Sightseeing

Moscow

The Kremlin

is the historic and spiritual heart of Moscow. It is one of the most renowned museums of the world that attracts large number of visitors. The Kremlin is situated on a hill washed on one side by the Moscow River. In the grounds of the Kremlin you can see the Tsar Bell and the Tsar Cannon and visit the Annunciation Cathedral, the Archangel Cathedral, and the Cathedral of the Ascension, the Bell Tower of Ivan the Great, that are magnificent monuments of Russian church architecture with unique interiors. Don’t forget to enter the Armory – the real academy of Russian applied art through the centuries. The museum houses the collection of Russian, Oriental, and Western pieces of art dated V-XX centuries, thrones of Russian Tsars, clothes and armor, and unique silver and golden dishes. You will have an opportunity to see the regalia of Grand Dukes and Tsars, carriages, and the collection of armors.

The Diamond Fund

Is situated in the same building as the Armory and possess one of the largest collections of gem stones in the world. The crown jewels of the collection are the historic relics such as state regalia and rear precious stones. This collection is comprised of royal treasures that were previously kept in the Winter Palace in St. Petersburg. This collection is of great cultural and historical value. Here you can see the most massive imperial crown decorated with 5 thousand diamonds, most valuable Russia awards, and platinum and gold nuggets. Priceless treasures of the Diamond Fund are a part of national wealth of the country.

The Tretyakov Gallery

in Moscow is the national repository of Russian art and is one of the largest museums in the world. It was established in 1856 and is named after its founder Pavel Tretyakov who donated a part of his collection to Moscow, in 1892. The main building of the museum is situated not far from the Kremlin. The collection includes approximately 125 000 pieces of art. Among them are unique works of Old Russian art including the eminent icons by Andrey Rublev, Semen Ushakov, and others. Works of the XIII-XIX centuries are kept here

The Pushkin museum

in Moscow is one of the major arts museums in Russia. It is located in the centre of Moscow, not far from the Kremlin, opposite of the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour. The collection consists of over half a million pieces of art from different times. Among them there is a unique collection of Antique, Medieval, and Renaissance sculptures. The museum collection contains works by great artists from Italy, Holland, Spain, England, France, and Germany. The world famous collection of French paintings of the XIX-XX centuries that includes major works of Monet, Reno, Van Gogh, and Picasso is presented here.

The famous Moscow subway

is a symbol of constructivism and is decorated with chandeliers and tons of marble. Most of its stations were designed as monuments of architecture. The length of underground railroads exceeds 250km. There are over 160 subway stations in Moscow, and new ones are constantly being built. Entrances to the subway stations that are the most beautiful in the world were built approximately fifteen years ago; in 1935 the first subway railroad line was launched. Old Arbat is a street full of people day and night. Arbat is a paved pedestrian street and is one of the most popular places for dates and walks in Moscow. It is here that artists, musicians, lovers of poetry and song writers meet.

Saint Petersburg

The Peter-and-Paul Fortress

is the first building of St. Petersburg. It was built here under the order of Peter the Great to protect these lands form Sweden during the war that lasted for 21 years and became known as the Northern War. The foundation day of the fortress, which is May 27, 1703, became the Birthday of the whole city. The architect of the fortress Domenico Trezini was the first architect of the city. For a long time the fortress was used as a political prison. The architectural centre of the ensemble of the Fortress is the Peter-and-Paul Cathedral. This Cathedral is the place of burial of Russian Emperors since Peter the Great. In 1998, remains of the last Russian Emperor, Nicolas II, and his family were buried in the Cathedral.

Hermitage

is one of the largest museums in the world. The Hermitage collection includes over 3 million exponents from prehistoric times to modern days. It was established in 1764 by Russian Empires Catherine the Great. She gave an order to build a palace to accommodate her collection of western European art. Now the permanent exposition is set in five buildings (the Winter Palace, the Small Hermitage, the Old Hermitage, and the Hermitage Theatre) that form an amazing architectural ensemble. The interiors of the museum were decorated by outstanding architects and sculptors of the XVIII and XIX centuries. Many rooms where magnificent ceremonies were held are preserved in its initial state. The Hermitage collection includes real masterpieces of greatest artists and sculptors of the world, such as Leonardo da Vinci, Rafael, Rembrandt, Monet, and Paulo Picasso