Moscow, Russia

Photo: Saint Basil's Cathedral in Red Square

Cast in a warm glow, the multidomed Saint Basil's Cathedral in Red Square is the site of a fireworks show every New Year's Eve.

Photograph by Lyudmila Zinchenko/Agency.Photographer.ru

This massive metropolis captures Russia at her most extreme: her communist austerity and her capitalist indulgence; her devout orthodoxy and her uninhibited displays of wealth and power; her enigmatic ancient history and her dazzling contemporary culture. Moscow is the seat of political power in Russia, but it is also the country’s cultural and commercial center. From the storied streets surrounding Red Square to the modern new Moscow-City, the Russian capital is crammed with artistic, historic, and otherwise sacred sites. Sometimes intellectual and inspiring, sometimes debauched and depraved, it is always eye-opening.

Moscow Photos and Quiz

Related Features

  • Photo: Red Square

    Moscow Must-Dos

    Our experts recommend the top attractions in and around Moscow—with advice on how to get the most out of your visit.

  • Photo: Woman walking through Moscow at night

    Moscow Never Sleeps

    Novelist Martin Cruz Smith and photographer Gerd Ludwig discover the sinister magic of a city that reveals its true colors at night.

  • Photo: Russian Orthodox priest

    Soul of Russia

    Driven underground for 75 years, the faith of the Russian tsars now enjoys favored status.

  • Photo: Mountains at dusk

    Fragile Russian Wilderness

    Russia's Kronotsky reserve is best left untouched, in splendid isolation.

Adobe Flash Player This requires the latest version of Flash Player. Click here to download.

Travel With Us

All Upcoming Trips »

Travel Top 10

Travel Blog

More From Travel & Cultures