Frommer's Moscow Day by Day (Frommer's Day by Day)

Moscow

day day

™

BY

1st Edition

by Hillary Gilbert

A John Wiley and Sons, Ltd, Publication

Moscow

day day

™

BY

1st Edition

by Hillary Gilbert

A John Wiley and Sons, Ltd, Publication

Contents 24 Favorite Moments

1

1 The Best Full-Day Tours

5

The Best in One Day 6 The Best in Two Days 10 The Best in Three Days 12

2 The Best Special-Interest Tours Exploring the Kremlin 16 The Kremlin Armory 22 The Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts The Novodevichy Convent 30 The Tretyakov Gallery 34 Stalin’s Skyscrapers 38 The Moscow Metro 40 Fallen Heroes 42 Alternative Art 44 The Dark Side 46 Russian Writers 48 Cold Warriors 50 Outlandish Architecture 52

24

3 The Best Neighborhood Walks Three Boulevards 56 Along the Golden Mile 60 Around the Arbat 62 Patriarch’s Ponds 66 Bolshaya Nikitskaya 68 Kitai Gorod 70 Kuznetsky Most 74 Tverskaya off the Beaten Track Zamoskvorechye 80

4 The Best Shopping Shopping Best Bets 84 Moscow Shopping A to Z

83 90

76

15

55

5 The Great Outdoors

99

Victory Park 100 VDNKh 102 Gorky Park 104

6 The Best Dining

107

Dining Best Bets 108 Moscow Dining A to Z 112

7 The Best Nightlife

121

Nightlife Best Bets 122 Moscow Nightlife A to Z 126

8 The Best Arts & Entertainment Arts & Entertainment Best Bets Moscow A & E A to Z 136

9 The Best Lodging

131

132

143

Lodging Best Bets 144 Moscow Hotels A to Z 149

10 The Best Day Trips & Excursions Stalin’s Secret Bunker Kolomenskoye 160 Star City 162

158

The Savvy Traveler Before You Go 166 Getting There 168 Getting Around 169 Fast Facts 170 Moscow: A Brief History Useful Phrases 175

Index

178

165

173

157

Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons Ltd, The Atrium, Southern Gate, Chichester, West Sussex PO19 8SQ, England Telephone (+44) 1243 779777 Email (for orders and customer service enquiries): [email protected]. Visit our Home Page on www.wiley.com All Rights Reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning or otherwise, except under the terms of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 or under the terms of a licence issued by the Copyright Licensing Agency Ltd, 90 Tottenham Court Road, London W1T 4LP, UK, without the permission in writing of the Publisher. Requests to the Publisher should be addressed to the Permissions Department, John Wiley & Sons Ltd, The Atrium, Southern Gate, Chichester, West Sussex PO19 8SQ, England, or emailed to [email protected], or faxed to (+44) 1243 770620. Designations used by companies to distinguish their products are often claimed as trademarks. All brand names and product names used in this book are trade names, service marks, trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners. The Publisher is not associated with any product or vendor mentioned in this book. This publication is designed to provide accurate and authoritative information in regard to the subject matter covered. It is sold on the understanding that the Publisher is not engaged in rendering professional services. If professional advice or other expert assistance is required, the services of a competent professional should be sought. UK Publisher: Sally Smith Executive Project Editor: Daniel Mersey (Frommer’s UK) Commissioning Editor: Mark Henshall (Frommer’s UK) Development Editor: Tim Locke (Frommer’s UK) Project Editor: Hannah Clement (Frommer’s UK) Cartographer: Tim Lohnes Photo Research: Jill Emeny (Frommer’s UK) Wiley also publishes its books in a variety of electronic formats. Some content that appears in print may not be available in electronic books. British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data

A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library ISBN: 978-0-470-72304-3 Typeset by Wiley Indianapolis Composition Services Printed and bound in China by SNP Leefung Printers Ltd. 54321

A Note from the Publisher Organizing your time. That’s what this guide is all about. Other guides give you long lists of things to see and do and then expect you to fit the pieces together. The Day by Day guides are different. These guides tell you the best of everything, and then they show you how to see it in the smartest, most time-efficient way. Our authors have designed detailed itineraries organized by time, neighborhood, or special interest. And each tour comes with a bulleted map that takes you from stop to stop. Would you like to be wowed at the Kremlin Armory or spend a night at the Bolshoi Ballet? Planning a romantic ice skate at Gorky Park or watching the sun go down over Red Square? How about sampling some ice-cold vodka or a trip to Stalin’s secret bunker? Whatever your interest or schedule, the Day by Days give you the smartest routes to follow. Not only do we take you to the top attractions, hotels, and restaurants, but we also help you access those special moments that locals get to experience—those “finds” that turn tourists into travelers. The Day by Days are also your top choice if you’re looking for one complete guide for all your travel needs. The best hotels and restaurants for every budget, the greatest shopping values, the wildest nightlife—it’s all here. Why should you trust our judgment? Because our authors personally visit each place they write about. They’re an independent lot who say what they think and would never include places they wouldn’t recommend to their best friends. They’re also open to suggestions from readers. If you’d like to contact them, please send your comments my way at [email protected], and I’ll pass them on. Enjoy your Day by Day guide—the most helpful travel companion you can buy. And have the trip of a lifetime. Warm regards,

Michael Spring, Publisher Frommer’s Travel Guides

vi

About the Author Hillary Gilbert first went to Russia in 1993, for a five-month language course. She’s still there. Having traveled across Siberia and most countries of the former Soviet Union in the interim, she now runs her own editorial services company in Moscow. Find out more at www.urgentedits.com.

Acknowledgements I have a great many people to thank for their help in writing this book. They are: Victor and Irina Bereznoi, Tamara Denisova, Svetlana Domina at the Maxim Gorky Memorial Museum, Jill Emeny, Mary Anne Evans, Mark Henshall, Tim Locke, Konstantin Nikinov at the Central Museum of the Armed Forces, Melissa Shales, Nathan Stowell, Elena Trofimova at the Dom na Naberezhnoi, and everyone at the Yuri Gagarin Cosmonauts’ Training Center. Above all though, I should like to thank Richard Hecquet.

An Additional Note Please be advised that travel information is subject to change at any time— and this is especially true of prices. We therefore suggest that you write or call ahead for confirmation when making your travel plans. The authors, editors, and publisher cannot be held responsible for the experiences of readers while traveling. Your safety is important to us, however, so we encourage you to stay alert and be aware of your surroundings.

Star Ratings, Icons & Abbreviations Every hotel, restaurant, and attraction listing in this guide has been ranked for quality, value, service, amenities, and special features using a star-rating system. Hotels, restaurants, attractions, shopping, and nightlife are rated on a scale of zero stars (recommended) to three stars (exceptional). In addition to the star-rating system, we also use a icon to point out the best bets for families. Within each tour, we recommend cafes, bars, or restaurants where you can take a break. Each of these stops appears in a shaded box marked with a coffee-cup-shaped bullet .

=

P

The following abbreviations are used for credit cards: AE American Express DC Diners Club

DISC Discover MC MasterCard

V Visa

vii

Frommers.com Now that you have this guidebook to help you plan a great trip, visit our website at www.frommers.com for additional travel information on more than 4,000 destinations. We update features regularly to give you instant access to the most current trip-planning information available. At Frommers. com, you’ll find scoops on the best airfares, lodging rates, and car rental bargains. You can even book your travel online through our reliable travel booking partners. Other popular features include:

A Note on Prices In the “Take a Break” and “Best Bets” sections of this book, we have used a system of dollar signs to show a range of costs for 1 night in a hotel (the price of a double-occupancy room) or the cost of an entree (main meal) at a restaurant. Use the following table to decipher the dollar signs: Cost $ $$ $$$ $$$$ $$$$$

Hotels under $100 $100–$200 $200–$300 $300–$400 over $400

Restaurants under $10 $10–$20 $20–$30 $30–$40 over $40

An Invitation to the Reader In researching this book, we discovered many wonderful places—hotels, restaurants, shops, and more. We’re sure you’ll find others. Please tell us about them, so we can share the information with your fellow travelers in upcoming editions. If you were disappointed with a recommendation, we’d love to know that, too. Please write to: Frommer’s Moscow, Day by Day, 1st Edition Wiley Publishing, Inc. • 111 River St. • Hoboken, NJ 07030-5774

24 Favorite Moments

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non-stop petro-dollar fuelled party, where anything goes with the most teeth-grinding bureaucracy you will ever encounter. The center of the Russian soul—and the heart of the former evil empire. The world’s most expensive city—and one of its poorest. Expect to have your prejudices confirmed, or shattered completely. This won’t be the most comfortable trip you’ll ever take, but it will probably be one of the most intense.

1 The Kremlin Armory. Crowns, thrones, armor and Fabergé eggs. Enchant a fractious child, of either sex. See p 22. 2 The Bolshoi Ballet. World-class entertainment, and an audience that takes Smart Casual very, very seriously indeed. See p 136.

3 Gorky Park. Flooded in winter to form one massive ice rink. A direct route to the Emergency Room, but too romantic to resist. See p 104.

4 The Novodevichy Cemetery. Pay your respects to Chekhov, Mayakovsky, Prokofiev and, latterly, Mstislav Rostropovich and Boris Yeltsin. See p 32.

5 Sandunovsky Bani. Searing heat and ice-cold vodka. Cleanse body and soul. See p 14.

6 Watching the sun go down on Red Square. Who says it’s no city for lovers? See p 7. Novodevichy Cemetery: resting place of the great, the good and the party faithful.

Inside the Style Moderne Ryabushinsky Mansion.

7 The Moscow Metro. If only all commuting were as opulent as this. Buy a 17-ruble metro ticket and spend the day going round, and round, and round. See p 40.

8 Lubyansky Restaurant. The former KGB canteen. If those walls could talk. See p 47.

9 The Vostok Return Capsule, Yuri Gagarin Cosmonauts’ Training Center. One giant leap, one tiny capsule to get home in. See p 164. 0 Rizhsky Market. Wall-to-wall flowers at half retail prices. Heaven scent. See p 96.

! Café Pushkin. For breakfast the morning after the night before. See p 57.

@ Gruzinsky Val. Flirtatious stallholders and flower sellers running the length of the entire street. See p 96.

24 Favorite Moments

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24 Favorite Moments

& The Museum of Contemporary Russian History. The full history of the world’s bravest experiment— or worst disaster, depending on your point of view. See p 8. * Lenin’s Mausoleum. He can’t last forever. Go now. See p 43. ( The No. 33 Trolleybus. From the Lubyanka to the Moscow river, via the Kitai Gorod Wall, the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour, the Kremlin, and the House on the Embankment. The best 25 rubles you’ll ever spend. See p 169.

Statue of Lenin in the Sculpture Park.

# The Kremlin Palace of Congresses. Champagne and caviar above the golden domes of the Terem Palace. See p 136. $ Eliseevskiy Gastronom. Pre-revolutionary luxury, round the clock. See p 8.

% The Pushkin Museum’s Gallery of 19th and 20th Century Art. Degas dancers and ToulouseLautrec prints: and that’s just one room. See p 24. ^ The Maxim Gorky Memorial Museum. Style Moderne architecture at its most surreal. See p 53.

) The Art Muzeon Sculpture Park. Marx, Lenin, Stalin, Brezhnev. Stone dead. See p 13. q Stalin’s Secret Bunker. Who could resist the urge to sit behind that desk? See p 158.

w The Hilton Moscow Leningradskaya Hotel. The smallest of Stalin’s skyscrapers, but currently the one with the most bars. See p 151. e The Tagansky Protected Command Point. Cold War nostalgia (and neurosis) 65 meters below ground. See p 51. r St. Basil’s Cathedral. Well I’ll be domed. See p 7.

•

Classic Soviet architecture at the Hilton Moscow Leningradskaya.

1

The Best Full-Day Tours

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The Best Full-Day Tours

6

7

ith the most famous landmarks in one (tightly-packed) mile around Red Square, this tour should take you from St. Basil’s to the Bolshoi (via the Kremlin, GUM and a few secret spots) with minimum wear on shoe leather and nerves. Pace yourself with plenty of stops for snacks and shopping, and leave the Jimmy Choo’s at home.

START: from Teatralnaya metro, heading east towards Red Square.

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1 ★★★ Red Square. This great

expanse only became known as such during the 17th century, with the archaic dual meaning of “krasnaya” (red or beautiful) used in honor of the . L U varka newly erected St. Basil’s. Not everything you see is original: the Kazan Cathedral (built 1636) and the Rese Project urrection Gate (1680) were both demolished to allow easier access kvoretsk aya N for Stalin’s military parades, before ab. being rebuilt in the 1990s. @ 20 min. Metro: Okhotny Ryad, Ploshad Revolutsii, Teatralnaya.

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2 The State Historical and Lenin Museums. These two gothic monoliths, completed in 1881 and 1900 respectively, are classic examples of Russian Revival architecture—but both best observed from a distance. The Lenin Museum k was closed after the putsch of 1993, and the State Historical Museum j has little to recommend it unless you are fascinated by archeology. The statue

in front is of World War II victor Marshall Zhukhov (1896–1974), as he appeared in the 1945 Victory Parade on Red Square.

3

★★ Bosco Café, GUM. It’s hard to believe that the GUM department store housed government offices from the end of the Revolution until 1953. Prices are high and the tables cramped: but this is New Russian country, and observing the clientele is fascinating. Red Square d. 3. y 495 621 3182. $$$.

4 ★★★ St. Basil’s Cathedral. It may look haphazard, but St. Basil’s (commissioned by Ivan the Terrible in 1555 to celebrate the capture of Kazan) was originally a highly symbolic structure of eight separate chapels, centered around the Cathedral of the Intercession, whose iconostasis (the icon-filled screen in

The Best in One Day

W

The Best Full-Day Tours

8

The psychedelic domes of St Basil’s cathedral.

front of every orthodox altar) is a must see. The stone platform in front—the Lobnoe Mesto, or Place of Skulls—is said (incorrectly) to be a former execution site. In fact, while Ivan the Terrible made his public repentance here in 1549, and Boris Godunov was crowned here in 1598, miscreant boyars (members of the nobility) were executed on Vasilyevsky Spusk, the cobbled slope directly behind. The statue in front is of Kuzma Minin and Dmitry Pozharsky, victors against the 1612 Polish invasion during the Time of Troubles. @ 1 hr. Red Square d. 2

y 495 698 3304. Admission 100R adults, 50R kids and students. Daily May–Oct 11am–6pm, Nov–Apr 11am–5pm. Metro: Okhotny Ryad, Ploshad Revolutsii, Teatralnaya.

5 ★★ Lenin’s Mausoleum. Still here decades after his death, the embalmed corpse of the first Soviet leader (Vladimir Ilyich Ulyanov or Lenin, 1870–1924) has withstood numerous attempts to allow him a decent burial. If you find this grotesque, be grateful Stalin was relocated to the Kremlin Wall in 1961: and don’t read page 43. 6 ★ Alexandrovsky Sad. Leaving a bouquet at the tomb of the unknown soldier here was a

longstanding tradition for Soviet brides. Equally moving are the monuments containing earth from each of the Hero Cities of World War II (Stalingrad, Leningrad and Moscow itself in 1941) awarded that status for their role in that conflict. @ 20 min. Metro: Alexandrovsky Sad.

7 ★★★ The Kremlin. The original defensive center of the city, its historic and ornate cathedrals, scene of the coronations (and burials) of the Tsars deserve half a day at least. See p 16. @ 4 hr.

8 ★★ The Museum of Contemporary Russian History. This museum is housed in the former English Club, whose members included the writers Alexander Pushkin (1799–1837) and Leo Tolstoy (1828–1910). It became the Museum of the Revolution of the USSR in 1924, and now covers Russian political and social history since the mid-19th century. Enjoy one of the largest collections of political posters in the world, before picking up your own copy in the ground floor shop. @ 1 hr. Tverskaya Ul. d. 21. y 495 699 6724; 495 699 5217. www.sovr.ru/english/. Admission 100R, kids and students 70R. Tues, Wed, Fri 10am–6pm, Thurs and Sat

9

Dual Pricing: Some museums still charge different prices for Russian nationals and foreigners: “foreigner” rates are shown throughout this guide. Opening Times: Russian museums close one day a week, usually Monday. Many also close for cleaning, usually— although by no means always—on the final Monday of every month. Floor Numbering: What Europeans call the ground floor will be the first floor in Russia. This system is used throughout this book. Telephone Numbers: A 499 Moscow code has been introduced in addition to the existing 495. Most numbers won’t require a prefix if dialing within the city: but if calling a 499 number from a 495 one, you’ll need to prefix it with ‘8’ and wait for a tone before dialing the number. It’s the same procedure for long-distance calls: see Savvy Traveler, p 172. Numbers change all the time. If you don’t get through on a 495 number, try 8 499.

11am–7pm, Sun 10am–5pm. Metro: Chekhovskaya, Pushkinskaya, Tverskaya.

9 ★★★ Eliseevskiy Gastronom. Built at the end of the 18th century Eliseevskiy’s Stores was opened here in 1901. Nationalized after the revolution to become Gastronom No. 1, it was notorious during the Brezhnev years for supplying the nomenklatura (communist party elite) with their luxury goods: until an anti-corruption crackdown by Soviet leader Yuri Andropov saw its director, Yuri Sokolov, executed on charges of corruption in April 1984. @ 15 min. Tverskaya Ulitsa d. 14. y 495 650 4643. http://www.eliseevskiy.ru/e_about.htm Daily 24 hr. Metro: Chekhovskaya, Pushkinskaya, Tverskaya.

0

★ Coffee Bean. The former Filippov bakery, this site saw heavy fighting during the 1905 uprising. Service is desultory, but the cakes are irresistible. Tverskaya Ul. d. 10.

y 495 788 6357. $.

Workers of the world unite!

! Teatralnaya Ploshad. Head east from Tverskaya past the State Duma (or parliament, but previously the Gosplan building, the heart of the Soviet Central planning) towards this Neo Classical square, home to the Maly and Bolshoi Theaters (see p 136). Take the perehod (subway) in front of the Maly to admire the mosaics on the Style Moderne Metropol Hotel–with the statue of Karl Marx somewhat ironically in front–before heading uphill past upmarket shopping mall Tretyakovsky Proezd. Keep going uphill towards the Lubyanka, and head down Lubyansky Proezd for a glimpse of one of Stalin’s skyscrapers, the Dom na Kotelnicheskoi (see p 39). Metro: Ploshad Revolutsii, Teatralnaya.

The Best in One Day

Russian Museums: Need to Know

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The Best in Two Days

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t may seem odd to begin a tour from the outside in: but this route—from the Novodevichy Convent to the Pushkin Museum— can be done in a single-direction metro journey, minimizing the aggravation of a transport system still largely signposted in Cyrillic.

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1 ★ Moscow State University (MGU) and the Sparrow Hills. Start with a quick look at MGU a, another of Stalin’s skyscrapers (see p 39), before heading for the observation deck (directly in front) at the Sparrow Hills b, from which Napoleon watched Moscow burn as his forces retreated in 1812. Vorobyovy Gory. Metro: Universitet.

2 ★★★ The Novodevichy Convent and Cemetery. Spend an hour in the 16th and 17th century architecture of this working convent, before visiting the graves of Yeltsin, Brezhnev, and Chekhov.

A masterpiece of Moscow Moderne: the Pertsov House.

See p 130. Metro: Sportivnaya.

3 ★★ The Cathedral of Christ the Savior. Commemorating the 1812 victory over Napoleon, the original cathedral was finally consecrated in 1883, and Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Overture premiered there the following year. Demolished in 1931 to make way for Stalin’s ill-fated “Palace of Soviets” (see p 39), the excavated area then became the world’s largest open-air swimming pool. The rebuilt cathedral was consecrated in 2000. Visit the basement Symbol of the new Russia: the Cathedral of Christ the Savior.

museum for relics from the original building and photos of a fresh-faced Patriarch Alexei II (Russia’s current Patriarch, born 1929) as a young priest. @ 30 min. Volkhonka Ul. d. 15. Daily 10am–6pm. y 495 637 2847. www.xxc.ru. Free admission, excursions from 750R. Metro: Kropotkinskaya.

4 ★ The Pertsov House. Walk through the Patriarch’s Gardens and turn right into Prechistenskaya Nab. for this spectacular Style Moderne mansion, built 1905–1907. Metro: Kropotkinskaya.

5 ★★★ The Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts. Art fans will need an entire day. See p 24. Metro: Kropotkinskaya.

6

Café Michel. Refuel with the best Italian coffee in town, directly behind Kropotkinskaya metro. Prechistenskikh Vorot d. 1 bldg. 2. No phone. $.

The Best in Two Days

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The Best in Three Days

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inally, a day of relaxation in Zamoskvorechye with a leisurely tour of both Tretyakov Galleries and a trip to the banya (traditional Russian sauna and baths). START: Novokuznetskaya metro, for the Tretyakov Gallery.

1 ★★ Novokuznetskaya Metro. Tretyakovskaya is closer to

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the gallery, but the bas reliefs and mosaics at this station (built in 1943 and celebrating former military heroes) are simply too ornate to miss.

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An easy to follow, chronological layout (covering Russian art from the 17th to the 20th centuries) and free English language guides make this gallery an absolute joy. See p 34.

@ 2 hr. Metro: Novokuznetskaya,

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worth taking some time to explore this lane, pedestrianized in 2006 (see p 82). The 17th-century Chambers of the Kadashevski Slobode at No. 4 now house police administrators. But follow the signs for the Magnum Ars Gallery to discover a red granite statue skulking against vnich the Tretyakov’s northernmost wall: eskay aN abJoseph Stalin himself, abandoned in . niko vska a corner, as if in disgrace. @ 30 min. y z aoNe Pr ab.

ky es

Metro: Tretyakovskaya.

4 ★★★ The Art Muzeon Sculpture Park. This park was established in 1991 to house the Communist statues being rapidly torn down by the Moscow Soviet. You’ll find Derzhinsky (founder of the NKVD, forerunner to the KGB), Stalin, Lenin, Brezhnev, Gorky and others— some of them a bit worse for wear, with the graffiti on Dzerzhersky still evident, and Stalin’s nose having taken a severe beating. @ 1 hr. Krymsky Val d. 10. y 8 499 238 3679; 8 499 238 3396. Admission 100R. May–Sep 9am–10pm, Oct–Apr 10am–9pm. Metro: Oktyabrskaya, Park Kultury.

5 ★ The New Tretyakov Gallery. The grey 1960s’ building of the New Tretyakov Gallery (dedicated to 20th-century Russian art), depresses on sight and doesn’t really improve on entry. I always head straight to the fourth floor, for a peerless chronicle of 20th-century Russian art from the avant garde to Socialist Realism and beyond, including late Kandinsky graphics,

End of an empire : the Art Museon Sculpture Park.

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The Best in Three Days

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The Best Full-Day Tours

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20th Century Russian art at the New Tretyakov Gallery.

early propaganda posters, and 1930s’ constructivist photography. For me the real gems are in Halls 25 and 26, with several rarely seen propagandist portraits of Stalin and typical Soviet statuary, including Vera Mukhina’s infamous Worker and Kolhoznitsa (1936). @ 1 hr. Krymsky Val d. 10. y 8 499 230 7788; 8 499 238 1378. www.tretyakovgallery.ru. Admission 250R, kids and students 150R. Tues–Sun 10am–7:30pm. Metro: Oktyabrskaya, Park Kultury.

6 Boat Trip From Gorky Park. Pick up a boat among the fairground attractions in Gorky Park and head upstream past the Novodevichy Convent or downstream past the Kremlin to the Novospassky Monastery.

@1⁄

hr (leaving every 20 min.). y 495 225 6070. www.cck-ship.ru (Russian only). Adults 400R, kids up to 12 150R. Metro: Oktyabrskaya. 1

2

complete with pool. @ 2 hr. Neglinnaya Ulitsa.d. 14, bldgs 3–7 (entrance from Sandunovsky Pereulok). y 495 625 4631: private banya y 495 628 4633. www.sanduny.ru. From 600R for 2 hours (kids half price), private banya 2,500R per hour. Daily 8am– 10pm, but check website for cleaning times. Metro: Kuznetsky Most.

8 ★ Evropeisky Zal, Metropol Hotel. This historic landmark, completed in 1905, once hosted members of the Bolshevik’s Central Committee. Splash out under the stained-glass ceilings of the Metropol Zal, or the smaller but equally ornate or Evropeisky. Teatralny Proezd d. 1/4. y 8 499 270 1061 (Metropol Zal); y 8 499 270 1062 (Evropeisky Zal). $$$$$.

7 ★★★ Sandunovsky Bani.

9 Le Pain Quotidien. If you’re

These are the most ornate banya in the city, but men get by far the better deal, with a columned swimming pool in the “Higher Man Class” baths (check the deliciously translated website for details). Alternatively, order vodka and zakuski (snacks) in your own private banya

strapped for cash, on the other hand, this café chain (rapidly opening new branches throughout town—see www.lpq.ru) offers cheap comfort food and hot chocolate by the pint. Kamergeksy Pereulok d. 6.

y 495 937 7742. $$.

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The Best SpecialInterest Tours

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The Best Special-Interest Tours

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18

T

he earliest records of the Kremlin date from 1156, when its territory was marked by earth and wood ramparts. White limestone walls and towers were added in the 14th century, but it did not take on its current appearance until a century later, when the current red-brick walls and towers were built. The over-zealous whistle-blowing guards can be irritating, but nothing quite prepares you for the sight of Cathedral Square under a dusting of snow. START: at the Kutafiya Tower ticket office, a short walk from the Biblioteka im. Lenina metro.

1 Senate Square. The buildings visible on your left as you enter the Kremlin from the Troitskaya Tower are off limits to tourists: the Arsenal (initiated by Peter the Great in 1702); the Senate (the President’s official residence, built by Matvei Kazakov 1776–1787); and the Presidium, standing on the site of the former Chudov Monastery, closed when the Soviet Government transferred to Moscow from St. Petersburg in 1918.

2 The Poteshny Palace. Originally a boyar’s residence (built 1652), this long yellow building (to your right as you enter) was used for theatrical performances during the 1670’s, earning it the name of the Poteshny or Amusement Palace. It was here in 1932 that Stalin’s second wife, Nadezhda Alliluyeva, died: officially from appendicitis, in fact having shot herself through the head after a Kremlin dinner party (although some dispute even this,

The Kremlin: Need to Know The Kremlin is closed on Thursday, and Lenin’s Mausoleum closes on Monday and Friday: avoid these days if you plan to see the two together. Or visit on a Saturday, to see the Changing of the Guard ceremony on Cathedral Square at noon (Apr–Oct), performed in Red Square on the last Saturday of the month. Tickets for the Armory (350 rubles, 70 rubles kids and students) go on sale one hour ahead of each “séance” (session) (10am–11.30am, 12pm–1.30pm, 2.30pm– 4pm, 4.30pm–6pm), and they sell out fast: the afternoon sessions are sometimes a better bet. Security is tight, and with separate checks for the Kremlin, the Mausoleum, the Armory and the Diamond Fund, so it’s a good idea to travel light. Go down the stairs to the right of the Kutafiya Tower for the Left Luggage office, open to 7pm. Tickets for the Diamond Fund (500 rubles) are not sold at the main ticket office, but within the Armory. While Russians are restricted to fixed 20minute tours, foreigners are allowed in at any time. Tickets to the Kremlin: 300R, kids and students 50R. Audio guides 220R. Ticket offices open 10.30am–4.30pm. Closed Thur. y 495 203 0349.

19

The most famous of the Kremlin Towers, the Spasskaya (Savior) Tower is so called for the icon that once stood above the gate. The clock, originally added by Englishman Christopher Galloway in 1625, chimes every 15 minutes: after the Revolution, its notes were altered to play the Internationale. The Tsar Tower (four red and white columns with a green tented roof) is named for Tsar Ivan the Terrible who, according to legend, would use it to look out on executions on Red Square—albeit from the older wooden tower then on this site. The Konstantino-Eleninskaya Tower is known as the Torture Tower: while claims of its having housed a torture chamber are exaggerated, it was used as a prison during the 17th century. The Tainitskaya (Secret) Tower, the first to be built in 1485, has a secret passage leading down to the river.

asking how a left-handed woman could have shot herself through the right side of the head).

3 The Tsar Cannon and the Tsar Bell. Cast in 1586, the Tsar Cannon was originally placed on the Lobnoe Mesto to defend Red Square, before being moved to the Kremlin in the 18th century. The

200-tonne Tsar Bell was cast in 1735: still in its mold two years later, water falling on it during the fire of 1737 caused it to crack, with the 11.5 ton piece you see breaking off.

4 The Patriarch’s Palace and the Church of the Twelve Apostles. Built 1653–1656 under Patriarch Nikon, this cathedral

Icons and frescoes in the Cathedral of the Dormition.

Exploring the Kremlin

The Kremlin Towers

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marked a return to traditional five-domed Moscow architecture, following the Italian architecture favored by Ivan the Great. The vaulted Chamber of the Cross was used to produce miro, a scented oil used in services. The Church of the Twelve Apostles now houses a Museum of 17th Century Art and Culture.

Harvest Chandelier, stolen during looting by Napoleon’s soldiers in 1812 but later reinstated. The original iconostasis (which had included work by the leading 15th–16th century icon artist Dionysius and others) was replaced in 1653, but three murals on the south wall are attributed to him. Don’t miss the frescoes above the southern portal, previously used for royal processions.

5 The Cathedral of the Dormition (the Assumption Cathedral). The foundation stone

6 The Church of the Deposi-

of the original Dormition Cathedral (Moscow’s first stone church) was laid in 1326, the year that the Orthodox church was transferred to Moscow from Vladimir. The new cathedral and commissioned by Ivan the Great (built 1475–1479 by Aristotle Fioravanti) was used for the coronations of all Tsars thereafter. Don’t miss the carved Throne of Monomakh near the south wall, created for Ivan the Terrible in 1551, and the

tion of the Robe. Built 1484– 1485 by Pskov master builders in the Early Muscovite style, its frescoes and iconostasis (look out for 17th-century works by noted painter Nazary Istomin-Savin) were restored in the mid-1950s. Behind this church, one of the Kremlin’s most ornate palaces, the Terem Palace, is currently off limits to tourists, although you can still glimpse its 11 gold domes.

The Spasskaya Tower

7 The Cathedral of the Archangel. Built 1505–1508 by Alexis Novi (on the site of an earlier church built by Ivan Kalita in 1333), the Cathedral of the Archangel was the burial church of the Tsars, all interred here until the capital was transferred to St. Petersburg in 1713. The original tomb of Boris Godunov, Tsar from 1598 until his assassination in 1605, lies behind the iconostasis (he was re-interred at Sergiev Posad), as do the tombs of Ivan the Terrible (1530–1584) and his sons, including his elder son Ivan, whom he killed. Only some of the cathedral’s original 16th-century paintings are now visible, at the altar and west portal. The frescoes were painted in 1652–1666 by a team of artists led by renowned icon-painter Simon Ushakov.

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Mikhail Romanov

Tsaverich Dmitry

8 The Ivan the Great Bell Tower. Built 1505–1508, the tower was extended to its current height in 1600 by Boris Godunov. Blown up by Napoleon on his retreat in 1812, it was restored by Domenico Gilardi in 1819. Temporary exhibitions are held on the ground floor.

9 The Hall of Facets. Named for the faceted limestone blocks on its frontage, the Hall of Facets (built 1487–1491) is the Kremlin’s oldest secular building. Its external Red Staircase (so called for the bloodshed there during the 1682 Streltsy Rebellion) was destroyed by Stalin and rebuilt in 1994. 0 The Cathedral of the Annunciation. At the time of writing this cathedral was closed for refurbishment. Unfortunately, since

(with its Andrei Rublev icons) it is among the richest of the Kremlin cathedrals. Built 1484–1489, it was originally connected with the Tsar’s residence by a passageway from the gallery, and remains connected to today’s Grand Kremlin Palace.

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Eat & Talk. Be warned: the Kremlin currently has nowhere to eat or drink. With even a whistlestop tour taking at least two hours, you’ll need to be fed and watered before you start. The Okhotny Ryad shopping center has a McDonalds and a Sparros, but the queues are horrendous. Eat & Talk, (in the business center next to the metro) is open 24 hours, with breakfasts from 350 rubles. 7 Mokhovaya Ul. d. 7. y 495 961 2193. $$.

Exploring the Kremlin

The Cathedral of the Archangel

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The Kremlin Armory

3 5 2

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ounded by Vasilly III and dating from 1511, the Armory became a store for royal valuables under Peter the Great. Handled correctly, it can make a fun outing for children of both sexes. Go on a weekday afternoon (when you’re more likely to get tickets), have some snacks in a back pocket, and keep it short.

START: Officially, on the second floor: the most interesting items, how-

ever, are downstairs, starting with Room 6.

1 Room 6: Precious Textiles and Russian Secular Dress. The main showcase on the left-hand side has Peter the Great’s thigh-high boots, made by the Tsar himself. Note the long gold tunic (a platno, worn only by Tsars), used at his coronation. The central showcase has the coronation dresses of Catherine I (red silk with silver embroidery, 1724) and Empress Anne (brocade, silk and gold lace, 1742), and the wedding dress of

Catherine the Great (a tiny-waisted silver affair, 1745), as well as Tsar Nicholas II’s and Tsarina Alexandra’s coronation robes. Tickets 350R, kids and students 70R. y 495 203 0349.

2 Room 7: Thrones of the Tsars. You can’t miss the ivory throne in the first showcase on your right, made for the 17-year-old Ivan the Terrible in 1547. Opposite is the double throne made for the 10-yearold Peter the Great and his brother

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Despite its 500 ruble fee, the Diamond Fund has no information or labeling whatsoever. The guides, however, will point out key exhibits if asked. The phrases you need are: Almaz Shah (Apmaz Wax) the Shah Diamond, given to Tsar Nicholas I in recompense for the death of Russian diplomat and writer Alexander Griboedov, 1829. Almaz Orlova (Apmaz Orlva) the Orlov Diamond, given to Catherine the Great by her lover of that name, set in the Imperial Scepter. Bolshaya Imperatorskaya Korona (Bol;waq Imieratorskaq Korona) the Great Imperial Crown, set with 5,000 Indian diamonds, last used at the coronation of Nicholas II, 1896. Malaya Imperatorskaya Korona (Maiaq Imieratorskaq) the Small Imperial Crown, made in 1801 for the coronation of Elizaveta Alekseevna, wife of Alexander I. Imperatorskaya Derzhava (Imieratorskaq Dar:'ava) the Imperial Orb, made for the coronation of Catherine the Great in 1762.

Ivan, with a secret compartment at the back to allow boyars (or their Machiavellian half-sister Regent Sophia) to whisper advice. Ivan was the last Tsar to be crowned with the Crown of Monomakh, visible among the other state regalia in the far corner.

3 Room 7: The Crown of Monomakh. This is believed to have been given to Ivan Kalita (Grand Prince of Muscovy 1328– 1340) by a khan of the Golden Horde. Since it can only be worn once in a lifetime, and only by one Tsar, a further (more basic) crown was made for Peter the Great’s coronation in 1682. This section also includes the Great Set (crown, scepter, orb, quiver and bow-case), made for the first Tsar of the Romanov dynasty, Mikhail Romanov.

4 Room 2: Fabergé Eggs. The first Fabergé egg was commissioned by Tsar Alexander II for his wife Maria Fyodorovna, in 1885. Fiftyseven eggs were produced in total, of which 21 remain in Russia, nine of

them purchased by Russian oil magnate Victor Vekselberg in 2004. The Kremlin currently has 11, including the 1891 Heliotrope Egg (featuring a miniature model cruiser) and the 1900 Trans-Siberian egg (complete with a tiny train).

5 Rooms 3 and 4: Guns and Weapons. Small boys should make a beeline for the very gothic European armor in Room 3, and Boris Godunov’s chain-mail suit in Room 4. The Crown of Monomakh.

The Kremlin Armory

The Diamond Fund

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overing the art of ancient civilizations, Renaissance painting and sculpture, and a stellar collection of Old Masters, even the most cursory visit to each of the Pushkin Museum’s 30 rooms would take well over three hours. This whistle-stop “best bits” tour takes you through the main masterpieces in half that time. START: at Park Kultury metro, for a quick stroll and breakfast on Ostozhenka.

1 Assaggiatore. There’s a café in the Pushkin, but if you’re behind a troop of schoolchildren you’ll never get served. Eat before you go at this modern Italian café, serving breakfast until 12 noon. Ostozhenka Ul. d. 26/1. y 8 499 766 9858. $$.

2 The Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts. Moscow’s flagship gallery opened in 1912, and now occupies three buildings on Volkhonka Ulitsa (including the Museum of Private Collections at No. 10 and the Gallery of 19th- and 20th-Century European and American Art at No. 14). It’s no place for the politically correct, with many collections still the subject of some controversy: the Impressionist collections of Sergei Shchukin and Ivan Morozov were appropriated by the state after the 1917 Revolution, and the Schliemann Gold and paintings from the Baldin Collection were looted from Germany during World War II. @ 11⁄2 hr. Volkhonka Ul. d. 12 (main building). y 495 203 9578; 495 203 7998. www.museum.ru/gmii. Guest pass to all museums 500R, kids 300R. Admission to this museum only: 300R. Tues–Sun 10am–7pm, Thur to 9pm. Metro: Kropotkinskaya.

