Baltic Cruise 2013

We spent the night before the cruise in the Dolphin Hotel, Southampton just to be sure that there were no traffic hold-ups on the journey to the port. Check in was a breeze, almost no queue and we excitedly waited in a bar for our cabin to be ready. 

Setting sail from Southampton.

Our first cruise. Our cabin was very nice and we excitedly settled in

We were even more excited to set sail from Southampton, enjoying our very first sail-away with a glass of free fizz in our hand, snapping just about every landmark and small vessel that passed by: so excited.

Netley Castle seen from on board.

A Red Funnel ferry between Southampton and the Isle of Wight.

The Royal Victoria Chapel, part of Netley Military Hospital which has an interesting history. Originally built to care for the wounded of the Crimean war the 2 tonne foundation stone is laid by Queen Victoria in 1856 and opens in 1863. Under the stone is a box containing a Victoria Cross which is interesting in that she visits again in 1879 to present Private Hitch his VC for his action in the Zulu war (see the film "Zulu") and later in 1897 to present Privates Private Samuel Vickery and Private George Findlater their VCs for their actions in the North West Frontier. "D Block" of Netley Hospital was the first specialist military psychiatric ward and was the last part of Netley to close and be demolished  in 1978 leaving just the chapel.

A slightly faster Red Funnel Ferry.

A view of Portsmouth with the spectacular "Spinnaker Tower".

Copenhagen.

Our first port of call: so excited.

Being such as small cruise ship, Adonia could find a berth quite close to the centre of the city just a few yards from the "Little Mermaid." This isn't it. 

This is a 14 tonne concrete sculpture "Den Store Havfrue" (the Big Mermaid) created for restaurateur Petr Bech which was the centre of extensive debate in Denmark and later removed to Dragør Fort in 2018 after locals complained it was a "vulgar" copy. It is located in the parking lot in front of the 1910 fort, roughly 10 miles (15 km) south of Copenhagen. However, the statue has been ordered removed by Denmark's Agency for Culture and Palaces. Officials and critics concluded the statue's controversial, exaggerated proportions clashed with the fort's cultural heritage.

"Isbjørn med unger" (Polar Bear with Cubs) by Holger Wederkinch

 

The sculpture was created by Holger Wederkinch in Paris. It was first exhibited at the Salon in 1929 where it won a gold medal. A bronze cast was in 1937 acquired by an anonymous buyer and gifted to Copenhagen's Port Authority. It was unveiled at the southern end of the Langelinie Quay in 1939. The bronze bear was shot in the head by a German soldier during the Occupation of Denmark. He was sent back to Germany for the act.

Adonia in port. You can see how close it is to the bear statue. This part of Copenhagen is called "Langelinie"

The Maritime Monument (Danish Søfartsmonumentet), located at Langelinie, close to Langelinie Marina, is a maritime memorial in Copenhagen, Denmark, commemorating civilian Danish sailors who lost their lives during the First World War. The monument consists of a bronze sculpture of a winged female figure, representing Memory, placed on a rhombus-shaped podium with a series of narrative reliefs on its side.

A detail from the relief.

"Den Lille Havfrue" (The Little Mermaid) sits gracefully on a rock in the water, gazing longingly out over the shore. 

The sculpture was made in 1913 by Edvard Eriksen and was gifted by the Danish brewer Carl Jacobsen. Since then, The Little Mermaid has become one of Copenhagen’s most iconic landmarks and a city symbol. The face of the mermaid was inspired by ballerina Ellen Price, while the body was modelled by Eriksen’s wife, Eline. The sculpture was inspired by Andersen’s 1837 fairy tale about a mermaid who gives up her underwater life for love. Jacobsen was moved by a ballet performance of the story at the Royal Danish Theatre.

Sadly, she has lost her head twice, had an arm sawn off, and has been painted over. Each time, she has been carefully restored to her place at the harbour.

The Ivar Huitfeldt Column at Langelinie is a monument built to commemorate the death of Admiral Ivar Huitfeldt and his men from HDMS Dannebroge, which exploded and sank in the Battle of Køge Bay during the Great Northern War. There were only 9 survivors from a crew of over 600.

The Great Northern War between Norway-Denmark (one nation then) and Sweden to determine in effect if Sweden controlled the Baltic which by 1719, it didn't. The Treaty of Stockholm enabled Russia under Peter the Great who saw an opportunity, joined in and expanded their influence in the Baltic.

