The Bible Museum

Granddaughter of Emperor Alexander II begins Far East tour

"The granddaughter of Emperor Alexander II of Russia, Grand Duchess Mariya Vladimirovna Romanova, has embarked on a tour of the Far East where she will stay four days.

The press centre of the Primorsky territory administration told Itar-Tass that her programme schedule is very tight. The Grand Duchess will begin familiarisation with the city right on arrival with an excursion over the old Vladivostok streets. On the second day of the visit, Mariya Vladimirovna will visit the Arsenyev Museum, meet representatives of the public and Cossack community at the Triumphal Arch. Her plans also include visits to the city railway station, the Vladivostok Fortress Museum, Saint Nicholas Cathedral where a thanksgiving prayer will be held. She will lay flowers at the Pacific Fleet Combat Glory Memorial and visit the Marshal Shaposhnikov big antisubmarine ship where the Grand Duchess will be treated to a fleet lunch.

Aside from Vladivostok, Mariya Vladimirovna intends to visit the Kamchatka Peninsula and Magadan.

Representatives of the Romanov dynasty last visited Vladivostok 116 years ago. The last Emperor of Russia, Nikolai II, in 1890-1891 took part in a ceremony of the laying of the Ussuri section of the Great Siberian Railway, the railway terminal building, the Monument to Admiral Nevelsky and the first dry dock in the Far East. The Triumphal Arch was built in memory of these events in Vladivostok in 1891."