjoy world-class cultural performances and events – simply ask us for advice. Rest assured - we will ensure you have plenty to do in your free time, from our regular Friday aperitifs to boat trips and weekend picnics. You’ll never be bored with us!

But don’t forget the main reason for your visit: language learning also involves discipline and hard work. We ask you to attend classes regularly, to be punctual and to do your homework - all essential to your progress. All our teachers are qualified and suitably experienced. Although the tuition takes place in Russia, most of our teachers also speak a foreign language. If you do not understand something, or would like to know the exact translation of a word, please don’t be frightened to ask your teacher.

We hope your stay will be both fascinating and exciting. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact your teacher or one of our staff, who will be happy to assist.

I wish you success in your studies!

Walter Denz (Managing Director)

Russian History The cradle of the Russian nation is Kyivan Rus, the state where many Slavonic tribes joined together in the 9th century A.D. The capital, as the name suggests, was Kiev, today capital of the Ukraine. The most significant historical event of this early period was the Christianisation of Rus in 988 A.D.

Old Russia expanded rapidly, entering conflicts in the south with Byzantium and in the north with the Vikings, who were advancing into Eastern Europe. In the first half of the 10th century, the state of Kyiv flourished and became an important cultural and political force in mediaeval Europe. But gradually the cities became more politically and economically independent and battles broke out between the regional rulers, until at the start of the 12th century the Kyiv collapsed. Splintered, Russia was in no position to defend itself against the Tartars, who had begun their invasions in the 13th century. The Horde of Genghis Khan attacked and destroyed many cities, forcing the surviving inhabitants to pay heavy taxes.

From the 14th century, the Principality of Moscow gained growing importance in the fragmented Rus, which was suffering greatly under the Tartars. Moscow’s rulers managed to unite many principalities under their leadership and drive the Tartars out of Russia. But after a period of stability and development, the Muscovite Empire entered another period of turmoil in the second half of the 16th century, when inheritance disputes weakened the country to such an extent that a Polish army was able to occupy the capital.

Russia proved strong enough to drive out the invaders and in 1613 Mikhail Romanov was crowned tsar in Moscow. His coronation marked the beginning of 300 years of rule by the Romanov family. The most famous of the Romanovs is Tsar Peter I, whose coronation in 1682 was a turning point in Russian history. He reformed the backward country and, in founding St. Petersburg, opened “a window to Europe“.

The monarchist order strengthened itself in the 18th century and Russia’s imperial might grew steadily. The empire gained new territories, annexing vast expanses of Siberia and the Far East, large parts of the Baltic States and much of what is now the Ukraine and Belarus. Under Catherine II Chechnia was occupied – and has been struggling for freedom ever since.

In 1812, Napoleon’s troops took Moscow, which had been abandoned by the army and its inhabitants. But hunger and cold soon forced the French to flee; most were killed by Russian partisans as they retreated. Russia’s victory in the “Patriotic War“ brought it greater international influence. But the ruling class was incapable of solving the country’s immediate problems. Economically and socially, Russia fell further and further behind Europe.

3 During the reign of Tsar Alexander II from 1855 to 1881, reforms were finally undertaken, including the abolition of serfdom. Russia’s industrial development accelerated. But the tsar’s reforms fell short of the expectations of many intellectuals and one group of extremists chose the path of political terrorism, assassinating the tsar in 1881. The consequential counter reforms undertaken by his successor, Alexander III, worsened social and political tensions in Russia.

In 1905, the first Russian revolution broke out, forcing Tsar Nicholas II to make various concessions. A parliament was set up and some civil rights were guaranteed – on paper, at least. But peace was short-lived. The catastrophic situation of the country and its army during the First World War gave the revolutionary forces new impetus. After the February Revolution of 1917, the tsar was forced to abdicate. But any hopes of a democratic, liberal society were dashed by the October Revolution in the same year. The Bolsheviks, led by Lenin, seized power in Russia and began the Communist experiment that would last for 70 years.

Josef Stalin succeeded Lenin, who died in 1924. His reign was characterised by several waves of terror against the Kulaks (affluent farmers), intellectuals, the army, the party and entire peoples. In short, nobody was safe in Stalin’s USSR.

In 1941, Nazi Germany attacked the USSR. After suffering devastating losses in the first phase of the Second World War, which is known to Russians as the Great Patriotic War, the Red Army gradually gained control and went on to conquer more territories in Central and Western Europe.

Nikita Khrushchev succeeded Stalin on his death in 1953. Khrushchev embarked on a policy of de-Stalinization, which led to a limited political and cultural opening up of the country. But when Leonid Brezhnev toppled Khrushchev in 1964 the result was 20 long years of social and economic stagnation.

Mikhail Gorbachev took the helm in 1985 and attempted to save the old system with his policies of Perestroika (reconstruction) and Glasnost (openness). But he faced opposition on both sides. His reforms did not go far enough for the progressive forces around Boris Yeltsin, while the conservative old guard wanted the old order re-instated. In August 1991, a group of reactionary politicians, aided by parts of the army, attempted a coup. A combination of popular resistance and tactical indecision thwarted the rebels and sealed the end of the Soviet Union. In December of the same year, the USSR ceased to exist and Boris Yeltsin became president.

The transformation of the Russian economy has had catastrophic consequences for large sections of the population. In the 1990s, Russia was characterised by economic decline, social uncertainty and political infighting. Since the election of Vladimir Putin as president in 2000, Russia has embarked on a course of economic stability. The economy is growing, wages are rising and inflation is falling. Yet many Russians still live below the subsistence level set by the state, with pensioners among the poorest citizens.

Politically, a harsh wind blows. Putin, a former KGB agent, has increased the power of the state, but there is a dark side to this otherwise positive development. The president and his government have been criticised repeatedly for clamping down on independent media and political opponents. Liberal and democratic voices complain about the growing influence of the military and secret services. So far, there has been no apparent adverse effect on the economy, which in recent years has experienced a rate of growth not seen in Europe since the 1950s.

Young Russians naturally find it easiest to adapt to the new situation. Teenagers and twentysomethings who have grown up with the Internet are determined to have careers and make money. Everything they know about Brezhnev and Communism comes from their school history lessons. They are generally apolitical and focused on having fun. And who can blame them?

Useful information

Climate The St. Petersburg climate is similar to Scandinavia. In the short summer (mid-June to mid-August), temperatures can reach 30° C. The winters are generally cold and temperatures can fall below minus 20º C. The position of St. Petersburg on the Gulf of Finland tempers the summer heat a little, and in autumn and winter produces a cool breeze. Moscow’s climate is continental: cold in winter and hot in summer.

Time zones Moscow and St. Petersburg are CET + two hours. Summer times are the same as in Western Europe.

4 Electricity The standard voltage is Russia is 220 volts. Unearthed Western European plugs with two narrow pins fit Russian sockets. An adapter is required for Swiss three-point plugs and German earth contact plugs.

Holidays The following are not working days in Russia: January 1 and 2 (New Year), January 7 (Orthodox Christmas), February 23 (Day of the Defenders of the Motherland), March 8 (International Women’s Day), May 1 (International Labour Day), May 9 (Victory Day – End of Second World War), June 12 (Independence Day), November 4 (Day of Reconciliation and Accord). When a holiday falls on a weekend, the next weekday becomes a compensation day off. On public holidays, Liden & Denz schools are closed and lessons are cancelled. On compensation days off, however, lessons take place although the school administration is closed.

Opening hours No general rules exist, or at least none are followed. Most shops and businesses open from 10 am and close in the late evening. Many food shops and restaurants are open 24 hours. Exchange bureaux usually close at 8pm. Many shops also open on Sunday.

Communications Western European mobile telephones work in Moscow and St. Petersburg. Calls abroad from Russia by mobile telephone are extremely expensive, as are incoming calls. Both cities have plenty of Internet cafés and there are computers available in both Liden & Denz schools. Personal laptop computers can be connected up to the Internet in our wireless zone.

Money Euro, US dollars and other currencies can be exchanged everywhere. Exchange rates for Euro and US dollars are usually higher than for the other currencies. Banknotes should be as new as possible and in good condition, as notes that are worn, torn, have been written on or are otherwise marked are not accepted. There is no need to bring notes in small denomination. Students should be aware that they will not be able to change any money without a passport (or a passport copy stamped in the Department of Visas and Registrations) in most currency exchange offices. Please note that despite inflationary tendencies the only accepted form of payment in Russia is the Rouble.

Safety Although crime has become a problem in post-Soviet Russia, foreigners in Moscow and St. Petersburg have nothing to fear provided they behave as they would in any major European city. Common sense rules. Negative reporting about Russia is often wildly exaggerated. And when complaining, as many Russians do, about the growth in crime, it is worth remembering that the Soviet Union was one of the safest countries in the world and crime has risen from a very low level. Below are some basis safety tips.

Out and about: Only carry with you what you need for the day or evening, i.e. enough cash, and credit cards only if you plan to use them. Otherwise, leave them at home. In Moscow you should always carry your passport with you. In St. Petersburg, a copy will do.

Pickpockets: Keep a close eye on your possessions at all times and especially in restaurants and cafés. Bags and mobile phones are stolen even in the smarter places with security guards.

Taxi rides: Private taxis are a popular form of transport. If you decide to take a tchastnik (private driver), ask yourself three questions: 1. Is the driver sober, is he alone and can you agree the destination and price with him? If the answer is “yes” to all three, you can get into the car with an easy mind. Of course, this fast and flexible form of transport still has its risks, but experience suggests that it is riskier to walk home alone along dark streets than to take a taxi along the same route. All the same, we do not advise women to take a taxi ride alone.

Night-time police checks: The Russian police have a dubious reputation, particularly when it comes to separating helpless foreigners from their money during so-called police checks at night. Night-time revellers are advised not to walk around alone after midnight – and definitely not in a drunken state. If a police control arrives, stay calm and polite and do not hand over your cash.

