Moscow

We arrived in Moscow at 8 am after a luxurious and romantic overnight train ride from St. Petersburg. We had been enthralled by the regal beauty of the imperial capital and had been warned that Moscow would be a completely different experience. Moscow is Europe's largest city with a population exceeding 12 million. It is a wealthy city with the largest number of billionaires of any city on earth. The city is sprawling, emanating by a series of concentric ring roads with the Kremlin and Red Square as its focal point.One would ... (more)

Imperial Russian flag
This banner flies over the Kremlin.

Moscow metro
A nice pictorial of Moscow's extensive underground transit system.

Moscow metro
Extensive escalators to carry one to the depths of the platforms.

Moscow metro
Could be New York,could be Toronto, once aboard the train.

Moscow metro
The individual stations of the Moscow metro are unique and elaborate. The...

Moscow metro
Another elegant underground concourse. One almost expects a tuxedoed...

Moscow metro
More elegance at a Ukrainian themed station.

Moscow metro
A reminder that the Moscow metro is primarily about moving peolple...

Christ the Saviour Cathedral
The original cathedral was razed by Stalin and replaced by a swimming...

Christ the Saviour Cathedral
Another view.

Christ the Saviour Cathedral
An elaborate door.

Christ the Saviour Cathedral
A beautiful bronze nativity scene.

KGB
The facade of the old KGB headquarters.

Resurrection Gates
These gates provide the visitor with a stunning introduction to the...

Red Square
An improbable meeting of Tsar Nicholas II and Josef Stalin.

Red Square
One of the most impressive public spaces on the planet.

Red Square
Lenin's mausoleum. Poor Vlad wanted to buried like any other...

St. Basil's Cathedral
One of the most recognizable symbols of Moscow.Built in 1555 to honour the...

National Historical Museum
This impressive edifice occupies the nort end of Red Square.

National Historical Museum
Another perspective.

GUM
The famoue GUM state department store is now a capitalist shopping...

GUM
Interior showing the stunning design of the arcade.

GUM
Ironically named boutique.

GUM
Another nice view of the interior of the arcade.

Babooshkas.
Life expectancy for thr Russian male is only 57 or 58 years so there...

St. Basil's Cathedral
A rear view taking advantage of better light conditions.

St. Basil's Cathedral
A more panoramic view.

St. Basil's Cathedral
Yet another view. This cathedral is so photogenic.

St. Basil's Cathedral
A detail of the elaborate onion domes.

Red Square
The clock tower at the southwest corner of Red Square incorporated in the red...

Stalin's Sisters)
There are seven wedding cake style skyscrapers that punctuate the Moscow...

The White House
This is where prime minister Vladimir Putin has his office and is...

The World Trade Centre
This is a relatively new complex that reflects Russia's rising economic...

Political Parties Offices
This building evocative of an opening book is home to the head offices of the...

Olympic Stadium.
Viewed from Sparrow Hill, this is the main venue of the Olympic Games that...

Sparrow Hill
This is a popular lookout point for Muscovites and tourists alike. Moscow...

Sparrow Hill
A badass Muscovite cruiser.

Moscow State University
One of Stalin's seven sisters, this edifice contains 32 km. of...

Swan Lake
This was apparently the inspiration for Swan Lake.

Peter the Great Monument
On the banks of the Moscow River, this statue celebrates the...

Christ the Saviour Cathedral
Looking impressive when illuminated.

St. Basil's Cathedral
Looking very impressive illuminated.

St. Basil's Cathedral
Difficult to decide which is the best view.

Red Square
The clock tower illuminated.

St. Basil's Cathedral
A majestic piece of architecture.

GUM
It feels like Christmas in August when viewing this complex illuminated.

National Historical Museum
The north end of Red Square by night.

GUM
It feels like Christmas in August.

Red Square
St. Basil's and the clock tower, looking south.

Radonezh
Depending on its usage this is either a dacha or an ibiza. Dachas are urban...

Radonezh
Another example of countryside living.

Radonezh
Interior of an old babooshka's ibiza.Curious juxtaposition of...

Radonezh
Sunroom of babooshka's ibiza.

Radonezh
Interior of babooshka's ibiza.

Radonezh
Windowsill still life.

Radonezh
Babooshka's garden.

Radonezh
An arresting calendar in babooshka's ibiza.

Radonezh
Our babooshka hostess.

Sergiev Posad
Known as Zagorsk during the Soviet era, this city is the Vatican of...

Sergiev Posad
A statue of St. Sergei.

Sergiev Posad
Elaborate tower of buildings at the monasterty complex.

Sergiev Posad
Cathedral of the Assumption.Built in the mid 16th century.

Sergiev Posad
Interior of Cathedral of the Trinity.(I think)

Sergiev Posad
The tomb of Boris Gudonov, the only Czar not buried in Moscow or St....

Sergiev Posad
Interior of Cathedral of thre Trinity, I think.

Sergiev Posad
Chapel over the well. The spring water here apparently has...

Sergiev Posad
One of many monks who roam the grounds of the monastery complex.

Sergiev Posad
Monks and nuns.