The monument was constructed in 1886 to a design by Vilhelm Dahlerup. 

This 1912 monument at Langelinie park not far from the pier commemorates Princess Marie d'Orléans (1865–1909). A French princess by birth, she became a Danish princess upon marrying Prince Valdemar of Denmark in 1885. Known for her popularity, informal lifestyle, and charitable work, her memory is widely celebrated in the city.

The monument features a bronze bust of the princess at the top of a granite column. At the base, a granite staircase leads to a bronze statue depicting a woman and a child.

The sculpture of a man on a key in Copenhagen is known as ZinkGlobal (often called "The Global Visionary" or "The Terminator"). Created by Danish artist Kim Michael (also known as TheZinker), it is a modern, metallic reinterpretation of Auguste Rodin's The Thinker.

Weighing 2.5 tonnes and standing roughly 3 meters tall, the sculpture is assembled from about 8,500 pieces of scrap metal, auto parts, and machine components. The large key he is sitting on symbolizes the "Key to the Future," intended to encourage out-of-the-box global thinking.

St. Alban's Church. 

It was seafaring, commercial, and military ties that initially brought large numbers of Britons to Denmark. British merchants had already settled in Helsingør from the late Middle Ages, and by the 1700s, the Danish Crown gave permission for services to be held in English. In the years that followed, an increase in commerce between Denmark and Britain led to greater demand for religious services in English. The Danish constitution of 1849 granted religious freedom to all.

The present church was built close to the heart of Copenhagen in 1885 and was consecrated in 1887, just a stone’s throw from the the royal palace and the little mermaid. St Alban's was one of the first foreign denominations to be granted royal approval to hold services which previously had been restricted to den "Danske Folkekirke" (the Danish Church).

The Gefion Fountain is a work by Danish sculptor Anders Bundgaard from 1908, situated adjacent to St Alban's Church. It is connected to Langelinie via the Gefion Bridge.

On the occasion of Carlsberg's 50th anniversary in 1897, the Carlsberg Foundation, together with the Copenhagen Municipality Art Foundation Bundgaard, paid for the work. 

The fountain illustrates an ancient legend about the goddess Gefion, who was offered by the Swedish King Gylfe as much land as she could plough with the help of four oxen in one day and one night. She transformed her four sons into mighty oxen and had them plough so deep that they lifted the land and pulled it out into the sea, where it formed Zealand. This left a large hole in Sweden - Lake Vänern, which in outline resembles the coastline of Zealand. The official name for this impressive fountain is 'Gefion, who ploughs Zealand out of Sweden with his oxen'.

The decoration on the houses is unusual.

In Sweden, the bearskin hat is worn by the elite Grenadier Company of the Life Guards (Livgardet) during state ceremonies, royal audiences, and state visits. These iconic, 19th-century caps are traditionally paired with white baldrics (cross belts) and the Swedish coat of arms.

The bearskin tradition in Sweden dates back to 1823 when Czar Alexander I gifted the caps to King Charles XIV Life Guard Facebook Group.Elite Status: The hats were historically worn by grenadiers to appear more imposing on the battlefield and symbolize elite military status 

Unlike some other royal guards, the Swedish Life Guards have transitioned to using high-quality synthetic faux fur for their ceremonial caps.

Bronze cast equestrian statue of King Frederik V mounted on a marble plinth & completed in 1771.

Frederick's Church or "The Marble Church" (Marmorkirken), an 18th-century Lutheran church with the largest dome in Scandinavia.

During the 17th and 18th centuries, Copenhagen grew beyond its medieval boundaries and during the reign of Frederik V commissioned the Danish architect Nicolai Eigtved to plan Frederiksstaden (Frederik’s town), a grand and fashionable neighbourhood with a large number of imposing mansions, including what later became the royal residence that still stands today: Amalienborg. The centre-point of Frederiksstaden was to be a church to commemorate the 300-year reign of the royal family. 

Although much of the church is built of Norwegian marble, most of the upper part is made of “Faxe Marble” from a quarry about 75 km south of Copenhagen. This material is actually hard coral limestone, which can be polished to resemble marble. So in fact, a lot of the Marble Church is not built of marble at all!.

The Marble Church is a working parish church and part of the Danish state church: the Evangelical-Lutheran Church in Denmark. Although the official name of the church is Frederik's Church, Copenhageners always refer to it as the Marble Church.

