Unusual places in Moscow
Content
- 10 unusual places in Moscow
- Museum of Eroticism in Moscow
- 8 Interesting Places in Moscow that Muscovites Don't Know About
- For those who are tired of Red Square: 10 unusual sights of Moscow
- Resume
Unusual places in Moscow
Creative spaces, museums, parks, unusual sights, culinary surprises and simply amazing places are waiting for you! Maxima Hotels has found enough amazing places that will help you get to know Moscow even better. Places that don't fit into the big picture of the city, which you haven't heard of before, but which are worth visiting! The most unusual places in Moscow for those who think that this city will not surprise them in any way! Take your friends with you and get ready for an adventure!
10 unusual places in Moscow
Tired of the gray days? Maxima Hotels has prepared for you a new interesting list of the 10 most unusual places in Moscow where you can go on weekends. One of the largest capitals in the world is fraught with many interesting sights, unusual places in Moscow are represented by various objects, institutions, monuments, etc. You only need to learn more about them and choose the most tempting ones for yourself. Here is a list from the category of unusual places in Moscow, where you can go for the most vivid and extraordinary impressions.
1. Museum of Eroticism in Moscow
The museum of this kind is considered the first in the country. Visitors of the 18+ age group will be able to see erotic paintings, intimate objects and everything related to this topic. Also for thrill seekers, unusual places are waiting on the territory where there is a specialty store, a cupcake shop, where you can buy goods for those who want to diversify their sex life. Novy Arbat, 15
2. The Museum of Soviet Slot Machines
Soviet slot machines are presented in this institution in a wide variety of versions. Here you can find the most rare and modern models of gaming business devices. For those who still remember those days, you will remember that one game cost as much as 15 Soviet kopecks! You can also get nostalgic for the famous soda and syrup vending machines. Unique specimens are certainly worth the attention of visitors of all ages. After all, these are peculiar and unusual places in Moscow, a certain spirit of history is felt here. 23 Malaya Ordynka St., Tretyakovskaya metro station
3. "Moscow in the 19th century" on the territory of the Mosfilm film studio
These decorations are represented by an entire movie town in the capital. All the famous and legendary movie shootings took place here. For example, such films and TV series as "Poor Nastya", "Azazel", and many others were shot in this territory. It is here that you can fully experience the fascinating energy of the world of cinema, plunge into memories, as if you have entered another reality where time seems to have stopped. Unusual houses with antique small windows, wild vines on the walls, lanterns in the style of the XIX century and cozy courtyards immerse you in a magical atmosphere where you can feel the spirit of history. All this also presents a selection of "unusual places in Moscow". The incredible atmosphere of those times is available for viewing at 1 Mosfilmovskaya St., Kievskaya metro station.
4. The longest house in Moscow
The longest house in the capital is located at Varshavskoye Highway. Previously, a scientific research center for electronic computing technology was located here. For this purpose, appropriate dimensions were provided in order to protect residents from radiation that occurred as a result of experiments conducted at the NITSEVT. The size of the building is 1100 meters. Now its premises are mainly occupied by office offices. Locals often refer to the building as the "Chinese Wall" and refer to the most unusual places in Moscow.
5. Egg House on Mashkova
Another example from the list of unusual places. A non-standard landmark is also a house. Only this time, it will be of a completely non-standard shape, but in the form of an egg. The building was built in the early 2000s and is even included in the list of the most unusual architectural structures in the world. The city authorities did not give consent to the construction for a long time, as in their opinion, the building violated all the laws of the architectural environment and did not fit into the general appearance of the street at all. All legal documentation was created after the completion of the construction of such an architectural work. Another name is the Faberge House. It has a total of 4 floors with two entrances and a spiral staircase. Also inside there is a living room, a bedroom, a bathroom. On the top floor, you can see a Renaissance-style dome. Now tourists and everyone who wants to appreciate the attractive appearance of the capital's curiosity are eagerly examining the souvenir structure. Address: 1 Mashkova St., Chistye Prudy metro station
6. Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary
One of the most beautiful architectural structures is the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, made in the Neo–Gothic style. It is considered the largest Catholic cathedral in the country and is one of the most unusual places in Moscow. In the evening, the building is beautifully illuminated, which makes it noticeable and attractive from afar. It is located on Malaya Gruzinskaya Street 27/13.
