Moscow event: Times And Epochs Festival 2015

What is the best thing to do in Moscow? Honestly, it can be anything, as long as it’s purely local and very authentic. Just like this Times and Epochs Moscow Festival.

In 2015 Moscow holds the International historical festival “Times and Epochs” for the fifth time.

We collected fun facts about this historical festival in Moscow and why we think it’s going to be fun. However if the festival is not enough for you, we prepared other 15 reasons to visit Moscow in 2015.

25 facts about the Times And Epochs Moscow Festival

“Times and Epochs” is the world’s largest festival of historical reconstruction.
At least 270 thousand people are expected at the festival “Times and Epochs” 2015. (In 2011 the festival started with 50 000 visitors)
Thematic festivals represent the most important and interesting periods from 5 BC to 20 century, connected with the history of our world. Each year the era changes. The format of the festival can be described as”living history” and it allows guests to make a trip into the past.
“We employ expert council of historians who control all matters relating to the organization of the festival. Historical accuracy is a priority for us”, – says Alexey Ovcharenko, the official representative of the festival.
The festival will take place in Kolomenskoe Park on the first summer weekend – June 6 and 7.
Participants of the festival are the best representatives of historical clubs in Russia and around the world: musicians, performing traditional music, the masters of medieval crafts. This year the clubs from Italy, Greece, Romania, Switzerland, France, Holland, Poland, Moldova, Belarus, Ukraine will take part in the festival. To coordinate actions in battle, there will be created the list of teams in Latin.
In 2015 the festival refers to the origins of history of Ancient Rome! In the heart of the residence of Russian tsars – heirs of ancient Byzantine traditions.
Why Rome? “Rome is all around us: even in modern buildings we see Doric columns, meanders and other decorative elements. We believe that Rome and antiquity is a worldwide human heritage, our culture”, – says the representative of the festival.
The festival will be held in Kolomenskoe Park and Estate. Kolomenskoe used to be a former royal residence, a village near Moscow; now the State Historical-Architectural and Natural Landscape Museum-Reserve. Located south of the center of Moscow, covers an area of 390 hectares; part of the Moscow State United Museum Kolomenskoye-Lefortovo-Lublin-Izmailovo.
The vast territory of the festival will be divided into eight major thematic areas: Roman military camp, the German burg, village of the Celts, the kingdom of Bosporus, Palestine, Field of Mars, Arena, Forum. They will be complemented by two sites with active entertainment – for children and adults.
Local events: Times And Epochs Festival 2015 in Moscow. Photo historyfest.ru
This year’s theme will be about antiquity – the era, stretching for a thousand years. This period was marked by a multitude of bright events in the political, military and economic history. Culture of Ancient Rome became a symbol of classical antiquity, absorbing the tradition of Greeks and eventually affecting most European nations.
It was the Roman civilization that gave the world feudalism, the regular army, a system of philosophy, roads , and the famous saying “All roads lead to Rome” functioning so far. It’s impossible to overestimate Roman contribution on all succeeding generations and countries.
The festival program is incredibly saturated, as it is very important to present all sides and aspects of everyday life of the Ancient World, as well as significant events of the era. The guests will visit the main thematic area: Roman military camp, which adjoins the park siege equipment; “Bosporus” – an interesting fusion of Greek city-states of the world and the Scythian nomads; Celtic village; German burg – tribes of a fortified town; “Palestine” – the intersection of Western and Eastern civilizations, where Christianity took its roots.
In the vast estate of Kolomenskoye will appear the Temple of Mars and ceremonial buildings of Celtic Druids. Festival guests will be able to take part in the completion of a castrum – a Roman military camp, which is in fact a small town.
Battles and military exercises will be held in the Campus Martius. The Arena will host the gladiator fights, triumphs and theater performances, the Forum will focus on civic life of the ancient city.
Visitors will also witness other battles between the Romans and barbarians in the Civil War. Warriors will fight not only with swords and axes: scorpions, onager, ballista and other weapons will also be performed in this festival.
The best groups of gladiators from Germany, Italy and Russia will come together to fight in the arena. There will be built the Roman Forum, the slave market, craft shops of the era with master classes, will be organized the theatrical performances keeping all the ancient canons in mind.
Among other activities of the festival are Roman bakery, casting arrows, antique forging, stamping and coloring fabrics, creating Roman sandals and jewelry, embroidery, antique hair styles, ancient board games.
For children there will be a separate area dedicated to mythology: the gods and heroes of ancient Greece, Scylla and Charybdis, Trojan horse, Labyrinth of the Minotaur.
The main event will be a triumph – a solemn, big furnished entrance crowned with glory for a commander-winner. In this Triumph will take part hundreds of people, bulls, leopard, perhaps even an elephant.
The guests will also have a chance to do something with their own hands, for example, squeeze olive oil or get a taste of antiquity – a Roman wine ; )
On 2nd and 3rd May will be organized jousting tournaments of St. George, partially reproducing the brightest part of the festival. The equestrian jousting tournament will be held according to the rules of the XV century and will bring together the best fighters from around the world. According to the organizers, the number of direct participants in the fights is increasing every year.
Just like in the Middle Ages, taking part in the joust is an expensive pleasure. To set a knight costs about the same as Mercedes-Benz C-Class. Many come with their horses, because a Knight and a horse – are two inseparable figures in the joust. Endless fights will go for 2 days.
Joust may be conducted on a regular basis, as the first stage of the festival “Times and Epochs.” The number of its visitors is increasing every year – this time a new record is expected – and it is possible that the festival will soon go beyond the Kolomenskoe.
Don’t worry if you can’t make it this year, as in 2016 it is planned to hold a gala festival that will unite all the festivals for the last 5 years: Ancient Russia, Muscovy Royalty, Middle Ages, Great era of 1914-2014, Ancient Rome.
Local events: Times And Epochs Festival 2015 in Moscow. Photo rustur.ru