125 Best Sights in Moscow, Russia

It's believed that Mikhail Romanov (1596–1645), the first tsar of the Romanov dynasty, was born in this house. Today the mansion houses a lovely museum devoted to the boyar lifestyle of the 16th and 17th centuries. Period clothing, furniture, and household items furnish the rooms, illustrating how the boyars, a feudal aristocracy, lived. During the week the museum is often open only to groups with advance reservations—these are typically throngs of school children—but if you ask, you may be allowed to join. Tours are available in English, but you must make reservations.

The sign "Dr. Chekhov" still hangs from the door of this home where Chekhov resided from 1886 to 1890. The rooms are arranged as they were when he lived here, and some of the furniture, such as two sturdy desks covered in green felt, belonged to the author's family. One room showcases photos and memorabilia from Chekhov's trek to the island of Sakhalin in the Russian Far East. Overall, the materials on display at the museum are not particularly enthralling, so unless you are a Chekhov diehard, this is far from an essential stop.

This fine example of 17th-century religious architecture was built in honor of the Russian forces who won the decisive Battle of Kulikovo three centuries earlier between Muscovy and the Tatar Golden Horde. Standing at the southern end of Slavyanskaya Square below a sloping park, the graceful church is one of the few survivors of the Soviet reconstruction of the area. Inside it's rather dark and the walls highly gilded; every inch of the ceilings are covered in frescoes. Morning (8:30) and evening (5:30) services are held daily.

Commissioned by Catherine the Great in 1763 and designed by Karl Blank, this white classical-style church sits on the corner of pereulok Pogorelsky. The freshly restored interior is rather modest compared to that of some other churches in the city, but the central dome has some impressive A-shaped frescoes painted around the windows. Across from the entrance is a shop that sells icons, vivid cloth, and small clothing items, such as scarves.

This majestic five-dome church with blue cupolas studded by gold stars, built in 1657 by merchants from Pskov, stands right next to the Romanov Palace Chambers in Zaryadye. The bell tower is an addition from the 19th century. The interior of the church is somewhat bare, though there are a few impressive old icons and frescoes.

In 1698 this white-stone church was built on the site where the Holy Fool Maxim was buried. It's between St. Barbara's and the Cathedral of the Sign (in front of the northern side of the bare field where the Hotel Rossiya once stood). The church's exterior is in a sad state, dingy with exhaust from the cars that speed by on ulitsa Varvarka, and the interior is currently closed to visitors.

Built between 1679 and 1682 and remaining open throughout the years of Communist rule, what looks like a frosted gingerbread house has been well preserved. The elegant bell tower is particularly impressive, and five gilded domes sit atop a white facade with tangerine and forest-green trim. In fact, the design was meant to suggest a festive piece of woven cloth, for weavers who settled in considerable numbers in this quarter in the 17th century commissioned the building of this church. The interior, containing a wealth of icons, is one of the most ornate in the city.

This bright white 17th-century church stands out in stark contrast to the modern architecture that dominates the area. During the reconstruction of the neighborhood in the 1960s, many old churches and buildings were destroyed, but this one was left purposely standing as a reminder of the past. For years it housed a conservation museum, but now it's been returned to the Orthodox Church and is active. Nothing remains, however, of the original interiors.

This single-dome church was built in 1484–85 by masters from Pskov. It was rebuilt several times and restored to its 15th-century appearance by Soviet experts in the 1950s. Brilliant frescoes dating to the mid-17th century cover the church's walls, pillars, and vaults. The most precious treasure is the iconostasis by Nazary Istomin. On display inside the church is an exhibit of ancient Russian wooden sculpture from the Kremlin collection.

Because a high fence surrounds it, this colorful church is best viewed from far away. Look for a red-and-white brick bell tower and a large gold onion dome surrounded by three smaller ones. Built in 1687, the church is an excellent example of the Moscow baroque style.

Built in 1629, this is one of the few lucky churches to have stayed open throughout the years of Soviet rule. As a survivor, the church was the recipient of many priceless icons from less fortunate churches destroyed or closed by the Soviets. Services are still held here daily. Be sure to look at the beautiful frescoes on the ceilings in the chapels on either side of you as you enter. Two famous icons, depicting the Coronation of the Virgin Mary and the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, hang in the vaults on either side of the vestibule.

Built in the 17th century, this elegant church was closed after the 1917 revolution and turned into a cartoon-production studio. Like many churches throughout Russia, however, it has been returned to its original purpose. The church is depicted in Vasily Polenov's well-known canvas Moskovsky Dvorik (Moscow Courtyard), which now hangs in the Tretyakov Gallery.

