Russia: Past and Present

2008 Fulbright Summer Seminar

by Bruce Fischer
The American House in Vladimir

 Professor Ron
Pope, Illinois
State University

 Constructed in
1991 following the
collapse of the
Soviet Union

 Perestroika
The Russian Federation
The Golden Gate
 Built 1164

 City of Vladimir was

founded in 1108 by
Vladimir Monomakh

 Became capital of
ancient Russia in
1157

 Fell to the
Tatar/Mongols in
1238
The Dormition Cathedral

 Built in 1158

 Became
headquarters
of Russian
Orthodox
Church in
1299
Lectures at the American House
Vladimir School No. 3
Museums Within Schools
 Vladimir School
No. 3
 Recognize
famous people
associated with
the school:
• Veterans
• Civic Leaders
• Musicians
• Business
Leaders
• Inventors
• Teachers and
Administrators
 Kindergartens and Orphanages

“Mir”
Summer Camps and Clubs
 Businesses

 Beko LLC and Kraft

Monastery of the Nativity in
Vladimir

Father Innokenti, eparchy secretary

 Ancient City of Suzdal

 Contains 50 churches, 5
monasteries and 1 cathedral
 First mention of Suzdal in the
chronicles is in 1024
 UNESCO world historical site
Murom
 60 miles SE
of Vladimir
 Fifth oldest
city
 First
mentioned
in Russian
chronicles
of 862
 Ilya
Muromitz
and the
Bogatyrs
Russia: Past and Present
Russian Traditions
Modern Russia
St. Petersburg
 Founded in 1703
by Peter the First
 “Window to the
West”
 Otstalost -
Backwardness
Winter Palace and Hermitage
Catherine the Second

 Winter Palace built in

1754 by Empress
Elizabeth
 1,057 rooms
 Hermitage built by
Catherine the Second
starting in 1764
Peterhof
 1714
 Completely
rebuilt after
WWII
Moscow – Uspansky Cathedral

Commemorates
Dmitry
Donskoy’s
defeat of the
Mongols in the
Battle of
Kulikovo, 1380
The “Third
Rome”
Moscow
 St. Basil’s Cathedral

 Gums Department
Store from Red Square
 Great Patriotic War Memorials
Leningrad (St. Petersburg)

Moscow