3 ★★★ Room 8: 12th–16th Century Netherlands and German Art. The Pushkin’s main attraction for most is its collection of Grand Masters, in Rooms 8 to 10. Don’t miss Lucas Cranach the

Elder’s The Effects of Jealousy (1530) and The Fall of Man (c. 1530), but it’s the far corner which holds the real draw here: Pieter Brueghel the Younger’s Winter Landscape with a Bird Trap (a copy of his father’s 1565 work) and Peasants Fighting at a Game of Cards.

4 ★★★ Room 9: 12th Century Flemish Art. This room has works by Jan Brueghel the Elder including a 1603 landscape and Four Windmills (1605), but it’s what’s behind the first partition on the right that is truly staggering: four works by Peter Paul Rubens including Bacchanalia (1615), Last Supper (1631), Apotheose of Infanta Isabella (1634) and Portrait of a Woman (1615–1620). The Pushkin Museum.

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Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts Bacchanal by Rubens, Peter Paul (1577–1640) Pushkin Museum, Moscow, Russia/ The Bridgeman Art Library.

5 ★★★ Room 10: Rembrandt and his School. Head straight for

Pendants and other jewelry, are displayed on the far wall.

the far end where there are no fewer than six Rembrandts, including Portrait of an Old Man (1654), Ahasuerus, Haman and Esther (1660), Portrait of an Old Woman (1654), Christ Cleansing the Temple (1626), Portrait of an Elderly Woman (1650) and Incredulity of St. Thomas (1634).

9 The Greek and Italian

6 ★ Rooms 17–18: 17th and 18th Century Italian Art. The highlight here is the Canaletto, Bucentaur’s Return to the Pier by the Palazzo Ducale (1728–29).

7 ★ Room 6: Hellenistic and

Courtyards (Rooms 14 and 15). Ivan Tsvetaev’s intention in founding the museum was to make the best of Ancient and Renaissance art accessible to the public, by displaying plaster casts of classical sculpture sourced from Moscow University. Even if you have seen the originals, the Greek Court’s reproductions of the Acropolis and the Parthenon, as well as Michelangelo’s David (in the adjoining Italian Court), are impressive.

Coptic Art. Acquired 1909–1911,

0 Ancient and Renaissance

the most interesting exhibits of Vladimir Golenishchev’s collection of Ancient Egyptian Art are the Fayum portraits, funeral shrouds, and a firstcentury BC mummy.

Sculpture. The collection of casts continues upstairs in rooms 16, 16a, and rooms 24 through 29, of which room 29, dedicated to the work of Michelangelo Buonarroti, is by far the most interesting. Take a close look at the cast of the Florentine Pieta: the tallest figure holding Christ has Michelangelo’s own face. Room 28 is worth a visit for the reproduction of Donatello’s Entombment of the Christ.

8 ★ Room 3: Treasures of Troy. This collection was discovered by German archaeologist Heinrich Schliemann in 1873, and allegedly looted from Germany by Soviet soldiers in May 1945. The most important pieces, the Small Diadem with

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The Gallery of 19th & 20th Century European & American Art E

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Pushkin’s Impressionists were originally shown in the State Museum of New Western Art, opened in 1928 only to be closed by Stalin 20 years later and its treasures split with the Hermitage in St. Petersburg. The opening of this gallery at Volkhonka 14 has allowed much of the original collection to be put on permanent display once more, with the second floor covering European Romanticism, the Barbizon school and the Paris Salon, and the main attractions on the top two floors above. Head for Degas dancers and ToulouseLautrec prints directly left from the third-floor staircase in Room 8, with a version of Rodin’s The Kiss (1886) visible through the doorway to Room 9, which also contains works by Claude Monet, including

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Luncheon on the Grass (1866). Room 10 has Renoir’s Nude (1876), as well as works by Pissarro and Sisley, with five Van Goghs and the neo-impressionists in Room 11 . A little-known Edvard Munch work, White Night, Aasgardstrand (1902–1903) can be found in Room 13. . Rooms 14 and 15 have extensive works by Cézanne (including Bathers (1890–1894) and Gauguin. The Matisse rooms on the next floor include his Goldfish (1911), La Danse (created for art collector Shchukin’s mansion in 1912) and, unusually, a bronze—Jaguar and Hare. The fourth floor also fields an impressive display of Picassos , and works by Vasily Kandinsky and Marc Chagall .

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y 495 203 1546. Tues–Sun 10am– 7pm. Admission to this museum only: 300R. Metro: Kropotkinskaya.

Blue Dancers, c.1899 (pastel) by Degas, Edgar (1834–1917) Pushkin Museum, Moscow, Russia/The Bridgeman Art Library.

Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts

! ★★★ The Gallery of 19thand 20th-Century European and American Art. The

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perfect example of Moscow Baroque architecture, the Novodevichy Convent was founded in 1524 by Vasily III. Following damage during the Time of Troubles, most buildings were added in the 1680s by Regent Sophia, Peter the Great’s half-sister, ironically later imprisoned by him here in 1689. One of the few landmarks untouched by Napoleon’s invasion in 1812 (after enterprising nuns removed fuses from the enemy’s ammunition), it was closed in 1922 and became a Museum of Women’s Emancipation. While still a government organization (affiliated to the State Historical Museum), it has been a working convent since 1994. START: from Sportivnaya metro. Head towards Oktyabrskaya ultitsa and turn left for Luzhnetsky Proezd.

1 The Gate Church of the Transfiguration. Built under Regent Sophia, this five-domed tower houses the ticket office and museum. Novodevichy Proezd d.1.

y 8 495 246 8526.10am–5.30pm. 150R; 60R concessions. Closed Tues. Metro: Sportivnaya. 2 The Lopukhina Palace. Facing the Gate Church, the building on your left held the rooms of Yevdokia Lopukhina, Peter the Great’s allegedly stupid and bad-tempered first wife, whom he married (and quickly tired of) at 17.

3 The Naprudnaya Tower. Ruling on behalf of the young Peter I and his half-brother Ivan V, Regent Sophia was banished here following The Novodevichy in winter.

the 1689 revolt of the Streltsy (toptier military troops). A somewhat unlikely legend has it that, after supporting a further uprising in 1698, Peter arranged for 200 Streltsy to be hung, directly outside her window.

4 The Palace of Irina Godunova. Visiting his sister, who had taken the veil on the death of her husband Fyodor I, it was here that Boris Godunov was elected Tsar by the Zemsky Sobor in 1598.

5 The Cathedral of the Virgin of Smolensk. Built in 1525, this cathedral is named in honor of the legendary Smolenskaya Icon of the Mother of God, brought to Moscow from Greece in 1046, and said to have been painted by St. Luke. While the original was returned to Smolensk in 1456, a copy was placed in the cathedral on its completion in 1525. The graves of Regent Sophia and Yevdokia Lopukhina (see above) can be found in the southern nave. Don’t miss the Chapel of the Shroud directly in front, a tiny all-white church with a Style Moderne roof.

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Myata Cafe. This hip café (the only one in the vicinity) offers a free cocktail to anyone wearing green. Luzhnetsky Proezd d. 1a. y 499 245 2245. $$.

The Novodevichy Convent

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The Novodevichy Cemetery Section 10

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7 ★★★ The Novodevichy Cemetery. The resting place of the cultural elite since 1898 (as well as the Communist party faithful), the first and second sections hold famous writers, with composers and artists directly beyond.

A Nadezhda Alliluyeva-Stalina (1901–1932). Stalin’s second wife,

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see p 18. Mikhail Bulgakov (1891–1940). His scathing satire of Soviet Russia, The Master and Margarita, was written between 1928 and 1940, with a censored version published in 1967: the full text remained unpublished in Russia until 1973. Anton Chekhov (1860–1904). Playwright Chekhov

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Boris Yeltsin: rest in peace.

Missile Crisis, the crushing of the 1956 Hungarian revolt, and the erection of the Berlin Wall. Raisa Gorbacheva (1932–1999). Wife of the last leader of the USSR, The second resting place she was of Nikolai Gogol. (See p 58) a lecturer in Marxist-Leninism before perestroika made her a media darling in the west, if not at home. Boris Yeltsin (1931–2007). The first elected president of Russia, he became a national hero when he faced down Communist hardliners in the 1991 coup. Mstislav Rostropo-vich (1927–2007). One of the greatest cellists of all time, equally revered for his support of political dissidents, including Alexander Solzhenitsyn. @ 1 hr. Luzhnetsky Proezd d. 2.

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y 8 499 246 0832. Daily 10am–5pm. Admission free. Metro: Sportivnaya.

The Novodevichy Convent

renounced the theater in 1896 after the disastrous reception of The Seagull—produced to much acclaim two years later by the Moscow Art Theater (MkhAT), which also premiered his last two plays, Three Sisters and The Cherry Orchard. Vladimir Mayakovsky (1893– 1930). The popular leader of the Russian Futurists, Mayakovsky lyingin state drew 150,000 to pay their respects after his suicide. Nikolai Gogol (1809–1852). His most famous writings include The Government Inspector, The Dead Souls and The Overcoat. Sergei Eisenstein (1898–1948). Remembered for cinematographic epics Ivan the Terrible, Battleship Potemkin and October (Ten Days that Shook the World). Sergei Prokofiev (1891–1953). Best known for Romeo and Juliet and Peter and the Wolf, this composer also provided the scores for Eisenstein’s movie Ivan the Terrible. Nikita Khrushchev (1894–1971). While remembered for his 1956 speech denouncing Stalin, his leadership also saw the Cuban

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Room 20: Ivan Kramskoy’s Portrait of L.N. Tolstoy (1873) and Portrait of P.M. Tretyakov (1876)

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Room 25: Ivan Shishkin’s Morning in a Pine Forest (1889)

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Ivan the Terrible (1897) POLYANKA

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THE TRETYAKOV GALLERY

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stablished in 1856 by philanthropist Pavel Tretyakov, and built up through various acquisitions (forced or otherwise) thereafter, the world’s largest collection of Russian art (with more than 130,000 paintings, icons, graphics and jewelry from the 11th to the 20th centuries) would need several hours to do it justice. This tour, covering the most familiar masterpieces, can be done in two. START:

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at the Church of St. Nicholas at Tomalchy, following the signs from the Tretyakov Gallery basement.

1 Pyatnitskaya Ulitsa. The Tretyakov’s Collection’s Café is a cheap (if chaotic) fueling stop, but it’s worth a five-minute walk to nearby Pyatnitskaya Ulitsa for its numerous bars, coffee shops and budget eateries including Brit-pub Molly Gwynns, Shesh Besh (see p 119), and Grably.

2 The Church of St. Nicholas at Tomalchy. This church is famous mainly for its Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos of Vladimir, believed to have protected Moscow against invasion by Tamerlane the Great (1395), the Golden Horde (1480) and the Crimean Tatars (1521). Note: while the Tretyakov is open until 7.30pm, the church is only open from 12pm to 4pm. The Tretyakov Gallery: Russian Revival meets Style Moderne.

3 Rooms 1–5. Following a broadly chronological order from the 17th to the 20th centuries, the exhibits start, somewhat illogically, at the top of the main staircase on the second floor. These rooms, covering 18th-century Russian art, contain a number of portraits familiar from history textbooks, including Marie-Anne Collot’s bust of Peter I, and Fyodor Rokotov’s portraits of Catherine the Great.

4 Room 8: Orest Kiprensky’s Po r t r a i t o f A l e x a n d e r P u s h k i n (1827). Born a serf, Kiprensky became one of the leading portrait painters of European Romanticism. This portrait of Pushkin is considered the best likeness of the writer.

5 Room 20: Ivan Kramskoy’s Po r t ra i t o f L . N . To l s t oy (1873) and Po r t ra i t o f P. M . Tr e t ya ko v (1876).The Peredvizhniki (or “Wanderers”), of which Kramskoy was a leading member, were a group of realist artists in revolt against the classicism of the Academy of Arts. Portraying subjects from peasant life, the movement was the model for the later Socialist Realism of the 1930s.

6 Room 25: Ivan Shishkin’s M o r n i n g i n a P i n e Fo r e s t (1889). Familiar to any Russian with a sweet tooth, these three lovable bears have been the brand icon of the Krasnaya Oktyabr Mishka Kosolapy chocolates since 1925.

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The Tretyakov Gallery The Execution of Boyarina Pajaritar Morozova (d.1675) 1887 (oil on canvas) by Surikov, Vasily Ivanovic (1848–1916) Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow, Russia / The Bridgeman Art Library.

7 Room 26: Victor Vasnetsov’s I va n t h e Te r r i b l e (1897). Another of the Russian Peredvizhniki Realists, Vasnetsov’s work concentrates on the mythical, notably his Three Bogatyrs (1898).

8 Room 28: Surikov’s B oy a r i n a M o r o z ov a (1887). An Old Believer (refusing to accept the reforms of Patriarch Nikon), Morozova was imprisoned and tortured in 1675. This room is most interesting not for the main picture but the various studies—a hand, a head, an alternative composition—surrounding it. Don’t miss Surikov’s most famous work, The Morning of the Execution of the Streltsy (1881).

9 Room 30: Ilya Repin’s I va n t h e Te r r i b l e a n d H i s S o n I va n (1885) and Po r t ra i t o f P. M . Tr e t ya ko v (1883). Rooms 29 and 30 are dedicated to the works of Ilya Repin (1844–1930), considered the greatest of Russia’s Realist painters. These two paintings are perhaps his most famous works, but don’t overlook the wild-eyed Tsarevna Sophia

Alexeevna One Year After Imprisonment in Novodevichy Monastery: Peter the Great’s half sister, imprisoned for her support of the Streltsy Rebellions.

0 Rooms 32–33. Fans of Style Moderne should make a beeline for the Vrubel mosaics here, including Demon Seated (1890). ! Room 60: Icons of Danil Chyorny and Andrei Rublev. T h e Fe s t i va l T i e r (1408) and T h e D e e s i s T i e r (1408). The prize exhibits of the Tretyakov’s collection of Early Religious Art are its 11th–17th-century icons, including works by Dionysius and Simon Ushakov (the most famous of the 17th-century icon painters), in addition to the Rublev masterpieces. Room 55 (The Treasury) houses the Tretyakov’s collection of bibles, icons and precious jewels. 2 hr. Lavrushinsky Per. d. 10. y 8 499 230 7788; 8 499 238 1378. www. tretyakovgallery.ru. 250R, concessions 150R. Metro: Tretyakovskaya. Daily 10am–7.30pm, closed Mon.

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uilt following the Supreme Soviet’s 1947 plan for eight skyscrapers throughout the city (the eighth, the Palace of Soviets, was never built), Stalin’s “Seven Sisters” dominate the Moscow skyline more than 60 years on. While the nearest metro is listed in each case, this is one tour better much taken by taxi: the word you need is Visotki (VYSOTKI). START: at the Dom na Kudrinskoi, next to Barrikadnaya metro.

1 ★★★ Dom na Kudrinskoi.

The old chaotic gastronom (food hall) at the base of this skyscraper (built b. 1950–1954) is now sadly ya Na a k ians o da m closed: drop into the ground floor osm post office for an idea of how ornate the interior once was. Kudrinskaya Ploshad d. 1. Metro: Barrikadnaya.

2 ★★★ Ukraina Hotel. Closed

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for refurbishment at the time of writing and not expected to re-open before summer 2009, you’ll need to watch Casino Royale for an idea of what this 1,032-room labyrinth (built 1950–1955) looked like before the developers moved in. See p 156. UL. B . Yakima . QKI n MAN ka KA

Kutuzovsky Prospect d. 2/1. y 495 221 5555. www.ukraina-hotel.ru/en/. Metro: Kievskaya. Ul. B

3 ★★★ Ministry of Foreign Affairs. See p 65. Smolenskaya Ploshad d. 32. Metro: Smolenskaya.

4 ★★★ Moscow State Univer-

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sity. Designed in 1949 by Lev Rudnev, some 14,290 GULAG prisoners were released to work out their sentences in building it, with a dedicated lv. nsky B BUL:VARGULAG camp assembled on the 24th J I K S N and 25th floors. The foyer is staggering, apparently, if you can get past the security guards. Leninskiye Gory. Ul.

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Hilton Moscow Leningradskaya Hotel. This hotel, built 1949–1953, is reopened after extensive refurbishment. Thankfully the developers have kept the ground floor mosaic of St. George

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and the 20th-floor all-round observation deck. Kalanchevskaya Ul. d. 21/40. y 495 627 5550. Metro: Komsomolskaya.

6 Krasniye Vorota. This 1953 building (by metro architect Alexei Dushkin) houses offices, apartments and the Krasniye Vorota metro station. Sadovaya-Spasskaya Ul. d. 21/1. Metro: Krasniye Vorota.

7 ★★ Dom na Kotelnicheskoi. Built entirely with GULAG labor (1948–1952), this block traditionally housed the cultural elite, including the ballerina Galina Ulanova, whose apartment museum is now open to the public (by prior appointment). Kotelnicheskaya Nab. d. 1/15. Galina Ulanova Museum y 495 915 4447. 120R. www.galinaulanova.com. Metro: Taganskaya. Moscow State University: all 175 million bricks of it.

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41

ith its mosaics, marble and stained glass, the Moscow metro outstrips all other transport systems for sheer artistry. This tour covers some of the most extravagant stations, mainly on the Koltsovaya line, built immediately before Stalin’s death ushered in a new period of austerity. START: from Komomolskaya metro (Koltsevaya – brown line).

1 Komsomolskaya. Opened in 1952, this station’s eight ceiling mosaics celebrate victory in World War II, with historic military heroes and victorious Soviet soldiers at the Reichstag. Not all are original, however: an earlier image of Stalin was replaced in the 1950s with Lenin addressing the Red Guards, while the “Victory Triumph” mosaic has been changed several times.

2 ★★★ Novoslobodskaya. Built 1950–1954, this station’s centerpiece is the gold mosaic, flanked on either side by 32 stained-glass panels set in marble. Myth has it that the route for this line was decided after Stalin left a coffee-cup stain on an early draft.

3 Kievskaya. Turn left out of the train and head for the mosaic portrait of Lenin at the end of the hall: not part of the original décor, it replaced an earlier bas relief of Lenin and Stalin together. Change here to pick up the Arbatsko-Pokrovskaya (dark blue) line. Known to every Muscovite: the metro sign.

An ornate façade at Belorusskaya Metro.

4 ★★★ Ploshad Revolutsii. Opened in 1938, this station has 74 bronze statues, designed under the direction of Socialist Realist sculptor Matvei Manizer. Change here to pick up the Zamoskvoretskaya (green) line and go two stops north to Mayakovskaya.

5 ★★★ Mayakovskaya. Opened in 1938, Alexei Dushkin’s art deco design features recessed mosaics (24 Hours in the Soviet Sky) inspired by Futurist poet Vladimir Mayakovsky. Sited 33 meters below ground, it was used as a bomb shelter during the war, with Stalin addressing a meeting of the Mossoviet here on November 7, 1941.

6 Metro. Get the full retro-metro experience at this mid-range beer restaurant. It’s always packed, so reserve a table in advance. Verkhnyaya Radishevskaya Ul. d. 2/1 bldg 5. y 495 915 2818. $$$$.

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he early 1990s saw many Soviet statues consigned to the Art Muzeon Sculpture Park (p. 13), but a few Old Communists can still be found. While no longer compulsory for all schoolchildren, Lenin’s Mausoleum still attracts large crowds in summer: get there early, and check bags at the Kremlin (see p 16). START: at the Karl Marx statue, directly opposite the Bolshoi Theater.

1 Karl Marx. Unveiled in 1961 on Ploshad Revolutsii, directly in front of the Metropol Hotel, this statue of Marx (1818–1883) remains here not through any particular affection, but because the 160-tonne stone has so far proved too much to shift. Metro: Teatralnaya, Ploshad Revolutsii, Okhotny Ryad.

2 ★★★ Lenin’s Mausoleum. Waiting in line starts at the Kremlin’s Arsenal tower (it’s well signposted), with visitors waved through 10 or so at a time. The Constructivist interior is impressive, but the ghostly-white skin and antiseptic aroma are deeply unnerving. @ 30 min. Tues– Thur, Sat–Sun 10am–1pm. y 495 623 5527. Metro: Teatralnaya, Okhotny Ryad, Ploshad Revdutsii.

3 ★★ The Kremlin Wall. The Mausoleum exit leads directly to the Kremlin Wall, the final home of Joseph Stalin (1879–1953), Maxim The sun goes down on Lenin’s statue.

Gorky (1868–1936), Nadezhda Krupskaya (Lenin’s wife, 1869–1939), Felix Dzerzhinsky, (founder of the KGB, 1877–1926), Inessa Armand (Lenin’s close friend—or lover? 1874–1920) and former party leaders Leonid Brezhnev (1906–1982), Yuri Andropov (1914–1984) and Konstantin Chernenko (1911–1985). Non-political interrees include the cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin (1934–1968) and the crews of the ill-fated Soyuz 1 and Soyuz II space missions. The plaques you see opposite the wall mark the common graves of the 238 Red Guards killed during the 1917 October Revolution.

4 ★★ The Former Institute of Marxist-Leninism. This abandoned gray block at the back of Tverskaya Ploshad once held the archives of the Institute of Marxist-Leninism: the red granite Lenin in front is a bit of a giveaway. Walk round to its opposite side to find three massive metal portraits of the Communist founding fathers. Tverskaya Ploshad d.15. Metro: Chekhorskaya, Tverskaya, Pushkinskaya.

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Aragvi / Club Petrovich. Once Stalin’s favorite Georgian restaurant, Aragvi is due to reopen late 2008. If it hasn’t, head for Club Petrovich—a club-restaurant designed to look like a Soviet communalka apartment. Aragvi, Tverskaya Ploshad d. 6/2. No phone currently. Club Petrovich, Myasnitskaya Ul. d. 24 bldg. 3. y 495 623 0082. Metro: Chistye Prudy.

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45

he annual Art Moscow and the Moscow Biennale have done much to develop Moscow’s independent art scene— officially and otherwise. Whether your interest is classic Soviet film or avant-garde photography, you will find it here. START: at the Moscow Museum of Modern Art (MMoMA), Chekhovskaya metro.

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1 Moscow Museum of Modern Art. Founded by Mayor

Luzhkov’s favorite artist Zurab Tsereteli, many of whose works are among the sculptures in the courtyard, the best items—Chagalls, l. aU and Dali sculptures— yKandinskys, ka s v che are on the second floor. Don’t miss dish a R h. the Malevich room, No. 23. @ 1 hr. Petrovka Ul. d. 25 bldg. 1. y 495 694 2890. www.mmoma.ru. 200R; students 80R. Daily 12pm–8pm. Metro: Chekhovskaya, Pushkinskaya, Tverskaya. Pr oe zd

skaya

5 ★★★ Photosoyuz Gallery. While it also covers contemporary photographers, the real draw here is its massive archive of Soviet and pre-revolutionary stock. Ask to see their collection of classic black and white prints in the back room, or sample a few in their online gallery at http://fotosoyuz.ru/en/. @ 30 min. Pokrovka Ul. d. 5. y 495 621 5727. Tues–Fri 1pm–7pm, Sat 11am–4pm. Admission free. Metro: Chistye Prudy, Kitai Gorod.

6 Winzavod. Opened in a former

1596. $$$.

brewery in 2005, Winzavod hosts several of the 1990s’ earliest independent galleries, including Marat Guelman and XL. @ 1 hr. 4th

3 ART4.ru. Founded by entrepre-

y 495 917 4646. www.winzavod.ru.

ky es ich vn

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2

Galereya. Moody black and white photography, Russo-European cuisine and catwalk-ready waiting staff. Petrovka Ul. d. 27. y 495 790

www.mdf.ru. 250R. Tues–Sun 12pm–9pm. Metro: Okhotny Ryad.

Sa do

Syromyatnicheskiy Per. d.1 bldg. 6.

neur Igor Markin in 2007, the gallery fields 700-plus pieces of Russian post-war and contemporary art.

t Bolo

Ul. B. Ordynka

@ 30 min. Khlinovsky Tupik d. 4. Bo

ya na lot

y 495 660 1158. www.art4.ru. 200R, 100R students. Tues– Sun 11am–8pm. Fri 11am–12am. Metro: Arbatskaya. 4 Moscow House of PhotoBersen evska ya

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graphy. This museum (established 1996) is responsible for both of Moscow’s landmark photography events: the Photobiennale and the annual Fashion and Style photography festival (both March–May). Access to its archive should be possible once it returns to its permanent address at Ostozhenka Ul. No. 16, late 2008. @ 30 min. Manezhnaya Ploshad. d. 1. y 495 231 3325.

Daily 11am–9pm: most galleries open to 8pm, closed Mon. Metro: Chukovskaya, Kurskaya. Boris Ignatovich: Construction of the Moscow Metro. One of the many classics in the Photosoyuz archive.

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47

he city fathers might prefer you not to notice, but today’s Moscow—from the palatial underground system to the seven gothic skyscrapers—bears the irredeemable footprint of Joseph Stalin and everything he stood for. This is a somber tour: but no honest study of the city would be complete without it. START: at the

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to ask for a copy of the Englishlanguage info-sheet, covering the main exhibits including prisoners’ belongings, a recreation of a GULAG barracks, and the many Moscow and Russia-wide landmarks built with GULAG labor. If you’ve a Russian friend to translate, book a tour (700R) with its curator, himself the . KA UL ROSEJ of two GULAG survivors. MAgrandson

@ 1 hr. Petrovka Ul. d. 16. y 495 621 7346. www.museum-gulag. narod.ru. 70R. Tues–Sat 11am–4pm. Metro: Kuzsnetsky Most.

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2

Lubyansky Restaurant. Who could resist eating in the former KGB canteen? Breakfasts and light lunches from 11am. M. Lubyanskaya

Ul. d. 7. y 495 621 1378. $$$. The Solovetsky Stone.

3 ★★ The Lubyanka. Home to the internal security services since the “Cheka” of 1917, it has undergone numerous incarnations since, notably as the NKVD (responsible for the deaths of 700,000-plus during the Great Terror of 1937–1938), the KGB, and the current Federal Security Service (FSB). Its KGB Museum is currently closed: if and when it does reopen, Patriarshy Dom Tours are sure to know. Lubyanskaya Ploshad d. 2. Patriarshy Dom Tours y 495 795 0927. Metro: Lubyanka.

4 The Solovetsky Stone. This modest monument to the victims of totalitarianism is from the Solovetsky Special Designation Camp, opened in the early days of the Revolution on an island in the White Sea, one of the first labor camps from which the GULAG system was to evolve. Novaya Ploshad, directly in front of the Politechnic Museum. Metro: Lubyanka.

5 ★★★ The House on the Embankment (Dom na Noberezhnoi). Home to the party elite, many of whom perished in the Great Terror of the 1930s. See p 81 for the full tour.

6

Spetsbufet No. 7. Pure Soviet kitsch, but not easy to find. Enter the Dom na Naberezhnoi by the Estrada Theater and it’s on your left through the first arch. Ul. Serafi-

ab .

nic he sk a ya N

er.

1 ★★ State Museum of the History of the GULAG. Be sure

ab.

movicha d.2, y 495 959 3135. $.

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49

ot just for literature buffs, these museums will also appeal even to those who wouldn’t dream of picking up a Russian novel. START: at the Leo Tolstoy Estate Museum, a 15-minute walk from Park Kultury metro.

1 ★★ The Leo Tolstoy Estate Museum. This meticulously pre-

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pa

served house presents a perfect recreation of aristocratic life at the Ul. end of the 19th century. Author of aya k ss War and Peace, Leo Tolstoy va (1828–1910) used this as his family aro kh winter residence from 1881 until aya -Spa 1909, and wrote his great novella ssk aya UlThe Death of Ivan Ilyich here. Don’t . miss the delightful multi-colored and multi-domed Church of St. Nicholas of the Weavers walk back to the metro. @ 1 hr. Ul. Lva

R :VA UL

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OV

B YJ DN

Tolstovo d. 21. y 8 499 246 9444. 200R, 60R kids. Daily 10am–6pm, R OK closed Mon. Metro: Park Kultury. .P

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2 Mayakovsky Museum.

ka A

Spiralling down four floors of this former communalka (Soviet-era multi-family apartment ) where Vadimir Mayakovsky lived from 1911 until his suicide in 1930, this surreal exhibition (with barely a level surface A beautiful mind: the Mayakovsky Museum.

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or orthodox display in sight) does full justice to the leader of Russian Futurism and an author of its manifesto, A Slap in the Face of Public Taste. @ 30 min. Lubyansky Proezd d. 3/6. y 495 621 9387. www. museum.ru/mayakovskiy. 90R. Daily 10am–5pm, Thurs 1pm–8pm, closed Wed. Metro: Lubyanka.

3 ★★★ The Bulgakov Memorial Apartment Musem. Don’t be misled: what you see advertised as the Dom Bulgakova is not the real deal. Russia’s favorite satirist actually lived in flat No. 50, the next door down. There’s no intercom, so nip in as someone comes out, and begin the long graffiti-lined climb to the top floor. Satirized as the “evil apartment” in The Master and Margarita, the room in which Mikhael Bulgakov (1891–1940) lived captures entirely the oppressiveness of a 1920s communalka, albeit in a Style Moderne masterpiece––the 1903 Pigit House. @ 30 min. B. Sadovaya Ul. d. 10 kv. 50. y 495 699 5366. Admission free. Tues–Sat 1pm–7pm. Metro: Mayakovskaya.

4

Margarita Café. A stone’s throw from Patriarch’s Ponds, this wacky café has live music every night. M. Bronnaya d. 28. y 495 699 6534. $$$.

5 Maxim Gorky Memorial Museum. A gift from Stalin to Social Realist writer Maxim Gorky after his return to Russia following exile abroad, this house is as fascinating for its spectacular Style Moderne interior as for its literary history (see p 53).

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51

hile many secret Cold War sites are now open to visitors (including Stalin’s Secret Bunker p 158 and Star City, p 162), their very nature means they’re not that easy to reach. Nearer the city center, would-be spies can investigate a 1950s’ underground communications bunker, and boy soldiers ogle rocket launchers, machine guns and tanks. START: at Taganskaya metro (brown line).

1 = Tagansky Protected

Command Point. A once-secret bunker 65 meters below ground, this massive complex was built 1952–1956 to house a communications center for the military top brass, able to accommodate 3,000 people for up to 90 days. While claustrophobics would do well to avoid it (the lift ride down takes over a minute), its labyrinthine tunnels Per. a real sense of the paranoia of ov. Basmannayagive the early Cold War. @ 11⁄2 hr. 5th

er. yP nn ze

Kotelnichesky Pereulok d. 11.

y 8 903 000 9233; 8 903 757 7363. www.zkp42.ru. 2,000R min. charge, 1,000R per person for groups of two or more. Mon–Fri 10am–7pm, Sat– Sun 11am–7pm. Metro: Taganskaya.

2

Schit i Mech. Literally “The Sword and the Shield,” enjoy traditional dishes from a former Kremlin chef. B. Lubyanka Ul. d. 13/16 bldg 1.

y 495 667 4446. $$$$. 3 = The Central Museum of the Armed Forces. It’s hard to know how to react to exhibits including the Nazi banner taken

Soviet pride: the Monument to the Conquerors of Space.

from the Reichstag, and personal belongings of Hitler, Hermann Goering and Stalin. Small boys, however, will love the outdoor weaponry display. Ulitsa Sovietskoi Armii d. 2.

y 495 681 4877. www.cmaf.ru. 100R, concessions 50R. Excursions in English from 1,500R. Wed–Sun 10am– 5pm. Metro: Novoslobodskaya.

The Museum of Cosmonautics Running late for its scheduled re-opening in autumn 2008, the only part of this museum currently visible is the 107-meter high titanium obelisk above it, the Monument to the Conquers of Space. In the meantime, diehard space fans should head for the exhibits in the Politechnic Museum. Novaya Ploshad d. 3/4, y 495 623 0756.

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53

oscow’s architectural history is evident within a mile radius of Red Square—from the early architecture of St. Basil’s to the Russian Revival eccentricity of the State Historical Museum and the Style Moderne mosaics of the Metropol Hotel. Step off the beaten track, however, and you’ll discover some even more eye-popping examples of each genre. START: Down Tverskoi Bulvar from Tverskaya

B. Pe

P

metro.

b.

1 ★★★ The Ryabushinsky Mansion (The Maxim Gorky Memorial Museum). Considered to be the city’s finest example of Style Moderne, this house was built by Fyodor Shekhtel for industrialist Stepan Ryabushinsky in 1903. After the revolution it housed the state publishing house Gosizdat and the Foreign Cultural Relations Society. It was given to Maxim Gorky on his return from Italy in 1931—and used to detain him under house arrest— until his death (or assassination) in 1936. Make friends with the administrators: their office is hung with three fabulous pieces of Socialist Realist art. M. Nikitskaya Ul. d. 6/2.

ug Ul.

y 495 290 5130, 495 690 0535. 11am–5:30pm. Closed Mon and Tues. Metro: Tverskaya. 2 ★★ Mosselprom Building.

ka

Lenin’s New Economic Policy of 1921 allowed a limited degree of private enterprise, and Mosselprom Ul .V olk ho

n

Filipp

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kov Per.

The Style Moderne Ryabushkinsky Mansion.

was established to act as a distribution organization for Moscow farmers. It’s worth getting up close to this angular Constructivist building, completed in 1923; the rear view is covered in slogans by avant-gardists Vladimir Mayakovsky and Alexander Rodchenko. The NEP was abandoned for the first Five Year Plan in 1929: Mosselprom closed in 1937 and this building was converted into apartments. Nizhny Kislovsky Re d. 2/10. Metro: Arbatskaya.

3 The Morozov Mansion. This classic piece of Russian Eclecticism (built 1885–1889) was inspired by Morozov’s visit to the Monserrate Palace at Sintra in Portugal. After the Revolution it was transferred to the Association for Proletarian Culture, hosting “Prolekult” plays and readings by Sergei Eisenstein and Vladimir Mayakovsky. Now owned by the Ministry for Foreign Affairs, it’s only open to the public for (very) occasional events. Vozdvizhenka Ul. d. 16. Metro: Arbatskaya.

4 ★★★ The Melnikov House. Russia’s Constructivist movement was short-lived, born of the post-Revolution avant-garde before being crushed by Stalin in the early 1930s. Konstantin Melnikov (1890–1974) was a leading exponent, best known for his impossibly angled Workers’ Clubs. Originally intended as a model for workers’ housing, the house (completed 1929) is formed from two intersecting vertical cylinders. It’s only partially visible from the street: but go through the archway next to the

Outlandish Architecture

M

The Best Special-Interest Tours

54

of China for the coronation of Nicholas II. To no great effect: the emperor chose instead to visit his brother, a direct competitor, on Prospect Mira. See p 97. Myasnitskaya Ul. d. 19. Metro: Turgenevskaya, Chistiye Prudy. y 495 625 4656.

7 The Menshikov Tower (Church of the Archangel Gabriel). Turn right into Archangel-

The Constructivist Melnikov House.

local police building and bear right through the courtyard for an almost unrestricted view. The recently established Russian Avant Garde Foundation is trying to secure the future of this and other Constructivist buildings. Find out more at www.melnikov house.org. Krivoarbatsky Per.d. 10. Metro: Arbatskaya.

5 ★★ Tsentrosoyuz. The area around Krasniye Vorota metro is a goldmine for Constructivist classics: the Gostorg building (Myasnitskaya Ul. d. 47), the Narkomzem building (the Ministry of Agriculture, Orlikov Pereulok d. 11/1), and the NKPS building (now Russian Railways) at No. 2 Novaya Basmannaya Ulitsa. The Tsentrosoyuz building (built 1930–1936) is the only one in Russia built by the Swiss Le Corbusier (1887–1965) together with Nikolai Kolli (1894–1966). The best views are at the back: follow the lane round to your right. Originally a headquarters for workers’ councils, it now houses the Federal State Statistics Service. Myasnitskaya U. d. 39. Metro: Krasniye Vorota.

6 ★★ The Perlov Tea House. Tea merchant Sergei Perlov added this surreal façade in 1894, in anticipation of a visit by the Emperor

sky Pereulok for this sumptuous 83-meter high bell tower. Built 1705–1707, some claim this is one of the few examples of Petrine Baroque (early St. Petersburg architecture) in Moscow. Certainly, while its color and ornamentation reflect local Naryshkin Baroque styles, its dimensions hint at the more austere Neo Classical style that was to follow. Archangelsky Per. d. 15a. 19. Metro: Turgenevskaya, Chistiye Prudy.

8

Avocado Cafe. The best of Moscow’s few vegetarian options, with spectacular views over the pond at Chistiye Prudy. Don’t miss the F i g u r n y D o m two blocks down at No. 14: a fabulous Style Moderne extravaganza with stucco mythical creatures the length of its façade. Chistoprudny Bulvar d. 12 bldg. 2. y 495 621 7719. $.

•

A Constructivist classic: the NKPS Building.

3

The Best Neighborhood Walks

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57

ollowing the route of the 16th-century Bely Gorod (or “White City”) wall, the green swathes of the Boulevard Ring came into being following the Great Fire of Moscow on Napoleon’s retreat, in 1812. Covering the most scenic stretch and with numerous snack spots on either side, the boulevards are at their most romantic on a snowy winter’s day, devoid of the amorous teenagers who clog the benches in summer. START: with a fuelling stop at Café Pushkin.