Important telephone numbers: Fire service: 01 Police: 02 Emergency medical treatment: 03

5 Our language centres

St. Petersburg The school is located on the top floor of Transportny pereulok 11(4th floor – no lift), close to Ligowski Prospekt metro station. Turn right out of the station and continue along the street for about five minutes, until you reach our school. From Ploshad Vosstanya (the large square in front of Moscow Station on Nevsky Prospekt), any tram that travels along Ligowski Prospekt will take you to the school.

Look for the sign above the entrance that reads „Lingua Consult - Liden & Denz Language Centre“. The doors are closed at all times of day and night. The door code is 4#917. Entering this code automatically unlocks the door, which can then easily be opened. Our Secretariat can also release the lock manually. If the door code does not function for any reason, simply key in the sequence 003.

We operate 15 classrooms (11 suitable for groups, 4 - for mini- groups or individuals) all year round. Facilities also include a library, self-access centre, small cafeteria, our own Internet café, a WiFi-Zone and a booking desk for excursions, tickets and onward travel. Our in-house cafeteria is usually open from 09:00 am till 09:00 pm (05:00 pm during summer and on Fridays). The school is open Mo – Fr from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Closed on weekends

Postal address: Liden & Denz Transportny per. 11 191119 St. Petersburg Russia Tel./Fax: +7 812 334 07 88 Emergency number +7 921 975 22 41 Email: [email protected]

You do not need to dial the country code (7) or city code (812) when you are in St. Petersburg.

Moscow Our school in Moscow is located in the central part of the city, a short walk from the Belorusskaya Railway Station, a terminus for trains from Berlin and Warsaw. Our premises are on the ground floor of a building that belongs to the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Most of the office space is used by foreign diplomats and accredited correspondents of the international press. The closest metro station (Belorusskaya) can be reached by foot in less than five minutes. Our school features 10 classrooms, a WiFi-Zone, a library and is equipped with the latest technology (several workstations with wireless Internet for our students, LCD TV and DVD sets in four classrooms etc.) At school we offer hot and cold drinks. Moderately priced places for lunch can be found around the corner from the school.

Postal address: Liden & Denz Gruzinsky per. 3-181 123056 Moscow Russia Tel./Fax:+ 7 495 254 49 91 Emergency number +7 916 577 72 11 Email: [email protected]

You do not need to dial the country code (7) or city code (495) when you are in Moscow.

6 Complaints Procedure

Not happy with your classes? Students are placed in groups according to language level after an appropriate written and oral entry test. Given the different backgrounds and first languages of our students, it is impossible to create completely homogenous groups. But our relatively small group size in comparison to other countries ensures that all our course participants receive the appropriate attention. If you are not happy with the level of your group, please wait until the end of the second day of the course and then discuss this with your teacher. If you and your teacher cannot reach agreement, please talk to the director of studies, or the school’s director.

Not happy with your accommodation? Please start by talking to your host. Many of our hosts have been working with us for many years and are very experienced in hosting foreign guests. If you have difficulties communicating or any kind of problem, please discuss this with the person in school who is in charge of accommodation. Should you feel the necessity of changing your accommodation please inform us immediately! School organises official moving only at weekends. If you do not want to wait you can pay additional fee for urgency equal to your weekly accommodation fee.

Not happy with your stay? You will notice very quickly that many things in Russia are quite different from life at home. Although the political and economic situation has stabilised considerably in recent years, the country is still in a state of a transformation that will continue for some time yet. If you are generally unhappy with your stay, please talk to the director of the school.

Administrative Information

Official registration All foreign visitors must register with the Russian authorities within three days of their arrival. The school bears the cost of this registration. It is essential that all students provide us with their passport and visa document on their first day at the school. For security reasons, your passport is kept in the school safe during the whole of your stay. A copy of your passport and visa are enough for everyday use. Remember to carry these copies with you at all times.

Discipline Both teachers and students must attend classes punctually. We may refuse to issue a course certificate to students who persistently arrive late. Absences cannot be compensated for later with extra classes. Our teachers expect students to arrive for tuition rested and alert.

No Smoking area Both schools enforce a strict no smoking policy. Smoking is allowed only in the stairwell. Use of soft and hard drugs is strictly forbidden and constitutes a criminal offence.

Visits from friends and relatives If you have visitors, the school has an adjoining travel agency, which offers good value hotel reservations, visa assistance, airport transfers and excursions.

Arrival day Students must arrive on a Sunday as all courses start on a Monday. Private accommodation (host-family or shared flat) is always booked from Sunday to Sunday. Extra days can be booked only on request and are charged according to our price list. All students are met at the airport/railway terminal and driven straight to their booked accommodation.

The first day It is important that students arrive on time on their first day at school (normally Monday), so that placement in groups can proceed promptly. Any delay will affect the whole day and interrupt the normal tuition schedule. Everyone, including beginners and students who have booked individual tuition, should be present for group placement and take our assessment test, which is made for all levels and has an increasing complexity.

On their first day at school, all our students are accompanied to school by their host parents, where they take the written assessment test. After the oral part of the test, the students are provisionally divided into groups. Before tuition starts, the newly arrived students are given a tour through of the school and are introduced to the school staff. Furthermore, new students are taken on a guided tour of the city on one of their first afternoons at school.

Timetable Lessons usually start at 10:00 (sometimes 09:00). Each lesson lasts 50 minutes and is followed by a short break.

7 Teaching materials Textbooks and copies are included in the course fees. Additional material can be obtained either at the school library or at a specialised bookstore.

Certificate All participants receive a graded certificate (in Russian) issued by the school at the end of their course and stating course type, course dates, number of hours and level of Russian.

Course extensions Provided you have a valid visa, you may extend your stay after you arrive. Staying on in the host family without extending your course is possible only in exceptional cases.

Mid-course crisis Russian is a comparatively difficult language to learn. More hours of tuition are needed to reach an equivalent level than for languages like Spanish or English. Students from outside the Slavic region find it much more difficult to remember words, since the stems of words (other than loan words) are completely unfamiliar. This can sometimes have a demotivating effect. If your course lasts more than four weeks, you will undoubtedly go through a crisis or two. There will be days when you are convinced that you are making no progress at all. You will feel unable to learn any more or sort out what you have already learned in your head. We know from experience that these crises pass as quickly as they arrive, and that you should not blindly trust your own subjective perception of your lack of learning success. Every crisis ends with something new learned. Never give up!

Course cancellation after arrival If you wish to terminate or defer of your course, we require written notice of at least 15 days. Any part-refund of course fees is at the discretion of the school or the agent through whom you booked your course.

Life in a Russian family

All accommodation booked through the school has been checked and approved by us. We pay particular attention to the integrity of the family. Even where the living conditions do not quite conform to your expectations, please try to accept the accommodation for the duration of your stay. If you are sure you want to change your accommodation, please inform the school in advance.

Give the cultural differences, misunderstandings in the host family are almost inevitable. This is completely normal and a valuable part of the overall experience. Remember that a little humour and flexibility will solve most problems.

Your room Your room will be furnished with at least s bed or sofa-bed, a wardrobe, a desk with chair and desk lamp and a mirror. Your landlady is responsible for cleaning your room, but you should keep it sufficiently tidy to enable her to do this easily.

Bathroom Please remember that other people need to use the bathroom, especially in the morning. In many areas of the city, and especially the centre, there can sometimes be problems with the hot water supply. This happens most often in the summer months - not pleasant, but unfortunately unavoidable. Since the hot water can be turned off at any time without notice, we cannot guarantee that you will always be able to take a hot shower when you want.

Guests It is not customary to invite strangers to a host family. If you would like to invite someone to visit, please ask for permission beforehand!

Keys All our hosts are contractually obliged to give you a key to the apartment so that you can come and go at any time of day.

Sleeping over If you wish to spend the night somewhere else, please tell your host family. If you stay out without notice, the family is obliged to inform the school.

Objects of value Please do not keep large amounts of cash in your room. Our families are completely trustworthy, but we cannot guarantee that visitors such as party guests and workmen will not gain access to your room. The school is not liable for any loss of cash!

8 Activities (culture and leisure) We aim to put on an interesting and varied programme every week both in St. Petersburg and Moscow, so that our students can get to know their destination city and have the chance to relax away from the lessons, make friends or simply chill out. The activities depend on the time of year. In the summer, we try to do as much as possible outside, while cultural activities occupy more of the programme during the colder seasons.

Some activities are free, such as the city tour for new students. Other activities are charged for. The current programme is available from the Secretariat and is given to every new student.

Ticket service We can book tickets for many different cultural events, from ballet to open-air concerts. A booking fee is payable. We also sell train and air tickets for weekend trips.

Saint Petersburg

History

The young and energetic Tsar Peter I found Moscow old-fashioned, backward and constricting. He wanted to open “a window to Europe”, but for this needed a site with access to the sea. In the spring of 1703, he wrested the Neva Delta from the Swedes and immediately laid the foundations of a fortress. At that time, the area was only sparsely populated by Finno-Ugric peoples. Thick with forests and marshland, it was a thoroughly unsuitable place to establish a city. But the tsar had a vision. He would not only build a military base, naval construction site and trading centre, but a glittering Russian capital. Armies of workers suffered in the pursuit of the tsar’s dream, laid low in the winter by bitter cold and in the summer by epidemics and mosquito plagues.

Yet against all the odds, St. Petersburg claimed it’s predestiny. In the decades that followed, it blossomed into a glittering European metropolis. Architects, artists, entrepreneurs and scientists from all over Europe flocked to the city on the Neva. Its heyday was the 19th century, but at the turn of the 20th century, it enjoyed another cultural boom. This “Silver Period“ was to be the last peak before gloomy and unsettled times.

