Tula is the arms capital of Russia and the main southern outpost of Moscow. The city is spread out on a tributary of the Oka - the Upa River. In the country and abroad, Tula is known as the city of craftsmen. Since time immemorial, it has been famous not only for its weapons, but also for samovars, harmonics, gingerbreads that have no equal, as well as for its beautiful architectural ensemble and rich history. It is not surprising that excursions to this ancient city are popular not only among Russian, but also foreign tourists.
A walk in Tula should start with its "heart" - the Kremlin, which has existed for nearly five centuries. This is one of the monuments of defense architecture of the 16th century. For about two centuries, it provided reliable protection against the raids of nomadic tribes. The Tula Kremlin has nine towers, four of them with gates. The Epiphany and Holy Dormition Cathedrals are located on its territory. The gilded domes of the latter can be seen from anywhere in the historical part of Tula. The cathedrals were built after the Kremlin lost its importance as a fortress. A walk along it will be remembered for a long time. The ancient walls of this fortress keep many secrets, which guides are always happy to tell about.
Under the ancient vaults of the Epiphany Cathedral there is a weapons museum. It would be a crime to visit the arms capital of the country and not visit it. In the exposition of this museum, which, among other things, is one of the oldest, you can see samples of cold steel and firearms made by local and foreign craftsmen. An impressive collection will allow you to trace the evolution of weapons from the times of Peter the Great to the present day.
In 2012, a new weapons museum was opened in the city, where in the near future all the exhibits from the Epiphany Cathedral will be moved. The construction of the new building took more than ten years. It is located right on the banks of the Upa, and its background is the famous Tula defense enterprises - the Machine-Building Plant and the Weapon Plant. Nearby is the Nikolo-Zaretskaya Church, which was built by the famous Russian industrialist Nikita Demidov. Almost at the very entrance to the new museum there is a monument to Demidov. Nearby is the Demidovs Necropolis Museum. It should be noted that the building of the Museum of Weapons immediately attracts attention. It is made in the form of a hero's helmet. It has five floors, on the very last there is an observation deck, from where an excellent panoramic view of Tula opens up.
Go to the samovar museum. His visit will be remembered for the uniqueness, brightness and variety of exhibits. Here you can see about three hundred samples of samovars produced in the 18-20 centuries. What they are only made of: green and red copper, tombac, cupronickel, simple iron. The variety of their forms is also impressive: in the museum you can see samovars in the form of eggs, glasses, vases, banks and even blew!
The Gingerbread Museum is very popular among the guests of the capital's armory, where you can see gingerbread forms, household items of local gingerbread cookies and, of course, the delicacy itself. Here is the smallest and largest gingerbread - a pood. By the way, it is the only one in Russia. Each guest is invited to taste freshly baked gingerbread cookies with aromatic tea. This is one of those museums that you cannot leave empty-handed. He has a shop where you can always buy gingerbread made according to an old recipe.
It is worth taking a walk in the central park of Tula, which was laid out at the end of the 19th century on the initiative of the chief sanitary doctor of the city, Petr Belousov. The park is famous for its green plantings, abundance of flowers, picturesque ponds and air with the smell of conifers. There are many attractions in the park.
Be sure to visit the local exotarium. This is the only amphibian and reptile zoo in the country. Within its walls you can see a rich collection of non-venomous and venomous snakes, giant frogs, turtles - from 150 grams to 80 kilograms, a five-meter tiger python, a frilled lizard.
If you have extra time, you should visit Yasnaya Polyana - the family estate of the great writer Leo Tolstoy. It is located in the suburbs of Tula, half an hour drive from its center.
