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Moscow Holidays, Hotels & Travel Guide
Travel guide to hotels & holidays in Moscow
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Moscow Holidays Overview
A guide to holidays in Moscow - Moscow is the capital of the world's biggest
country, situated in the centre of the European part of Russia. At
the very heart of the city, and indeed the country, is the Kremlin,
the Russian place of command for almost eight centuries, and the
religious centre. Red Square and the exquisite, colourful domes of
Saint Basil's Cathedral, and the jewelled, Fabergé Easter eggs of
the Tsars are images that have long been associated with the Soviet
Union in the minds of Westerners.
The city of
Moscow is a fusion of both splendour and ugliness that is evident
in the massive concrete slabs and high-rise apartments of the
Stalinist era, and in the ornate churches, beautiful neo-classical
houses, and the impressive architecture of the old city. Wide grey
thoroughfares give way to narrow winding inner city streets, and
golden church domes gleam between the looming skyscrapers. It
attracts not only those eager to embrace new business and free
enterprise, but also the poor from across the country, and the
extremes of affluence and impoverishment are evident
everywhere. Since the fall of communism Moscow
has been injected with a sense of urgency to change the face of the
'Mother City', embracing capitalism and shaking off the years of
communist-imposed atheism, with flashy shop fronts housing western
franchises, new restaurants and glossy hotels, and the restoration
of lavish Orthodox churches. The once dreary streets are now a
vibrant commotion of life with markets and eager vendors offering
an assortment of goods that were unavailable during the Soviet
years. It is also a city of entertainment, with
theatres and the renowned Moscow Circus, museums and art galleries.
It boasts the world's largest and most efficient metro system with
gleaming stations deep underground, astonishingly decorated in
elegant marble, glittering chandeliers and gilded works of art and
magnificent mosaics. It is the soul of the new Russia and an
intriguing mix of history and politics, business and
culture.
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Moscow
holidays - Top Places To Go
1. The Kremlin
www.kremlin.museum.ru |
What is it? The oldest part of Moscow dating back to the
city's foundation in 1147, and situated at the very heart of the
city on top of a hill, the Kremlin is a fortress surrounded by a
thick red wall interspersed with 20 towers. The complex consists of
a number of glittering, golden-domed churches and palaces, museums,
residences, offices, assembly halls and monuments. It was the royal
regime during the Tsarist rule and from 1918, the seat of the
Communist government. Cathedral Square is the religious centre of
Moscow and the historic heart of the Kremlin, and is home to
numerous churches. The attractive Annunciation Cathedral was set
aside for the private use of royalty and contains beautifully
painted murals and icons on the interior walls. The throne of Ivan
the Terrible can be found in the Cathedral of the Assumption, which
was used for the coronation of tsars; most of the leaders of the
Russian Orthodox Church were buried here and their tombs line the
walls of the spacious, richly coloured interior. The Belfry of Ivan
the Great is the tallest structure within the walls and a visible
city landmark. At its foot lies the world's biggest bell, broken in
a fall from its bell tower in 1701, and nearby is the world's
largest cannon, the Tsar Cannon. Also within the Kremlin is the
Armoury Palace, the richest and oldest museum housing a staggering
collection of treasures gathered over the years by the church and
Russian state, including jewel-studded coronation capes, thrones
encrusted with diamonds, royal coaches and sleighs and the renowned
jewelled Fabergé Easter eggs, each containing an exquisitely
detailed miniature object of precious metal inside. The Diamond
Fund Exhibition in the same building contains the 180-carat diamond
given to Catherine the Great by Count
Orlov.
Hours of Operation: Daily except Thursdays from 10am to
5pm
Phone:(095) 202 3776 |
2. Red Square
Krasnaya Ploshchad
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What is it? Red Square is a dramatic open cobbled space
in the centre of Moscow, originally the city's market place that
served as a public gathering place to celebrate festivals, listen
to government announcements or to witness executions, especially
common during the reign of Ivan the Terrible. The Soviet state
turned it into a memorial cemetery, and constructed Lenin's
Mausoleum to one side - a crystal casket containing the preserved
body of the founder of the Soviet Union that is still open to
public viewing today. The communist government destroyed several
ancient buildings around Red Square, including the Resurrection
Gate and chapel, to make space for and to allow easy tank access to
the demonstrations and military parades that frequented the area.
The current Resurrection Gate and chapel are replicas that were
built in the 1990s. Its most impressive parade involved the
gathering of thousands of Russian soldiers ready to march to war
against the Nazis in 1941, the rumble of tanks a demonstration of
Soviet might during the Cold War. The word 'red' doesn't apply to
the colour of the brickwork, neither is it a reference to
communism. The meaning of the word 'krasny' originally meant
'beautiful' in Old Russian, referring to St Basil's Cathedral at
the southern end, but over the centuries the word changed to mean
'red' too, thus the square's present name. St Basil's Cathedral is
the city's most well known building and is crowned by the bulbous
multicoloured domes that have made it an instantly recognisable
landmark.
Hours of Operation:
Phone: |
3. St Basil's Cathedral
Krasnaya Ploshchad 4
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What is it? St Basil's Cathedral with its multicoloured
domes is the most famous image of Russia, standing on the edge of
Moscow's Red Square, a striking design that was commissioned by
Ivan the Terrible to commemorate his victorious military campaign
against the Tartar Mongols at Kazan in 1552. Legend has it that
Ivan was so overwhelmed by its beauty that he had the architect
blinded to prevent him from creating anything to rival it. It
comprises a central chapel surrounded by eight red brick tower-like
chapels, each crowned with a different coloured and uniquely
patterned onion-shaped dome. The church escaped demolition many
times during the city's turbulent history and with the beginning of
the Soviet regime the cathedral was closed and later turned into a
museum. The interior is a dimly lit maze of corridors and
delicately decorated chapels, one of them housing a priceless 16th
century screen decorated with icons that shields the inner
sanctuary. In comparison to the exquisite exterior, the interior
can seem disappointing.
Hours of Operation: Daily except Tuesdays between 11am and
5.30pm
Phone:(095) 298 5880 |
Moscow
holidays - Top Events
1. Winter Festival
From 2006-12-25
To 2007-01-05
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What is it? Celebrated over the Western Christmas and New
Year period, the Russian Winter Festival combines different
celebrations and holidays and is an opportunity for visitors to
enjoy Russian customs and festivities, such as traditional folk
music, troika (sleigh) rides and games, Russian food and lots of
vodka. There are also musical and dance performances, and
characters dressed as popular Russian mythological figures are
there to greet the crowds. For more information contact the Russian
Federation Tourism Department on +7 (8) 095 208 2937 or email tourdept@yandex.ru
Where is it? Izmailovo Park |
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