Moscow Москва́
Moscow Highlights
Neighbourhoods at a Glance
Moscow Kremlin
St Basil's Cathedral
Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts
State Tretyakov Gallery Main Branch
Gorky Park
Sights
Activities
Tours
Festivals & Events
Sleeping
Eating
Drinking & Nightlife
Entertainment
Shopping
Country Estates
Istra
Borodino
Moscow Москва́
%495, 496, 498, 499 / Pop 12.5 million / Time Moscow Time (GMT/UTC plus three hours)
Why Go?
The state becomes more authoritarian. International relations deteriorate. But Moscow keeps getting cooler, more cosmopolitan and more creative. The capital is bursting with energy, as factories and warehouses are converted into art galleries and post-industrial nightclubs; parks are overrun with healthy, active, sporty types; and chefs experiment with their own interpretations of international cooking.
The ancient city has always been a haven for history buffs: the red-brick towers of the Kremlin occupy the founding site of Moscow; monuments and churches remember fallen heroes and victorious battles; and remains of the Soviet state are scattered all around. But now museums are broaching subjects long brushed under the carpet. The capital is even experiencing an unprecedented growth in birth rates. From artistry and history to recreation and procreation, Moscow is a cauldron of creativity.
When to Go
AMay–Jun Long hours of daylight and mild temperatures entice Muscovites outdoors.
ASep Moscow celebrates City Day, as the foliage turns the capital splendid shades of orange, red and yellow.
ADec The snow-covered city hosts its premier cultural event, the December Nights Festival.
AStand-out seasons to visit are late spring and early autumn. Summer is also pleasant, and long hours of sunlight bring out revellers.
Best Places to Eat
A Twins
Best Places to Stay
Moscow Highlights
1 Red Square Be awestruck by the Kremlin's tall towers and St Basil's on the city's central square.
2 Gorky Park Hang out with Moscow’s hipsters – ride bikes, admire art, play ping-pong or dance under the stars.
3 Cafe Pushkin Splurge on a Russian feast amid faux-18th-century opulence.
4 Bolshoi Theatre Enjoy world-class ballet and opera at this historic theatre.
5 Tretyakov Gallery Ogle the icons, peruse the Peredvizhniki and contemplate avant-garde art
6 Sanduny Baths Steam your cares away at this luxurious banya.
7 Moscow metro Travel underground for a cheap history lesson and art exhibit all in one.
History
Moscow is first mentioned in the historic chronicles in 1147, when Prince Yury Dolgoruky invited his allies to a banquet: ‘Come to me, brother, please come to Moscow’. It was Yury who ordered the construction of a moat-ringed wooden palisade on the hilltop, the first Kremlin. Traders and artisans set up just outside the Kremlin’s walls turning Moscow into an economic as well as strategic centre.
Medieval Moscow
In the early half of the 13th century, the ferocious Golden Horde, a Mongol-led army of nomadic tribesmen, burned Moscow to the ground and killed its governor. The Golden Horde was mainly interested in tribute, and Moscow was conveniently situated to monitor the river trade and road traffic. As Moscow prospered, its political fortunes rose too. It soon surpassed Vladimir and Suzdal as the regional capital.
In the 1380 Battle of Kulikovo, Moscow’s Grand Prince Dmitry defeated the Golden Horde on the banks of the Don River. He was thereafter immortalised as Dmitry Donskoy. From this time, Moscow acted as champion of the Russian cause.
Towards the end of the 15th century, Moscow emerged as an expanding autocratic state. Under the long reign of Grand Prince Ivan III (the Great), the eastern Slav principalities were consolidated into a single territorial entity. In 1480 Ivan’s army faced down the Mongols at the Ugra River without a fight: the 200-year Mongol yoke was lifted.
Subsequently, Ivan III renovated the Kremlin, adding its brick walls and imposing watchtowers. Next to the Kremlin, traders and artisans congregated in Kitay Gorod, and a stone wall was erected around these commercial quarters. The city developed in concentric rings outward from this centre. As it emerged as a political capital, Moscow also took on the role of religious centre. In the mid-15th century, the Russian Orthodox Church was organised, independent of the Greek Church. Under Ivan IV (the Terrible), the city earned the nickname ‘Gold-Domed Moscow’ because of the multitude of monastery fortresses and magnificent churches constructed within them.
Imperial Moscow
In 1712, Peter the Great, who hated Moscow, announced the relocation of the capital to a swampland in the northwest that would become St Petersburg. Moscow fell into decline, later exacerbated by an outbreak of bubonic plague.
By the turn of the 19th century, Moscow had recovered from its gloom. By this time, the city hosted Russia’s first university, museum and newspaper. Moscow’s intellectual and literary scene gave rise to a nationalist-inspired Slavophile movement, which celebrated the cultural features of Russia that were distinctive from the West.
In the early 1800s Tsar Alexander I decided to resume trade with England, in violation of a treaty Russia had made with France. A furious Napoleon Bonaparte set out for Moscow with the largest military force the world had ever seen. The Russian army engaged the advancing French at the Battle of Borodino, 130km from Moscow. More than 100,000 soldiers lay dead at the end of this inconclusive one-day fight. Shortly thereafter, Napoleon entered a deserted Moscow. By some accounts, defiant Muscovites burned down their city rather than see it occupied. French soldiers tried to topple the formidable Kremlin, but its sturdy walls withstood their pummelling.
The city was swiftly rebuilt following Napoleon’s final defeat. Monuments were erected to commemorate Russia’s hard fought victory, including a Triumphal Arch and the grandiose Cathedral of Christ the Saviour. Meanwhile, the city’s two outer defensive rings were replaced with the tree-lined Boulevard Ring and Garden Ring roads.
By midcentury, industry overtook commerce as the city’s economic driving force. With a steady supply of cotton from Central Asia, Moscow became a leader in the textile industry, and was known as ‘Calico Moscow’. By 1900, Moscow claimed more than one million inhabitants.
Red Moscow
The Bolshevik coup provoked a week of street fighting in Moscow, leaving more than 1000 dead. In 1918, fearing a German assault on St Petersburg, Lenin ordered that the capital return to Moscow.
In the 1930s Josef Stalin launched an industrial revolution, at the same time devising a comprehensive urban plan for Moscow. On paper, it appeared as a neatly organised garden city; unfortunately, it was implemented with a sledgehammer. Historic cathedrals and monuments were demolished, including landmarks such as the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour and Kazan Cathedral. In their place appeared the marble-bedecked metro and neo-Gothic skyscrapers.
When Hitler launched ‘Operation Barbarossa’ into Soviet territory in June 1941, Stalin was caught by surprise. By December the Nazis were just outside Moscow, within 30km of the Kremlin, but an early winter halted the advance. In the Battle of Moscow, war hero General Zhukov staged a brilliant counteroffensive and saved the city from capture.
Stalin's successor, Nikita Khrushchev, a former mayor of Moscow, introduced wide-ranging reforms and promised to improve living conditions. Huge housing estates grew up round the city's outskirts. The expansion continued under Leonid Brezhnev. As the Soviet Union emerged as a military superpower, the aerospace, radio-electronics and nuclear weapons ministries operated factories and research laboratories in and around the capital. By 1980 the city’s population surpassed eight million.
Transitional Moscow
Mikhail Gorbachev came to power in March 1985 with a mandate to revitalise the ailing socialist system; he promoted Boris Yeltsin as the new head of Moscow. Yeltsin’s populist touch made him an instant success with Muscovites and he embraced the more open political atmosphere.
On 18 August 1991 the city awoke to find tanks in the streets. Gorbachev had been arrested and a self-proclaimed ‘Committee for the State of Emergency in the USSR’ proclaimed itself in charge. Crowds gathered at the White House to build barricades. Yeltsin, from atop a tank, declared the coup illegal. When KGB snipers didn’t shoot, the coup – and Soviet communism – was over. By the year’s end Boris Yeltsin had moved into the Kremlin.
The first years of transition were fraught with political conflict. In September 1993 Yeltsin issued a decree to shut down the Russian parliament. Events turned violent. The army intervened on the president’s side and blasted the parliament into submission. In all, 145 people were killed and another 700 wounded – the worst single incident of bloodshed in the city since the Bolshevik takeover in 1917.
In 1992 Yury Luzhkov was appointed as Moscow's mayor by Yeltsin; he would go on to win three elections to the position while building himself and his family a commercial empire. The city government retained ownership of property in Moscow, giving Luzhkov’s administration unprecedented control over would-be business ventures, and making him as much a CEO as a mayor.
While the rest of Russia struggled to survive the collapse of communism, Moscow quickly emerged as an enclave of affluence and dynamism. The new economy spawned a small group of ‘New Russians’, routinely derided and often envied for their garish displays of wealth.
In September 1999 a series of mysterious explosions in Moscow left more than 200 people dead. It was widely believed, although unproven, that Chechen terrorists were responsible for the bombings. This was the first of many terrorist attacks in the capital that were linked to the ongoing crisis in Chechnya, the worst of which was a siege of a Moscow theatre in 2002 that resulted in 120 deaths and hundreds of illnesses.
Millennium Moscow
In 2010, after 18 years in the job Luzhkov was replaced as Moscow mayor by Sergei Sobyanin, the former head of the presidential administration under Putin. Sobyanin promised a shift away from big business and huge construction projects to improving the city for regular-guy residents. To a large extent he has delivered as Moscow is gradually but noticeably becoming an easier, cleaner, more pleasant place to live.
While many Muscovites have lapped up the bread-and-circuses policies of the Putin-friendly city administration, not all are satisfied to sit back and accept politics as usual. In 2017, for the first time in years, a wave of anti-corruption protests took place in Moscow (and around the country). With the presidential election in 2018 – and Putin's certain participation – there are bound to be more. Still, most Muscovites are not in the mood for revolution.
Despite the conservative mood, Moscow has still managed to become one of Europe's coolest and most creative capitals. Gone are the days when the city was defined by New Russians' excessive displays of wealth. Nowadays, the capital's movers and shakers are the innovators – the artists, architects, designers and chefs – who are shaping the city's aesthetic and atmosphere.
