Sightseeing

City sightseeng tour

During the tour the tourists get to know the history of the city and visit the main places of interest,e.g. Red Square, the Moscow State University, the Bolshoi Theatre, the Triumphal Arch. They drive along the main Moscow streets: Tverskaya, Novy Arbat Avenue, Kutuzovsky Avenue, Sadovoye and Bulvarnoye Rings.

Moscow Kremlin

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The Kremlin is located on a hill,protected on one side by the Moscow-river, and on the other by its tributary,the Neglinnaya, which since the year 1819 has flowed through the underground tunnel near the Alexandrovski Gardens.

In 1156 the first wooden walls of the Moscow Kremlin were constructed. Its area then was much smaller than now. The Kremlin was repeatedly rebuilt, and gained its modern appearance after the gigantic reconstruction during the reign of Tsar Ivan III at the end of the 15th century and the beginning of the 16th. The Walls follow the contours. Their height is from 5 to 19 metres, and their width from 3.5 to 6.5 metres.

In the Kremlin grounds tourists can see the Tsar Bell and the Tsar Cannon and visit the Annunciation (Blagoveschensky), Arkhangel (Arkhangelsky) and Assumption (Voznesensky) Cathedrals, the Bell-Tower of Ivan the Great and the Church of the Twelve Apostles - all wonderful monuments of Russian church architecture with unique richly decorated interiors.

The Tretyakov Art Gallery

The Tretyakov Art Gallery is the country's largest and most important depository of Russian art.

The original building of the Tretyakov Gallery is a work of art itself. It was designed by the Russian Artist Victor Vasnetsov and built in the fanciful style of early Russian Art Nouveau. The collection was started in 1856 by the wealthy brothers Pavel and Sergey Tretyakov, who donated it to the city of Moscow in 1892.

The collection was further enhanced following the Bolshevik Revolution, when the Soviet government confiscated and nationalized numerous private art collections. Its holdings of paintings, ancient Russian art, sculptures, drawings and engraving number more than 100,000. A portion of the museum's vast collection is on display in a new exhibition building right next door to the original one (not to be confused with the "New Branch" on Krymsky Val).

The Red Square

Most visitors begin their acquaintance with Moscow's Red Square, Krasnaya Ploschad, the heart of the city.

Its history goes back to the 15th century when it was known as the marketplace. In the 16th century it became a place for ceremonial. Here the imperial ukases (decrees) were proclaimed. The present name of the square dates from the 17th century, though in those days "krasnaya" meant "beautiful" and not "red".

Today Red Square, encompassing an area of more than 70.000 square metres, is definitely one of the world's most beautiful sites.

The square is bounded by the Kremlin walls, the Lenin Mausoleum, the Historical Museum, the GUM department store and St. Basil's Cathedral, which is called the "stone flower" of Red Square. St. Basil's Cathedral is the oldest building in Red Square.

It is a unique combination of nine smaller cylindrical churches. The central structure is 107 feet high, surrounded by eight tower-like chapels linked by an elevated gallery.Each tower has its own decorative pattern. Red Square is at present used as a huge gathering place for public events, markets, fairs, and festivals.

The Armoury Chamber

In the 14th and prior to the beginning of the 19th centuries, the Armoury chamber represented a treasury of the great Moscow tsars. In the first period of its existence the Armoury chamber was simultaneously storehouse and industrial workshop, which produced both steel weapons and fire-arms and defensive armour to equip Russian warriors. At the beginning of the 19th century the Armoury Chamber acquired significance as a public museum. Today in the Armoury Chamber, unique exhibits are on show, examples of decorative art, given by foreign ambassadors, collections of 13th - 18th century weapons and armour, unequalled elsewhere., fabrics and clothes of the 14th - the 19th centuries, and jewellery of the 12th - the 19th centuries. In addition, in the halls of the Armoury Chamber, you may see rare exhibits of gold, silver, jewels, ivory, porcelain and fabrics encrusted with pearls and jewels. In the Armoury Chamber you may also see Faberge's famous Easter eggs with some miniature objects inside (for example, a Trans-Siberian express train).

Pushkin Museum Of Fine Art

The Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts was founded by the father of famous Russian poetess Marina Tsvetaeva (1882-1941). Professor Tsvetaev wanted it to be a museum and an educational institution for professional artists. Intended to display a collection of copies the museum gradually acquired a collection of originals.