The spires of the St Alexander Nevsky Russian Orthodox Church.

The Church of the Holy Blessed Grand Duke Alexander Nevsky in Copenhagen is the only Orthodox church in Denmark originally built for this purpose, and is also the oldest active Orthodox parish in the country. The church itself is a monument to the Orthodox presence in Denmark and, at the same time, a unique architectural landmark, one of the capital's landmarks, and a symbol of the cultural legacy of Danish-Russian ties spanning over five centuries.

In Churchill Park (Churchillparken) is the Valkyrie statue by the Norwegian sculptor Stephan Abel Sinding (1846-1922). The bronze sculpture was made in 1908 and then erected in 1910.

The statue depicts a Valkyrie riding a horse with a spear in her right hand. All Valkyries are females according to the old sagas in Norse mythology. They are the beings who collect warrior souls from the battlefield and then ride them to Asgard.

St Alban's Church again.

To the land side of the pier, between the pier and the city is a perfectly preserved 17th Century "Star Fort" called "Kastellet" (The Citadel).at the southern gate stands "Vore Faldne" (Our Fallen)

"Our Fallen" in Danish and allied military service 1940 - 1945 - Erected by the Danish people. That is the wording on the bronze monument at the entrance to the Citadel in Copenhagen.

The monument was erected in 1957 by artist Svend Lindhart. It stands on a limestone pedestal at the entrance to the Citadel's Sjællandsporten (Zealand Gate) also called Kongeporten  (King's Gate) off Smedelinien.

Kastellet provides the garrison a church.

There is also a windmill inside the fortification.

The garrison buildings are behind sloping earth ramparts designed to deflect or absorb cannon balls.

At the time, all of my materials that I produced had the SNB logo - spikey nosed badger or magpie.

Tivoli Gardens.

Still excited despite the drizzle.

More of a theme park in a garden, exciting though. The chilli liquorice was amazing. 

As we left port in the evening we passed the large array of wind turbines - the upside of the drizzle.

Oresund Bridge.

Saaremaa Island.

Kuressaare Episcopal Castle Estonia (Kuressaare piiskopilinnus), built originally as a Bishop's Castle in the 1380s as the local populace was not too keen to be Christian

The castle's history is divided into four major eras, named after its former rulers. The Bishop's Period (14th Century – 1559) when the main stone stronghold was built, consisting of a convent-type building with a central courtyard, a powerful northern defence tower, and a slender eastern watchtower. In the Danish Period (1559 – 1645) during the Livonian War, the bishop sold the castle to Denmark to evade Russian forces. The Danes then fortified the perimeter, surrounding the main fortress with heavy earthwork bastions and moats similar to the fortification at Kastellet. In the Swedish Period (1645 – 1721) Sweden gained control of Saaremaa and further upgraded the castle's bastions and outer defences to adapt to modern gunpowder warfare. Finally, during the Russian Period (1721 – 1918) following the Great Northern War, the castle was absorbed into the Russian Empire. As military tactics evolved, it lost its strategic importance and was removed from the list of active fortifications in 1836.

During the Soviet occupations, the castle grounds served a darker purpose. In 1941, the NKVD executed civilians in the castle yard. Not to be out done, the Nazis killed over 300 when they swept through the area. Between 1968 and 1985, extensive restorations returned the fortress to its former glory. 

"Vabadussõjas langenud saarlaste mälestusmärk" or "Memorial to the islanders who fell in the War of Independence" 

The monument was erected to commemorate those who lost their lives in the War of Independence (1918-1920). The sculptor is Amandus Adamson, a well-known sculptor in Estonia whose best known work is the Russalka (mermaid) monument in Tallinn. The construction of the monument began in Italy in 1927. The monument was opened in 1928. Later 2 bronze plates were added to the monument containing the names of the inhabitants of Saaremaa who were wounded or have died in the war. This figure is not the original. The original was tossed into the sea by Soviet troops and was never found. A local sculptor from Saaremaa recreated it.

Not far from the monument we found an excellent ice cream shop.

The wild countryside of Saaremaa

This is actually the cruise port for Saaremaa. Excitedly laid back.

Adonia at her berth.

Tallinn.

Kiek in de Kök Fortification Museum (Kiek in de Köki kindlustustemuuseum)

Built between 1475 and 1483, the 45 metre high round cannon tower "Kiek in de Kök" forms part of the The Kiek in de Kök Fortifications Museum, a complex over 500 meters long, encompassing four medieval towers: the cannon tower Kiek in de Kök, the Maiden Tower, the Marstall Tower, and the Short Leg Gate Tower.