7. Cheburashka booth in Moscow
The phone box of one of the most famous cartoon characters from childhood is displayed in one of the pavilions at VDNH. Today, it is the main exhibit of the animation museum. There is a booth right in front of the entrance to the pavilion and welcomes everyone who wants to take a souvenir photo. Nearby you can see the crocodile Gena with an accordion and Cheburashka himself.
8. Eiffel Tower in Moscow
The symbol of the French capital can be seen in a smaller version in the Russian capital. A replica of the world-famous landmark has been erected at the address: 2nd Kabelnaya Street, 2, p. 9, Aviamotornaya metro station. The tower is located in the courtyard, its height does not exceed a five-story building.
9. The upside-down house in Moscow
An upside-down house is another object that deserves attention. This is an example from a series of unusual places in Moscow where you can go with a company or alone. In this building, both inside and out, it's the other way around. Such a house does not fit into the generally accepted ideas of a cozy home, but it arouses genuine interest among everyone who happens to be next to it and gets inside. The main thing is not to get too carried away with staying there, otherwise going outside, there is a high probability of experiencing dizziness. Now the house is located on the Arbat, and there is even a mock-up of a car parked next to the house. And also a dog with a doghouse. Now the sample from the category of unusual places serves as a kind of museum, excursionsto which are compared with extreme types of attractions. Tickets inside are also sold at an inverted box office with a window.
10. Moscow City
A striking example of modern architectural structures in the capital is the Moscow Business Center "Moscow City". The spiral-shaped building attracts special attention. Many tourists come to see it. The magnificent building complex is located on Presnenskaya Embankment, and is also included in the list of "unusual places". You can enjoy the view of the skyscrapers on the Moscow City: Business Center of Moscow tour.
8 Interesting Places in Moscow that Muscovites Don't Know About
Medieval fortresses and secret gardens, underground bunkers and locomotive depots — behind the ceremonial picture of Moscow, there are many hidden corners that allow you to see the capital from a new perspective. The sights of Moscow and unusual places for walking, we tell you where you should go first.
1. Andronikov Monastery
A medieval fortress on a high hill above the river, the Spaso-Andronikov Monastery is like a portal to another century. If you look at it from the bridge over the Yauza River, it is easy to imagine how the Poles besieged it during the Time of Troubles and how the inhabitants of the monastery defended themselves from the massive towers.
Today, the monastery is not in operation, and the Andrei Rublev Museum of Ancient Russian Culture and Art is located on its territory. Rublev was mentioned in the name for a reason: he was a monk of the Andronikov monastery and the author of frescoes of the local cathedral. Some of them have survived, and the remains of the painting can be found in the ancient Spassky Cathedral on the territory of the monastery.
It's worth visiting here not only for the sake of visiting the museum and the temple, but also to take a walk through the manicured garden and meet local cats strolling around the territory.
Address: m. Ilyich Square /Rimskaya, Andronevskaya square, 10
Where to go next door: cross the bridge and head to the cultural cluster located on the territory of the former industrial zones. Walk through the back streets of the Artplay art space, which occupies the old buildings of the Manometer factory and have lunch in a real bunker turned into a vegan cafe, and then visit the former workshops of the Winery for exhibitions of contemporary artists.
2. Experimental residential quarter and the Avant-Garde Center
From a bird's-eye view, the Khavsko-Shabolovsky housing estate seems to be an optical illusion.: Its buildings are arranged in the form of giant diamonds converging and diverging at the corner of Serpukhov Shaft and Shabolovka.
They were built in the late twenties as an experimental project of the ASNOVA creative group. The commune houses with kitchen factories, nurseries and baths were supposed to become the prototype of the new Soviet housing, but the project did not become widespread. Try not to get lost in the depths of the quarter and find the "Avant—Garde Center" in one of the buildings - a small museum with thematic exhibitions and an excellent bookstore.
Address: M. Shabolovskaya /Tulskaya, Serpukhovskaya Val, 24k2
Where to go next door: continue exploring the legacy of constructivism at the foot of the Shukhov Tower, and then head to the Danilovsky Market for seasonal fruits and a hearty lunch.
