Things to do in Moscow

Red Square

The central focus of any tourist visit to Moscow is Red Square. All Metro lines lead to the centre (apart from the central ring line) so reaching Red Square is pretty easy, look out for the stations of Okhotnyy Ryad or Ploshad Revoluskii which are the two closest stations to get off from. The Russian term for Red Square is Krasnaya ploshchad in case you get lost looking for a sign for Red Square.

The square itself is smaller than many people expect. At the far end you’ll see St Basil's Cathedral, which is itself a very small cathedral. This iconic and immediately recognisable structure may represent the Orthodox faith very well but hasn’t been used as a place of worship since the Revolution. It may seem to be representative of the Orthodox churches all over Russia but it is in fact unique – there is no building, religious or otherwise, quite like it. The man who built it was unique in a special kind of way too – Ivan the Terrible. St Basils is the Geometric centre of Moscow.

On the right-hand side of Red Square is Lenin’s Mausoleum, where you can see all 5’ 2” of him lying in an embalmed state in a large marble room. There are usually long queues to see him, mostly Russian’s and stopping is not allowed while walking past. There are soldiers present, but the whole experience is free. No photos are allowed.

Opposite Lenin’s mausoleum is the Gum shopping centre, where the Communist elite were able to shop for pretty average goods during the Soviet years. These days it is packed with luxury brands now associated with the new-found wealth of both Moscow and its 80+ billionaires. If you are familiar with Knightsbridge, you won’t find anything new, but it definitely is worth watching the clientele lighten themselves of very large volumes of cash.

You can spend half a day visiting the Kremlin when you’ve done Red Square. Buy tickets at the ticket offices located at three points around the outside of the Kremlin depending on which side you are approaching. It’s very much worthwhile walking around the outside of the Kremlin anti-clockwise from Red Square to pass the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier where there is a permanent guard to commemorate the terrible events of WW2. Inside the Kremlin you can see The Armoury Chamber, The Ivan the Great Bell Tower, the Assumption Cathedral, the Archangel’s Cathedral, and a permanent exhibition of the Archaeology of the Kremlin. It’s a fascinating place, where you can learn an awful lot about the spread of Byzantine influenced orthodoxy. For more information visit www.kreml.ru

The Old Arbat

The Arbat is the oldest street in Moscow and effectively the most prestigious. It was the place where the aristocracy lived while in town during the times of the Tsars, where top Soviet Officials were put up, and now it’s considered very advantageous to social status by having an apartment there.

The Arbat is walking distance from Red Square and the Kremin, just 800 metres west, and has been made the first pedestrianised zone in Moscow, which is about 1 km long. 

Christ The Saviour Cathedral

The original Christ the Saviour Cathedral was built by Tsar Nicholas I after his father pledged to build it after the relief of defeating Napoleon. It was built in Russian revival style and modelled on the Aghia Sofia in Constantinople. It took many years to build but was finally unveiled in 1860, when painting work inside was still in progress.

In an act of crass philistinism, Stalin ordered the cathedral to be blown up, to replace it with a giant statue of Lenin (as if enough weren’t built already) in 1931. It took over a year to clear the site with much of the marble later re-used in the Moscow metro. The dynamiting of the cathedral was even filmed. In the end because of architectural and other problems what remained there in 1989 was a giant outdoor swimming pool.

Over a million Russians donated money to the rebuilding of the cathedral which commenced in 1992 and finished in 2000. Boris Yeltsin was the first Russian President to lie in state there after his death in 2004. It is the largest Orthodox Cathedral in the world at 105 metres tall.

Christ the Saviour Cathedral is not far from the south west corner of the Kremlin. Go to witness the sheer scale of the building and gain a great vantage point to look along the Moskva River from the new footbridge in front of it. 

Gorky Park

Whenever I mention a visit to Gorky Park, people say “you mean there’s a real Gorky Park!”. The book by Martin Cruz Smith and the film were named after this park just south west of the Kremlin on the other side of the Moscow River. Its real title is Gorky Park of Culture and Leisure, bestowed on it by the communist regime. It’s roughly the same size as Hyde Park in London (about 120 Hectares or 300 acres), with leisure rides around the place being taken down to make way for a newer, and free eco park. If you’re into architecture, you can evaluate the constructivist design so typical of this age of communism. Now one of the most popular parks in Moscow, it’s free to enter.

Bolshoi Theatre & Ballet

Visiting the Bolshoi is certainly something worth bragging about when you get home from Moscow. It’s near Kuznetskiy Most Metro station and close to the centre of the city from where you can check out what’s on and buy tickets from the Box Office. Have a look at their website to see what’s on before you arrive www.bolshoi.ru

Tretyakov Gallery

The Tretyakov Gallery is the most important gallery in Russia, equivalent to the Tate in London with an equally illustrious modern art wing. Tretyakov was a hugely successful businessman in the late 19^th century who started a collection 1856 which formed the beginnings of the museum in 1905. It’s one of the most rewarding art experiences there is. www.tretyakovgallery.ru