Moscow. Host Cities

The capital of Russia is one of the world’s biggest and busiest cities. Like a matryoshka, which reveals other dolls hidden inside it, Moscow is full of surprises.

They say Moscow never sleeps; indeed, one can find all sorts of shops and entertainment 24/7.

Moscow is famous for the iconic Red Square with St. Basil’s Cathedral, the Kremlin and numerous churches with golden domes -– but it has much more to offer. Moscow is a melting pot for different cultures, a place where one can admire the legacy of various epochs.

Attractions and entertainment

Red Square and the Kremlin

Red Square and the Kremlin are UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Located on Red Square are St. Basil’s Cathedral, Kazan Cathedral, Historical Museum, Iberian Gate and Chapel, the Lenin Mausoleum and the GUM Trading Rows.

Inside the Kremlin, the symbol of political power in Russia, there are the Grand Kremlin Palace (the president’s official residence), the State Kremlin Palace which is used for concerts, the Armory, the Diamond Fund, the Ivan the Great Bell Tower, and four cathedrals.

Christ the Savior Cathedral

The world’s tallest Orthodox church is located in central Moscow, near the Kropotkinskaya Metro station (the Red Line). It was built in the 19th century but was later destroyed by Stalin’s orders. The plan was to build the Palace of the Soviets on the site but the project was never implemented. In the 1960s, a large swimming pool was built at the spot. The rebuilding of the cathedral started in 1994.

Museums and theaters

The Russian capital has about 400 museums. The Tretyakov Gallery is among the most famous of them: its collection includes some 1300 Russian paintings from different epochs - from 11th century icons to 20th century landscapes and portraits. The Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts boasts one of the world’s biggest art collections – including a unique selection of Impressionist and Post-Impressionist paintings

Bolshoi Theater is one of the biggest and most important platforms of world opera and ballet. The repertoire of Bolshoi has always been classical, with ballet being the most prominent element.

VDNKh (All Russian Exhibition Centre)

The Exhibition Centre is Soviet legacy. It consists of numerous pavilions which in the past were used to exhibit various economic, scientific and technological achievements of Soviet republics.

This unique place includes a vast park consisting of the Botanical Garden and Ostankino Park where you can rest from the bustle of the city.

Moscow is a large megapolis, and one of the best ways to get around is to use public transport. It’s inexpensive (one trip is less than $1) and fast. Both the Metro and overground transport have Wi-Fi. One trip on any kind of public transport costs 55 rubles, and a 90-minute ticket is 65 rubles. In addition, there are special tariffs for people who often use public transport.

Metro

The Metro is regarded as indispensable transport for getting around Moscow without traffic jams during rush hours. The Metro network covers the whole city, and trains arrive at very short intervals, every couple of minutes.

The Moscow Metro is one of the world’s safest and biggest subway systems., many stations are so beautiful that the Metro can be regarded as a real underground museum.

Overground transport

Moscow has trams, trolleybuses, buses and share taxis. They have intervals of 5-30 minutes; some of them work through the night. If you want to take a taxi, you should know that the fare is going to be a bit higher – depending on the distance, duration, and time of the day or night. It is much safer to use taxi apps than to try to catch a ride – especially for a foreigner. During the matches, fans can find additional directions on subway, aimed to help them get to the Luzhniki and Spartak stadiums and to FIFA fan zone.

• Moscow hosted the 1980 Olympic Games. The opening and closing ceremonies took place at Luzhniki Stadium.
• Moscow had several fires; one of the biggest happened in 1812 when Napoleon invaded Russia.
• The Ostankino TV tower is one of the world’s tallest structures: it’s 540 meters high, and you can see the whole city from its top.
• Moscow has four major ring roads encircling different parts of the city
• The Russian State Library, located in the city center, is one of the world's largest; it has over 47 million books.
• In addition to the Moskva River, the central part of the capital has the Yauza river and the Vodootvodny Canal. Moscow is famous for its beautiful embankments and river cruises