Moscow Things To Do # 16

Moscow is the financial and political center of Russia and its biggest city. This capital city has a population of around 13 million and covers an area of around 672 square miles.

Moscow has always been a popular tourist destination. Red Square, at the heart of Moscow, is the first destination for most visitors. Surrounded by St. Basil's Cathedral, the State History Museum, Lenin's Mausoleum and one of the Kremlin's long brick walls, the square is surprisingly made up of black (rather than red) cobblestones.

The Kremlin, a historic fortified complex with four palaces and four cathedrals, is a sight not to be missed. It has been continuously inhabited since the second millennium B.C., and today serves as the official residence of the president of Russia. The diamond collection in the Armoury is worth a visit on its own.

For a cultural fix, you can catch a show at the famed Bolshoi Theater; visit Tretyakov Gallery, one of the world's great museums; or admire the Impressionist and Post-Impressionist collections at Pushkin Museum. Another popular attraction is Novodevichy Convent, one of the best-preserved historical complexes in Moscow. The adjacent Novodevichy Cemetery is home to the graves of Anton Chekhov, Nickolai Gogol, Konstantine Stanislavski, Nikita Khrushchev, Raisa Gorbachev (the former president's wife) and Boris Yeltsin.