1

★★★ Café Pushkin. Its 19thcentury interior is a delight, but none of it is authentic, everything having been rebuilt from scratch for its opening in 1999. It’s a favorite with new Russians (and priced accordingly); stick to the 750-ruble business lunch or pop into the next door Konditerskaya for coffee and cakes. Be sure to use the restrooms—the most rococo in town. Tverskoi Bulvar d. 26a, y 495 739 0033. $$$$.

ab aya N evsk

otn

.

2 Turandot. Poke your head round the door of Turandot to see just what sort of excess a $50 million budget can buy. With its frescoed dome and bewigged waiters, Turandot doesn’t disappoint, while the Gianmaria Buccellati jewelers and Turandot Antiques Gallery on either side give a snapshot of the tastes (and budgets) of the privileged few. Tverskoi Bulvar. d. 26/5, y 495 739 0011. Turandot Antique Gallery, y 495 225 8338. Gianmaria Buccellati, y 495 781 7898. All 12pm–1am daily. Chehkovskaya, Rushkinskaya, Metro: Tverskaya. Ul.

P aya

l.

naya olot

B 3 Osip Mandelstam Memor-

ial. The stagnant traffic along the Boulevard Ring is a real advantage for pedestrians, making it easy to skip between the sights on either side. A statue in the courtyard of No. 25 marks the birthplace of prerevolutionary radical Alexander Herzen (1812–1870), while a plaque to Osip Mandelstam (1891–1938)

remembers one of Soviet Russia’s most famous dissident writers, whose “Stalin Epigram” saw him sent to his death in the Gulag, in 1934.

4 Sergei Yesenin Statue. This statue to the folklore poet stands in front of the Gorky Art theater, a brown 1970s monstrosity, at No. 22. Married five times (once to dancer Isadora Duncan), Yesenin hanged himself in St. Petersburg at the age of 30. The Maria Yermolova House Museum (dedicated to Stanislavsky’s favorite actress and the first People’s Artist of the USSR) is at No. 9.

5 ITAR-TASS. Another 1970s eyesore on the corner of Tverskoi Bolvar and Bolshaya Nikitskaya, the Telegrafnoe Agentstvo Sovietskovo Soyuza was once the only authorized source of information on the USSR. Check out the photomontage in front for the Russian world view. B. Nikitskaya Ul. d. 28/2. Sergei Yesenin Statue.

Three Boulevards

F

The Best Neighborhood Walks

58

Moscow calling: ITAR-TASS.

6 = The Matroshka Museum. Entrance to this museum is free (with the chance to paint your own doll) and its gift shop has some unusual souvenirs. The real reason for visiting, however, is to have a look at the interior of this whitewashed Russian Revival building.

@ 20 min. Leontevsky Per. d. 7 bldg. 1. y 495 291 7556. Mon–Thurs 10am–6pm, Fri 10am–5pm.

7 Stanislavsky House Museum. This building is dedicated to the life and work of Konstantin Stanislavsky (1863–1938; born Alekseyev), co-founder of the MKhAT,and originator of the eponymous methodacting technique. His home for the last 17 years of his life, it includes artifacts from a 40-year career which saw ground-breaking productions of Chekhov’s and Gorky’s works, as well as Tchaikovsky’s opera Eugene Onegin, rehearsed and premiered in the museum’s Onegin Hall. @ 30 min. Leontevsky Per. d. 6. y 495 629 2442. Wed, Fri 12pm–7pm, Thurs, Sat, Sun 11am–6pm. 100R.

8

Confael. Chocoholic heaven, with sandwiches, salads and snacks from 11am. Give them five days notice and they’ll produce chocolate designs to order. Confael, Nikitsky

Bulvar d. 12. y 495 744 5839. $.

9 Gogol House Museum. Take a close look at the statue of the writer Nikolai Gogol (1809–1852) in the courtyard: originally erected in 1909, it was removed on Stalin’s orders in 1952 (the preferred replacement now stands at the top of Gogolevsky Bulvar). The figures along the base represent characters from Gogol’s major works, Dead Souls, The Government Inspector and The Overcoat. Gogol was a tortured soul, dying of self-induced starvation at the age of 42. Initially buried in the Danilovsky Monastery, he was re-interred at Novodevichy, where his body was found to be lying face down, giving rise to the myth that he had been buried alive. Gogolevsky Bulvar d. 7a. y 495 202 9256; library 495 291 1240. Please note the main exhibition rooms are currently closed.

59

Three Boulevards

0 ★★ Dom Zhurnalista. Enter via the gate in the railings directly opposite the Gogol House Museum. A rare surviving Soviet “Kulturny Dom” (House of Culture), stop for lunch or dinner in the basement restaurant (complete with jazz pianist and walls papered with ancient front pages) or soak up the atmosphere in the first-floor bar. Nikitsky Bulvar d. 8a. y 495 291 5698. 10am–6pm daily, Dom Zhur restaurant open to 11pm.

! ★★★ Mosselprom Building. Cut through the small path you’ll find in front of the Dom Zhurnalista railings for an uninterrupted view of the constructivist Mosselprom building (see p 53). Don’t miss the avant-garde advertising slogans at the rear.

@ The Pentagon. The next section of the Boulevard Ring is accessible by subway, emerging next to the Khudozhestveny cinema. For a more interesting route, however, retrace your steps along Nizhny Kislovsky Mosselprom: Rodchenko and Mayakovsky advertising slogans on the rear walls.

The memorial plaque at the former house of Nikolai Gogol.

Pereulok, crossing Vozdvizhenka Ulitsa and cutting through to Ulitsa Znamenka: the white block on the left is part of the Ministry of Defense, affectionately known as The Pentagon. The Stalinist Empire building opposite houses the General Staff of the Armed Forces (note the bust of WWII Victory Marshall Georgy Zhukov). Take no photographs of either: your camera may be confiscated if you’re caught snapping.

# Sholokhov Memorial. This memorial to Mikhail Sholokhov (1905–1984; author of the four-volume Cossack saga Quiet Flows the Don and winner of the 1965 Nobel Prize for Literature) was erected in 2007. Sholokhov’s authorship of this work remains controversial, Alexander Solzhenitsyn, among others, claiming it was plagiarized from an earlier work by Fyodor Kryukov.

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nce the stomping ground of Ivan the Terrible’s Oprichnina (effectively his private army), this aristocratic stronghold had new life breathed into it following the fire of 1812. The Neo Classical mansions built at that time, as well as the exclusive apartment houses erected in the early 20th century, have helped make this Moscow’s most up-market area, perfect for a quick 90-minute wander. START: at the Friedrich Engels statue directly opposite Kropotkinskaya metro.

1 Prechistenska Ulitsa. The 17th century Red and White Chambers stand directly behind Engels at No. 8 and No. 1. A plaque at No. 10 commemorates the 13 Jewish writers and artists executed in the basement of the Lubyanka on August 12, 1952. The Pushkin Literary Museum at No. 12/2 and the Leo Tolstoy Museum at No. 11/8 contain manuscripts and first editions of but might be stops for staunch literature fans only. The Yermolov Mansion at No. 20 (at one point owned by vodka magnate Pyotr Smirnov) housed Isadora Duncan’s dance studio in 1921.

2 The Russian Academy of Arts and the Zurab Tsereteli Gallery. Home to the Academy of Arts since 1948, this building (at No. 21) was previously owned by Ivan Morozov (1871–1921), an early collector of the Impressionists. Its President is Moscow Mayor Yuri Luzhkov’s protégé Zurab Tsereteli, whose own gallery is next door: nip in via the adjacent Galereya Khudozhnika restaurant (No. 19) for a peek at the atrium, hung with the master’s massive enamels, bronzes and stained glass. @ 45 min. Prechistenka Ul. d. 21. y 495 637 2569. www.rah.ru. Tue–Sun 11am– 8pm. Zurab Tsereteli Gallery Prechistenka Ul. d. 19. y 495 637 7679.

3 Ostozhenka Ulitsa. Any lane will lead to this street, but Mansurovsky Pereulok is the

The Kekushev Mansion.

most picturesque: the Master’s House in The Master and Margarita was inspired by the house at No. 13 and a more somber building, the Serbsky Central Scientific Research Institute stands at No. 23 bldg. 3, notorious for its incarceration of Soviet dissidents. Don’t miss the Style Moderne Kekushev Apartment Building at No. 19, or Kekushev’s own house at No. 21.

4

★ Chez Geraldine. Perfect French food on a freezing Moscow day. Ostozhenka Ul. d. 27 (via Korobeinikov Per.) y 495 695 1202. $$.

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nce a magnet for buskers and post-Soviet punks, Stary Arbat—Moscow’s first pedestrianized street—is starting to look a bit too much like a tatty tourist trap. Instead, lose yourself in the sidestreets and lanes around it, whose quaint names—Khlebny (Bread) Pereulok, Plotnikov (Carpenters’) Pereulok—reflect a time when this area housed servants to the Tsar’s court. A fashionable aristocratic area of wooden houses by the mid-18th century, it was burnt to the ground on Napoleon’s retreat in 1812, to be replaced with the mansions that now make it such a pleasure to explore. START: at the Biblioteka im Lenina metro, heading north up Ulitsa Vozdvizhenka.

1 The Russian State Library.

3 Praga Restaurant. Originally a

Familiar to all viewers of the 2006 James Bond movie Casino Royale, the former Lenin Library was originally established in 1862. The current Art Deco-inspired building took 30 years to erect, completed only in 1958. The library is now the largest in Europe, with more than 42 million items in 247 languages. It is open to anyone over 18—anyone, that is, with a translated copy of their passport and degree diploma tucked away in a back pocket. The Shchusev Museum of Architecture (www.mual.ru) next door is located in what was, during the reign of Peter the Great, the site of the Aptekarsky Dvor (Apothecary Yard), where medicines for the Tsar’s court were stored and prepared. You’ll find part of it on your left as you enter the courtyard (from Starovagankovsky Pereulok), now housing the MYAP Café. Vozdviz-henka Ul. d.

beer house dating from the 1870s, the Praga opened in 1902 after extensive refurbishment by architects of the day Kekushev and Ericson— according to legend, its owner having won the building during a game of left-handed billiards. Expropriated after the Revolution and used as a workers’ canteen, cinema, cookery school and, some say, a restaurant for Stalin’s bodyguards, it was Soviet Moscow’s best restaurant when it re-opened in 1955. It is now a nineroom complex offering more than 100 Russian and European dishes.

3/5. y 495 202 5790. www.rsl.ru. Mon–Fri 9am–8pm, Sat 9am–7pm. Metro: Biblioteka im Lenina.

2 The Morozov Mansion. See p 53. It’s hard to disagree with the owner’s mother, who on seeing it announced “Until now, only I knew you were stupid. Now all of Moscow will know.” Vozduizhenka Ul. d. 16.

Stary Arbat d. 2/1. y 495 690 6171. www.praga.ru. The Morozov Mansion: madness made brick.

Around the Arbat

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The Best Neighborhood Walks

64

4

Starbucks / Tridevyatoye Tsarstvo. The Arbat has a plethora of snack stops: most of them overpriced. But this Starbucks (opened in 2007 after years of trademark litigation) is a welcome addition for the homesick. For traditionalists, the Tridevyatoye Tsarstvo souvenir store has an adjacent small café with inexpensive Russian snacks. Starbucks, Stary Arbat d. 19 bldg. 1. y 495 203 6714. $. Tridevyatoye Tsarstvo, Stary Arbat d. 4. y 495 291 8588. $.

5 The Central House of Actors. This 1912 gothic extravaganza, complete with knights in armor, was originally intended as an elite apartment building, with stained-glass windows and a marble staircase. Used for communalka apartments after the Revolution, it housed the Ministry of Culture until 1991. Its Debut Center has given many new actors and directors their first break: but an attempt by the Ministry of Culture to regain control in December 2007 has put its future in jeopardy. Stary Arbat d. 35. y 8 499 248 1805.

6 Krivoarbatsky Pereulok. A remnant from the Arbat’s days as a Knight over the Arbat: the Central House of Actors.

The most ornate of Stalin’s skyscrapers: the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

center for discontented youth, the graffiti-covered wall at the top of this tiny lane commemorates Victor Tsoy, lead singer of glasnost rockers Kino, killed in a car crash in 1990. Follow the lane round for Konstantin Melnikov’s Constructivist two-cylinder town house at No. 10 (see p 61).

7 Spaso House. Immortalized in The Master and Margarita as the scene for Satan’s Ball, this Neo Classical mansion was built 1913–1915 for Nikolai Vtorov, a millionaire financier, who later shot himself in the study. Home to the People’s Commissariat for Foreign Affairs after the Revolution, it is now the official residence of the Ambassador to the United States. Don’t miss the 18th century Church of the Savior in Peski at No. 4a, and warm up with hot chocolate and cardamom at Waynes Coffee at No. 2. Spasopeskovsky Per. d. 10. 8 The Pushkin Apartment Museum. The poet Alexander Pushkin (1799–1837) held his bachelor party in this house, and lived here for the first three months of his marriage. Used in the 1920s by the local theater group of the Red Army, it was turned into communalka

65

Moscow’s White House (at that time home to the Supreme Soviet) was the scene of Boris Yeltsin’s greatest moment, when he mounted a tank to face down the Communist old guard in the coup of August 1991. In doing so he kept Mikhail Gorbachev in power, but strictly on his own terms: the Soviet Union was disbanded on December 31 of that year. The White House made international headlines again in October 1993, when Yeltsin sent in the tanks to break what was by then a week-long siege by Ruslan Khasbulatov and Alexander Rutskoi. With an official death toll of 187, and 437 wounded, shooting and snipers extended as far as what is now the Lotte Plaza.

apartments before the museum was opened in 1996. @ 20 min. Pushkin Apartment Museum, Stary Arbat d. 53. y 495 241 9295. Wed–Sun 10am–5.30pm. 80R.

9 The Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The most grandiose of Stalin’s skyscrapers. Vladimir Gilfreih’s 1953 masterpiece reaches a massive 564 feet. Smolenskaya Ploshad d. 32, metro: Smolenskaya.

Leo Tolstoy’s War and Peace. Take a detour into Plotnikov Pereulok on your right to see Pushkin, Gogol and Tolstoy depicted together in a white plaster frieze on No. 4, or head north up Starokonyushenny Pereulok to view numerous Neo Classical mansions and the deliciously demented Porokhovshchikov House at No. 36. Catch Socialist Realist art at the NB Gallery, No. 2/6 (see p 90), before you hit the Boulevard Ring.

0 Sivtsev Vrazhek Pereulok. This leafy side street was once a magnet for Moscow’s intelligentsia: Boris Pasternak (1890–1960) placed one of the central locations of his novel Dr. Zhivago (the Gromyko House) here; and No. 34 features in

!

Monks and Nuns. Waitresses in habits and an endless selection of real Belgian beers in this ersatz cellar. Sivtsev Vrazhek Per.d. 3. y 495 203 6841. $$$.

Scene of the heaviest shooting since the Revolution: the White House.

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o called for the “Patriarch’s Goat Sloboda” or Goat Marsh, this area was established by the early 1900s as the city’s bohemian student quarter, the site of heavy fighting during the . Per uprising of 1905. Now one of Moscow’s most up-market areas (and sky one of its few genuine neighborhoods, made famous in the opening nov e m scene of Mikhail Bulgakov’s satirical novel The Master and Margarita), it has not yet lost its old chaotic character among the many upmarket boutiques. START: at Volkhonsky Khleb, a short walk down Bolshaya Sadovaya from the Mayakovskaya metro.

1

Volkonsky Khleb. Fill your bag with éclairs to go, or luxuriate in the silk cushions and coffee-scented air of the café next door. B. Sadovaya Ul. d. 2/46. y 495 699 3620. $.

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left into Malaya Bronnaya Ulitsa for a quick sprint around the pond. On your left is a yellow skyscraper, much disliked by locals and rumored to be home to ageing disco diva Alla Pugacheva. Bear right here past the House of Lions at Ermolayevsky Pereulok No. 9, built for returning generals at the end of World War II, and the Post-Constructivist Aviazhilstroy Apartment block at Maly Patriarshy Pereulok No. 5. The Elena Gallery holds regular exhibitions at Malaya Bronnaya No. 32, and the Museum of Contemporary Art has a branch at Ermolayevsky Pereulok No. 17. Continue north for the Style Moderne Shekhtel House at No. 28/5, and head into Trekhprudny Pereulok for another, the Levenson Printing House, at No. 9.

3

Donna Klara. Turn left on reaching Malaya Bronnaya for Donna Klara, a German-styled eatery offering enormous breakfasts, salads, soups and cakes. Take a good look at the building, built in 1926 by Constructivist architect Moisei Ginsburg (1892–1946). M. Bronnaya Ul. d. 21/13. y 495 690 3848. $$.

The gothic Morozova Mansion at No.17.

4 Spiridonovka Ulitsa. The star of this street is the gothic Morozova Mansion at No. 17, built for Zinaida Morozova, wife of industrialist Savva. A more liberal individual than his father (the son of a former serf and founder of the Morozov textile dynasty), Savva supported both Lenin and the Bolshevik party (funding its Iskra and Krasnaya Krest newspapers) and was a significant investor in the Moscow Art Theater (MKhAT). Unable to reconcile these conflicting sides of his personality, he shot himself through the head in 1905. Don’t miss the Style Moderne Belyaev Mansion at No. 11, or the white steepled 17th Century Chambers at No. 3/5.

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inter walks in Moscow can be stunningly beautiful, but hard work at –5°C or below. This one is short and easy at any time of year, along one of the city’s most historic streets, a cornerstone of the Russian enlightenment. START: at Okhotny Ryad metro, bearing right along Mokhovaya Ulitsa past the National Hotel.

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Nikitskaya, the buildings on your right (dating from 1793 and restored after the fire of 1812), stand, according to legend, on the site of Ivan the Terrible’s Oprichnina Palace. The “New University Buildings” on the other side of the street were built in 1836: the statue in front is of Mikhail Lomonosov (1711–1765), who founded the university in 1755.

2 The Church of St. Tatiana. Go through the

4

Coffeemania. Enjoy some decadent cakes here, where rugs and heaters keep the patio cosy well into November. B. Nikitskaya d. 13. y 495 775 4310. $.

5 The Mayakovsky Theater. This Russian Revival building housed the Theater of the Revolution in 1922, under avant-garde director Vsevolod Meyerhold, notorious for his staging of Mayakovsky’s Bath House and Bed Bug, in whose honor it was renamed in 1954. Stop for coffee in its second floor Maya Café. B. Nikitskaya Ul.

first doorway you’ll find as you head up Bolshaya Nikitskaya for d. 19/13. this two-storeyed church (named for His master’s voice: Tchaikovsky 6 The Church of the patron saint of statue at the Conservatoire. the Great Ascenstudents),, re-consion. This austere secrated in 1995. Used as the uniNeo Classical cathedral is best versity theater after its closure in known for the wedding of the poet 1919, the corridors leading to its r. Alexander Pushkin and Natalia Gone P ky s v o k lower church are lined with bleak sopes charova in 1831. Omens were not mono photos of the many priests good, with candles blown out and a who perished under the Great Tercrucifix dropped: and Pushkin was ror or in the GULAG. B. Nikitskaya Ul. dead within six years. Despite interd. 1. y 495 629 4612. national protest, it was closed in 1931 and only returned to the 3 Moscow State ConservaOrthodox church in 1992. B. Nikittoire im. Tchaikovsky. Founded Smolenskaya Pl.

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by Nikolai Rubenstein (brother of composer Anton) in 1866, the Conservatoire was named for Pyotr Tchaikovsky (1840–1893), one of its earliest teachers, in 1940. B. Nikitskaya Ul. d. 13/6. y 495 629 2060; Box office 495 699 2262. www. mosconsv.ru. Box office 12pm–3pm, 4pm–7pm.

skaya Ul. d. 36. y 495 690 5936.

7 The Former Residence of Lavrenty Beria. The macabreminded might like to take a detour into Malaya Nikitskaya Ulitsa, to what is now the Embassy of Tunisia. Once home to the most evil of Stalin’s henchmen, human remains were still being discovered there as late as 2001. M. Nikitskaya Ul. d. 28/1.

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he name “Kitai” comes from the wooden stakes used to build the Kitai Gorod wall which once marked this merchant quarter east of the Kremlin. Following the demolition of the Rossiya Hotel in 2006 (to make way for British architect Norman Foster’s Zaradye project, promising new shopping and entertainment facilities), this area’s monuments are more accessible than ever before. START: at Lubyanskaya metro, emerging directly opposite the Lubyanka itself.

1 Nikolskaya Ulitsa No. 23 and No. 8. This unspoilt pre-revolutionary street has its dark side. Seven army officers were summarily executed in the basement of No. 23 during the summer of 1937, at the height of the Great Terror (Stalin’s campaign of persecution). Further along, excavation work for a new business center uncovered 34 corpses at No. 8 in October 2007.

2 Tretyakovsky Proezd. This Russian Revival courtyard was built by Pavel Tretyakov (founder of the eponymous gallery) in 1871. Walk through and bear right to fantasize over the Ferrari showroom, or blow your budget in Bulgari. The statue in front is of Ivan Fyodorov

(c.1510–1583), producer of Russia’s first printed book (see below).

3 The Pokrovsky Theater. This was formerly the site of the Slavyansky Bazaar restaurant where, in 1897, Konstantin Stanislavsky and Viktor Nemirovich-Danchenko took the decision to establish the Moscow Art Theater (MKhAT). Nikolskaya Ul. d. 17. y 495 620 1326.

4 Synodal Printing House. Russia’s first book, The Apostle, was published on this site in 1564 (as was the country’s first newspaper, Vedomosti, 1703) when the Synodal Printing House stood on this spot. The current gothic building was erected in 1814, and now houses part of the State Humanitarian University. Nikolskaya Ul. d. 15.

Only for the very rich: Tretyakovsky Proezd.

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71

The Best Neighborhood Walks

72

Moscow, according to legend founded by St. Daniel in 1296. Its red and white Moscow Baroque building was built in 1696. Closed in 1929 and used to house metro workers and students, it was returned to the church in the early 1990s. Be careful taking photos here: the building next to it belongs to the FSB, and those white plastic balls on the top in fact disguise antennae. Bogoyavlensky Per. d. 2.

9 Gostiny Dvor. An important The Synodal Printing House.

5

Kryzhka. This bar is a student dive: but sneak past the ladies’ restroom and out via the fire exit for a look at the gothic Proofing House (part of the Synodal Printing House and off-limits to tourists), restored in 1874. Nikolskaya Ul. d. 15 bldg. 1.

trading area since the early 16th century, the current Neo Classical market complex was built in 1830. The glass roof was added in 1995, when excavations revealed a cache of silver on the site of a former merchant house, now on display in a small museum. The orange building in front is the Russian Chamber of Commerce, the former Stock Exchange building. Ilyinka Ul. d. 4.

y 495 710 7199. $.

y 495 698 1202. 0 Varvarka Ulitsa. While the

6 The Zaikonospassky Monastery. Head through the

Zaradye area suffered badly from misguided development during the 1930s–1960s, a number of historic buildings have been preserved, nine of them running the length of this street, including the Neo Classical Church of St. Varvarka at No. 2 (built 1795–1804), the Church of St. Maxim the Confessor with its leaning belfry at No. 4, and the Znamensky Sobor (an occasional concert venue) at No. 8a. Don’t miss the spangled blue domes on the Church of St. George of Pskov Hill, at No. 12. Looking out over the building site of the former Rossiya Hotel, you might be able to glimpse the Church of the Conception of St. Anne, built in 1483 and one of the few examples of early Muscovite architecture outside of the Kremlin.

archway between Nos. 7 and 9 to this monastery (founded by Boris Godunov in 1600), home to the Slavic Greek Latin Academy (established 1687) and considered the heart of the Russian Enlightenment. The Savior Cathedral, built 1661 and reconstructed in the mid-19th century, is also visible. Nikolskaya Ul. d. 7-9.

7

Buterbrodnaya. Unbranded, unreconstructed, and deeply unsavory, there was a time when every café in Moscow looked like this one. Pop in for bitter lemon tea and a traditional Soviet catering experience, but don’t eat anything that isn’t prepacked. Nikolskaya Ul. d. 13. $.

8 The Bogoyavlensky (Epiphany) Monastery. This is the oldest male monastery in

! The Old English Court. Built at the end of the 15th century by

73

# The Kitai Gorod Wall. It’s worth a detour down Kitaigorodsky Proezd to follow the route of the (reconstructed) Kitai Gorod wall. To your left is the former Foundling Home, established by Catherine the Great, now the Dzerzhinsky Artillery Academy.

The Old English Court.

boyar Ivan Bobrishchev, these chambers were later given by Ivan the Terrible to the Muscovy Trading Company (founded by a group of English merchants) in 1556. Trade flourished until 1649 when Tsar Alexei, disgusted at the execution of Charles I, expelled the company from Moscow. It’s worth visiting to see inside one of the city’s few examples of very early Russian architecture, restored in 1994. @ 30 min. Ul. Varvarka d. 4a. y 495 698 3952. www.mosmuseum.ru. Daily 10am6pm, Wed and Fri 11am–7pm. Closed Mon. 30R adults, 20R kids.

@ The Chambers of the Romanov Boyars. Built for Nikita Romanov, brother-in-law of Ivan the Terrible, this modest 16th-century building was the birthplace of the first Romanov Tsar, Michael I. Opened as a museum in 1859 on the instruction of Tsar Alexander I, it is a fascinating reproduction of 16th- and 17th-century secular life, with a dining room, study, library and women’s quarters, but be warned: it’s a small museum and very popular for school outings. Call in advance. @ 30 min. Ul. Varvarka d. 10. y 495 698 3235. Daily

$ Staraya Ploshad. If heading back to town via Staraya Ploshad (in Soviet times the site of a Roll of Honor for Moscow’s best workers), drop into Nikitsky Pereulok for a quick look at the exuberant Church of the Trinity of Nikitniki. Don’t miss the former HQ of the Communist Party Central Committee at No. 4, or Shekhtel’s Style Moderne Boyarsky Dvor at No. 8. Turn right into Maroseika Ulitsa for the Moscow Baroque Church of St. Nicholas the Wonder Worker at No. 5, Matvei Kazakov’s Church of Saints Cosmas and Damian at No. 14, and the former Komsomol (Communist youth league) offices at No. 13—poke your head round the door to catch the portrait of Lenin in the foyer. The spangled domes of St George.

Kitai Gorod

10am–5pm, Wed 11am–6pm. Closed Tues.100R.

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fter almost a decade of Putinism, Moscow is a booming, good-time city—at least for some. This square mile or so behind the Bolshoi Theater boasts a number of up-market shopping spots and ultra-fashionable cafés, nestled among historic buildings and elegant facades. It’s changing fast, so be prepared for scaffolding, and resist the urge to dress up. START: at the Vysoko-Petrovsky Monastery west down Strasnoy Bulvar from Pushkinskaya metro.

okolnikov Per.

1 The Vysoko-Petrovsky Monastery. While often

hdestvensky Blv. attributed to Ivan Kalita

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familiar: its architect, Vladimir Shukhov, was also responsible for the roof on GUM.

Petrovka Ul. d. 10. y 495 (Ivan I), it is likely this 625 3132. Daily 10am–10pm, monastery was originally :VAR Sun 10am-8om. founded by St. Peter, the first Metropolitan of 4 Tsentralny UniMoscow, in the early 14th versalny Magazin century. Patronised by Peter (TsUM). Founded by the Great’s maternal relatwo Scots, Andrew Muir tives, the Naryshkins, it and Archibald Merielees, became a family graveyard TsUM was originally for those killed in the based on Whiteley’s Streltsy rebellion of arcade, London. Re-pri1682. Don’t miss the vatized in 1993, Vittotiny Cathedral of St. rio Raddice (the retail Peter, built 1517. genius behind SelfRetrace your steps to ridges) has turned Petrovka 38, the this 1906 gothic buildmain directory of the Min- The worker bas relief at ing into a fashionista Petrovsky Passazh. istry of Internal Affairs paradise, with eyeand the city’s most notoricatching window disous police station: the bust of Iron plays. Petrovka Ul. d. 2. y 495 933 Felix (Dzerzhinsky, founder of the 7309. www.tsum.ru. Mon–Sat KGB) is a bit of a giveaway. @ 20

NSKIJ BUL

min. Petrovka UI. d. 28. y 495 623 7580. Daily 9am–6pm.

2 Stoleshnikov Pereulok. It might look unprepossessing, but this eum of the tiny lane is packed door to door with y of Moscow luxury brand shops: Dior, Chanel, Ungaro, Cartier, they’re all here. 3 Petrovsky Passazh. One of the most elegant of the up-market malls, Matvei Manizer’s 1921 bas relief, The Worker is still ironically juxtaposed at the main entrance. More of Manizer’s work can be seen among the bronzes in the nearby Ploshad Revolutsii metro. The steel and glass vaulted roof may look RKA

VA a UL. VAR

10am–10pm, Sun 11am–10pm.

5

Vogue Café. Gaze at the fashion photography (or the clients) and sample traditional Russian favorites and fusion cuisine. Kuznetsky Most d. 7/9. y 495 623 1701. $$$.

6 Kuznetsky Most. If heading back downtown, don’t miss the façade on the Style Moderne Sokol House at No. 3 (T). If heading back to the metro, look out for the 17thto 18th-century ecclesiastical chambers you’ll find tucked away in the courtyard of No. 19 (U).

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The Best Neighborhood Walks

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77

oscow’s main thoroughfare, originally the highway to Tver and later to St. Petersburg. Then known as Ulitsa Gorkova, it bore the brunt of Stalin’s 1935 Great Moscow Plan, when its width was more than doubled, and many historic buildings simply moved backwards. It’s now a pleasant jumble of mid-range chain stores and restaurants, with the best architecture hidden among its many back streets. START: from Mayakovskaya Ploshad. It might seem more logical

to start from the Kremlin, but this route is all downhill.

Starlite Diner. Homesick Americans should start this tour with a traditional breakfast at this 50s’ diner, set in a chrome trailer within the Aquarium Gardens. B. Sadovaya Ul.

1

340-ruble business lunch at either of these restaurants, both offering massive portions, excellent quality and, in summer, a delightful walled garden at Goodmans. Tverskaya Ul. d. 23.

d. 16. y 495 690 9638. $$$.

y 495 775 9888 (Goodmans), y 495 223 0707 (Filimonova i Yankel). $$$.

2 Mayakovskaya Ploshad. Dominated by the 1958 statue of the avant-garde poet Vladimir this square is flanked by the Stalinist-wedding cake Peking Hotel, originally intended as a KGB headquarters in 1956, and host to numerous dignitaries including Chairman Mao.

os t sky M Mayakovsky, Ul. Kuznet

3

★★★ Filimonova i Yankel, Goodmans. You can grab a

The Russian Revival Ssudnaya Kassa.

l. aya U lotn

4 ★★★ The Museum of Contemporary Russian History. Don’t miss this. Its interior is tatty and its lady curators terrifying, but there is no better introduction to Russia’s most turbulent century––the 20th. See p 8.

5 The Sudnaya Kassa. It’s worth a quick trip down Natasinsky Pereulok for a look at this very gothic building (built 1913–1916) at No. 3.

Tverskaya off the Beaten Track

M

78

The Best Neighborhood Walks

7 The Izvestia Building. The grey constructivist building at No. 18 was erected in 1927 to publish the government newspaper Izvestia. Don’t miss the Style Moderne Sytin Dom, a turn-of-the-century publishing house, at Tverskaya 18a. 8 Alexander Pushkinskaya

Russia’s favorite poet: Alexander Pushkin.

6 Malaya Dmitrovka Ulitsa. Follow Natasinsky Pereulok to its end to reach this street (previously Ulitsa Chekhova in honor of novelist Anton Chekhov, who lived at Nos. 11, 12 and 29). The Lenkom Theater at No. 6 (home to Russia’s first rock opera in 1973) is a classic Style Moderne building, and the blue-domed Church of the Nativity of Our Lady of Putinki at No. 4 (1649–1652) a perfectly preserved example of early Moscow architecture.

Ploshad. The perehodi (subways) here were once a trading ground for samizdat (underground) literature and bootleg recordings, partly due to the presence of the Moskovskiye Novosti newspaper offices on the southern side of the square. A clarion for Gorbachev’s perestroika, it published its last Russian-language edition in January 2008.

9 Pushkin Statue. A popular meeting point, this statue (erected by public subscription in 1880) originally stood on the other side of the street. The Pushkin Cinema behind it (home of the bi-annual Moscow International Film Festival) was built on the site of the Convent of the Passion (1654), used after the Revolution as a Museum of Atheism before it was demolished in 1937. 0 ★★★ Eliseevskiy Gastronom. Stock up on (red) caviar and vodka in this pre-revolutionary

Marx, Engels and Lenin on the former Institute of Marxist-Leninism.

79

Tverskaya off the Beaten Track

store: see p 8 for its somewhat gruesome history.

! Tverskaya Ploshad. The south side of this square once housed the Dresden Hotel, host to Turgenev and Chekhov and later the base of the Bolsheviks’ Moscow Committee. The gray Constructivist block to the east is the former Institute of Marxist-Leninism (see p 43). The statue to Moscow founder Yuri Dolgoruky marked the city’s 800th anniversary in 1947—although not erected until 1954.

@ Moscow City Hall. Traditionally the residence of the Governor General (although it once also housed the Moscow Soviet of Working People’s Deputies), Matvei Kazakov’s 1782 Neo Classical building was moved 14 meters back to its current site during Tverskaya’s reconstruction, its façade irredeemably altered by Stalinist architect Dmitry Chechulin.

# ★ Savinskoye Podvorye. Head through the archway under the granite façades at No. 6 for this pastel-tiled late 19th-century building. Originally built to accommodate monks from the Savva Storozhevsky Monastery, Zvenigorod on visits to Moscow, it fronted Tverskaya Ulitsa until 1938 when it was moved back to its current location. Don’t miss the massive hammer and sickle on the Constructivist Central Telegraph Building (1926–1927) across the road at No. 7.

$

★★★ Kamergesky Pereulok. Take your pick of this café-lined street, packed with outdoor tables in summer. Bargain buffet CENO is at No. 6 (home to composer Sergei Prokofiev from 1947 to 1953), while the Kamerton restaurant in the MKhAT theater is a regular actors’ haunt. CENO y 495 692 0452. $.

Kamerton y 495 629 0616. $$$$.

The Moscow Art Theater.

% ★★★ The Moscow Art Theater (MKhAT). Originally owned by industrialist Savva Mamontov, this building was converted by Style Moderne architect Fedor Shekhtel in 1902 to house the new MKhAT. The seagull on the façade was adopted as its emblem following the staging of the eponymous Chekhov play in 1898. There is a small museum in the building next door, with costumes, paintings and props. Kamergersky Per. d. 3. y 495 692 6748.

^ Georgievsky Pereulok. Turn left from Tverskaya into this tiny lane for the Small Manezh—a Russian Revival building erected in 1888 to house the city’s first electricity station, now an exhibition center. Directly opposite is the Troyerukov Palace, a boyar’s mansion built in the 1690s, and the only remaining example of its kind; two others belonging to the Golitsyn and Gagarin noble families were razed during erection of the Gosplan building (now the State Duma). The mansion is just visible behind the security checkpoint: the guards are quite sympathetic if you want a closer look.

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argely untouched by either Napoleon or Stalin, the unspoilt lanes, pre-revolutionary buildings and innumerable churches of Zamoskvorechye (literally “the land behind the river”) make this the ideal location for simply getting lost. START: at Borovitskaya metro, heading south across the river via the Bolshoi Kammeny Most.

1 ★★★ Dom na Naberezhnoi.

In a 1931 block built to house the new party elite (including Stalin’s inlaws and, later, Nikita Khrushchev), this museum recreates an authentic 1930s’ apartment during the years of the Great Terror. Among millions dov of others almost 800 people from nic he sk a ya this building alone—one-third of its Na b. inhabitants—were condemned to chinn ikov ska the camps: the museum has tried to ya N ab them all. @ 30 min. Ul. Serafizd trace . oe

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movicha d. 2. It’s not that easy to find: enter just left of the Estrada theater, and it’s about 25 meters on your left. y 495 959 0317. 60R. Wed 5pm–8pm, Sat 2pm–6pm. Metro: Borovitskaya.

2 ★★ The Church of St. Nicholi in Bersenevke and the Chambers of Averkii Kirillov.

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L AQ U ECK ZN KU VO NO

As gaudy as St. Basil’s and just as enchanting, this church (j) is easily missed behind the overgrown . Per branches lining the street. Built sky kov nya 1656–1657, it was originally connected to the nearby Chambers of Averkii Kirillov (k), a senior official Per. y k s t e n okuz to the Duma, who funded its conNov struction. Closed in 1931, it was returned to the Orthodox church in 1992. Bersenevskaya Naberezhnaya d. 18-22. y 495 959 0862.

3 Art Strelka. While still somewhat short of resident artists, this art center does host some major names, notably XL Project. @ 20 min. Bersenevskaya Nab. d. 14 bldg. 5. y 8 916 112 7180. Tues–Sat 4pm–8pm.

