About Moscow | Congress on Mental Health: Meeting the needs of the 21st Century

History

The history of Moscow is intimately linked with that of Russia itself. Throughout Russia’s history, the repercussions of many events that have taken place in Russia’s ancient capital have been felt in distant corners of this vast land. Moscow has long been the cultural, economic and religious capital of the country, and this status is very evident in the way the city has developed over the centuries. The capital has always sought to be first: it was here that the first Russian printed books were published, and the first Russian University was founded. The city has an immense number of historic sites, museums and monuments representing every stage of the nation’s development: a single lifetime would not be enough to fully explore all that Moscow has to offer. Many of these sites are internationally recognized as symbols of Russia: the Moscow Kremlin with its Armory and Diamond Fund, Red Square and Saint Basil’s Cathedral, the Bolshoi Theatre, the Cathedral of Christ the Savior and Novodevichy Convent. All of these majestic sites offer profound insights into Russia’s history, and unique glimpses into its elusive soul.

LIST OF EXCURSIONS IN MOSCOW

Architecture

To walk through the streets of Moscow is to explore the history of Russian architecture: every century has bequeathed important buildings and monuments that eloquently convey the atmosphere of the time when they were built. The city's architecture represents every age – from the distant days of the Grand Duchy of Muscovy, a period which has left only faint echoes, as only the most significant buildings were constructed in stone and it is hard to distinguish fact from legend, to the 18th and 19th centuries, when great architects, such as Bazhenov, Kazakov, Ton, Bove, Kekushev and Shekhtel, left an enduring mark on the city. Among the most prominent architectural monuments are two UNESCO World Heritage Sites: the Moscow Kremlin and Red Square, and the historic churches of Kolomenskoye, including the great Cathedral of the Assumption. Other unique historic buildings are represented by the Bolshoi Theatre, the Pashkov House, Moscow University, and the city’s great aristocratic palaces of Kuskovo and Tsaritsino, with their grand formal gardens and estates. And of course the city has many iconic Soviet-era buildings, constructed to demonstrate the nation’s achievements, including the famous "Seven sisters", which still dominate the city’s skyline and are as much symbols of the city as the Kremlin towers. The 21st century has also left its mark, with the construction of the ultra-modern Moscow City complex, a futuristic district of glass, steel and concrete, which houses many of the tallest skyscrapers in Europe.

ARCHITECTURAL AND HISTORIC EXCURSIONS AROUND MOSCOW

Culture

Moscow has always attracted talented and ambitious people from all over Russia, including many poets, novelists, journalists, artists, philosophers and scientists. Not only did they find a home in the city, but they also drew their inspiration from this great meeting place. The combination of different national styles and cultural traditions, the city’s ancient history and the new ideas that always arise when people from different backgrounds meet each other, have transformed the city into a unique cultural center. Moscow now has more than 200 museums and exhibition centers, including the world-famous Tretyakov Gallery, the Manezh – once an Imperial military riding school and now a modern exhibition hall – and the great Pushkin museum of Fine Arts. There are also more than 150 theaters, many of which are internationally renowned, not least the Bolshoi Theater, which has become a symbol of Russia and one of the country’s biggest cultural exports. But Moscow is certainly also a center for many newer forms of art, and no trip to Moscow can be considered complete without a visit to the famous Mosfilm studios, or to the Moscow State Circus. As for fans of contemporary art, they can also find a great deal of things to meet their interests in the city’s new arts centers, such as the exciting Red October complex, a former chocolate factory which now houses a wide range of galleries, exhibition areas, cafes, and clubs.

HIGHLIGHTS OF MOSCOW’S MUSEUMS

Cuisine

In recent years, Moscow has developed something of a reputation as an eclectic gastronomic centre, with a wide range of restaurants serving food from all over the world. It is difficult to think of any country that is not represented here. But as people travel more and more, they become more fastidious, and they have higher expectations from restaurants. It is not just high-quality food, or exotic foreign dishes that they want, but something truly original – a unique dining experience. And it is here that Moscow’s restaurants really come into their own. Talented chefs and designers have joined forces to create a large number of imaginative and high-quality dining projects. Visitors to the city can enjoy traditional Russian cuisine in luxurious interiors at the Central House of Literature and Matryoshka, or step back into the past and discover the grand traditions of Russian gastronomy during the tsarist era in Beluga. White Rabbit, on the other hand, is a star of the new Russian school of haute cuisine. Moscow also offers a wide variety of different culinary excursions, master classes and tasting events led by famous chefs and restauranteurs, making the city an ideal destination for gastrotourism.