Painted with white trim and topped by five green cupolas, this lovely redbrick creation—one of the most striking churches in the city—mixes baroque decoration with the principles of ancient Russian church architecture. Its handsome semblance is unfortunately hidden from view from the nearby Staraya Ploshchad, tucked away as it is among presidential administration buildings. The church was built between 1628 and 1634 for the merchant Grigory Nikitnikov; the private chapel on the south side was the family vault. The murals and iconostasis were the work of Simon Ushakov, a famous icon painter whose workshop was nearby in the brick building across the courtyard. The church has two areas for worship, one on the ground floor and the other up a set of stairs; the upper one is used only on holidays. The lower area is open daily. The shop inside sells candles, icons and other small items.

Designed by Osip Bove and built between 1828 and 1835, the neoclassical-era church is an excellent example of the Empire style popular in the early 19th century. It replaced a church that had burned down in the fire of 1812. The interior, filled with icons and gold, is nothing earth-shattering, but it's good for getting the feel of a typical working church. It is one of many churches on this wide boulevard.

Though this working monastery was founded in the 16th century, only the redbrick Gate Church remains of the original buildings. The monastery was established by the last surviving son of Ivan the Terrible, in what amounted to a plea to God for an heir (hence its name). He and his wife failed to have a son, however, and Boris Godunov became the next Russian leader. A sparkling church, with star-spangled silver domes and gold-rimmed eaves, is a recent addition, dating to 2010.

This street is where the tsars' cooks lived, and hence the Russian name, Povarskaya. After the revolution the street was renamed Vorovskovo, in honor of a Soviet diplomat who was assassinated by a Russian, but it returned to its prerevolutionary name in the 1990s. It's an important center of the Moscow artistic community, with the film actors' studio, the Russian Academy of Music (the Gnesin Institute), and the Tsentralny Dom Literatorov (Central House of Writers) all located here. Many of the old mansions have been preserved, and the street retains its prerevolutionary tranquillity and charm. In the first flush days of summer your walk is likely to be accompanied by a rousing drum set or tinkling piano sonata issuing from the open windows of the music school. Note the other streets in this small neighborhood have similar culinary names such as Bread (Khlebny), Table (Stolovy), and Tablecloth (Skaterny) lanes.

More than 180 feet high, the Corner Arsenal (formerly Sobakina) Tower at the northernmost part of the thick battlements that encircle the Kremlin was an important part of the Kremlin's defenses. It was built in 1492 and its thick walls concealed a secret well, which was of vital importance during times of siege. It isn't open for touring.

In 1922 the fledgling Soviet government established this amazing collection of diamonds, jewelry, and precious minerals. The items on display within the Armory Chamber date from the 18th century to the present. Highlights of the collection are the Orlov Diamond, a present from Count Orlov to his mistress, Catherine the Great (1729–96); and the Shah Diamond, which was given to Tsar Nicholas I (1796–1855) by the Shah of Persia as a gesture of condolence after the assassination in 1829 of Alexander Griboyedov, the Russian ambassador to Persia and a well-known poet. Tickets to view the exhibit are sold for specific times, and viewings begin every 20 minutes. They are sold at the entrance to the Fund (inside the Armory Chamber), not at Kutafiya Tower, where tickets for other Kremlin museums can be bought.

One of Moscow's most interesting buildings—it looks like a Moorish castle—was built in the late 19th century by the architect V.A. Mazyrin for the wealthy (and eccentric) industrialist Savva Morozov (Tolstoy mentions this home in his novel Resurrection). Today its rooms are used by the federal government for meetings and conferences and are not open to the public.

One of the country's largest bookstores has an English-language section on the second floor. This is also a good place to get books for Russian-language learners. The chain has other stores around the city and a website where you can order online.

Fyodor Dostoyevsky (1821–81) lived here until he was 16, on the grounds of the hospital where he was born and where his father, Mikhail Andreevich, resided and worked as a doctor. The museum has kept things much as they were, from family pictures to the neat, middle-class furniture.

This statue of a melancholy Nikolai Gogol (1809–52) originally stood at the start of Gogolevsky bulvar but was replaced by a more "upbeat" Gogol. The statue now stands inside a courtyard near the apartment building where the writer spent the last months of his life. The statue actually captures Gogol's sad disposition perfectly. He gazes downward, with his long, flowing cape draped over his shoulder, protecting him from the world. Gogol is perhaps best known in the West for his short stories, his novel Dead Souls, and for his satirical drama Revizor (The Inspector General), about the unannounced visit of a government official to a provincial town. Characters from his works are engraved on the pedestal.

This marvelous and wonderfully preserved example of Moscow art nouveau was the home of Maxim Gorky from 1931 to 1936. Sometimes called the Ryabushinsky Mansion, it was built in 1901 for the wealthy banker of that name and designed by the architect Fyodor Shektel. (If you arrived in Moscow by train, you may have noticed the fanciful Yaroslav station, another of his masterpieces, just opposite the Leningrad railway station.) Although Gorky was a champion of the proletariat, his home was rather lavish. Gorky himself apparently hated the style moderne, as art nouveau was termed back then. Those who don't, however, are charmed by this building of ecru brick and stone painted pink and mauve atop gray foundations. A mosaic of irises forms a border around the top of most of the house, and a fanciful yet utilitarian iron fence matches the unusual design of the window frames. The spectacular interior includes a stained-glass roof and a twisting marble staircase that looks like a wave of gushing water. Tours in English are available.

