A huge, frenetic metropolis, Moscow has the largest population
of any city in Europe. No other Russian city offers quite the
enormous range of cultural heritage that Moscow has, having played
a pivotal role in both the country's political and industrial
history since the 13th century.
In the very centre of the city lies the Kremlin, a UNESCO World
Heritage site and arguably the most famous landmark in all
of Russia. The
walled citadel is home to the Russian government and every leader,
from the Tsars to Stalin and the current president, has issued
orders from within its walls. Today the Kremlin also serves as the
official residence of the country's president.
The Armoury
The Armoury boast an incredible range of gold, velvet and
precious stones. These treasures were all collected by various
leaders over the course of Russia's long history. Some magnificent
examples include the Fabergé egg and Catherine the Great's
coronation dress.
The Red Square And The Lenin Mausoleum
The iconic Red Square stands proud, and is home to the
vast State History Museum. It is easily most famous as the
final resting place of Lenin, whose remains have been carefully
guarded in the square since his death in 1924.
St Basil's Cathedral
With its round, brilliantly distinctive onion domes, St Basil's
Cathedral is an instantly recognisable feature of Moscow's skyline.
It was constructed in about 1550 by Ivan the Terrible, in order to
celebrate a victory over the Tartars. Having changed very little
since its completion, today the cathedral is one of the world's
architectural wonders.
Novodevichy Convent
Founded in 1524, the complex of the spectacular Novodevichy
Convent has stayed almost wholly unchanged since the 17th century
and is now a UNESCO World Heritage site. The main structure is the
16th century cathedral, but the octagonal bell tower is one of
Moscow's tallest pre-20th century landmarks, and is fascinating to
explore.
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