The Kremlin The oldest part of Moscow dating back to the city's foundation in 1147, and situated at the very heart of the city on top of a hill, the Kremlin is a fortress surrounded by a thick red wall interspersed with 20 towers. The complex consists of a number of glittering, golden-domed churches and palaces, museums, residences, offices, assembly halls and monuments. It was the royal regime during the Tsarist rule and from 1918, the seat of the Communist government. Cathedral Square is the religious center of Moscow and the historic heart of the Kremlin, and is home to numerous
churches. The attractive Annunciation Cathedral was set aside for the private use of royalty and contains beautifully painted murals and icons on the interior walls. The throne of Ivan the Terrible can be found in the Cathedral of the Assumption, which was used for the coronation of tsars; most of the leaders of the Russian Orthodox Church were buried here and their tombs line the walls of the spacious, richly colored interior. The Belfry of Ivan the Great is the tallest structure within the walls and a visible city landmark. At its foot lies the world's biggest bell, broken in a fall from its bell tower in 1701, and nearby is the world's largest cannon, the Tsar Cannon. Also within the Kremlin is the Armoury Palace, the richest and oldest museum housing a staggering collection of treasures gathered over the years by the church and Russian state, including jewel-studded coronation capes, thrones encrusted with diamonds, royal coaches and sleighs and the renowned jewelled Fabergé Easter eggs, each containing an exquisitely detailed miniature object of precious metal inside. The Diamond Fund Exhibition in the same building contains the 180-carat diamond given to Catherine the Great by Count Orlov. Phone Number: (095) 202 3776. Email Address: prs@kremlin.museum.ru Website: www.kremlin.museum.ru Transport: Metro stop Biblioteka imeni Lenina or Aleksandrovsky Sad Hours: Daily except Thursdays from 10am to 5pm Admission: 300 rubles; Armoury Museum 350 rubles. Concessions available
Red Square Red Square is a dramatic open cobbled space in the center of Moscow, originally the city's market place that served as a public gathering place to celebrate festivals, listen to government announcements or to witness executions, especially common during the reign of Ivan the Terrible. The Soviet state turned it into a memorial cemetery, and constructed Lenin's Mausoleum to one side - a crystal casket containing the preserved body of the founder of the Soviet Union that is still open to public viewing today. The communist government destroyed several ancient buildings around Red Square, including the Resurrection Gate and chapel, to make space for and to allow easy tank access to the demonstrations and military parades that frequented the area. The current Resurrection Gate and chapel are replicas that were built in the 1990s. Its most impressive parade involved the gathering of thousands of Russian soldiers ready to march to war against the Nazis in 1941, the rumble of tanks a demonstration of Soviet might during the Cold War. The word 'red' doesn't apply to the color of the brickwork, neither is it a reference to communism. The meaning of the word 'krasny' originally meant 'beautiful' in Old Russian, referring to St Basil's Cathedral at the southern end, but over the centuries the word changed to mean 'red' too, thus the square's present name. St Basil's Cathedral is the city's most well known building and is crowned by the bulbous multicolored domes that have made it an instantly recognizable landmark. Address: Krasnaya Ploshchad Transport: Metro stop Ploshchad Revolutsii
St Basil's Cathedral St Basil's Cathedral with its multicolored domes is the most famous image of Russia, standing on the edge of Moscow's Red Square, a striking design that was commissioned by Ivan the Terrible to commemorate his victorious military campaign against the Tartar Mongols at Kazan in 1552. Legend has it that Ivan was so overwhelmed by its beauty that he had the architect blinded to prevent him from creating anything to rival it. It comprises a central chapel surrounded by eight red brick tower-like chapels, each crowned with a different colored and uniquely patterned onion-shaped dome. The church escaped demolition many times during the city's turbulent history and with the beginning of the Soviet regime the cathedral was closed and later turned into a museum. The interior is a dimly lit maze of corridors and delicately decorated chapels, one of them housing a priceless 16th century screen decorated with icons that shields the inner sanctuary. In comparison to the exquisite exterior, the interior can seem disappointing. Address: Krasnaya Ploshchad 4 Phone Number: (095) 298 5880 Transport: Metro stop Kitai Gorod Hours: Daily except Tuesdays between 11am and 5.30pm Admission: 100 rubles, concessions 50 rubles
