Major cities in Moscow region

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Sergiyev Posad is the monastery town, it is impossible to come here and not to visit the Trinity Lavra of St. Sergius. Lavra is the largest active Orthodox monastery in Russia, being until 1980 a residence of patriarch. It was founded in 1345 as Trinity monastery by the son of Rostov boyar-nobleman, Bartholomew, who took monastic vows, taking the name Sergius. The monastery soon became the spiritual center of the Russian State. This was a difficult period in Russian history. Russia was under the Tatar-Mongol rule and Moscow princes were uniting the people to fight for independence. Sergius had great authority and supported consolidation of Russia, pronouncing anathema against the princes who opposed unification under the hand of Moscow. His pupils in founded 23 monasteries in North-East Russia. In 1380 Sergius blessed the army of Prince Dmitry Ivanovich before the fight against Tatar-Mongols. The Prince was able to gather under Moscow's banners the troops of all the Russian lands and defeat Khan Mamai's horde at the Battle of Kulikovo. The monastery at Sergiyev Posad was also a fortress, having once withstood a 16-month siege, when Polish forces invaded the territory of Russia and plunged it in a sea of fire and blood. The Fortress of the Trinity Monastery and its defenders, consisting of the peasants of nearby villages, heroically stood against invading armies that outnumbered defenders by ten and even twenty times. If the monastery would have fallen, it would mean the end of Rus. But the armies of the arrogant Polish leader Hetman Sapicha retreated in disgrace from the monastery walls. Russian tsars regularly performed the pilgrimage to sacred places of the Trinity monastery of St. Sergius. In 1742 the monastery received the status of a lavra by the order of Russian empress Catherine. In the end of XIV-beginning of XV centuries, several independent settlements that appeared around monastery, were united into one posad (settlement), that was called Sergiyev. In 1919 Sergiyev Posad received the status of a town. In Soviet times the town was renamed to Zagorsk, but later its original name was returned to it. Since XVI century, Sergiyev Posad is famous for a production of toys. There is an Art and pedagogical toy museum in the town, it has expositions consisting of thousands of toys. It tracks the history of toys and of the children's culture of many countries.
Sergiyev Posad

Sergiyev Posad is the monastery town, it is impossible to come here and not to visit the Trinity Lavra of St. Sergius. Lavra is the largest active Orthodox monastery in Russia, being until 1980 a…

Founded in the 12th century, Moscow is the capital of the Russian Federation and one of the most renowned and fascinating cities in the world. It is a dynamic 21st century metropolis showcasing some of the world’s best shopping, nightlife, restaurants and culture. Moscow welcomes over four million tourists each year. Home to over 130 nationalities and 11 million residents, Moscow is served by three international airports and the world’s second busiest underground system. If one hasn’t visited Moscow lately, one hasn’t visited Moscow. The city is blessed with beautiful architecture and such renowned cultural landmarks as the Bolshoi Theatre, the Kremlin, the Pushkin Fine Arts Museum and the Tretyakov Gallery, to name but a few. Moscow is also home to three UNESCO World Heritage sites, including the Kremlin and Red Square. The colourful St Basil’s Cathedral on Red Square is the symbol of both Moscow and Russia. Luzhniki Stadium is located at the centre of Moscow’s 145-hectare Olympic complex, one of the largest sports complexes in the world. Luzhniki Stadium will be the main venue and the heart of the 2018 FIFA World Cup™ tournament, used for the Opening Match, a semi-final and the Final. The Luzhniki sports complex stretches along the Moscow River and lies opposite the beautiful Vorob’evy Hills Natural Park. The majestic Moscow State University observation area overlooks the stadium. Moscow is surrounded by satellite towns and neighbourhoods that comprise Moscow Region. Visitors can travel by bus or train to the small Russian cities as old as Moscow, and bursting with history and charm.
Moscow