Sergiev Posad
Souvenir stands abound here.

Sergiev Posad
A whimsical encounter between toddler and pigeon.

Shinok
We ate a kitschy Ukrainian restaurant called Shinok replete with a central...

The White House
The true seat of power from where Mr.Putin tells Mr. Medvedev over in the...

Moscow State Circus
We saw a spectacular performance here...acrobatics, clowns, lion...

Moscow State Circus
Interior showing the performance ring.

Moscow State Circus
In the mezzanine there are ample opportunities to pose with various...

Hotel Ukraina
This behemoth, one of Stalin's seven sisters, greeted me every...

Hotel Ukraina
This edifice was so in my face that i had to add another view to...

Moscow River
A view at daybreak when Heather and I decided to run along the...

Bridge over Moscow River
This bridge took us to the Kiev railway station on the opposite bank of the...

Kievskaya Terminal
We stumbled across this beautiful train station during a morning run.

Kievskaya Terminal
Another view.

Hotel Ukraina
Relected in the Moscow River.

Moscow River
World Trade Centre to the right and other new construction emphasizing the...

Napoleon
Inside a museum where there is a panoramic depiction of the battle of...

Moscow
A random street scene.

Moscow
Little details like these lampposts add to the beauty of the overall cityscape.

Victory Park
This square is off Kutusov Ave., near the triumphal arch.There is a statue of...

Triumphal Arch
This arch on Kutusov Ave. Celebrates victory over Napoleon.

Novodevichy Cemetery
This cemetery is the burial ground for many of Russia's literary,...

Novodevichy Cemetery
Raisa Gorbachev's grave.

Novodevichy Cemetery
Leonid Brezhnev's mother's grave.

Novodevichy Cemetery
A celebrated heart surgeon's grave.

Novodevichy Cemetery
Nikita Khrushchev's grave.

Novodevichy Cemetery
Khrushchev's grave.

Novodevichy Cemetery
Anton Chekhov's grave.

Novodevichy Cemetery
Nikolai Gogol's grave.

Novodevichy Cemetery
Dmitri Shostakovich's grave.

Novodevichy Cemetery
Cellist Rostropovich's grave.

Novodevichy Cemetery
A ballerina's grave.

Novodevichy Cemetery
A comedian's grave.

Arbat St.
Arbat St. is a pedestrian street full of artists, buskers, cafes, restaurants...

Arbat St.
Western incursions abound.

Arbat St.
Starbucks has arrived here.

Arbat St.
Grafitti adorning Arbat St.

Arbat St.
Buskers adding to the street's vitality.

Arbat St.
Starving artists abound.

Arbat St.
Yet another street musician keeping things lively here.

Arbat St.
A random street shot showing the easy going vibe of this pedestrian street.

Arbat St.
A young Muscovite posing with a statue.

Kremlin
The Kremlin is a complex of miltary, political and religious buildings dating...

Kremlin
The Czar Bell is the world's largestweighing 200 tons and 6.6 m in...

Kremlin
One of several churches of Cathedral Sq.

Kremlin
Ivan the Great bell tower.

Kremlin
Beautiful gol onion domes of one of the cathedrals.

Kremlin
THe Czar cannon, designedin 1586 was never fired.The barrel weighs 40 tons.

Kremlin
One of several cathedrals within the Kremlin complex.

Kremlin
Close up of the Ivan the Great Bell Tower.

Kremlin
Beautiful gold domes of one of the Kremlin cathedrals.

Kremlin
Nice view showing the red brick citadel wall and the stately interior buildings.

Kremlin
One of the spectacular churches around Cathedral Sq.

Kremlin
A view of the Grand Kremlin Palace, off limits to tourists.

Kremlin
One of the interior buildings the President's residence I believe.

Kremlin
The Armory.

Moscow
These fountains are found atop the Okhotny Ryad mall, a preferred centre of...

Perekhod
Perekhods are underground walkways that allow pedestrians to cross...

Moscow
Muscovites relaxing outside theKremlin and Red Sq. The National Museum...

Moscow
Muscovites cooling off in a fountain just outside the Kremlin's walls.

Moscow
Fountains outside the Kremlin's walls. A very lively pedestrian...

Food
One of the weird delicacies that we discovered...pickled watermelon!

Moscow
Mounted police patrolling a park outside the northern Kremlin walls.

article published 9/1/2008

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This was among the best armchair tours I've ever taken. I loved shots inside the stations and the nighttime shots of Moscow. Thanks soooo much for sharing!!
— Connie, September 16, 2008

Dear Jan, Thanks SO much, for all your wonderful pix and descriptions of Moscow today!! I visited it about 20 years ago, so it's interesting to see the changes, and learn more!! Your comments are especially appreciated!!
— Eleanor Robb, September 3, 2008

Hi Jan, great pics and experience of Moscow! I think the Victory Square is the Victory Park, which I visited on my Moscow city Tour. I agree with you that Moscow and St Petersburg are very different from each other, but they complement each other for a visit to Russia! My album of Russia is http://travel.webshots.com/album/563971400NWoPRC if you are interested. Thanks!
— Ben Hsu, September 2, 2008