Its Low German name translates to "peek into the kitchen" because the high vantage point allowed guards to allegedly see directly into the kitchens of nearby homes. During the 1577 siege by Ivan the Terrible's forces as part of the Livonian War, Russian cannonballs pummelled the 4 metre thick walls of the tower. Nine of these iron cannonballs are still embedded in its exterior today.

Built between 1894 and 1900, Tallinn’s Alexander Nevsky Cathedral (Aleksander Nevski Katedraal) is a striking Russian Revival style Eastern Orthodox church in the city's Old Town. Commissioned by the Russian Empire, its prominent hilltop location opposite Toompea Castle was strategically chosen to symbolize Tsarist dominance and Orthodox supremacy during a forced Russification period.

The cathedral was deliberately built directly facing the Governor’s Palace (now the seat of the Estonian Parliament). Its bells—an ensemble of 11 cast in St. Petersburg—weigh a total of 27 tons, with the largest single bell weighing 15 tons

Following Estonia's independence in 1918, the cathedral was heavily resented as a symbol of Tsarist oppression. The Estonian government scheduled it for demolition in 1924, but the plan was ultimately abandoned due to the massive cost and structural difficulty of destroying such a large building.

During the state-sponsored atheism of the Soviet occupation (1940 - 1991) the church fell into disrepair. It was temporarily closed during the German occupation in World War II but resumed its role as a functioning Orthodox place of worship in 1945.

Since Estonia regained its independence in 1991, the cathedral has been fully restored. Today, it remains the largest cupola Orthodox church in the city and an active religious centre.

While leaving the cathedral we bumped into Geoff and Julie with whom we quizzed in the evenings on board, going in.

Toompea Castle was erected on the foundations of the crumbling eastern wing of the fortress built in the 13th and 14th centuries. The castle with its late Baroque façade was built between 1767 and 1773.

Today the castle is home to the Riigikogu (the Estonian parliament). The blue, black and white of the national flag can be seen flying on top of the 45.6-metre Tall Hermann tower as the symbol of Estonia's independence and is flown every day. 

On December 12, 1918, the Estonian national flag was flown from the tower for the first time. During the Soviet annexation, various foreign flags flew from the tower, including the flag of the Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic. However, on February 24, 1989, amidst the Singing Revolution, the Estonian national flag was triumphantly raised again, marking the path to regained independence.

Looking past the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral at St Mary's Cathedral (Tallinna toomkirik). 

While the exact date of the church's foundation is not known, the state register indicates that the church is first mentioned in 1233. 

The Danish Dominican monks began building a stone monastery-church on the site of the current cathedral, but a conflict between the vassals of the Danish king and the knights of the Order of the Brothers of the Sword (see below) stopped the construction of the church. Only after peace was concluded between the warring parties was the new stone church building completed.

The church building was completed and consecrated to the Holy Virgin Mary in 1240. In the same year, the Danish King Valdemar II named the church the main church of the Tallinn Diocese. During the Russian era, the office of bishops was abolished and the institution of general superintendents was established, and thus the cathedral also became the church of general superintendents.

The Livonian Brothers of the Sword (also known as the Sword Brethren) were a medieval German military order founded in 1202 by Bishop Albert of Riga. Pope Innocent III sanctioned the order in 1204. Operating as warrior-monks, they led the Northern Crusades to conquer and forcibly Christianize pagan territories in modern-day Latvia and Estonia.

 St Mary's Cathedral

Voldemar Panso Bas-relief. Voldemar Panso was an Estonian producer, actor, drama teacher and theatre critic

 St Mary's Cathedral

Views from the Patkuli Viewing Platform.

Kadriorg Art Museum (Kadrioru kunstimuuseum) and formal Italian Gardens. 

The construction of Kadriorg Palace was begun by Russian Tsar Peter I in 1718. The palace and park ensemble was named Kadriorg in honour of his wife Catherine I.

Designed by Italian architect Nicola Michetti , the castle and its richly decorated main hall are one of the most beautiful examples of Baroque architecture in Estonia and all of Northern Europe.

The Kadriorg Imperial Summer Residence was visited by most Russian rulers. In the 1920s and from 1946 to 1991, the palace was the main building of the Art Museum of Estonia . In the 1930s, it was the residence of the Head of State of the Republic of Estonia. In 2000, the palace opened its doors as the Kadriorg Art Museum, which displays Estonia's largest collection of Western European and Russian early art.