Alternatively, head to the nearby Donskoy Monastery to identify the Masonic graves in the local cemetery by special signs and examine the preserved high—reliefs of the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour - transferred from the original building, which was blown up in 1931. Go have lunch at the North Korean Koryo Cafe, located nearby — all its staff are from North Korea, Pyongyang pilaf and fried ferns are served at the table, and pompous North Korean parades are shown on the screens.
3. Depot "Podmoskovnaya"
Before the construction of Rizhsky Railway Station in 1901, Podmoskovnaya station was the terminus on the Moscow-Vindava Railway line. In those days, the wilderness stretched here, from which it was necessary to get to Moscow by carriages along bumpy country roads.
Today, Peregrine Falcons and Swallows fly past the station, and the high-rise buildings of the Airport area rise all around. The architectural ensemble of the Art Nouveau railway station, where the museum and the locomotive depot are located, has been preserved on the territory of the former station.
Climb the spiral stairs of the old water tower, watch the steam locomotives enter the turning circle, look into the old waiting rooms, and then take a real steam locomotive to Rizhsky Railway Station — retro trains run between the stations every Sunday.
Address: M. Sokol, 2nd Ambulatory passage, 8A
Where to go next door: take a walk through the artists' village on Sokol, located nearby — this is a miraculously preserved piece of rural Moscow surrounded by noisy highways. Along the shady alleys named after Russian artists, there are rows of wooden houses with front gardens and fruit trees.
To learn more about Moscow transport, you can also take a sightseeing tour of the metro. Mysterious underground palaces, where, on the one hand, it is easy to get lost without an experienced guide, and on the other hand, it is incredibly interesting to touch the beauty and mystery of the underground museum. The Moscow Metro: Underground Museum tour will not leave you indifferent.
4. The Lights of Moscow Museum
Hidden in the depths of Armenian Lane are white stone chambers of the 17th century, where an unusual museum is located today, telling about the history of the development of street lighting in Moscow.
At the entrance, you will be handed a remote control and sent into the pitch darkness of the vaulted dungeon chambers. By switching the buttons on the remote control and gradually getting used to the poor lighting, you can feel what it was like to walk along the evening streets of Moscow in the XVII-XIX centuries with oil, kerosene, gas and electric lighting. Go on to explore the original lanterns, lamps and candlesticks of those times, and then go upstairs to the exhibition dedicated to the grandiose electrification project in Moscow.
Address: Lubyanka metro station, Armyansky lane, 3-5c1
Where to go next door: take a walk through the ancient district of the White City — this is one of the few places in Moscow where buildings that survived the fire of 1812 have been preserved. Find pre-Petrine chambers and ancient churches in the alleys, and then go to the noisy Maroseika for lunch.
Thematic tour: "Evening Lights of the Capital" is an evening walking tour, during which you can see the night lights of the main squares and streets. Moscow is beautiful in the evening: a light twilight suits her so well!
5. "Urban farm" at VDNH
If you walk along the main avenue of VDNKH to the end and, turning right, wander between small pavilions with workshops and cafes, you will find yourself at the "Urban Farm". There are greenhouses and cafes on four hectares of land, designed by the Wowhaus design bureau, vegetable gardens with huge pumpkins and squash, aviaries with alpacas and raccoons, a stable with Nubian goats, zebu cows and Welsh ponies.
Although these animals can hardly boast of record sizes or milk yields, the Urban Farm is a kind of continuation of the idea of an exhibition of achievements of the national economy, for which a whole complex was once created in the north of Moscow. The central part of the farm is occupied by a pond, around which in summer you can sunbathe on a chaise longue to the cackle of geese, busily strolling along the shore.
Address: 119c244 Mira Avenue, VDNKh metro station
Where to go next door: There's a Movie Museum in the pavilion not far from the farm. Head straight there and don't forget to go up to the Eisenstein Memorial Office on the top floor. If you continue along the pond, you will find yourself at the entrance to the Botanical Garden, interesting for its rose garden and giant tropical greenhouses.
