Ratings of “Fontanka”

The Kremlin is a historic fortified complex in the heart of Moscow, Russia, serving as the country’s political and cultural center. Originally constructed in the 12th century as a wooden fortress, it evolved into a grand citadel of cathedrals, palaces, and government buildings under rulers like Ivan the Great. Today, it is the official residence of the Russian president and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, symbolizing Russian statehood.

Red Square is a historic public square in the heart of Moscow, Russia, adjacent to the Kremlin. It has served as the country’s main ceremonial and political arena for centuries, witnessing everything from imperial coronations and military parades to public protests. Its iconic landmarks, including Saint Basil’s Cathedral and Lenin’s Mausoleum, reflect its long history as a symbol of Russian power and culture.

St. Basil’s Cathedral, officially known as the Cathedral of the Intercession of the Most Holy Theotokos on the Moat, is a 16th-century Russian Orthodox church on Moscow’s Red Square. It was commissioned by Tsar Ivan the Terrible to commemorate the capture of Kazan and Astrakhan, with its iconic, colorful domes completed in 1561. Today, it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a globally recognized symbol of Russia.

The Lenin Mausoleum is a granite tomb located on Moscow’s Red Square, built in 1930 to permanently display the embalmed body of Vladimir Lenin, the revolutionary leader of the Soviet Union. It became a central site of Soviet state ritual and remains a controversial symbol of Russia’s communist past, with debates about Lenin’s burial continuing to this day.

The Bolshoi Theatre, located in Moscow, is one of Russia’s most renowned and historic cultural institutions. Founded in 1776, it became the premier venue for ballet and opera in the Russian Empire and later the Soviet Union. Today, it remains a global symbol of Russian performing arts, famous for its grand neoclassical architecture and world-class productions.

The State Tretyakov Gallery in Moscow is Russia’s foremost museum of national art, founded in 1856 by merchant and philanthropist Pavel Tretyakov. It houses an unparalleled collection of Russian fine art, from medieval icons to masterpieces of the 19th and 20th centuries, with its iconic facade designed by Viktor Vasnetsov. Tretyakov donated his extensive private collection to the city of Moscow in 1892, establishing the public museum that continues to preserve the legacy of Russian artistic heritage.

The Moscow Metro is a historic rapid transit system that opened in 1935 under the Soviet Union, initially as a showcase of socialist achievement and public art. Renowned for its ornate “palace-like” stations, it features elaborate architecture, mosaics, and chandeliers, particularly on its central Circle Line. Today, it remains one of the world’s busiest and most iconic metro systems, serving as both a vital transport network and an underground museum of Russian history and culture.

The Ostankino Tower is a 540-meter television and radio tower in Moscow, Russia, completed in 1967. It was the world’s tallest freestanding structure for nearly a decade and remains a major symbol of Soviet engineering and a key broadcasting hub for the nation.