Today the museum houses one of the richest collections of the masterpieces of world art from the Ancient East, the Ancient Greece and Rome, Western Europe (medieval art, art of the period of the Renaissance and classicism, and a unique collection of paintings of the French impressionists).

Among the masterpieces of the Pushkin Museum are works by Rembrandt, Botticelli, Lucas Cranach the Elder, Goya and Michelandgelo.

The second half of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century are represented with masterpieces by Auguste Renoir, Edgar Degas, Vincent van Gogh, Paul Gauguin, Fernand Leger, Auguste Rodin, Henri Matisse and Pablo Picasso.

Novodevichy Convent

It is one of the most famous historical places of interest in Moscow of the 16th - 18th centuries and at the same time the functioning convent which belongs to the Russian Orthodox Church.

The convent is on the coast of Moscow-river, near Vorobyovy hills. It was founded in 1524 by the great tsar Vasily III Ioanovich in memory of the capture of Smolensk. First prioress of this convent, Helena, had a nickname: Devochkina. They believe that therefore convent was named Devitchy. Here stayed Boris Godunov awaiting for Russian throne, which he obtained later. Evdokia Fedorovna the Peter's spouse lived here for four years. Peter's sister Sophia took a veil here, and died in 1704.

On it's territory one can see the beautiful monuments - the Bell Tower, which was built in 1690, and Smolensky Cathedral (Cathedral of the Holy Virgin of Smolensk), decorated with frescoes depicting the episodes from Russian history

The State Jewellery Fund

The State Jewellery Fund houses a unique collection of jewellery, which is the national property and pride of Russia - the Crown of the Russian Empire, symbolising the Tsar's power, and priceless pieces of art, made from gold and precious stones.

At the beginning of the century this collection belonged to the Russian Emperors. Until 1914 it was kept in the Winter Palace in St. Petersburg. In 1967 it was opened to the public. Among the treasures are the "Orlov" 180-faceted diamond, the world's biggest sapphire and the piece of gold 36 kilos in weight, called "The Big Triangle".

The Arbat

Many court assistants lived here in the 16th century; in the 19th century, many wealthy and educated residents chose to live in the Arbat. Today the Old Arbat (along Arbat Ulitsa) is a cobbled pedestrian passage and one of the most popular meeting and shopping spots in Moscow. Along with shops, cafes, art galleries, antique stores, theatres , and a museum tracing the history of the area, are groups of painters on the pavement who sketch portraits, kiosks with every type of souvenir for sale, performing artists, and even demonstrators. It's also a frequent site for festivals and carnivals. You really must see it while in Moscow!

The Metro

Moscow's famous metro survives in all its constructional glory, walled in marble and decorated with chandeliers. Most of its stations have been designated as architectural landmarks. We recommend to you a special tour of the Metro.

Sergiev Posad

Sergiev Posad is a symbol of Russian clergy. The famous Troitse-Sergiev Laura - a monastery complex is allocated here. The oldest building here - Trinity (Troitsky) Cathedral built in 1422 - is well known not only for its architecture, but for the marvelous collection of paintings as well. The great Russian artist Andrey Rublov worked here for a long time. In the History of Art Museum you can see the collections of the Old Russian paintings. In Riznitsa Museum you can see the church household articles and clerical dresses embroidered with precious stones and golden threads.

The Kuskovo Palace Museum

Museum is about six miles from Moscow. Built in the early 18th as summer residence by Prince Pyotr Sherementyev, who owned more than 150,000 serfs.

The palace is the center of the estate, standing on the banks of a large pond. It has been a museum since 1918; the main part of the collections is Russian porcelain, ranging from the early works of Dmitry Vinogradov (1748), who started the manufacture of china in Russia, to the latest creations of Russian craftsmen. There is also Chinese, Danish, English, French, and German porcelain, faience, majolica and glassware, including many antique pieces.

In addition there are some 800 objects d'art, including one of the best collections of 18th century Russian art, with some 200 portraits.

Ostankino

At the close of 18thcentury Nikolay Sheremetyev built palace on the grounds of his family's Ostankino estate. The Palace (1792-97) was built of wood but painted to resemble bricks and stone. Interesting rooms are the Blue Room, Egyptian Ballroom, The Italian Reception Room and the Picture Gallery and Theatre which had over 200 serf actors, dancers and musicians. The palace also houses the Museum of Serf Art.

The beautiful serf actress Praskovya Kovaleva-Zhemchugova later became the count's wife. One of streets in Ostankino bears her name/ The Trinity Church adjoins the Palace.