Neighbourhoods at a Glance
1Kremlin & Kitay Gorod
Red Square and the Kremlin are the historical, geographic and spiritual heart of Moscow, as they have been for nearly 900 years. The mighty fortress, the iconic onion domes of St Basil’s Cathedral and the granite mausoleum of Vladimir Ilych Lenin are among the city’s most important historical sights. The surrounding streets of Kitay Gorod are crammed with churches and old architecture. This is the starting point for any visit to Moscow.
2Tverskoy & Novoslobodsky
Moscow's busiest, swankiest and most commercialised district is also home to 20-plus theatres and concert halls, including the world-famous Bolshoi Theatre, several renowned galleries and – last but not least – the opulent Sanduny Baths. Beyond the Garden Ring, Tverskoy blends into the more relaxed Novoslobodsky district, home of the Jewish Museum and a cluster of bustling bars and restaurants around Mendeleyevskaya metro station.
3Meshchansky & Basmanny
Covering a large swathe of central Moscow, Meshchansky is markedly laid-back compared with its neighbouring districts. Here you'll find fewer offices, dominated as it is by prerevolutionary residential buildings. Beyond the Garden Ring, Basmanny is an area of 19th-century red-brick factories, now taken over by innovative postmodern galleries, cool cafes and digital startups. South of the Yauza, Taganskaya pl is a monster intersection that can be difficult to navigate, but the area is home to a few unusual sights, including Bunker-42 and the Museum of the Russian Icon.
4Presnya
The vast, diverse Presnya district spans the centuries, with a remarkable blend of building styles from the last three. The district’s ample attractions include its impressive and varied architecture, several noteworthy literary sites, and more traditional venues such as the zoo and planetarium. Presnya is also home to many of Moscow’s top restaurants, including the highly lauded Cafe Pushkin. The former textile factory at Tryokhgornaya (Трёхгорная Мануфактура фирменный магазин
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; www.trekhgorka.ru; Rochdelskaya ul 15; 
h9.30am-8.30pm Mon-Sat, 10am-6pm Sun; 
mBarrikadnaya) is fast becoming a centre for nightlife and dining.
5Arbat & Khamovniki
The side-by-side districts of Arbat and Khamovniki are rich with culture. Moscow’s most famous street, ul Arbat, is something of an art market, complete with portrait painters and soapbox poets, while the nearby streets are lined with museums and galleries, including the world-class Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts. Khamovniki is home to the ancient Novodevichy Convent and Cemetery, as well as several unique newer museums. Further out, it's worth a trip to the south side of the Moscow River for certain key destinations, such as triumphant Park Pobedy.
6Zamoskvorechie
With its low-rise buildings, quaint courtyards and multitude of onion domes, Zamoskvorechie is like a provincial Russian town that somehow ended up in central Moscow. The people responsible for the lingering old-world ambience are kuptsy (merchants) who populated the area until the 19th century and had completely different lifestyles and habits to the nobility living across the river. But modernity is very much present thanks to the ever-expanding gentrification belt that stretches along the river, showcasing beautifully renovated parks, art spaces and hipster clusters filled with restaurants and bars.
TOP SIGHT
Moscow Kremlin
The apex of Russian political power and once the centre of the Orthodox Church, the Kremlin is not only the kernel of Moscow but of the whole country. From here, autocratic tsars, communist dictators and modern-day presidents have done their best – and worst – for Russia. These red-brick walls and tent-roof towers enclose 800 years of artistic accomplishment, religious ceremony and political clout.
Don't Miss
AAssumption Cathedral
AArchangel Cathedral
AAnnunciation Cathedral
AThe Armoury
Practicalities
AКремль
A%495-695 4146
AR500
Ah10am-5pm Fri-Wed, ticket office 9.30am-4.30pm Fri-Wed
AmAleksandrovsky Sad
Entrance Towers & Around
The Kutafya Tower (Кутафья башня
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), which forms the main visitors’ entrance today, stands apart from the Kremlin’s west wall, at the end of a ramp over the Alexander Garden (Александровский сад
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; mAleksandrovsky Sad). Pass through the Kremlin walls beneath the 1495 Trinity Gate Tower (Троицкая башня
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); at 80m it's the tallest of the Kremlin’s towers.
Immediately inside the Trinity Gate Tower, the lane to the right (south) passes the 17th-century Poteshny Palace (Потешный дворец
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), which housed the first Russian theatre and where Stalin later lived. The bombastic marble, glass and concrete State Kremlin Palace (Государственный Кремлёвский дворец
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; %495-620 7846; www.kremlinpalace.org/en), built between 1960 and 1961 for Communist Party congresses, is now home to the Kremlin Ballet.
Arsenal & Senate
North of the State Kremlin Palace is the 18th-century Arsenal (Арсенал MAP GOOGLE MAP ), commissioned by Peter the Great to house workshops and depots for guns and weaponry. Now home to the Kremlin Guard, the building is ringed with 800 captured Napoleonic cannons.
The offices of the president of Russia are in the yellow, triangular former Senate (Сенат MAP GOOGLE MAP ) building, a fine 18th-century neoclassical edifice, east of the Arsenal.
Patriach's Palace
Built for Patriarch Nikon mostly in the mid-17th century, the highlight of the Patriarch’s Palace (Патриарший дворец MAP GOOGLE MAP ) is the ceremonial Cross Hall (Крестовая палата), where the tsar’s and ambassadorial feasts were held. From here you can access the five-domed Church of the Twelve Apostles (Церковь двенадцати апостолов), which has a gilded, wooden iconostasis and a collection of icons by leading 17th-century icon painters.
Assumption Cathedral
On the northern side of Sobornaya pl, the Assumption Cathedral (Успенский собор MAP GOOGLE MAP ) is the focal church of prerevolutionary Russia and the burial place of most of the heads of the Russian Orthodox Church from the 1320s to 1700. If you have limited time, come straight here. The visitors entrance is at the western end.
The delicate single-domed Church of the Deposition of the Robe, beside the west door of the Assumption Cathedral, was built between 1484 and 1486 in exclusively Russian style.
Ivan the Great Bell Tower
With its two golden domes rising above the eastern side of Sobornaya pl, the Ivan the Great Bell Tower (Колокольня Ивана Великого
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; R250; h10am-5pm Apr-Oct) is the Kremlin's tallest structure – a landmark visible from 30km away. Before the 20th century it was forbidden to build any higher in Moscow. Purchase a ticket to the architectural exhibit inside for a specifically timed admission to climb the 137 steps to the top for sweeping views.
Beside (not inside) the tower stands the world’s biggest bell (Царь-колокол MAP GOOGLE MAP ), a 202-tonne monster that has never rung.
Archangel & Annunciation Cathedrals
The Archangel Cathedral (Архангельский собор MAP GOOGLE MAP ) was for centuries the coronation, wedding and burial church of tsars. It was built by Ivan Kalita in 1333 to commemorate the end of the great famine, and dedicated to Archangel Michael, guardian of the Moscow princes.
The Annunciation Cathedral (Благовещенский собор MAP GOOGLE MAP ), at the southwest corner of Sobornaya ploshchad, contains impressive murals in the gallery and an archaeology exhibit in the basement.
Great Kremlin & Armoury
The 700-room Great Kremlin Palace (Большой Кремлёвский дворец
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), built as an imperial residence between 1838 and 1849, is now an official residence of the Russian president, used for state visits and receptions. Apart from the Armoury (Оружейная палата
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; adult/child R700/free; htours 10am, noon, 2.30pm & 4.30pm Fri-Wed; mAleksandrovsky Sad), it’s not open to the public.
Buy your time-specific ticket to the Armoury when you buy your ticket to the Kremlin. A one-hour audio guide is available to point out some of the collection's highlights. In Room 2, you'll find the renowned Easter eggs made by St Petersburg jeweller Fabergé.
If the Armoury hasn’t sated your lust for bling, there are more in the separate Diamond Fund Exhibition (Алмазный фонд России
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; %495-629 2036; www.gokhran.ru; R500; h10am-1pm & 2-5pm Fri-Wed). Security is super tight and you are not allowed to bring cameras, phones or bags of any sort.
TOP SIGHT
St Basil's Cathedral
At the southern end of Red Square stands the icon of Russia: St Basil’s Cathedral. This crazy confusion of colours, patterns and shapes is the culmination of a style that is unique to Russian architecture. In 1552 Ivan the Terrible captured the Tatar stronghold of Kazan on the Feast of Intercession. He commissioned this landmark church, officially the Intercession Cathedral, to commemorate the victory.
Don't Miss
AChurch of St Vasily the Blessed
APortals from the vestry to the central church
AIcon of the Old Testament Trinity
AIcon of the Life of St Alexander Nevsky
Practicalities
AПокровский собор, Храм Василия Блаженного
Aadult/student R400/150
Ahticket office 11am-5pm Nov-Apr, to 6pm May-Oct
AmPloshchad Revolyutsii
Exterior
Created from 1555 to 1561, the cathedral’s apparent anarchy of shapes hides a comprehensible plan of nine main chapels. The tall, tent-roofed tower in the centre houses the namesake Church of the Intercession of the Mother of God. The four biggest domes top four octagonal-towered chapels: the Church of Sts Cyprian & Justina, Church of the Holy Trinity, Church of the Icon of St Nicholas the Miracle Worker, and the Church of the Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem.
Legend has it that Ivan had the architects blinded so that they could never build anything comparable. This is a myth, however, as records show that they were employed a quarter of a century later (and four years after Ivan’s death) to add an additional chapel to the structure.
Interior
The Church of St Vasily the Blessed, the northeastern chapel on the 1st floor, contains the canopy-covered crypt of its namesake saint, one of the most revered in Moscow. This 10th chapel – the only one at ground level – was added in 1588, after the saint's death. Look for the icon depicting St Vasily himself, with Red Square and the Kremlin in the background.
With whitewashed walls and a spiralling symbol of eternity painted in the vault, the light-filled Church of the Holy Trinity is a favourite. A gorgeous 16th-century chandelier is suspended from the 20m ceiling. But the gem of the room is the unusual iconostasis.
TOP SIGHT
Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts
This is Moscow’s premier foreign-art museum, split over three branches and showing off a broad selection of European works, including masterpieces from ancient civilisations, the Italian Renaissance and the Dutch Golden Age, not to mention an incredible collection of Impressionist and post-Impressionist paintings in the 19th and 20th Century Art Gallery.