In 1905, the Russian Empire lost the Russo-Japanese War, a humiliation that unleashed the simmering dissatisfaction in the country. The capital city on the Neva was shaken by three revolutions. The last, the October Revolution of the Bolsheviks in 1917, changed not only the history of the city but of the whole world.

The new Soviet government under Lenin moved to Moscow in March 1918. St. Petersburg ceased to be the capital and entered a twilight period of forced isolation and provinciality that lasted decades. The Stalinist terror of the 1920s and 1930s hit the city of the tsars particularly hard. But the most horrific event in Petersburg’s history was the German siege in the Second World War. Hitler’s declared aim was the total destruction of the city, renamed Leningrad after Lenin’s death. The blockade lasted almost 900 days from September 1941 to January 1944 and claimed the lives of more than one million people.

Leningrad triumphed and survived, and in the 1950s, a huge influx of workers arrived from all over the country. But until the late 1980s, the city’s identity was subsumed by socialistic dreariness. Then a fresh wind blew through the window to the Baltic Sea, boarded up for many years. In the early 1990s, the city regained its original name and St. Petersburg today is a city in search of its identity, with a host of inherited problems but on the brink of an exciting future.

City sights St. Petersburg is an open-air museum on a gigantic scale, with a rich tapestry of palaces, churches, canals, boulevards and courtyards waiting to be discovered. This large, vibrant city also has a huge variety of museums, theatres and concert halls. Below are some of the highlights of St. Petersburg.

Hermitage The State Hermitage is a superlative museum in every respect. The art collection founded by Catherine II comprises more than three million exhibits, from primeval times until today, housed in a thousand rooms in seven stunning palaces. The roll call of artists on display is breathtaking: Dürer, da Vinci, Titian, Rembrandt, Cézanne, Monet, van Gogh and Picasso are just a few. The Hermitage contains more than wonderful paintings: prints, ancient statues and sculptures, coins, Scythian golden festoons and many more treasures await the visitor. The baroque and classical facades on the banks of the Neva are artistic and architectural masterpieces in their own right. Address: Dvorzovaya nab. 34. Nearest Metro: Nevsky Prospect/Gostiny Dvor. Opening times: daily apart from Monday.

9 Nevsky Prospect Nevsky Prospect is the aorta of St. Petersburg. The city’s main boulevard stretches 4.5 kilometres and is always busy. Petersburg residents come here to stroll, shop or simply to see and be seen. “Nevsky“, as the locals call it, is lined with a host of magnificent buildings dating from the tsarist era. It begins at the distinctive Admiralty building and runs across the city centre to the Alexander Nevsky Monastery. A walk along the Nevsky is the best way to start your visit to St. Petersburg.

Peter & Paul Fortress The Peter & Paul Fortress is the undisputed heart of the city. It is here that the foundation stone was laid on 27 May 1703 for the Saint Piterburch Fortress, the Dutch name chosen by Tsar Peter I, the city’s founder. Built to fend off attacks by the Swedes, the Peter & Paul Fortress was never required to test its original purpose. Instead, it quickly became the most famous political prison of Tsarist Russia. Many famous intellectuals were kept imprisoned here, e.g. the decabrists, the authors Dostoyevsky, Gorki and Bakunin, and – last but not least – Alexander Ilyich Ulyanov, Lenin’s brother. During the stalinistic period the fortress was misused once again as a mass prison. Nearly 40.000 people were kept imprisoned and executed as public enemies – only to be carelessly buried in anonymous common graves. Today, the fortress is an oasis of calm in the hectic metropolis. It is easy to pass a whole sunny day here. When you tire of walking or relaxing on the sandy beach (!) you can buy a ticket at the booth just past the St Peter Gate entrance valid for all the museums and exhibitions in the Fortress. In addition to the City History Museum, there is a permanent collection on the history of coin minting and a museum of rocket science. You can also visit the old Commandant’s House and the prison in the Trubetskoy Bastion. The Cathedral of SS Peter and Paul itself was for centuries the burial site of the tsars and should not be missed, especially, as after the perestroika the remains of the tsars were released from their “soviet confinement” and placed in the cathedral anew. Address: Petropavlovskaya krepost. Nearest Metro: Gorkovskaya. Opening times: daily apart from Wednesday and last Tuesday of the month (the Fortress itself is open daily until 10pm and entry is free).

Russian Museum If the Hermitage is a Mecca for lovers of western European and international art, the Russian Museum is the equivalent for admirers of Russian art. Ten decades of art history are revealed in the 400,000 exhibits housed here. Together with the Tretyakov Gallery in Moscow, the Russian Museum houses one of the best collections of Russian art. The exhibits range from medieval icon paintings to works by St. Petersburg’s leading contemporary artists. The main collection is found in the impressive former palace of Grand Duke Mikhail on the charming Arts Square. The Stroganov Palace on Nevsky Prospect, the Marble Palace on the Neva and the Engineers’ Castle on the Fontanka also form part of the Russian Museum. Address: Inshenernaya ul. 4, Nearest Metro: Nevsky Prospect/Gostiny Dvor. Opening times: daily apart from Tuesday.

Museum of Anthropolgy and Ethnography On display in Peter the Great’s kunstkammer are antiquated weapons, traditional costumes from all over the world and a diverse collection of objects of art. But the highlight for embryologists and horror film fans is undoubtedly the collection of curiosities, which the tsar brought back from his travels in Europe. It includes all kinds of skeletons, stuffed animals and preserved monstrosities. These formed the basis of the original exhibition, displayed for the education of the Russian people in the country’s first public museum. Address: Universitetskaya nab. 3. Trolleybus 1, 7, 10 or Bus 10 from Metro Nevsky Prospect/Gostiny Dvor or Sportivnaya. Open daily apart from Monday and last Tuesday of the month.

Cruiser Aurora On 25 October 1917, arguably the most fateful shot in world history was fired. The signal to storm the Winter Palace sounded by the cruiser Aurora’s canon detonated the October Revolution. Today, the historic cruiser and its canon no longer sound the call to arms against tsar and capitalist exploiters. Instead, the Aurora is anchored peacefully on the Nevka and is one of the city’s most famous monuments. Passing the guard of honour and proceeding along the ship’s gangway, you can wander about on the upper deck and view the artillery, beautifully polished brass fittings and commemorative plaques, and since this is, after all, a battleship, thick steel everywhere. A narrow stairway leads to the exhibition on the lower deck, which contains a large collection of photographs, model ships, flags and exhibits on naval history as well as the history of the Aurora and life on board in the 1920s. Address: Bolschaya Nevka, Petrogradskaja nab. 2. Nearest Metro: Gorkovskaya. Open 10.30am to 4pm. Closed Monday and Friday.

Dostoevsky Museum You will find the Memorial Museum to Fyodor Dostoevsky in the lively district around the Our Lady of Vladimir Church, near the popular Kuznechny Market. The writer spent the last years of his life in this typical rented apartment block dating from the middle of the 19th century, and died here in January 1881. His corner apartment on the second floor looks out onto a church and has been furnished authentically. You ring the bell above the old nameplate on the door, cross the threshold and are immediately transported back to the apartment of a Petersburg intellectual at the end of the 19th century. As you enter the hallway, it is easy to imagine that the occupant still lives here. His walking stick hangs on the coat-rack. His hat, though protected by a glass case, lies ready for his departure. The table is laid in the 10 dining room, a rocking horse stands in the centre of the playroom and a half-filled glass of strong tea stands in its customary place on the desk in the master’s study. Everything is just as it would have been in Dostoevsksy’s everyday life. Address: Kuznechny per. 5. Nearest Metro: Dostojevskaya/Vladimirskaya. Open daily apart from Monday and last Wednesday of the month.

St. Isaac’s Cathedral St. Isaac’s Cathedral is St. Petersburg’s largest church, covering more than a hectare and standing over 100 metres tall. It is hard to do justice to the sheer grandeur and splendour of the interior of this magnificent monument, which boasts the best view of the city from the colonnade under its golden dome. Regular church services were held in the cathedral, built between 1818 and 1858, until 1928. Like other churches in the Soviet Union, it was converted to a Museum of Atheism under Communism. But unlike many churches and cathedrals, St. Isaac’s Cathedral survived the Communist era relatively unscathed. It remains a museum, displaying models of its construction and pictures from its history rather than icons and burning candles. The interior consists of a collection of magnificent paintings, mosaics and murals, lit by ostentatious chandeliers, each weighing three tons. Address: Isaakievskaya pl. 1. Nearest Metro: Nevsky Prospect/Gostiny Dvor, from here take Bus 3,22, 27, 312 or Trolleybus 5, 22. Opening hours: Museum: 10.30am to 8pm, last entry 7pm. Colonnade: 10.30am to 7pm, last entry 6pm. Closed Wednesday.

Kazan Cathedral The imposing Kazan Cathedral, with its semi-circular colonnade of 96 Corinthian pillars opening onto Nevsky Prospect, is an architectural highlight on St. Petersburg’s main boulevard. The Museum of Atheism referred to in old guidebooks is long gone and the cathedral is once more a Russian Orthodox place of worship. This wonderful classical monument was built between 1801 and 1811. The architect, Andrei Voronichin, was a former slave of Count Stroganov. He drew up the plans for Petersburg’s former main orthodox church and any resemblance to St. Peter’s in Rome is no coincidence. Voronichin was instructed on the highest orders to take his inspiration from Rome. Address: Kazanskaja pl. 2. Nearest Metro: Gostiny Dvor/Nevsky Prospect. Services: daily 10am and 6pm.

