Attractions

Moscow is less a beautiful city than a collection of beautiful sights, many of them hidden beyond the expansive modern boulevards that successive Soviet governments bulldozed through town. The key to delighting in Moscow is to not let it overwhelm you. Keep your eye out for twisted gold cupolas peeking from residential courtyards, turn your gaze upward to admire the caryatids and atlantes supporting the balconies of otherwise unremarkable apartment buildings, and stay cool when challenges come your way. You'll be rewarded by the discovery of a new world, one that daily news reports from Red Square can't possibly convey. Taking in even a few main sights can give you an idea of the hardships that made Ivan the Terrible so terrible, introduce you to the nuances of icon painting, and help you appreciate the motivations and misjudgments of the Soviet regime. All this is essential to understanding why Russia and the Russians are the way they are today.

The things to see in Moscow fall roughly into four categories: church-related, art-related, Soviet-related, and everything else. Try to get a taste of each, regardless of your interests. The Kremlin is a category unto itself, representing every era of Russian history for the past 700 years and continuing to emanate an aura of mystery and authority as the seat of modern Russian politics. It is the most logical starting point for any glimpse of Moscow, providing a historical and contextual frame for viewing the rest of the city.

Moscow's art museums are often unfairly overlooked and overshadowed by the magnificent Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg; try to squeeze in at least one of them. Closing days for museums vary, and many close 1 day a month for maintenance in addition to their weekly days off. Many museums adhere to the Soviet policy of charging foreigners significantly more for admission than Russians. The foreigner's fee is usually equivalent to what you would pay at a similar site in western Europe. In addition, admission fees, though posted and paid for in rubles, are usually pegged to the U.S. dollar and therefore change frequently. For that reason, fees in this chapter are listed in dollars. Children 7 and under are always admitted free, unless noted.

Roughly half of Moscow's buildings date from the Soviet era, which spawned a range of architectural styles and governing attitudes despite its overall authoritarian bent. Much of the Soviet legacy has been (rightly) discredited in recent years, but ignoring Russia's Soviet history gives you a half-picture of what the country is about. Brilliant artists, writers, and architects managed to produce masterpieces in the Soviet era despite the pressure and whims of the state.

Moscow may not boast the literary traditions that St. Petersburg does, but many of Russia's most famous writers lived and worked here, and Muscovites are proud enough of the country's literary heritage to erect museums in their honor. Most of these museums label their exhibits in Russian only, though I've listed some that offer printouts in English describing room contents. Among other Moscow highlights are the aristocratic estates around the city's edges, which often host festivals in the summer.

Many of the cathedrals listed here are functioning churches as well as museums, and services can be held almost any time of day. That doesn't bar visitors; however, you should follow local custom during your visit.