Don't Miss
ATreasures of Troy
AGolden Age of Dutch Art
AImpressionist and post-Impressionist collections
Practicalities
AМузей изобразительных искусств им Пушкина
A%495-697 9578
Aul Volkhonka 12
Asingle/combined galleries R300/550
Ah11am-7pm Tue, Wed & Fri-Sun, to 9pm Thu
AmKropotkinskaya
Main Building
The main building will remain open during the construction of the new museum complex on ul Volkhonka, which is expected to be completed in 2019. After the opening of the new complex, the exhibits are likely to change locations.
The Ancient Civilization exhibits contain a surprisingly excellent collection, complete with ancient Egyptian weaponry, jewellery, ritual items and tombstones. The Greek and Italian Courts contain examples from the museum's original collection, which was made up of plaster-cast reproductions of the masterpieces from Ancient Greece and Rome, as well as from the Renaissance.
The 17th and 18th centuries dominate the 2nd floor, with several sections devoted to Italian and French artists. The highlight of the museum is the selection of Dutch masterpieces in rooms 9 through 11. Rembrandt is the star of the show, with many paintings on display, including his moving Portrait of an Old Woman.
There is a separate gallery for the Rococo period, featuring some appropriate dreamy paintings by Boucher.
Other Buildings
The separate 19th & 20th Century Art Gallery (
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; www.arts-museum.ru; ul Volkhonka 14; adult/student R300/150; h11am-7pm Tue-Sun, to 9pm Thu; mKropotkinskaya) contains a famed assemblage of Impressionist and post-Impressionist works, based on the collections of two well-known Moscow art patrons, Sergei Shchukin and Ivan Morozov.
The Museum of Private Collections (Музей личных коллекций
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; www.artprivatecollections.ru; ul Volkhonka 10; entry prices vary; hnoon-8pm Wed-Sun, to 9pm Thu; mKropotkinskaya) shows off complete collections donated by private individuals.
TOP SIGHT
State Tretyakov Gallery Main Branch
The exotic boyar castle on a little lane in Zamoskvorechie contains the world’s best collection of Russian icons and an outstanding collection of other prerevolutionary Russian art. The building was designed by Viktor Vasnetsov between 1900 and 1905. The gallery started as the private collection of the 19th-century industrialist brothers Pavel and Sergei Tretyakov.
Don't Miss
AMikhail Vrubel’s mural The Princess of the Dream
AA Knight at the Crossroads by Viktor Vasnetsov
AIvan the Terrible and his Son Ivan by Ilya Repin
Practicalities
AГосударственная Третьяковская Галерея
ALavrushinsky per 10
Aadult/child R500/200
Ah10am-6pm Tue, Wed & Sun, to 9pm Thu-Sat, last tickets 1hr before closing
AmTretyakovskaya
Second Floor
The tour of the gallery begins on the 2nd floor, where 18th- to 20th-century artists are exhibited. In the 1870s, daring artists started to use their medium to address social issues, thus founding the Peredvizhniki (Wanderers) movement. Artists to look out for include Vasily Perov (room 17), Ivan Kramskoi (room 20), Ivan Shishkin (room 25), Vasily Vereshchagin (room 27) and Nicholas Ge (room 31).
Ilya Repin (rooms 29 and 30) is perhaps the most beloved Russian realist painter. Mikhail Vrubel (rooms 32 to 34) was a Symbolist-era artist who defies classification.
First Floor
Moving into the 20th century, artists such as Konstantin Korovin (room 43) and Pavel Kuznetsov (room 46) began to reject the rules of realism. Nikolai Rerikh (Nicholas Roerich) shows off his fantastical storytelling style in room 47.
Room 55 houses the Treasury, with its collection of metals, jewellery, embroidery and precious knickknacks. Icons are found in rooms 56 to 62. Andrei Rublyov’s Holy Trinity (1420s) from Sergiev Posad, regarded as Russia’s greatest icon, is in room 60.
Contemporary exhibits are housed in the Engineer’s Building, next to the main building.
TOP SIGHT
Gorky Park
Moscow's main city getaway is not your conventional expanse of nature preserved deep inside an urban jungle. Its mission is to mix leisure and culture in equal proportions. Designed in the 1920s by avant-garde architect Konstantin Melnikov as a piece of communist utopia, these days it showcases the enlightened transformation Moscow has undergone in recent years.
Don't Miss
AGarage Museum of Contemporary Art
ADancing under Andreyevsky Bridge
AView from the top of the arch that contains Gorky Park Museum
ABoules at Le Boule
Activities
Activities include cycling, rollerblading, beach volleyball, extreme sports, table tennis and even pétanque. There are several bicycle- and skate-rental places around the park, with one conveniently located under the Andreyevsky pedestrian bridge. In winter, the ponds are flooded, turning the park into the city’s biggest ice-skating rink (Парк Горького
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; %495-237 1266; ul Krymsky val; h10am-3pm & 5-11pm Tue-Sun; mPark Kultury).
Head southwest along the river, past Andreyevsky Bridge, and you'll find yourself in Neskuchny Sad. Much less crowded than Gorky Park, full of shade, and criss-crossed by walking and cycling paths, it contains several sports facilities, including tennis courts, open-air table tennis and an open-air gym.
Culture
Art objects pop up throughout the park as part of various exhibitions and festivals, but the Garage Museum of Contemporary Art plays the flagship role.
The open-air Pioner cinema shows films after dark, although almost all are entirely in Russian. Its new competitor, Garage Screen, is located in front of Garage Museum of Contemporary Art.
The grand colonnaded arch that serves as the park's front entrance now contains a museum (Музей Парка Горького
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; %495-995 0020; ul Krymsky val 9, str 11; adult/student R300/150; mOktyabrskaya, Park Kultury), its exhibition largely comprised of old photographs and screens showing Soviet-era newsreels about the park. The main reason for paying the hefty entrance fee is to access the roof of the arch from which there are sweeping views of the park and surrounds.
Greater Moscow
1Sights
4Sleeping
5Eating
3Entertainment
1Sights
Kremlin & Kitay Gorod
oRed SquareHISTORIC SITE
(Красная площадь
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; Krasnaya pl; mPloshchad Revolyutsii)
Immediately outside the Kremlin’s northeastern wall is the celebrated Red Square, the 400m-by-150m area of cobblestones that is at the very heart of Moscow. Commanding the square from the southern end is St Basil’s Cathedral. This panorama never fails to send the heart aflutter, especially at night.
The word krasnaya in the name means 'red' now, but in old Russian it meant 'beautiful' and Krasnaya ploshchad lives up to this epithet. Furthermore, it evokes an incredible sense of import to stroll across the place where so much of Russian history has unfolded. Note that the square is often closed for various celebrations or their rehearsals, so allow some leeway in your schedule.
State History MuseumMUSEUM
(Государственный исторический музей
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; www.shm.ru; Krasnaya pl 1; adult/student R350/100, audio guide R300; hticket office 10am-5pm Mon, Wed, Thu & Sun, to 9pm Fri & Sat; mOkhotny Ryad)
At the northern end of Red Square, the State History Museum has an enormous collection covering Russian history from the time of the Stone Age. The building, dating from the late 19th century, is itself an attraction – each room is in the style of a different period or region, some with highly decorated walls echoing old Russian churches.
The exhibits about medieval Rus are excellent, with several rooms covering the Mongol invasions and the consolidation of the Russian state. The 2nd floor is dedicated to the Imperial period, with exhibits featuring personal items of the royals, furnishings and decoration from the palace interiors, and various artworks and documents from the era. Specific rooms are dedicated to the rules of various tsars. An unexpected highlight is an exhibit addressing the expansion of the Russian Empire by examining the growing network of roads and how people travelled.
Saviour Gate TowerTOWER
(Спасская башня MAP GOOGLE MAP )
The Kremlin’s ‘official’ exit onto Red Square is the stately red-brick Saviour Gate Tower. This gate – considered sacred – has been used for processions since tsarist times. The two white-stone plaques above the gate commemorate the tower’s construction in 1491. The current clock was installed in the gate tower in the 1850s. Hauling 3m-long hands and weighing 25 tonnes, the clock takes up three of the tower’s 10 levels. Its melodic chime sounds every 15 minutes across Red Square.
Church of the Trinity in NikitnikiCHURCH
(Церковь Троицы в Никитниках
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; Ipatyevsky per; mKitay-Gorod)
Hidden between big government blocks, this little gem of a church is an exquisite example of Russian baroque. Built in the 1630s, its onion domes and tiers of red-and-white spade gables rise from a square tower. Its interior is covered with 1650s gospel frescoes by Simon Ushakov and others. A carved doorway leads into St Nikita the Martyr’s Chapel, above the vault of the Nikitnikov merchant family, who were among the patrons who financed the church's construction.
The Kremlin & Kitay Gorod
1Sights
2Activities, Courses & Tours
6Drinking & Nightlife
7Shopping
Tomb of the Unknown SoldierMEMORIAL
(Могила неизвестного солдата MAP GOOGLE MAP )
The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier contains the remains of one soldier who died in December 1941 at Km41 of Leningradskoe sh – the nearest the Nazis came to Moscow. This is a kind of national pilgrimage spot, where newlyweds bring flowers and have their pictures taken. The inscription reads: ‘Your name is unknown, your deeds immortal.’ Every hour on the hour, the guards perform a perfectly synchronised ceremony to change the guards on duty.
Polytechnical MuseumMUSEUM
(Политехнический музей
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; www.polymus.ru; Novaya pl 3/4; mLubyanka)
Occupying the entire block of Novaya pl, this giant museum showcases the history of Russian science, technology and industry. Indeed, it has claimed to be the largest science museum in the world. The museum was closed for a long overdue renovation and update at the time of research, promising a 'fundamentally new museum and education centre' by 2018. In the meantime, a temporary exhibit has been set up at the VDNKh.
War of 1812 MuseumMUSEUM
(Музей отечественной войны 1812 года
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; www.shm.ru; pl Revolyutsii 2; adult/child R350/150; h10am-6pm Sun-Thu, to 9pm Fri & Sat, closed Mon Sep-May; mPloshchad Revolyutsii)
Part Russian Revival, part neo-Renaissance, this red-brick beauty was built in the 1890s as the Moscow City Hall and later served as the Central Lenin Museum. It was converted into the War of 1812 Museum in honour of the war's 200-year anniversary. Artwork, documents, weapons and uniforms are all on display, with good multimedia exhibits offering a detailed depiction of the events and effects of the war.
