Sights of Arbat

Who doesn't know what an Arbat is? The fame of this pedestrian street goes all over Russia. One of the most famous sights of the Russian capital is located between the Garden and Boulevard Rings, many tourists consider it a must-visit point to visit the Arbat immediately after the Red Square.

It is this place that conveys the atmosphere of Moscow as well as possible. There is undoubtedly something to see and something to be surprised about.

Arbat in Moscow

To understand the significance of this place, it is important to know a few important facts. The street has become a real symbol of Moscow in the past years - this can be understood because many poems, songs, films and even books mentioning this place have come down to us. This is not surprising - Arbat is one of the oldest streets in the city, as it has existed for more than five centuries.

It is not known for certain where such an unusual name came from, but historians believe that the word "Arbat" has Arabic roots. In the 15th century, there was active trade with the Crimean Tatars and Arabs, so their word "arbad", meaning a suburb, could take root among Muscovites.

However, attempts were made to change the street name. They wanted to introduce a new name as early as the 17th century, but the residents of Arbat liked the city more than Smolenskaya Street. The Arbat originates from the square of the same name and stretches about a kilometer all the way to Smolenskaya Square. And the streets that are located nearby are often called the Arbatye.

It was here that many artists, philosophers, and scientists lived and were inspired. The poet Andrei Belov even came up with his own name for them - Arbattsy. Moreover, Arbat has long become a household name, as it is the name of any pedestrian street throughout Russia. Out of habit.

Arbat was not always intended for pedestrians - at one time it was a government street: Joseph Stalin himself traveled here to his dacha in the Moscow region directly from the Kremlin. It was only in the mid-eighties that the street was reconstructed and made pedestrian-friendly, adding lanterns, benches and flowers, and tiles instead of asphalt.

No need to be surprised if you hear that the Arbat is called the Old One. In the last century, a New Arbat appeared in Moscow, another pedestrian street. But the Old Arbat is the most popular among tourists. There are a lot of interesting things here: antique shops, pawnshops, souvenirs. You will also meet the best street artists here. And in the evenings, vintage lanterns light up here, and street musicians take the stage. The street is infinitely beautiful, it has a high architectural value. You just need to make it out behind the screaming signs of street vendors.

Someone claims that "Arbat is no longer a cake," "it used to be better," and "the sky was bluer." There is no consensus - some tourists do not have enough shops, others, on the contrary, it seems that there are too many of them. Some complain about the constant noise, others say that there is not enough music. It is in this contradiction that Arbat is beautiful - this is proved by the huge number of tourists coming to Moscow from different parts of the world.

How to get to Arbat, where it is located

The easiest way to get to the pedestrian zone is by metro. Depending on your location, you can choose one of the 4 main exits.

Arbatskoye metro station. The eighth exit is located on the blue line, which is also the Arbatsko-Pokrovskaya line. You need to get out of the subway, walk past the "Art Cinema" to the underpass on the Arbat Gate Square. We walk through the crosswalk to the other side, and the desired street will begin in about 50 meters.

If you get along the Filevskaya line (purple line), then you need to use the first exit. There will be a pedestrian crosswalk on the right, following which you will immediately get to the Arbat. The landmark is the Alfa Business Center.

If Smolenskaya station, which is located on the blue line, is the closest to you, then you need the first exit. Here you need to turn left to Smolenskaya Square, and then turn left again and walk a little more than a hundred meters to the Arbat.

There is also Smolenskaya station on the purple line, and you will also need the first exit here. This is the longest way to go - almost half a kilometer. At the exit, turn left to Smolenskaya Square, reach the underpass, get to the other side and turn right. It is difficult to pass by - the luxurious building of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs stands as a beacon, which is higher than the nearby buildings.

In any case, you will need to get to the Arbat on foot, the zone is closed from trips. And, most importantly, do not forget to look around - there are many other attractions near the Arbat that deserve the attention of tourists.

What to do on the Arbat?

The main goal of many tourists is to walk through a historically important place. However, Arbat is famous not only for the beauty and spirit of old Moscow, but also for a lot of entertainment and interesting places.

