7th November 2022: Pushkin Museum in Moscow, Russia

The Pushkin State Museum of Fine Arts is the largest museum of European art in Moscow.

Thank You very much Marina!

cover from Russia

On 20th December I got a cover from Russia.

It was sent with the cute Russian Christmas stamp (issued 09-12-2021) and its First Day Special Postmark.

In the cover was this card of a monastery or church. I assume it is in Russia, but unfortunately the photo function of Google Translate only emits nonsense when I used it on the text on the front side. 

Also in the cover was this beautiful set about Modern Russian Trains (issued 02-08-2021).

Thank You very much Elena!

Russia: Chuisky Trakt Museum in Biysk

On 26th July I got two postcards: one from Russia and one from Belarus.

The card from Russia shows the Chuisky Trakt Museum in Biysk. Biysk is a big city in the Altai Krai. I could find anything about the museum, but the Chuisky Trakt is a highway from Novosibirsk to the Mongolian border in Siberia.

The stamp on the right shows Viktor Chernomyrdin (issued 14-03-2013). He was the first chairman of the Gazprom energy company, the second-longest-serving Prime Minister of Russia, from 2001 to 2009 Russia's ambassador to Ukraine and after that a presidential adviser.

Thank You very much Oleg!

Russia: Moscow

On 26th June I got a postcard from Russia.

It shows an illustration of Moscow.

I really like the stamp used here. It is Russia's EUROPA stamp of this year and shows a Caucasian Leopard with a super cute cub. Although this stamp was already issued on 20th January and thus nearly four months before all other countries, Russia was this year not the first country to issue its EUROPA stamp. The Swedish stamp was issued six days earlier.

Thank You very much Elena!

Russia: Petrovsky Palace in Moscow

On 23rd January I got two postcards: one from Russia and one from Japan.

The card from Russia shows the Petrovsky Palace in Moscow. The Petrovsky Palace was designed by Matvey Kazakov at the behest of Empress Catherine the Great and was intended as last overnight station of royal journeys from Saint Petersburg to Moscow. Napoleon lived in the palace, but burned it down after he left. It was however restored in the 1830s. 

This is another official card from Russia and again a definitive was used.

 Thank You very much Matvey!

Russia: Winter Palace

On 20th January I got a postcard from Russia.

It shows an old photo of the Winter Palace in Saint Petersburg taken circa 1903. Back when this photo was taken, the Winter Palace was the official residence of the Russian Emperor. Shortly after in 1905 the Bloody Sunday massacre occurred when demonstrators marched toward the Winter Palace and in 1917 the storming of the palace became an iconic symbol of the Russian Revolution. Today it is on the UNESCO World Heritage List and houses the Hermitage Museum. This is an official card.

Two definitives were used as postage.

 Thank You very much Lera!

Russia: Lake Baikal

On 13th January I got a postcard from Russia.

It shows the frozen Lake Baikal. Lake Baikal in Siberia is the oldest and deepest lake in the World and also has the most water. It is since 1996 on the UNESCO World Heritage List. This is an official card.

A definitive stamp was used.

 Thank You very much Anastasia!

Russia: Moscow Meet-up

On 7th November I got two postcards: one from Russia and one from Germany.

The card from Russia shows some sort of building, but unfortunately I do not know more. This is an official card.

It was signed during a Postcrossing Meet-up in Moscow and was cancelled with a Postcrossing postmark, but unfortunately it was wiped away partly on the stamp.

 Thank You very much Yulia!

Russia: Cathedral of the Nativity of the Theotokos in Suzdal

On 24th January I got six postcards: one from Russia, one from Hong Kong, one from Macau, one from Australia and two from the Philippines.

The card from Russia shows the Cathedral of the Nativity of the Theotokos in Suzdal. The Cathedral of the Nativity of the Theotokos was built in the 13th century and is said to be one of the most complex monuments of Russian medieval architecture. As one of the eight White Monuments of Vladimir and Suzdal it is since 1992 on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

It is an official card: RU-7721440

Stamps:
Russian Kremlins (from set of twelve) (issued 01-10-2009)
Dances (from set of two) (issued 26-10-2017)
It is a joint issue with India.

Thank You very much Dasha!

Russia: Bolgar Historical and Archaeological Complex

Last Monday I got three postcards: one from Russia, one from Japan and one from Indonesia.

The card from Russia shows a view of the Bolgar Historical and Archaeological Complex in Tatarstan. Bolgar was an early settlement of the civilization of Volga-Bolgars and later their capital. During the rule of the Golden Horde Bolgar acquired immense wealth, many imposing buildings and grew tenfold in size. The Bolgar Historical and Archaeological Complex is since 2014 on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

With a nice stamp:
Church of the Ascension in Kolomenskoe (issued 05-09-2014)
with a special postmark from Moscow

Thank You very much Boris!

cover from Russia

Last Thursday I got not only three postcards but also a cover from Russia.

With a great stamp:

Crimean Bridge (issued 06-11-2018)

with First Day Special Postmark

Inside were a mint version of the stamp and a postal card with a special postmark.

Thank You very much Ekaterina!

Russia: Moscow Metro

Last Monday I got three postcards: one from Russia and two from Portugal.

The card from Russia shows the Komsomolskaya Station of the Moscow Metro. The Moscow Metro was opened in 1935 and back then it was the first underground railway system in the Soviet Union. Today it has 12 lines and 222 stations and is the sixth longest underground railway system in the World. The system is especially known for its many beautifully designed stations.