Church of the Deposition of the RobeCHURCH
(Церковь Ризоположения MAP GOOGLE MAP )
This delicate single-domed church was built between 1484 and 1486 in exclusively Russian style. It was the private chapel of the heads of the Church, who tended to be highly suspicious of such people as Italian architects.
Synod Printing HouseHISTORIC BUILDING
(Печатный двор Синод
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; Nikolskaya ul 15; mPloshchad Revolyutsii)
Now housing the Russian State University for the Humanities, this elaborately decorated edifice is where Ivan Fyodorov reputedly produced Russia’s first printed book, The Apostle, in 1563. You can see a statue of the man himself nearby. Spiralling Solomonic columns and Gothic windows frame the lion and unicorn, who are facing off in the centre of the facade.
Monastery of the EpiphanyMONASTERY
(Богоявленский монастырь
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; Bogoyavlensky per 2; mPloshchad Revolyutsii)
This monastery is the second-oldest in Moscow, founded in 1296 by Prince Daniil, son of Alexander Nevsky. The current Epiphany Cathedral – with its tall, pink, gold-domed cupola – was constructed in the 1690s in the Moscow baroque style. If you're lucky, you may hear the bells ringing forth from the old wooden belfry nearby.
Tretyakovsky ProezdSTREET
(Третьяковский проезд
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; mTeatralnaya)
The gated walkway of Tretyakovsky proezd (originally built in the 1870s) leads from Teatralny proezd into Kitay Gorod. Nearby, you can see where archaeologists uncovered the 16th-century fortified wall that used to surround Kitay Gorod, as well as the foundations of the 1493 Trinity Church. There is also a statue of Ivan Fyodorov, the 16th-century printer responsible for Russia's first book.
Resurrection GateGATE
(Воскресенские ворота MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Krasnaya pl)
At the northwestern corner of Red Square, Resurrection Gate provides a great vantage point for your first glimpse of the square. With its twin red towers topped by green tent spires, the original 1680 gateway was destroyed because Stalin thought it an impediment to the parades and demonstrations held in Red Square. This exact replica was built in 1995.
Vladimir I StatueMONUMENT
(Памятник Владимиру Великому MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Borovitskaya pl)
In 2016 Vladimir Putin unveiled a new monument dedicated to his namesake Vladimir I, ruler of Kyivan Rus from 980 to 1015. At 17m high, the massive statue towers over the surrounding Borovitskaya pl. Vladimir is credited with uniting the fledgling Russian state and establishing the Orthodox Church.
Chambers of the Romanov BoyarsMUSEUM
(Палаты бояр Романовых
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; www.shm.ru; ul Varvarka 10; mKitay-Gorod)
This small but interesting museum is devoted to the lives of the Romanov family, who were mere boyars (nobles) before they became tsars. The house was built by Nikita Romanov, whose grandson Mikhail later became the first tsar of the 300-year Romanov dynasty. Exhibits show the house as it might have been when the Romanovs lived here in the 16th century. Enter from the rear of the building. The museum was closed for renovation at the time of research.
Old English CourtMUSEUM
(Палаты старого Английского двора
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; www.mosmuseum.ru; ul Varvarka 4a; adult/child R200/100; h10am-6pm Tue, Wed & Fri-Sun, 11am-9pm Thu; mKitay-Gorod)
This reconstructed 16th-century house, white with wooden roofs, was the residence of England’s first emissaries to Russia (sent by Elizabeth I to Ivan the Terrible).
It also served as the base for English merchants, who were allowed to trade duty-free in exchange for providing military supplies to Ivan. Today, it houses a small exhibit dedicated to this early international exchange.
Archaeological MuseumMUSEUM
(Музей археологии Москвы
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; www.mosmuseum.ru; Manezhnaya pl 1; adult/child R300/150; h10am-8pm Tue, Wed & Fri-Sun, 11am-9pm Thu; mOkhotny Ryad)
An excavation of Voskresensky Bridge (which used to span the Neglinnaya River at the foot of Tverskaya ul) uncovered coins, clothing and other artefacts from old Moscow. The museum displaying these treasures is situated in a 7m-deep underground pavilion that was formed during the excavation itself. The entrance is at the base of the Four Seasons Moscow hotel.
Manege Exhibition CentreGALLERY
(Выставочный центр Манеж
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; http://moscowmanege.ru; Manezhnaya pl; exhibits R200-300; h11am-8pm Tue-Sun; mBiblioteka im Lenina)
The long, low neoclassical building is Moscow Manege, a vast space that is used for art exhibitions and other events. In the works is a permanent exhibit dedicated to the iconic Soviet sculpture Worker & Kolkhoz Woman, on display at VDNKh. Other events are wide-ranging, including exhibitions, concerts, poetry readings, film screenings and more.
Zaikonospassky MonasteryMONASTERY
(Заиконоспасский монастырь
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; Nikolskaya ul 7-9; mPloshchad Revolyutsii)
This monastery was founded by Boris Godunov in 1600, although the church was built in 1660. The name means ‘Behind the Icon Stall’, a reference to the busy icon trade that once took place here. The now-functioning, multitiered Saviour Church is tucked into the courtyard away from the street.
MOSCOW IN ...
Two Days
Spend a day seeing what makes Moscow famous: St Basil’s Cathedral, Lenin’s Mausoleum and the Kremlin (including the bling in the Armoury). After lunch, stroll through Kitay Gorod discovering the countless 17th-century churches. Dine on trendy ul Petrovka, perhaps at Lavka-Lavka, then take in a show at the world-famous Bolshoi Theatre.
On your second day, admire the art and architecture at Novodevichy Convent, then head next door to the eponymous cemetery. Make your way into the Arbat district for an afternoon of art appreciation at the Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts or at one of the smaller niche galleries. In the evening, stroll along the Arbat enjoying the atmosphere of old Moscow.
Four Days
On your third day, get an early start to beat the crowds to the Tretyakov Gallery. Grab lunch at Mizandari at Red October. then stroll along Krymskaya naberezhnaya, where you can frolic in fountains and explore the outdoor art gallery at Art Muzeon. Then head across the street to Gorky Park for bicycle riding or boat paddling. Stay into the evening for drinking and dancing under the stars.
Reserve the morning on your last day for shopping at Izmaylovsky Market, crammed with souvenir stalls. On your way back to the centre, make a stop at Flakon and Khlebozavod No 9 or Winzavod to see the arty happenings in Moscow’s former industrial spaces. Indulge in a farewell feast at Cafe Pushkin.
DON'T MISS
LENIN'S MAUSOLEUM & KREMLIN WALL
Although Vladimir Ilych requested that he be buried beside his mum in St Petersburg, he still lies in state at the foot of the Kremlin wall, receiving visitors who come to pay their respects. Line up at the western corner of the square (near the entrance to Alexander Garden) to see the embalmed leader, who has been here since 1924. Note that photography is not allowed and stern guards ensure that all visitors remain respectful and silent.
After trooping past the embalmed figure, emerge from the mausoleum and inspect the Kremlin wall, where other communist heavy hitters are buried, including Lenin's successor Josef Stalin; Leonid Brezhnev; Felix Dzerzhinsky, the founder of the Cheka (forerunner of the KGB); respected Bolshevik Inessa Armand, rumored to have been Lenin’s lover; Yury Gagarin, the first man in space; and John Reed, the American author of Ten Days that Shook the World, a first-hand account of the revolution.
Tverskoy & Novoslobodsky
oHermitage GardensPARK
(Сады Эрмитажа
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; www.mosgorsad.ru; ul Karetny Ryad 3; h24hr; mPushkinskaya)
F
All the things that have improved Moscow parks no end in recent years fill this small, charming garden to the brim. Today, it is possibly the most happening place in Moscow, where art, food and crafts festivals, and concerts, occur almost weekly, especially in summer. Apart from the welcoming lawns and benches, it boasts a large children's playground, a summer cinema and a cluster of food and crafts kiosks. Come here to unwind and mingle with the coolest Muscovites.
Museum of Soviet Arcade MachinesMUSEUM
(
MAP
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; %495-628 4515; http://15kop.ru; ul Kuznetsky most 12; incl tour R450; h11am-9pm; mKuznetsky Most)
Growing up in 1980s USSR was a peculiar, but not necessarily entirely bleak experience. Here is an example – a collection containing dozens of mostly functional Soviet arcade machines. At the entrance, visitors get a paper bag full of 15-kopek Soviet coins, which fire up these recreational dinosaurs that would look at home in the oldest episodes of Star Trek.
Central Museum of the Armed ForcesMUSEUM
(Центральный музей Вооружённых Сил
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %495-681 6303; www.cmaf.ru; ul Sovetskoy Armii 2; adult/student R200/100; h10am-4.30pm Wed-Fri & Sun, to 6.30pm Sat; mDostoyevskaya)
Covering the history of the Soviet and Russian military since 1917, this massive museum occupies 24 halls plus open-air exhibits. Over 800,000 military items, including uniforms, medals and weapons, are on display. Among the highlights are remainders of the American U2 spy plane brought down in the Ural Mountains in 1960 and the victory flag raised over Berlin’s Reichstag in 1945.
Tverskoy, Meshchansky & Basmanny
1Sights
4Sleeping
5Eating
6Drinking & Nightlife
3Entertainment
7Shopping
8Information
Glinka Museum of Musical CultureMUSEUM
(Музей музыкальной культуры Глинки
MAP
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; %495-739 6226; www.glinka.museum; ul Fadeeva 4; R200; hnoon-7pm Tue-Sun; mMayakovskaya)
This musicologist's paradise boasts over 3000 instruments – handcrafted works of art – from the Caucasus and the Far East. Russia is very well represented – a 13th-century gusli (traditional instrument similar to a dulcimer) from Novgorod, skin drums from Yakutia, a balalaika (triangular instrument) by the master Semyon Nalimov – but you can also see such classic pieces as a violin made by Antonio Stradivari. Recordings accompany many of the rarer instruments, allowing visitors to experience their sound.