Alexander Nevsky Monastery At the very end of Nevsky Prospect stands the Alexander Nevsky Monastery, founded under Peter I. Reached easily by Metro, its vast grounds, dotted with churches and cemeteries, are a haven from the hustle and bustle of the city. Many famous historical figures are buried in the old cemeteries, but in Nikolskoye Cemetery you can also see the graves of eminent Russians of recent history, such as Anatoli Sobtchak, the first mayor of Petersburg, and the famous democratic politician Galina Starovoitova. The monastery is a place of pilgrimage for Orthodox believers. The Trinity Cathedral, built in the classical style at the end of the 18th century, is one of St. Petersburg’s most important churches. The official residence of the metropolitan of St. Petersburg and Ladoga is located within the grounds, which also contain a Spiritual Academy and a university where Orthodox priests are educated. Address: Nab. Reki Monastyrki 1. Nearest Metro: Ploshchad Alexandra Newskogo.

Summer Garden St. Petersburg’s oldest park lies between the Neva and Moyka, Swan Canal and Fontanka. Commissioned by Peter the Great in 1704, it was the showplace for glittering parties in reign of the tsars. The public has only had access to the park since the 19th century. Today, the Summer Garden is a popular oasis of calm for Petersburg families, couples, pensioners and students, all escaping the hectic pace of the nearby city centre. Sit by the small lake and with a bit of imagination you can forget the noise of the surrounding streets. Little remains of the original garden, which was almost completely destroyed by a flood in 1777 and redesigned in a more austere style under Catherine II. Of the original 250 Italian marble statues, less than 90 remain. But Peter the Great’s summer palace has been maintained. This was one of the first stone buildings of St. Petersburg, completed in 1714 as the city founder’s second residence. In the pavilion built later as a coffee and teahouse you can see exhibitions of the works of modern St Petersburg artists. Address: Nab. Kutusova, ul. Pestelya 2. Nearest Metro Gostiny Dvor/Nevsky Prospect.

The Bronze Horseman The famous monument to Peter I, the founder of St. Petersburg, is a place of pilgrimage for tourists and Russian wedding parties. It is the virtual duty of every bridal couple emerging from the city register office to lay a bouquet of flowers at the foot of the statue on Decembrists’ Square. The Emperor astride his rearing steed points imperiously toward the North West, poised momentarily on a granite block towering like a wave above the sea. Perhaps he stands before the Neva to announce to the world that Russia’s young city has opened a window to Europe, through which a fresh wind can now blow. Catherine II was a passionate admirer of her predecessor and commissioned this monument in 1782. A masterpiece by the French sculptor Maurice Etienne Falconet, the statue only gained fame when the Russian poet laureate Pushkin made it the hero of a poem he wrote in 1833 called “The Bronze Horseman“. The statue has been known by the same name ever since. Address: Decembrists’ Square/ Angliskaya Naberezhnaya. Nearest metro: Gostiny Dvor/Nevsky Prospect or Sadovaya/Sennaya Ploshchad.

11 Theatre Mariinsky Theatre The Mariinski Theatre is venerated and visited by opera and ballet lovers from all over the world. St. Petersburg owes its international reputation as a cultural metropolis to the Hermitage and this theatre. In the beginning of the 19th century the marinsky troupe developed the typical Russian Ballet from Russian folklore dances. Today, the programme features mainly classical performances of Russian and foreign opera and ballets, though the splendid building on Theatre Square also showcases modern productions. In 2003, the gold and putto decorated auditorium played host to the premiere of Alexander Sokurov’s rather scandalous film “Russian Arch”. New times, new challenges. The auditorium seats 1625 and is sold out almost every evening. The Mariinsky (also known under its old Soviet name as the Kirov Theatre) is a must for tourist groups and undoubtedly a highlight of their visit. Independent travellers should take care: the dual price policy is strictly enforced. Tickets for Russians and foreigners are priced differently and the vetting of faces so thorough that any foreigners trying to get in with “Russian” tickets are plucked from the crowd and sent to the “administrator“, where they must pay on average six times the original ticket price. Address: Teatralnaya pl. 1. Nearest Metro: Sadovaya/Sennaya Ploshchad. However, it is better to take a bus from Nevsky Prospect (Bus 3, 22, 27, 312) or Marschrutka (169). Please ask the school reception for programme information.

Philharmonic Grand Hall The Philharmonic Grand Hall, also called the Shostakovich Hall, is the undisputed (classical) music centre of St. Petersburg. Great national and international stars appear on this stage and the programme includes a wide range of Russian and foreign compositions. Address: Michailovskaya ul. 2. Nearest Metro: Gostiny Dvor/Nevsky Prospect. Please ask the school reception for programme information.

Philharmonic Chamber Hall (Glinka Philharmonic Hall) An acoustic gem for chamber music enthusiasts! The hall is rightly considered to be the best throughout the city. Here, solo and ensemble concerts of the highest level take place nearly every evening. The repertoire includes anything classical from very ancient up to rather modern – depending on the season. Address: Nevsky 30 (same building as Metro Station Nevsky Prospect/Canal Griboyedova).

Tovstonogov Dramatic Theatre For many decades, the playhouse founded in 1919 with the help of Maxim Gorky was under the famous directorship of Georgi Tovstonogov, whose name it now bears. It is city’s best venue for drama, a treasurehouse for lovers of classical and contemporary plays. Address: Fontanka 65, Nearest Metro: Sadovaya/Sennaya Ploshchad. Please ask the school reception for programme information.

Excursions As beautiful as St. Petersburg is, there are times when you want to escape the big city. The tsars knew this and constructed magnificent palaces in the surrounding area. Their country residences are open to the public and well worth a visit. The three most beautiful are described below.

Petrodvorets – breathtaking tsarist grandeur Fountains, pavilions, baroque extravagance and hordes of tourists: the "Russian Versailles" is the most visited of the former residences of the tsars and very overcrowded in summer. But if you must see for yourself the 140 fountains and this ultimate example of tsarist opulence, simply plan for the long queues. Peter the Great had this (relatively modest) summer residence built 30 kilometres from St. Petersburg. The current grandeur of the palace situated on the banks of the Gulf of Finland dates from the reign of two tsarinas: Elizabeth I and Catherine II, who extended it and made it the centre of court life. Its highlight is the marvellous cascade and water-spouting golden sculptures – the largest fountain in the world. The surrounding park is more obviously designed than the other tsarist residences. This is no romantic wilderness like Pavlovsk, but a masterly geometrical design by Jean Baptiste Le Blond. In the Upper, Lower and Alexandra Parks are more small palaces and countless pavilions in different styles, most of which you can visit. The view onto the Gulf of Finland is unique and alone worth the queuing and trampled toes. Opening times: daily 9am, to 9pm. The fountains only operate in summer, from 11am to 5pm weekdays and 11am to 6pm at weekends. Palace opening times: daily apart from Monday and last Tuesday of the month.

Pushkin/Tsarskoe Selo – an orgy of amber and gold: The “Great Northern War“ with Sweden was far from over when Tsar Peter I ordered the building of pleasure palaces around his new capital city. Work began then on the tsar’s residence in what is now the pretty town of Pushkin, named after the famous poet who attended school there. Peter’s successor Catherine the Great chose this as her principal residence. From 1752-1756, the Italian court architect Rastrelli fashioned a palace according to Catherine’s wishes, surrounded by an extensive park with pavilions, chapels, baths and summerhouses. The Catherine Palace is most famous for its legendary Amber Room, a gift of the King of Prussia to Peter the Great in 1717. During the siege of Leningrad in the Second World War, the original disappeared without trace and has never been found. The gigantic 12 amber casket was reproduced for the 300th anniversary of St. Petersburg and can now be seen again. But be warned: high season visitors have to overcome various obstacles before they reach the inner sanctum of the Catherine Palace, including thousands of other tourists and a series of stamina-testing queues. Opening times: daily apart from Tuesday and last Monday of the month.

Pavlovsk – a Russian wilderness of park proportions Pavlovsk is one of the more modest tsarist residences. But the park is exceptionally beautiful and a popular excursion for city dwellers who, depending on the season, come here to stroll, pick mushrooms, skate or ski. You will find no amber room or spectacular fountains, just a simple paradise for lovers on a warm summer’s evening and for snow- seeking children on cold winter days. The entrance to the Pavlovsk Park is directly opposite the station of the same name, once the final stop on the first railway line opened in Russia in 1837. Today’s visitors walk to the palace on a road once travelled by royal carriages. The huge areas of park on either side of the road are worth exploring. Catherine II gave her son Paul I the area on the banks of the Slavyanka only four kilometres from Tsarskoe Selo. Modelling the design on English gardens, the architects Charles Cameron (1782-86) and Pietro Gonganza (1803- 1828) created a seemingly unspoilt natural landscape stretching over 600 hectares. It remains the biggest landscaped natural park in Europe, with woodland, hills, small lakes and bubbling streams. Dotted about are pavilions, colonnades and small temples. The main palace stands on a hill and is designed in a horseshoe in the classical style. It is worth visiting if you tire of walking in the park. Its relatively modest interior provides a contrast with the other palaces of the tsars. Opening times: daily 10am to 5pm.

More and up-to-date information about places of interest in and around St. Petersburg can be found at www.sanktpetersburg.ru

Going out St. Petersburg is as interesting by night as it is by day. New restaurants and clubs open every week. The choice is vast but the quality varies. Not that this spoils anyone’s mood. Russians like to celebrate and often do so into the early hours. Restaurants often close around 2am and clubs tend to stay open as late as 6am.

If you are out and about in St Petersburg in the summer, beware: from 2am at the latest until shortly before 5am, all the bridges are drawn up and the city effectively divides in two. If you find yourself in the wrong place at the wrong time, you can only watch and wait until the last freight vessel has passed through St. Petersburg.

We are well aware that tastes differ. Therefore we decided to refrain from imposing our personal favourites upon you. Instead recommend that you to visit the internet links on food and entertainment listed below, which will enable you to spend your leisure time just the way you like.