Bolshoi Opera and Ballet Theater Moscow's oldest theater, the Bolshoi dates from 1824 and is Russia's most famous theater, with its world-renowned opera and ballet companies in residence. Completely rebuilt after a fire in 1856, the grand building is a masterpiece of Russian neoclassicism, including an eight-columned entrance porch topped by a horse-drawn chariot of Apollo, patron of the arts. The glittering five-tiered interior is richly adorned with red velvet furnishings, gold decoration and chandeliers, and the size of the auditorium makes it the largest theater in the world. The Bolshoi Theater has hosted some of the world's most celebrated premieres and performers, including Swan Lake, Spartacus and concerts by Richard Wagner, and an evening performance at the Bolshoi Opera and Ballet Theater constitutes one of Moscow's best nights out. Address: Teatralnaya Ploshchada Phone Number: 095) 292 9270 (ticket outlets) Website: www.bolshoi.ru Transport: Metro stop Teatralnaya Admission: Ticket prices for performances vary
Tretyakov Gallery The Tretyakov Gallery houses some of the great masterpieces of traditional Russian art from before the Revolution and has the world's finest collection of Russian icons from the 11th to the 17th centuries. The gallery's collection of paintings, graphics and sculptures covers Russian art from the 18th to the 20th century. The gallery was named after its founder, Pavel Tretyakov, an art collector who donated about 2,000 works of art from his private collection to the city of Moscow, forming the basis of the collection to which state acquisitions were later added. He also donated his own house, which became the original site of the art gallery. Two separate buildings at different locations house the works selected for display. Address: Lavrushensky Pereulok 10/12, and 10 Krymsky Val Phone Number: (095) 951 1362, 238 1378, 230 9766; recorded message: 230 7788 Email Address: tretyakov@tretyakov.ru Website: www.tretyakovgallery.ru Transport: Tretyakovskaya or Novokuznetskaya metro stop to Lavrushensky Pereulok, or metro to Park Kultury Hours: Tuesday to Sunday 10am to 7.30pm
Poklonnaya Hill Poklonnaya, literally meaning 'bow down', lies in the west part of Moscow and was historically a spot for Western visitors of the city to pay homage before entering the city. Today it is a beacon to Russia's military strength, having withstood invasions by both Napoleon and Hitler. Atop the hill is Victory Park which provides a scenic walk and contains a memorial Mosque and Synagogue for victims of the war and an open air museum dedicated to the victory over Napoleon. Address: 3 Pobeda Square Phone Number: 495 142 4185 Hours: 10am - 7pm daily except Mondays and the last Tuesday of each month.
Cathedral of Christ the Saviour After Napoleon retreated from Russia, Tsar Alexander I declared that a cathedral be built in remembrance to the soldiers who had died defending mother Russia. Decades later the cathedral was demolished by Stalin (who found the monument abhorrent), only to be built again on the same site between 1990 and 2000 as a duplicate of the original cathedral. It is currently the largest Orthodox Church in the world. The contemporary Russian artwork, statues and memorials to the Russian Tsars, as well as a small indoor museum are well worth a look. Address: 15-17 Volhonka Street
Borodino Panorama Museum The battle of Borodino, is regarded as the bloodiest of the Napoleonic wars, seeing over 70 000 casualties in a single day, an event which saw Napoleon brand the Russians as being 'invincible'. The Borodino Panorama Museum was inaugurated in 1960 and serves as an exhibit of artifacts and displays from the Napoleonic wars, from their beginnings to inevitable conclusion. The panorama referred to in the name is, incidentally, not an outdoor view but a 360° painting depicting a crucial moment in the battle itself. Address: 38 Kutuzovsky Avenue Phone Number: 495 148 19 67
Moscow Metro Visitors to Moscow are strongly encouraged to take a ride on the city's glorious underground rail system. The 'tarmac' consists of marble floors, ornate pillars and the walls are adorned with realist artworks. Moscow's metro boasts over two and half billion passenger rides per year, making it the second most used underground metro system in the world. Address: all over the city Hours: 5.30am to 1am daily
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