The monument to F. R. Kreutzwald in Kadriorg Park in Tallinn is the biggest of all the monuments erected in honour of the famous author. Designed by sculptors E. Taniloo and M. Saks, it was unveiled in 1958. Kreutzwald's main work and the cornerstone of Estonian literature is the national epic 'Kalevipoeg'. 

Tallinn from Adonia with the two major churches clearly visible.

St Petersburg.

Sight seeing and the Hermitage.

The weather was damp and dark for the first of our two days in St Petersburg but did not dampen our excitement. Adonia berthed as far up the Neva River as possible, the low bridges being the barrier. We took a trip to see the sights and visit the Hermitage.

St. Isaac’s Cathedral is the fourth-largest domed cathedral in Europe. Designed by French architect Auguste de Montferrand and built between 1818 and 1858, it is a masterpiece of Neoclassical Russian Empire style, famous for its massive gilded dome and sumptuous interior which sadly we did not get to see.

The Monument to Nicholas I is an equestrian bronze statue of Nicholas I of Russia, placed on an elaborate pedestal that stands in front of Saint Isaac's Cathedral. It was unveiled on July 7th 1859, the six-meter statue created by sculptor Peter Clodt von Jürgensburg was considered a technical wonder. At the time it was the first, and today one of only a few bronze statues with only two support points, the rear hooves of the horse.

At the personal request of his successor Alexander II, Nicholas was represented as a prancing knight, "in the military outfit in which the late tsar was most majestic". Around the base are allegorical statues modelled on Nicholas I's daughters and personifying virtues. The statue faces Saint Isaac's Cathedral, with the horse's posterior turned to the Mariinsky Palace of Nicholas's daughter, Grand Duchess Maria Nikolayevna. This was said to have caused the Grand Duchess considerable discomfort.

The Mariinsky Palace, located on the opposite side of St. Isaac's Square from the cathedral, was built between 1839 and 1844 by court architect Andrei Stackenschneider. Originally an Imperial residence, it was built as a wedding gift from Emperor Nicholas I to his eldest daughter, Grand Duchess Maria Nikolaevna, and her husband, Maximilian de Beauharnais, Duke of Leuchtenberg.

It was the last neoclassical Imperial residence built in the city.

Following the Grand Duchess's death, her heirs sold the building back to the Imperial Estates in 1884. Alexander III repurposed the building to house the State Council of Imperial Russia, the Imperial Chancellery, and the Committee of Ministers. Following the revolution, the Provisional Government used it as the Council of the Russian Republic and later in Soviet Leningrad, the building later served as the headquarters for the Leningrad Soviet.

The Rostral Columns (Rostral'naya Kolonna) are two towering, 105-foot (32-meter) monuments on the Spit of Vasilyevsky Island (Strelka) in St. Petersburg. 

The columns are decorated with bronze ship prows, known as rostra (rostrum is roman for "beak" referring to the prows of ships and captured rostra were piled up in Rome and used as speaking platforms, hence the meaning of the word today), which symbolize Russia’s naval victories. The large statues at the base of the columns represent four major Russian rivers: the Neva, Volga, Volkhov, and Dnieper.

Originally functioning as lighthouses, they were used to guide ships entering the port of St. Petersburg. The signal fires burned at the top of the towers to navigate the city's dark nights..

A view of the Peter and Paul Cathedral on the island that is the Peter and Paul Fortress from Birzhevoy Promenade.

The frigate "Grace" ("Blagodat") is now a floating restaurant. The frigate's history dates back to the founding of St. Petersburg. In 1799, the original sailing frigate "Blagodat" was launched, becoming an important symbol of the development of the Russian navy.

The Winter Palace that now forms part of the Hermitage.

On October 7, 1903,  the cruiser Aurora was commissioned into the Baltic Fleet.  

Throughout its history, the cruiser took part in three wars, the February and October Revolutions of 1917, and served as a training ground for several generations of naval officers. The famous ship is now a permanent floating museum.

Smolny Cathedral was designed by Italian architect Bartolomeo Rastrelli, who came to Russia as a boy with his father, who was invited to the country by Peter the Great and who constructed the Winter Palace and the palace at Tsarskoe Selo. Smolny Cathedral was one of Rastrelli Jr.'s last projects, and one that the great architect left unfinished.

