248 Best Sights in Russia

This solid redbrick church, topped with one gold and four green onion domes, was part of the monastery of the same name, built on the estate of the Romanovs in the 17th century, right after the establishment of the Romanov dynasty. The church was indeed a sign of hope, as the election of the young Mikhail Romanov as tsar by the Boyar Council brought an end to the so-called Time of Troubles, as the dark period marked by internal strife and foreign intervention that set in after the death of the last heir to Ivan the Terrible was known.

Construction began on this 12th-century limestone cathedral in the center of town the same year as workers started constructing the Church of Saints Boris and Gleb in Kideksha, near Suzdal, making it one of the oldest stone buildings standing in Russia.

The ancient center of the Kremlin complex is framed by three large cathedrals in the old Russian style, the imposing Ivan the Great Bell Tower, and the Palace of Facets. A changing-of-the-guard ceremony takes place in the square every Saturday at noon in the summer months.

It's believed that Leo Tolstoy (1828–1910) used this large mansion, the administrative offices of the Writers' Union, as a model for the Rostov home in War and Peace. A statue of Tolstoy stands in the courtyard. Mikhail Bulgakov (1891–1940) set part of his satire of Soviet life, The Master and Margarita, here. The beautiful wood-paneled dining room is open to the public.

The street entrance of this huge, modern building leads to the exhibit halls of the Artists' Union, where members display their work on three floors. This is a great place to find a sketch or watercolor to take home with you. There's also a tiny movie theater that shows old international cinema as well as a concert hall with pop and rock performances almost nightly. Massive exhibitions on everything from books to fur coats to architecture take over the building periodically, and some are worth checking out. The cavernous space also has room enough to house the modern branch of the Tretyakov Gallery. Next door is the Art Park, where contemporary sculpture and old statues of Soviet dignitaries stand side by side. It's a pleasant place for a stroll.

Once the place where foreigners had to go to phone home, Central Telegraph is a blocky, early constructivist building that's one block up Tverskaya ulitsa from Red Square. You can still make phone calls abroad here, as well as buy stamps, send a fax, or use the Internet—but mainly, Central Telegraph is a sight just worth a quick look from the outside now. The striking semicircular entrance is adorned with a huge digital clock and a large and constantly revolving lit-up globe. Inside are currency-exchange counters, a pharmacy, a coffee shop, and ATMs in the lobby, plus the main post office.

Fyodor Chaliapin (1873–1938), one of the world's greatest opera singers, lived in this beautifully restored manor house from 1910 to 1922. Chaliapin was stripped of his Soviet citizenship while on tour in France in 1922; he never returned to Russia again. The Soviets turned his home into an apartment building, and until restorations in the 1980s, the building contained 60 communal apartments. With help from Chaliapin's family in France, the rooms have again been arranged and furnished as they were when the singer lived here. The walls are covered with works of art given to Chaliapin by talented friends, such as the artists Mikhail Vrubel and Isaac Levitan. Also on display are Chaliapin's colorful costumes, which were donated to the museum by his son. When you reach the piano room, you'll hear original recordings of Chaliapin singing his favorite roles. Entrance is from inside the courtyard. English-language tours are available and should be reserved ahead of time.

This fine example of Russian baroque is painted bright azure with white trim and stands out from the surrounding classically designed architecture. Also known as the Kunstkammer (from the German Kunst, "art," and Kammer, "chamber") and the Chamber of Curiosities, the building was commissioned in 1718 to house the collection of oddities Peter the Great gathered during his travels. It was completed in 1734, destroyed by fire in 1747, and almost entirely rebuilt later. Today it houses the Museum of Anthropology and Ethnography but still includes a room with Peter's original collection, a truly bizarre assortment ranging from rare precious stones to preserved human organs and fetuses. The museum is enormously popular, so buy your entrance ticket early in the day.

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.

