Fun things to do in Moscow

This convent was founded in the XVI century and was notorious as a place of imprisonment of unwanted wives and daughters of the nobility, and for jailing noblewomen guilty of various crimes or who fell into political disfavor. In Soviet times it served as a secret police prison and a police training school. Now it was returned to nuns and is closed to visitors.

This church is one of the most beautifully decorated in Moscow, built in the typical visually exuberant "Moscow Baroque" style of mid-XVII century. The contemporary weavers' guild hall survives nearby.

This unusual Moscow Baroque church was built in 1669 by Tzar Alexey in the Zamoskvorechye district. It was called Peacock's Eye by the people for its tile decorations and multi-colored facade.

The Polianka street is also worth seeing for its well-preserved XIX century civic architecture.

Church of Nativity of the Virgin (Rozhdestva Bogoroditzy) in Putinki was built in 1652 to beautify the road. In my opinion it is one of the most beautiful churches in Moscow. It is located next to the Pushkin monument, so if you are in the area, you should definitely see it with your own eyes, especially since it has been thoroughly and beautifully restored recently.

The Patriarch of the Russian Orthodox Church upon seeing it deemed it 'non-Christian' in style and banned the "tent" style of church architecture.

This is a very beautiful monastery. It has been restored a great deal since I remember it as a kid - my school was nearby. It was built in 1680s in "Russian Baroque" style, same time and style as the Novodevichi convent in the South. One church inside is a necropolis for the Naryshkin family, one of the most influential families of their time, and another church was built to celebrate overthrow of Regent Sofia and installation of Piotr I on the throne, and a relative of the Naryshkins.

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This is one of the most historic places in Moscow, and is on the UNESCO world heritage list.

It is a former royal estate where Tzar Ivan IV grew up. A wooden royal palace built in the XVII century was called by those privileged to witness it as the "eighth wonder of the world". Unfortunately, it has not survived. However, you can still see the ancient gates, the XVII century church of the Image of the Virgin of Kazan, built by Tzar Alexey in memory of liberation from Poland, the XVI century church of the Ascension and the XVI century church of St John the Baptist, erected by Tzar Ivan IV to celebrate his coronation and believed to be designed by Postnik Yakovlev, the architect of the St Basil cathedral on Red Square.

In the XX century the site was turned into a park with several wooden structures brought here as museum pieces. The entrance into the park is free!

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This is an extremely important place in Moscow historically.

St Andronicus monastery was founded in the XIV century on the banks of Moscow river's tributary, the Yauza by a student of St Sergius of Radonezh, one of the most revered Russian saints.

The cathedral of Savior is the oldest building in Moscow. It was completed in 1420. Another remarkable thing about it is that it was the last place where the most famous iconographer in Russian history, Andrey Rubliov, worked and near which was buried. Unfortunately, most of his work in the cathedral has not survived, and his exact grave is lost.

In the late 1920s and early 1930s this was a concentration camp run by the Communist secret police NKVD (forerunner of KGB).

Recently it has been remarkably restored, up to a point that one can walk its ramparts covered as in ancient times with wood roofs and scaffolding. The XVIII century church of Archangel Michael houses the stunning museum of ancient icons.

Soviet and Russian paleontologists have contributed a lot to the science, and the country's cache of finds is housed in the Orlov Paleontology museum. Even if you have a passing interest, you will enjoy a trip here, and this is a must-see if you come with kids.

The minuses are a distant location, and also the museum closes the month of July.