4 Krasnaya Oktyabr Chocolate Factory. No longer offering guided tours, alas, much of this

1867 factory (renamed Krasnaya Oktyabr in 1922) is now being converted into up-market housing. Krasnaya Oktyabr Chocolate Factory, Bersenevskaya Naberezhnaya d. 6.

5 Peter the Great Memorial. Cruelly rumored to have been reworked from a Christopher Columbus memorial rejected by the Americans, Zurab Tsereteli’s 96-meter statue has enhanced (or blighted) the riverbank since 1997, when it was installed to mark the 300th anniversary of the Russian fleet.

6 Bolotnaya Ploshad. Retrace your steps and head under the Bolshoi Kameny Most to reach Bolotnaya Ploshad. Look out for the statue of Ilya Repin (one of the most famous “Peredvizniki” artists, see p 37) at the base of the footbridge across the Vodootvodny Canal. Christopher Columbus! Or is it Peter the Great?

Zamoskvorechye

L

A

82

The Best Neighborhood Walks

0 Bolshaya Ordynka Ulitsa. It

The Church of the Resurrection of the Christ at Kadashi.

7 Church of the Resurrection of Christ at Kadashi. Head north up Laurushinsky Perevlok (don’t miss the gothic Tretyakov Refuge for Artists’ Widows and Orphans (1910–1912) at No. 3/8), and then follow the signs to emerge at this classic piece of Naryshkin Baroque architecture, built 1687–1695. 2 Kadashersky Per d. 7. y 495 953 2291.

8 ★★★ The Tretyakov Gallery. See p 34.

9

Café Aldebaran. Avoid the over-priced salads in favor of a cup of hot chocolate in this faithfully restored Style Moderne interior.

B. Tomalchevsky Per. d. 4 bldg. 1. y 495 953 6306. $.

would take all day to visit every one on this “Street of Churches”. Save shoe leather and head for the Neo Classical Church of the Consolation of All Sorrows at No. 20 (Osip Bove, 1833), the Church of St. Nicholas in Pyzhy at No. 27a (the parish church of the Streltsy regiment, many of whom were later executed for their role in the Streltsy Rebellion of 1862), and the Church of the Iverskaya Icon of the Holy Virgin in Vspole at No. 39 (note the faded hand-paintings on the exterior walls). The (working) Martha and Mary Convent at No. 34 was founded by Grand Duchess Elizabeth Fyodorovna, elder sister of the ill-fated Tsarina Alexandra. Its church and cathedral were built 1908–1912 by Alexei Schusev, with a mix of Style Moderne and traditional features. While restoration is still ongoing, friends report that the gardens have now been expertly re-landscaped.

!

★★★ Grably. Russian staples, all of them freshly cooked, piping hot and dirt cheap. Pyatnitskaya Ul.

d.27. y 495 545 0830. $.

@ Pyatnitskaya Ulitsa. This street has had its share of famous residents: No. 1 belonged to the Smirnov family, and a young Leo Tolstoy rented an apartment at No. 12. Don’t miss the deliciously dilapidated Church of St. Clement (1774) at Klimentovsky Pereulok No. 7, or the Churches of Saints Michael and Fyodor at Chernikovsky Pereulok No. 4.

•

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Moscow Shopping A to Z Antique Salons Salon na Patriarshih PATRIARCH’S PONDS 17th- to 20th-century art, jewelry, and clocks. B. Kozikhinsky Per. d. 7. y 495 291 6468. AE, DC, MC, V. Metro: Tverskaya. Map p 88.

Maricevic Fine Art & Antiques KROPOTKINSKAYA 20th-century Russian paintings, with a particular focus on Russian émigré artists. 1st Obidensky Per. d. 8.

y 495 637 1392. www.maricevic fineart.com. No credit cards. Closed Sat–Sun. Metro: Kropotkinskaya. Map p 88.

Antique Salon Old Masters RED SQUARE Russian and European art, silver, bronze, and porcelain. Romanov Per. d. 7. y 495 629 0254. No credit cards. Closed Sun. Metro: Okhotny Ryad. Map p 88.

Art Galleries ★★ The Central House of Artists PARK KULTURY This massive complex hides some real gems, including the Elysium Gallery (for Soviet art) and Lumière Brothers, a tiny gallery with a large archive, mainly Soviet photography from the 1920s onwards. Krymsky Val d. 10. Elysium Gallery: y 8499 230 0077. www.elysium.ru. Lumière Gallery: y 495 795 1755. www.lumiere.ru. Closed Mon. Metro: Oktyabrskaya, Park Kultury. Map p 87.

NB Gallery ARBATSKAYA Soviet art from the 1930s to 1970s, specializing in Russian Realism and Soviet Impressionism. Sivtsev Vrazhek Per. d. 6/2. y 495 737 5298; 495 203 4006. www.nbgallery. com. No credit cards. Closed Mon. Metro: Arbatstraya, Kropotkinskaya. Map p 88.

Shishkin Gallery KUZNETSKY MOST One of the strongest galleries for 20th-century Russian art, specializing in Soviet Impressionism, Modernism, and the Avant Garde. Neglinnaya Ul. d. 29/14. y 495 694 3510. www.shishkin-gallery.ru. MC, V. Metro: Trubnaya. Map p 85.

Books (Antique) ★ Bukinist PARK KULTURY Included solely for its instantly evocative post-war Soviet building and interior, Bukinist deals only in books from the 1950s or earlier: which means you can’t export them. Ostozhenka Ul. d. 53. y 8 499 246 8431. No credit cards. Closed Sun. Metro: Park Kultury. Map p 88.

Books in English ★★ Anglia British Bookshop MAYAKOVSKAYA As its name implies, the single best source for English-language books: but be prepared for some steep markups. Vorotnikovsky Per. d. 6. y 495 699 7766. www.anglophile.ru. AE, MC, V. Metro: Mayakovskaya. Map p 85.

Dom Inostrannikh Knig KUZNETSKY MOST Probaby the best selection of English language novels in the city plus an extensive department on Russian art. Kuznetsky Most d. 18. y 495 628 2021. MC, V. Metro: Kuznetsky Most. Map p 85.

Torgovy Dom Knigi Moskva TVERSKAYA A reasonable selection of English novels (hidden at the back of the store), and a fascinating art and antiquarian department. Tverskaya Ul. d. 8. y 495 797 8717. MC, V. Metro: Okhotny Ryad, Pushkinskaya, Tverskaya. Map p 85.

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Moscow Shopping A to Z

Secondhand book stall.

★★★ Respublica MAYAKOVSKAYA A young intelligentsia hangout (with coffee bar and music section), this is the best source for English-language maps and guides (with fluent Englishspeaking staff), open round the clock. 1st Tverskaya-Yamskaya Ul. d. 10. y 495 251 6527. AE, MC, V. Metro: Mayakovskaya. Map p 85.

China & Glass ★★★ Eliseevskiy Gastronom TVERSKAYA Located on the left of the main grocery section as you go in, its souvenir division has a good selection of Lomonosov porcelain. See p 85.

Glediz LUBYANKA Ignore the imported Royal Doulton and head straight for the last original counter, selling gaudy firebird tea sets, enameled plates, and translucent Lomonosov china. Myasnitskaya Ul. d. 8/2.

y 495 624 1563; 495 623 8492. MC, V. Metro: Lubyanka. Map p 86.

Gus Khrustalny Factory Store KITAI GOROD Specializing in colored glass, the Gus Khrustalny factory has been in production since 1756. Gostiny Dvor, Ilyinka Ul. d. 4.

y 495 232 5658. www.ghz.ru. MC,

V. Closed Sun June–Sept. Metro: Kitai Gorod. Map p 85.

Chocolate & Cakes Bolshevik Factory Shop LENINGRADSKY PROSPECT The full eccentricity of Russian confectionery reaches its zenith here, with colors and designs beyond belief. Leningradsky Prospect d. 15. y 495 613 8301. MC, V. Metro: Belorosstraya. Map p 88. Russian Charlotte Cake.

The Best Shopping

92 ★★★ Confael ARBATSKAYA p 88.

See

Krasnaya Oktyabr ARBATSKAYA It might not be what you’re used to (very sweet and very dark), but for real Soviet chocolate this is the only place to go. Stock up on Misha bars— Ivan Shishkin’s three little bears, on display in the Tretyakov Gallery. Povarskaya Ul. d. 29/36. y 495 291 0937. www.konfetki.ru. MC, V. Metro: Arbatskaya, Barrikadnaya. Map p 88.

Emergencies 36.6 TVERSKAYA British pharmacy chain Boots bought into this chain in 2006, and it is the most reliable source for medical emergencies, cosmetics, and much else. Tverskaya Ul. d. 25/9. y 495 797 6366 (hotline); 495 699 2459 (direct). AE, MC, V. 24 hr. Metro: Mayakovskaya. Map p 85.

★ Avantix MAYAKOVSKAYA One of the few travel services whose actual prices do (usually) match those Pharmacy sign.

on their website. English-speaking operators and an excellent delivery service. 1st Tverskaya Yamskaya Ul. d. 23 bldg. 1. y 495 783 7547, y 495 787 7272. www.avantix.ru. AE, DC, MC, V. Metro: Mayakovskaya. Map p 85.

★★★ Ion CITYWIDE For international calling cards, Moscow sim cards, and IT and camera accessories. Extremely helpful staff happy to take your memory card and download to disc. Novy Arbat d. 11 bldg. 1. y 495 202 4826. AE,DC, MC, V. Metro: Arbatskaya. Map p 88. ★★★ Lensmaster CITYWIDE A one-hour service as good as their word, with small repairs completed while you wait, sometimes free of charge. Nikolskaya Ul. d. 19/1. y 495 628 4009. www.lensmaster.ru. MC, V. Metro: Lubyanka. Map p 85.

Prachechnaya (Launderette) KITAI GOROD Launderettes in Moscow can be impossible to find. This one, attached to a dry cleaners near the Dom na Kotelnicheskoi skyscraper, accepts laundry at 58 rubles per kilo. Pevchesky Per. d. 12. No phone. Rubles only. Closed 1pm– 2pm daily and Sat–Sun. Metro: Kitai Gorod. Map p 86.

★★★ SOS Clinic PROSPECT MIRA Don’t be put off by the Soviet-miserablist building or the over-zealous security staff: this clinic offers the friendliest (and most effective) healthcare in the city. Polyclinic No. 1, 10th floor, Grokholsky Per. d. 10. y 495 937 5760. www.internationalsos.com. AE, MC, V. Metro: Prospect Mira. Map p 86.

Gifts & Souvenirs ★★ Teatralny Studio Bolshoi (Bolshoi Theater Shop) BAUMANSKAYA Relocated while the Bolshoi completes its renovation, this is a must for anyone with young

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Moscow Shopping A to Z

Souvenir Russian dolls.

daughters. Tutus, ballet shoes, costumes and Bolshoi souvenirs— and a good reason to check out the pre-revolutionary architecture of this under-publicized district. Nizhnaya Krasnoselskaya Ul. d. 45/17. y 8 903 160 0061. No credit cards. Metro: Baumanskaya. Map p 86.

Detsky Mir LUBYANKA

Having fought off the developers for more than 15 years, this store is closed for a two-year, $200 million refurbishment in July 2008. Worth a visit, nonetheless, to admire metro architect Alexei Dushkin’s late-Soviet exterior while you still can, and to marvel at the irony of a dedicated children’s department store a stone’s throw from the Lubyanka. Teatralny Proezd

d. 5. y 495 781 0950. Metro: Lubyanka. Map p 85.

The Izmailovo Vernisazh IZMAILOVO Go straight through the Turkish clothes stalls to reach the main souvenir market at the back: aim for the hilarious imitation of the Kremlin, made entirely from MDF. Best at weekends. Izmailovskoye Shosse d. 73. y 8 499 166 5580. www.moscow-vernisage.ru. Metro: Partisanskaya. Map p 86.

The Matroshka Museum ARBAT See p 58. Closed Sun. Map p 88.

The Mayakovsky Museum LUBYANKA

For political posters,

prints and postcards. See p 49. Closed Wed. Map p 85.

★★★ Souvenir Shop, Museum of Contemporary Russian History TVERSKAYA As fascinating

as the museum itself, with a selection of rare and limited edition prints. See p 8. Closed Sun and Mon. Map p 85.

Russky Souvenir NOVIYE CHERYOMUSHKI All the usual souvenirs, at out-of-town prices: will deliver if required. Nametkina Ul. d. 3. y 495 128 2828. MC, V. Metro: Noviye Cheryomushki. Map p 87.

Salon Nasledie RED SQUARE Not the cheapest souvenir outlet, but the most convenient, within the State Historical Museum. Krasnaya Ploshad d. 1/2. y 495 232 6822. AE,DC, MC, V. Metro: Okhotny Ryad, Ploshad Revolutsii, Teatralnaya. Map p 85.

Soviet Posters ISMAILOVO Soviet prints are widely available (and easier to export, see below), but for the real item, aim for this family stall at the Izmailovo Vernisazh or call for an appointment. Yuri Mikhailovich Utkin, Izmailovo Vernisazh, Ofisnaya Alleya, kiosk 44. y 8 916 611 9367. No credit cards. Sat–Sun only. Metro: Partizanskaya. Map p 86.

Vologda Lien (Vologda Linen) KITAI GOROD Traditionally made tablecloths, bed linen, and clothing.

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94 Gostiny Dvor, Ilyinka Ul. d. 4. y 495 232 9463. AE, MC, V. Metro: Kitai Gorod. Map p 85.

real diamonds. Petrovka Ul. d. 28/2

Hairdressers The Expat Salon ARBATSKAYA,

Jewellery Theatre KUTUZOVSKY

PATRIARCH’S PONDS Englishspeaking stylists to solve a bad hair day. Skaterny Per. d. 23. y 495 291 6467; M. Patriarshy Per. d. 3. y 495 650 3749. www.expatsalon.ru. MC, V. Metro: Arbatskaya, Barrikadnaya. Map p 88.

Sergey Zverev TVERSKAYA The

bldg. 1. y 495 650 7651. MC, V. Metro: Chekhovskaya, Trubnaya. Map p 85.

PROSPECT Yards of spot-lit gems behind a brocade-swagged floor-toceiling window. Deliriously camp. Kutuzovsky Prospect d. 2. y 8 499 243 2929. www.jt.ru. MC, V. Metro: Kievskaya. Map p 88.

Malls & Shopping Centers Barvikha Luxury Village

Russian-only website gives you an idea but it’s hard to explain the phenomenon that is Sergey Zverev: pop star, reality-show star, winner of the Wella Trend Vision award, and stylist to the Russian pop elite. Expect a cut above the average. 1st Tverskaya-

RUBLYEVKA Out-of-town shopping mall for the super-wealthy: Ferrari, Prada, Tiffany, et al. Rublyovo-Uspen-

Yamskaya d. 28 bldg. 1. y 495 933 7004. www.zverevsalon.ru. MC, V. Metro: Belorusskaya. Map p 85.

Crocus City Mall MYAKININO Home to the annual “Millionaire Fair” every November, this mall gives a fascinating insight into New Russian excess: although traffic on Leningradsky Prospect makes it a

Jewelry ★★ Smolenskiye Brillianti CITYWIDE

skoye Shosse d. 114, Barvikha Poselok, 8km. y 495 980 6804. AE, DC, MC, V. Metro: Molodyezhnaya. Map p 88.

Row upon row of dazzling

Salon Nasledie at the State Historical Museum.

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Moscow Shopping A to Z

GUM from Soviet shortages to glamour and glitz.

soul-destroying prospect to reach by car. 65-66km MKAD. y 495 727 2424. www.crocus-city.ru. AE, DC, MC, V. Via Volokolyamskoye Shosse and the MKAD, or take bus No. 736 from Strogina metro. Map p 88.

Evropeisky Mall KIEVSKAYA Massive eight-floor complex with upmarket designer labels (as well as some teen-fodder), restaurants, cafés, a cinema, and a spa. The Marks & Spencer is a lure for homesick Brits and anyone needing urgent replacement of underwear or tights. Ploshad Kievskovo Vokzala d. 2. y 495 921 3444. www.evropeisky.ru. AE, DC, MC, V. Metro: Kievskaya. Map p 88.

GUM RED SQUARE Once a chaotic bazaar selling everything under the sun, the Bosco di Ciliegi group have redone this as a glossy up-market mall. The new Gastronom No. 1 now offers fresh pastries and a juice bar, but this is probably better for sightseeing than shopping

these days. Krasnaya Ploshad d. 3.

y 495 788 4343. www.gum.ru. AE, DC, MC, V. Metro: Teatralnaya. Map p 85.

Lotte Plaza ARBATSKAYA A luxury emporium (opened 2007) offering YSL, Gucci, D&G, Jimmy Choo, and a 24-hour branch of elitny supermarket Azbuka Vkusa. Novinsky Bulvar d. 8.

y 495 662 8100; 495 641 2500. AE, DC, MC, V. Metro: Arbatskaya, Smolenskaya. Map p 88.

Petrovsky Passazh KUZNETSKY MOST

See p 75. Map p 85.

★★★ Ramstore Kapitoli UNIVERSITET Branches of Ramstore are mainly located in the suburbs, but this is excellent for anyone fed up with city-center prices. If you’re self-catering, need any household goods, or want to replace luggage, start here. Prospect Vernadskovo d. 5. www.ramstore.ru. MC, V. Metro: Universitet. Map p 87.

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Tretyakovsky Proezd LUBYANKA See p 71. Map p 85.

TsUM TEATRALNAYA See p 75. Map p 85.

Markets ★★★ Gorbushkin Dvor BAGRATIONOVSKAYA While there are actually two markets (see below), when people talk about Gorbushka this is usually the one they mean: miles of music, video and games from independent sellers patient enough to dig out that lost western boy band or classic Soviet movie. Bagrationovsky Proezd d. 7/1 y 495 737 7474. www.gorbushkin.ru. Metro: Bagrationovskaya. Map p 88.

Gobushka BAGRATIONOVSKAYA Next door to the music market, this sells everything electrical but counterfeiting is rife: keep your eyes peeled for erratically spelt trademarks and brand names. Barklaya Ul. d. 8. y 495 730 0006. Metro: Bagrationovskaya. Map p 88.

★★★ Gruzinsky Val BELORUSSKAYA While the original Georgian market was replaced with a soulless supermarket in 2007, this is still a delight in summer, when flower stalls run the entire length of the street. Gruzinsky Val. Rubles only. Metro: Belorusskaya. Map p 88. ★★ Rizhsky Market PROSPECT MIRA Those of a squeamish disposition won’t appreciate the very basic approach to meat-handling here. Head instead for the yearround flower stalls at the back and along the right-hand side. Prospect Mira d. 88. y 495 631 4295. Rubles only. Metro: Rizhskaya. Map p 86.

Music DJ Pro KITAI GOROD Englishlanguage music press as well as discs, downloads, and mixing equipment. Vertoshny Per. d. 5.

y 495 698 3132. Rubles only. Metro: Ploshad Revolutsii, Teatralnaya. Map p 85. Transylvania TVERSKAYA A tiny shop with a massive stock: and if they don’t have it, they’ll order it for you. Tverskaya d. 6/1 bldg. 5. y 495 629 8786. MC, V. Metro: Okhotny Ryad, Pushkinskaya, Tverskaya. Map p 85.

Magazin Vsesoyuzny ZAMOSKVORECHYE A four-floor music-lover’s paradise with coffee bar, photo-lab, and bookshop. Pyatnitskaya Ul. d. 29. y 495 589 1551. MC, V. Metro: Novokuznetskaya. Map p 87.

Russian Designers ★ Denis Simachev TVERSKAYA Casual clothes and club gear from Russian fashion’s current wunderkind. Under-35s only, unless you like feeling your age. Stoleshnikov Per. d. 12 bldg. 2. y 495 629 5702. www.denissimachev.com. AE, MC, V. Metro: Teatralnaya Ryad. Map p 85.

Valentin Yudashkin KUTUZOVSKY PROSPECT Eminently wearable prêt-à-porter and accessories. Kutuzovsky Prospect d. 19.

y 495 785 1055. www.yudashkin. com. AE, MC, V. Metro: Kievskaya, Kutuzovskaya. Map p 88. Slava Zaitsev PROSPECT MIRA Yudashkin prodigy Slava Zaitsev offers prêt-à-porter, couture and, for the financially challenged, perfume. Prospect Mira d. 21. y 495 631 4114. MC, V. Metro: Prospect Mira. Map p 86.

Specialist Food Shops ★ The Armenia Shop KRASNIYE VOROTA This landmark outlet (in a glamorous Stalinka on Tverskaya, complete with pillars and mosaics) was rumored to have moved to a new address as we go to press. We haven’t been able to verify this, but

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traditional Russian chocolates.

Spasskaya Ul. d. 20 bldg. 1. No phone. Metro: Krasniye Vorota. Map p 85.

Myasnitskaya Ul. d. 19. y 495 625 4656. Rubles only. Metro: Chistiye Prudy, Turgenevskaya. Map p 86.

★★★ Eliseevskiy Gastronom TVERSKAYA See p 9. Map p 85.

★★ Sedmoi Kontinent (formerly Gastronom No. 40)

Globus Gourmet CITYWIDE Foodie heaven, but be prepared to pay through the nose. Novy Arbat d. 19. y 495 775 0918. MC, V. Metro: Arbatskaya. Map p 88.

Hediard BARRIKADNAYA

Gourmet delicatessen for the very particular or the very rich. Sadovaya-Kudrinskaya Ul. d. 7. y 495 254 1710. MC, V. Metro: Barrikadnaya. Map p 88.

Kristall Vodka KURSKAYA Best known for its Putinka brand, the Kristall factory offers complete tours, plus two retail outlets. Samokatnaya Ul. d. 4. y 495 747 4971, museum 495 361 6010. http://eng.kristall.ru. No credit cards. Metro: Kurskaya. Map p 86.

★★★ Magazin Chai Koffee na Myasnitskoi (The Perlov Tea Shop) CHISTIYE PRUDY A historic

landmark (see p 54), the kitsch Chinese décor continues inside with shelves packed with exotic teas, coffees, cakes, crystallized fruits, and Round-the-world exotica at Globus Gourmet.

LUBYANKA Having commendably left the Stalinist interior largely untouched for many years (giving visitors a small insight into life as it once was for the nomenklatura (Communist-era elite), this branch has finally closed for refurbishment, due to re-open in December 2008. Whatever they might do to the interior, the building (abutting the Constructivist Fomin House) is unlikely to change. B. Lubyanka d. 12/1. y 495 777 7779. www.7cont.ru. MC, V. Metro: Lubyanka. Map p 86.

★★ Sedmoi Kontinent (formerly Gastronom Smolensky)

ARBATSKAYA Another flagship store for the ubiquitous Sedmoi Kontinent chain, this gourmet outlet will astonish anyone who remembers the unwrapped meat and cheese of the old Gastronom Smolensky. Stary Arbat d. 54/2 bldg. 1. y 495 411 6065; 495 777 7779. www.7cont.ru. MC, V. Metro: Smolenskaya. Map p 88.

Moscow Shopping A to Z

if you’re looking for real Armenian cognac it’s worth a try. Sadovaya-

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Clearing Customs Most souvenirs can be taken out of the country without problems, but be careful when buying art or antiques. You will need an export permit for any item made more than 50 years ago: and items produced more than 100 years ago are unlikely to be allowed out of Russia at all. You will not need an export permit for: contemporary souvenirs, electric samovars, or any books, posters or reproductions produced within the last 50 years. You may export up to 250g of red caviar: export of black caviar is forbidden. You will need an export permit for any of these items, regardless of when they were made: icons, paintings (even recent works), carpets and rugs, samovars (not electric samovars). Most galleries and auction houses will assist in obtaining export clearance: if you need independent advice, contact the Assessment Committee of the Ministry of Culture, Neglinnaya Ul. d. 8, y 495 692 1532 or refer to the Moscow Service for the Preservation of Cultural Property on y 495 244 7675, www.culture-expert.ru. The Customs Service has advice desks at both Sheremetyevo II (y 495 578 2125; 495 578 2120 or see www.sheremetyevo-airport.ru) and Domodedovo (y 495 967 8352 or see www.domodedovo.ru).

Yakitoria NOVOSLOBODSKA Traditional Japanese drinks, sweets, and specialties. Novoslobodskaya

with a range of own-brand goods, in-store bakeries, and realistically priced wine and spirits.

Ul. d. 20. y 8 499 973 3252. www. japanshop.ru. MC, V. Metro: Mendeleevskaya. Map p 85.

Evropeiskaya Ploshad d. 2 (within the Evropeisky Mall). y 495 229 1954. AE, MC, V. Metro: Kievskaya. Map p 88.

Supermarkets Azbuka Vkusa CITYWIDE While

Stockmann CITYWIDE The downtown Smolenskaya store having fallen victim to one of the city’s all-too-frequent landlord displutes, homesick expats now face a schlep to the Belaya Dacha, Teply Stan or Khimki Mega Malls for their home comforts. Mega Mall Belaya Dacha,

notorious for its hilariously overpriced fruit and vegetables (115 rubles for a stick of rhubarb?) its 24hour city-center outlets are invaluable for last-minute emergencies or a midnight attack of the munchies. Novinsky Bulvar d. 8 (Lotte Plaza). y 495 662 8197; 495 504 3478. AE, MC, V. Metro: Arbatskaya, Smolenskaya. Map p 88.

★★★ Perekroistok CITYWIDE A more down-to-earth option for anyone self-catering or on a budget,

14km MKAD. y 495 974 0122. Mega Mall Khimki, Leningradskoye Shosse 5km. y 495 739 8636. Mega Mall Teply Stan, 41 km MKAD, junction with Profsoyuznaya Ulitsa. y 495 980 8282. www.stockmann.ru. AE, DC, MC, V. Map p 88.

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lthough initially proposed in 1947, this memorial complex, honoring the victims of what Russians know as the Great Patriotic War, did not open until the 50th anniversary of the end of that conflict, in 1995. A genuinely moving tribute to the Soviet Union’s estimated 27 million war dead, it is best visited on Victory Day (May 9) when veterans proudly put on their medals and promenade in the park.

START: from the Park Pobedy (Victory Park) metro, through the Years of War Avenue, lined with monuments to the generals defending the key fronts, and five banks of fountains, one for each year of the war.

1 The Victory Monument. A very precise 141.8 meters high (reflecting the 1,418 days of the Great Patriotic War), Zurab Tsereteli’s monument has Nike (the Greek Goddess of Victory) at its head and St. George (the patron saint of Moscow) at its base. Nearby religious monuments include the Church of St. George the Victorious (the first church built in Moscow since the Revolution), a memorial synagogue, and mosque.

2 The Central Museum of the Great Patriotic War. Unfailingly moving, the Hall of Memory and Sorrow holds the names of all of the dead and missing: some 19,500,000 victims have been identified thus far. The circular white marble Hall of Glory lists the names of the 11,000 soldiers awarded the highest military honor, the Hero of the Soviet Union, with bas-reliefs commemorating each of the war’s Hero Cities. The museum also has dioramas of the main battles (including the 1941 Battle of Moscow, the 1942–1943 Battle of Stalingrad, the 1941-1944 Siege of Leningrad, and the 1945 Fall of Berlin), while an exhibition hall running the length of the building fields posters and exhibits covering the war on the home front. Ploshad Pobedy d. 3.

y 495 142 4185. Tues–Sun, 10am– 7pm. 70R, 40R concessions.

3 The Open Air Museum of Military Equipment and Engineering. Reached via Veterans Alley, this open-air museum has

The Victory Park Fountains and Victors’ Monument.

examples of almost all artillery used by the Red Army, as well as tanks, aircraft, and locomotives. Ploshad Pobedy, d. 3. y 495 449 8250. Tues–Sun, 10am–7pm. 50R, 40R concessions.

4

Koffee Haus, Kutuzovsky Prospect. While there are numerous open-air cafés—and a (maddeningly slow) Shokoladnitsa at the bottom of the Years of War Avenue— you may be better off eating on Kutuzovsky Prospect. Bocconcino does the best pizza in town (see p 113), and there’s a Koffee Haus at No. 32. Koffee Haus, Kutuzovsky Prospect, d. 30/32. y 495 221 8381. $.

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5

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103

owhere in Moscow more poignantly illustrates the history of the country’s last 50 years. Originally opened in 1939 as the AllUnion Exhibition of Agriculture (promoting a decade of collectivization), this is Stalinist architecture at its most grandiose and free market enterprise at its most indifferent, the pavilions having degenerated into motley trading stalls in what is now known as the All-Russia Exhibition Center. But if there is one last quintessentially Soviet site in Moscow, this is it. START: at the VDNKh metro, heading towards the ferris wheel.

1 The Central Pavilion (No. 1). The pride of the complex when it re-opened in 1954, this has some spectacular statuary (Budilov and Strekavin’s Tractor Driver and Kokholznitsa), but there’s little to see inside.

2

★★★ Café Ararat (Pavilion No. 68). Drink traditional Armenian coffee and cognac under stucco slogans urging “Praise to the Heroes of Labor!” Be sure to use the restrooms: the only decent ones you’ll find hereabouts. y 8 499 760 2685. $.

3 The Culture Pavilion (No. 66). One of the original 1939 pavilions (built for the Republic of Uzbekistan), this has some interesting stalls selling handicrafts and art.

4 The Ukraine Pavilion (No. 58). Another of the original 1939 pavilions, this is one of the most ornate, with an apparently

A must for fans of Stalinist architecture: the People’s Friendship Fountain.

stained-glass panel—actually made of plastic, the first time the substance had been used in architecture here.

5 The Space Pavilion (No. 32). Another of the original pavilions (Mechanization, built 1939), it became the space Pavilion in 1964. A massive Stalin statue once stood where the Vostok capsule is now.

VDNKh for Kids While its two funfairs might be better avoided, kids will enjoy exploring the Tupolev jets and Vostok rocket in front of the Space Pavilion, or discovering electricity among the pylons next to the Energy Pavilion (No. 55). The Theater in the Round has screenings on the hour from 12 noon (y 8 499 760 2525), while the Ice Age Museum (No. 71) has mammoth skulls, woolly rhinos, and polar bears (y 8 499 929 0913. www.iceage.ru). Prospect Mira 119. y 495 544 3400. www.vvcentre.ru/eng.

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stablished in 1928 as the Park for Culture and Rest, Gorky Park can’t compete with any funfair west of Berlin. It retains a nostalgic charm, however, even for those who’ve never heard of Martin Cruz Smith. Kids will love the Buran Space Shuttle and other attractions of Chudo-Grad, parents can find sanctuary in the lush Golitsyn Ponds, and nostalgists should relive the good old days among the derelict rides in the Glavnaya Alleya. START: at Oktyabrskaya metro, turning left downhill past one of the last remaining statues of Lenin.

1

Sorrento. While outdoor cafés abound (even in winter), this is an elegant refuge from loudspeakers and warm beer. Krymsky Val d. 9 bldg. 2. y 495 509 6000. $$$.

2 = Russky Led. The Lunar Park amusements and rides haven’t changed much since the underfunded 1990s, and might be best avoided. Anyone wanting to relive the Russia House experience yearround can break an ankle at Russky Led.

3 Maxim Gorky Statue. This statue is quite subtle compared to the monstrosity that once graced the former Gorky Street (now Tverskaya), and which can be found in the Art Museum Sculpture Park across the road (see p 13). The entire park is flooded to form an enormous outdoor ice rink in winter, while the fountains produce an impressive light show after dark during the summer months. Entrance to Gorky Park is 80R for adults, 50R for kids. Krymsky Val d. 9. y 495 237 1266; 495 237 0707. Most rides close during fall and winter.

Gateway to the workers’ paradise: Gorky Park.

Despite the limited space, the owners have chosen not to remove the now derelict big dipper further along the bank—once the only big dipper in the USSR. Chudo-Grad, Krymsky Val d. 9. y 495 953 5885.

5 Riverboat Deck. You can choose one of the standard routes, or book a riverboat taxi and go wherever you like. River Taxi y 495 542 7882 (summer months only).

4 = Chudo-Grad Amusement Park. Packed in against the riverbank, this park offers some reasonably terrifying rides (the sheerdrop Big Ben, Niagara, the Black Hole, and a laser shooting range, Q-zar), while space buffs will enjoy exploring the former training module of the Buran Space Shuttle.

6 Chaihona No. 1. Part of the popular and reasonably priced Uzbek chain, the outdoor divans, psychedelic carpet, and hookahs make this the perfect place to while away a hot Moscow afternoon. Krymsky Val d. 9. y 495 778 1756. $$$.

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7 The Zelyony Teatr (Green Theater) and the Neskuchny Sad. Whatever may be happening in the prime locations within the Garden Ring, the authorities, to their credit, have left the longestablished Neskuchny Sad ] entirely untouched as a natural forest within the bounds of the city center. The Zelyony Teatr [ is an unusual (and enormous) outdoor amphitheatre, used for live concerts in summer. Zelyony Teatr, 9 Krymsky Val. y 495 236 2716.

8 ★★ Glavnaya Aleya. It’s well hidden behind the cafés next to the fountains, but the abandoned fairground rides that run along Glavnaya Aleya (the former Main Alley) are intensely evocative of their Soviet-era heyday. Gorky Park, Krymsky Val d. 9. y 495 237 1266

9 Leninsky Prospect. Head out from the southern end of the park and pick up any bus or marshrutka (private minibus) on Leninsky Prospect to catch some fabulous

architecture heading back to the city. Don’t miss the the whitewashed Russian Revival Medveniki Alms Houses at No. 27, the Neo Classical Neskuchny Palace at No. 14 (now the Russian Academy of Sciences), the Golitsyn Hospital at No. 8, and the Lenin statue as you hit Kalushkaya Ploshad. Before you get on the metro, check out the gothic monstrosity you’ll see at No. 43 Bolshaya Yakimanka Ulitsa. Built 1888–1893 for industrialist Nikolai Igumnov, its architect, Nicholas Pozdeyev, is said to have hanged himself in the hallway after Igumnov refused to pay his bill. Another legend has it that the house contains Igumnov’s unfaithful mistress, cemented between two walls. From 1927 to 1936 it housed the Institute of the Brain: an institution dedicated to the study of genius through the slicing and examination of great minds (including Lenin’s, Vladimir Mayakovsky’s and Maxim Gorky’s). Since 1938 it has been the official residence of the French Ambassador.

6

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Moscow Dining A to Z Aist Café PATRIARCH’S PONDS

Beryozka Pelmeni Bar

ITALIAN Blacked-out SUVs block the lanes around Patriarch’s Ponds in summer, as the bar, café, restaurant and rooftop terraces overflow with Moscow’s rich and powerful, here to eat traditional but wellcooked Italian, Russian and European cuisine. M. Bronnaya Ul. d. 8/1.

TAGANKA RUSSIAN Dedicated to that unique Russian stalwart pelmeni (small stuffed dumplings, boiled and served with sour cream), Beryozka might be an acquired taste. It’s also low budget, authentic and has beer (individually piped to your table) literally on tap. Nikolyam-

y 499 940 7040. Entrees 700R– 2,500R. AE, DC, MC, V. Lunch & dinner daily. Metro: Mayakovskaya, Tverskaya. Map p 110.

skaya Ul. d. 29/1. y 495 915 5467. Entrees 140R–500R. MC, V. Lunch & dinner daily. Metro: Taganskaya. Map p 111.

Barashka ARBATSKAYA, KUZNETSKY MOST AZERBAIJANI Have a game of backgammon over djushbara (small lamb dumplings), sabzagovourma (pilaf with meat and vegetables), piti (a cooked-for-sixhours soup), and the quite disturbing gyz-byz—fried heart and kidneys. Novy Arbat d. 21 bldg. 1.

★★★ Blue Elephant ARBATSKAYA THAI The Moscow branch of the international chain, with no compromise on quality or decor. Novinsky Bulvar d. 31 (Novinsky Passazh). y 495 580 7756. Entrees 590R–1250R. AE, DC, MC, V. Lunch & dinner daily. Metro: Barrikadnaya. Map p 110.

y 495 228 3730 and Petrovka Ul. d. 20/1 y 495 625 2892. Entrees 350R–12,000R (spit-roast lamb). AE, DC, MC, V. Lunch & dinner daily. Metro: Arbatskaya. Kuznetsky Most, Map p 109.

Bon ZAMOSKVORECHYE FUSION Notorious for its Philippe Starck skull-and-Kalashnikov interior, one of Moscow’s few foodie haunts has recently adopted a fusion menu,

Lunch with the movers and shakers at Aist Café.

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Baronial splendour at the Central House of Writers.

with live DJ sets at weekends. Yakimanskaya Nab. d. 4. y 495 737 8008. Entrees 750R–1,800R. AE, DC, MC V. Lunch & dinner daily. Metro: Polyanka. Map p 111.

Bocconcino KUTUZOVSKSAYA, TVERSKAYA PIZZERIA The perfect place for pizza—18 varieties, all of them hot from the log-fired oven— with carefully selected Italian wines. Kutuzovsky Prospect d. 48 (Vremena Goda shopping center). y 495 662 1135 and Strasnoi Bulvar d. 7. y 495 699 7359. Entrees 300R– 1,300R. AE, DC, MC, V. Lunch & dinner daily. Metro: Park Pobedy, Pushkinskaya. Map p 110.