Restaurants and cafés The time has long gone when for a few dollars you could treat your Russian friends to a feast in one of the city’s rare restaurants. Thankfully, the dark era when the uninitiated stranger stumbled around finding no place to sit down in peace is also part of history. St. Petersburg now boasts an enormous variety of restaurants – not only in terms of cuisine but also décor. Interior designers and chefs are engaged in an ongoing creative competition that produces one original “restoran” after another.

http://travel.nytimes.com/travel/guides/europe/russia/st-petersburg/restaurant-listings.html

http://www.waytorussia.net/SaintPetersburg/Eat.html

http://www.spbru.ru/eng/main/food/where.html

Nightclubs http://www.moscow-life.com/eat/restaurants.php

http://www.waytorussia.net/Moscow/EatFast.html

http://travel.nytimes.com/travel/guides/europe/russia/moscow/restaurant-listings.html

13 Transport and Travel St. Petersburg has a good but overstretched transport system. At peak times, which here means from 8am until 8pm, most lines are like sardine tins. But its cheap city travelling compared to Western Europe. If you’re in a hurry (and ready to spend a bit more), the good news is that almost every car in St. Petersburg is a taxi.

Metro The Metro forms the spine of the whole city transport system. Despite all the political upheavals and economic revolutions, it still functions like clockwork. In the daytime, trains run every one and a half minutes. At night they run every five minutes. The first trains run at 5.45am and the last trains leave the end of the line around midnight. The St. Petersburg Metro is much deeper under the ground than the Underground services of Berlin, Munich and London, for example, and it takes two to three minutes to go down the escalator. The distance between stations is also greater, with one stop equating to about 15 to 30 minutes’ brisk walk. All in all, it’s more like an underground version of the German “S-Bahn”.

You buy your Metro coin or sheton at the station ticket office, insert it the turnstile slot and push forward when the light turns green. Once in, you can travel the length of labyrinthine network all day. You can also order magnetic cards from the ticket office, with anything from three to 60 journeys.

Marschrutki The network of commercially operated group taxis grows by the day, since there is serious money to be made here. You normally pay after you get into the car, during your journey. Since these minibuses can be squashed, your money is passed forward and your change is passed back. Marschrutkis follow fixed routes, but will pick up and set down passengers at any suitable point on this route. To catch a ride, signal clearly to the approaching driver with an outstretched arm. You also need to say where you want to get out loudly and in good time. It’s best to give the name of the street or shop where you want to be dropped off. Marschrutkis have been making the headlines for a while. The drivers work for themselves and hand in a set portion of their income. The inevitable result is some over packed rust buckets driven by avaricious, would-be Schumachers with only two manoeuvres: full power and full brakes. Only slamming on the brakes is not always enough...

Buses and trams Even the locals avoid using the trams, buses and trolleybuses of St. Petersburg. The reasons are obvious. Firstly, it is almost impossible to find a timetable and route plan anywhere is the city. Secondly, the stops are either poorly unsignposted or not signposted at all. Thirdly, the windows ice up so badly in the winter that you cannot see where you are and finally, there are faster and cleaner ways to get around the city. But if you want to or have to take a bus or tram, you board and buy a ticket from the conductor. Keep this ticket until you disembark, as there are occasional ticket inspections.

Taxi In addition to the official taxis with the yellow sign, which you order by telephone or hail on the street, St. Petersburg has an armada of private taxis. These are private cars driven by all kinds of people, who pick up passengers both spontaneously and systematically. (See previous section on Safety for tips on taking private taxis). Naturally, the fares are not written down. They depend on the destination, time of day, number of passengers, language skills, traffic jams and even the sex of the passenger. As a rule of thumb, the basic costs are 50 to 100 rubles for a journey of up to ten minutes and another 10 rubles for each additional five minutes. “Legal“ taxis tend to cost more – with or without meter.

Telephone numbers of taxi services • 700 00 00 • 007 • 068 • 080 • 600 88 88 • 33 33 2 33

Moscow

History

As often as Moscow has been threatened, besieged and destroyed, its inhabitants have rebuilt their city. In the 20th century Moscow, which lies on the Moskva River, finally blossomed into the undisputed centre of Russia and one of the world’s largest cities.

14 The first settlers inhabited the area around the Kremlin in the 11th century. Yuri Dolgoruki, the Prince of Susdal, is said to have founded Moscow in 1147. Ninety years later, the Tartar hordes burnt the wooden fortress on the Moskva to the ground for the first time. The inhabitants rebuilt the city but were forced to pay tolls to the Tartars, until Grand Duke Ivan III came to power and drove out the invaders from the east. Ivan III succeeded in uniting the Russian principalities in the mid-15th century, making the Muscovite Empire the strongest power in Eastern Europe.

In the mid-16th century, the city blossomed under the rule of Ivan IV (Ivan the Terrible). This period also saw the construction of the famous St. Basil’s Cathedral on Red Square, still the city’s most famous landmark. The population grew to about 100,000 inhabitants.

But difficult times followed. In 1571, the Crimean Tartars burnt the city to the ground again on one of their plundering raids. There followed inheritance disputes, famines and occupation by Polish troops, until in 1612 a Russian army reconquered Moscow and Mikhail Romanov was crowned tsar.

When Tsar Peter the Great moved the Russian capital to the newly founded St. Petersburg in 1712, Moscow’s importance declined. But it remained significant enough to be the main goal of Napoleon’s Russian campaign in 1812. On the night the French entered the city a great fire destroyed much of it. The winter brought bitter cold and the when the occupiers withdrew, the city was rebuilt in lightning speed. The population grew from 340,000 in the 1840s to four million in 1914.

After the Revolution, the Bolsheviks moved the capital back to Moscow, which became the centre point of a world empire and gained some fittingly grandiose architecture. Stalin’s “Seven Sisters”, the skyscrapers designed to the dictator’s taste, are merely the pinnacle of a Communist craze for huge and spectacular edifices during that time.

In the Second World War, Hitler’s troops advanced to the outskirts of the Soviet capital but were beaten back. The city grew rapidly from the 1950s onward, a huge grey belt of residential buildings developing around the centre.

Inevitably, Moscow was the epicentre of the political change that took place in the Soviet Union in the 1980s and led eventually to the new Russia. Since the end of Soviet rule, Moscow has changed more than any other part of the country and is probably enjoying the most splendid period in its history. But: so much beauty has its cost: Moscow became the world’s most expensive city in 2006!

City sights Moscow is Russia’s economic and political centre and with around 11 million inhabitants mainland Europe’s’ biggest city. While the losers of the reforms are easily spotted elsewhere in the country, in Moscow, everyone seems to be a winner - or at least a wannabe winner. Moscow is the New York of Russia, a city that never sleeps, where anything is possible. It is the melting pot of a collapsed empire, both European and Asiatic. Skyscrapers shoot up like mushrooms, the city centre is being mercilessly renovated and new temples to consumerism open their portals daily. Yet there is another Moscow, away from the Garden Ring and Kremlin. Cosy cafés, narrow alleys, hidden artists’ studios and idyllic parks are as much a part of the city’s fabric as the huge Stalinist wedding cake buildings, expensive fashion stores and McDonalds. Moscow is a monster, but a charming one at that. The highlights follow:

The Kremlin A Tsarist castle, the administrative headquarters of the Soviet Union and now the presidential residence – for centuries the Kremlin has been the symbol of Russia’s power. It was built as a fortification in the 12th century and is today Moscow’s oldest quarter. It was completely rebuilt after its destruction in Napoleon’s 1812 Russian campaign. After the Revolution, it became the seat of the Soviet government and was closed to the public. Only after Stalin’s death was it opened to the people again. In addition to the government buildings, the Kremlin contains palaces and cathedrals, a gigantic conference hall for CPSU party conventions, the largest cannon and the heaviest bell in the world. Below we outline the Kremlin’s main sights. Address: Nearest Metro: Alexandrovsky Sad, Borovitskaya, Arbatskaya and Biblioteka imeni Lenina. Open daily except Thursday.

Trinity Gate Tower (Troizkaya baschnja): The name derives from the Trinity St. Sergius Monastery, which had a mission nearby. The patriarchs and wives and daughters of the tsar used the gate, which is now the entrance to the Kremlin for tourists.

Palace of Congresses (Kremljowski Dvorez Sjesdow): The only modern building in the Kremlin was built from 1960 to 1961 for CPSU party conferences. It holds 6,000 people and is Russia’s largest concert hall. It is no longer used for political events and instead hosts performances by the Kremlin Ballet, operas and rock concerts. Joe Cocker, Sting and others have performed here.

Patriarch’s Palace (Patriarschii Dvorez): The former palace of Patriarch Nikon today houses a museum of 17th century Russian applied art and culture. It has more than 1,000 exhibits from the armoury and from churches and monasteries plundered during the Stalinist era.

15

Ivan the Great Bell Tower (Kolokolnja Iwana Welikogo): This elegant octagonal bell tower was constructed between 1505 and 1508 after a design by Marco Bono. The bell tower owes its name to its height. For centuries the tower, which measures 81 metres, was the tallest building in the Kremlin and all Moscow. It was forbidden to erect a taller building in Moscow until the start of the 20th century.

Assumption Cathedral (Uspenski sobor): The Assumption Cathedral has been Moscow’s most important church since the 14th century. The tsars were crowned here and many metropolitans and patriarchs of the Orthodox Church are buried here. Wanting to mark Russia’s growing importance, Ivan III decided in about 1470 to build a new and larger cathedral in the Moscow Kremlin. The first church collapsed in an earthquake, so Ivan brought an Italian architect to Moscow, who designed an elegant and spacious building in the spirit of the Renaissance. Napoleon’s troops used the cathedral as stables.

Archangel Cathedral (Archangelski sobor): The youngest of the Kremlin’s cathedrals was commissioned by Ivan III shortly before his death. Moscow’s princes and the Russian tsars were buried here until Peter the Great made St. Petersburg the new capital. Among the white stone sarcophagi with bronze plates, the tomb of Dmitri, the youngest son of Ivan the Terrible, is the most interesting. Dmitri’s father is said to have killed his son in an attack of rage. Sadly, his own tomb lies hidden from view behind the iconostasis.