Founded in the 12th century, Moscow is the capital of the Russian Federation and one of the most renowned and fascinating cities in the world. It is a dynamic 21st century metropolis showcasing some…

Top attractions in Moscow region to visit

The St. Basil's Cathedral is located in the center of Moscow, in the Red Square. It is also known as Pokrovsky Cathedral and its official name is The Cathedral of the Intercession of the Most Holy Theotokos on the Moat. The temple was built by the orders of czar Ivan The Terrible in the middle of XVI century by Russian builders in 5 years. It is a symbol of victory; most of its churches commemorate the victory over the Kazan Khanate. Some historians believe that the Kazan Kul-Sharif Mosque was used as a basis of architectural plan for Cathedral. According to legendsm after the capture of the city of Kazan, russian czar Ivan the Terrible ordered to destroy a mosque, and to take its gilded domes to Moscow. It is sometimes said that eight chapters of Moscow church allegedly repeat configuration of Kul-Sharif Mosque, and the highest, the ninth, is a symbol of victory that dominates over them. It is also known that when Napoleon first saw St. Basil's Cathedral, he called it
St. Basil's Cathedral

The St. Basil's Cathedral is located in the center of Moscow, in the Red Square. It is also known as Pokrovsky Cathedral and its official name is The Cathedral of the Intercession of the Most Holy…

The main building of the Moscow State University complex on the Sparrow Hills (Vorobyovy Gory) is the seventh tallest building in the capital of Russia. The total height of the main building is 182 meters, and its height with a spire is 240 meters. It has 36 floors. For 37 years, until the construction in 1990 Messeturm in Frankfurt-on-main, it was the tallest building in Europe. The main housing was built from 1949 to 1953. In the main, Central, sector MSU are several faculties, administration, the Earth Science Museum, an assembly hall and the Palace of Culture. In the lateral sectors there are residential areas, apartments for teachers and professors and a hostel for students and postgraduates. The University complex is a mini-city with its own infrastructure, cinema, post office, dining room, shops, a hairdresser, clinic. In the basement there is a sports complex with a 25-metre swimming pool. The complex is only one of numerous academic buildings for graduates but for the others it is the symbol of MSU, which is considered the oldest Russian University. It was founded in 1755, thanks to the efforts of the first Russian academician Mikhail Lomonosov, the University was named in his honour.
The main building of Moscow State University

The main building of the Moscow State University complex on the Sparrow Hills (Vorobyovy Gory) is the seventh tallest building in the capital of Russia. The total height of the main building is 182…

The Moscow Kremlin is the official residence of the President of the Russian Federation, and a unique architectural ensemble, included in the UNESCO world cultural and natural heritage. It includes museums-cathedrals: the Dormition Cathedral, the Cathedral of the Archangel, Cathedral of the Annunciation; the Church of the Deposition of the Robe, the Patriarch's Palace of the XVII century and the Church of the Twelve Apostles, the ensemble of the Ivan the Great Bell Tower and the Kremlin Armoury. The Kremlin museums preserve unique works of different genres of art, which illustrate the ceremonials of secular and spiritual rulers. The first settlements on the territory of the Kremlin belong to the bronze age, they were first mentioned in chronicles in 1147. The first fortifications were built by 1156. Since 1264, this castle became the residence of the Moscow princes, and later of the kings and the church hierarchs. Wooden walls and towers of the fortress wall, built of oak, appeared in 1339, stone - in 1367. The Kremlin has received modern design after a major reconstruction in the second half of the XV century. The reconstruction was lead by the Italian architects. The famous Spasskaya (Saviour) tower with chimes, built in 1491 became the symbol of the Kremlin. The Spassky (Saviour) gate is the main gate in the Kremlin, Russian tsars and emperors used it to enter Kremlin, according to tradition. In 1955 the Kremlin was partially open to the public, and became a museum under the open sky.
The Moscow Kremlin

