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Introduction
to Moscow and City's Highlights
Moscow,
being the capital of one-sixth of the world with about 10 million
inhabitants is supposed to be something impressive and it is.
One
of the first impressions Moscow gives is the one of a chaotic city
with large busy
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avenues, jammed
traffic, speedy life, glintering
ads. At the same time you see calm grey residential areas, hidden
little churches with golden domes and church music in the centrum,
monumental Stalin's buildings. Unlikely contrasts are everywhere:
fancy shops on Tverskaya street neighbour nearly falling apart
concrete
buildings of run-down Soviet hotels and government buildings;
hip crowds wearing the latest design clothes sipping cocktails
in
a
state-of-the-art cafes and rugged tired people with solemn and
unhappy faces carrying the burden of existence in this new 'democratic'
world, where everybody depends on oneself (what a change from the
Soviet times).
As everywhere in Russia it's like a mix of two worlds: Europe
and Asia, democracy and communism, joy and grief, prosperity
and poverty.
Moscow could be just another capital, but it isn't. Rather, the
city is an exaggerated version of everything you can get in
Russia,
as if conforming the quality of Russian character to take everything
to extremes.
Moscow Specialities:
Here's
a list of just some of the things you can do in Moscow and enjoy
them: (click on the links to see the photos of special places)
- Walking around the city in the evening, especially while it's
snowing, hearing and feeling the snow cracking under your feet.
You can see the discriptions of central areas here.
- Seeing the Kremlin. Even though it's
a postcard, the Kremlin is where it all started.
- Passing by St.Basils cathedral.
A chaotic, colorful and beautiful cathedral.
- Visiting Tretyakov's Gallery to see
the greatest collection of Russian art.
- Visiting contemporary art and photo galleries to
experience the nowadays reality through the works and installations
of Russian artists and photographers.
- Going inside any small local church (better if it's hidden
somewhere), smelling the incenses and listening to the prayers.
- Seeing the church of Christ the Saviour,
built in the late 90s it's the biggest cathedral in Russia, and
the most expensive one. The symbol of union between Moscow government
and the church.
- Walking around Kropotkinskaya and Arbat areas to
get the feel of residential Moscow.
- Going out. There are various places for different people: calm,
groovy, sexy, cool, dirty, crazy, weird. To help you make a choice: What'On in Moscow.
- The next day you might feel like refreshing yourself. So you
can go to one of Moscow's parks
and forests,
or involve in
some activity:
ice-skating, snowboarding, yoga, going to a gym - whatever.
- When you need to figure out how to move around the city, try
our Transportation section.
Related
articles:
•
Interviews with Russians (to help you see what kind of people live
in Moscow)
• Facts about Moscow
Related
forum posts:
• Visiting
Moscow for 3 days...
• Photographs
• Report
on my Moscow trip
• Traveling
to Moscow for a month
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