Annunciation Cathedral (Blagoweschtschenski sobor): Unlike the other Kremlin cathedrals, all of which were built by Italians, this, the royal family's church, is a purely Russian affair. The entire interior of the cathedral and its galleries are decorated with frescoes and the iconostasis is the work of Russia’s greatest icon painters.

Great Kremlin Palace (Bolschoi Kremljowski Dvorez): The Great Kremlin Palace replaced a palace from the 18th century and was the tsar’s residence until the October Revolution. After 1930, two of its rooms were turned into a meeting hall for the Soviet upper chamber. Today the 700 rooms are used for state visits and receptions.

Saviour Gate Tower (Spasskaja baschnja): The Saviour Gate Tower houses Russia’s most famous clock. Its carillon draws tourists to Red Square on every hour. In the Soviet era, it marked the time of the soldiers’ march at the changing of the guard of honour outside the Lenin Mausoleum. The 70-metre high majestic tower gets its name from the Christ icon that was formerly above the tower. The tower was once the main entrance to the Kremlin but is no longer accessible to the public. Everyone who entered the gate - including the tsar - showed the icon his respect by removing his hat. The icon was removed after the Revolution.

Senate: From 1918 to 1991 the Soviet Council of Ministers met in the Senate. Lenin had his office here and his family lived on the upper floor. During the Second World War, the Red Army command under Stalin was stationed here. Today the Senate is the official seat of the President of the Russian Federation.

Armoury – Treasures of the Tsars: The Armoury contains the treasures collected by Russia’s tsars and princes over many centuries. The original Armoury had to make way for the Palaces of Congresses in 1960. The building in which it is now housed was designed for Nicholas I in 1844 as a museum. Tourists must take one of the official group tours.

Red Square Red Square is a mythical place for Russians, who travel thousands of kilometres by train from all over Russia to walk on these famous cobbles once in their life. Red Square is the unique symbol of the history of Russia. Until the end of the 15th century, houses stood right up to the walls of the Kremlin. When the square was created, the Muscovites named it “torg“, meaning trade. Only in the 17th century did the name Krasnaja Ploshchad arise. Krasnaja meant both red and beautiful. In the 20th century, this beautiful square finally became “Red Square”.

Red Square has always been a political place. It was hear that heralds once read out the royal decrees and the executions of famous enemies of the state like the peasants’ leader Stenka Rasin took place. But Red Square was also always a trading place. Originally it contained long rows of stalls, like the ones you see today at many Metro stations outside the city centre. At the end of the 19th century, GUM, the State Universal Store and for a long time the largest department store in Russia, was built on Red Square.

But what would Red Square be without Stalin? It would be one red attraction less, since Stalin defied Lenin’s last wish and had his predecessor interred in an air-conditioned crypt with a marble cover at the foot of the Kremlin Wall. After the official memorial ceremony, Lenin’s body was displayed in a provisional wooden mausoleum in January 1924. The current tomb was built in 1930 and also served a very pragmatic function as the government’s grandstand during military parades and the parades of workers, peasants and Komsomol members. Visitors to the tomb must leave their rucksacks and cameras at home or at the tourist’s entrance to the Kremlin (Alexander Garden).

In case someone does not crave all this historical knowledge and would prefer some physical exercise, he will not be disappointed: In winter, Red Square is turned into an ice rink. Nearest Metro: Ochotny Rjad, Pl. Revolyuzii.

16 St. Basil’s Cathedral Its real name is Pokrovski Sobor Vassiliya Blaschennogo. But thankfully for tourists, someone came up with the more practical name of St. Basil’s. Here East and West seem to meet. The nine towers rising up from Red Square look exotically oriental to western eyes. This Moscow landmark is only a monument nowadays – no services have taken place for a long time. The architectural masterpiece was built from 1555 to 1561 for Ivan the Terrible by the architects Barma and Postnik, to mark the conquest of Kazan in the war against the Tartars. Address: Krasnaya Pl. 2, Nearest Metro: Teatralnaya, Kitai-Gorod. Open May-September 11am – 7pm, October-April 11am – 5pm, closed first Monday of the month.

Zentralni Dom Chudoshnika The “central house of the artist” is worth remembering. It holds exhibitions from pop art to socialistic realism and the best concerts in Moscow for the more eclectic musical tastes. Artists selling paintings and sculptures to tourists in front of the cold, ugly building all year round and can normally also issue an export permit. Back in Soviet times, ZDCh was famous for its café - one of the few places in the vast city to serve decent coffee. Art and history lovers should check out the park behind ZDCh. A considerable number of the monuments to Stalin, Breshnev and their contemporaries in Moscow were discarded after the failed coup in August 1991 and some of them found their last resting place here. Address: Krymskiy Wal 10, Nearest Metro: Oktyabrskaya, Park Kultury. Open daily apart from Monday.

Sparrow Hill Of all the magnificent Stalinist buildings, the Moscow Lomonossov University (MGU) in the southwest of the city is the largest. You can even see it as you travel in from Scheremetjewo Airport on the northern city limit. Today, the 250-m tall building houses faculties, the university administration and many student and lecturer residences. Around the main building is a veritable university city, containing everything a Russian scientist’s heart could desire, from research institutes and an observatory to sports facilities. Many of the buildings have been waiting for years for a long overdue renovation. The viewing platform on the Sparrow Hills (in Communist times the Lenin Hills) behind the university is a popular place for Moscow’s newly weds. Bridal pairs queue at weekends especially to have their photo taken in front of the Moskva River, Olympic Stadium and city centre. Address: Vorobyovy Gory, Nearest Metro: Vorobyovy Gory.

Arbat They say “When you know Arbat, you know Moscow.“ (Old) Arbat, with its many shops, cafés and souvenir stalls, is Russia’s most famous boulevard. The bustling pedestrian shopping street to the west of the Kremlin offers a bit of everything. Buskers perform beside street artists and beer-drinking punks. Arbat is the place to buy a typically Russian souvenir to take home from Moscow. The choice ranges from matrushkas of every kind to the famous hand-painted cutlery and crockery. Arbat is one of Moscow’s oldest streets and has pretensions to be the “Moscow Montmartre“. Address: Ul. Stary Arbat, Nearest Metro: Arbatskaya/Smolenskaya.

Cathedral of Christ the Saviour In 1812, the wretched remains of Napoleon’s army of 600,000 men fled the Russian Army and retreated back across the border to the west. In honour of the victorious Russian army and in thanks to God, Tsar Alexander I decreed that a large church should be built in Moscow. It was some time before a suitable place was found and even longer before construction was completed. The 103-m high place of worship took more than 40 years (1839-1881) to build but occupied a prominent position in the city, until Stalin blew it up in the 1930s to make space for a massive “Palace of Soviets”. But the skyscraper, which was to be the tallest building in the world, was never built. A number of myths profess to explain why only the excavation was ever begun. After the Second World War, the area became Moscow’s most popular open-air swimming pool. The reconstruction of the church after the collapse of the USSR was the most important building project undertaken by the Orthodox Church and Moscow’s Mayor Yuri Lushkov, who commissioned the interior from the court artist Surab Zereteli. Address: directly adjacent to Metro Kropotkinskaya.

Danilovsky Monastery The Danilovsky Monastery is the official seat of Alexi II, Patriarch of Moscow and all Russia. The monastery was built at the end of the 13th century, serving not only as a place of reflection for monks but also as a bastion of defence on the southern city borders. After the Revolution, the Danilovsky Monastery was turned into an umbrella museum and prison. Inn 1988 it was returned to the Patriarchate for the 1000-year celebrations of the Christianisation of Russia. The monastery has a clean, smart appearance today. In addition to a modern press centre and hotel, the four surviving church buildings are aglow with new radiance. Visitors can join the many pilgrims taking part in religious services and visit the monks’ quarters, but the strict Orthodox rules on clothing and behaviour must be rigidly observed. Address: Danilovsky Val, Nearest Metro: Tulskaya.

Novodevichy Convent and Cemetery With its red and white walls and sparkling domes, the Convent of New Maidens (Nowodewitschi Monastyr) on the outer southwest of the city centre is Moscow’s most beautiful monastery. Built in 1524, it takes its name from a market place where Russian girls were reputedly sold to the harems of the Tartars in the Middle Ages. The adjacent cemetery is one of the most interesting places to visit in Moscow. It was closed to the public for years but today (for a small contribution) you can see the graves of the rich and famous of pre- and post-revolutionary Russia, from the aeronautical engineers Ilyushin und Tupolev and Stalin’s foreign minister Molotov to the brilliant writer Mikhail 17 Bulgakov and the tenor Fyodor Shalyapin. Communist Party leader Nikita Khrushchev lies here, though for him this was clearly a demotion, since general secretaries were normally laid to rest at the foot of the Kremlin Wall. Address: Novodevichy pr-d 1, Nearest Metro: Sportivnaya. Open daily except Tuesday, 10am – 5pm.

New Tretyakov Gallery In 1892, the millionaire textile manufacturer Pavel Tretyakov gave the city of Moscow his private museum of Russian art. His brother Sergey also contributed a few works. Since then, the gallery has grown continuously and now houses the world’s premier collection of Russian art and more than 100,000 works. In the mid-1980s, the Tretyakov closed for almost a decade of renovations. The gallery re-opened in 1995. Address: Lavrushinsky per. 10, Nearest Metro: Tretyakovskaya. Open daily apart from Monday.

Museum of Modern Art The Museum of Modern Art in the city centre provides a comprehensive overview of Russian and international avant- garde art from the 20th and 21st centuries. The expanding collection includes about 15,000 paintings, sculptures, prints and works of applied art. Alongside famous international artists like Joan Miro, Salvador Dali and Pablo Picasso are the works of many contemporary Russian artists including Andronov, Nikonov, Nasarenko und Bulatov. Address: Ul. Petrovka 25, Nearest Metro: Teatralnaya. Open daily except Tuesdays, 12-8pm.