The cathedral was part of a complex planned by the Empress Elizabeth to include a nunnery and a new school for girls - the first and most famous girls' state school in the Russian Empire. Construction began on October 30, 1748, and by 1761 construction of the cathedral was complete. However, in December of that year, Elizabeth died, and work on the monastery came to a halt. Rastrelli was relieved of his duties at Smolny by Catherine the Great, and left Russia in October 1763.

By the early 1830s, much of the cathedral had fallen into disrepair and was becoming overgrown. In 1832, Nicholas I commissioned Vasily Stasov to finish the building. Construction was officially completed in 1835, and the cathedral was consecrated on July 22 of that year.

Originally, Rastrelli wanted to a put a bell-tower - designed to be taller than the Peter and Paul Cathedral, at that point the tallest building in the city - next to the cathedral, but his plans were never realized.

After the revolution, the cathedral suffered a similar fate to most of the churches in St. Petersburg. In 1922, all of its valuables were looted, and in 1923 the cathedral was closed. For many years, the building was not even heated, had no electricity or water, and it slowly decayed.  In the 70s, the cathedral became a museum for the city, and hosted exhibitions. It was later converted into a concert hall, which is still one of its primary functions today.

The Church of the Saviour on the Spilled Blood is more properly called the Church of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. It marks the spot where Alexander II was fatally wounded in an assassination attempt on March 1, 1881. Designed by Alfred Parland in the style of 16th and 17th-century Russian churches, the Church of the Resurrection provides a stark contrast to its surroundings of Baroque, Classical and Modernist architecture.

Alexander II died of wounds inflicted in an attack by the terrorist group People's Will. Immediately, his heir, Alexander III, declared his intention to erect a church on the site in his father's memory, and moreover to have this church built in "traditional Russian" style - in distinction to what he saw as the contaminating Western influence of Petersburg. The church's final composition drew heavily from St. Basil's Cathedral in Moscow and the Vladimir Cathedral in Kiev. 

No baptisms, funeral services, weddings, or other traditional church services were held in the Church on the Blood, as this was not in Alexander III's plans. However, weekly requiems (for Alexander II) and sermon readings attracted large numbers of worshippers.

After the Revolution, the church - despite becoming an official cathedral in 1923 - was looted. It was closed in 1932, and essentially turned into a garbage dump. Rumours abounded that the church would be torn down. Damage from World War II and the Siege of Leningrad can still be seen on the church's walls.

After World War II, the church was used as a warehouse for the Small Opera Theatre. On July 20, 1970 the church was made a branch of the St. Isaac's Cathedral museum, and eighty percent of the church's extraordinary restoration was funded by profits from St. Isaac's. The decades of deterioration and then restoration culminated in the dramatic re-opening of the church in August 1997, when thousands of eager visitors swamped the church.

The project was estimated to cost 3.6 million rubles, but ended up costing 4.6 million rubles, mainly from the extravagant collection of mosaics. The more than 7500 sq. meters of mosaics link Alexander II's murder with the crucifixion.

despite the amazing places we had already seen, the highlight of the day was the visit to the Winter Palace and the Hermitage.

Regarded as one of the world's largest art galleries and museums The State Hermitage Museum was founded in 1764 by Catherine the Great and contains over 3 million items. The 5 interconnected buildings that constitute the museum complex has grown from a private royal collection to an internationally renowned public institution.

Catherine the Great aggressively amassed art, buying entire major European collections. The term "Hermitage" was chosen because the collection was highly exclusive and intended as a private, intimate retreat. To house her growing collection, Catherine and subsequent monarchs constructed multiple interconnected buildings: The Small Hermitage then The Large Hermitage and The New Hermitage commissioned by Emperor Nicholas I and constructed between 1840 and 1852

Following the October Revolution of 1917, the imperial Hermitage became a state museum. Its holdings were vastly expanded through the nationalization of private art collections from noble families like the Stroganovs and Yussupovs. However, during the 1920s and 1930s, the Soviet government sold hundreds of invaluable masterpieces abroad to finance rapid industrialization. During World War II, the museum survived a devastating 900-day siege, with its primary treasures evacuated to the Ural Mountains to keep them safe.

The Hermitage spans five majestic buildings along the Neva River, most notably the grand Winter Palace. Today, its collection ranges from the Stone Age to the present, including masterpieces by Leonardo da Vinci, Rembrandt, and Impressionist masters. The ice creams are small and ludicrously expensive.

