Our advanced generation thinks of the Kremlin as the former heart of a great evil empire whose nuclear threat once loomed over our lives. However, now that former soviet sanctum is a popular tourist attraction. Learn about what lies within that fabled fortress that began as a wooden chapel in the forest to become the heart of Tsarist Russia, only to be replaced by Peter the Great’s shining new city on the Neva. In Soviet times the crumbling Kremlin was relegated to a virtual antique junkyard. Learn how a few obscure but dedicated historians saved the treasures that now remain, including Empress Anna’s liberty bell and the medieval Dormition Cathedral with its glorious domes and intricate paintings. This is a chance to see the Russian soul on display in a way that steps behind Putin’s egocentric headlines. This class is based in part on the personal slide collection of veteran OLLI instructor, Fred Paillet, who is an avid student of Russian history.