The Moscow Kremlin is the oldest part of Moscow and lies at the city’s geographical and historical center. When planning a trip, it is worth seeing Moscow as more than a series of individual attractions: the history of its churches and architecture sits alongside parks, ponds and opportunities to observe nature. The following highlights can help you choose cultural and scenic experiences based on your interests, without setting out a fixed sightseeing itinerary.
The Kremlin, cathedrals and Red Square
At the center of the Russian capital, the Kremlin stands on a high hill above the Moskva River. It is one of the world’s largest architectural and urban ensembles. The State Museum Preserve includes the Armoury Chamber and the architectural ensemble of Cathedral Square. The square is home to the Cathedral of the Dormition, the Archangel Cathedral, the Annunciation Cathedral and the Ivan the Great Bell Tower; these buildings are described as the Kremlin’s most important churches.
The Cathedral of the Dormition is one of the Kremlin’s most important churches and served as a venue for the weddings and coronations of grand princes, tsars and emperors. The five-domed building was constructed by the Italian architect Aristotele Fioravanti between 1475 and 1479. At the southern end of Red Square stands the Pokrovsky Cathedral, also known as Saint Basil’s Cathedral. It was built between 1555 and 1560 to commemorate Ivan the Terrible’s victory over the Khanate of Kazan. Red Square lies below the Kremlin’s eastern wall.
VDNKh: architecture and attractions
The Exhibition of Achievements of the National Economy opened on August 1, 1939, and over time was also known as VSKhV, VDNKh SSSR and VVTs. On the VDNKh grounds, the “Worker and Kolkhoz Woman” monument and the “Friendship of Peoples” and “Stone Flower” fountains are among the most striking architectural and artistic works. Together, these architectural masterpieces form a monument to the Soviet era and illustrate the styles that prevailed in different periods.
In 2015, the Moskvarium Center for Oceanography and Marine Biology, the “Russia – My History” historical park, the “City Farm” educational and entertainment center, and the “Robostation” opened there. The “Cosmonautics and Aviation” center was established in 2018 in the restored “Cosmos” pavilion; it is described as the largest space museum complex in modern Russia. If you plan to visit individual attractions, check their current visitor information in advance.
Tsaritsyno and Moscow’s park landscapes
Tsaritsyno, a large natural and historical park, lies in southern Moscow. It includes a historic landscape park, an experimental park with a tree nursery, and Moscow’s oldest cascade of ponds. The landscape park offers views of an 18th-century palace ensemble. The Tsaritsyno palace complex was built for Empress Catherine II in the Neo-Gothic style by Russian architects Vasily Bazhenov and Matvey Kazakov.
Borisov Pond was created during the time of Boris Godunov. Rare waterbird species listed in Moscow’s Red Book can be observed along its banks, though sightings are not guaranteed. The Tsaritsyno Museum Preserve’s programs have also included boat rides on the ponds. Availability may vary by season. Check the current information if you are planning a boat ride. Visitors can walk among relict plants in Biryulyovo Forest Park—a different focus from Tsaritsyno’s park and palace history.
Kolomenskoye and historic architecture
Kolomenskoye is one of the oldest human settlements in what is now Moscow. It was a favored residence of the Russian tsars from the 16th century and has been a museum preserve since 1923. The grounds include an ethnographic complex and a museum of wooden architecture. The Church of the Ascension in Kolomenskoye is one of Russia’s earliest tent-roof churches and was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1994.
Another historic landmark in Kolomenskoye is a life-size replica of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich’s palace. It was built in 2010 on a previously undeveloped site within the museum preserve. Its façades and overall layout precisely match the original 17th-century building. In southwest Moscow, the Novodevichy Convent tells another part of the city’s history: dating from the 16th and 17th centuries, it was built in the so-called Moscow Baroque style. The convent was part of a chain of monastic complexes integrated into Moscow’s defense system and is the only ancient convent for nuns that also served as a fortress. Its description also includes richly furnished interiors.
Discover more destinations: Gromkovo, Grigorchikovo, Voronino, Fedino, Ryzhevo, Nosovo, Shakhovskaya, Vasilevo.
For the broader travel overview: Moscow.