GASTRONOMIC EXCURSIONS IN MOSCOW

Parks and Palaces

Moscow is one of the greenest of the world’s megacities, with a huge number of beautiful parks, ranging from vast expanses of forest to beautifully-tended formal gardens. These islands of nature are much loved by Muscovites and provide residents and visitors alike with a welcome respite from the city’s crowded roads and shopping streets. Perhaps the most famous of Moscow’s green spaces is Gorky Park: created at the beginning of the Soviet period by combining a group of gardens along the Moskva River, it has recently been renovated and is now celebrated as one of Europe’s best and most exiting urban parks. Izmailovo Park, in the north east of Moscow, is the largest urban park in Europe, and one of the numerous places in Moscow where one can experience the unique atmosphere of Russia’s vast forests. Moscow also has a number of elegant historical landscaped parks, with grand palaces and elegant pavilions and churches, avenues of clipped trees and baroque statues. These include the great Tsaritsyno estate, designed for the Empress Catherine the Great, the formal royal residence of Kolomenskoye, and the rose-coloured Kuskovo estate, with its beautiful lake, formal garden and orangery.

MOSCOW’S PARKS AND PALACES

Family entertainment

Moscow has a wide range of different places of entertainment for children. Here one can find every imaginable kind of activity for children, and many more that one could never have imagined. In fact, there are so many options that it can be difficult to choose between them: art exhibitions, puppet and theater shows, circuses, amusement parks, activity centers, and an extraordinary variety of child-friendly museums. Children will be excited and intrigued by the Experimentarium – an interactive science museum; they will be able to explore the wonders of the Universe in the Planetarium, splash around or improve their swimming skills in one of the city’s water parks, try out different professions and discover hidden talents in Kidzania, or watch whales, seals from Lake Baikal, sharks, octopuses and tropical fish in the Moscow Oceanarium. There are many master-classes excursions, quests and treasure-hunts designed specially for children, and the more technologically inclined will enjoy visiting the futuristic Skolkovo technopark, where they can participate in classes on robotics, cybersecurity or 3-D modeling, and enjoy an exciting VR show.

FAMILY-FRIENDLY INTERACTIVE EXCURSIONS AND QUESTS

Adventure sports

For many people, sport is an essential part of their lives, whether it is football, jogging or going to the gym. But those who are looking for new levels of excitement and exhilaration may wish to try something a little more ambitious, and explore the world of adventure sports. In fact, they can do this without leaving the city: in addition to all its museums, theaters, galleries and restaurants, the city has facilities for all kinds of athletic activities: one can do military-style assault courses, test one's wits and endurance on a forest survival course or travel across rough terrain by jeep or tank, or fly a helicopter or a fighter jet. One can even see Star City, where Russian and foreign astronauts are trained before they start their missions. During the Soviet period, this top-secret facility was closed to the public and many people were unaware of its existence, but it can now be visited by tourists.

ADVENTURE TOURISM IN MOSCOW

Tourism in the Moscow Region

No less than Moscow itself, the Moscow Region offers an extremely broad range of opportunities for tourism. One of the most historic and beautiful sites is Sergiev Posad, part of the Golden Ring formed by ancient Russian cities to the north and to the east of Moscow. The city is home to the Holy Trinity Monastery, a pilgrimage site for many centuries, which is famous for its many spectacular 16th and 17th centuries' churches and its fortress-like white walls. It is the headquarters of the Russian Orthodox Church and is visited by millions of people every year. Equally noteworthy is Kolomna, one of the oldest cities in the Moscow Region. Besides, many locations in the Region are connected with traditional Russian crafts, and have museums and offer workshops, where visitors can watch master craftsmen and women create objects of beauty. Pavlovsky Posad is known for its brightly colored scarves and shawls, Zhostovo for its hand-painted metal trays, Fedoskino for its lacquer boxes, painted with delicate scenes of village life, Gzhel, for its hallmark blue-and-white porcelain, and Sergiev Posad itself is home not only to the famous Monastery, but also the famous Russian matryoshkas, or nesting dolls.

BEAUTIES OF MOSCOW REGION

River cruises

Millions of tourists visit Moscow every year, and rush around trying to see everything in this vast city in just a few days. This is, of course, very natural, but, in practice, it is not easy. The city has such a wealth of historic, cultural and architectural monuments that even people who have lived here their whole lives can always find something new to discover. One solution is to take a guided cruise along the River Moskva, on one of the Radisson Royal fleet of comfortable cruise vessels. Visitors can forget about the noise, traffic jams and crowds and sit back in comfort. And, most importantly, they can discover many of the city’s most iconic sights from an unusual perspective: the ancient Kremlin, the Cathedral of Christ the savior, the dramatic post-war tower block on Kotelnicheskaya Embankment, Sparrow Hills and Moscow State University, Gorky Park, and much more. Whether you are in Moscow for a business trip or on a family holiday, and whether you prefer to relax in the lounge or enjoy a romantic meal in the vessel’s restaurant, this is one of the most enjoyable and ways to discover the city!

CRUISES ALONG THE RIVER MOSKVA