The Moscow Kremlin is the official residence of the President of the Russian Federation, and a unique architectural ensemble, included in the UNESCO world cultural and natural heritage. It includes…

Borodino field is a place where Battle of Borodino took place in 1812. With remaining defensive fortifications and numerous obelisks it is an important monument of the heroic past of Russian people. It is locatetd in Mozhaisk, Moscow region, 120 km west of Moscow. A museum that has been built here is the first of its kind not only in Russia but all over the world, it was founded in 1839, 27 years after the memorable battle of the Russian army commanded by Kutuzov against Napoleon\'s troops. The battle of Borodino was one of the bloodiest battles of the nineteenth century. According to conservative estimates of aggregate losses, every hour 2,500 people were killed on the batlefield. 129 years later, in October 1941, on sacred ground of Borodino, Soviet soldiers repeated the feat of their ancestors, holding German Nazi attack in Mozhaisk direction. On the 150th anniversary eve of the Battle of Borodino, in 1961, the field of Borodino was declared a museum. Now, on its territory more than 200 monuments and memorable places are located in 110 square kilometers. In the Museum five permanent exhibitions are deployed, where are exhibited personal belongings of generals, weapons, military costumes, trophies and findings from the battlefield, portraits and battle art works. The villages in the Borodino field area retained their original names, that has become historic. Every year military-historical events take place on the Borodino field. In 2007, the Museum was awarded the UNESCO prize for the preservation and management of cultural landscapes.
Battle of Borodino museum

Borodino field is a place where Battle of Borodino took place in 1812. With remaining defensive fortifications and numerous obelisks it is an important monument of the heroic past of Russian people.

Abramtsevo, artists’ colony on an estate approximately 30 miles (48 km) outside of Moscow that became known in the 19th century for fostering the revival of Russian folk art and traditional crafts. Abramtsevo had been inhabited for more than two centuries before Slavophile Sergey Aksakov bought it in 1843. Until he purchased the estate with a large inheritance from his father, Aksakov had been the director of the Institute of Land Surveying in Moscow. While there he had associated with literary figures and intellectuals and had become friends with writers Nikolay Gogol, Ivan Turgenev, and Aleksey Khomyakov. He invited those friends and others to stay with him at the estate, and Abramtsevo soon became a retreat, a relaxing escape from the harried urban life of Moscow. Aksakov spent long hours fishing in the nearby Vorya River and wrote his best-known works in this period, including Notes on Fishing (1847), The Family Chronicle (1856), and The Little Scarlet Flower (1858). The writers, artists, and actors who frequented Abramtsevo in the 1840s and ’50s rejected European artistic influences and embraced and cultivated Russian culture. When Aksakov died in 1859, his sons—Ivan and Konstantin, who also were writers and Slavophiles—took over the estate. The Aksakov period at Abramtsevo set the stage for the wave of Russian nationalism that was to come with the person of Savva Mamontov. Heir to a large railroad fortune, Mamontov bought the property in 1870 from Aksakov’s daughter. He oversaw the complete renovation of the estate and, in upholding and expanding the spirit of Abramtsevo, he became one of the 19th century’s leading figures in the development of a Russian national art. During the 1870s and ’80s, artists including Mikhail Vrubel, Isaak Levitan, Ilya Repin, Yelena Polenova, and the brothers Apollinary Vasnetsov and Viktor Vasnetsov flocked to the Abramtsevo colony, which quickly gained a reputation as a breeding ground for creativity and for the revival of traditional arts and crafts. The group of artists who worked there became known as the Mamontov circle. Not only did the artists develop their own work, but they also contributed to the maintenance and growth of the estate itself, frequently working on group projects, such as the building of a small church (1881–82). Its design was conceived by Vasily Polenov and Viktor Vasnetsov and drew inspiration from the medieval Russian cities Novgorod, Pskov, and Suzdal. Its interior was adorned with icons created by Repin and Mikhail Nesterov, a ceramic tile stove by Vrubel, and a mosaic floor by Viktor Vasnetsov. The church and the pavilion (1883), which was built for the artists’ children and given the moniker “The Hut on Chicken Legs” — a reference to the dwelling of Baba-Yaga, an ogress in Russian folklore—were two of the first buildings in Russia designed in the Art Nouveau style. The artists also collaborated on amateur theatrical performances. When Mamontov established the Russian Private Opera in Moscow (1885), he hired several Abramtsevo artists as set designers. The revival of traditional Russian arts and crafts instigated by the Abramtsevo group proved to be an important contribution to Russian cultural history. After 1881 Mamontov’s wife initiated active collecting of Russian folk art and sought out art that was influenced by the Russian tradition. Vrubel, for example, painted works that represented Russian legends and their characters, such as The Bogatyr (1898), and Nesterov set his paintings and drawings, many on religious subjects, in an identifiably Russian landscape. The artists prioritized the preservation of Russian culture over Western values and influences. This strong nationalistic sentiment was the foundation for the Russian branch of the Arts and Crafts movement, which the artists at Abramtsevo promoted with workshops demonstrating traditional techniques in wood carving and ceramics. Mamontov funded the establishment of a pottery workshop that opened in 1889–90. The pottery created by the Abramtsevo artists was a critical link to the general Russian populace. Headed by Petr Vaulin, artists, notably Vrubel, produced high-quality majolica (tin-glazed) wares—tiles, sculptures, vases, and the like—that soon were in high demand and sold in Moscow, St. Petersburg, and other nearby cities. In addition to providing popular ceramics, the Abramtsevo artists—particularly Sergey Malyutin—crafted the first matryoshka doll (a wooden nesting doll) in 1890. Matryoshkas were then exhibited by Abramtsevo artists at the 1900 world’s fair in Paris, and they continued to be iconic of Russian culture into the 21st century. After Mamontov’s death in 1918, the estate was run by his daughter, Alexandra. By that time, the colony had gained an excellent reputation; artists, theatre figures, singers, and art historians visited the grounds to attend workshops and to observe. After World War II, Joseph Stalin put Abramtsevo under the auspices of the Russian
Abramtsevo Artists Colony