Church of the Nativity of the Virgin in PutinkiCHURCH
(Церковь Рождества Богородицы в Путинках
MAP
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; ul Malaya Dmitrovka 4; mPushkinskaya)
When this church was completed in 1652, Patriarch Nikon responded by banning tent roofs like those featured here. Apparently, he considered such architecture too Russian, too secular and too far removed from the Church’s Byzantine roots. Fortunately, the Church of the Nativity has survived to grace this corner near Pushkinskaya pl.
Moscow Museum of Modern ArtMUSEUM
(Московский музей современного искусства; MMOMA
MAP
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; www.mmoma.ru; ul Petrovka 25; adult/student R450/250, joint ticket for 3 venues R500/300; hnoon-8pm Tue, Wed & Fri-Sun, 1-9pm Thu; mChekhovskaya)
A pet project of the ubiquitous artist Zurab Tsereteli, this museum is housed in a classical 18th-century merchant’s home, originally designed by Matvei Kazakov (architect of the Kremlin Senate). It is the perfect light-filled setting for an impressive collection of 20th-century paintings, sculptures and graphics, which include both Russian and foreign artists. The highlight is the collection of avant-garde art, with works by Chagall, Kandinsky and Malevich.
Museum of Decorative & Folk ArtMUSEUM
(Всероссийский музей декоративно-прикладного и народного искусства
MAP
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; %495-609 0146; www.vmdpni.ru; Delegatskaya ul 3 & 5; adult/student R250/130; h10am-6pm Sun, Mon, Wed & Fri, to 9pm Thu, noon-8pm Sat; mTsvetnoy Bulvar)
Just beyond the Garden Ring, this museum showcases centuries-old arts-and-crafts traditions from around Russia and the former Soviet republics. Of the 40,000 pieces in the collection, you might see khokhloma (lacquered) woodwork from Nizhny Novgorod, including wooden toys and matryoshki (nested) dolls; baskets and other household items made from birch bark, a traditional Siberian technique; intricate embroidery and lacework from the north, as well as the ubiquitous Pavlov scarves; and playful Dymkovo pottery and Gzhel porcelain.
Gulag History MuseumMUSEUM
(Музей истории ГУЛАГа
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %495-621 7310; www.gmig.ru; 1-y Samotechny per 9 str 1; adult/student R300/150; h11am-6pm Tue, Wed & Fri, noon-8pm Thu; mDostoyevskaya)
Stalin's genocide is a subject many Russians prefer to forget rather than reflect on, but this modern multimedia space serves as both a learning centre and a memorial to the millions who perished in concentration camps for ‘enemies of the people’. The centrepiece display of objects handmade by prisoners is especially moving.
M’ARS Contemporary Art CentreGALLERY
(Центр Современного Искусства М’АРС
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; www.marsgallery.ru; Pushkarev per 5; R950-1300; h2-8pm Tue-Fri, noon-10pm Sat & Sun; mTsvetnoy Bulvar, Sukharevskaya)
Founded by artists who were banned during the Soviet era, this gallery space includes 10 exhibit halls showing the work of top contemporary artists, as well as a cool cafe in the basement. The target audience here is people who invest in art – hence the high admission prices.
Detsky MirHISTORIC BUILDING
(
MAP
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; %495-777 8077; www.detmir.ru; Teatralny pr 5/1; h10am-10pm; 
c)F
Dominated by the infamous KGB compound, Lubyanskaya pl made adults shiver in Soviet times, but children dreamed of coming here, because another stately edifice in the square was filled with toys and goods intended entirely for them. Although the 1950s interior was lost in a 2008 reconstruction, it's worth visiting this children's department store to check out Soviet toy fashions at the Museum of Childhood and admire sweeping views of central Moscow from a rooftop observation point above it.
Contemporary History MuseumMUSEUM
(Музей современной истории России
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %495-699 6724; www.sovr.ru; Tverskaya ul 21; adult/student R250/100; h10am-6pm Tue-Sun; mPushkinskaya)
Complete with stone lions, this opulent mansion was built to host the English Club – a venue favoured by Anglophile gentlemen and native Brits in tsarist times. After a stint as the Revolution Museum in the Soviet era, it now houses exhibitions that trace Russian history from the 1905 and 1917 revolutions up to present days.
Upper St Peter MonasteryMONASTERY
(Петровский монастырь
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; cnr ul Petrovka & Petrovsky bul; h8am-8pm; mChekhovskaya)
The Upper St Peter Monastery was founded in the 1380s as part of an early defensive ring around Moscow. The main, onion-domed Virgin of Bogolyubovo Church dates from the late 17th century. The loveliest structure is the brick Cathedral of Metropolitan Pyotr, restored with a shingle roof. When Peter the Great ousted the Regent Sofia in 1690, his mother was so pleased she built him this church.
Dostoevsky House-MuseumMUSEUM
(Дом-музей Достоевского
MAP
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; %495-681 1085; ul Dostoevskogo 2; adult/student R150/50; h11am-5.30pm Tue & Fri-Sun, to 6.30pm Wed & Thu; mDostoyevskaya)
Though this renowned Russian author is more closely associated with St Petersburg, Fyodor Dostoevsky was actually born in Moscow, where his family lived in a tiny apartment on the grounds of Mariinsky Hospital. He lived here until the age of 16, when he went to St Petersburg to enter a military academy. The family’s Moscow flat has been recreated according to descriptions written by Fyodor’s brother.
Vasnetsov House-MuseumMUSEUM
(Дом-музей Васнецова
MAP
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; %495-681 1329; www.tretyakovgallery.ru; per Vasnetsova 13; adult/student R300/150; h10am-5pm Wed-Sun; mSukharevskaya)
Viktor Vasnetsov was a Russian-revivalist painter, who drew inspiration from fairy tales and village mysticism. In 1894 he designed his own house in Moscow, which is now a museum. Fronted by a colourful gate, it is a charming home in neo-Russian style filled with the original wooden furniture, a tiled stove and many of the artist’s paintings. The attic studio, where he once worked, is now adorned with paintings depicting Baba Yaga and other characters from Russian fairy tales.
Tverskaya PloshchadHISTORIC SITE
(Тверская площадь MAP GOOGLE MAP )
A statue of the founder of Moscow, Yury Dolgoruky, presides over this prominent square near the bottom of Tverskaya ul. So does Mayor Sergei Sobyanin, as the buffed-up five-storey building opposite is the Moscow mayor’s office.
DON'T MISS
PARK ZARYADYE
Opening in late 2017 and rolling out over 2018 is Park Zaryadye, Moscow's first major new park in 50 years. Occupying a prominent site along the Moscow River, wedged into historic Kitay Gorod and a short walk from Red Square, it has been designed by the New York firm Diller Scofidio & Renfro (DS&R).
The 13-hectare park will include four different areas representing Russia's geographic zones – tundra, steppe, forest and wetlands – flowing seemlessly into each other. The most anticipated feature, perhaps, is a sort of bridge to nowhere, which stretches out across Moskvoretskaya nab and over the Moscow River, then loops back to Zaryadye.
In addition to the parkland, Zaryadye will contain a vast outdoor amphitheatre and several new museums, built into the hillsides and showcasing Russia's natural resources and richness.
The centrepiece is the Media Centre, where visitors can watch aerial-view films on a 39m movie screen. In the Time Machine Room, the history of Russia unfolds on a 360-degree screen that surrounds the viewers. Other exhibits and videos show off various national parks and promote travel within Russia.
The Zapavednaya Posolstvo (Conservation Embassy) will be a state-of-the-art museum featuring a large terrarium and laboratory space, offering many educational programs. A separate ice cave – kept below freezing year-round – will feature the creations of Arctic ice artist Alexander Ponomarev.
The smaller Podzemniy Museum (Underground Museum) is an archaeological exhibition, showing off a piece of the old Kitay Gorod wall that was uncovered during excavation.
Finally, the Zaryadye Park Pavilion (Павильон парка 'Зарядье' MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Moskvoretskaya ul) serves as a museum of Park Zaryadye, providing an overview of the park and its development.
DON'T MISS
JEWISH MUSEUM & CENTRE OF TOLERANCE
Occupying a heritage garage, purpose-built to house a fleet of Leyland double-deckers that plied Moscow's streets in the 1920s, this vast museum, filled with cutting-edge multimedia technology, tackles the uneasy subject of relations between Jews and the Russian state over the centuries. The exhibition relates the stories of pogroms, Jewish revolutionaries, the Holocaust and Soviet anti-Semitism in a calm and balanced manner. The somewhat limited collection of material exhibits is compensated for by the abundance of interactive video displays.
We especially like those that encourage visitors to search for answers to dilemmas faced by early 20th-century Jews – to stand up and fight, to emigrate or to assimilate and keep a low profile.
Russia's Jewish population was quite small until the 18th century, when the empire incorporated a vast chunk of Poland then inhabited by millions of Yiddish-speaking Jews. They were not allowed to move into Russia proper until the early 20th century – a policy that became known as the Pale of Settlement. This led to the perception of Jews as an ethnic, rather than religious group, which still lingers today.
Meshchansky & Basmanny
Aptekarsky OgorodGARDENS
(Аптекарский огород
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; www.hortus.ru; pr Mira 26; adult/student R300/200; h10am-10pm May-Sep, to 5pm Oct-Apr; mProspekt Mira)
Moscow's lovely botanic garden was established in 1706. Originally owned by the Moscow general hospital to grow herbs and other medicinal plants, its name translates, unsurprisingly, as Pharmacy Garden. Visitors can wander along the trails, enjoy an exhibition of ornamental plants and explore three greenhouses containing plants from more southerly climes.
LubyankaHISTORIC BUILDING
(Лубянка
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; Lubyanskaya pl; mLubyanka)
Easily the most feared edifice in Russia, looming on the northeastern side of Lubyanskaya pl is the brain centre behind Stalin's genocidal purges and the network of concentration camps known as Gulag. The building came into life circa 1900 as the headquarters of an insurance company, but was taken over by the CheKa (Bolshevik secret police) in 1919 and remained in the hands of its successors – OGPU, NKVD, MGB and finally KGB. The building is not open to the public.
Sakharov CentreMUSEUM
(
MAP
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; %495-623 4401; www.sakharov-center.ru; ul Zemlyanoy val 57; h11am-7pm Tue-Sun; mChkalovskaya)F
South of Kursky vokzal, by the Yauza River, is a small park with a two-storey house containing a human-rights centre named after Russia's most famous dissident. Inside is a museum recounting the life of Sakharov, the nuclear-physicist-turned-human-rights-advocate, detailing the years of repression in Russia and providing a history of the courage shown by the dissident movement. Free English-language tours are available on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday; book in advance.
