Moscow
Moscow is the capital of Russian Federation, tourist center with more than 10 million visitors every year. It is a historic and modern city at the same time: old buildings adjoin high-tech business districts. There are more than 500 museums, 3 UNESCO World Heritage sites and many world architectural records. You can see the luxury of Moscow architecture, as you know, even underground: the central metro stations are true “palaces for the people” with mosaics, paintings, stucco work and fascinating lighting. Moscow is a metropolis with everything: the best restaurants, modern nightclubs, skyscrapers, breathtaking views and even quiet ancient courtyards, as if time had stopped in them before the last century.
The list of the most interesting places for travelers remains unchanged from year to year: the Moscow Kremlin and Red Square, the ensemble of the Novodevichy Convent, the Church of the Ascension in Kolomenskoye Park. Also popular are the Exhibition of Economic Achievements, the Tretyakov Gallery, the observation deck of the Sparrow Hills, the Ostankino TV Tower – the tallest building in Europe (540 meters). The largest underground palace in the world is the Moscow metro, which is used daily by more than 8 million passengers, seven high-rise buildings in the style of the Stalin Empire style and, of course, the Bolshoi Theater.
In Moscow, over 1,000 temples and monasteries of various Christian denominations, 270 museums, 170 theaters, and a large number of historical and cultural monuments. The “Night at the Museum” campaign is held annually; more than 1 million people come to visit it – the largest such event in Europe. Throughout the year, tourists have the opportunity to see the world-famous classical Russian ballet. Already 15 years in July and August, after the closing of the theatrical season, the Summer Ballet Seasons are held in Moscow.
In the Russian capital, there are about 400 parks. The most popular park in Moscow is Gorky Park. Wooden beaches have been erected on the bank of the Moskva River, sports, dance, and children’s playgrounds have been erected throughout. Festivals, holidays, fireworks, painting lessons, yoga classes, fairs are held, a bicycle path is laid, in winter a skating rink is poured in here and carried in dog sledding.
The unique park of the Exhibition of Economic Achievements presents the most vivid examples of the architecture of the Soviet period. An amazing Historical Park has recently opened – a grand multimedia exhibition introducing the milestones of Russian history.
Several Moscow parks belong to the “museum-reserves” category: this is the Tsaritsyno park, where the estate complex, built in the 18th century by Empress Catherine II, was recreated from the ruins; Kolomenskoye Museum-Reserve – the former royal residence, the patrimony of Moscow grand dukes, and then kings, from where a wonderful view of the city and the Moscow River opens.
All parks have bicycle rental offices. The total length of bike paths in Moscow is 210 kilometers.
There are many entertaining and educational facilities for children in Moscow: the Moskentarium Center for Oceanography and Marine Biology; The planetarium is one of the largest in the world; Experimentanium; layout of the Martian space station at ENEA. Moscow Nikulin Circus, Circus on Vernadsky Avenue, Kuklachev Cats Theater, Natalia Sats Theater, Durov Corner, Moscow Zoo are very popular among children.
Moscow is very attractive in the season of winter festivals – the city transformed and flooded with light offers its residents and guests a wide range of entertainment: Christmas trees, roller coasters, skating rinks, ice ballet, light installations, ice mazes, Christmas fairs, competitions, concerts.
In winter, skating rinks open in Moscow, including the largest in the world – at the Exhibition of Economic Achievements – an area of 20,500 square meters. The main rink of the country is located in the historic center of the city – on Red Square. Also in Moscow there are 650 kilometers of ski slopes and 9 ski slopes within the city.