Abramtsevo, artists’ colony on an estate approximately 30 miles (48 km) outside of Moscow that became known in the 19th century for fostering the revival of Russian folk art and traditional…

The Bolshoi Theatre has always been and remains one of the main symbols of Russia. This is the main national theatre, the keeper of russian traditions and the center of world music culture, contributing to the development of theatrical art in the country. March 28, 1776 is considered to be the date of foundation of the Moscow Bolshoi Theatre when Catherine II signed the privilege of Prosecutor Prince Peter Urusov to perform shows, masquerades, balls and other entertainments for a period of ten years. In 1853, the theatre was badly damaged by fire and was rebuilt by the architect Albert Cavos. The large building that is perceived for many years as one of the main attractions of Moscow, has opened on 20 October 1856 during the days of Alexander II coronation. Monumental building with a powerful eight-columned portico and with a copper Apollo’s quadriga over the pediment by sculptor Peter Klodt is a beautiful monument of Russian empire style with outstanding decoration. October 29, 2002, the troupe has received a new scene to work during the years of a large-scale reconstruction of the historical building, which lasted from 2005 to 2011. This reconstruction has revived many of the lost features of the theatre appearance and yet put it in the row of the most technically equipped theater buildings in the world.
The Bolshoi Theatre

The Bolshoi Theatre has always been and remains one of the main symbols of Russia. This is the main national theatre, the keeper of russian traditions and the center of world music culture,

