Moscow Attractions

Take a tour of the Kremlin while in Moscow or Red Square and see just what exactly America feared with all of its heart for the better part of the 20th century. Moscow is full of history from the time of the Muscovites to the present day. The Russians are serious about documenting their history (Except the whole "Gulag" thing), and there are countless museums, historic sites and things to do that chronicle everything from militarism to Stalinist Art and the space race. The Kremlin, Russia's walled fortress, contains much of the country's history, politics and religion. The walls were originally built from white stone, but were rebuilt in the late 15th century with their distinctive red brick. Inside are four cathedrals (Dormition, Archangel, Annunciation and Twelve Apostles), three palaces (most notably the Patriarch's Palace), two major museums, and of course the official residence of the country's president.
The Museum of Modern Russian History(Muzei Sovremennoi Istorii Rossii) houses themed exhibitions dealing with the Russian Empire like the takeover by the Bolsheviks, the Civil War (the Reds versus the Whites), the emergence of Stalinism and the history of the Soviet Union from its creation in 1922 to its dissolution in 1991.
Another interesting site is the Monument to Peter the Great (Monument Petry Velikomu). The monument itself is 165 feet high, featuring a strident Peter the Great standing atop a frigate in full sail and brandishing a golden scroll. It stands on the western tip of the elongated island formed between the Moskva river and the Vodootvodnyi canal. Peter the Great's enthusiasm for his northern capital St. Petersburg was motivated at least in part by his hatred for Moscow. Putting aside historical politics though, others complain that the monument is just plain ugly. Needless to say, Moscow is one of the most fascinating corners of the world with plenty of things to do. You may even gain a new perspective on the human condition.

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