Nikolaevsky Triumphal Arch, Vladivostok (must see)

Notwithstanding its great historic background, the Nikolaevsky Triumphal Arch is a recent landmark of Vladivostok. Initially, the arch was built in 1891, following a decision by the Vladivostok City Duma to mark the arrival to Vladivostok of His Imperial Majesty Emperor Tsarevich Nicholas Alexandrovich - future Emperor Nicholas II. The arch was destroyed by the Soviets between 1927 and 1930. In 2003, it was carefully reconstructed. The arch has a structure of two cubic volumes, set on one another with a decrease in the upper half against the lower, and the crowning octagonal pyramid. The initial arch was designed by architect Konovalov and the reconstruction followed his style - late Russian-Byzantine, totally rich in details and recognized all over the world as the typical Russian style. The Nikolaevsky Triumphal Arch is called the eastern gate of Russia.