The mid-17th-century Church of Elijah the Prophet (Tserkov Ilyi Proroka) stands at the center of town on ploschad Sovetskaya (Soviet Square), some say on the site of Yaroslav's alleged wrestling match with the bear. Tall, octagonal belfry and faceted green onion domes make the church the focal point of the town. Inside the ornamental church are some of the best-preserved frescoes (1680) by Gury Nikitin and Sila Savin, whose works also adorn Moscow Kremlin cathedrals, as well as churches throughout the region. The frescoes depict scenes from the Gospels and the life of Elijah and his disciple Elisha.

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.

Among Uglich's most iconic sites, the salmon-hued Church of St. Dmitry on the Blood is a gorgeous salmon-hued structure, topped by towering blue-and-gold onion-dome cupolas. Dating back to 1692, the church was built where Dmitry of Uglich, the only son of Ivan the Terrible born to Maria Nagaya, reportedly died (or was murdered; legend has it that the 10-year-old prince accidently cut himself on a sword while suffering from an epileptic seizure). Inside the church is a large wall painting depicting the legend of the young tsarevich's death.

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.

Although it looks as though it's made from wood, the 17th-century five-dome Church of St. John the Baptist (Tserkov Ioanna Predtechi) is actually fashioned from carved red brick. The church is on the same side of the Kotorosl River as the Candle of Yaroslavl, but it's west of the bridge by about 1 km (½ miles). The church is the biggest in Yaroslavl and is depicted on the 1,000 ruble note.

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.

The large, redbrick, blue-cupola Church of the Epiphany (Tserkov Bogoyavleniya) is renowned for its fine proportions, enhanced by splendid decorative ceramic tiles and unusually tall windows. Inside are eight levels of wall paintings in the realistic style that began to hold sway in the late 1600s. The church is directly west of the Monastery of the Transfiguration of the Savior.

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.

Andrei's greatest creation and arguably the most perfect medieval Russian church ever built is less than 2 km (1 miles) from Bogolyubovo. On a massive limestone foundation covered with earth, the church sits near the confluence of the Nerl and Klyazma rivers and appears to be rising out of the water that surrounds it. Andrei built the church, completed in 1165, in memory of his son Izyslav, who was killed in a victorious battle with the Bulgars. Look for the unique carvings of King David on the exterior, the earliest such iconographic carvings in this region. Inside, the high, narrow arches give an impressive feeling of space and light. To get to the church from Bogolyubovo, walk a few hundred yards west of the monastery, down ulitsa Frunze and under a railway bridge; then follow the path through a field.

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.

The highly ornate, old-Russian style of this colorful church seems more Moscow than St. Petersburg, where the architecture is generally more subdued and subtle; indeed, the architect, Alfred Parland, was consciously aiming to copy Moscow's St. Basil's. The drama of the circumstances leading to the church's inception more than matches the frenzy of its design, however. It was commissioned by Alexander III to memorialize the death of his father, Alexander II, who was killed on the site in 1881 by a terrorist's bomb. The height of the cathedral, 81 meters, symbolizes the year of Alexander II's death.

The church opened in 1907 but was closed by Stalin in the 1930s. It suffered damage over time, especially throughout World War II, but underwent meticulous reconstruction for decades and finally reopened at the end of the 20th century. The interior is as extravagant as the exterior, with glittering stretches of mosaic from floor to ceiling (70,000 square feet in total). Stone carvings and gold leaf adorn the walls, the floors are made of pink Italian marble, and the remarkable altar is constructed entirely of semiprecious gems and supported by four jasper columns. Blinded by all this splendor, you could easily overlook the painted scenes of martyrdom, including one that draws a parallel between the tsar's death and the crucifixion of Christ. Across the road there's an exhibit that takes a compelling look at the life of Alexander II.

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.

Walking north from the kremlin on ulitsa Lenina, you'll pass several churches on your left and the pillared trading arcades. Just beyond the arcades are the beautiful Churches of St. Lazarus and St. Antipy, their colorful bell tower topping the unique, concave tent-roof design. This ensemble is a good example of Russian church architecture, where a summer church (St. Lazarus, with the shapely onion domes, built in 1667) adjoins a smaller, easier-to-heat, and more modest winter church (St. Antipy, built in 1745).

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.