6. Krutitsky farmstead
In modern Moscow, just a stone's throw from the Garden Ring, you can still find landscapes that resemble Polenov's painting "Moscow Courtyard" as much as possible. Once there was a princely village of Krutitsy, and then a monastery and a bishop's residence. Today, the Krutitsky compound is the official residence of the Moscow Patriarch, but anyone can get here and feel the spirit of old Moscow.
Stroll along the cobblestones and paths trodden in the grass past the old wooden houses, take a picture on the high porch of the pre-Petrine chambers and finally take a look at the ancient Assumption Cathedral.
Address: Proletarskaya metro station, Krutitskaya str., 17c4
Where to go next door: cross the Garden Ring and go to the gates of the Novospassky Monastery. It was built in the 15th century and looks like a real fortress, but inside the monastery you are unexpectedly greeted by cozy gardens with rose gardens and lilac thickets, where it is especially good to sit with a book in the summer. Finally, take a look at the local refectory for monastic pastries and a side dish.
7. Bunker 703
Few people know that a real Cold War bunker is hiding in one of the alleys of Zamoskvorechye.
It was built in the early 1950s, and until recently housed the protected special archive of the Russian Foreign Ministry.
Today, having descended to a depth of 43 m, you can walk through the echoing cast-iron tunnels of the former bunker, study the collection of Soviet equipment for encryption and radio communications, and declassified documents with plans to build a network of bunkers in the bowels of Moscow.
Address: M. Paveletskaya, 2nd Novokuznetsk lane, 14c1
Where to go next door: take a trip through the alleys of Zamoskvorechye, where ancient mansions have been preserved, many of which now house museums, restaurants and hotels. There is a tiny museum of Tropinin and Moscow artists hidden in Shchetininsky Lane, the Ostrovsky House Museum on Malaya Ordynka, and the Voznesensky Center with exhibitions on Soviet poetry on Bolshaya Ordynka.
8. Gorky's Apartment Museum
After returning from emigration to Italy, Gorky settled in the former Ryabushinsky mansion on Malaya Nikitskaya Street. This unusual house was built by Fyodor Shekhtel in the then fashionable Art Nouveau style and combined many innovative lighting and ventilation techniques. But the main thing in it is the fantastic interiors with a staircase descending by waves, a jellyfish lamp, stained glass windows and whimsical shapes, resembling either a cave grotto or an underwater world.
Walk through the maze of halls and go up to Gorky Memorial rooms to admire his extensive library.
Address: Arbatskaya metro station, Malaya Nikitskaya str., 6/2
Where to go next door: explore the Patriarch's Ponds area, grab a coffee at one of the many coffee shops, and sit on a bench by the pond to watch the ducks and strolling townspeople.
For those who are tired of Red Square: 10 unusual sights of Moscow
Savvinsky farmstead
Briefly: the house that moved
Address: Tverskaya St., 6c6 — entrance through an arch with a barrier
Which is interesting. The building is both difficult to miss and very easy to miss while walking along Tverskaya Street. Externally, the courtyard is very different from the surrounding houses. Instead of the Stalinist Empire style, there is a pseudo—Russian style: bright tiles with fabulous birds and flowers, a pointed turret, and in the courtyard there is a baroque arch with seashells.
To see this unusual building, you need to know where to look: from Tverskaya Street, the courtyard is closed by Stalinists. In the late 1930s, the building interfered with a new architectural project, but they decided not to demolish the house, but to move it deeper into the courtyard. This was done with the help of large rails and precise calculations: the farmstead "moved" at night, but, they say, its inhabitants did not even wake up during the movement.
What's nearby. In the same courtyard there is a stone laid in honor of the construction of the elevator shaft of the Moscow Art Theater.
Eliseevsky store
In short: a grocery store with an incredible interior
Address: Tverskaya St., 14
Which is interesting. Bulky chandeliers, moldings and gilding are at least an unusual interior for a grocery store. Even more surprising is that from the very beginning these decorations were intended for the grocery store of merchant Eliseev. He hoped to surprise the Moscow audience: even the entrance to the store was designed so wide that a carriage could enter it.
The plan was a success: the room in this form survived both the revolution and perestroika, without changing its purpose. Now you can also admire the chic interior there and buy something for a snack.