A visit to Pavlovsk Palace.

Another coach trip into the countryside this time for a visit to the 18th-century palace built near Pushkin by Catherine the Great for her son Grand Duke Paul, it later became the beloved home of his widow, Maria Feodorovna. Recognized for its Palladian architecture and expansive English park, the palace survived extensive World War II devastation.

When Grand Duke Paul ascended the throne as Emperor Paul I, he found the architect Cameron's austere style too simple. He commissioned architect Vincenzo Brenna to enlarge the complex, adding state apartments (like the Throne Hall and Picture Gallery), exterior statues, and a chapel. After Paul I was assassinated in 1801, his widow, Maria Feodorovna, made Pavlovsk her permanent residence. She passionately oversaw the continuous enrichment of the palace's art collections and surrounding park.

Following the Russian Revolution, the imperial residence was converted into a state museum, opening its treasures to the public. During the 900-day Siege of Leningrad by Nazi forces, the palace was burned to the ground. However, heroic curators and citizens successfully hid and preserved thousands of priceless objets d'art at great personal risk before the destruction.

Despite the near-total loss of the structure, survivors and restoration experts returned to Pavlovsk determined to rebuild. They painstakingly reconstructed the palace and replanted the gardens, transforming the ruins into a symbol of resilience.

A carriage ride through the grounds.

At the shop we were excited to discover the world of battering. The price of the print that we wanted to buy changed depending on the currency being offered and on the negotiating skills of the purchaser. It turns out that the dollar is the favourite currency in Russia. 

Back at the Neva river and on board Adonia we could see the other vessels on the river such as these two Soviet subamrines.

As we sailed back down the Neva to the sea we passed the Church of the Dormition of the Mother of God. Built in the neo-Byzantine style at the end of the 19th Century, the church was closed by Soviet authorities in the 1930s. For decades, the nave was repurposed as an indoor ice skating rink. Following the fall of the Soviet Union, the building was returned to the Russian Orthodox Church.

Stockholm.

The East wing of the Swedish Parliament building.

The statue of Karl XII, or Charles XII of Sweden, in Kungsträdgården (King’s Garden) was the King of Sweden from 1697 to 1718 and is known for his role in the Great Northern War, where he led Swedish forces against a coalition of several opposing powers. Despite early victories, Sweden eventually suffered significant defeats under his command.

The statue itself is an imposing bronze figure of Charles XII dressed in military garb, pointing towards Russia, symbolizing the direction of his military campaigns. 

This is a small water feature on the front wall of the Royal Palace,

A bit of treatment with the image software.

Quite a bit of treatment with the image software.

One of many pots on the wall of the Royal Palace.

Along the balustrade are sculptures of cherubs including this one of "Religion".

A Swedish Guardsman.

More of the Royal Palace.

The rear of the Royal Palace where the changing of the guard takes place.

Stockholm Cathedral, officially known as Storkyrkan (The Great Church) or the Church of Saint Nicholas, is the city’s oldest church. Founded in the 13th century by Birger Jarl, it served as a Roman Catholic parish before officially becoming Lutheran in 1527.Storkyrkan was the site where the first-ever church service in Swedish (rather than Latin) was sung by reformer Olaus Petri. It wasn’t designated as a cathedral until 1942, when the Diocese of Stockholm was formally established.

Stortorgsbrunnen or the "Main Square Fountain".

The Swedish House of Nobility, Riddarhuset where the genealogy of all of the Swedish nobles is kept.

St. Jacob's Church, the church in Kungsträdgården. In 1989, St. Jacob's parish had 150 members, which was not enough to be its own parish and maintain its activities. The church was then merged with the Grand Church Parish and St. Clara's parish to form Stockholm Cathedral Parish.

Visby.

Visby, located on the Swedish island of Gotland in the Baltic Sea, is a stunning UNESCO World Heritage Site. 

Renowned as Northern Europe's best-preserved medieval city, it features a 3.6-kilometer stone fortification that features nearly 50 towers and is remarkably intact.

Vall Church (Valls kyrka) is a largely Romanesque medieval church on Gotland. The tower is unusually tall in comparison with similar churches on Gotland. 

Gotland Fishermen's huts,

The stone ship at Gnisvärd. 

The fortifications at Visby.

Overlooking the medieval town of Visby and the ruins of St Catherine's Church.