★★ Carre Blanc NOVOSLOBODSKAYA FRENCH Selesnevskaya isn’t Moscow’s most attractive street, but this restaurant is widely acknowledged as offering some of the best French cuisine in town. Decadent desserts and mouthwatering homemade sorbets. Seleznevskaya Ul. d. 19/2. y 495 258 4403. Entrees 350R–550R (bistro), 650R–1,590R (restaurant). AE, DC, MC, V. Lunch & dinner daily: breakfast 11am–3pm weekends. Metro: Novoslobodskaya. Map p 109. ★★★ The Central House of Writers BARRIKADNAYA RUSSIAN

This isn’t the most politically correct of venues: apparently a favorite of Stalin’s main henchman Lavrenty Beria, and the chandelier in the main hall a gift from Uncle Joe himself. But there’s no arguing with the jaw-dropping décor, with stainedglass windows, floor-to-ceiling carved paneling, and a minstrels’ gallery. There’s no better venue for Russian staples at their most traditional Povarskaya Ul. d. 50. y 495 291 1515. Entrees 1,000R–3,000R. AE, MC, V. Lunch & dinner daily. Metro: Barrikadnaya. Map p 110.

★★★ Club Petrovich CHISTIYE PRUDY RUSSIAN See p 111.

Correas CITYWIDE AMERICAN

ITALIAN A passion for quality has paid off for chef Isaac Correa, with his five-outlet opening this year. Often packed: go for takeout or delivery. Ul. Gasheka d. 7 bldg. 2.

y 495 789 9654. Entrees 240R–800R. AE, MC, V. Breakfast, lunch & dinner daily. Metro: Mayakovskaya. Map p 110.

Costa Coffee TVERSKAYA EURO-

PEAN A 24-hour refuge for homesick or insomniac Brits. Pushkinskaya

Ploshad d. 5. y 495 650 6181. 24hr. Entrees 150R–310R. MC, V. Metro: Pushkinskaya. Map p 109.

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Daikon CITYWIDE JAPANESE Round-the-clock sushi and noodles with branches throughout town.

unless you’re prepared for elk in aspic, smoked reindeer and beaver fillet, don’t go. Pevchevsky Per. d. 6.

Pyatnitskaya Ul. d. 36. y 495 951 2972. Entrees245 R-590R. AE, DC, MC, V. 24 hours. Metro: Tretyakovskaya. Map p 111.

y 495 775 6075. Entrees 960R– 1800R. MC, V. Lunch & dinner daily. Metro: Kitai Gorod. Map p 111.

★ East Buffet NOVOSLOBODSKAYA CHINESE This all-you-caneat buffet is perfect for a family on the hoof, with a massive choice, fresh fruit and salads, and ultraspeedy service. Novoslobodskaya Ul. d. 16. y 8 499 973 1350. Entrees 400R–800R: buffet from 259R. DC, MC, V. Lunch & dinner daily. Metro: Mendeleevskaya. Map p 109.

Their sweet and sour chicken is the closest you’ll get to an authentic London or New York chinese, by quite some margin. Sivtsev Vrazhek per. d.

Expedition KITAI-GOROD RUSSIAN With a disused helicopter, a mechanical bear, an on-site sauna and the sounds of the Siberian taiga piped into each restroom cubicle, Expedition is an absolute hoot. But

Five Spice ARBATSKAYA CHINESE

3/18. y 495 203 1283. Entrees 450R–800R. AE, DC, MC, V. Lunch & dinner daily. Metro: Kropotkinskaya. Map p 110.

★★★ Genatsvale on the Arbat ARBATSKAYA, OSTOZHENKA GEORGIAN You’ll have to sit next to an artificial mill-wheel with a running stream and giant koi, but the food is flawless and their Georgian male trio divine. Novy Arbat d.11 bldg. 2. y 495 203 9453 and Ostozhenka

What Not to Eat Moscow’s restaurants now offer a choice unthinkable 10 years ago. Not all of it worth eating, however. While there are some outstanding restaurants at the top and bottom of the market, mid-range venues—particularly the international offerings (French, Italian, Chinese, Thai)—can be seriously disappointing for the prices charged. When you’ve had your fill of the Russian staples, do what the locals do and head for the long-established Caucasian eateries. Menus aren’t always available in English, so here’s what you need to know: K u t a b i (kugaby): thin, crepe-like bread filled with meat, herbs or cheese. K h a r c h o (xaroh): spicy beef soup. K h a c h a p u r i (xawi): oven-baked flatbread with cheese. K h a s h i (xawi): be careful here, it’s a meat stew, made mainly from pig’s trotters and offal. Unbelievably, it’s traditionally a breakfast dish. K h i n k a l i (xahapuri): meatfilled dumplings. Lo b i o (lobio): a side dish of kidney beans. Ly u l ya (l[lq) k e b a b : minced beef with herbs and spices. K a z y (kazy): another one to watch out for, horsemeat sausage. M a n t y (manty): meat-filled dumplings but note, the texture is closer to pasta than to dough. P i t i (piti): a slow-cooked stew with lamb and chickpeas. S a t s i v i (sacivi): chicken in a spicy sour cream and walnut sauce: if you try only one Georgian dish, make it this one.

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Moscow Dining A to Z

A menu for the intrepid at Expedition.

Ul. d. 12 bldg. 1. y 495 695 0401. Entrees 305R–1,150R. MC, V. Lunch & dinner daily. Metro: Arbatskaya, Kropotkinskaya. Map p 110.

Glavpivtorg LUBYANKA BEER HOUSE Soviet kitsch beer and sausages in a meticulous Brezhnev era remake, complete with maximum-decibel live bands. Very popular with the Russian after-office crowd, don’t book this for a discreet dîner à deux. B. Lubyanka d. 5.

y 495 628 2591. Entrees 650R– 3,390R. AE, MC, V. Lunch & dinner daily. Metro: Lubyanka. Map p 109. Guilly’s TVERSKAYA EUROPEAN/ AMERICAN In a building said to be a former Chinese bathhouse, brothel, and refuge to Napoleon, this traditional steakhouse is expensive, but 100% reliable. Stoleshnikov Per. d. 6. y 495 933 5521. Entrees 650R–3,390R. AE, MC, V. Lunch & dinner daily. Metro: Chekhovskaya. Map p 109.

= Hard Rock Cafe ARBATSKAYA AMERICAN Average food and dreadful service, but in a city generally devoid of childfriendly venues the weekend brunches here (complete with clowns and a bouncy castle) are a

lifesaver. Stary Arbat d. 44. y 495 244 8973. Entrees 333R–890R. Kids’ brunch 180R–360R. MC, V. Breakfast, lunch & dinner daily; 24 hours Fri–Sat. Kids’ brunch Sat & Sun 11am–4pm. Metro: Arbatskaya, Smolenskaya. Map p 110. ★ Jagannath KUZNETSKY MOST VEGETARIAN Moscow’s first vegetarian restaurant is now a complete lifestyle center with a shop, takeaway, café, Internet zone and live events. Kuznetsky Most d. 11. y 495 628 3580. Entrees 200R–380R (rubles Hard Rock Cafe.

The Best Dining

116 only). Lunch & dinner daily. Metro: Kuznetsky Most. Map p 109.

Japona Mama CITYWIDE JAPA-

NESE Moscow’s sushi bars include the good, the overpriced, and the downright dangerous. If you’re going to eat uncooked fish in this city do it here, part of the ever-reliable Novikov group. Smolensky Bulvar d. 4. y 8 499 246 9967, Tsvetnoi Bulvar d. 11 bldg. 3. y495 621 6098. Entrees 185R–1,150R. MC, V. Lunch & dinner daily. Metro: Tsvetnoy Bulvar, Smolenskaya. Map p 110.

★★★ Jeroboam TVERSKAYA RUSSIAN/EUROPEAN Who’s going to argue with chef Heinz Winkler’s three Michelin stars? With weekday “business lunch” menus for non-oligarchs. Tverskaya Ul. d. 3. y 495 225 8888. Entrees 2,100R–2,900R. AE, DC, MC, V. Lunch & dinner Mon–Sat. Metro: Okhotny Ryad. Map p 109.

Karetny Dvor BARRIKADNAYA AZERBAIJANI Satisfy the midnight munchies at this 24-hour eatery, a favorite with Azerbaijani families, who give its warren-like interior a summer holiday feeling all year round. Povarskaya Ul. d. 52. y 495 291 6376. Entrees 260R–500R. MC, V. 24 hours daily. Metro: Barrikadnaya. Map p 110.

= Kavkazkaya Plennitsa (Prisoner of the Caucasus) PROSPECT MIRA GEORGIAN Named after the classic Soviet film (showing on continuous loop in the main dining room), be prepared for traditional Georgian favorites and some high kitsch. Kids’ entertainment at weekends, with a half-price menu for under 12s (under 6s eat free). Prospect Mira d. 36. y 495 680 5111. Entrees 320R–1,400R. AE, DC, MC, V. Lunch & dinner daily. Kids’ entertainment 2pm–5pm Sat, 3pm–6pm Sun. Metro: Prospect Mira. Map p 109.

★★★ Kish Mish CITYWIDE UZBEKISTANI You have to admire anyone attempting to recreate the inside of an Uzbek yurt within a 1960s’ Soviet tower block. Excellent value, (particularly the unlimited buffet), with a good range of Uzbek dishes. Novy Arbat d. 28. y 495 690 0703. Entrees 220R–480R. MC, V. Lunch & dinner daily. Metro: Arbatskaya. Map p 110.

Le Gateau PAVELETSKAYA FRENCH The perfect breakfast spot, with light-as-a-feather omelets, crusty French bread, strong coffee and freshly baked croissants. Paveletskaya Ploshad d. 2 bldg. 1. y 495 937 0532. Entrees 330R–579R. AE, DC, MC, V. Breakfast, lunch & dinner daily. Metro: Paveletskaya. Map p 111.

★★★ Maharaja POKROVKA INDIAN Moscow’s best (certainly most authentic) Indian, and a refuge for homesick Brits. More expensive than London but with massive portions and a vodka and tonic to knock you out. Starosadsky Per. d. 2/1.

y 495 621 9844. Entrees 440R–680R. AE, DC, MC, V. Lunch & dinner daily. Metro: Kitai Gorod. Map p 111.

Traditional Uzbekistani cooking at Kish Mish.

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Moscow Dining A to Z

Louis Quatorze decadence at The Most.

Maki Kafe TVERSKAYA RUSSIAN/

EUROPEAN Not the best for service, but worth a visit for its pasta dishes, cocktails and unpretentious vibe. Glinishevsky Per. d. 3. y 495

692 9731. Entrees 190R–400R. MC, V. Lunch & dinner daily. Metro: Pushkinskaya. Map p 109.

Mama Zoya / Guriya FRUNZENSKAYA GEORGIAN This hugely popular Georgian restaurant (on a barge opposite Gorky Park) famed for the Georgian home-cooking of its eponymous proprietor has long been threatened by the authorities. Closed at the time of writing, the owners promise to re-open soon. If they don’t, , find Mama Zoya round the corner at sister restaurant Guriya. Frunzenskaya Nab. d. 16d.

y 8 499 246 0318. Entrees 130R–800R (rubles only). Lunch & dinner daily. Metro: Park Kultury. Map p 110. Guriya, Komsomolsky Prospect d. 7/3 bldg. 1. y 495 246 0378. Metro: Park Kultury.

★★ The Most KUZNETSKY MOST FRENCH Round-the-clock café-club with a fabulously decadent Louis Quatorze interior, a minigarch-New Russian clientele, and a stratospherically priced wine list. Plus a surprisingly

good-value breakfast menu. Kuznetsky Most d. 6/3. y 495 660 0706. Entrees 660R–2,800R. AE, DC, MC, V. Breakfast, lunch & dinner daily. Metro: Kuznetsky Most, Okhotny Ryad. Map p 109.

Noev Kovcheg (Noah’s Ark) KITAI GOROD ARMENIAN Choose from 12 different shashliks (kebabs) or order your own stuffed piglet (2,000R). Be nice to the waiters and you might be offered a free glass of Armenian cognac. M. Ivanovsky Per. d. 9. y 495 917 0717. Entrees 520R–750R. AE, DC, MC, V. Lunch & dinner daily. Metro: Kitai Gorod. Map p 111.

Oblomov ZAMOSKVORECHYE RUSSIAN Set in an early 19th-century mansion with an interior to match, this at its best in summer, when traditional Russian teas are served on each of its two verandahs. 1st Monetchikovsky Per. d. 5. y 495 953 6828. Entrees 600R–1,400R. AE, DC, MC, V. Lunch & dinner daily. Metro: Dobryninskaya. Map p 111.

★★ One Red Square RED SQUARE RUSSIAN Based within the State Historical Museum, this is traditional Russian cooking at its very best, with monthly “historic

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lunches” recreating the menus of the Tsars. Krasnaya Ploshad d. 1.

y 495 692 1196. Entrees 480R– 1,400R. MC, V. Lunch & dinner daily. Metro: Okhotny Ryad. Map p 109. Pasta Della Mama PATRIARCH’S PONDS ITALIAN From the same chain as Goodmans and Filimonova i Yankel: which means massive portions, consistent quality, superb value and lunches from 380 rubles. Spiridonyevsky Per. d. 12/9. y 495 730 5600. Entrees 400R–1,000R. AE, DC, MC, V. Lunch & dinner daily. Metro: Mayakovskaya Map p 110.

Parizhsk PARK KULTURY FRENCH A good-value, reasonably authentic brasserie, best known for its bargain breakfasts. Open 24 hours, it tends to attract a young crowd, with DJs and live bands after 9pm. Zubovsky Bulvar d. 13 bldg. 2. y 8499 255 2912. Entrees 310R–680R. AE, MC, V. 24 hours. Metro: Park Kultury. Map p 110.

Petrov Vodkin POKROVKA RUSSIAN Surely the city’s widest selection of vodka, with a traditional Russian menu. Also offering several vegetarian and low-calorie options— a rare concession in these parts. Pokrovka Ul. d. 3 bldg. 7. y 495 623 5015. Entrees 600R–700R. AE, DC, MC, V. Lunch & dinner daily. Metro: Kitai Gorod. Map p 111.

★★★ U Pirosmani NOVODEVICHY GEORGIAN Named for Georgia’s most famous artist this was one of the first cooperative restaurants to open under perestroika. Others may call it a tourist trap: ignore them. The food is perfect and the view, directly opposite the Novodevichy Monastery, will stay in the memory too. Novodevichy Proezd d.4. y 8499 255 7926. Entrees 400R–1,100R (rubles only). Lunch & dinner daily. Metro: Sprotivnaya. Map p 110.

Pokrovskiye Vorota POKROVKA RUSSIAN Take a Russian-speaking friend with you to appreciate their very witty tongue-in-cheek menu— one highlight of which is the traditional Russian drinks. The restrooms, in particular, are a perfect recreation of a communalka shared bathroom. Pokrovka d. bldg. 19.

y 495 917 3985. Entrees 285R– 650R.AC, DC, MC, V. Lunch & dinner daily. Metro: Kitai Gorod. Roberto’s TRUBNAYA ITALIAN With many Moscow Italian eateries being hit and miss, this is widely considered one of the best. Rozhdestvensky Bulvar d. 20. y 495 628 1944. Entrees 600R–2,500R. MC, V. Lunch & dinner daily. Metro: Trubnaya. Map p 109.

Saffron PATRIARCH’S PONDS LEBANESE It does, inevitably, have belly dancers, but that’s its only unsubtle note. Delicious meze. 1. Spiridonievsky Per. d. 12/9. y 495 737 9500. Entrees 585R–1,120R. DC, MC, V. Lunch & dinner daily. Metro: Mayakovskaya. Map p 110.

Sam Prishel KITAI GOROD GEORGIAN Often booked out for populous Georgian family celebrations: the ultimate endorsement, surely. Expect luscious Georgian staples and ornamental fresh fruit. Lubyansky Proezd d. 7. y 495 628 7330. Entrees 260R–390R (rubles only). Lunch & dinner daily. Metro: Kitai Gorod. Map p 111.

Scandinavia TVERSKAYA EURO-

PEAN A hugely popular expat haunt, with the city’s best burgers. Just don’t let them make you wait in the bar: you could be abandoned for almost an hour. M. Palashevsky

Per. d. 7 (to the right of Tverskaya d. 19). y 495 937 5630. Entrees 350R–660R (bar), 690R–1,450R (restaurant). AE, DC, MC, V. Lunch & dinner daily. Metro: Pushkinskaya. Map p 109.

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JANI Fabulous harcho (traditional spicy lamb stew), good house wine, and an all-you-can-eat buffet with a good range of vegetarian options.

Novy Arbat d. 24. y 495 690 1922. Entrees 250R–680R. MC, V. Lunch & dinner daily. Metro: Arbatskaya. Map p 110.

=

★ Shinok KRASNAYA PRESNYA UKRAINIAN In a recreation of a Ukrainian farmyard (complete with live animals), Shinok offers traditional Ukrainian staples and kids’ entertainment at weekends. Be warned: sala is pork fat. Uncooked, unadulterated and unpalatable to anyone but a Ukrainian. Ul. 1905 d. 2. y 8499 255 0204. Entrees 500R– 2,000R. AE, DC, MC, V. 24 hours. Metro: Ulitsa 1905 Goda. Map p 110.

Starlite Diner MAYAKOVSKAYA AMERICAN While it now has three branches citywide, the converted chrome trailer in the Aquarium Garden is the original and best. Burgers, meatloaf, steaks, sundaes and all-day breakfasts, with a pastiche 1950s’ interior and backing track. B. Sadovaya Ul. d. 16 (head through the iron gates and bear right). y 495 690 9638. 290R–900R. MC, V. 24 hours. Metro: Mayakovskaya. Map p 110.

Steaks TAGANKA EUROPEAN A well-priced steakhouse with (enormous) 350-ruble business lunch deals and soup so good it has to be home-made. Verkhnyaya Radischevskaya Ul. d. 21. y 495 915 1042. Entrees 650R–1,150R. MC, V. Lunch & dinner daily. Metro: Taganskaya. Map p 111.

Stolovaya 57 RED SQUARE RUS-

SIAN A newly-opened old-school dining hall on GUM’s third floor with stroganoff, salat stolichny and other Soviet staples. GUM, 3rd Floor, Kras-

naya Ploshad d. 3. y 495 620 3129.

Entrees 70R–150R. MC, V. Lunch & dinner daily.

Transsiberian PROSPECT MIRA RUSSIAN Enjoy top-tier Russian cooking (from golubtsi to venison steak) in luxury a world away from the real TransSiberian rail experience. Olympisky Prospect d. 18/1 (in the Renaissance Moscow hotel). y 495 931 9000. Entrees 700R– 1,250R. AE, DC, MC, V. Dinner daily. Metro: Prospect Mira. Map p 109.

★★ Uzbekistan TRUBNAYA CENTRAL ASIAN Exquisite Uzbek cooking with a ribbon-festooned summer terrace, a lush outdoor patio, and a palatial Arabian Nights interior. The Beloe Solntse Pustyni restaurant next door offers a similar menu in a more tongue-in-cheek environment, and there’s a takeaway and café for anyone in a hurry or on a budget. Neglinnaya Ul. d. 29. y 495 623 0585. Entrees 700R–2,500R. AE, DC, MC, V. Lunch & dinner daily. Metro: Trubnaya. Map p 109. ★★★ Yalki-Palki CITYWIDE RUSSIAN The country-dacha décor’s over the top and they overdo it on the mayonnaise: but this chain is a bargain belly-filler for tourists, and the borscht is as good as you’ll find in any elitny restaurant. Novy Arbat d. 11 (Valday Center). y 495 291 7654. Entrees 145R–490R. AE, MC, V. Lunch & dinner daily. Metro: Arbatskaya. Map p 110. ★★ Yar DINAMO RUSSIAN While it offers more subtle spots—its Summer Terrace, VIP Room, Lounge and Green Bar—the real point of Yar is its Soviet kitsch “Show Extravaganza”. You’ll be in good company: the original hosted Tolstoy and Chekhov, and this venue Margaret Thatcher, Indira Gandhi and Arnold Schwarzenegger. Friends have been underwhelmed by the food, but

Moscow Dining A to Z

Shesh Besh CITYWIDE AZERBAI-

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who cares. Order a bottle of vodka (per person) and join in. Leningradsky Prospect d. 32/2. y 495 960 2004. Entrees 1,050R–2,000R. AE, DC, MC, V. Lunch & dinner daily. Metro: Dinamo. Map p 110.

Zholtoye Morye ZAMOSKVORECHYE CHINESE Chinese food in Moscow is routinely dreadful, and often hopelessly overpriced. Not here: prices are reasonable, the Peking Duck could match any in London, and the seafood soup is probably the single most delicious menu item on sale in the city. There’s also a fabulous summer patio, and a special oyster menu for mollusc-munchers. B. Polyanka d. 27. y 495 953 9634. Entrees 350R–2,900R. AE, MC, V. Lunch & dinner daily. Metro: Polyanka. Map p 111. Eastern promise at Uzbekistan.

•

7

The Best Nightlife

Nightlife Best Bets S

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B1 Maximum, Orzhonikidze Ul. d. 11. (p 129)

★★ The Most, Kuznetsky Most d. 6/3 (p 129)

Best for Bachelors

Best for Singles

Nightflight, Tverskaya Ulitsa d. 17

Fabrique, Kosmodamianskaya

(p 130)

Naberezhnaya d. B. N2 (p 127)

Best for Beer

Best Bird’s Eye View

Tinkoff, Protochny Pereulok d. 56 (p 127)

★★★ O2 Bar, Ritz Hotel, Tverskaya Ulitsa d. 3 (p 126)

Best for Bohemians

Best snug Irish Bolt Hole

Podmoskovye, Maly Kislovsky

Silvers, Tverskaya Ulitsa d, 5/6

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(p 130)

Best for Jazz

Best for Sophisticates

Soyuz Kompozitorov, Bryusov Pereulok d. 8/10 bldg. 2 (p 129)

GQ Bar, Ulitsa Baltschug d. 5 (p 126)

Best for Blues

Krysha Mira, Tarasa Shevchenko

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Best for Couples Over 30

★★ Rai, Bolotnaya Naberezhnaya d. 2 (p 128)

Chivas Bar, Plotnikov Pereulok d. 15. (p 126)

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The Best Nightlife

122

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The Best Nightlife

126

Moscow Nightlife A to Z Bars ★★★ Chivas Bar ARBATSKAYA Spicy Georgian snacks and ice-cold cocktails. Bliss. Plotnikov Per. d. 12. y 495 244 7979. Metro: Arbatskaya. Map p 125. ★★★ Denis Simachev TVERSKAYA The brainchild of Russian fashion’s current wunderkind, packed with the young and lovely. Get here early to avoid “face control” on the door. Stoleshnikov Per. d. 12 bldg. 2. y 495 540 7898; 495 629 8085. www. denissimachev.com. Metro: Kuznetsky Most, Okhotny Ryad. Map p 123.

GQ Bar ZAMOSKVORECHYE Overstated elegance for the hipperthan-thou and richer than average.

the Kremlin views from the Ritz’s rooftop atrium can’t be beaten. Tverskaya Ul. d. 3. y 495 225 8888. www.ritzcarlton.com. Metro: Okhotny Ryad. Map p 123.

Sky Lounge LENINSKY PROPSECT Head south of the river for cocktails and a 360-degree city-view panorama from the rooftop of the Academy of Sciences. Leninsky Prospect d. 32a, 22nd floor. y 495 938 5775. www.skylounge.ru. Metro: Leninsky Prospect. Map p 124.

Suzy Wong Bar KALUZHSKAYA Unfortunately now relocated some distance from the center, but worth a visit for their long-established reputation for good music, good cocktails, and a good crowd. Obruchyeva

Ulitsa Baltschug d. 5. y 495 956 7775. Min bar order Fri–Sat 4,000R– 5,000R. Metro: Novokuznetskaya. Map p 124.

Ul. d. 34/63. y 495 344 4665. www. suzywongbar.ru. Metro: Kaluzhskaya. Map p 124.

Kalina Bar ARBATSKAYA

Version 1.5 KITAI GOROD .

Fabulous décor and stunning skyline views from the top of the Lotte Plaza mall.

No problems catching the barman’s eye at Version’s 22-meter cocktail bar. Gostiny Dvor, Varvarka Ul.

Novinsky Bulvar d.8. y 495 229 5519. Metro: Arbatskaya, Smolenskaya.

d. 3. y 495 647 1303. Metro: Kitai Gorod. Map p 123.

★★★ O2 Bar TVERSKAYA You’ll pay for the privilege, but for a genuinely elegant venue (and clientele),

Wall Street Bar OSTOZHENKA . A new opening in spring 2008. Exactly what you’d expect, but with

The Ritz’s O2 Bar.

127

Moscow Nightlife A to Z

Sky Lounge.

commendably reasonable prices. Be prepared for unisex restrooms, however. Volkhonka Ul. d. 9/1.

y 495 916 5731. Metro: Kropotkinskaya. Map p.124. Brew Bars Durdin CITYWIDE Probably closer to a restaurant than a bar, recommended for its own draught (the best in the city, some say). Try six (small) glasses of their best brews for 300 rubles. B. Polyanka Ul. d. 56. y 495 953 5200. Metro: Polyanka.

Tinkoff SMOLENSKAYA Two-story microbrewery with a 1,500-ruble “all you can drink” offer, matches on widescreen and occasional live bands. Protochny Per. d. 8. y 495 777 3300 . www.tinkoff.ru/en. Metro: Smolenskaya. Map p 125.

Clubs Fabrique ZAMOSKVORECHYE

Occasional cover, variable. Metro: Novokuznetskaya. Map p 124.

Famous KRASNAYA PRESNYA . Another new opening in summer 2008, this is possibly another club to namedrop rather than get into, with a young clientele able, nonetheless, to afford the wallet-busting drinks. An affiliated club in the same building, Vanilla Ninja, is apparently guest list only: but try your luck if you’re rich or nubile enough. Rochelskaya Ulitsa d. 15. Famous y 8 499 255 5354. No cover. Metro:1905 Ulitsa. Map p 125.

★★ Gaudi Arena SAVELOVSKAYA Just about impossible to find (look for the lights on your left as you walk up), but relatively easy to get into, Gaudi is consistently ranked among the best dance clubs, with international DJs. Skladochnaya d. 1. y 495 508 8060; 495 745 0755. No cover. Metro: Savelovskaya. Map p 123.

. One of the best house clubs, with a democratic door policy, young crowd and good party vibe. Kosmodamian-

Karma Bar KUZNETSKY MOST The restaurant’s European–Indian but the music is house, latino, eurodance and R&B, for a young crowd. Pushechnaya

skaya Nab. d. 2. y 495 951 1313; 495 953 6576. www.fabrique.ru.

Ul. d. 3 (use entrance at Kuznetsky Most d. 12). y 495 624 5633.

The Best Nightlife

128 Occasional cover charge, variable. Metro: Kuznetsky Most. Map p 123.

Krysha Mira KIEVSKAYA One of the city’s hottest tickets at the time of writing, this is very, very difficult to get into. If you actually manage to find it (in an old brewery, past the Hotel Ukraina, across a yard and up several flights of stairs) you still face an ultra-stringent door policy. The party goes on all night though, for those who do get in. Former Badaevsky brewery, Tarasa Shevchenko Nab. d. 12 (entrance past Ukraina Hotel). No telephone. No cover. Metro: Kievskaya. Map p 125.

Kult TAGANSKAYA Arty chill-out café for bohemian types. Ethnic, indie, house and funk. Yauzskaya Ul.

pop. Bolotnaya Nab.d. 9. y 495 767 1474. No cover. Metro: Borovitskaya, Polyanka. Map p 124 ★★ Solyanka TAGANSKAYA Some say indie, some say irritatingly 80s, but either way, this club has a more relaxed (or at least erratic) door policy than most. Solyanka Ul. d. 11.

y 495 221 7557. www.s-11.ru. Variable cover. Metro: Taganskaya. Map p 123. ★★ Zona AVTOZAVODSKAYA A massive 3,500 capacity mega-club across five floors, with a Gulag-like interior (complete with rats) and an acerbic dress code: “Attending the club in cheap clothes, or those sold in markets, is undesirable.” So be told.

d. 5. y 495 917 5706. No cover. Metro: Kitai Gorod. Map p 123.

Ul. Leninskaya Sloboda d. 19 bldg. 2. y 495 229 1428. Variable cover. Metro: Avtozavodskaya. Map p 124.

Mio OKTYABRSKAYA Small and exclusive house venue, with Russian DJs. Ul. Kaluzhskaya Ploshad d. 1.

Podmoskovye ARBATSKAYA An indie club-café for those fed up with full-on Moscow glitz. Maly Kislovsky

y 8 499 238 5848. www.cafemio.ru. No cover. Metro: Oktyabrskaya. Map p 124.

Per. d. 6. y 495 291 9132. No cover. Metro: Arbatskaya. Map p 125.

★★ Opera KRASNAYA PRESNYA An elitny house venue, with a young (and generally rich) crowd, be prepared for an erratic (and unpleasant) door policy. Trexgorny Val. d. 6. y 495 605 9822. www.clubopera. ru. No cover. Metro: Ulitsa 1905 Goda. Map p 125.

Opened early 2008, and backed by some of Moscow’s veteran promoters, their Friday and Saturday Disco

★★★ Propaganda KITAI GOROD First choice for anyone losing patience with Moscow “face control.” Democratic door policy, reasonable prices, mixed crowd—and a popular and unpretentious café by day. B. Zlatoushinsky Per. d. 7. y 495 624 5732. No cover. Metro: Kitai Gorod, Lubyanka. Map p 123. ★★ Rai ZAMOSKVORECHYE Massive elitny club on the site of the old Krasnaya Oktyabr chocolate factory. An unwise choice for anyone with a low threshold for Russky

Soho Rooms SPORTIVNAYA

Make your mark at The Most.

129

Moscow Nightlife A to Z

Room club nights are threatening to knock Krysha Mira off the get-in-onany-terms spot. And who needs a chill-out room when the terrace has two swimming pools? Savinskaya Nab. d. 12 bldg. 8. y 495 988 7474. www.sohorooms.com. No cover. Metro: Sportivnaya. Map p 125.

★★ The Most KUZNETSKY MOST Real oligarch country this, for the very rich or the very beautiful. Kuznetsky Most d. 6/3. y 495 773 3100; 495 226 6555. No cover. Metro: Kuznetsky Most, Okhotny Ryad. Map p 123.

Gay Clubs 12 Volt TVERSKAYA A predominantly lesbian club with restaurant and karaoke bar. Tverskaya Ul. d. 12

BB King Bar.

bldg. 2. y 495 933 2815. No cover. Metro: Pushkinskaya.

Jazz Festival every October), this venue fields a roster of American and European names year-round.

Propaganda KITAI GOROD Sunday night is gay night. See p 128. ★★★ Three Monkeys KURSKAYA The best known of Moscow’s (few) gay clubs, this has a restaurant, dance floor, bar, and a youngish crowd. Nastavnichesky Per. d. 11 bldg. 1. y 495 916 3555. Variable cover. Metro: Chkalovskaya. Map p 123.

Jazz & Blues ★★★ BB King Bar TSVETNOI BULVAR A down-to-earth and atmospheric bunker lined with photos of the world-class bluesmen who’ve played here. Early arrivals will find unknowns unloading their equipment (and their extended families) before their first gig. SadovayaSamotechnaya d. 4. y 495 699 8206. www.blues.ru/bbking. Variable cover. Metro: Mayakovskaya, Tsvetnoi Bulvar. Map p 123.

★★ Soyuz Komozitorov TVERSKAYA The city’s leading jazz venue (with an annual International

Bryusov Per. d. 8/10 bldg. 2. y 495 629 6563. www.ucclub.ru. Variable cover from 500R. Metro: Okhotny Ryad. Map p 123.

Live Music 16 Tons KRASNAYA PRESNYA 16 Tons packs them in weekly for live Russian rock, indie acts and club DJs on its first floor. Claims of an “authentic English pub” interior below are a bit of a stretch, but it remains a very popular hangout for expats. Presnensky Val d. 6 bldg. 1. y 495 253 5300; 495 253 0530. www.16tons.ru. Tickets 500R, 1,000R VIP. Metro: Ulitsa 1905 Goda. Map p 125.

B1 Maximum LENINSKY PROSPECT It’s quite a schlep south to B1, but it does offer an eclectic mix of live acts (Gogol Bordello, Suzi Quatro, Iggy Pop and Avril Levigne) as well as blues, 80s dance nights, DJ sets and a regular Thursday jazz slot. Ordzhonikidze Ul. d. 11. y 495 648 6777. www.b1 arena.ru. Tickets from 500R. Metro: Leninsky Prospect. Map p 124.

The Best Nightlife

130 ★★ B2 MAYAKOVSKAYA A massive five-floor, 2,000 capacity complex, live acts tend to be betterknown Russian groups (Aquarium, Uma2rman) as well as alternative western types—Patti Smith, Saint Etienne, Franz Ferdinand, Asian Dub Foundation. Bolshaya Sadovaya d. 8. y 495 650 9918. www.b2club.ru. Tickets from 500R (live acts), dance nights free. Metro: Mayakovskaya. Map p 125. ★★ Ikra KURSKAYA Ikra claimed to bring “western club standards” to Moscow when it opened in 2006. A bit of an overstatement since its guests don’t really match those of the mega-venues, it has, nonetheless, won numerous awards for Moscow’s best music club. Ulitsa Kazakova d. 8a (Gogol Theater). y 495 778 5651. www.nobullshit.ru.Tickets from 500R. Metro: Kurskaya. Map p 123. ★★ Krizis Zhanra POKROVKA Longstanding favorite with Russians and expats, with a relaxed door policy, mixed crowd, regular live acts and no cover charge. Pokrovka Ul. d. 16/16. y 495 623 2594. Metro: Chistiye Prudy. Map p 123.

Pubs & Drinking Dens Nightflight TVERSKAYA Notorious expat haunt. If you can’t pull Moscow’s best music club Ikra.

here then you’re not trying. Tverskaya Ul. d. 17. y 495 629 4165. www.nightflight.ru. Metro: Pushkinskaya. Map p 123.

The Real McCoy BARRIKADNAYA In the basement of the Barrikadnaya skyscraper, this isn’t the city’s most sophisticated venue. On the other hand, everyone here will be too drunk and too indifferent to remember you in the morning. Kudrinskaya Ploshad d. 1. y 8 499 255 4144. Metro: Barrikadnaya. Map p 125.

Silvers TVERSKAYA This traditional (and tiny) Irish bar has the cheapest Guinness in town. Get there early and refuse to move. Tverskaya Ul. d. 5/6 (access via Nikitsky Per.). y 8 499 290 4222. Metro: Okhotny Ryad. Map p 123.

Sportland ARBATSKAYA Part of the Metelitsa complex on Novy Arbat (just aim for the neon), this is macho heaven. More screens than any other Moscow bar, live coverage round the clock, a casino, slot machines, pool, table football, and a poker club. Novy Arbat d. 21.

y 495 291 1130. www.metelitsa.ru. Cover charge 300R–500R. Metro: Arbatskaya. Map p 125.

8

The Best Arts & Entertainment

Best for Good Old-Fashioned Soviet Cabaret

Best for Boy Racers

★★ Yar, Leningradsky Prospect d. 32/2 (p 142)

1 bldg. 6 (p 139)

Best for Ballet ★★★ The Bolshoi Ballet, Teatralnaya Ploshad d. 1 (p 136)

10 Doimov, Skladochnaya Ulitsa d.

Best for Baritones ★★★ The Bolshoi Opera, Teatralnaya Ploshad d. 1 (p 139)

Kant Sport Club, Elektrolitny Proezd

★★ 35mm, Pokrovka Ulitsa d. 47/24 (p 137)

d. 7 bldg 2. (p 140)

Luzhniki Stadium, Luzhnetskaya

Best for Bowling Samolet, Presnensky Val Ulitsa d. 14/1 (p 136)

Naberezhnaya d. 24 (p 141)

Best for Swimming

Spookiest Music Venue

Chaika Open Air Pool, Turchaninov

★★ Hall of Columns, House of Unions, Bolshaya Dmitrovka Ulitsa d. 1 (p 136)

Best for Western Rock Stars You Thought Were Actually Dead ★★ Kremlin Palace, Vozdvizhenka Ulitsa d. 1 (p 136)

Best for Kids Atriland, 33 Zemlyanoy Val (p 138)

Best for Skating ★★★ Gorky Park, Krymsky Val d. 9 (p 138)

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Best for Thrill-seekers

Best for Films in English

Best for the Big Names

Ul. ya na

Arts & Entertainment Best Bets

ct Mira

Pereulok 2. d. bldg. 3 (p 141)

Best for Swimming with Dolphins Moscow Dolphinarium, Mironovskaya Ulitsa d. 27 (p 139)

Best for Bathtime ★★★ Sandunovsky Bani, Neglinnaya Ulitsa. d. 14 bldgs. 3–7 (p 140)

Best for Splashing Around Kva-Kva Waterpark, Kommunisticheskaya Ulitsa, Mitishi, Moscow Oblast (p 139)

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The Best Arts & Entertainment

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Moscow A & E A to Z Ballet ★★★ The Bolshoi Theater

Ticket prices vary. Metro: Alexandrovsky Sad. Map p 133.

