Moscow is a city of a million possibilities, and this statement concerns not only the material side of life. The capital can be compared to a huge mosaic, in which each element is a work of art, and together bright and original scattered fragments make up a surprisingly attractive ensemble.
It is impossible to see even one hundredth of Moscow sights in a few days, but it is quite possible to have a great weekend, making a plan and visiting the most interesting places. Especially for you, we have compiled an overview of the most famous historical and architectural monuments, parks, squares, districts, streets and museums. We hope that this list will help you not only have a good rest, but also get a lot of unique information about the city, its past and present.
Red Square
Red Square is the place from which it is customary to begin acquaintance with Moscow. This is the heart of the capital and a wonderful historical and architectural monument that embodied in stone all the milestones of the country’s formation. Since its foundation, the square has played a big role in the socio-political life of Russia. From here the soldiers went on distant campaigns, royal decrees were read here, and people’s meetings were held in difficult moments.
Each object located here is an integral part of an impeccable architectural mosaic, without which the appearance of Red Square will lose its harmonious beauty. Main attractions: the building of the Historical Museum, the legendary GUM, the Spasskaya Tower with a chiming clock, the Resurrection Gate, St. Basil’s Cathedral, the Cathedral of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God, the necropolis near the Kremlin wall, the Lenin Mausoleum, the Execution Ground.
GUM
GUM is the most famous supermarket in the post-Soviet space. The legendary shopping complex was built in 1893 by architect Pomerantsev and engineer Loleit, who used only advanced technologies for their time to implement a complex project. Behind a single facade in the pseudo-Russian style, under a unique glass dome, 16 buildings were hidden, connected by passages. More than a thousand shops, several ateliers, hairdressers, restaurants, bank branches, a telegraph office, exhibition halls and a cinema worked here. Before the revolution, GUM had no analogues in Europe either in scope or technical equipment.
Now almost all the world’s flagship brands are represented in GUM, there is also a modern cinema, many cafes and restaurants, and a large skating rink is filled every year. Unique historical sights have been preserved here: a beautiful fountain – the same age as the supermarket itself, Gastronome No. 1 – opened by Mikoyan as a material addition to the book “On Tasty and Healthy Food”, Canteen No. 57 – a classic catering establishment of the Soviet period.
Alexander Garden
The Alexander Garden was built on the site of the channel of the Neglinka River hidden underground according to the project of the architect Beauvais. It was part of the plan for the restoration of Moscow after the great fire of 1812. The well-maintained public space, according to the plan of Alexander I, became a memorial complex in honor of the victory of our army over Napoleon’s army, as well as a popular resting place for Muscovites of all classes.
The garden, which consisted of three zones: the Upper, Middle and Lower Gardens, has partially retained its original layout and most of the historical sights. The most interesting objects located on the territory of the park are: the Italian grotto, or the “Ruins” grotto, built by Bove; a monument-obelisk, opened in 1913 in honor of the 300th anniversary of the Romanov dynasty; a monument to Patriarch Hermogenes, created by graduates of the school of Ilya Glazunov; a fountain complex with sculptures by Tsereteli; monument to Alexander I and others.
The territory of the Moscow Kremlin
The territory of the Moscow Kremlin is a unique ensemble consisting of historical and architectural monuments of the XIV-XX centuries. In the very center, on Cathedral Square, there are ancient churches: Arkhangelsk, Assumption, Annunciation, as well as the churches of the Deposition of the Robe and the Terem Palace, the Patriarch’s Chambers with the Church of the Twelve Apostles and the bell tower of Ivan the Terrible. The buildings of the Senate of the 18th century and the Arsenal from the reign of Peter the Great are located on Senatskaya and Troitskaya squares.
Kremlin visitors have access to seven state museums with priceless collections of rarities: the Armory, museums in the Annunciation, Assumption and Archangel Cathedrals, expositions in the Ivan the Great Bell Tower and in the Church of the Deposition of the Robe. A walk through the territory of the Moscow Kremlin is an amazing immersion in the past of the country, which will give you an acquaintance with the stunning monuments of ancient architecture and the glorious history of Russia.
Teatralnaya Square
Teatralnaya Square is one of the hallmarks of Moscow and a cult place for connoisseurs of art. Its history and development are inextricably linked with the fate of the legendary Bolshoi Theatre, the final project of which, like the square itself, was developed by the architect Beauvais. Time has made some adjustments to the overall layout, but many of its original features have remained unchanged.
Now the square is dominated by an alliance of iconic cultural objects: the beautiful building of the Bolshoi Theater with architecture in the style of early eclecticism, the Youth and Maly theaters. The buildings of the Central Department Store, the Moscow and Metropol hotels, and the Poltoratsky apartment building harmoniously complement the overall picture. The heart of the square is decorated with a fountain created by Giovanni Vitali. Comfortable benches are located along the perimeter of its luxurious bowl. Among the sights it is necessary to highlight the monuments to Karl Marx and Ostrovsky, as well as two cozy landscaped squares.
Observation deck of the Central Children’s Store
On the roof of the historical building of the department store “Children’s World” there is an unusual observation deck, which immediately became one of the most popular viewing points in Moscow. Its originality lies in the fact that only from here you can see the central sights of the city from a non-standard angle – not from the outside, but as if from the inside.
From the roof of the Central Children’s Museum, as in the palm of your hand, you can clearly see: the Moscow and Metropol hotels, the Lubyanskaya Square ensemble with the complex of buildings of the Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation, the Nautilus shopping center, the Polytechnic Institute, all the buildings located on the even and odd sides of Novaya Square up to before its transition to Staraya and Kitaygorodsky proezd, the tower of the insurance company on Ilyinka and the famous house on Kotelnicheskaya embankment. It also offers a good view of the Kremlin and Red Square with St. Basil’s Cathedral and the Spasskaya Tower. The site is equipped with viewing binoculars and a reliable fence, which ensures the complete safety of visitors.
Kolomenskoye Museum-Reserve
Kolomenskoye was once a royal residence, and now it is a unique monument of ancient Russian architecture and a huge open-air museum of national culture. On an area of 225 hectares, surrounded by picturesque gardens, there are ancient temples and carved towers, beautiful palaces and the rarest examples of wooden buildings brought to Kolomenskoye from different regions of the former empire.
The most striking sights of the museum-reserve: the restored palace of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich with authentic interiors; churches of the Ascension of the Lord, the Beheading, St. George the Victorious, the Kazan Church, the Colonel’s Chambers of the 17th century, the Front Gate, which served as the main entrance to the royal residence. On the territory of Kolomenskoye there is a museum of wooden architecture, which includes the house of Peter the Great, the towers of the Nikolo-Korelsky monastery, the Bratsk and Sumy jails, and an old honey factory.
Museum-Reserve “Tsaritsyno”
Tsaritsyno is a luxurious monument of landscape art and a unique palace complex, fully designed in the Russian Gothic style. Beautiful architecture and amazingly picturesque nature, historical heritage and a unique cultural code, left by many prominent people who often visited Tsaritsyno, merged here.
On the territory of the reserve there are the Big and Small Palaces, the Opera House and the Bread House, the Cavalry Corps, the restored Greenhouse Complex and a luxurious landscape park with pavilions, gazebos and picturesque ponds. Collections of paintings by Russian and European artists, objects of arts and crafts are presented in the Grand Palace and the Bread House. The Opera House houses the Palace within a Palace exposition; interesting temporary exhibitions are regularly held in open-air pavilions.