For example, the most famous souvenir shop is Souvenir City, which simply cannot be ignored. It is located at Arbat 17 and 43. It is simply impossible to leave here without shopping.

Street artists paint in various techniques, although portraits and caricatures are the most popular here. However, few people will refuse to write something else at your request - there are many talented people here.

Even if you are not ready to order a drawing for yourself, we advise you to observe the work of artists who paint with acrylic paints in a modern style. Such a fascinating process is rarely found just like that.

However, there are quite a lot of artists selling ready-made works on the street. The choice is wide - from beautiful landscapes to unusual abstractions for connoisseurs of everything non-standard.

Book lovers will not remain indifferent either - on Arbat you can find a folio for any taste, even the most fastidious. You can choose from modern books and masterpieces from previous years, including unique creations with antique value.

Creativity on the Arbat is a part of his life. Street musicians and singers perform here, and students of the Shchukin Theater College perform nearby. It is located very close to the pedestrian zone, so students often perform poems, skits and monologues for the guests of the city. Just a concentration of creative people!

Of course, there is no way without a cultural program. Amazing photo exhibitions are often held on Arbat, and many of them are free of charge. It will be difficult for connoisseurs of this kind of art to remain indifferent.

However, Arbat supports art in its various forms. A living example of this is the huge number of modern museums, as well as the preserved apartments of famous people with the very atmosphere that existed with them. You may not be an expert and a connoisseur, but such excursions greatly raise the cultural level and tell about what many have never even known. It will be equally interesting for both adults and children.

Of course, it is impossible not to visit the memorial museum, which is dedicated to Alexander Sergeevich Pushkin, and the memorial apartment of the poet Andrei Bely has been preserved here. It's a great way to touch history and learn more about the lives of great people. And after the tour, you can have a snack at the Bely restaurant and continue exploring the Arbat.

How much time should I spend on the Arbat?

Of course, every tourist is free to choose how much time he wants to spend on the Arbat. The main thing is not to go to extremes. On the one hand, if you just walk down the street, the whole walk will take about fifteen minutes. During this time it is impossible to get acquainted with the wonders and beauty of Arbat, to feel its atmosphere. So you can walk along any other street.

On the other hand, it will be very difficult to "relax to the fullest", that is, to go into every shop, stand near every showcase, listen to every musician for a long time and watch the performances of street performers. You can wander along the street for hours, if not for days, but such a journey can be very tiring, even if you relax on benches. However, you can always book a room at the Maxima Hotel onlineand walk as much as you want, and then relax comfortably.

The most optimal time is an hour or two. This amount of time is enough for a walk, and for visiting interesting shops, and for a snack. You will have time to relax on the benches and watch the performances of the artists, but you will not get too tired.

It is most interesting to visit the Arbat after lunch. Eat at a restaurant, take a walk, visit museums. Watch as lanterns are lit and musicians perform. Romance!

Where to take beautiful photos

To come to the Arbat and not take a single photo is simply unthinkable. Moreover, there are plenty of places for spectacular photos on this street. For example, lovers of architectural beauty will like the facades of the restaurant "Prague" and the eleventh house with lions. Of course, the Evgeny Vakhtangov Theater and the Melnikov architect's house deserve special attention. Naturally, it is impossible to pass by the "Art" cinema and the building of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, as it stands majestically above other buildings on the Arbat.

But if you prefer to look at monuments and sculptures, then you should definitely see the monuments dedicated to Alexander Pushkin and Sherlock Holmes. And lovers of anything unusual will love the Museum of Optical Illusions. There are a lot of amazing installations inside that you can take pictures with. Tickets are relatively inexpensive - you will need to pay 450 rubles per person for admission to the 3D models of the museum.

Sights of Arbat

This street is a real quintessence of various stunning places that accurately convey the atmosphere of the history of the Russian capital. Every monument, museum, and piece of architectural art is a part of Russia's past. It was here, in the Prague restaurant, that the lines of "Sunday" performed by Leo Tolstoy himself were heard a long time ago. And the high-rise of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is still included in the list of important sights of Moscow. But, of course, the list of interesting things is not limited to this.