TEATRALNAYA Under refurbishment since 2005, the Bolshoi— probably the world’s most famous ballet company—is due to reopen in October 2009. Catch new productions in the meantime at the Bolshoi’s New Stage or at the State Kremlin Palace (see below). Tickets are on sale at kiosks around town, but they sell out fast. Dodge the touts by booking online before you fly. Teatralnaya Ploshad d. 1. y 495 250 7317. hotline; 8 800 333 1 333 (in Russian only). www.bolshoi.ru. Ticket prices vary. Metro: Teatralnaya. Map p 133.

★★ The State Kremlin Palace KREMLIN While it has its own ballet troupe (established 1990), the real draw here is the venue itself, site of Brezhnev’s and others’ interminable speeches to the Communist Party Congress. Don’t miss the hammers and sickles still visible in the foyer, and enjoy caviar and champagne looking out over the domes of the Terem Palace. Kremlin Palace of Congresses, Vozdvizhenka Ul. d. 1. y 495 628 5232; 495 917 2336.

Bowling Bi Ba Bo Bowling SMOLENSKAYA This long-established alley has seven lanes, as well as billiards and American pool. Karmanitsky Per. d. 9.

y 495 937 4337. Tickets 500R– 1,200R per hour. Metro: Smolenskaya. Map p 133.

Samolet Bowling KRASNAYA PRESNYA A massive complex with 34 lanes, plus billiards, karaoke, and a Qazar shooting range. Presnensky Val. d. 14/1. y 495 234 1818. Tickets 100R–1,020R per hour. Metro: Ulitsa 1905 Goda. Map p 134.

Classical Music ★★ Dom Soyuzov (House of Unions) TEATRALNAYA Rarely open to the public, so take any chance you are given to attend a concert in the Hall of Columns: scene of the 1930s’ show trials, and both Lenin’s and Stalin’s lying in state. B. Dmitrovka Ul. d. 1. y 495 692 0736. Metro: Okhotny Ryad. Map p 133.

Tickets For the latest concert, theater and event listings, pick up the Friday edition of T h e M o s c ow T i m e s (or check the A r t s & I d e a s section at www.moscowtimes.ru). E l e m e n t (a weekly listings magazine) is distributed free at many restaurants and coffee shops (you can always find it in the Starlite Diner at Bolshaya Sadovaya d. 10), or check www.elementmoscow.ru. Tickets can be ordered online at www.parter.ru (it even has an English page—look for the tiny UK/US flags) or by phone on y 495 258 0000: and if you’ve a Russian friend to translate, try www.kassir.ru (online ordering and delivery, Russian only).

137

Moscow A & E A to Z

Moscow State Conservatoire See p 69. Map p 133.

The Moscow International House of Music (MDM) PAVELETSKAYA Opened in 2002, the MDM hosts jazz, classical and folk events in its three halls. Kosmodamianskaya Nab. d. 58. y 495 730 1011. www.mmdm.ru. Ticket prices vary. Metro: Paveletskaya. Map p 133.

The Tchaikovsky Concert Hall MAYAKOVSKAYA Home to the Moscow Philharmonic Society, this is another venue with a colorful history, built by Stalinist architect Dmitry Chechulin and completed in 1940 a year before the German invasion. Triumfalnaya Ploshad d. 4/31.

y 495 232 5353. www.classical music.ru. Ticket prices vary. Metro: Mayakovskaya. Map p 133. Films in English ★★ 35mm Cinema POKROVKA A good art-house cinema (host to 2007’s Images of America and New British Cinema festivals), this is the only real option for catching independent films in English. Pokrovka Ul. d. 47/24. y 495 917 5492; 495 917 1883. Tickets 200R–300R. Metro: Krasniye Vorota. Map p 133.

Dome Cinema PROSPECT MIRA English-language blockbusters unadulterated by dubbing or subtitles. The Renaissance Moscow Hotel, Olympisky Prospect d. 18/1. y 495 931 9873. www.domecinema.ru. Tickets 250R. Metro: Prospect Mira. Map p 134.

Films in Russian ★ Illusion Cinema TAGANSKAYA On the ground floor of the Dom na Kotelnicheskaya skyscraper, this shows classic Russian, Soviet and international films, occasionally in the original language. Or pop in for

The Illusion Cinema.

coffee among the classic cinema posters in the beautifully preserved café. Kotelnicheskaya Nab. d. 1/15.

y 495 915 4353; 495 915 4339. Tickets 20R–120R. Metro: Taganskaya. Map p 133. Golf Le Meridien Moscow Country Club NAKHABINO A very expensive option, but for those who really can’t live without a round or two, this is a world-class championship course and host to the Russian Open. Nakhabino I, Krasnogorsky Oblast. y 495 626 5911. www. lemeridien-mcc.com. Green fees 7,500R. Via Novorizhskoye Shosse for the MKAD. Map p 134.

Moscow City Golf Club PARK POBEDY A nine-hole westernstandard course within sight of the Troitse-Golenistchevo cathedral, with restaurant, pro-shop and spa. Dovzhenko Ul. d. 1. y 495 921 2855. www.mcgc.ru. Guest green fees 4,500R–6,000R. Metro: Park Pobedy. Map p 134.

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Romantic Music Venues Many of Moscow’s major sights (including the noble estates, monasteries and parks) host classical music events, particularly in summer. Catch these if you can: Chaliapin House Museum, 25 Novinsky Bulvar, y 495 605 6236. The Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, Malaya Gruzinskaya Ul. d. 27/13, y 495 252 4051. The Vysoko-Petrovsky Monastery Chambers, Petrovka Ul. d. 28, y 495 621 7395. The Ostankino Estate, 1st Ostankinskaya Ul. d. 5, y 495 683 4645. The Old English Court Chambers, Varvarka Ul. d. 4a, y 495 698 3952. The Tsaritsyno Estate Opera House, Dolskaya Ul. d. 1, y 495 325 3141.

Ice Skating ★★★ = Euro-Katok KIEVSKAYA On the seventh floor of the Evropeisky Mall, this year-round venue has a kids’ rink for the undersevens and midnight-to-morning “Night Skating” sessions at weekends. Evropeisky Mall, Ploshad Kievskovo Vokzala d. 2. y 495 921 4444. www.euro-katok.ru. Tickets 360R per hour (240R kids), rental 240R per hour. Metro: Kievskaya. Map p 135. On the ice at Gorky Park.

★★★ Gorky Park PARK KULTURY The most romantic and traditional option for skating outdoors. Not a good idea for novices, however: skaters here tend to be young and bendy, and whip round at quite terrifying speed. There’s a year-round indoor rink to the left of the main entrance, Russky Led. Krymsky Val d. 9. y 495 237 1266; 495 237 0707. Tickets 50R (kids from 20R), rental 120R. Russky Led y 495 237 0704. Tickets 250R–400R (200R–300R kids), rental 150R. www.ruskatok.ru. Metro: Oktyabrskaya, Park Kultury. Map p 133.

=

★★★GUM Ice-Rink RED SQUARE This outdoor rink, right on Red Square and directly in front of GUM, appears as if by magic every December, remaining open until Maslenitsa (Russia’s answer to Shrove Tuesday or Mardi Gras). Krasnaya Ploshad d. 3. y 495 788 4343. www. gum.ru. Tickets 250R–500R (kids 100R, pre-schoolers free), rental 250R (kids 100R). Metro: Revolutsii/Ploshad Teatralnaya. Map p 133.

Plashad Redvhii Pole Ice Palace DINAMO Now offering “All-Night Mass Skating” at weekends. See p 140.

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anteed to engage even the surliest pre-teen, Atriland has bumper cars, bowling, a disco, go-karts, karaoke and a rodeo bull, with nannies on hand to supervise the very smallest. 33 Zemlyanoy Val (Atrium Shopping Center). y 495 775 2357. Metro: Kurskaya. Map p 133.

Moscow Dolphinarium IZMAILOVO Not just dolphins, but beluga whales, performing sea lions, and the opportunity to swim with the dolphins after the show. Mironovskaya Ul. d. 27. y 495 369 7966. Show tickets 210R–250R. To book swimming with dolphins call y 8 926 528 1998. 2,000R, 2,500R weekends. Metro: Partisanskaya. Map p 134.

The Great Moscow State Circus VOROBYOVYE GORY Clowns, acrobats, and five different circus rings—including a water ring and a circus on ice. Prospect Vernadskovo d. 7. y 495 939 4547; 930 1326. www.bolshoicircus.ru. Tickets 100R– 1,000R. Seasons run Mar–July and Sept–Feb. Metro: Universitet. Map p 135.

Igromax CITYWIDE While there’s also a branch in the Yerevan Plaza, the Evropeisky Mall has the most facilities, including a 3D cinema, a climbing wall, a space capsule and trampolines. Ploshad Kievskovo Vokzala d. 2. y 495 229 1929. Metro: Kievskaya. Map p 135.

Kva-Kva Waterpark YAROSLAVSKOYE SHOSSE The perfect antidote to a 40°C Moscow day: let your waterbabies loose on slides including the Wild River, Cyclone and Black Hole. Kommunisticheskaya Ul., Mitishi, Moscow Oblast. y 495 258 0683. www.kva-kva.ru/en/. Tickets 580R–1,980R (kids 330R–1,490R). Metro: Take the M8 from MKAD. Map p 134.

★★★ Skate Park Adrenalin MEDVEDKOVO-SEVERNOYE A massive inline skating area with rental, tuition and ramps in the Snickers Extreme Zone, this also offers a crèche (for Mom), a gaming room (for teenagers), and billiards (for Dad). Polyarnaya Ul. d. 31A. y 495 477 3447. www.skatepark.ru. Tickets 150R–250R. Metro: Medvedkovo. Map p 134.

The Yuri Nikulin Circus (Old Circus) TSVETNOI BULVAR Named for the State Circus’ most famous clown, this is the older and more conventional of Moscow’s two circuses, with acrobats, gymnasts and, regrettably, some animal acts. Tsvetnoi Bulvar d. 13. y 495 625 8970. www. circusnikulin.ru. Tickets 250R–1,000R. Metro: Tsvetnoi Bulvar. Map p 133.

Durov Animal Theater PROSPECT MIRA This may offend western sensibilities (with its performing bears and smaller creatures), but it’s strongly recommended by many Russian grannies. Ulitsa Durova d. 4. y 495 631 3047. www.ugolok durova.ru. Tickets 150R–500R. Metro: Prospect Mira. Map p 134.

10 Doimov SAVELOVSKAYA Probablya good choice for truculent teens (and their Dads), this karting venue has a 350-meter track complete with S-bends and U-turns, as well as a karting school for real enthusiasts. Often booked for corporate events: ring in advance. Skladochnaya Ul. d. 1 bldg. 6. y 495 727 1813. www. 10d.ru. Tickets 450R–650R for approximately 10 rounds. Metro: Savelovskaya. Map p 134.

Opera ★★★The Bolshoi Opera TEATRALNAYA Currently performing on the Bolshoi New Stage, with recent premieres such as Tchaikovsky’s The Queen of Spades and Bizet’s Carmen.

Moscow A & E A to Z

Moscow for Kids ★★★ Atriland KURSKAYA Guar-

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Tchaikovsky’s The Queen of Spades at the Bolshoi Opera (Scene I. Summer Garden).

Russian B a n ya (traditional steam bath) Astrakhanskiye Bani PROSPECT MIRA Said to be the oldest in the city, this is a banya of the old school. While the sauna heat (the main criterion for Russian aficionados) is among the best there is, don’t expect the finesse or elegance of the other more famous houses. Astrakhansky Per. d. 5/9. y 495 680 4329. Tickets from 320R. Metro: Prospect Mira. Map p 134.

★★★ Sandunovsky Bani KUZNETSKY MOST Go for broke with your own private banya and plunge pool, or slum it in the “Lower Class Man” division. Map p 133.

once. Stolyarny Per. d. 7./1. y 8 499 255 5306 (men), y 8 499 255 0115 (women). Tickets 700R–800R. Metro: Ulitsa 1905 Goda. Map p 134.

Skiing ★★★ Kant Sports Club NAGORNAYA Consistently rated as the best of the ski centers (and reachable by metro), this has downhill runs, snowboarding and equipment rental—as well as a skate park and other facilities in summer. Elektrolitny Proezd d. 7 bldg 2. y 8 499 317 8500. Ticket prices vary. Metro: Nagornaya. Map p 135.

Seleznevskiye Bani NOVOSLOBODSKAYA Another less than glamorous venue, but again recommended for the quality of its dry sauna. Seleznevskaya Ul. d. 15

Vorobyovye Gory VOROBYOVYE GORY A longstanding landmark opposite the Moscow State University skyscraper, the ski-lift here is open year-round: 100 rubles- worth of thrills for the intrepid (or the foolhardy). Vorobyovye Gory Viewing

bldg. 2. y 8 499 978 9430. Tickets 500R–1,200R. Metro: Novoslobodskaya. Map p 134.

Point (Smotrovaya Ploshadka), Kosygina d. 27. y 495 939 0037. Metro: Universitet. Map p 135.

Bani na Presne KRASNAYA PRESNYA Not entirely orthodox, this banya offers a spa, solarium and private units (some complete with a billiard table). But they do have ice cold swimming pools for both sexes: an experience to be tried at least

Spectator Sports and Major Events Dinamo Stadium LENINGRADSKY PROSPECT Moscow’s oldest stadium, home to the famous soccer club Dinamo Moskva (Dynamo Moscow). Leningradsky Prospect d.

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Khodinskoye Pole Ice Palace DINAMO Built for the 2007 world championships, with a 12,000 capacity, the major ice hockey events are played out here. Khodinsky Bulvar d. 3. y 495 643 1810. Ticket prices vary. Metro: Dinamo. Map p 134.

Lokomotiv Stadium CHERKIZOVSKY Home of the Lokomotiv soccer team, occasionally hosting European championship matches. B. Cherkizovskaya Ul. d. 125. y 8 499 161 4283. www.eng.fclm.ru. Ticket prices vary. Metro: Cherkizovskaya. Map p 134.

Olympics and home to the annual Kremlin Cup tennis tournament, this venue has also hosted major acts including Beyonce and George Michael. Olympisky Prospect d. 16.

y 495 786 3203; 495 688 5322 (tickets). wwwkremilincup.ru. Ticket prices vary. Metro: Prospect Mira. Map p 134. TSKA Ice Palace LENINGRADSKY PROSPECT Home to the TSKA ice hockey team, with a 4,000 capacity. The TsKA football matches take place at a stadium in the same complex. Leningradsky Prospect d. 39. y 495 613 7163 (ice hockey); y 495 613 1807 (football); 495 614 5958 (tickets). Ticket prices vary. Metro: Dinamo. Map p 134.

Luzhniki Stadium LUZHNIKI With sports events in the Main and Small Sports Arenas (including early rounds of the Davis Cup), Luzhniki has also been the venue of choice for the Rolling Stones and Madonna. Luzhnetskaya Nab. d. 24. Information 495 758 9717. Ticket office y 495 637 0262. Main Sports Arena y 495 637 0339. Small Sports Arena y 495 637 0513. www. luzhniki.ru. Ticket prices vary. Metro: Sportivnaya. Map p 135. See below for sport facilities.

Olympisky Stadium PROSPECT MIRA

Built for the 1980 Summer

The Sandunovsky swimming pool.

Sports Complexes Luzhniki Sports Complex LUZHNIKI Do anything you like (from akido to petang) at this massive complex beneath Vorobyovye Gory. Luzhnetskaya Nab. d. 24. y 495 785 9717. Bowling y 495 637 0570. Downhill skiing y 495 930 3650. Skating y 495 637 0210 (Kristall) and y 495 637 0218 (Yuzhny swimming y 495 637 0764). www. luzhniki.ru. Ticket prices vary. Metro: Sportivnaya. Map p 135.

Moscow A & E A to Z

36. y 495 612 7172. www.fcdynamo. ru. Ticket prices vary. Metro: Dinamo. Map p 134.

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embassy dachas. Ul. Tamanskaya d. 2 bldg. 2. y 495 995 2440 (Beach I), y 495 947 9881 (Beach II). Metro: Sokol then trolleybus 65. Map p 134.

Theater The Chekhov International Theater Festival CITYWIDE With the eighth festival scheduled for May 26th to August 2nd 2009, this event brings international directors to Moscow to perform works in English at venues throughout the city. See website for listings. Leontievsky Per. d. 21/1/. y 495 223 5499. www. chekhovfest.ru. Ticket prices vary.

Style Moderne elegance at MkhAT.

Olympisky Sports Complex PROSPECT MIRA

See below. Map

p 134.

Swimming Chaika Swimming Pool PARK KULTURY Heated outdoor pools, open year-round. You will need a spravka (a medical certificate confirming you have no infectious diseases) before using public pools in Russia. The doctors here can issue them on the spot. Turchaninov Per. d. 1 bldg. 3. y 8 499 246 1344. Tickets 450R–700R. Metro: Park Kultury. Map p 133.

Khimky II KHIMKI Highly recommended by Russian beach lovers: showers, cafés and a kids’ area. Nikolsky Tupik d. 2.

Olympisky Swimming Pool PROSPECT MIRA A very popular venue with three pools, saunas, fitness rooms and massage. Olympisky Prospect d. 16 bldg. 2. y 495 688 5322. Tickets 200R–280R. Metro: Prospect Mira. Map p 134.

Serebranny Bor SEREBRANNY BOR One of the city’s most popular beaches, and a preferred spot for

The Maly Theater TEATRALNAYA Even if you don’t speak the language you’ll love the venue and the sheer spectacle: reserve ahead for Russian classics on the main stage. Teatralnaya Ploshad d. 1/6. y 495 623 2621. Tickets 350R–1,200R. Metro: Teatralnaya. Map p 133.

The Moscow Arts Theater im. Chekhova (MKhAT) TVERSKAYA Established by Stanislavsky and Namirovich-Danchenko in 1898, this theater marked the introduction of modern drama in Russia. Kamergesky Per. d. 3. y 495 692 6748. Tickets 100R–1,000R. Metro: Okhotny Ryad. Map p 133.

= The Moscow Palace of Youth FRUNZENSKAYA Mamma

Mia having finally closed after a twoyear run in May, Disney’s Beauty and the Beast takes over from October 2008. Komsomolsky Prospect d.

28. y 495 782 8822; ticket line 495 788 4646. Tickets 600R–2,500R. Metro: Frunzenskaya. Map p 135.

★★ Yar LENINGRADSKY PROSPECT The Yar’s nightly “Russian Ball” show is a traditional extravaganza with no holds barred. Leningradsky Prospect d. 32/2. y 495 960 2004. www. sovietsky.ru. Tickets 1,000R. Table reservations required. Metro: Dinamo. Map p 134.

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9

The Best Lodging

Lodging Best Bets Best Views ★★ Hotel Baltschug Kempinski Moscow $$$$$ Ulitsa Balchug d. 1 (p 151)

Best for Pre-Revolutionary Decadence ★★★ Hotel Metropol $$$$$ Teatralny Proezd d. 1/4 (p 152)

Best for Families

Best for Soothing the Spirit

Novotel Moscow Center $$$$$

★ Hotel Danilovskaya $$$ Bolshoy Starodanilovsky Pereulok d. 5 (p 152)

Novoslobodskaya Ulitsa d. 23 (p 154)

Best on a Budget ★★ Persona Hotel $$ 3rd Pavaletsky Proezd d. 7 (p 155)

Best for Shopaholics Hotel Akvarel $$$$$ Stoleshnikov Pereulok d. 12 bldg. 3 (p 151)

Best for Good Old Soviet (Dis)Service

Smallest but Most Perfectly Formed ★★★ Mini Hotel Elkost $$$ Kotelnicheskaya Naberezhnaya d. 29 (p 154)

Best Boutique Hotel ★★ Hotel Akvarel $$$$$ Stoleshnikov Pereulok d. 12 bldg. 3 (p 154)

Peking Hotel $$$ Bolshaya

Best for Business

Sadovaya Ulitsa d. 5 (p 155)

★★ Hotel Baltschug Kempinski Moscow $$$$$ Ulitsa Balchug d. 1 (p 151);and ★★ Ulanskaya Hotel $$$ Ulansky Pereulok d. 16/1A

Best for a Bargain ★★ MaMaison Pokrovka Suite Hotel $$$$$ Pokrovka Ulitsa d. 40 bldg. 2 (p 153)

Best for Huntin’ Fishin’ ‘n Shootin’

(p 156).

etskoy Armii

The Hotel Ukraina.

★★★ Diplomatic Hunting Club Hotel $$$$ Verkhnaya Radishchevskaya Ulitsa d. 9-9a bldg. 2 (p 149)

Best Winter Garden Hotel Sretenskaya $$$$$ Sretenskaya Ulitsa d. 15 (p 152)

Best for Bling ★★★The Ritz-Carlton Moscow $$$$$ Tverskaya Ulitsa d. 3 (p 155)

Best for Communist Kitsch

★★ Le Royal Meridien National $$$$$ Mokhovaya Ulitsa d. 15/1 bldg. 1 (p 153)

Best for James Bond Fantasists Ukraina Hotel, Kutuzovsky Prospect d. 2 bldg. 1 (p 156)

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★★ Sovietsky Hotel $$$ Leningradsky Prospect d. 32/2 (p 156) 5th

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★★ Ararat Park Hyatt Moscow TEATRALNAYA Madonna’s choice when she played here in 2006, and you can see why: top-tier luxury, a fabulous spa, and spectacular rooftop views. Plus an Armenian Orthodox chapel on the 9th floor. Neglinnaya Ul. d. 4. y 495 783 1234. www. moscow.park.hyatt.com. 216 units. Doubles from 40,230R. AE, MC, DC, V. Metro: Okhotny Ryad, Teatralnaya. Map p 145.

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ously the hotel for visiting Communist Party Central Committee members, it hasn’t been able to shake off its Soviet air, with some rooms in desperate need of a makeover. Its location, however, is perfect, in a leafy lane off Stary Arbat, well away from the main traffic arteries, guaranteeing a good night’s sleep. Plotnikov Per. d. 12. y 8 499 271 2801. www. president-hotel.ru/arbat. 102 rooms. Doubles from 10,500R with breakfast. AE, DC, MC, V. Metro: Smolenskaya, Arbatskaya. Map p 148. Sooth the spirit in the Ararat Hyatt Spa.

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Bega Hotel LENINGRADSKY PROSPECT A bit of a trek to the metro, but a flawlessly clean, modern hotel with rooms (many with balconies) overlooking the Hippodrome. Begovaya Aleya d. 11. y 495 945 5213. www.bega-hotel.ru.140 units. 4,400R–6,000R with breakfast. MC, V. Metro: Dinamo. Map p 145.

Club 27 ARBATSKAYA While not the exclusive clubhouse it might have you believe, its location (in a treelined street close to the Arbat) is ideal, with friendly service and fabulous art and antiques in reception. M. Nikitskaya Ul. d. 27. y 495 202 7797. www.club27.ru. 46 units. Doubles 13,000R–17,000R with breakfast. AE, DC, MC, V. Metro: Barrikadnaya. Map p 148.

★★★ Diplomatic Hunting Club Hotel TAGANSKAYA With bear

rugs on the floor and moose heads on the wall, this tiny hotel is a must for anyone bored with the standard chains: although no place for vegetarians. Light sleepers will love it,

Moscow Hotels A to Z

Moscow Hotels A to Z

The Best Lodging

150

Moscow Hotels: Supply and Demand Following the demolition of the Rossiya Hotel in 2006 (taking 3,100 rooms out of the market), finding reasonably priced hotel rooms has become trickier, although it can still be done. To avoid misleading you, prices shown are all midweek rack rates. But weekend bookings should secure substantial discounts off these, with prices lower still in August and the New Year. New openings are announced regularly: check these websites for those expected in 2008 and beyond. Radisson SAS Hotels & Resorts are due to open three more venues in 2009, at Belorusskaya, Volokolamskoye Shosse and Olympisky (www.radissonsas.com). The Hotel Moskva is due to reopen in 2009, operated by Four Seasons Hotels (www.fourseasons.com). The Intercontinental Hotels Group is rumored to be developing the site of the former Minsk Hotel, scheduled for 2010 (www.ichotels group.com). The Barvikha Luxury Village Hotel (in the oligarch stomping ground of Rublyevka) is due to open in 2008 (www. barvikhahotel.com). Scandic Hotels: IKEA have announced plans to open a 300-bed hotel in their Khimki complex in 2010 (www.scandichotels.com), and Mandarin Oriental have announced plans to develop the old Tsentralnaya Hotel on Tverskaya.

tucked away down a sloping garden with traffic well out of earshot. Verkhnyaya Radishchevskaya Ul. d. 9-9a bldg. 2. y 495 960 4363. www. diphuntingclub.ru. 6 units. Doubles 10,000R–21,000R with breakfast. MC, V. Metro: Taganskaya. Map p 147.

East-West Hotel TVERSKAYA Dated room furnishings are more than compensated for by this 18thcentury mansion’s location on the Boulevard Ring. Tverskoi Bulvar d. 14 bldg. 4. y 495 232 2857. www.east westhotel.ru. 25 units. Doubles from 13,500R with breakfast. AE, MC, V. Metro: Pushkinskaya. Map p 148.

Elegant Hotel POKROVKA Brace yourself for a long walk from the metro and up to four flights of stairs, with no elevator: but this charming pre-revolutionary building has clean, well-furnished rooms in a reasonably central location. Pokrovka Ul. d. 32.

y 495 917 2592. www.elegant hotels.ru. 29 units. Doubles from 7,700R with breakfast. MC, DC, V. Metro: Kitai Gorod, Chistiye Prudi. Map p 146.

★ Golden Apple Boutique Hotel TVERSKAYA Moscow’s first (some say only real) boutique hotel features minimalist design, a fusion restaurant, and live DJ sets in its Apple Bar. M Dmitrovka Ul. d. 11. y 495 980 7000. www.goldenapple. ru. 92 units. Doubles 18,820R. AE, MC, V. Metro: Chekhovskaya. Map p 145.

Golden Ring Hotel ARBATSKAYA While directly opposite the Ministry of Foreign Affairs skyscraper, and a five-minute walk to Stary Arbat, its popularity as a conference venue makes this a less than restful option during the week. Smolenskaya Ul. d. 5. y 495 725 0100. www.hotelgoldenring.ru. 293 units. Doubles from

151

Heliopark Empire BELORUSSKAYA A stone’s throw from Tverskaya Ulitsa, this is a good central hotel with a “traditional” inhouse English restaurant. Which means non-stop Beatles and a portrait of the Queen. It’s very close to construction work on the Tverskaya Zastava complex, however, and not recommended for light sleepers. 1st Brestskaya Ul. d. 60/1. y 495 251 6413. 33 units. Doubles 12,200R with breakfast. AE, DC, MC, V. Metro: Belorusskaya. Map p 145.

Hilton Moscow Leningradskaya KOMSOMOLSKAYA In the smallest of Stalin’s skyscrapers, this hotel is due to reopen after complete refurbishment in summer 2008. Kalanchevskaya Ul. d. 21/40.

y 495 627 5550. www.hilton.com. 230 units. Doubles from 21,000R. AE, DC, MC, V. Metro: Krasniye Vorota Map p 146.

Holiday Inn Moscow-Lesnaya BELORUSSKAYA Moscow’s three other Holiday Inns are all some distance from the center (Suschevsky, Re-opened 2008: the Hilton Leningradskaya.

Sokolniki and Vinogradova—see website), as is the group’s World Trade Center Crowne Plaza venue at Barrikadnaya. This hotel, however, is at the top of main shopping street Tverskaya. Hefty disounts at weekends. Lesnaya Ul. d. 15. y 495 783 6500. www.ichotelsgroup.com. 301 units. Doubles from 12,750R. AE, DC, MC, V. Metro: Belorusskaya. Map p 145.

Hotel Akvarel TVERSKAYA

A genuinely welcoming, modern, wellequipped, unpretentious boutique hotel tucked away behind shoppers’ paradise Stoleshnikov Pereulok: and being a pedestrianized street, this is the perfect choice for insomniacs.

Stoleshnikov Per. d. 12 bldg. 3. y 495 502 9431. www.akvarel-hotel. ru. 23 units. Doubles from 12,250R (10,150R weekends). AE, DC, MC, V. Metro: Okhotny Ryad. Map p 145.

★★ Hotel Baltschug Kempinski Moscow ZAMOSKVORECHYE A perfect location just south of St. Basil’s, with views to die for from its Café Kranzler terrace. Ulitsa Balchug d.1. y 8 499 929 5500. www.kempinski-moscow.com. 230 units. Doubles from 29,000R. AE, DC, MC, V. Metro: Novokuznetskaya. Map p 147.

Hotel Belgrade ARBATSKAYA While shabbier than the five-star Golden Ring hotel it faces, this is, in all other respects, a mirror image of it— same Stalinist skyscraper views, same Stary Arbat location—just half the price. Avoid rooms facing the street however: this is one of the city’s busiest intersections. Smolenskaya Ul. d. 8. y 8 499 248 3125. www. hotel-belgrad.ru. 235 units. Doubles from 5,900R: revovated rooms from 7,500R. MC, V. Metro: Arbatskaya, Smolenskaya. Map p 148.

Hotel Budapest KUZNETSKY MOST A somewhat old-school atmosphere, but a prime location, behind the Bolshoi and a stone’s throw from

Moscow Hotels A to Z

22,500R with breakfast. AE, DC, MC, V. Metro: Arbatskaya, Smolenskaya. Map p 148.

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152

Fin de siècle opulence at the Metropol.

shoppers’ paradise of Petrovskii Passazh. Petrovskiye Linii d. 2/18. y 495 925 3050. www.hotel-budapest.ru. 116 units. Doubles 9.500R with breakfast. AE, DC, MC, V. Metro: Kuznetsky Most. Map p 145.

Hotel Cosmos PROSPECT MIRA Built for the 1980 Olympics, this Intourist monolith feels like it’s stuck in the early days of perestroika. Rooms are clean and reasonably modern, but book a ‘refurbished’ room if you want a double bed. Prospect Mira d. 150. y 495 234 1000. www.hotelcosmos.ru. 1771 units. Doubles from 5,750R with breakfast. AE, DC, MC, V. Metro: Prospect Mira. Map p 146.

★ Hotel Danilovskaya ZAMOSKVORECHYE Pictures of Patriarch Alexei II on all floors may not be to everyone’s taste, but with views of the Danilovsky monastery from every room this has to be the most tranquil location in the city— except at weekends, when wedding parties descend, taking over the only restaurant. Bolshoi Starodanilovsky Per. d. 5. y 495 954 0503. www.danilovsky.ru (Russian only, but click on the right-hand tab for photos). 116 units. Doubles 6,000R–8,500R with breakfast. AE, MC, V. Metro: Tulskaya. Map p 147.

Hotel Kebur Palace OSTOZHENKA A small wood-paneled villa (draped with window boxes in summer), in a perfect location on Moscow’s Golden Mile. Ostozhenka Ul. d. 32. y 495 733 9070. www. hoteltiflis.com. 74 units. Doubles 12,600R with breakfast. AE, MC, V. Metro: Kropotkinskaya, Park Kultury. Map p 148.

★★★ Hotel Metropol TEATRALNAYA While the rooms are small and the bathrooms somewhat basic, the Metropol’s excellent position, peerless history and sumptuous Style Moderne décor make it the most romantic venue in town. Treatralny Proezd d. 1/4. y 8 499 501 7800. www.metropol-moscow. ru. 362 units. Doubles 14,870R. AE, DC, MC, V. Metro: Teatralnaya. Map p 145.

Hotel Nikitskaya BOLSHAYA NIKITSKAYA A new opening in 2007 on one of the city’s most historic streets. B. Nikitskaya d. 12 bldg. 2. y 495 933 5001. www. assambleya-hotels.ru. 29 units. Doubles 11,500R. MC, V. Metro: Okhotny Ryad. Map p 145.

Hotel Sretenskaya TSVETNOI BULVAR One of the better midrange hotels, with a gym, sauna and

153

Izmailovo Hotel Complex IZMAILOVO Included solely by virtue of its bargain basement rates and 7,000-room capacity (across its Alfa, Beta, Vega and Gamma-Delta blocks), this is one to keep in mind in an emergency. The Gamma-Delta complex is widely considered the better bet. Izmailovskoye Shosse d. 71. y 495 737 7000. www.izmailovo. ru. 7,000 units. Doubles at the Gamma-Delta from 3,000R. AE, MC, V. Metro: Partisanskaya. Map p 146.

★★ Le Royal Meridien National TVERSKAYA Opened in 1903 and home to the Bolshevik government 14 years later (with Lenin occupying room 107, apparently), the National’s refurbishment in 1930 utilized art and antiques from nationalized gentry estates, much of it now in its 37 antique suites. Don’t be put off by its ultra-central location: rooms (even standard singles) are well soundproofed. Mokhovaya Ul. d. 15/1. y 495 258 7000. www.national.ru. 216 units. Doubles from 18,700R with Stunning suite at the MaMaison Pokrovka.

breakfast. AE, DC, MC, V. Metro: Okhotny Ryad. Map p 145.

★★★ MaMaison Pokrovka Suite Hotel POKROVKA Moscow’s first all-suite hotel has spared no expense, with floor-to-ceiling windows, Philippe Starck fittings and an Algotherm spa. Bargain rates in August, January and weekends. Pokrovka Ul. d. 40 bldg. 2. y 495 229 5797. www.pokrovka-moscow.com. 84 units. Doubles from 16,800R. AE, DC, MC, V. Metro: Chistiye Prudi. Map p 146.

Marco Polo Presnja Hotel PATRIARCH’S PONDS A longestablished favorite among the historic mansions, boutiques and leafy lanes of this up-market area. Spiridonyevsky Per. d. 9. y 495 244 3631. www.presnja.ru. 70 units. Doubles 15,850R with breakfast. AE, DC, MC, V. Metro: Mayakovskaya. Map p 148.

Maxima Hotels: Irbis PETRORAZUMOVSKAYA This isn’t the best or most accessible of areas: but the three hotels in this chain (the Irbis, Slavia and Zarya) offer a reliable, wellpriced option for those prepared to travel into town. Gostinichnaya Ul.

Moscow Hotels A to Z

winter garden (with bar). Sretenskaya Ul. d.15. y 495 933 5544. www.hotel-sretenskaya.ru. 38 units. Doubles 11,200R. AE, DC, MC, V. Metro: Sukharevskaya. Map p 145.

The Best Lodging

154 d. 1. y 495 788 7272. www.irbis. maximahotel.com. 96 units. Doubles from 4,500R with breakfast. AE, DC, MC, V. Metro: Petrovsko-Razumovskaya, Vladykino. Map p 145.

★★★ Medea Hotel ZAMOSKVORECHYE The Medea’s Style Moderne interior isn’t authentic—but it has been perfectly done. Its 15 one-bedroom apartments (sleeping up to four and complete with mini-kitchens) and its dedicated No Smoking floor make it a perfect option for families. Pyatnitsky Per. d. 4. y 495 232 4898. www.medeahotel.ru. 21 units. Doubles from 9,200R, apartments from 11,500R with breakfast. MC, V. Metro: Novokuznetskaya. Map p 147. ★★★ Mini Hotel Elkost TAGANSKAYA The corridors of this tiny hotel—and each of its eight pristine rooms—are hung with original art from the gallery in which it is housed. Kotelnicheskaya Nab. d. 29.

y 495 661 0440. www.elkost.ru (Russian only, but click the middle tab for photos). 8 units. Doubles from 6,500R (rubles only). Metro: Taganskaya. Map p 147. The Medea Hotel is a great option for families.

★★ Moscow Marriott Grand Hotel TVERSKAYA Of the six Marriott group hotels in Moscow (others include the Aurora, the Marriott Courtyard, the Tverskaya, the Renaissance and the Ritz Carlton), this is the most opulent (with an excellent breakfast buffet and spa), the Aurora the best located, and the Tverskaya the best value. Moscow Marriot Grand, Tverskaya Ul. d.26/1. y 495 937 0000. www.marriott.com. 382 units. Doubles 28,320R with breakfast. AE, DC, MC, V. Metro: Mayakovskaya. Map p 145.

Napoleon Hostel KITAI GOROD One of the most central hostels in Moscow (and certainly the cleanest), this venue offers free WiFi, plasma TV and a DVD library, although three flights of stairs isn’t much fun with a backpack. Maly Zlatoustinsky Per. d. 2, 4th Floor. y 495 628 6695. www.napoleon hostel.com. 43 units. Dorm beds 700R–1000R. AE, MC, V. Metro: Kitai Gorod. Map p 146.

= Hotel Novotel Moscow Centre NOVOSLOBOD-

★★

SKAYA A kilometer or so north of the Kremlin, weekend rates can be up to 50% lower than the rack rates shown here. Kids under 16 stay free in parents’ rooms. Novoslobodskaya d. 23. y 495 780 4000. www. novotel.com. 255 units. Doubles from 15,000R with breakfast. AE, MC, V. Metro: Mendeleyevskaya. Map p 145.

Oksana Hotel PROSPECT MIRA Rooms in this elegantly refurbished Stalinka are huge, many with an additional couch-divan. Rates drop by c. 40% at weekends. Yaroslavskaya Ul. d. 15 bldg. 2. y 495 980 6100. 63 units. 8,900R with breakfast. DC, MC, V. Metro: Prospect Mira. Map p 146.

