Russia

Cultural Landscape of Russia The cultural landscape of a particular geographical location provides a connection between the nature and culture of a people. The features that make up a cultural landscape are tangible; thus, act as a source of historical identity of communities and their past beliefs and practices.
Moscow Red Square
Observed Features:
A predominant red building amongst other beautiful architecture
Tourists from different parts of the world visit the site daily
A large open space surrounds the buildings.
From the observation, the colored buildings represent a rich cultural heritage signified by its beauty. Tourists frequent the Red Square to witness the beautiful architecture and get a feel of its brutal history. The Russian government uses the open space as a site for military parades. The site is beloved by Russians and visitors around the world; hence, making it a valuable example of a cultural landscape (Moscow. Info).
The Kremlin
The observed features:
The Cathedral Square
A huge clay wall surrounds the buildings
The Grand Kremlin Palace with a green roof
From the observations, the Cathedral Square represents a rich cultural history of the Russian Republic. It symbolizes the rule of Tsarist. It was constructed by Ivan the Great. Additionally, the area acts as a center of power, coronation, and an assembly for the nobles, as well as different ceremonial rituals. The Kremlin wall is a vast enclosure of the buildings contained within the Kremlin. The wall creates an impression of a small city. The Grand Kremlin Palace hosts cultural performances from the Kremlin Ballet. The buildings in the Moscow Kremlin link the country to its legendary past (Geographia).
St. Basil’s Cathedral
Observed features:
Chapels on one foundation totaling nine domes
The structure of the building bears unique colors and extraordinary shapes
There is a statue at the front of the building
The towers and domes of the St. Basil Cathedral have an important cultural history. At first, eight domes were constructed, representing the eight attacks on Kazan. The different colors and shapes of the cathedral are unique and unmatched anywhere in the world; thus, making it a cultural heritage of the Russian people. The bronze statue commemorates Dmitry Pozharsky and Kuzma Minin, who led a volunteer army against the Polish invasion in the 16th and 17th Century. From the above accounts, it is evident the St. Basil’s Cathedral is one of the cultural landscapes of Russia (Sacred-Destinations)
Soviet Style Apartment Blocks
Observed features:
The buildings are large having many floors
The apartment rooms are small.
The décor is minimal
The apartment blocks are unique; hence, they are part of the cultural landscape of the Russian Republic. The construction of these apartment blocks epitomizes the communal living advocated by the Soviet ideology (Obrazkova)
St. Petersburg Mosque
Observed features:
The mosque is blue in color.
It has a conspicuous dome.
The mosque is large
The mosque is located in downtown St. Petersburg, and has a cultural and historical meaning to the Muslim community of Russia. The construction of the structure began in 1910; hence, the mosque has been in existence for more than 100 years (Admin).
Summary
Cultural landscapes are of great importance to any country. They represent the identity of a people and the manner in which humankind co-existed in a given ecological setting. Landscapes with cultural heritage significance are under the protection of UNESCO. From this review, it is evident that Russia boasts many cultural landscapes, such as the Moscow Red Square, St. Basil’s Cathedral, the Kremlin, Soviet Style Apartment Blocks, and the St. Petersburg Mosque (Freeze). The sites create a sense of uniqueness; thus, attract a large number of tourists to the country. Additionally, the sites form an interaction interface between human beings and the environment. Therefore, it is important to preserve these landscapes for the future generations (Birnbaum).
Works Cited
Admin. “ Saint Petersburg Mosque in Russia.” Beautiful Mosque, 2013. Web. 16 June 2013.
Freeze, Gregory, ed. Russia: A History. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2002. Print.
Geographia. “ Moscow’s Kremlin.” Geographia, 2006. Web. 20 November 2014.
Moscow. Info. “ History of Red Square.” Moscow. Info, 2014. Web. 20 November 2014.
Obrazkova, Marina. “ Home truths about Soviet architecture.” Telegraph, 2013. Web. 5 December 2013.
Sacred-Destinations. “ St. Basil’s Cathedral.” Sacred-Destinations, 2014. Web. 20 November 2014.