What's nearby. Across the street, on one side, there is a monument to Pushkin, and on the other, the "house under the skirt": there was a statue of a girl in a dress on the tower of the building until 1958. They often joked about the proximity of these sights: Pushkin used to look at the Strastnoy Monastery, and now under the skirt.
Mosselprom House
In short: constructivism and Soviet advertising in all its glory
Address: Kalashny lane, 2/10
Which is interesting. From the "front" side, the house looks unusual due to its bright colors, chopped shapes and a hexagonal tower. But to see the most interesting part, you need to go around the house.
The walls on the reverse side are covered with advertisements for the products of the Moscow food trust by Alexander Rodchenko and Varvara Stepanova and the slogan of Vladimir Mayakovsky "Nowhere but in Mosselprom!".
You can admire the building from a bench in the courtyard — it is open to visitors.
What's nearby. In the basement of the house there is a stylized cafe with portraits of Mayakovsky, Lily Brick and for some reason Pushkin. You can often meet interesting people there: the last time I was there, I met the residents of the house and a tourist from America. Perhaps you will be lucky enough to learn more about the history of the building, about life in the United States, or about the works of artists on the walls of the institution.
Apartment in the housing office of the People's Commissariat of Railways
Briefly: a museum where you can spend the night
Address: Novaya Basmannaya str., 2/1
Which is interesting. An apartment in a constructivist house, from which the owners made a museum: We restored the color of the walls, ordered furniture based on the avant-garde concepts of the 20s and 30s, and found authentic tableware.
The peculiarity of the apartment is that you can live in it.: the owners rent it on Airbnb for 3,900 rubles per night. As a gift, residents receive a mini-tour. The owners are happy to talk about the history of the house and what guided and inspired them during the restoration of the apartment.
What's nearby. Another museum apartment of the same owners is in the house of Obrabstroy in Basmanny cul—de-sac. From time to time they conduct guided tours of both rooms: you can follow the schedule on the "Timer".
The Pepper House
Briefly: a house designed by the author of the first matryoshka doll
Address: 1/35 Soymonovsky proezd
Which is interesting. This is probably one of the most fabulous houses in Moscow. The fractures of the roof and the unusual shape of the windows resemble a tower, and the bright majolica reproduces the plots and images of Slavic mythology on the facade.: there is the rotifer sun, and the fabulous birds Sirin and Alkonost, and animals fighting with each other.
This design was not chosen by chance. This house has a convenient location: from the windows of the building you can see the Kremlin, the Moskva River, and the Cathedral of Christ the Savior. They say the owners were able to buy the plot only after they promised to build a Russian-style house on it. As a result, the sketch was developed by Sergey Malyutin, the artist who painted the first Russian matryoshka doll.
What's nearby. The neighboring house is known as the "casket house". It was also built in the pseudo-Russian style, but according to the sketches of Viktor Vasnetsov: it was he who made the promise from the Pertsovs to build something appropriate on the bordering site. They did their best and surpassed their neighbor.
Prayer hall in the Ryabushinsky mansion
In short: a secret room in a popular museum
Address: Malaya Nikitskaya str., 6/2c5
Which is interesting. The Ryabushinsky mansion is interesting for lovers of Art Nouveau or literature: the former come to the museum to look at the wave staircase, the medusa lamp and the architecture of Shechtel, and the latter come to listen to an excursion about Maxim Gorky's life in this building.
But there is something else interesting in the mansion: the third floor, which is not visible from the street. The secret chapel of the first owner of the mansion, Stepan Ryabushinsky, was located there. He was an Old Believer and did not advertise his faith in order to avoid persecution. They don't take tours there, but if you ask the caretaker, the chapel will be opened.
It is said that the balcony above the entrance is also connected with the faith of the owner: Ryabushinsky greeted his guests from there so as not to shake hands with non-believers.
What's nearby. The side of the mansion overlooks Spiridonovka Street: if you go further along it, you can see a house in the Gothic style. This is the mansion of Zinaida Morozova. According to one version, it was in this house that Bulgakov's Margarita lived.
Rogozhskoye cemetery
Briefly: the Old Believers cemetery with the graves of famous Moscow merchants
Address: 31A Staroobryadcheskaya str.