The first cinema, which was built here before the revolution, exists to this day. The "Art museum" is designed for 1,000 seats, because it has gained incredible popularity. Films such as "Battleship Potemkin" and "A Start in Life" were shown on Arbat for the first time. The building was very popular with tourists, the cinema has a beautiful facade, so the "Artistic" has been a great place for photo shoots for many years.

Another, no less unique place to see is the Museum of Optical Illusions. Dozens of interactive 3D canvases are on display inside. Interestingly, everyone sees the images in their own way, and visitors are also allowed to take photos. So everyone can feel like an active participant in the exhibition.

There are a lot of very unusual places on Arbat that are unlikely to be found in other cities. For example, the perfume museum, which contains dozens of amazing fragrances, many of which are familiar to our great-grandmothers. Regular excursions are organized for those who wish, where you can learn a lot about the world of perfume. And in the museum store, you can buy some vintage or very rare fragrance that you simply can't find in a regular store. It is also worth looking at the apartment building of A. Filatova. Many say that it was here that Bulgakov's Margarita smashed up Latunsky's dwelling.

Not all the sights of Arbat belong to historical values, but they do not lose their cultural value. For example, in the early noughties, a monument to Bulat Okudzhava appeared, which is a whole composition with arches, benches and a table. The monument to Bulat Okudzhava is not just a tribute, it is a symbol of that time and of the Arbat courtyard, where the poet grew up and began his career. This is a great opportunity to feel the atmosphere of those times and feel like a part of that atmosphere.

Arbat also preserves the memory of another famous poet, whose work is loved and revered all over the world. One of the walls of the house has actually been turned into a kind of memorial, where all the fans of Viktor Tsoi come. At first, they tried to paint over the wall and remove graffiti, but time after time they reappeared. Now these attempts have been abandoned, and Tsoi's wall has become one of the most popular places. The house was and is a place where dozens of people gather, who perform the poet's songs and share their own creativity. Near the memory wall, you can meet a lot of different people who are united by their love for the Kino group.

One of the most romantic monuments not only on Arbat, but also in the whole of Moscow is dedicated to Alexander Pushkin and Natalia Goncharova. The monument conveys the moment of the wedding of the young and recalls the poet's close connection with the Arbat, because it was to the apartment on this street that Pushkin brought his beloved. The composition is located very close to the writer's house museum, so you definitely won't pass by.

It's worth visiting the Vakhtangov Theater to diversify the cultural program, and you also need to treat yourself to delicious treats at the candy store.

Restaurants and shops on Arbat

Gourmets will also enjoy Arbat. You can find a restaurant for any taste, even the most demanding. The choice is simply incredible, you can even find a buffet or treat yourself to fast food. Moreover, there are quite a lot of representatives of Russian food chains.

The cuisines of other countries are represented, not only once part of the former USSR, but also around the world. Each of them is completely unique, so it's hard to be disappointed, there is a menu for everyone.

Connoisseurs of Russian cuisine will love White Rabbit: a modern, stylish restaurant located on the territory of Smolensky shopping center. 16th floor, excellent food selection and high-quality service. Traditions are respected here, but modern gastronomic trends are respected. A very interesting place that is suitable for those who just want to eat, and for those who are looking for something special for themselves.

However, if you appreciate Asian cuisine more, then there is a Zodiac restaurant in the same shopping center, which can also be a pleasant surprise for everyone who likes to eat delicious food and try new things. A good selection of dishes and excellent service.

It's hard to leave the Arbat without a souvenir. Of course, matryoshka dolls are most popular in a wide variety of variations. Traditional hats with earflaps, statuettes and other little things that are associated with Russia - all this can be found here. However, do not forget that Arbat is a tourist area, so prices can, of course, surprise and not always pleasant. But there are plenty to choose from - besides the famous Souvenir City, there are plenty of other shops where you can always find something special.

Photo source, published unchanged - Authorship: Alex 'Florstein' Fedorov, CC BY-SA 4.0