The Trinity Lavra of St. Sergius is located in the centre of the city Sergiev Posad, Moscow region, on the Konchura river. It was founded in 1337 by St. Sergius of Radonezh. The earliest monastery building is the white stone Trinity Cathedral, built in 1422 in the place of the wooden church. It is built by Serbian monks from Kosovo, who found refuge here after the Battle of Kosovo. This is a unique historic site, one of the few cathedrals, where is preserved iconostasis painted by the great masters of icon-painting, Andrei Rublev and Daniel Chorny. Trinity Cathedral keeps the relics of St. Sergius of Radonezh, and hundreds of parishioners come to worship every day there. Cathedral immortalize traditions of the Moscow architecture of XIV-XV centuries. Over time the architectural ensemble has formed around the temple. In 1744 the The Trinity monastery of St. Sergius was awarded the honorary title of Lavra. Today this is a functioning monastery, the spiritual center of the Orthodox Russia. The monastic complex consists of 45 buildings and monuments. There are about 300 priests on its territory. Saint Gate with the gate church of St. John the Baptist is the main gate of the monastery. The biggest building behind them is the Dormition of the Mother of God Cathedral. Small tent that adjoins the Cathedral from the north-west is the Tomb of the Godunovs. It keeps the remains of Tsar Boris, his wife Mary, son Theodore and daughter Xenia. Beginning from the XVII century, russian metropolitans were also buried here. A lot of treasure is kept in the monastery sacristy, among them there is a unique decorative and applied arts, gifts that kings and wealthy people have made to the monastery. The Lavra gathered a unique library of manuscripts and books for centuries. From 1814 a Moscow Theological Academy resides on the territory of the Trinity Lavra of St. Sergius, it is the oldest higher educational institution in Russia, founded in 1685 in Moscow. Since 1940 the Trinity Lavra of St. Sergius is the state Museum-Reserve and it is under UNESCO protection.
The Trinity Lavra of St. Sergius

The Trinity Lavra of St. Sergius is located in the centre of the city Sergiev Posad, Moscow region, on the Konchura river. It was founded in 1337 by St. Sergius of Radonezh. The earliest monastery…

The Kolomna Kremlin is one of the most powerful fortresses of Muscovy. It was built in 1525-1531 during the reign of Vasily III. The Kremlin is located at the confluence of the Moscow-river and Kolomenki-river. According to some sources, Italian architects who also participated in the construction of the walls and towers of the Moscow Kremlin supervised its construction. Unfortunately, the Kolomna Kremlin do not retain a lot of original features, only a few towers and a couple of fragments of walls remain. However, in modern time, it still amuses with its grandeur and power. The most interesting tower of the retained seven - is Marinka (Kolomna) tower. This is the highest outpost of city Kremlin. Its height is 31 meters. Marinka tower consists of eight floors, and its facade is divided into twenty small faces, so if you look at the tower from a distance, it seems to be completely rounded. This tower is associated with a legend: it is said that a wife of the False Dmitriy, Marina Mnishek was kept in it. Behind the fortress wall there is a Cathedral square, in this square is located The Assumption Cathedral of the XIV century - the main temple of the Kolomna Kremlin. Next to Cathedral stands the belfry, built in XVII century. It is considered the loudest belfry with tented roof in Russia. There are two churches near the bell tower: Church of the Resurrection, where Dmitry Donskoy married Princess Eudoxia in 1366, and Tikhvin Church. Resurrection Church is one of the oldest buildings of the Kremlin. At the present time there is a military historical sports and cultural complex on the territory of the Kremlin. Jousting and other games of medieval knights take place here, including tournaments of fighters, wrestlers and shooters, ancient rituals, festivals, fairs. An exhibition of ancient weapons and military equipment works in the Kremlin, there are also thematic exhibitions, military games and attractions. Here you can hold a sword in your hand, as well as try on armor, and shoot an arrow from a drawn bow or ancient crossbow to a target.
Kolomna Kremlin

The Kolomna Kremlin is one of the most powerful fortresses of Muscovy. It was built in 1525-1531 during the reign of Vasily III. The Kremlin is located at the confluence of the Moscow-river and…