Being the capital of Russia – the country, that unites East and West, Moscow has its own unique charm, which you can hardly find everywhere else in the world.
Moscow – the capital of Russia and one of the biggest cities in the world – is located in the western part of the country and occupies the territory of 2,500 square kilometers with the nationality over 12 million people. So far as the city is comparable in size to some European countries, tourists need to be very concentrated while making their timetable of the journey. For one-two days you can only have a short look on the center. To see all the interesting sights in Moscow you need to stay there not less than a week, but to break the ice of Muscovites’ affected severity and to discover the soul of the city can cost you at about a month.
The heart of the city, as red and beating as all the other hearts, is Moscow Kremlin. Being historically a fortified complex and now the official residence of the President, it stand on the bank of the Moskva River and overlooks Saint Basil’s Cathedral and Red Square to the East and the Alexander Garden to the West. Within the Kremlin walls you can find four palaces, four cathedrals and well known Tsar Cannon and Tsar Bell – the largest cannon and bell in the world.
Cannon and bell are not the only things, which are large in Moscow. Ruling such a big country, Russians got used to have everything big: big parks, big houses, even the cars on the streets are quite big until now. It is totally inconvenient for the city with incessant traffic jams, but has no disagreement with unbounded Russian soul.
Red Square is the first important touristic target and not in vain. State Historical Museum is waiting for history-lovers at the beginning of the square. Tourists, interested in the Soviet period of Russian history, will definitely like Lenin’s Tomb. And of course no person is allowed to go to Moscow and not to make a picture of Saint Basil’s Cathedral – the geometric center of Moscow.
In walking distance from the Square you can find Bolshoi and Maly Theaters, Cathedral of Christ the Saviour, Lubyanka Square, where in Soviet time the headquarters of the KGB was situated, Russian State Library, Moscow Manege Building, the Alexander Garden with the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and many more interesting places, which deserve to be the object of tourists’ interest.
Only one metro station divides you from the Arbat Street – a pedestrian street about one kilometer long in the historical centre of Moscow. It became an important tourist attraction because of the many historic buildings, and the numerous artists who have lived and worked there. But the Moscow Metro itself should be also mentioned as the underground museum of Soviet art.
There are numerous parks within the Moscow area, such as All-Russia Exhibition Centre with the Museum of Cosmonautic near it, Tsaritsyno and Kolomenskoye Parks, Victory Park on Poklonnaya Hill with the Obelisk of Nike and the Museum of the Great Patriotic War.
The thing, that needs to be noted separately, is Russian weather. Of course it is a prejudice, that Russian winter is hardly to survive, but nevertheless it’s quite cold. That’s why the travelers, who decide to visit Moscow in winter, should be ready to choose more indoor-activities, such as museums and Galleries. Among them the most important place wins State Tretyakov Gallery. Tourists, who like more to walk the streets and to enjoy nature, are advised to choose summer time for their visit to Moscow.
Moscow is the magic place. It is the city, where a person can go to sleep poor and wake up reach, but can happen also vice versa. This is definitely the city, that never sleeps, and where your life depends not on you, but mostly on your destiny. And if you are lucky enough, Moscow as a big mother will love you and keep your peace.
Written by Aleksandra Antokhina, AEGEE-Moskva