Ozerkovskaya Hotel PAVELETSKAYA A clean, modern hotel in a rapidly growing business area. This street is lined with former industrial

155

Moscow Hotels A to Z

premises, however, and unsettling after dark. Stick to the Garden Ring through Zatsepsky Val from the metro, or book a taxi. Ozerkovskaya Nab. d. 50/2. y 495 951 9582. 27 units. Doubles 6,300R. DC, MC, V. Metro: Paveletskaya. Map p 147.

Peking Hotel MAYAKOVSKAYA It can’t be beaten for history (see p 77), location, or its carefully preserved Stalinist interior (refurbished 2005), but this is an Intourist hotel and it shows, with erratic room quality and rude staff. B.Sadovaya d. 5.

y 495 650 2442. www.hotelpekin.ru. 122 units. Doubles 7,950R with breakfast. MC, V. Metro: Mayakovskaya. Map p 145. ★ Persona Hotel PAVELETSKAYA This mini hotel’s location isn’t attractive, and it’s some distance from the metro. But its perfect minimalist décor and pristine bathrooms make it one of the few venues offering quality accommodation on a budget. 3rd Paveletsky Proezd d. 7 bldg. 1. y 495 633 2872. www.hotel persona.ru (Russian only, click the middle tab for room photos). 9 units. Doubles 3,500R (rubles only). Metro: Paveletskaya. Map p 147.

Polesye Hotel KITAI GOROD Part of the turquoise Rumyantsev palace housing the Embassy of Belarus, the Polesye is reminiscent of most hotels before perestroika, with eccentric lobby gift shops and a 15-minute wait while the receptionist returns from lunch. Room quality is erratic, but careful booking could secure a diplomat’s suite for around $300. Armyansky Per. d. 6.

y 495 628 5535. 80 units. Doubles from 5,700R with breakfast. Euros, dollars or rubles only (by virtue of the hotel being on embassy territory—payment in non-rubles is illegal anywhere else). Metro: Kitai Gorod. Map p 146.

Luxury from the minute you walk through the door: the Ritz Carlton.

President Hotel ZAMOSKVORECHYE Tight security (enter via a checkpoint on Golutvinsky Pereulok), and the lush interior one would expect from a venue under the Presidential Administration. B. Yakimanka Ul. d. 24. y 8 499 271 2800. www.president-hotel. ru. 208 units. Doubles 17,500R with breakfast. AE, DC, MC, V. Metro: Polyanka, Oktyabrskaya. Map p 147.

Radisson SAS Slavyanskaya Hotel KIEVSKAYA The height of western luxury in the early 1990s, this venue is starting to show signs of wear. Evropeiskaya Ploshad d. 2.

y 495 941 8020. www.radissonsas. com. 410 units. Doubles from 16,500R. AE, DC, MC, V. Metro: Kievskaya. Map p 148. ★★★ The Ritz-Carlton, Moscow TVERSKAYA From the floor-to-ceiling marble in its rest rooms to its ESPA spa, lobby violinist and three Michelin-starred chef, the Ritz Carlton has set new standards in gracious living, even here. Tverskaya Ul. d. 3. y 495 225 8888. www.ritzcarlton.com. 334 units. Doubles 41,300R. AE, DC, MC, V. Metro: Okhotny Ryad. Map p 145.

The Best Lodging

156 ★★ The Savoy Hotel TEATRALNAYA Opened in 1913, the Savoy was restored to its full rococo splendor in 1989, and has since hosted José Carreras, Luciano Pavarrotti and Richard Gere. Rozhdestvenka Ul. d. 3/6 bldg. 1. y 495 620 8500. www.savoy.ru. 69 units. Doubles 14,450R with breakfast. AE, DC, MC, V. Metro: Kuznetsky Most, Lubyanka. Map p 145.

Sheraton Palace Hotel MAYAKOVSKAYA While a very popular business hotel (with good weekend discounts), ongoing building works (at the time of writing) directly in front might make this one for insomniacs to avoid. 1st Tverskaya-Yamskaya Ul. d. 19. y 495 931 9700. www.sheratonpalace.ru. 212 units. Doubles 13,688R. AE, DC, MC, V. Metro: Belorusskaya. Map p 145.

★★★ Sovietsky Hotel DINAMO The ultimate in Soviet kitsch décor, with weekend rates from 3,840 rubles. But don’t stay here on business: rush hour traffic on Leningradsky means you’ll never make any meetings on time. Leningradsky Prospect d. 32/2. y 495 960 2000. www.sovietsky.ru. 107 units. Doubles from 7,200R with breakfast. MC, V. Metro: Dinamo. Map p 145.

Sverchkov 8 KITAI GOROD Despite a reception designed in the height of 1980s’ communist chic (dead plants, synthetic leather sofas, flaking plastic cupboards, artex ceiling), this hotel, centrally located in a pre-revolutionary villa among the lanes of Kitai Gorod, has a quite compulsive (and irrational) charm. Sverchkov Per. d. 8 bldg. 1.

y 495 625 4978. 9 units. Doubles 4,400R–10,000R with breakfast (rubles only). Metro: Kitai Gorod. Map p 146. ★★ Swissotel Krasnye Holmy PAVALETSKAYA Its Sunday

brunches are legendary and its award-winning décor and service everything you would expect. But this is a soulless part of town, and not that easy to navigate on foot, particularly at night. A perfect venue for expense-account business travelers with meetings at the Riverside Towers or Pavaletsky business centers, but not the best option for tourists. Kosmodamianskaya Nab. d. 52 bldg 6. y 495 787 9800. www. swissotel.com. 233 units. Doubles 20,060R. AE, DC, MC, V. Metro: Paveletskaya. Map p 147.

Ukraina Hotel KUTUZOVSKAYA Traditionally one of the city’s betterpriced mid-range options it was a sad day when this Stalinist skyscraper closed for refurbishment late 2007. The developers promise a “fashionable, world-standard” hotel, and a new name: although they haven’t yet been able to indicate when it might actually reopen. Kutuzovsky Prospect d. 2/1 bldg.1. y 495 221 5555. www. ukraina-hotel.ru. Metro: Kievskaya. Map p 148.

★★ Ulanskaya Hotel KRASNIYE VOROTA Newly refurbished, flawless bathrooms, a tasteful minimalist interior and a commutable location just outside the Boulevard Ring. Perfect for business people (and families) on a budget. Ulansky Per. d. 16 bldg. 1a. y 495 607 1010. www. ulanskaya.com. 61 units. Doubles 6,850R–7,450R with breakfast. MC, V. Metro: Turgenevskaya. Map p 146.

Warsaw Hotel ZAMOSKVORECHYE A depressing Soviet exterior and service: somewhat tellingly, I was not allowed to see any rooms. But rates are good, and its location easily commutable, for those prepared to risk it. Leninsky Prospect d. 2. y 8 499 238 7701. 180 units. 5,000R with breakfast. DC, MC, V. Metro: Oktyabrskaya. Map p 147.

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10

The Best Day Trips & Excursions

Stalin’s Secret Bunker M

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Sirenevy Bl.

Izmailovsky Market and Vernisazh

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Izmailovo Stadium (formerly the Stalinitz)

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The Session Hall

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Stalin’s Private Office

3

The Dining Room

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Stage Stalin’s Desk Memorabilia Portraits: Marx, Engels, Lenin

2 Models in WWII uniform

Portraits

Bronze of Stalin Georgian bar 3

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Models in WWI uniform

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Entrance WWII tanks on upper levels

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talin’s World War II bunker—hidden beneath a football stadium but big enough to accommodate an entire tank battalion—has been open to the public since 1996. When it was built 1934–1939, in response to increasing German militarism, newspapers announced the construction of a 120,000-seat stadium, academy and art institute—none of which was ever completed. Whether tasteless Soviet kitsch or a unique insight into the cult of personality, Stalin’s bunker is simply surreal. @ 11⁄2 hr. START: from the bunker car

park, bearing right down the stairs.

1 ★★ The Session Hall. A marble-columned corridor leads to what was once the main Session Hall of the Red Army Supreme Command—acoustically designed to enhance the leader’s dulcet tones. Badger tour guides for translations of the (highly propagandist) newspaper articles displayed at the back of the room.

2 ★★★ Stalin’s Private Office. Strategically placed writings by Lenin suggest this room is more interpretative than genuine. But the map behind it, showing the position of German and Russian forces in the winter of 1941 is authentic enough. A picture on the wall (of Stalin and Zhukov playing billiards in their shirt sleeves) was considered too informal to be shown to the general public, or indeed to its subjects.

3 Dining Room. The former military dining room has been redecorated in the style of a Georgian café—severely at odds with the memorabilia on display.

The Session Hall.

4

Stambul-1. The bunker is within walking distance of Izmailovo’s many markets, but eating there is inadvisable. This picturesque redbrick Russian Revival building offers cheap tea and coffee, and somewhere clean to sit down. Proektiruemy Proezd No. 890, no. 29. y 8 926 607 9697. $.

Stalin’s Bunker: Need to know Charging $160 each for a group of two (dropping to $55 for groups of three-plus), it’s easier and cheaper to visit with an organized tour. Russkie Prostori (y 495 983 0334 www.russkieprostori.ru) make regular visits. 80 Sovietskaya Ulitsa, y 495 166 3846, 495 166 9970, www.fop.su. Metro: Cherkizovskaya.

Stalin’s Secret Bunker

S

The Petition Stone

The Front Gate

The Church of the Ascension

4

5

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Peter the Great’s Cabin

3

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1825 Pavillion

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Church of the Icon of Our Lady of Kazan

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Kolomenskoye

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Kolomenskoye

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he retreat of the Tsars since the 14th century (and a childhood home of Peter the Great), Kolomenskoye is host to numerous free festivals throughout the year. These include Maslenitsa (the orthodox answer to Mardi Gras) and an Easter Sunday procession to the white-steepled Church of the Ascension. START: Down Prospect Andropova from Kolomenskaya metro: four stops from Teatralnaya along the green line.

1

McDonald’s. With only one set of restrooms in the entire complex, the queues at weekends are beyond all tolerance. Even if you don’t eat here, be sure to drop in to this branch (directly opposite the main entrance) en route from the metro. Kolomensky Proezd d. 7b. y 8 499 612 6185. $.

2 ★ Peter the Great’s Cabin.

against this stone when petitioning the Tsar—as they did during uprisings in 1648 and 1652. They now leave kopeks on top if it, for luck.

4 The Front Gate. While undergoing extensive refurbishment at the time of writing, this building (erected 1672) houses two of the complex’s main exhibitions—“Treasures of Kolomenskoye” (including a replica of Tsar Alexei’s Wooden Palace, a 250room marvel constructed without the use of nails or saws, which once stood opposite the Church of the Icon of Our Lady of Kazan) and “Milestones of Kolomenskoye History”. Treasures of Kolomenskoye

The spangled blue domes of the Church of the Icon of our Lady of Kazan will be visible on your left: but bear right for the open-air Museum of Wooden Architecture, whose star exhibit is Peter the 200R, 50R concessions, MileGreat’s log cabin, built in 1702 stones of Kolomenskoye Hisand brought here from tory 300R, 100R concessions. Arkhangelsk in 1934. Further 5 ★★ The Church of the south, the 1652 wooden Ascension. Built watch tower (and former by Vasily III in 1532 to prison), was brought here celebrate the birth of a from a Cossack fort near long-awaited heir— the Siberian city of The Church of the Ascension. ironically, the future Bratsk. Admission 200R, Ivan the Terrible—its “tented” roof 50R concessions. marked a sharp departure from the 3 The Petition Stone. It’s said Byzantine architecture of the time. Muscovites would “beat their brows”

Practical Matters: Kolomenskoye Entrance to Kolomenskoye’s grounds is free, from 8am–10pm Apr–Oct, and from 8am–9pm Nov–Mar. The museums are open 10am–6pm (closed Mon), with tickets on sale to the right of the Front Gate. Prices vary, from 200R. Kolomenskoye Estate, Prospect Andropova d. 39, y 8 499 615 2768.

Kolomenskoye

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The Hydrolab

The Centrifuge

The Mir Space Station Simulator

The Museum of the Yuri Gagarin

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DK Cafe

Cosmonauts’ Training Center

The Yuri Gagarin Memorial

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Star City (Zvezdny Gorodok)

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Rest and ESA NASA Relaxation

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Star City

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uch of Star City is still accessible only to its employees— or to “space tourists” willing to pay. But ordinary earthlings can get access to the world’s largest centrifuge, a full-size model of the Mir space station, and a well-stocked museum chronicling the glory years. Those old enough to remember Gagarin’s flight will feel a pang at the sight of the model Vostok capsule: and anyone under the age of 10 will be fascinated to learn, once and for all, how astronauts cope with no toilets in space. START: you have no choice but to start from the visitors’ car park, opposite the Gagarin memorial.

1 ★★★ Zvezdny Gorodok. Muscovites once joked that the Communist utopia had been achieved in Zvezdny Gorodok (Star City), if nowhere else. Once a cosseted city for the elite, the last 15 years have taken their toll and it shows, with the town and its buildings now somewhat worse for wear. It was founded in January 1960, training astronauts from June of that year. Spookily quiet, the American clapboard houses of the ESA and NASA crews stand in stark contrast to the uniform Soviet apartment blocks, but the pristine lawns, central square and dominant House of Cosmonauts testify to the centrally-planned show town this once was. You might bump into Valentina Tereshkova, the first woman in space, still living—as does Gagarin’s family— at No. 2, Kosmonauts’ Alley.

2 Yuri Gagarin Memorial. Reverence for Gagarin is pervasive and genuine, with even brusque ex-military pensioners getting musty-eyed over memories of a chance childhood meeting.

3 The Hydrolab. Hope that your visit coincides with training on the 108-kg model of the Mir space station, where ground-floor portholes allow full sight of astronauts being put through their EVA (spacewalk) paces in the 5,000-liter pool. Equally impressive is the retired test equipment—with various bits of disused Mir training modules left outside the

Hydrolab like so many abandoned bikes.

4 The Centrifuge. Potential astronauts must endure some 200plus physical and psychological tests including exposure to excessive noise, silence, towering heights and tiny spaces. The centrifuge, with its 27MW engine (as much power as five inter-city trains) replicates conditions at takeoff and landing, capable of generating a g-force of up to 30.

5 ★★★ The M i r Space Station Simulator. Comprising the Mir 4 habitation module, the Baseblock (large enough to accommodate a treadmill and exercise bike), the Kvant-1 and Kvant-2 modules and the Krystal module, this exhibit also covers astronauts’ food samples (including honey, beluga and worryingly large amounts of liver pâté), survival kits (one including a pistol) and, for the prurient, a model of the Mir station toilet system

Yuri Gagarin, the first man in space.

Star City

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PA section of the Mir training module.

(based on the same principle as the domestic vacuum cleaner, apparently).

exactly as he left it on the day of his fatal MIG air crash.

6 The Museum of the Yuri

7

Gagarin Cosmonauts’ Training Center. Exhibits in this treasure trove of Soviet space race memorabilia include Yuri Gagarin’s space suit, a training module of his Vostok return capsule, the burnt-out shell of the Soyuz-4 capsule, Gagarin’s university record (excellent, naturally) and a recreation of his office,

DK Kafe. Isolated as it is, the area around Star City is not well endowed with food stops, and this café in the House of Cosmonauts is your best bet. In time-honored Soviet tradition, however, on the day of our visit—a Monday—it was closed. Dom Kosmonavtov. No

phone. $.

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Star City: Need to Know Still a “protected area” with stringent security, Star City is best seen as part of an organized tour. Patriarshy Dom Tours visit every two months or so ($85 or 2,100R). But if you’re determined to go it alone, then be prepared to pay: 7,500 rubles to visit the Training Center, and a further 2,500 to visit the museum. Visitors will need to send a written request (by fax) with full passport and other information. Contact the Training Center Excursions Department, y 495 526 3842, [fax] 495 526 2612. Visitors to the museum will also need to contact its administration department separately, in advance. y 495 526 3817. www.gctc.ru/eng/.

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The Savvy Traveler

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Before You Go Government Tourist Offices The Federal Agency for Tourism currently has no official representation abroad.

The Best Times to Go My favorite months include “BabaLeto” (“Grandmother’s Summer”), the balmy days of September and October. April and May are probably the best months for tourists, as the slush gives way to moderate temperatures and long sunny days. But nothing beats December and January, when the snow crunches underfoot and the streets are a sea of neon-lit Christmas trees. The humid 30°C plus temperatures of August can make life uncomfortable for travelers: but hotel rates drop by up to 50%.

Visas and Registration All visitors to Russia require a visa: there are no exceptions, and visas cannot be issued at the border. To apply for a visa you will need to submit: • A valid 10-year passport, with at least one blank visa page (and some consulates may insist your passport be valid for six months’ after you travel). • One passport photo. • One completed visa application form. • An invitation from an approved agency. If applying for a tourist visa this will be your tour agency or hotel: but note that accommodation must be reserved for the entire duration of the visa. You will be given an Immigration Card (in Russian and English) to complete on landing, and you will need to register your visa within three days of arriving in Russia: if you are traveling on a tourist visa

your hotel or inviting agency will do this for you. The following companies offer visa support services including invitations, procurement, and registration: Real Russia Limited, 3 The Ivories, Northampton Street, Islington, London N1 2HY, UK (y 020/7100 7370. www.real russia.co.uk). Their partner organization in the United States is Russia-Visa.com, Embassy Row, 2005 Massachusetts Ave., Washington DC 20036 (y 1 800 567 4175 (tollfree), y 1 202 250 3608). Russian National Group, 224 West 30th Street, Suite 701, New York, NY, 10001, USA (y 1 877 221 7120, 1 646 473 2233) and 5/10 Chistoprudni Blvd, Suite 214, Moscow (y 495 980 8440; www. russia-travel.com). www.RussianVisa.net maintains a list of companies offering Russian visa services worldwide. If you want to do it yourself, Russian consulates abroad include: Australia 78 Canberra Avenue, Griffith ACT 2 603 (y +61 2 6295 9033), consular dept. (y +61 2 6295 9474; www.australia.mid.ru). 7–9 Fullerton Street Woollahra, Sydney, NSW 2025 (y 02/9326 1866, visa section direct line y 02/9326 1188; www.sydneyrussianconsulate.com). Canada: 175 Bloor Street East, South Tower, Suite 801, Toronto, Ontario, M4W 3R8 (y 1 416 962 9911; www.toronto.mid.ru). Ireland: 184-186 Orwell Road, Rathgar, Dublin 14 (y +353 1/492 34 92; www.ireland.mid.ru). New Zealand: 57 Messines Road, Karori, Wellington (y +644/476 6113, consular department +644/476 6742; http:// wellington.rusembassy.org/). UK:

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Festivals & Special Events SPRING. Maslenitsa (Mardi Gras) sees

blini stalls, folk dancing and high jinks on Vasilyevsky Spusk, just behind St. Basil’s. Defenders of the Motherland Day (February 24) is really just an opportunity for old army buddies to meet up and relive their national service: but International Women’s Day, March 8, is a serious affair. Have flowers and chocolates for the women in your life, or face the consequences. Russian Fashion Week sees the super-thin stalking the catwalks in April (it’s repeated in October), and the third Moscow Biennale should have something for art buffs in March–April 2009. Victory Day, May 9, is one of the few old Soviet holidays still observed, with fireworks at Victory Park—and, in 2008, the re-introduction of the military parade on Red Square. SUMMER. The Moscow International Film Festival draws more than its fair share of global stars in June (www.moscowfilmfestival.ru), while music fans take over the Conservatoire every four years for the International Tchaikovsky Competition (www.mosconsv.ru). FALL. The super-rich flock to town for

the Millionaire Fair in November (www.millionairefair.ru), while tennis fans descend on the Olympisky

stadium for the Kremlin Cup in October (www.kremlincup.ru). WINTER. The single biggest event of the year is New Year’s Eve, when everyone under the age of 25 congregates on Red Square to dance round the yalka (Christmas tree) and drink vodka under the stars. The Russian Winter Festival sees various events around Moscow’s parks (particularly Izmailovo) while tourists can buzz around the city unimpeded by traffic as the population takes the week off work.

The Weather Moscow has a continental climate, which means extreme temperatures in winter and summer. Moscow winters can be severe, with lows averaging –10°C, although the worst of the cold rarely lasts beyond January and February. March to May and September to October bring bright, crisp days and moderate temperatures, but July and August can see highs of 35°C and above. With high humidity and a chronically overused metro system, summer in the city can be quite trying—although not for long. Moscow doesn’t believe in drizzle, and rain, when it comes, is heavy but short-lasting.

Cellphones World phones—GSM phones—work in Russia, but roaming charges are extortionate. If your phone is not locked it may be worth buying a Moscow SIM card. Some operators (Beeline (www.beeline.ru) and MegaFon (http://eng.megafon.ru)) may require evidence of registration in Moscow (and may restrict roaming unless you’re on a ‘pay as you go’ tariff), but MTS cards (www.mtsgsm. com) can be purchased for about 150 rubles on production of your passport. Russian National Group offer Tri-band phones with local Russian numbers and free incoming calls from $4.49 per day (www.russia-travel.

Before You Go

Russian Embassy Consular Section, 5 Kensington Palace Gardens, London W8 4QS (y +44 20/3051 1199; +44 845/868 1199; www.rusemblon. org). United States: 2650 Wisconsin Avenue, NW, Washington DC, 20007 (y +1 202/298 5700; www. russianembassy.org). In New York: 9 East 91 Street, New York, NY, 10128 (y +1 212/348 0926). You may need to provide evidence of travel or medical insurance, but this varies, depending on what visa you apply for, and at what consulate.

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Useful Websites www.moscow-city.ru/info/: the Moscow Tourist Office site. www.moscowtimes.ru: the city’s only English-language daily. www.expat.ru: a well-established forum maintained by longstanding residents. www.redtape.ru: a recent competitor to www.expat.ru. www.waytorussia.net: maintained by students at Moscow State University, its Talk Lounge forum is useful for resolving visa, customs and other sticky issues. www.elementmoscow.ru: an entertainment weekly with listings. www.moscowmaximum.blogspot.com: a comprehensive club guide.

com; click on “Stay in Touch”): but with outgoing calls at $0.71 per minute you might be better off using an international calling card: Mango is one of the most reliable (and quite user-friendly for non-Russian speakers), available at most kiosks.

Car Rentals Erratic drivers, poor quality roads, hopelessly inadequate parking space and corrupt traffic police make driving a challenge even for long-term residents. If you’re determined to hire though, the following all have representation at the main airports and downtown:

Hertz: Domodedovo y 495 775 8333, Sheremetyevo II y 495 578 5646; www.hertz.ru. AVIS Rent a Car: Meschanskaya Ul. d. 7/1. y 495 744 0733 (metro: Sukharevskaya); Sheremetyevo II y 495 578 7179; http://avis-moscow.ru. Budget Car Rental: offices at various hotels and at Sheremetyevo II y 495 737 0407; www.budget.ru. Europcar: Domodedovo y 495 363 6418; for Sheremetyevo II call general reservations 495 783 7161. www.europcar.ru. Sixt: Domodedovo, Sheremetyevo and downtown, y 495 589 1111; www.sixt-rent.ru.

Getting There By Plane Getting into the city from Domodedovo is a simple matter of catching the Aeroexpress to Paveletskaya station and connecting to the metro. Trains run every hour (every half-hour at peak times) and the 50minute journey costs 150 rubles. You would be well advised to take this option on your return journey: it can take more than two hours to reach Domodedovo in the rush

hour. For taxis, cut through the touts and aim for official taxi desk to the left of arrivals: official carriers are Gorodskoye Taxi (y 495 500 0 500; www.500-0-500.ru/eng) and MV Motors (y 495 775 6 775; www.775-6-775.ru). Find more information at www.domodedovo.ru. Sheremetyevo-II is currently undergoing refurbishment, due for completion end 2008. Aeroexpress services (www.aero-express.ru

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By Train

Savelovsky railway station in June 2008, promising a 35-minute journey and (ultimately) trains on the hour, although passengers so far report waits of more than two hours at times. The No. 851 bus runs from Sheremetyevo to Rechnoy Vokzal and the No. 817 to Planernaya metro, but neither is a very comfortable option. Arrange a transfer in advance: Gorodskoye Taxi charge 1,600 rubles to the center (see above) and Taxi 956 charge 1,350 rubles plus waiting time (y 495 956 8 956). Find more information at www.sheremetyevo-airport.ru. The city’s third airport, Vnukovo, www.vnukovo-airport.ru, has recently undergone complete refurbishment. Apart from bargain carrier German Wings (www.germanwings. com) and internal budget carrier Sky Express (www.skyexpress.ru), however, it is not served by the major international airlines.

Trains from western Europe and Poland arrive at Belorussky Vokzal (Tverskaya Zastava Ploshad d. 7. y 495 251 6093). Trains from Budapest, Bucharest, Prague and the Ukraine arrive at Kievsky Vokzal (Ploshad Kievskovo Vokzala y 8 899 240 0415; 899 240 7071). Trains for all trans-Siberian routes leave from Yaroslvasky Vokzal (Komsomolskaya Ploshad d. 5. y 495 621 5914; 8 495 621 0817). If traveling from St. Petersburg, you will arrive at Leningradsky Vokzal (Komsomolskaya Ploshad d. 3. y 495 621 5914; 495 262 9143). All of these stations connect directly with the metro. A useful multi-lingual journey planner for European rail travel is found on the German rail website www.bahn.de, and you’ll find timetables and other information (in English) at www.trainsrussia.com.

Getting Around By Metro Stalin’s only worthwhile legacy (see p 41), this is by far the easiest way to see the city. Open from 5.30am to 1am, tickets are 17 rubles for a single, or available in multiples of 10 (140R), 20 (225R) and 60 (520R); www.mosmetro.ru.

By Taxi Any driver can legally pick up a passenger who flags him down: there are very few other cities in the world where this could be recommended as a safe mode of transport, but in 15 years I have never once been at risk. Have your destination written down in Russian, and start negotiating at 200 rubles for trips around town. Reliable taxi firms include Taxi

232 (y 495 232 1111), Gorodskoye Taxi and Taxi 956 (see above).Tips are not expected.

By Bus It’s possible to buy tickets for Moscow’s buses, trams and trolleybuses onboard (25 rubles), but you’ll get fewer hostile stares if you buy cards in advance at kiosks (usually next to a metro) selling Proezdniye Billeti (Proezbnye bpeemy). “TAT (Tram, Avtobus, Trolleybus)” monthly (ebcnny•) tickets can be used across all three services. You’ll find a very useful site at http://msk.rosavstobus. ru which allows you to input points on your journey, and select the optimum route in English.

Getting Around

y 495 266 8910) began running to

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By Car

On Foot

It’s improving, but with most road signs still in Cyrillic this is only really viable for the experienced or the fluent.

Sidewalks are dreadful: pack sturdy boots, even for non-winter trips. Well booted, however, there’s no better way to see the city, and a majority of the main sights (around Red Square and Tverskaya, particularly) can be covered on foot.

Fast Facts APARTMENT RENTALS Be careful: more agencies have entered the market as hotel room rates continue their inexorable rise, and quality can be highly variable. Insist on seeing photos (by e-mail) before you book. Among the most reliable are: Evans Real Estate, Maly Palashevsky Per. d. 6 bldg. 1, y 495 232 6703, www. evans.ru; Like Home, Bolshoi Ovchinnikovskiy Per. d. 16, y 495 223 3452, www.likehome.ru; and Moscow4Rent, B. Sergievskiy Per. d. 24/6, y 495 767 6721, www. moscow4rent.com.

These are readily available, dispensing rubles, dollars and euros. Remember though that it is now illegal to pay for goods and services in Russia in any currency other than rubles.

ATMS/CASHPOINTS

Few and far between, and many that advertise themselves as such are in fact little better than hostels. A better alternative might be the Host Families’ Association, which has been placing guests with Moscow families since 1990. y (8) 901 305 8874; 812 275 1992, (8) 901 305 8874; www.hofa.ru. B&BS

Business Hours Most banks open Mon–Fri 9am–8pm, Sat 9am–5pm. Citibank branches are 10am–8pm daily, with many open Saturdays until 6pm. Museums typically open 10am–6pm; with the last ticket sold up to an hour before closing, and restaurants 12pm–12am (or last

guest). Many supermarkets now open round the clock (including most Ramstore and Azbuka Vkusa branches) and those that don’t are open until 10pm. CONSULATES AND EMBASSIES All of the following have consulates in Moscow: Australian Embassy Podkolokolny Per. d. 10A/2 (y 495 956 6070; www www.russia.embassy. gov.au). Canadian Embassy Starokonyushenny Pereulok d. 23 (y 495 925 6000; www.russia. gc.ca). Irish Embassy, Grokholsky Per. d. 5 (y 495 937 5911; www. embassyofireland.ru). New Zealand Embassy Povarskaya Ul. d. 44 (y 495 956 3579; www.nzembassy. com). United Kingdom Embassy Smolenskaya Nab. d. 10 (y 495 956 7200; www.britaininrussia.ru). United States Embassy B. Devyatinsky Per. d. 10 (y 495 728 5000).

MasterCard and Visa are widely accepted, American Express less so and Diners Club hardly at all. Report lost credit cards on y 495 956 4806 (Diners Club, Visa, Mastercard) and y 495 580 9449 or 495 543 9400 (AmEx) www. americanexpress.com/russia/. CREDIT CARDS

See p 98 for restrictions on antiques and other items. You may bring in up to $3,000 worth of hard currency (including travelers checks) without declaring it, sums above this should be declared on entry (and all amounts above $10,000 must be) to

CUSTOMS

171

DOCTORS See Emergencies. The following provide western-standard private medical care:

American Medical Center, Prospect Mira d. 26 bldg. 6 (entrance via Grokholsky Per.) (y 495 933 7700 (24 hr.); www.amcenter.ru). European Medical Center, Spiridonievsky Per. d. 5, (y 495 933 6655; www.emcmos.ru). SOS International (see p 92). Electricity 220V AC, European two-pin plugs are standard. Dial y 01 for fire, y 02 for police, y 03 for an ambulance and y 04 if you smell gas. EMERGENCIES

GAY & LESBIAN TRAVELERS Decriminalized in 1993, Moscow’s gay community is discreet but active. Gayrussia.ru (www.gayrussia.ru) and Gay.ru (http://english.gay.ru) both have good English-language city guides.

New Year: January 1. Note that January 2, 3, 4 and 5 are also public holidays, and offices close for up to a week. Orthodox Christmas: January 7. Defenders of the Fatherland Day: February 23. International Women’s Day: March 8. Festival of Spring and Labor: May 1–2. Victory Day: May 9. Russia Day: June 12. Day of National Unity: November 4.

HOLIDAYS

Most European policies provide cover across all Russian territory west of the Urals. Most of the western medical services have direct billing arrangements in place with the major US insurance companies.

INSURANCE

INTERNET Internet access is plentiful, with many cafés (McDonald’s, TGI Fridays) offering free WiFi and others (Coffeemania, Koffee Haus and Shokoladnitsa chains) making nominal charges. Cafe Max internet

cafés (www.cafemax.ru) are open 24 hours, offering WiFi, broadband and copying services. Their most central locations are at Pyatnitskaya Ul. d. 25 bldg.1 y 495 950 6050 (metro: Novokuznetskaya) and Novoslobodskaya Ulitsa d. 3 y 495 741 7571 (metro: Novoslobodskaya). Directly in the center, you’ll find a good (but small) internet café on the second floor of the Tsentralny Hotel at Tverskaya Ul. d. 10. The metro has Lost Property offices at Komsomolskaya station and at Universitet (y 495 622 2085). Lost documents can be traced through the Ministry of Internal Affairs on y 8 499 978 4624. LOST PROPERTY

MAIL & POSTAGE The main post offices are at Myastnitskaya Ul. d. 26a (8am–7.45pm) and Tverskaya Ul. d. 7 (8am–10pm): you’ll need to visit either of these if sending parcels abroad. Most of the tourist hotels will sell you stamps: they’re not readily available outside of post offices, however. Letters and postcards cost 22 rubles to any destination worldwide.

The ruble has been convertible since 2006, and some exchange bureaux (notably at Heathrow I) hold rubles for exchange, although rates are dire. Exchanges are freely available throughout the city center, but you may be asked to show your passport at some. At press time, exchange rates were 1
=36.20R; 1$=24.32R; and 1£=45.47R. For upto-the-minute currency rates check the currency converter website www.xe.com/ucc. Travelers checks can only be cashed in banks, and commission charges of 2%–3% are common. Citibank and Raiffeisen Bank have numerous branches and ATMs throughout the city (www. citibank.ru, www.raiffeisen.ru/en/). Commission charges at ATMs vary widely (and will depend on your

MONEY

Fast Facts

avoid problems when leaving. Travelers may take up to $10,000 out of the country, but note that this figure includes all hard currencies, rubles and travelers checks.

The Savvy Traveler

172

own bank), but some can be punitive. If you plan to bring cash, euros are the currency of choice these days. American Express have an office (through Russian Standard Bank) on Red Square, Vetoshny Per. d. 17 (y 495 543 9400, www. americanexpress.com/russia). PASSPORTS See “Visas and Registration”. You are legally required to carry your passport at all times.

The 36.6 chain has branches throughout the city and operates a delivery service on y 495 797 6366. See p 92. PHARMACIES

Visitors leaving certain clubs late at night may be at risk of assault and theft, and gypsy cabs waiting for punters outside nightclubs can sometimes pose a threat: see p 168 to reserve a cab in advance. Generally though, tourists are undisturbed and women safe to walk the city center alone, even in the early hours. SAFETY

A national sport. Nonsmoking facilities are increasing, but still rare. Ask for “kyryashi (Kurqo]j: smoking)” or “ne kuryashki (ne kurq]ij: non-smoking).” SMOKING

VAT is applied to most goods and services at a rate of 18%. It is included in all retail and restaurant bills, but check when paying for hotel accommodation.

TAXES

TELEPHONES For general assistance (free of charge) dial 09. For directory enquiries, dial y 009 (charged at 35 rubles per minute): for other directory assistance dial y 07 (08.30am11pm only). If making long-distance calls outside Moscow from a landline dial y 8, wait for a tone, and then dial the local area code followed by

the full number. For international calls, dial y 8 and wait for a tone, then dial y 10 before the country code. If dialing from a Moscow SIM mobile, simply dial y 8 before the local area code: you’ll need to see if your Russian network operator allows international roaming with your Russian mobile operator before calling abroad. For international operator assistance dial y 8 194, and for assistance across Russia dial y 8 13. Find more information at www.rt.ru/en/. TIPPING Many wait staff are moonlighting students working for what are often criminally low wages, even here. Fifteen percent is about right, with 20 rubles or so for coat check staff.

Still woefully rare. Chemical toilets are available throughout the city but should be avoided at all costs. Restaurants and bars are legally obliged to allow you to use their facilities: aim for one of the ubiquitous coffee chains— Coffee House, Coffee Mania or Shokoladnitsa.

PUBLIC TOILETS

TOURIST INFORMATION Tourist Information Center, Gostiny Dvor, Ilyinka Ul. d. 4, y 495 232 5657, www.moscow-city.ru. Intourist have offices at Prospect Mira d. 150, y 495 956 4207 and Stoleshnikov Per. d. 11, y 495 956 4519, www. intourist.com. TRAVELERS WITH DISABILITIES There are very few concessions for wheelchair access. The Perspektiva society is trying (slowly) to change this and may be able to advise. Contact them at 2nd Frunzenskaya Ul. d. 8, y 495 245 6879, or at www.eng. perspektiva-inva.ru.

173

1147 The first historic reference to

the city of Moscow. 1156 Yuri Dolgoruky (popularly con-

sidered the founder of Moscow) builds the first fortifications of what is to become the Kremlin. 1296 Despite Tatar invasions in

1236-1240 and 1296, the city’s emergence as a trade center begins to eclipse the historic centers of Vladimir and Suzdal. 1325–1340 Ivan I’s success in raising

revenues for the Tatars sees him become the first Grand Prince of Moscow and earns him the title “Ivan Kalita” or “Moneybags”. The death of Metropolitan Peter (head of the Orthodox church) in 1326 presents Ivan I with the opportunity to establish Moscow as the country’s religious center in place of Vladimir. The first (wooden) Assumption Cathedral is built in the Kremlin, to this end. 1367 Grand Prince Dmitry replaces

the former wooden fortress with the first (white) stone Kremlin. 1380 Grand Prince Dmitry’s defeat of

the Tatars at Kulikovo earns him the title of Dmitry Donskoi. 1478 Tatar domination ends and the

principality of Moscow is recognized as the center of the Russian state under Ivan III (Ivan the Great). The city grows beyond the boundaries of the former “Kitai Gorod” to the “Bely Gorod” (or White City) around it. 1555–1561 Ivan IV (Ivan the Terrible,

the first ruler to take the title of “Tsar”) commissions the building of St. Basil’s to commemorate his 1552 victory over the Tatars at Kazan. Despite a further victory at Astrakhan in 1556, Crimean Tartars capture Moscow in 1571.