Letters, manuscripts, and pictures of the great proletarian writer will be of great interest to Gorky fans. There are also portraits by Nesterov and Serov and a remarkable photograph of Gorky playing chess with Lenin on the Italian island of Capri, where Gorky made his home for many years both before and after the Soviets took power. Gorky never lived here, but there is a miniature wooden reproduction of his childhood home, complete with village yard and outbuildings.

The official name of this park laid out in 1928 and covering an area of 275 acres is actually the Central Park of Culture and Leisure. It was made famous to Westerners by its other name in Martin Cruz Smith's Cold War novel Gorky Park, and Muscovites refer to it by yet another name, Park Kultury (Park of Culture). The welcome swath of greenery has undergone a remarkable makeover in post-Soviet years. Gone are the dilapidated rides and unkept lawns littered with passed-out drunks. Today, Muscovites come to the park for yoga and tango lessons, paddleboat rides and bike rentals, picnics on the lawns, a selection of cafés and eateries, and in the winter, snowboarding and ice skating. The park often hosts concerts, and the Garage Center for Contemporary Art features up-and-coming Russian contemporary artists. In summer, boats leave from the pier for excursions along the Moskva River.

This former market, which takes up an entire block between ulitsas Ilinka and Varvarka, just east of Red Square, is made up of two imposing buildings. Running the length of pereulok Khrustalny is the Old Merchant Arcade, erected by the Italian architect Quarenghi between 1791 and 1805; on the other side of the block, bordering pereulok Rybny, is the New Merchant Arcade, built between 1838 and 1840 on the site of the old fish market. The complex now houses a number of restaurants, art galleries, and shops, though none of them are worth making a special trip to visit. Besides the facade, the only parts of the building of historical interest are the capacious glass-topped arcade inside and a small exhibition of the structure's old molding and other features, displayed simply in a set of rooms on the western side of the complex.

The palace actually consists of a group of buildings. The main section is the newest, built between 1838 and 1849. Its 375-foot-long facade faces south, overlooking the Moskva River. This was for centuries the site of the palace of the grand dukes and tsars, but the immediate predecessor of the present building was badly damaged in the major fire of 1812. It's currently closed to the general public.

The other buildings of the Great Kremlin Palace include the 17th-century Terem (Tower Chamber), where the tsarina received visitors, and the 15th-century Granovitaya Palata (Palace of Facets). Both of these buildings are also closed to the public.

After being yanked from their beds in the middle of the night and loaded onto cattle cars, many of those purged by Stalin were shipped off to the camps of the infamous Gulag. The Soviet Union's network of prison camps is the focus of this small but moving museum. The entrance to the museum is through a simulated gauntlet with metal gates, barbed wire, and a guard tower. Inside the crumbling building are six rooms with paintings of camp scenes, many of which were done by former prisoners. Glass cases hold prisoners' personal effects, including handicrafts they made, such as walrus-tusk cups and a metal cigarette case, and other Gulag-related documents and pictures. The bottom floor has a life-size diorama of typical camp bunks and an isolation cell. There are often excellent temporary exhibits here as well. Guided tours are available in English but must be booked in advance.

Pronounced "goom," the initials are short for Gosudarstvenny Universalny Magazin, or State Department Store. This staggeringly enormous emporium, formerly called the Upper Trading Rows, was built in 1889–93 and has long been one of the more famous sights of Moscow. Three long passages with three stories of shops run the length of the building. A glass roof covers each passage, and there are balconies and bridges on the second and third tiers. Another series of passages runs perpendicular to the three main lines, creating a mazelike mall. It all feels like a cavernous turn-of-the-20th-century European train station. There are shops (both Western and Russian) aplenty here now, with all the world's big-name boutique brands crowding the first floor, and a saunter down one of the halls is enjoyable. One can't-miss spot is the newly restored Gastronom No. 1, which runs the length of one side of the ground floor. It's a nostalgic supermarket with pricey caviar and champagne, as well as lowbrow canned meats that Russian World War II vets would recognize. In the adjacent hall, the store also runs a row of small cafés that serve affordable and tasty eclectic fare. Back across the ground floor from the market is the elegant Bosco restaurant, which has a small summer terrace that looks out onto Red Square.

The ornate art nouveau splendor of the National, built in 1903, belies its revolutionary function as the pre-Kremlin residence for Lenin and subsequent home for Communist Party operatives and fellow travelers, such as author John Reed. Beautiful mosaics adorn the hotel facade; inside, the luxurious rooms and restaurants conjure up the National's prerevolutionary elegance. A plaque on the outside of the hotel commemorates the five killed in December 2003, when a female suicide bomber blew herself up just outside the hotel's entrance. The bombing was attributed to Chechnya's separatist war.