State History Museum The 250,000 exhibits in the State History Museum on Red Square present a complete overview of Russia’s turbulent history from the 10th century onward. The red brick building dates from 1871 and was built on the site of the old Moscow University. The museum houses Ivan the Terrible’s clothing store and Napoleon’s field kitchen. Still missing are the history of the Soviet Union and foreign language translations of the exhibits. Address: Krasnaya Pl. ½, Nearest Metro: Ochotny Ryad, Pl. Revolyuzii, Teatralnaya. Open daily except Tuesday and first Monday of every month.

Bolshoi Theatre This famous music theatre is home to one of the oldest and best ballet companies in the world. A visit to the Bolshoi is a must for every Moscow visitor. If you avoid the ticket touts, a decent seat in the upper circle costs about eight euros. The Bolshoi Theatre dates back to 1776. The theatre played host to the operas of Michael Glinka, the founder of classical music in Russia, and in the second half of the 19th century, the works of the composer Tchaikovsky. Tchaikovsky’s opera Eugene Onegin and ballets Swan Lake and the Nutcracker are still often performed today. After the 1917 Revolution, the programme often featured operas by Soviet composers like Sergey Prokofiev. Today, some 900 actors, dancers, singers and musicians are employed by the Bolshoi, though the stars are rarely in Moscow, as they tour extensively internationally. Address: Teatralnaya Pl. 1, Nearest Metro: Teatralnaya/Ochotny Rjad, Tel. 250 73 17.

The Moscow State Circus Clowns, acrobats, jugglers and bear tamers – several hundred artists work in the Moscow State Circus. Many of them hold the title “Russian folk artist“ and are constantly travelling to circus festivals around the globe. The circus director Leonid Kostjuk is both a clown and professor at the Russian Academy of Performing Arts. The circus tent, which is made of concrete, has stood opposite the university since 1971. The architect Belopolsky designed the building with its folding roof especially for the circus. The auditorium holds a remarkable 3,400 people. Address: Prospect Wernadskogo 7, Nearest Metro: University, Tel. 930 28 15.

Excursions Sometimes you just have to get out of Moscow, to remind yourself that there is another Russia, away from the gleaming, bustling capital. Winter or summer, a break in the green spaces outside the massive city feels good. Here are our tips on where to go:

Sergiev Possad Onion towers and more onion towers… The Trinity St. Sergius Monastery in the town of Sergiev Possad is one of Russia’s most important religious centres, a place of pilgrimage for Orthodox Christians and the out of town excursion for tourists to Moscow. The monastery was founded in 1340 by the monk Sergius of Radonezh and expanded as its wealth and influence grew. Today a 1.6km-long white defensive wall, to which the monastery owes its existence, surrounds the complex. During the “time of turmoil“ after the death of Ivan the Terrible, Polish troops took Moscow and besieged the monastery at Sergiev for 16 long months – to no avail. After the 1917 revolution, the town was renamed after a Bolshevist revolutionary from Sagorsk. For several decades the Russian patriarch lived in Sagorsk, until the Danilovsky Monastery in Moscow was returned to him in 1988. Entrance to the monastery grounds is free. At the entrances to the church itself, visitors’ clothing is strictly checked. No shorts, no bare shoulders, headscarves for women, etc.

18 Kolomenskoye The Open Air Museum at Kolomenskoye is a masterpiece of Russian art and among the most important architectural monuments in Russia. The Moscow metropolis of 10 million inhabitants has long extended past the former suburban residence of the Muscovite tsars, but the open-air museum feels far away from the Russian capital. The history of Kolomenskye dates back as far as the 14th century. At its centre is the Church of the Ascension (Wosnessenskij Sobor), which stands on a high terrace above the Moskva River. The UNESCO world heritage site is said to have been commissioned by Tsar Vasily III, when his successor Ivan, later Ivan the Terrible, was born in 1530. A few visitors cross a small gorge to the John the Baptist Church high on another hill. This white church with its wild and romantic cemetery also dates from the 16th century and is hidden in small forest.

As a perfect example of the Russian wooden architecture of the 17th and 18th centuries, check out the wooden house of Peter the Great. The royal hut originally stood in Archangelsk, where Peter oversaw the building of the Russian naval fleet. It fell victim to a Soviet fashion for moving monuments from distant parts of the country to large open-air museums. The parkland around Kolomenskoye offers fresh air, expanses of green and a great view over Moscow. Here, from high above the Moskva, even the dreary suburbs on the other bank look less miserable. River taxies now run again from central Moscow to Kolomenskoye in the summer. Many Moscow residents visit the park around the open-air museum for weekend excursions, picnics and barbecues. Address: Proletarskiy Prospect 31, Nearest Metro: Kolomenskaya. Open 11am – 6pm, closed Monday and Tuesday. The park is open every day.

Archangelskoye For a long time this whole complex was officially closed to visitors, and a hole in the fence was the only way into the grounds. The estate of Archangelskoye is one of the most beautiful nobleman’s palaces in Moscow’s environs. In the 1930s, the extensive park housed a military sanatorium, which accommodated some prominent guests. Recently the complex was reopened to the public. It boasts vast grounds, classical palace buildings and terraces with wonderful views over the Moskva. The big names in Russian history are linked with Archangelskoye. It was originally owned by the Princes Odojevskiy, and then passed to the Princes Golizyn. Both families held the highest positions inside the Russian tsardom. At the start of the 19th century, Prince Yussupov took over the estate and gave it its current form. The famous patron’s huge collection of paintings can be seen now in the Pushkin Museum.

The estate consists of a large palace, built in the 18th century, and widely spread out smaller buildings, designed and built by Italian, French and Russian architects. They include a teahouse, the Kaprise Pavilion, a 17th century church and a church from a later period that served as burial place for the Yussupovs. All lie hidden in a vast park with artificially created terraces falling gently away towards the Moskva. The sanatorium blocks the view from the palace to the river but the park still offers wonderful walks at all times of year. Address: Archangelskoye can be reached from the Metro Tushinskaya. Take Bus 549 (travelling time about 30 minutes), or take a marschrutki (Line 151).

Up-to-date information about sightseeing in and around Moscow is on www.moskau.ru.

Going out There is always something happening in Moscow. The club scene has developed rapidly in the last few years, establishing Moscow as one of Europe’s party capitals. And Moscow can stand proud with other metropolises in terms of bars, pubs and chic restaurants too. Gong out in Moscow is fun – if sometimes expensive.

There is no accounting for taste, as we are well aware. Therefore we decided to refrain from imposing our personal favourites upon you. Instead we would like you to visit the internet links on food and entertainment listed below, which will enable you to spend your leisure time just the way you like most.

Restaurants and cafés http://www.moscow-life.com/eat/restaurants.php

http://www.waytorussia.net/Moscow/EatFast.html

http://travel.nytimes.com/travel/guides/europe/russia/moscow/restaurant-listings.html

Nightclubs http://www.waytorussia.net/Moscow/Entertainment.html

http://www.moscow-hotels-russia.com/nightclubs.htm

http://eng.moscowout.ru/nightlife/nightclubs/

19 Transport and Travel What is true of all big Russian cities is especially true of Moscow. Public transport is hopelessly overstretched. But in a city the size of Moscow, walking is not always possible. And the chronic traffic jams mean that cars are not a viable alternative. In short, you cannot avoid using the Metro and public transport.

Metro The Moscow Metro opened its first line in 1935 and is much more than the most important local transport system in the capital. It carries some nine million passengers a day, which equates to every Moscow citizen on average once a day and more people than any other underground system in the world. Its stations resemble palaces, with vast rooms filled with ornate chandeliers and huge, mosaic-decorated halls. The Metro is the triumph of socialistic utopia turned to stone. Palaces for the people, the best underground system in the world for the capital of the workers’ and peasants’ empire. The first line alone featured 70,000 square meters of marble, fine metal work, bronze, mosaics, gold and glass, and ran from Park Kultury station to Sokolniki. The system is relatively simple to use. Each line has its own colour and there is really no danger of getting lost in the many corridors. The Kolzewaja Linija (brown) is the circular line running around the city centre from which you can change to any other line. Metro travel in Moscow is the same as in St. Petersburg, except that the shetons have all been replaced by magnetic cards.

Marschrutki If you find taxis too expensive and buses too slow, you can always take a “marschrutka“ shared taxi. These follow the same route (“marschrut“) as a bus for two to three times the price. In Moscow, marschrutki connect all the airports with the final stations of the Metro lines.

Buses and trams For the uninitiated, a bus or tram ride can turn a holiday in Moscow into a nightmare. Despite the dense network of trams, buses and trolleybuses everywhere in the city that the Metro does not serve, each line runs at varying frequencies of five, ten or 20 minutes. Most buses and trams are completely unprepared for the volume of passengers, particularly in the rush hour. If you want or need to try this transport, you buy tickets either from kiosks near the bus stops or directly from the driver (more expensive). After boarding, you need to validate your ticket in one of the machines. Modern magnetic cards are now also sold as tickets - the first step in the planned introduction of admission-turnstiles in all buses. For now, the cards must also be validates in the machines.

Taxi There are two types of taxi ride in Moscow: official taxis (which are supposed to have a working taximeter but rarely do) and private taxis, which are normally cheaper. Especially when taking private taxis, read the safety tips in the section “Useful Information“)

Wherever you find a lot of people with a lot of money - in front of foreigners’ hotels, around Red Square and Twerskaja uliza and especially at the airports and train stations – taxi drivers are organised like mafia and their prices are correspondingly steep. You can save a lot of money by stopping a car 100 metres down the street. The capital’s airports are especially difficult in this respect. The fare for a journey to the city centre is so astronomical that it is better to be picked up or take public transport. As an indication of taxi fares, a short trip inside the city costs about 50 roubles, from the city centre to an outer district from 150 roubles and from the centre to the airport 1000 roubles.

