Moscow travel guide

Facts about Moscow

Moscow is the capital of Russia and its largest city with a population of over 13 million people (2024), located on an area of ​​2,561 square kilometers. Moscow has 12 administrative districts, divided into 125 districts. The Central District of Moscow is its historical center. The Kremlin, six railway stations, the most important sights are located in here .

Moscow history

The city was founded by Prince Yuri Dolgoruky, who built a powerful fortress on these lands in the 12th-14th centuries – the Kremlin, surrounded by a deep moat. In 1237-1238, Moscow was invaded by the Mongol troops of Batu Khan and was completely burned. It took 10 years to restore it. By 1271, Moscow, as an independent principality, found itself in the center of trade roads and routes among many 15 disparate principalities. By 1331, Moscow was already able to independently collect tribute from all Russian principalities and thus expand, acquiring the status of the richest principality of Rus’.
In 1380, Moscow became the capital of Rus’. In 1712, the capital of Rus’ was moved to St. Petersburg – a new city on the shores of the Gulf of Finland, built by Tsar Peter I. In 1918, against the backdrop of the aggravation of the internal political situation and the threat from German troops, the Soviet government under the leadership of Lenin decided to evacuate the government to Moscow. In March 1918, Moscow again became the capital of the Russian state and forever.

About Moscow metro

The Moscow metro has twelve lines and 393 stations. There are 31 stations within the central ring line. In the historical center of Moscow there are the following lines: Arbatsko-Pokrovskaya, Kaluzhsko-Rizhskaya, Zamoskvoretskaya, Kalininskaya, Koltsevaya, Serpukhovsko-Timiryazevskaya, Sokolnicheskaya, Takansko-Krasnopresnenskaya, Filevskaya.

Moscow museums

There are over 440 museums in Moscow. Many of them are not widely known to foreign visitors, but may be of interest for a more detailed acquaintance with Moscow and Russia as a whole, for example, these.

• State Museum of A.S. Pushkin
• Garage Museum of Contemporary Art
• Moscow Kremlin Armory
• Victory Museum
• State Museum of L.N. Tolstoy
• Anton Chekhov Museum
• Jewish Museum and Tolerance Center
• Moscow Perfume Museum
• Bunker-42 on Taganka

The main Moscow sights

There are many classical Moscow sights but the main ones which recommended to see for sure we listed below.

• The Moscow Kremlin and located on it’s territory: Armory chamber, Diamond Fund, a world heritage site Arkhangelsky, Uspensky and Annunciation cathedrals the Ivan the Great Bell tower, Spasskaya tower, the Grand Kremlin Palace, the Tsar bell and the Tsar cannon
• The Tretyakov gallery
• The Arbat street
• Moscow metro
• Red Square with Saint Basil’s Catherdral and Lenin Mausoleum
• The temple of Christ the Savior
• Moscow-City
• VDNKh
• Kolomenskoye museum-reserve
• Bolshoy theatre
• Tzaritsyno Palace
• GUM Department Store

Usefull to know

About the climate. Winter and summer in Moscow are clearly marked by the difference in temperatures. From December to February, the average air temperature fluctuates from -5 degree to -12 degrees. In the summer months, the hottest month is July with an average temperature above +25 degrees. In November and April it can be cool to +8 degrees on average. In Moscow, unlike Saint Petersburg, there is no humidity, the air is dry, there is less rain in general and more sunny days.

About money. The local currency is Ruble. The denominations of ruble banknotes are 10, 50, 100, 500, 1000, 5000 rubles. There are many banks in Moscow where you can easily exchange any currency for rubles. Exchange rates fluctuate within a certain range, relative to the main rate set by the Central Bank. If you plan to save money on currency exchange, look for a better rate.