Kingswood School's History Department visit to Russia 2010

On 13 February 2010 at 3.30am, 26 students and three staff set off on the History Department visit to Moscow and St Petersburg, which complements A2 studies on Russian History, 1855-1964. The group spent two nights in Moscow, during which they visited a number of sites, including Red Square, St Basil's Cathedral and Lenin's Mausoleum, as well as a number of Moscow's grand metro stations. One of the highlights of the city was a tour inside the Kremlin fortress, complete with its exquisite churches and glistening onion domes. After a surprisingly good night's sleep on the overnight train, the group arrived in St Petersburg, ready for another two days packed full of sight-seeing in this stunning city. Visits included St Isaac's Cathedral, the Peter and Paul Fortress (the resting place of the last Tsars), as well as the Aurora Battleship, reputed to have fired the signal for the start of the Bolshevik Revolution in 1917. One of the most memorable sites was of course the Winter Palace of the Tsars, part of which houses the State Hermitage Museum, home to one of the greatest art collections in the world. The group was also treated to traditional Russian singing and dancing at a Folklore Show, although fortunately the staff managed to avoid being invited to join in! Anyone who felt that the winter we have experienced in the UK was cold enough was soon having to acclimatise to temperatures of around -15 degrees! The freezing temperatures and snow, however, enriched the experience for all, in what was a very enjoyable and rewarding week for students and staff alike.