Taxi service telephone numbers • 105 51 15 • 956 89 56 • 231 22 22

Travel between Moscow and St. Petersburg The best way to travel between Moscow and St. Petersburg is by train. About 12 trains travel daily between the two cities, most of them at night. The journey takes about eight hours. Tickets (one way) cost between € 20 and 70. The best value trains are the night trains that arrive very early in the morning (approx. 5am) at Moscow Station in St. Petersburg and Leningrad Station in Moscow. The more comfortable the departure and arrival times, the more expensive the ticket. Ticket class also affects the cost: The kupé (four people to a compartment) costs more than the ordinary sleeper without compartments, known as platzkartny class. During the day there are fast trains, which are on average more expensive but faster than the night trains. The fastest is the R-200, which travels the 680 kilometres in four and a half hours.

Up to 20 flights a day depart from St. Petersburg’s Pulkovo Airport (Terminal I) to Moscow Sheremetyevo and Domodedovo Airports. A one-way ticket costs about € 80 and the flight takes just over an hour. With check-in and travel to and from the airports, not a great deal of time is saved compared to the train.

20 Frequently Asked Questions

On Travel and Arrival Can I travel to Russia without a visa? Absolutely not. Be sure to leave ample time for the procedure of obtaining a visa, as these things move at their own pace and not yours. The cost of the visa varies with processing time. The quicker you need it the more you pay. Detailed instructions you can find at: [http://www.lidenz.ch/booking/visa.html]

Do I need to register my visa after arrival? Yes, but we will do it for you if you bring your passport and visa on the first day to the school. The costs for registration are included in the enrolment fee of € 60 paid with the total invoice amount before your arrival. Students staying in a hotel will be automatically registered by the hotel administration.

Are there any goods you are short of in Russia that you recommend to bring? The choice in the shops is now similar to the one you have at home so just pack your luggage as if you were coming to any other European country.

Is there anything special I should bring along? Slippers: Russians always take shoes off at their flats and use slippers instead. Small gifts for your host: Some souvenirs from your home country, like chocolate etc. are always appreciated. Electrical adapters: Russian sockets require two thin pins (European jacks). Drugs and medical items: Medicine, feminine products, condoms, etc. are widely available at local pharmacies and kiosks throughout the city. Your best bet is to bring along enough of these items and some basic medicine (aspirin, Imodium, decongestant) to last for a few days or a week. Clothes: in summer the weather is generally pleasant, sometimes hot. However, the temperature may drop to 15°C suddenly, so do not forget to bring a jumper. In winter the temperature can fall below -20°C and in January will rarely raise above 0° C. Bring plenty of warm clothes. The traditional Russian fur hat (ushanka) can be bought here. You should bring heavy-duty shoes, boots and gloves.

Will I be picked up at the airport, railway or bus station? On Sundays, we offer transportation from the airport or railway/bus station for free, on other days we charge for this service € 40 in St. Petersburg, € 60 in Moscow. This fee will also be included in your total invoice amount before your arrival. You will be met by our greeting team upon your arrival - a driver and a staff member, who speaks English and who will hold a ‘Liden & Denz’ sign in his hands). You will receive a welcome package with important and useful information about your stay upon arrival.

How much money should I take with me? For lunch in the cafeteria you will need the Russian equivalent of € 5 to € 10. School-organised excursions cost between €6 and 25. Your personal expenses will range from € 50 (going out once a week, no shopping, no souvenirs) to € 300 per week. If you take cash USD with you, make sure that bills are new or at least in very good condition.

On accommodation How are home-stay living conditions? We have 190 host families in our database. All of them were found through the internet, via staff members or were recommended by active host families. Some of our hosts have been working with us for many years, since the Liden & Denz Language Centre was founded. We operate a system of strict selection criteria: The Accommodation Manager or other staff members visits the candidates to meet them and to check the quality/condition of their flats. Furthermore, we inspect our families at least once a year. While apartments are cosy and clean, common areas (staircase, lift and yard) of most of the buildings are in a dire state. Our first demand on accommodation is safety: all host families are located in quiet districts and have locked building entrances. The maximum distance a student must travel to his/her home stay from the school and vice versa is an hour for St. Petersburg and 1h 20 min for Moscow.

Do you offer shared flats for students? Yes, we offer shared flats, located 30-40 min from the school by public transport, for two or more Liden & Denz students. The flats are nicely furnished, with a TV set, sheets, towels and other household items. If you want to stay in one of our shared flats, please book as early as possible.

Can I get accommodation in the historical city centre? If you book early, especially for summer courses, we will try to take your wishes into account as much as possible. Living in the centre is certainly convenient. On the other hand side, many central buildings are in urgent need of renovation. Staircases and yards look worse in the centre than in the much greener residential areas, where the quality of air is generally better.

What do I get to eat? You have breakfast and dinner with your host family (at weekends also lunch). You should be prepared to get to eat Russian everyday cuisine. It contains little you are not already familiar with, nevertheless be aware that Russians eat potatoes, beet, cabbage in rather huge amounts but, as a rule, have very little green salad or different fruits, as this is expensive, especially in winter and spring. Ask what time the family eats and try not to be late. Tell your host what you like and what you don’t like. Let your host know if you are planning to eat out. 21

Can I drink tap water in St. Petersburg and Moscow? The tap water in St. Petersburg and Moscow is unfortunately not drinkable. Please drink only boiled and bottled water bought from a store. You may brush your teeth with tap water.

Who washes my clothes? Your host family may be willing to do your washing and ironing, provided that they have a washing machine. We recommend that our hosts charge 250 roubles per wash including ironing for this additional service. Alternatively, you can take your laundry to one of the many launderettes/dry cleaning services in the city. Our secretariat will be happy to provide more information. All our shared flats are furnished with a washing machine, so you can do your washing yourselves.

Can I make phone calls from home? Local calls are free and therefore unproblematic. For your international calls please use IP calling cards, which are on sale at the school. With this card you can make your calls at the school reception or from your host family/shared flats.

Can I change my host family? You should accept your host for the whole time of your stay. If you have serious reasons to ask for a change of the host family, the accommodation manager will try to find another family for you as soon as possible – normally it takes about a week but it might be difficult at high season. If you find you must change families sooner you will be charged one week of home stay.

On booking and classes Is there a booking deadline? For all short–term courses (up to 4 weeks) the booking deadline is 3 weeks. For all long-term courses (5 weeks and more) enrolments should reach us at least 8 weeks prior to arrival. This will ensure that all students receive their visa on time.

What time do the lessons start? Classes either last from 9AM till 1 PM or from 10 AM till 2 PM. Some individual courses and options within the extended group course will take place partly in the afternoon.

Can I have lessons in the morning or afternoon? If you book a one-to-one course, you can have your lessons in the afternoon. All group courses take place in the morning.

How do I get to school on the first day? On your first day you will be brought to the school by someone from your host family. In case you live in a shared flat, you can easily find your way to school on the city map you are given to in our welcome package.

Can I change groups? Yes; if you feel that you are in the wrong group, please talk to your teacher who will (after consultations with the director of studies) recommend you to continue your studies in a group of a different level. If we find no suitable group for you, we will offer you an individual course with 15 weekly lessons (instead 20 weekly lessons in the group course).

Can I take additional individual lessons? Yes, please talk to the director of studies. The rate for one individual lesson is € 38.

Do I get a student card? You can buy an ISIC card (International Student Identity Card) at our school. For the card, we need your photograph and some personal information about you, such as full name and date of birth. The card costs RUR 350 and provides a wide range of diverse discounts in cafés, night clubs, museums (e.g. free entrance to the Hermitage), theatres, restaurants, etc. The card is valid not only in Russia, but in the whole of Europe as well. There are no limits of age.

Can I use my laptop in the school? Yes, in both our language centres in St. Petersburg and Moscow we provide wireless Internet.

Living in St. Petersburg and Moscow

I fall sick. What shall I do? In St.Petersburg we recommend the privately owned and run International Clinic, which is located near the school (Mararta str. 6, Tel. 336 33 33). This is a 24-hour outpatients’ clinic with English-speaking personnel on hand for emergencies and modern equipment. Some of the doctors also speak German. The clinic accepts most travel insurance policies, but may occasionally wish to check with your individual insurer. In Moscow, we are now looking for a similar clinic to make a contract with.

Does my GSM phone work in St. Petersburg and Moscow? Yes and the connection quality is good. Beware that international calls with your mobile phone will be charged according to the roaming rates – and these are very high! A cheap alternative are IP telephony cards, which are sold at the school. 22

How can I obtain Rubles? There are plenty of currency exchange offices in St. Petersburg and Moscow, where you can change your foreign currency into roubles. Please note that you need to show your passport and visa (or passport and visa photocopy) when changing money.

Traveller’s cheques or EC? We highly recommend you to bring ec or credit cards rather than traveller’s cheques. There are plenty of cash machines (ATM) in the city and you can pay by credit card in many restaurants, bars, supermarkets and shops. Traveller’s cheques can be changed only in a limited number of places.

Why raise bridges every night in St.Petersburg? To open passage for cargo boats on their way to Moscow or the Volga region. From the beginning of May until mid-November, all bridges over the Neva are raised from about 1.30 AM and 5 AM, which means the city is literally divided in two. If you find yourself in the wrong place at the wrong time, all you can do is wait and watch until the last has passed.

Should I be afraid of the Russian Mafia? The answer is a clear “no”. The organised criminal structures (which are in fact present) are not interested in foreign visitors. As long as you do not get involved in illegal activities, you will be just as safe as in any other European metropolis.

Can I walk alone at night? We don’t recommend it.

Does Vodka in the evening means headache the day after? No, as long as you don’t mix it with other alcoholic drinks. Never ever drink beer after vodka.

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