Chistye PrudyPARK
(Чистые пруды
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; Chistoprudny bul; mChistye Prudy)
Clean Ponds is the lovely little pond that graces the Boulevard Ring at the ul Pokrovka intersection. The Boulevard Ring is always a prime location for strolling, but the quaint pond makes this a particularly desirable address. Paddle boats in summer and ice skating in winter are essential parts of the ambience. Buy a coffee, find a bench or sit on the grass, and watch the world go by.
SokolnikiPARK
(Сокольники
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; c; mSokolniki)F
Changed beyond recognition in recent years, Sokolniki park is criss-crossed by cycling paths, and blends into a proper forest bordering on Losiny Ostrov national park (Национальный парк Лосиный остров). The area by the entrance (a short walk from Sokolniki metro station), centred on a fountain, is full of cool places to eat and welcoming benches. Further away, to the left of the entrance, is a funfair with rides and carousels. Another attraction is the Rosarium (Розариум), a manicured rose garden.
Museum of the Russian IconMUSEUM
(Частный музей русской иконы
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; www.russikona.ru; ul Goncharnaya 3; h11am-7pm Thu-Tue; mTaganskaya)F
This museum houses the private collection of Russian art patron Mikhail Abramov. He has personally amassed a collection of more than 4000 pieces of Russian and Eastern Christian art, including some 600 icons. The collection is unique in that it represents nearly all schools of Russian iconography. Highlights include Simon Ushakov’s 17th-century depiction of the Virgin Odigitria and an icon of St Nikolai Mirlikiisky.
Novospassky MonasteryMONASTERY
(Новоспасский монастырь
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %495-676 9570; www.spasnanovom.ru; Verkhny Novospassky proezd; h7am-7pm; mProletarskaya)F
Novospassky Monastery, a 15th-century fort-monastery, is about 1km south of Taganskaya pl. The centrepiece of the monastery, the Transfiguration Cathedral, was built by the imperial Romanov family in the 1640s in imitation of the Kremlin’s Assumption Cathedral. Frescoes depict the history of Christianity in Russia, while the Romanov family tree, which goes as far back as the Viking Prince Rurik, climbs one wall. The other church is the 1675 Intercession Church.
Choral SynagogueNOTABLE BUILDING
(Московская Хopaльнaя Cинaгoга
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; Bolshoy Spasoglinishchevsky per 10; h9am-6pm; mKitay-Gorod)
Construction of a synagogue was banned inside Kitay Gorod, so Moscow’s oldest and most prominent synagogue was built just outside the city walls, not far from the Jewish settlement of Zaryadye. Construction started in 1881 but dragged on, due to roadblocks by the anti-Semitic tsarist government. It was finally completed in 1906 and was the only synagogue that continued to operate throughout the Soviet period, despite attempts to convert it into a workers’ club.
Yelokhovsky CathedralCHURCH
(
MAP
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; http://elohov.ru; Spartakovskaya ul 15; mBaumanskaya)F
Built between 1837 and 1845, the Church of the Epiphany in Yelokhovo has been Moscow’s senior Orthodox cathedral since 1943. With five domes in a Russian eclectic style, the cathedral is full of gilt and icons, not to mention worshippers kneeling, polishing and lighting candles. In the northern part is the tomb of St Nicholas the Miracle Worker.
Rublyov Museum of Early Russian Culture & ArtMUSEUM
(Музей древнерусской культуры и искусства им Андрея Рублёва
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; www.rublev-museum.ru; Andronevskaya pl 10; R250-400; h11am-6pm Mon, Tue, Fri & Sat, 2-9pm Thu; mPloshchad Ilycha)
On the grounds of Andronikov Monastery, the Rublyov Museum exhibits icons from days of yore and the present. Unfortunately, it does not include any work by its acclaimed namesake artist, though it is still worth visiting, not least for its romantic location. Andrei Rublyov, the master of icon painting, was a monk here in the 15th century. He is buried in the grounds, but no one knows quite where.
Bunker-42 Cold War MuseumMUSEUM
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %495-500 0554; www.bunker42.com; 5-y Kotelnichesky per 11; tours adult/student from R2200/1300; hby appointment; mTaganskaya)
On a quiet side street near Taganskaya pl, a nondescript neoclassical building is the gateway to the secret Cold War–era communications centre. The facility was meant to serve as the communications headquarters in the event of a nuclear attack. As such, the building was just a shell, serving as an entryway to the 7000-sq-metre space 60m underground. Now in private hands, the facility has been converted into a sort of a museum dedicated to the Cold War.
Vysotsky Cultural CentreMUSEUM
(Культурный центр Высоцкого
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; www.vysotsky.ru; Nizhny Tagansky tupik 3; R150; h11am-6pm Tue & Wed, Fri-Sun, 1-9pm Thu; mTaganskaya)
Part museum, part performance space, part art exhibit, this cultural centre pays tribute to local legend Vladimir Vysotsky (1938–80). Singer and songwriter, poet and actor, Vysotsky was one of the Soviet Union’s most influential pop-culture figures, thanks mostly to the witty lyrics and social commentary in his songs. The permanent exhibit features a slew of photos and documents, as well as personal items, such as the bard’s guitar.
WORTH A TRIP
VDNKH & OSTANKINO
Palaces for workers! There is no better place to see this Soviet slogan put into practice than at VDNKh (
MAP
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; mVDNKh), which stands for Exhibition of Achievements of the National Economy. Built in 1939, the place feels like a Stalinesque theme park, with palatial pavilions, each designed in its own unique style to represent all the Soviet republics and various industries, from geology to space exploration. A thorough reconstruction, under way at the time of writing, is expected to breathe new life into the area.
Highlights include the People's Friendship Fountain surrounded by 16 gilded female figures dressed in ethnic costumes representing Soviet republics (the mysterious 16th figure stands for the Karelo-Finnish republic disbanded in 1956); the jaw-dropping Stone Flower Fountain, themed around Ural Mountains miners' mythology, and covered in semiprecious stones from the area; and the powerful Worker & Kolkhoz Woman (
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; %495-683 5640; http://moscowmanege.ru; R200; hnoon-9pm Tue-Sun; mVDNKh) monument designed by Vera Mukhina for the Soviet pavilion at 1937's Paris Expo.
Approaching VDNKh from the metro, the soaring 100m titanium obelisk is a monument 'To the Conquerors of Space’, built in 1964 to commemorate the launch of Sputnik. In its base is the Cosmonautics Museum (
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; www.kosmo-museum.ru; R250; h11am-7pm Tue, Wed & Fri-Sun, to 9pm Thu; mVDNKh), featuring cool space paraphernalia such as the first Soviet rocket engine and the moon rover Lunokhod. An inspiring collection of space-themed propaganda posters evokes the era of the space race.
To the west is Ostankino TV Tower (Останкинская башня
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; %8-800-100 5553; https://tvtower.ru; adult/child R1000/500; h10am-10pm Mon-Thu, to 11pm Fri-Sun; mVDNKh). The 337m-high observation deck offers 360-degree views and – horror! – a bit of glass floor. Admission is by guided tour, which take place hourly and must be booked in advance; bring your passport. There's a 40% discount on 10am and 11am tours during weekdays.
HOTEL METROPOL
The Hotel Metropol is among Moscow’s finest examples of art nouveau architecture. The decorative panel on the hotel’s central facade, facing Teatralny proezd, is based on a sketch by the artist Mikhail Vrubel. It depicts the legend of the Princess of Dreams, in which a troubadour falls in love with a kind and beautiful princess and travels across the seas to find her. He falls ill during the voyage and is near death when he finds his love. The princess embraces him, but he dies in her arms. Naturally, the princess reacts to his death by renouncing her worldly life. The ceramic panels were made at the pottery workshop at Savva Mamontov’s estate in Abramtsevo.
The ceramic work on the side of the hotel facing Teatralnaya pl is by the artist Alexander Golovin. The script was originally a quote from Nietzsche: ‘Again the same story: when you build a house you notice that you have learned something’. During the Soviet era, these wise words were replaced with something more appropriate for the time: ‘Only the dictatorship of the proletariat can liberate mankind from the oppression of capitalism’. Lenin, of course.
Presnya
oMikhail Bulgakov MuseumMUSEUM
(Музей Михаила Булгакова
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; www.bulgakovmuseum.ru; Bolshaya Sadovaya ul 10; adult/child R150/50; hnoon-7pm Tue, Wed & Fri-Sun, 2-9pm Thu; mMayakovskaya)
Author of The Master and Margarita and Heart of a Dog, Mikhail Bulgakov was a Soviet-era novelist who was labelled a counter-revolutionary and censored throughout his life. His most celebrated novels were published posthumously, earning him a sort of cult following in the late Soviet period. Bulgakov lived with his wife, Tatyana Lappa, in a flat in this block, which now houses an arts centre and theatre (Булгаковский Дом и Театр
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; www.dombulgakova.ru; 1st fl, Bolshaya Sadovaya ul 10; h1-11pm, to 1am Fri & Sat) on the ground floor, and a small museum in their actual flat.
oMoscow PlanetariumPLANETARIUM
(Московский планетарий
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; www.planetarium-moscow.ru; Sadovaya-Kudrinskaya ul 5; Large Star Hall R550-750, Small Star Hall R100-200; h10am-10pm Wed-Mon; mBarrikadnaya)
The planetarium has become one of the biggest and brightest stars on the Moscow museum circuit, now incorporating all kinds of high-tech gadgetry, interactive exhibits and educational programs. The centrepiece is the Large Star Hall (the biggest in Europe!), with its 25m silver dome roof, a landmark that is visible from the Garden Ring. Narration for the shows is available in multiple languages.
NarkomfinNOTABLE BUILDING
(Наркомфин
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; Novinsky bul 25; mBarrikadnaya)
The model for Le Corbusier’s Unité d’Habitation design principle, this architectural landmark was an early experiment in semicommunal living. Designed and built in the 1920s by Moisei Ginzburg and Ignatii Milinis, Narkomfin offered housing for members of the Commissariat of Finances. In line with constructivist ideals, communal space is maximised and individual space is minimised. Apartments have minute kitchens (or none at all) to encourage residents to eat in the communal dining room. Tours are available through Moscow ArchiGeek.