Which is interesting. The Rogozhskoye cemetery is not as famous as Novodevichye or Vagankovskoye, but it is just as strongly connected with the history of Moscow. The richest merchant families rest on this necropolis: owners of factories, banks and printing houses Ryabushinsky, founders of the "porcelain empire" Kuznetsov, patrons and collectors Morozov.
The monuments above their graves are the work of famous sculptors and architects. For example, the Morozov tomb was created according to a joint project by architect Fyodor Shekhtel and sculptor Nikolai Andreev, the author of the monument to Gogol on Nikitsky Boulevard and the portrait of Lenin, which was placed on party cards.
What's nearby. In addition to the graves, the cemetery houses the church of the Russian Orthodox Old Believer Church — Pokrovsky Cathedral. It is possible to attend the service, but those who are not baptized in the Russian Orthodox Church are asked not to go further than the vestibule and not to perform external prayer actions — for example, not to be baptized with three fingers.
School street
Briefly: pedestrian street with historical buildings
Which is interesting. There is a whole street of pre—revolutionary two-storey houses in the middle of Moscow skyscrapers. Previously, coachmen used to live in them, so on the first floors of the houses there are wide gates through which a cart could pass. There are even 19th-century paving stones in some places.
In 2019, the authorities began to reconstruct the street: they banned automobile traffic, installed stylized historical lanterns and removed wires underground. You can go back a couple of centuries if you don't pay attention to the surrounding high—rise buildings and look at the street only from the facade: from the back of the houses there are ordinary Moscow doorways.
What's nearby. The nearest metro station to Shkolnaya Street is Rimskaya, where the only fountain in the Moscow metro is located.
Museum of Industrial Culture
Briefly: a hangar with old things
Address: 3Ac1 Zarechye St.
Which is interesting. The Museum of Industrial Culture provides an opportunity to nostalgic for a bygone era, and for those who did not find it, to get acquainted with the things that were in the homes of parents and grandmothers. For example, you can play Soviet slot machines, enter a phone booth or an old elevator from a Moscow building, find your first mobile phone and find out what a "room glacier" is.
This place doesn't look like a classic museum: the exhibits are in a large hangar, and instead of strict grandmothers, there are friendly staff who will tell the story of things, show how they work, and let you hold them in your hands.
What's nearby. The museum is located on the territory of the Kuzminki Park. There is also the estate of Santa Claus and the Golitsyn estate, a museum where you can get acquainted with the life of the 19th century and play old games.: cerseaux, shuttlecocks and croquet.
Restored signage
Briefly: a story saved by the hands of Muscovites
Addresses: Krivokolenny Lane, 15; Malaya Bronnaya St., 22; Prechistenka St., 15; Pokrovka St., 1; Kostyansky Lane, 15/9; Starokonyushenny Lane, 5/14; Alexander Solzhenitsyn St., 6c1; Chisty Lane, 8; Pevchesky Lane, 1/2 c1; Bolshaya Sukharevskaya Square, 16/18; Nastasinsky Lane, 3
Which is interesting. It's not just the authorities who take care of antique details in the city. In a few years, a team of caring citizens of "Remember Everything" found and restored seven signage from the 1910s to the 1920s, an advertising "business card" on the facade of the house, a historic sidewalk hatch, a brick stamp and illuminated windows-luxfery.
The project exists on the basis of crowdfunding: the restoration of the historical elements of the city is paid for by other Muscovites who care about the appearance of the city.
What is being restored now. The project is working not only in Moscow: the signage of the Meshchanskaya electric substation of the city railways is being restored in the capital, and the signage of New shopping malls is being restored in Tula.
Resume
Of course, there are unusual places in Moscow in many other streets, buildings, institutions and natural sites that deserve to be visited at least once. This includes a planetarium where you can temporarily get closer to the stars and plunge into romance and mystery, a zoo where you can meet unusual animals, and an open-air swimming pool. Therefore, it will definitely not be difficult to find originality and unusual places in this city, both for tourists and locals who want to diversify their leisure time and ask in the search engine of their browser: "unusual places in Moscow where to go."
Photo source, published unchanged - Authorship: Museum of Soviet Arcade Machines, CC BY-SA 4.0