Discover Moscow: the Kremlin, parks and culture
Accommodation in Moscow
Moscow combines significant landmarks and a long history with parks, ponds and natural surroundings. The Kremlin, monasteries and palace complexes offer a different experience from VDNKh’s exhibition architecture or walks among relict plants. These interests can help guide your choice of holiday rental: consider which experiences you want to focus on during your trip.
The Kremlin, cathedrals and Red Square
The Moscow Kremlin is the oldest part of Moscow and lies at the city’s geographical and historical centre. Cathedral 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 significant churches. The Cathedral of the Dormition itself is also one of the most significant churches in the ensemble.
Its five domes and construction between 1475 and 1479 point to a specific building history: the cathedral was built by the Italian architect Aristotele Fioravanti. It served as a venue for weddings and coronations of grand princes, tsars and emperors. Visitors interested in architecture can therefore explore both the form of a single religious building and its role in the history of rule.
The spatial relationship between the Kremlin and Red Square also defines this part of Moscow: the square lies below the Kremlin’s eastern wall, and St Basil’s Cathedral stands at its southern end. The Pokrovsky Cathedral, also known as the Cathedral of St Basil, was built between 1555 and 1560 to commemorate Ivan the Terrible’s victory over the Khanate of Kazan.
Monasteries, palaces and Moscow’s history
The Novodevichy Convent lies in southwest Moscow. Its buildings date from the 16th and 17th centuries and were designed in what is known as the Moscow Baroque style. The convent was part of a chain of sites integrated into Moscow’s defence system; at the same time, it is the only old nunnery that also served as a fortress. Its richly furnished interiors are also part of its recorded history.
The Tsaritsyno palace complex, dating from the 18th century, tells a different architectural story. It was built for Empress Catherine II in the Neo-Gothic style by Russian architects Vasily Bazhenov and Matvey Kazakov. At Kolomenskoye, early architectural forms meet historical reconstruction: the Church of the Ascension is one of Russia’s earliest tent-roof churches and was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1994. Kolomenskoye is also one of the oldest areas of human settlement in what is now Moscow.
Since 2010, a full-size historical replica of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich’s palace has stood on previously undeveloped land in the Kolomenskoye Museum Reserve. Its façades and overall floor plan exactly match the original 17th-century building. The Tsaritsyno Museum Reserve also houses an outstanding collection of applied arts from the second half of the 20th century.
VDNKh: exhibitions and architecture
The Exhibition of Achievements of National Economy opened on 1 August 1939 and, over time, was also known as VSKhV, VDNKh SSSR and VVTs. Together, its architectural masterpieces form a monument to the Soviet era and illustrate the styles that prevailed in different periods. The grounds include the Worker and Kolkhoz Woman monument and the Friendship of Peoples and Stone Flower fountains.
In 2015, the Moskvarium Centre for Oceanography and Marine Biology, the Russia – My History historical park, the City Farm educational and entertainment centre and Robostation opened at VDNKh. If you plan to visit any of these attractions, check their current operating status in advance. The Cosmonautics and Aviation Centre opened in the restored Cosmos Pavilion in 2018.
Parks, ponds and nature watching
Tsaritsyno is a large natural and historical park in southern Moscow. It includes a historic landscape park and an experimental park with a nursery; it is also home to Moscow’s oldest cascade of ponds. The landscape park offers views of an 18th-century palace ensemble. Tsaritsyno thus brings parkland and architectural history together in one place.
Borisov Pond also has a historical dimension: it was created during the time of Boris Godunov. Its banks offer the chance to observe rare waterbird species listed in Moscow’s Red Data Book. Visitors can walk among relict plants in Biryulyovo Forest Park. The Tsaritsyno Museum Reserve’s programmes have also included boat trips on the Tsaritsyno Ponds; availability may vary by season. Check the current offer if you are planning a trip.
Choose the focus of your trip
When looking for a holiday rental in Moscow, it is worth first considering your interests: the Kremlin and religious buildings offer insights into architectural and political history, while Tsaritsyno, Borisov Pond and Biryulyovo Forest Park put landscapes and nature watching in the foreground. VDNKh adds Soviet architecture and a variety of exhibition and educational venues to the mix. Shape your search around the kind of trip you have in mind.
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