Destinations And Sightseeing

A. Mausoleum

The Mausoleum stands at the cosmopolitan center of the Red Square and is a tomb containing the body of V.I. Lenin along with a crystal sarcophagus. The famous architect, A. Shchusev designed the Mausoleum. Initially, a temporary Mausoleum was built within 27 January in 1924, which was replaced by another temporary wooden Mausoleum during springtime of the same year. In 1930, the present stone Mausoleum was completed. The building is considered to be one of the grandest constructions in Moscow with dark-red granite tiles, black labradorite and porphyry. The name ‘Lenin' is inscribed in red porphyry on the black labradorite at the entrance of the building. The typical red and black colors lend a distinct sadness and austerity to the building distinguished for its historical importance.

B. Red Square

The square was officially named as the Red Square in the 19th century, although it had been mentioned before in the 17th century documents. According to the historic records, Ivan III gave orders to destroy all the wooden buildings of the area surrounding the Kremlin. Instructions were also given to allot the area as a market. As a result, the square derived its first name of ‘Trade Square'. The square was renamed after the Church of Saint Trinity to ‘Troitskaya' (Trinity) square in the 16th century. The Cathedral of Vasily replaced the St. Trinity Church later.

C. The Kremlin

The Kremlin has been witness to a number of famous tragic and historical events. The Kremlin now serves as one of the world's biggest museums. Some of the rare collections of this museum include the treasures of the Russian tsars, invaluable icons and the state regalia of Russia. The Spasskaya Tower is considered to be the most harmonious and beautiful tower of the Kremlin, which was constructed in 1491 by the famous architect Pietro Antonio. The tower gate has been serving as the entrance to Kremlin for a long time. The gate was considered to be auspicious and was highly revered by the people.

D. Bolshoi Theatre

The Bolshoi Theatre was built long ago in 1825 and consists of a fine classical building, comprising of an eight columned portico. After the ‘La Scala' Theatre of Milan, this theatre is considered to be the second largest in Europe. The theatre was inaugurated in 1722 by the play ‘The Triumph of Muses', which was performed by a theatrical company created by Petr Vasilievich Ursov, a public prosecutor.

E. The State Tretyakov Gallery

Founded by P.M. Tretyakov, the State Tretyakov Gallery is Russia's biggest art museum that houses the largest collection of Russian Art. The museum displays the entire history of ancient Russian art from the 9th to the 17th centuries. The icons of the 12th to the 17th centuries from Novgorod, Kiev and Central Russia are also displayed here.

F. St. Basil's Cathedral

Ivan the Terrible commissioned and built the famous St. Basil's Cathedral between 1555 and 1561. The cathedral stands on the edge of the Red Square. The architect of this cathedral was Postnik Yakolov, who, according to the legends, was ordered to be blinded by the Tsar. The Tsar passed the order to prevent the architect from creating another cathedral ever again that can compete with the beauty of this cathedral. It is also said that in spite of his visual disability, the architect built another cathedral in Vladimir.

The Cathedral was a tribute to the successful military campaign of Ivan the Terrible in 1552 against the Tartar Mongols.

G. Danilov Monastery

This monastery is supposed to be the oldest in Moscow. It was founded by Prince Daniil Moskovsky in 1282. The monastery not only served as a center for spiritual, religious and scholarly learning but also as a defensive fortress, protecting the country from foreign attacks. The Danilov Monastery gave shelter to many laymen, writers, musicians, and philosophers apart from the monks.

Priests who were evicted from their monasteries took refuge here and came to be known as ‘Danilovtsy'

H. Chekov House Museum

As the name suggests, this building was home to the famous and prolific Russian dramatist and writer of the modern short stories, Anton Chekov. The house museum provides an opportunity to the visitors to have a glimpse of Chekov's consulting room, study, bedroom and the ornate family salon. The dining room of this house now exhibits the original paychecks of the first editions of the works of Chekov. The museum also hosts lectures and themed excursions about the literary works of Chekov.

I. Arkhangelskoe Estate

The Arkhangelskoe Estate was known to be the most luxurious estate of the wealthy aristocratic people of Moscow at the end of the 18th century. Prince Nikolai Yusupov, who owned the estate, was also one of the richest men of the country. The main palace of this estate stands as an evidence of the architectural mastery and splendor, depicting five decades of Neo-classical designs. The building also contains some of the original paintings of Boucher, Van Dyck and Tiepolo including an entire hall full of the portraits of the prince's lovers and mistresses. Visitors can also take a stroll along the terraces and gardens outside the palace. Neo-classical statues and busts border the terrace while the formal gardens lead down to the banks of the Moskva River. A magnificent view of the river is visible from the terrace of the palace.