1584 In the absence of an effective

heir (his son Fyodor I being in poor health), Ivan the Terrible establishes a regent council headed by Boris Godunov to rule after his death. 1589 Formerly a metropolitan see,

Boris Godunov secures Russia’s elevation to a patriarchate. 1591 A further attack by the Crimean

Tatars is defeated, thanks to new defensive walls protecting the Bely Gorod (following the route of today’s Boulevard Ring). 1605 Famine in 1601-1603 and the

death of Boris Godunov in 1605 marks the start of the Time of Troubles, a chaotic period of pretenders, uprisings and boyar revolts. The first False Dmitry seizes Moscow with the help of the Poles: he is later deposed by boyar leader Vasiliy Shusky, himself deposed by a further Polishsupported boyar rebellion with another pretender, the Second False Dmitry, in 1608. 1612 The Poles are driven out by

Minin and Pozharsky (their memorial still stands in front of St. Basil’s cathedral). 1613 The Romanov dynasty is estab-

lished under Tsar Michael I. 1703 Peter the Great begins con-

struction of St. Petersburg, which becomes the new capital in 1713. 1755 Moscow University established:

despite major fires (in 1737, 1748 and 1752) the city flourishes the following decades, seeing the construction of Neo Classical buildings by architects Quarenghi, Bazhenov and Kazakov. 1812 Napoleon invades Russia. Gen-

eral Kutuzov evacuates troops

Moscow: A Brief History

Moscow: A Brief History

The Savvy Traveler

174

and civilians from the city after the Battle of Borodino on September 7. The French occupy a week later but, after the Great Fire of Moscow, are forced to retreat on October 19. 1813 A Commission for the Con-

struction of the City of Moscow sees construction of the Kremlin Great Palace, the Armory, the Manezh and the Bolshoi Theater. 1870–1890S Greater mobility and

industrialization sees the city’s population double to 602,000: it reaches almost 1,000,000 by the end of the century. 1905 Increased industrialization and

growth of the working class results in strikes and civic unrest, culminating in the Revolution of 1905. 1917 Bolshevik’s seize power in

Petrograd on October 25 (November 7, Julian calendar). Bolsheviks gain control of the Kremlin on October 26. Loyalist troops initially regain control, but following fighting throughout the city the Bolsheviks regain the Kremlin and establish their authority on November 3. 1917–1922 The Russian Civil War

sees Moscow’s population halve, to one million. 1918 Moscow is restored as the cap-

ital city as Lenin returns in March. 1922 The USSR is established at the

First All-Union Congress of Soviets, December 30. 1928 The first Five Year Plan marks

the start of heavy industrialization. 1935 The Great Moscow Plan sees

the establishment of today’s main thoroughfares (Tverskaya Ulitsa, Leninsky Prospekt, Leningradsky Prospekt and Prospect Mira) and construction of the first line of the Moscow Metro.

1936–1938 The Moscow Show Trials

result in 54 party figures executed. Nationally, some 1,170,000 people are arrested, 724,000 of them executed. 1941 Germans reach the outskirts of

Moscow, and the city is besieged from October until German forces withdraw on December 6. 1947 800th anniversary of the City of

Moscow. 1980 Moscow hosts the Olympic

Games. 1991 Anti-communist hardliners

attempt to oust Mikhail Gorbachev on August 19. Mounting a tank at the White House, Boris Yeltsin ensures the coup is defeated, but with Gorbachev’s authority hopelessly weakened the USSR is officially ended on December 26 as the Supreme Soviet is dissolved. Yeltsin becomes the first democratically elected President of the Russian Federation. 1993 An armed revolt by members

of the Duma sees the White House under siege and rebels attempting to occupy the Ostankino TV tower. 1999 Vladimir Putin is elected Prime

Minister. Following a series of bombings in Moscow attributed to Chechen separatists, his hardline handling of that conflict sees him nominated Yeltsin’s successor on 31 December 1999, with much popular support. 2000 Vladimir Putin becomes Presi-

dent. High oil prices from 2003 onwards fuel a consumer and construction boom, and an 83% popularity rating for the President. 2008 Forbidden for standing for a

third term, Putin is appointed Prime Minister. Former Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev (Putin’s chosen successor) is elected President in his place.

175

Useful Phrases

Useful Phrases The Russian Alphabet RUSSIAN

PRONUNCIATION

Aa B Vv G Dd Ee |\ Zz "' Ii Jj Kk Ll Mm Nn Oo Pp Rr Ss Tt Uu Ff Xx Cc Hh Ww }] += Yy :; Zz {[ Qq

Ah b (as in ‘bus’) v (as in ‘very’) g (as in ‘go’) d (as in ‘dog’) Yeh yö (as in ‘yo-yo’) z (as in ‘zoo’) zh (as in ‘measure’) Ee (as in ‘happy’ Ee (“y” as in “yes”) K l m n o p r S T U (pronounced as in ‘zoo’) F kh ts ch (as in ‘check’) sh shch Hard sign—always silent Y Soft sign—always silent eh yu ya

Useful Phrases ENGLISH

RUSSIAN

PHONETIC

Hello Good morning Good day Good evening Goodbye Please Thank you

zdravstvutte@ Dobroe utro@ Dobryj den;@ Dobryj veher@ Do svidaniq@ po'apujsta Spasibo

zdrastvute Dobroye utro Dobry den Dobry vecher Dosvidanya Pazhalsta Spasibo

The Savvy Traveler

176 ENGLISH

RUSSIAN

Excuse me Yes No Good Bad I don’t know When? Where? Where is...? How do I get to...? On the left On the right Entrance Exit I would like... I need... Do you have...? How much is...? Yesterday Today Tomorrow More Less Do you speak English? I don’t understand What time is it? Do you have a menu in English? Could I have the bill please? Station Stop (bustop, metro etc.) Metro Airport Taxi Cathedral Church Museum Theater Restaurant Toilet Male Female I need a doctor I need to book a hotel room I need to book a place

Izinite Da Net Xorowo Ploxo Q ne zna[ Kogda Gde Gde naxo... Kak dobrat;sq Do...* Sleva Slravaa Vxoa Vyxoad Mne xotelosv by... Mne nu'no... U Vas est;....?

PHONETIC

Izvinitye Da Net Khorosho Plokho Ya ne znayu Kagda? Gde? Gde nahoditsa? Kak doidti do? Sleva Sprava Vyod Vihod Mne hotelos bwi Mne nooszhno Oo vas yest? Skolkostoit...? Skolko stoit? Vhera Vchera Segodnq Sevodnya Zavtra Zavtra Bol;we Bolshe Men;we Menshe Vygovoritepo-anglijski Ve govorite po Russky? Qneponima[ Ya ne ponimayu Skol;kosejhasvremeni? Skolko sechas vremeni? U Vasest;men Oo vas yest menu na [naanglijskomqzyk? Angliskom yazikye? Mo'nosu\t Mozhno shot?

Vokzal Ostanovka

Vokzal Ostanovka

Metro Aeroport Taksi Xram / Sobor Cerkovr Muzej Teatr Restoran Tuapet Mu'skoj "enskij Mnenu'envrah Mne nu'no zabronirovat; Mne nu'no zabronirovat; mesto

Metro Aeroport Taxi Khram or Sobor Tserkov Moozei Teatr Restoran Too-a-let Mushskoy Zhenskee Mne nuzhen vrach Mne nuzhno zabronirovat komnatoo Mne nyzhno zabronirovat mesto

177 RUSSIAN

PHONETIC

I need to book a ticket I’ve lost my credit card

Mne nu'no zabronirovat; bilet Q poterqlsvo[kreditnu[ kartu (male), Q poterqlsvo[kreditnu[ kartu (female)

Mne nyzhno zabronirovat bilet Ya poteryal svoyu kreditnooyoo kartoo (male), Ya poeteryala svoyu kredit nooyoo kartoo (female) Ya poteryal (poteryala) svoy passport Ya poteryal (poteryala) svoy bilet

I’ve lost my passport Q poterql (poterql) I’ve lost my ticket

svojlaslort Q poterql (poterql) svojbileg

Numbers One Two

Odin or Raz Dva (masculine) Dve

Three Four Five Six Seven Eight Nine Ten Twenty Thirty Forty Fifty Sixty Seventy Eighty Ninety One hundred One thousand

Tri Hetyre Pgt; West; Sem; Vosem; Devqt; Desqt; Dvadcat; Tridcat; Sorok Pqtvdesqt West;desqt Sem;desqt Vosem;desqt Devqnosto Sto (Odna) tysqha

Odin or Raz Dva or Dve (feminine)

(feminine) Tree Chitiree Pyat Shesht Seym Voseym Devyat Desyat Dvadtsat Tridtsat Sorok Pyatdesyat Shestdesyat Semdesyat Vosemdesyat Devyanosto Sto Odna tisacha

Street Names and Abbreviations Per: pereulok or lane Nab: naberezhnaya or embankment Ul: ulitsa or street D: an abbreviation for ‘dom’ or house, used to show house numbers M or B: if before a street name this is an abbreviation of Malaya (small) or Bolshaya (big) e.g., Malaya Lubyanka, Bolshaya Lubyanka are two different streets. 1st, 3rd, etc: if used before a street name, this is an abbreviation of 1-aya, 2-aya meaning ‘First Tverskaya-Yamskaya Ul.’, for example.

Useful Phrases

ENGLISH

Index

178

Index See also Accommodations and Restaurant indexes, below.

A Airports, 168–169 Alexandrovsky Sad, 8 Aliluyeva-Stalina, Nadezhda, 18, 32 Alternative art, 44–45 Amusement parks, 105 Antique salons, 90 Apartment rentals, 170 Arbat, 62–65 Architecture, 4, 7–9, 11, 19–21, 38–39, 49, 52–54, 63, 78 Armoury, 3, 18, 22–23 Arsenal, 18 Art museums and galleries ART4.ru, 45 Art Muzeon Sculpture Park, 4, 13 Art Strelka, 81 Central House of Artists, 90 Moscow House of Photography, 45 Moscow Museum of Modern Art, 45 Museum of 17th Century Art and Culture, 20 NB Gallery, 90 New Tretyakov Gallery, 13–14 Photsoyuz Gallery, 45 Pushkin Museum, 4, 11, 24–29 Shishkin Gallery, 90 Tretyakov Gallery, 13 Winzavod, 45 Zurab Tsereteli Gallery, 61 Arts and entertainment, 132–142 ballet, 3, 136 banya, 139–140 best bets, 132 classical music, 136–137 film, 137 golf, 137 ice skating, 138 for kids, 139 maps, 133–135 opera, 139

skiing, 140 spectator sports, 140–141 sports complexes, 141–142 swimming, 142 theater, 9, 142 Astrakhanskiye Bani, 139–140 ATMs, 170 Atriland, 132, 138–139

B Ballet, 132, 136 Banya (bani), 132, 139–140 Bars, 72, 126–127, 130 Baths. See Banya (bani) B&Bs, 170 Bell Tower of Ivan the Great, 21 Belyaev Mansion, 67 Beria, Lavrenty, 69 Blues, 129 Boat trips, 14 Bogoyavlensky Monastery, 72 Bolotnaya Ploshad, 81 Bolshaya Nikitskaya neighbourhood, 68–69 Bolshaya Orynka Ulitsa, 82 Bolshoi Ballet, 3, 132 Bolshoi Opera, 132, 139 Bolshoi Theater, 9, 136 Books in English, 90–91 Bowling, 132 Boyarsky Dvor, 73 Brew bars, 127 Bulgakov, Mikhail, 32, 49 Buses, 169 Business hours, 170

C Cabaret, 132 Car rentals, 168 Cathedrals. See Churches and cathedrals Caucasian dishes, 114 Cellphones, 167–168 Central House of Actors, 64 Central Museum of the Armed Forces, 51 Central Museum of the Great Patriotic War, 101 Centrifuge (Star City), 163 Chambers of the Kadashevski Slobode, 13 Chambers of the Romanov Boyars, 73 Chapel of the Shroud, 31 Chekhov, Anton, 32–33 Chekhov International Theater Festival, 142

Children arts and entertainment for, 132, 138–139 Central Museum of the Armed Forces, 51 Chudo-Grad Amusement Park, 105 Diamond Fund, 23 Gorky Park, 105 Hard Rock Cafe, 115–116 Hotel Novotel Moscow Centre, 154 Kremlin Armoury, 3, 22–23 Matryoshka Museum, 58 Moscow Palace of Youth, 142 Pasta Project, 118 Russky Led, 105 Shinok, 119 Tagansky Protected Command Point, 51 VDNKh, 103 China and glass, 91 Chocolate, 81, 91–92 Chudo-Grad Amusement Park, 105 Churches and cathedrals Cathedral of Christ the Savior, 11 Cathedral of the Annunciation, 21 Cathedral of the Archangel, 20–21 Cathedral of the Dormition, 20 Cathedral of the Virgin of Smolensk, 31 Chamber of the Cross, 20 Chapel of the Shroud, 31 Church of St. George of Pskov Hill, 72 Church of St. Maxim the Confessor, 72 Church of St. Nicholas at Tomalchy, 36 Church of St. Nicholas in Pyzhy, 82 Church of St. Nicholas of the Weavers, 49 Church of St. Nicholas the Wonder Worker, 73 Church of St. Nicholi in Bersenevke, 81 Church of St. Tatiana, 69 Church of St. Varvarka, 72

179

D Dance clubs, 127–129 “Dark side” of Moscow, 46–47 Day trips and excursions, 158–164 Defenders of the Motherland Day, 167 Designers, Russian, 96 Dinamo Stadium, 140

Dining. See also Restaurant Index best bets, 108 maps, 109–111 Disabilities, travelers with, 172 Doctors, 171 Dome Cinema, 137 Dom na Kotelnicheskoi, 9, 39 Dom na Kudrinskoi, 39 Dom na Naberezhnoi, 81 Dom Soyuzov, 136 Dom Zhurnalista, 59 Dormition Cathedral, 20 Drinking dens, 130 Driving, 169 Durov Animal Theater, 139 Dzerzhinsky Artillery Academy, 73

E Eisenstein, Sergei, 33 Electricity, 171 Eliseevskiy Gastronom, 4, 9, 78–79, 91 Embassies, 170 Emergency services, 92, 171 English-language books, 90–91 Entertainment. See Arts and entertainment Epiphany Monastery, 72 Euro-Katok, 138 Exchange rates, 171

F Fabergé eggs, 23 Fallen heroes, 42–43 Fashion, 96, 167 Festivals, 167 Figurny Dom, 54 Film, 132, 137, 167 Full-day tours, 6–14

G Gagarin, Yuri, 3, 163 Galleries. See Art museums and galleries Gate Church of the Transfiguration, 31 Gaudi Arena (dance club), 127 Gay and lesbian travelers, 171 Gay clubs, 129 Georgievsky Pereulok, 79 Gifts, 92–94 Glass, 91 Glavnaya Aleya, 106 Gogol, Nikolai, 33, 58 Golden Mile, 60–61

Golf, 137 Gorbachev, Mikhail, 174 Gorbacheva, Raisa, 33 Gorbushkin Dvor, 96 Gorky, Maxim, 4, 49, 53, 105 Gorky Park, 3, 104–106, 132, 138 Gostiny Dvor, 72 Gostorg building, 54 Great Fire of Moscow, 173 Great Moscow Plan, 174 Great Moscow State Circus, 139 Gruzinsky Val market, 96 GULAG, 47 GUM, 7, 95 GUM Ice-Rink, 138

H Hairdressers, 94 Hall of Columns, 132 Hall of Facets, 21 Harvest Chandelier, 20 Hilton Moscow Leningradskaya Hotel, 4, 39 History museums Central Museum of the Great Patriotic War, 101 KGB museum, 47 Museum of Contemporary Russian History, 4, 8, 77, 93 State Museum of the History of the GULAG, 47 History of Moscow, 172–174 Holidays, 171 Hotels. See Accommodations Index Hotel Ukraina, 39 House of Unions, 136 House on the Embankment, 47

I Ice skating, 3, 132, 138 Igromax, 139 Illusion Cinema, 137 Institute of MarxismLeninism, 43 Insurance, 171 International Tchaikovsky Competition, 167 International Women’s Day, 167 Internet, 171 ITAR-TASS, 57 Ivan the Great Bell Tower, 21 Izvestia building, 78

Index

Church of Saints Cosmas and Damian, 73 Church of the Archangel Gabriel, 54 Church of the Ascension, 161 Church of the Conception of St. Anne, 72 Church of the Consolation of All Sorrows, 82 Church of the Deposition of the Robe, 20 Church of the Great Ascension, 69 Church of the Iverskaya Icon of the Holy Virgin in Vspole, 82 Church of the Nativity of Our Lady of Putinki, 78 Church of the Resurrection of Christ at Kadashi, 82 Church of the Savior in Peski, 64 Church of the Trinity of Nikitniki, 73 Church of the Twelve Apostles, 19–20 convents, 11, 31, 82 Gate Church of the Transfiguration, 31 Kazan Cathedral, 7 monasteries, 72–73 Patriarch’s Palace, 19–20 St. Basil’s Cathedral, 4, 7–8 Circuses, 139 Classical music, 136–137 Climate, 166, 167 Clubs, 127–129 Cold warriors, 50–51 Communist Party Central Committee, 73 Confections, 91–92 Consulates, 170 Convents, 11, 31, 82 Credit cards, 170 Currency, 171 Customs requirements, 98, 166–167, 170

Index

180

J Jazz and blues, 129 Jewelry, 94

K Kant Sports Club, 132, 140 Kazan Cathedral, 7 Kekushev apartment building, 61 KGB museum, 47 Khodinskoye Pole Ice Palace, 138, 140–141 Khrushchev, Nikita, 33 Kids. See Children Kievskaya metro station, 41 Kitai Gorod, 70–73 Kolomenskoye, 160–161 Komsomol, 73 Komsomolskaya metro station, 41 Konstantino-Eleninskaya Tower, 19 Krasnaya Oktyabr Chocolate Factory, 81 Krasniye Vorota, 39 Kremlin, 4, 8, 16–23 Kremlin Cup, 167 Kremlin Wall, 43 Krivoarbatsky Pereulok, 64 Kuznetsky Most neighbourhood, 74–75 Kva-Kva Waterpark, 132, 139

L Lavrushinsky Pereulok, 13 Le Meridien Moscow Country Club, 137 Lenin, Vladimir Ilyich, 174 Lenin Mausoleum, 4, 8, 18, 43 Lenin Museum, 7 Leninsky Prospect, 106 Lenkom Theater, 78 Live music, 129–130 Lobnoe Mesto, 8 Lodging. See also Accommodations Index best bets, 144 maps, 145–148 rates, 150 Lokomotiv Stadium, 141 Lopukhina Palace, 31 Lubyanka, 9, 47 Luzhniki Stadium and Sports Complex, 132, 141

M Mail and postage, 171 Malaya Dmitrovka Ulitsa, 78 Malls, 94–96 Maly Theater, 9, 142

Mandelstam, Osip, 57 Mansurovsky Pereulok, 61 Maria Yermolova House Museum, 57 Markets, 3, 96 Martha and Mary Convent, 82 Marx, Karl, 43 Maslenitsa, 167 Matroshka Museum, 58, 93 Maxim Gorky Memorial Museum, 4, 49, 53 Mayakovskaya metro station, 41 Mayakovskaya Ploshad, 77 Mayakovsky Theater, 69 Mayakovsky, Vladimir, 33, 49 Mayakovsky Museum, 49, 93 MDM (Moscow International House of Music), 137 Medical centres, 171 Medvedev, Dmitry, 174 Melnikov House, 53–54 Menshikov Tower, 54 Metro. See Moscow Metro Metropol Hotel, 9 MGU. see Moscow State University Michael I, Tsar, 173 Military museums, 51, 101 Millionaire Fair, 167 Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 39, 65 Mir Space Station simulator, 163–164 MKhAT. see The Moscow Art Theater Mobile phones, 167–168 Monasteries, 72–73 Money, 171–172 Monument to the Conquerors of Space, 51 Morozov Mansion, 53, 63, 67 Moscow favourite moments in, 3–4 history of, 172–174 Moscow Art Theater (MKhAT), 79, 142 Moscow Biennale, 167 Moscow City Golf Club, 137 Moscow City Hall, 79 Moscow Dolphinarium, 132, 139 Moscow House of Photography, 45 Moscow International Film Festival, 167 Moscow International House of Music (MDM), 137 Moscow Metro, 3, 40–41, 169

Moscow Museum of Modern Art, 45 Moscow Palace of Youth, 142 Moscow Show Trials, 174 Moscow State Conservatoire, 69, 137 Moscow State University (MGU), 11, 39, 69 Mosselprom building, 53, 59 Museum of Contemporary Russian History, 4, 8, 77, 93 Museum of the Cosmonauts, 51 Museum of the Yuri Gagarin Cosmonauts’ Training Centre, 164 Museums. See also Armoury Art museums and galleries Bulgakov Memorial Apartment Museum, 49 Central Museum of the Armed Forces, 51 Central Museum of the Great Patriotic War, 101 Gogol House Museum, 58 KGB museum, 47 Lenin Museum, 7 Leo Tolstoy Estate Museum, 49 Leo Tolstoy Museum, 61 Maria Yermolova House Museum, 57 Matryoshka Museum, 58 Maxim Gorky Memorial Museum, 4, 8, 49, 53 Mayakovsky Museum, 49, 93 Museum of Contemporary Russian History, 4, 8, 77, 93 Museum of the Cosmonauts, 51 Museum of the Yuri Gagarin Cosmonauts’ Training Centre, 164 Open Air Museum of Military Equipment and Engineering, 101 Politechnic Museum, 51 Pushkin Apartment Museum, 64, 65 Pushkin Literary Museum, 61 Shchusev Museum of Architecture, 63 Stanislavsky House Museum, 58

181

N Naprudnaya Tower, 31 Narkomzem building, 54 Neighbourhood walks, 56–82 Arbat, 62–65 Bolshaya Nikitskaya, 68–69 Golden Mile, 60–61 Kitai Gorod, 70–73 Kuznetsky Most, 74–75 Patriarch’s Ponds, 66–67 Three Boulevards, 56–59 Tverskaya, 76–79 Zamoskvorechye, 80–82 Neskuchny Sad, 106 New Tretyakov Gallery, 13–14 New Year’s Eve, 167 Nightlife, 122–130 bars, 126–127 best bets, 122 clubs, 127–129 gay clubs, 129 jazz and blues, 129 live music, 129–130 maps, 123–125 pubs and drinking dens, 130 Nikolskaya Ulitsa, 71 NKPS building, 54 No. 33 trolleybus, 4 Novodevichy Cemetery, 3, 11, 32 Novodevichy Convent, 11, 30–33 Novokuznetskaya metro station, 13 Novoslobodskaya metro station, 41

O Old Circus, 139 Old English Court, 72–73

Olympisky Stadium and Sports Complex, 142 Open Air Museum of Military Equipment and Engineering, 101 Opera (music), 132, 139 Ostozhenka Ulitsa, 61 Outdoor activities, 100–106 Gorky Park, 104–106 VDNKh, 102–103 Victory Park, 100–101 Outlandish architecture, 52–54

P Palace of Congresses, 4 Palace of Irina Godunova, 31 Park Pobedy. See Victory Park Passports, 166, 172 Patriarch’s Gardens, 11 Patriarch’s Palace, 19–20 Patriarch’s Ponds, 66–67 Pentagon, 59 Perlov Tea House, 54 Perstov House, 11 Petition Stone, 161 Petrovsky Passazh, 75 Pharmacies, 172 Place of Skulls, 8 Ploshad Revolutsii metro station, 41 Plotnikov Pereulok, 65 Politechnic Museum, 51 Porokhovshchikov House, 65 Postage, 171 Poteshny Palace, 18, 19 Praga Restaurant, 63 Prechistenskaya Ulitsa, 61 Presidium, 18 Prokofiev, Sergei, 33 Public toilets, 172 Pubs, 130 Pushkin, Alexander, 61, 64, 65, 78 Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts, 4, 11, 24–29 Pushkinskaya Ploshad, 78 Putin, Vladimir, 174 Pyanitskaya Ulitsa, 82

R Red Chambers, 61 Red Square, 3, 7 Red Staircase, 21 Resurrection Gate, 7 Rizhsky Market, 96 Rock music, 132 Rostropovich, Mstislav, 33 Russian Academy of Arts, 61 Russian Chamber of Commerce, 72

Russian Civil War, 174 Russian Fashion Week, 167 Russian Federation, 174 Russian language, 175–177 Russian State Library, 63 Russian Winter Festival, 167 Russian writers, 48–49 Russky Led, 105 Ryabushinsky Mansion, 53

S Safety concerns, 172 St. Basil’s Cathedral, 4, 7–8 Saints, 73 Samolet Bowling, 132, 136 Sandunovsky Bani, 3, 14, 132, 140 Savinskoye Podvorye, 79 Seleznevskiye Bani, 140 Senate, 18 Senate Square, 18 Serbsky Central Scientific Research Institute, 61 Serebranny Bor, 142 Shchusev Museum of Architecture, 63 Sholokhov Memorial, 59 Shopping, 84–98 antiques, 90 art galleries, 90 best bets, 84 books, 90–91 china and glass, 91 clothing, 96 emergencies, 92 food and supermarkets, 8, 9, 91–92, 96–98 gifts and souvenirs, 92–94 hairdressers, 94 jewelry, 94 malls and shopping centres, 94–96 maps, 85–89 markets, 96 music, 96 Sivtsev Vrazhek Pereulok, 65 Skate Park Adrenalin, 139 Skating, 3, 132, 138 Skiing, 140 Sky Lounge, 126 Skyscrapers, 38–39 Smoking, 172 Solovetsky Stone, 47 Souvenirs, 92–94 Soyuz Kompozitorov, 122, 129 Space science, 3, 51, 162–164 Sparrow Hills, 11 Spaso House, 64 Spasskaya Tower, 19

Index

State Historical Museum, 7, 9 State Museum of the History of the GULAG, 47 Music ballet, 136 classical, 136–137 jazz and blues, 129 live, 129–130 opera, 139 popular, 132 romantic venues, 138 stores, 96

Index

182 Special events, 167 Special interest tours, 16–54 alternative art, 44–45 Armoury, 22–23 cold warriors, 50–51 the dark side, 46–47 fallen heroes, 42–43 Kremlin, 16–23 Moscow Metro, 40–41 Novodevichy, 30–33 outlandish architecture, 52–54 Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts, 24–29 Russian writers, 48–49 Stalin’s skyscrapers, 38–39 Tretyakov Gallery, 34–37 Spectator sports, 140–141 Spiridonovka Ulitsa, 67 Sports golf, 137 ice skating, 138 Kremlin Cup, 167 skiing, 140 spectator sports, 140–141 swimming, 141–142 Sports clubs and complexes, 132, 141, 142 Stalin, Joseph, 4, 46–47, 142, 158–159 Stalina, Nadezhda, 18, 32 Stalin’s skyscrapers, 38–39 Stanislavsky House Museum, 58 Staraya Ploshad, 73 Star City, 162–164 State Duma, 9 State Historical Museum, 7, 9 State Kremlin Palace, 132, 136 State Museum of the History of the GULAG, 47 Stoleshnikov Pereulok, 75 Sudnaya Kassa, 77–78 Supermarkets, 98 Swimming, 132, 141–142 Synodal Printing House, 71

T Tagansky Protected Command Point, 4, 51 Tainitskaya Tower, 19 Taxes, 172 Taxis, 169 Tchaikovsky, Pyotr, 11 Tchaikovsky Concert Hall, 137 Teatralnaya Ploshad, 9 Telephones, 167–168, 172

10 Doimov, 132, 139 Terem Palace, 4, 20 Theater, 9, 142 35mm Cinema, 132, 137 Three Boulevards neighbourhood, 56–59 Throne of Monomakh, 20 Tickets, for events, 136 Time of Troubles, 173 Tipping, 172 Toilets, 172 Tolstoy, Leo, 49, 61 Torture Tower, 19 Tourist information, 172 Tours, special interest. See Special interest tours Trains, 169 Tretyakov Gallery, 34–37, 82 Tretyakov Refuge for Artists’ Widows and Children, 82 Tretyakovsky Proezd, 9, 71 Tsar Bell, 19 Tsar Cannon, 19 Tsar Tower, 19 Tsentralny University Magazin (TsUM), 75 Tsentrosoyuz building, 54 Tverskaya neighbourhood, 76–79 Tverskaya Ploshad, 79

U Ulanova, Galina, 39 USSR, 174

V Varvarka Ulitsa, 72 VAT, 172 VDNKh, 102–103 Victory Day, 167 Victory Monument, 101 Victory Park, 100–101 Visas, 166–167 Vorobyovye Gory, 140 Vostok return capsule, 3 Vysoko-Petrovsky Monastery, 73

W Walking around, 170 Waterparks, 132 Weapons and guns display (Kremlin Armoury), 23 Weather, 166, 167 Websites, useful, 168 White Chambers, 61 Winzavod, 45 World War II, 8, 101 Writers’ museums, 49, 58, 61, 64, 65, 93

Y Yar, 132, 142 Yeliseyevsky Gastronom. See Eliseevskiy Gastronom Yeltsin, Boris, 33, 174 Yermolova House Museum, 57 Yermolov Mansion, 61 Yesenin, Sergei, 57 Yuri Gagarin Cosmonauts’ Training Centre, 3 Yuri Nikulin Circus, 139

Z Zaikonospassky Monastery, 72 Zamoskvorechye neighbourhood, 80–82 Zelyony Teatr, 106 Znamensky Sobor, 72 Zvedny Gorodok, 162–164

Accommodations Ararat Park Hyatt Moscow, 149 Arbat Hotel, 149 Bega Hotel, 149 Club 27, 149 Diplomatic Hunting Club Hotel, 144, 149–150 East-West Hotel, 150 Elegant Hotel, 150 Golden Apple Boutique Hotel, 150 Golden Ring Hotel, 150–151 Heliopark Empire, 151 Hilton Moscow Leningradskaya, 151 Holiday Inn MoscowLesnaya, 151 Hotel Akvarel, 144, 151 Hotel Baltschug Kempinski, 144, 151 Hotel Belgrade, 151 Hotel Budapest, 151–152 Hotel Cosmos, 152 Hotel Danilovskaya, 144, 152 Hotel Kebur Palace, 152 Hotel Metropol, 144, 152 Hotel Nikitskaya, 152 Hotel Sretenskaya, 144, 152–153 Izmailovo Hotel Complex, 153 Le Royal Meridien National, 144, 153 MaMaison Pokrovka Suite Hotel, 144, 153 Marco Polo Presnja Hotel, 153 Maxima Hotels, 153–154 Medea Hotel, 154

183

Restaurants Aist Café, 112 Aragvi, 43 Assaggiatore, 26 Avocado Cafe, 54 Barashka, 108, 112 Beryozka Pelmeni Bar, 108, 112 Blue Elephant, 112 Bocconcino, 101, 113 Bon, 112–113 Bosco Café, 7 Buterbrodnaya, 72 Café Aldebaran, 82 Café Ararat, 103 Café Michel, 11 Café Pushkin, 3, 57, 108 Carre Blanc, 113 CENO, 79

Central House of Writers, 108, 113 Chaihona No. 1, 105, 108 Chez Geraldine, 61 Club Petrovich, 43, 113 Coffee Bean, 9 Coffeemania, 69 Collection’s Café, 36 Confael, 58 Correas, 108, 113 Costa Coffee, 113 Daikon, 114 DK Kafe, 164 Donna Klara, 67 East Buffet, 114 Eat & Talk, 21 Evropeisky Zal, 14 Expedition, 108, 114 Filimonova i Yankel, 77, 108 Five Spice, 114 Galereya, 45 Genatsvale on the Arbat, 108, 114–115 Glavpivtorg, 115 Goodmans, 77, 108 Grably, 36, 82, 108 Guilly’s, 115 Guriya, 117 Hard Rock Cafe, 108, 115 Jagannath, 115 Japona Mama, 116 Jeroboam, 116 Kamerton, 79 Karetny Dvor, 116 Kavkazkaya Plennitsa, 116 Kish Mish, 108, 116 Koffee Haus (Kutuzovsky Prospect), 101 Le Gateau, 116 Le Pain Quotidien, 14 Lubyansky Restaurant, 3, 47 Maharaja, 116 Maki Kafe, 117 Mama Zoya, 117 Margarita Café, 49

McDonald’s, 21, 161 Metro, 41 Molly Gwynns, 36 Monks and Nuns, 65 The Most, 117 Myata Cafe, 31 Noah’s Ark (Noev Kovcheg), 117 Oblomov, 117–118 One Red Square, 117–118 Parizhsk, 118 Pasta Della Mama, 118 Petrov Vodkin, 118 Pokrovskiye Vorota, 108, 118 Praga Restaurant, 63 Prisoner of the Caucasus, 116 Roberto’s, 118 Saffron, 118 Sam Prishel, 118 Sbarros, 21 Scandinavia, 118 Schit i Mech, 51 Shesh Besh, 36, 108, 119 Shinok, 119 Shokoladnitsa, 101 Sorrento, 105 Spetzbufet No. 7, 47 Stambul-1, 159 Starbucks, 64 Starlite Diner, 77, 108, 119 Steaks, 119 Stolovaya 57, 119 Transsiberian, 119 Tridevyatoye Tsarstvo, 64, 108 Turandot, 108 U Priosmani, 108, 118 Uzbekistan, 108, 119 Vogue Café, 75 Volkonsky Khleb, 67 Waynes Coffee, 64 Yalki-Palki, 108, 119 Yar, 119 Zholtoye Morye, 120

Photo Credits Front Matter Credits: i: © Irina Fischer / Shutterstock; Bon Appetit / Alamy; TNT Magazine / PCL; ii: © Hillary Gilbert; © Terence Waeland / Alamy; © Hillary Gilbert; © AAD Worldwide Travel Images / Alamy; © Bartek Cieniawa; iii: © Bruce Yuan-Yue Bi / PCL; © Bar Café Version 1.5; © Bruce Yuan-Yue Bi / PCL; © Courtesy of Sovietsky Hotel, Moscow; © Nathan Stowell; viii: © Brian Painter. Courtesy of Alamy: p14 (© culliganphoto); p15 (© Terence Waeland); p83 (© AAD Worldwide Travel Images); p91 top (© croftsphoto); p91 bottom (© Bon Appetit); p92 (© Mark Sykes); p115 bottom (© Bernie Epstein). Courtesy of Crocus City Mall: p84. Courtesy of FotoLibra: p95 (© Philip Bannon). Courtesy of PCL: p8, p93 (© Graham Lawrence); p107, p131 (Bruce Yuan-Yue Bi).

Photo Credits

Mini Hotel Elkost, 144, 154 Moscow Marriott Grand Hotel, 154 Napoleon Hostel, 154 Novotel Moscow Centre, 144, 154 Oksana Hotel, 154 Ozerkovskaya Hotel, 154–155 Peking Hotel, 144, 155 Persona Hotel, 144, 155 Polesye Hotel, 155 President Hotel, 155 Radisson SAS Slavyanskaya Hotel, 155 Ritz-Carlton Moscow, 144, 155 Savoy Hotel, 156 Sheraton Palace Hotel, 156 Sovietsky Hotel, 144, 156 Sverchkov 8, 156 Swisshotel Krasnye Holmy, 156 Ukraina Hotel, 39, 144, 156 Ulanskaya Hotel, 156 Warsaw Hotel, 156

Photo Credits

184 Courtesy of Sandunovsky Bani: p141. Courtesy of Sky Lounge: p127. Courtesy of Sovietsky Hotel, Moscow: p143. Courtesy of The Bridgeman Art Library: p27, p29, p37. Courtesy of The Metropol Hotel: p152. Courtesy of The Most / Roma Volkov: p117, p128. Courtesy of The Session Hall: p159. Courtesy of TTL: p7 (© Oldrich Karasek); p165 (© Stuart Black). © Bar Café Version 1.5: p121 © Bartek Cieniawa: p9, p31, p39, p49, p51, p64 top, p65, p71, p73 bottom, p77, p78, p81, p99, p103, p144, p161. © Brian Painter: p105, p106, p138. © Club IKRA – Nikolai Oleinikov: p130. © Expedition Restaurant: p115 top. © Hillary Gilbert: p5, p26, p33 bottom, p36, p41 top, p47, p54 bottom, p55, p57, p59, p61, p63, p64 bottom, p67, p72, p73 top, p75, p79, p82, p94, p113 (courtesy of Central House of Writers); p122, p129, p137, p142. © Hilton: p4 bottom, p151. © Hyatt International: p149 © Igor Uranov: p119. © MaMaison Pokrovka Suite Hotel: p153. © Medea Hotel (waiting for perm form from Hillary): p154. © Nathan Stowell: p3, p4 top, p11, p13, p20, p33 top, p41 bottom, p43, p53, p54 top, p58, p69, p157, p163, p164. © Novikov Group Restaurants: p97, p108, p112, p116, p120. © Photo by Damir Yusupov/Bolshoi Theatre: p132, p140. © Photosoyuz: Association of Art Photographers of the Russian Federation: p45. © Ritz Carlton: p126, p155. © The Central Museum of the Great Patriotic war, Moscow: p101. © The Museums of the Moscow Kremlin: p19, p23. Thanks to Novodevichy Cemetery, under management of GUP “Ritual” for permission for Nathan Stowell to take image on p33 top.