Saint Mary's Cathedral

A roundabout with a fountain.

While walking with our group in the gardens we bumped into Geoff and Julie.

Sailing to Kalmar.

Kalmar.

Kalmar Castle (Kalmar Slott) 

The Swedish-Danish border was located only a short distance to the south, since the southern regions of Scania and Blekinge were Danish territories until the mid-17th century. The history of the castle is intertwined with that of Sweden’s.

Around 1180, a defensive tower, a castellan, was built on the site where Kalmar Castle now stands. The tower was built for protection against pirates and other enemies. By the beginning of the 13th century, Kalmar was established as a city.

At the end of the 13th century, Magnus Ladulås had a castle complex built with a ring wall and towers around the old castle. The castle was then Sweden's most modern fortress. For a long time, the castle was a strong defensive structure, mainly due to its strategic location. 

A Kalmar "Stadspark" (City Park) fountain.

A geometric sculpture by Takashi Nahara in the same park.

The sculpture is a depiction of the city park's founder, the influential wholesaler and mill owner Johan Jeansson. He looks at the house he built in the 1860s, today the current Slottshotellet. The artist is Arvid Källström.

The fortification at Kalmar.

Only a short walk from the castle we found another quiet garden which served tea.

The backstreets of Kalmar.

Ungdom (Youth) by the renowned Swedish sculptor Carl Eldh in the Stadspark.

The Old Water Tower.

Interesting decorative railings over the bridges in Kalmar.

The Vasabrunnen (Vasa Fountain) is a prominent bronze and granite fountain by renowned Swedish sculptor Nils Sjögren and unveiled by King Gustaf V in 1926 It serves as a central monument on the historic Larmtorget (Alarm Square).

The fountain commemorates King Gustav I Vasa and the Swedish War of Liberation. The core sculpture depicts the biblical story of David defeating Goliath, which acts as an allegory for Sweden's liberation and Gustav Vasa's rise to power. The sides of the granite basin feature bronze reliefs detailing Gustav Vasa's journey to the Swedish throne.

Sassnitz.

Sassnitz is the cruise port on the German Baltic Island of Rugen in what was East Germany.

We were due to ride on a narrow gauge railway called the "Racing Roland" but Adonia could not dock at the agreed time as a lorry had jack-knifed on the ramp while being loaded into a cargo ferry blocking the berth. Adonia had to wait for a crane to lift the lorry off the ramp so the cargo vessel could depart and Adonia could take her berth. This delayed our trip so we had less time in Binz.

By the end of the 19th century, the railway network in the German Empire was largely complete. However, remote areas were often not adequately served, yet they hoped for a rail connection to stimulate economic development. The so-called Prussian Light Railway Act came into force, regulating and facilitating the construction of simple and inexpensive railways of various gauges including the route from Potbus to Gohren or Potbus to Binz. During the Soviet era the line was used by uranium miners holidaying at the coast who it is rumoured coined the phrase Rasender Roland" (Racing Roland), probably ironically given the low quality of the coal and consequent modest pace of the journey.

Roland (probably).

The pier at Binz. 

Binz itself was a typical resort town where we waited at a café to be served and waited and waited and then left still hungry. Customer service was not as expected.

This was the best of the "Towel Sculptures" I think.

Kiel Canal Transit.

To make the transit even more fun, Adonia provided a chocolate buffet which was incredible. 

The lock gates slide from side to side, quite slowly.

Small craft had to keep well out of the way of the larger vessels.

As Adonia glided along the local populace would cheer or play music or wave or all three.

We passed under bridges with only a little clearance in some cases.

Captain Box was quite casual about the trip along the canal, probably because that hot seat was occupied by the stripey shirted pilot.

And the stripey shirted pilot departs when we enter the Elbe river and then the North Sea on our way home.

Some of the entertainment team cycled the canal but had to veer off to take bridges over adjoining waterways meaning their journey was more than twice as long as that of Adonia. They raised a significant sum for children's charities.

We shared the buffet with mugs of tea on deck with Geoff and Julie.

Hochdonn High Bridge passing over the Canal.

The Adonia Choir was very good, Geoff and Julie were talented participants.

We bumped into Geoff and Julie again while waiting to disembark and then again in the car park where it turned out our cars were parked next to each other. We have cruised with Geoff and Julie ever since with a few exceptions.

A brilliant cruise made more special by the friends we made and the sights we saw.