Having been in a semiruinous state for many years, Narkomfin is finally slated for restoration – a three-year project that began in late 2017. The architect overseeing the project is Alexey Ginzburg, grandson of the original architect, who intends to preserve and restore as much of the constructivist detail as possible. The apartments are likely to remain in private hands but the communal block is expected to house a cultural centre and museum that will hopefully be open to the public.
Presnya
1Sights
6Drinking & Nightlife
3Entertainment
8Information
Museum of Oriental ArtMUSEUM
(Музей искусства народов востока
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; %495-691 0212; www.orientmuseum.ru; Nikitsky bul 12a; R400; h11am-8pm Tue-Sun; mArbatskaya)
This impressive museum on the Boulevard Ring holds three floors of exhibits spanning the Asian continent. Of particular interest is the 1st floor, dedicated mostly to the Caucasus, Central Asia and North Asia (meaning the Russian republics of Cukotka, Yakutia and Priamurie). Several rooms on the 2nd floor are dedicated to Nikolai Rerikh, the Russian artist and explorer who spent several years travelling and painting in Asia.
Patriarch’s PondsPARK
(Патриаршие пруды
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; Bolshoy Patriarshy per; mMayakovskaya)
Patriarch’s Ponds hark back to Soviet days, when the parks were populated with children and babushky. Today you’ll see grandmothers pushing strollers and lovers kissing on park benches. In summer, children romp on the swings, while winter sees them ice skating on the pond. The small park has a huge statue of 19th-century Russian writer Ivan Krylov, known to Russian children for his didactic tales.
Moscow ZooZOO
(Московский зоопарк
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; www.moscowzoo.ru; Bolshaya Gruzinskaya ul 1; R500; h10am-8pm Tue-Sun Apr-Sep, to 5pm Oct-Mar; c; mBarrikadnaya)
Renovations in honour of the zoo's 150th anniversary are ongoing, but the place should be in great shape in coming years. Huge flocks of feathered friends populate the central ponds, making for a pleasant stroll for birdwatchers. For a new perspective on Moscow’s nightlife, check out the nocturnal animal exhibit. Other highlights include the big cats (featuring Siberian tigers) and the polar bears. For more four-legged fun, follow the footbridge to see exhibits featuring animals from each continent.
Ryabushinsky MansionMUSEUM
(Особняк Рябушинского
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; Malaya Nikitskaya ul 6/2; adult/student R400/150; h11am-5.30pm Wed-Sun; mPushkinskaya)
Also known as the Gorky House-Museum, this fascinating 1906 art nouveau mansion was designed by architect Fyodor Shekhtel and gifted to celebrated author Maxim Gorky in 1931. The house is a visual fantasy with sculpted doorways, ceiling murals, stained glass, a carved stone staircase and exterior tilework. Besides the fantastic decor it contains many of Gorky’s personal items, including his extensive library.
Moscow Museum of Modern Art TverskoyMUSEUM
(MMOMA;
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; www.mmoma.ru; Tverskoy bul 9; R150; hnoon-8pm; mPushkinskaya)
This small exhibition space, known as the ‘Zurab Gallery', was formerly the studio of sculptor Zurab Tsereteli. As such, the space has seen many talented artists, musicians and writers among its guests. Nowadays it is an offshoot of the main MMOMA outlet on ul Petrovka, and continues to host exhibitions, performances and cultural events. Be sure to check the website to see what’s on, as the museum often closes between shows.
Museum of Russian ImpressionismMUSEUM
(
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; www.rusimp.su; Bldg 11, Leningradsky pr 15; R250; h11am-8pm Fri-Tue, noon-9pm Wed-Thu; mBelorusskaya)
Few Russian artists embraced the Impressionist moniker, but many were influenced by the movement's style and techniques. At Moscow's newest art museum, billionaire art collector Boris Mint aims to educate and impress Muscovites (and visitors) about this important niche, at the same time showcasing his own collection, which includes works by the likes of Valentin Serov, Boris Kustodiev and Konstantin Korovin. The museum occupies part of the former Bolshevik chocolate factory – the sugar silo, to be exact. Sweet!
Gogol HouseMUSEUM
(Дом Гоголя
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; www.domgogolya.ru; Nikitsky bul 7; R150; hnoon-7pm Tue, Wed & Fri, 2-9pm Thu, noon-5pm Sat & Sun; mArbatskaya)
The 19th-century writer Nikolai Gogol spent his final tortured months here. The rooms – now a small but captivating museum – are arranged as they were when Gogol lived in them. You can even see the fireplace where he famously threw his manuscript of Dead Souls.
Tsereteli Studio-MuseumMUSEUM
(Музей-мастерская Зураба Церетели
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; www.mmoma.ru; Bolshaya Gruzinskaya ul 15; adult/child R250/150; hnoon-8pm Fri-Wed, 1-9pm Thu; c; mBelorusskaya)
Moscow’s most prolific artist has opened up his ‘studio’ as a space to exhibit his many masterpieces. You can’t miss this place – whimsical characters adorn the front lawn. They give just a tiny hint of what’s inside: a courtyard crammed with bigger-than-life bronze beauties and elaborate enamelwork.
The highlight work is undoubtedly Putin in his judo costume, although the huge tile Moscow cityscapes are impressive. You’ll also recognise some smaller-scale models of monuments that appear around town. Indoors, there are three floors of the master’s sketches, paintings and enamel arts.
Moscow International Business CentreAREA
(Москва-сити
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; mDelovoi Tsentr)
This strip along the Moscow River is the site of one of the capital’s largest ongoing urban projects, also known as 'Moscow City'. Here, skyscrapers of glass and steel tower 20 storeys over the rest of the city, shining like beacons to Moscow’s wheeler-dealers and fortune-seekers. The 93-storey Tower East (Vostok) of the Federation complex is the tallest building in both Russia and Europe.
DON'T MISS
FROM WORKERS' FACTORIES TO HIPSTER HANG-OUTS
Like the Bolsheviks a hundred years ago, Moscow hipsters are capturing one factory after another and redeveloping them, according to their tastes.
Flakon (
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; www.flacon.ru; ul Bolshaya Novodmitrovskaya 36; mDmitrovskaya) Arguably the most visually attractive of all the redeveloped industrial areas around Moscow, its mixture of brightly painted buildings and bare red brick resembling Portobello Rd in London. Once a glassware plant that produced bottles for the perfume industry, it is now home to dozens of funky shops and other businesses. Shopping for designer clothes and unusual souvenirs is the main reason for coming here.
Khlebozavod 9 The front entrance to this complex which was once a bread factory, is across the road from Flakon. Filling up with tenants at the time of writing, one of the early comers is Svoboda (
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; Novodmitrovskaya ul 1, str 9; hnoon-11.30pm; mDmitrovskaya), a craft-beer and music venue.
Winzavod Center for Contemporary Art (Винзавод
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; www.winzavod.ru; 4-y Syromyatnichesky per 1; mChkalovskaya). Formerly a wine-bottling factory, this post-industrial complex houses several art and photo galleries, as well as a few interesting gift shops and boutiques.
ArtPlay (
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; %495-620 0882; www.artplay.ru; ul Nizhny Syromyatnichesky per 10; hnoon-8pm Tue-Sun; mChkalovskaya) Occupying the former Manometer factory, this is home to firms specialising in urban planning and architectural design, as well as furniture showrooms and antique stores. Expect to see diverse and dynamic rotating exhibits in the display spaces.
Red October (Завод Красный Октябрь
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; Bersenevskaya nab; mKropotkinskaya) The former Red October chocolate factory is a defiant island of Russian modernity and European-ness filled with cool bars, restaurants and galleries including Lumiere Brothers Photography Centre (
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; www.lumiere.ru; Bolotnaya nab 3, bldg 1; R200-430; hnoon-9pm Tue-Fri, to 10pm Sat & Sun). A huge power-station building here was under reconstruction at the time of writing, slated to open as another major modern art venue in 2019 under the name of GES-2.
Arbat & Khamovniki
oNovodevichy ConventCONVENT
(Новодевичий монастырь
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; Novodevichy pr 1; adult/student R500/250, photos R300; hgrounds 8am-8pm, museums 9am-5pm Wed-Mon; mSportivnaya)
The Novodevichy Convent was founded in 1524 to celebrate the taking of Smolensk from Lithuania, an important step in Moscow’s conquest of the old Kyivan Rus lands. The oldest and most dominant building on the grounds is the white Smolensk Cathedral, with a sumptuous interior covered in 16th-century frescoes. Novodevichy is a functioning monastery. Women are advised to cover their heads and shoulders when entering the churches, while men should wear long pants.
Novodevichy CemeteryCEMETERY
(Новодевичье кладбище
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; Luzhnetsky pr 2; h9am-5pm; mSportivnaya)F
Adjacent to the Novodevichy Convent, the Novodevichy Cemetery is one of Moscow’s most prestigious resting places – a veritable who’s who of Russian politics and culture. Here you will find the tombs of Bulgakov, Chekhov, Gogol, Mayakovsky, Prokofiev, Stanislavsky and Eisenstein, among many other Russian and Soviet cultural luminaries. The most recent notable addition to the cemetery is former President Boris Yeltsin, whose tomb is marked by an enormous Russian flag.
oCathedral of Christ the SaviourCHURCH
(Храм Христа Спасителя
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; www.xxc.ru; ul Volkhonka 15; h1-5pm Mon, from 10am Tue-Sun; mKropotkinskaya)F
This gargantuan cathedral was completed in 1997 – just in time to celebrate Moscow's 850th birthday. It is amazingly opulent, garishly grandiose and truly historic. The cathedral’s sheer size and splendour guarantee its role as a love-it-or-hate-it landmark. Considering Stalin's plan for this site (a Palace of Soviets topped with a 100m statue of Lenin), Muscovites should at least be grateful they can admire the shiny domes of a church instead of the shiny dome of Ilyich’s head.
Melnikov HouseNOTABLE BUILDING
(Дом Мельникова
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; %495-697 8037; Krivoarbatsky per 10; hcourtyard 10am-7pm Mar-Oct, to 5pm Nov-Feb, house by appointment; mArbatskaya)
The only private house built during the Soviet period, the home of Konstantin Melnikov stands as testament to the innovation of the Russian avant-garde. The architect created his unusual home from two interlocking cylinders – an ingenious design that employs no internal load-bearing wall. It was also experimental in its designation of living space, as the whole family slept in one room, divided by narrow wall screens.