With a matching stamp:
Monumental Art of the Moscow Metro (from set of four) (issued 29-06-2018)
with First Day Special Postmark
FIFA World Cup - Participating Teams (from set of eight) (issued 10-05-2018)
with a special postmark from Moscow

Thank You very much Elena!

Russia: Volgograd Arena

Last Saturday I got a postcard from Russia.

It shows the Volgograd Arena. The Volgograd Arena was built between 2015 and 2018. It was one of the venues for the 2018 FIFA World Cup and also hosts FC Rotor Volgograd.

Stamps:
250th anniversary of Altai as part of Russia (issued 15-06-2006)
Monumental Art of the Moscow Metro (from set of four) (issued 29-06-2018)

Thank You very much Nadezhda!

cover from Russia

On Saturday I got a cover from Russia.

With great stamps:

50 years diplomatic relations with Singapore (whole set) (issued 25-06-2018)

It is a joint issue with Singapore.

with First Day Special Postmark

Inside was a mint version of the set on the cover and a Russian postcard.

The postcard shows the Otkritie Arena in Moscow. The Otkritie Arena was built between 2010 and 2014. It is mainly used for football matches like home matches of Spartak Moscow and occasionally matches of the Russian national team. Currently it is one of the venues of the FIFA World Cup. During the cup it is known as Spartak Stadium.

Thank You very much Ekaterina!

Russia: 2018 FIFA World Cup

Last Wednesday I got a postcard from Russia.

It was printed for the 2018 FIFA World Cup. The 2018 FIFA World Cup started in Russia on the 14th June and will end on the 15th July. It is the first time that Russia hosts the FIFA World Cup. A total of 64 matches are played by 32 teams in twelve venues located in eleven cities, of which ten are in European Russia. Germany is the defending champion and Iceland and Panama made both their first appearances at a FIFA World Cup. The mascot is an anthropomorphic wolf called Zabivaka.

With a matching stamp:
Flora and Fauna (from set of fifteen) (issued 29-08-2008)
FIFA World Cup - Participating Teams (from set of eight) (issued 10-05-2018)
The stamp is about Group F, which consisted of Germany, Mexiko, South Korea and Sweden. Interestingly the card was sent on the day when Sweden defeated South Korea and arrived when Germany lost against South Korea and Sweden defeated Mexiko. Sweden was the best team of the group followed by Mexiko, South Korea and Germany.

Thank You very much Marina!

cover from Russia

On Tuesday I got not only two postcards but also a cover from Russia.

Stamps:

Russian Kremlins (two from set of twelve) (issued 01-10-2009)

200th birthday of Karl Marx (issued 04-05-2018)

with First Day Special Postmark

Inside were a mint copy of the Karl Marx stamp and a Karl Marx postal card.

Thank You very much Ekaterina!

Russia: Saint Isaac's Cathedral in Saint Petersburg

Last Wednesday I got three postcards: one from Russia, one from France and one from Estonia.

The card from Russia shows the Saint Isaac's Cathedral in Saint Petersburg. The Saint Isaac's Cathedral is the largest orthodox basilica and the fourth largest cathedral in the World. It was completed in 1858.

Stamps:
Flora and Fauna (from set of fifteen) (issued 29-08-2008)
Russian Kremlins (from set of twelve) (issued 01-10-2009)
Union of Philatelists of Russia (issued 02-06-2016)

Thank You very much Tanya!

Russia: Sochi Park

On Tuesday I got two cards: one from Russia and one from Kyrgyzstan.

The card from Russia shows the Sochi Park. Sochi Park is considered to be one of the best amusement parks in Europe.

Stamp:
Russian Kremlins (from set of two) (issued 30-08-2017)

Thank You very much Mila!

Russia: Zabivaka

On Thursday I got three postcards: one from Russia, one from Taiwan and one from Malaysia.

The card from Russia shows the mascot of the 2018 FIFA World Cup writing Christmas cards for Postcrossing. The 2018 FIFA World Cup will take place in Russia from 14 June to 15 July 2018. It is the first time that Russia will host the FIFA World Cup. A total of 64 matches will be played by 32 teams in twelve venues located in eleven cities, of which ten are in European Russia. Germany is the defending champion and Iceland and Panama will both make their first appearances at a FIFA World Cup. The mascot is an anthropomorphic wolf called Zabivaka.

The card was made into a maxicard with one of Russia's Christmas stamps of 2017 which also shows Zabivaka.

The card was signed during the Postcrossing Meet-up in Moscow.
With a nice matching stamp:
Christmas (from set of three) (issued 01-12-2017)
with a Christmas postmark from Moscow

Thank You very much Evgeniya!

Russia: Assumption Cathedral of Sviyazhsk

On Thursday I got two postcards from Russia.

One of them shows the Assumption Cathedral of Sviyazhsk in Tatarstan. Sviyazhsk was founded in 1551 by Ivan the Terrible at the confluence of the Volga and Sviyaga Rivers and at the crossroads of the Silk and Volga routes. The cathedral illustrates the political and missionary programme developed by Ivan the Terrible to extend the Moscow state and from this outpost he initiated the conquest of the Kazan Khanate. The Assumption Cathedral and Monastery of the town-island of Sviyazhsk are since 2017 on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Stamps:
Lighthouses of Crimea (whole set) (issued 29-09-2016)
Flora and Fauna (from set of fifteen) (issued 29-08-2008)
Russian Kremlins (from set of twelve) (issued 01-10-2009)

Thank You very much Vera!