Arbat & Khamovniki
1Top Sights
1Sights
3Entertainment
7Shopping
Pushkin House-MuseumMUSEUM
(Дом-музей Пушкина
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; www.pushkinmuseum.ru; ul Arbat 53; R300; h10am-6pm Tue-Sun, noon-9pm Thu; mSmolenskaya)
After Alexander Pushkin married Natalia Goncharova at the nearby Church of the Grand Ascension, they moved to this charming blue house on the old Arbat. The museum provides some insight into the couple’s home life, a source of much Russian romanticism. (The lovebirds are also featured in a statue across the street.) The ground floor contains a broader exhibit about Pushkin in Moscow.
Moscow MuseumMUSEUM
(Музей Москвы
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; www.mosmuseum.ru; Zubovsky bul 2; adult/student R200/100; h10am-8pm Tue-Wed & Fri-Sun, 11am-9pm Thu; mPark Kultury)
The permanent history exhibit here demonstrates how the city has spread from its starting point at the Kremlin. It is heavy on artefacts from the 13th and 14th centuries, especially household items and weapons, although there is little information in English. More exciting, the museum has space to launch thought-provoking temporary exhibits, including artists' and other locals' perspectives on the city.
Tolstoy Estate-MuseumMUSEUM
(Музей-усадьба Толстого ‘Хамовники’
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; www.tolstoymuseum.ru; ul Lva Tolstogo 21; adult/student R400/200; h10am-6pm Tue, Wed & Fri-Sun, noon-8pm Thu; mPark Kultury)
Leo Tolstoy’s winter home during the 1880s and 1890s now houses an interesting museum dedicated to the writer’s home life. While it’s not particularly opulent or large, the building is fitting for junior nobility – which Tolstoy was. Exhibits here demonstrate how Tolstoy lived, as opposed to his literary influences, which are explored at the Tolstoy Literary Museum (Литературный музей Толстого
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; www.tolstoymuseum.ru; ul Prechistenka 11; adult/student R250/100; hnoon-6pm Tue-Sun; mKropotkinskaya). See the salon where Sergei Rachmaninov and Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov played piano, and the study where Tolstoy wove his epic tales.
Burganov HouseMUSEUM
(Дом Бурганова
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; %495-695 0429; www.burganov.ru; Bolshoy Afanasyevsky per 15; adult/child R150/100; h11am-7pm Sat-Wed, noon-9pm Thu; mKropotkinskaya)
Part studio, part museum, the Burganov House is a unique venue in Moscow, where the craft goes on around you, as you peruse the sculptures and other artwork on display. Comprising several interconnected courtyards and houses, the works of surrealist sculptor Alexander Burganov are artfully displayed alongside pieces from the artist’s private collection. The surrounding streets of the Arbat and Khamovniki districts also contain many examples of the artist’s work.
Multimedia Art MuseumMUSEUM
(Мультимедиа Арт Музей
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; www.mamm-mdf.ru; ul Ostozhenka 16; R500; hnoon-9pm Tue-Sun; mKropotkinskaya)
This slick, modern gallery is home to an impressive photographic library and archives of contemporary and historic photography. The facility usually hosts several simultaneous exhibits, often featuring works by prominent photographers from the Soviet period, as well as contemporary artists. The complex also hosts several month-long festivals: Photobiennale and Fashion and Style in Photography (held in alternating years).
WORTH A TRIP
SPARROW HILLS
The green hills in the south of Moscow are known as Sparrow Hills (Vorobyovy Gory). Running along the south side of the river bank, opposite the tip of the Khamovniki peninsula, is Vorobyovy Gory Nature Preserve (Воробьевы горы
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; www.vorobyovy-gory.ru; mVorobyovy Gory), a wooded hillside that is a less-developed, less-crowded extension of Gorky Park and Neskuchny Sad. The paved path that originates further north continues along the river for several kilometres, and bikes and skates are available to rent here.
Walking trails from the river bank wind up through the woods to a lookout point. From here, most of the city spreads out before you. The Stalinist spire of Moscow State University (Московский Государственный Университет; MGU
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; Universitetskaya pl; mUniversitet) towers over the square. One of Stalin's ‘Seven Sisters’, the building is the result of four years of hard labour by convicts between 1949 and 1953. It boasts an amazing 36 storeys and 33km of corridors. The shining star that sits atop the spire is supposed to weigh 12 tonnes.
WORTH A TRIP
PARK POBEDY
The Great Patriotic War – as WWII is known in Russia – was a momentous event that is still vivid in the hearts, minds and memories of many Russian citizens. Magnificent Park Pobedy (Парк Победы
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; www.poklonnaya-gora.ru; Kutuzovsky pr; hdawn-dusk; c; mPark Pobedy) at Poklonnaya Hill is a huge memorial complex commemorating the sacrifice and celebrating the triumph of the war. Unveiled on the 50th anniversary of the victory, the park includes endless fountains, monuments and museums, as well as a memorial church, synagogue and mosque.
The park's centrepiece is the massive Museum of the Great Patriotic War (Центральный музей Великой Отечественной Войны
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; www.poklonnayagora.ru; ul Bratiev Fonchenko 10; adult/child R300/200; h10am-6pm Tue-Sun Nov-Mar, to 8pm Apr-Oct; mPark Pobedy) with hundreds of exhibits, including dioramas of every major WWII battle the Russians fought in, as well as weapons, photographs, documents and other wartime memorabilia.
Zamoskvorechie
oGarage Museum of Contemporary ArtMUSEUM
(
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; %495-645 0520; www.garagemca.org; ul Krymsky val 9/32; adult/student R400/200; h11am-10pm; mOktyabrskaya)
The brainchild of Moscow art fairy Darya Zhukova, Garage is one of the capital's hottest modern-art venues. In mid-2015 the museum moved to spectacular new digs in Gorky Park – a derelict Soviet-era building, renovated by the visionary Dutch architect Rem Koolhaas. It hosts exhibitions, lectures, films and interactive educational programs, featuring Russian and international artists. A good cafe and a bookstore are also on the premises.
Art Muzeon & Krymskaya NaberezhnayaPUBLIC ART
(
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; mPark Kultury)F
Moscow's answer to London's South Bank, Krymskaya Nab (Crimea Embankment) features wave-shaped street architecture with Scandinavian-style wooden elements, beautiful flowerbeds and a moody fountain, which ejects water randomly from many holes in the ground to the excitement of children and adults alike. It has merged with the Art Muzeon park and its motley collection of Soviet stone idols (Stalin, Sverdlov, a selection of Lenins and Brezhnevs) that were ripped from their pedestals in the post-1991 wave of anti-Soviet feeling.
New Tretyakov GalleryGALLERY
(Новая Третьяковская галерея
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; www.tretyakovgallery.ru; ul Krymsky val 10; adult/child R500/200; h10am-6pm Tue, Wed & Sun, to 9pm Thu-Sat, last tickets 1hr before closing; mPark Kultury)
Moscow's premier venue for 20th-century Russian art, this branch of the Tretyakov Gallery has much more than the typical socialist-realist images of muscle-bound men wielding scythes and busty women milking cows (although there’s that, too). The exhibits showcase avant-garde artists such as Malevich, Kandinsky, Chagall, Goncharova and Popova, as well as nonconformist artists of the 1960s and 1970s who refused to accept the official style.
In the same building, Central House of Artists, also known as TsDKh, is a huge exhibit space used for contemporary-art shows. A number of galleries are also housed here on a permanent basis.
Zamoskvorechie & Taganka
1Sights
4Sleeping
7Shopping
Donskoy MonasteryMONASTERY
(Донской монастырь
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; %495-952 1646; www.donskoi.org; Donskaya ul; mShabolovskaya)
Moscow's youngest monastery, Donskoy was founded in 1591 as the home of the Virgin of the Don icon, now in the Tretyakov Gallery. This icon is credited with the victory in the 1380 battle of Kulikovo; it’s also said that, in 1591, the Tatar Khan Giri retreated without a fight after the icon showered him with burning arrows in a dream.
Danilov MonasteryMONASTERY
(Даниловский монастырь
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; www.msdm.ru; ul Danilovsky val; h7am-7pm; mTulskaya)F
The headquarters of the Russian Orthodox Church stands behind white fortress walls. On holy days this place seethes with worshippers murmuring prayers, lighting candles and ladling holy water into jugs at the tiny chapel inside the gates. The Danilov Monastery was built in the late 13th century by Daniil, the first Prince of Moscow, as an outer city defence.
WORTH A TRIP
KOLOMENSKOE MUSEUM-RESERVE
Set amid 4 sq km of picturesque parkland, on a bluff above a bend in the Moscow River, Kolomenskoe is an ancient royal country seat and a Unesco World Heritage Site. Shortly after its founding in the 14th century, the village became a favourite destination for the princes of Moscow. The royal estate is now an eclectic mix of churches and gates, as well as other buildings that were added to the complex over the years.
Outside the front gate, overlooking the river, rises Kolomenskoe’s loveliest structure, the quintessentially Russian Ascension Church (
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; pr Andropova 39; h10am-6pm Tue-Sun; mKolomenskaya). Built between 1530 and 1532 for Grand Prince Vasily III, it probably celebrated the birth of his heir, Ivan the Terrible. An important development in Russian architecture, it reproduced the shapes of wooden churches in brick for the first time.
In the mid-17th century, Tsar Alexey built a palace so fabulous it was dubbed ‘the eighth wonder of the world’. This whimsical building was famous for its mishmash of tent-roofed towers and onion-shaped eaves, all crafted from wood and structured without a single nail. Unfortunately, this legendary building was demolished in 1768 by Catherine the Great. Some 230 years later, a kitschy gingerbread replica (Дворец царя Алексея Михайловича
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; pr Andropova 39; R400; h10am-6pm Tue-Sun; mKashirskaya) was built on Kholomenskoes grounds.
Among the old wooden buildings on the grounds is Peter the Great’s cabin, where he lived while supervising ship- and fort-building at Arkhangelsk. The cabin is surrounded by a re-creation of the tsar’s orchards and gardens.