Unveiling the Unusual: A Guide to Moscow’s Hidden Gems and Historic Hideaways

Moscow is rightfully considered one of the best tourist destinations. The city is rapidly developing and can surprise even the most experienced travelers. If you think you’ve already seen all the capital’s sights, don’t be too quick to give up on trips to the golden-domed city, because even the most well-trodden paths can reveal unusual places rarely mentioned in guidebooks.

Russia.Place will tell you about places that you can visit in Moscow on your own and in most cases for free.

Bunkers

Once you’ve had your fill of the architectural beauty and museum exhibitions of the capital, it’s time to explore its underground. For many years, Moscow’s bunkers remained top secret, spawning many rumors and speculations. It was said that the shelters contained secret passages to a covert metro line connecting the Kremlin with strategic sites of the capital and an underground city in Ramenki. However, these myths found no confirmation even after the secrecy classification was lifted from some bunkers.

The most famous of them is Taganka Bunker, also known as Bunker-42, located 65 meters underground, was dug by order of Stalin. The design of the facility began in 1945, after the Americans started developing the atomic bomb, and construction of the bunker began five years later. By the 1960s, the secret facility had turned into a reliable base capable of withstanding a nuclear strike. Today, Bunker-42 houses the Cold War Museum and a restaurant.

Another bunker is located in the Izmailovo district. The former shelter belongs to the Ministry of Defense, housing a branch of the Central Armed Forces Museum. It is known that this secret facility began construction in the 1930s and was disguised as a stadium. On tours, visitors are offered to look at Stalin’s working office and visit the Stavka Meeting Hall.

In 2018, near the Paveletskaya metro station, Bunker-703 of the USSR Foreign Ministry was opened. For nearly half a century, it stored the secret documents of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and today it houses a historical museum.

Seven Sisters

If you feel uncomfortable underground but are still eager to hear fascinating stories about ghosts and inexplicable phenomena, then bravely set off on a tour of Moscow’s Stalinist skyscrapers.

The famous “Seven Sisters” were constructed between 1947 and 1957. These were the first skyscrapers of the capital, becoming symbols of the city and bringing fame to Soviet engineers. The architectural monuments are interesting not only for their famous residents and construction features but are also shrouded in various rumors about secret rooms and corridors, ghosts, special energy, and so on.

It is most convenient to get acquainted with the Stalinist high-rises on a bus tour.

Those interested can participate in guided tours and visit the museum-apartment of the ballerina Galina Ulanova in the building on Kotelnicheskaya Embankment or climb the spire of one of the skyscrapers and enjoy the magnificent panorama.

Perlov Tea House

If your journey takes you along Myasnitskaya Street, do not simply pass by house number 19. This three-story mansion in a medieval pseudo-Chinese style was built at the end of the 19th century for the merchant Sergey Vasilyevich Perlov, a tea trader. On the first floor, he placed a tea shop, and on the second and third floors, there were rental apartments and living rooms for his family.
The tea shop in this unusual mansion is still in operation today. You can go inside to examine the interior details and the coffered ceiling with ornaments.

Address:
19 Myasnitskaya Street, Moscow, Russia

Pertsova House

While exploring the sights along the Prechistenskaya Embankment, don’t hurry to cross the Patriarch’s Bridge; instead, continue to Soyuznaya Drive. Here, you’ll be greeted by a beautiful house in the Neo-Russian style, which belonged to Z.A. Peretsova — the wife of the famous patron, railway engineer P.N. Peretsov.
The facade of the house is richly and tastefully adorned with colorful mosaics and wood carvings. In addition, the building became famous as a profitable house for creative people. Over the years, it was home to well-known artists.

Address: 1 Kurskaya Alley, Moscow, 119034

Melnikov House

Among the unusual buildings in Moscow, one must mention the Melnikov House in Krivoarbatsky Lane. This unique example of Soviet avant-garde architecture doesn’t resemble a residential house at all, yet the family and descendants of the renowned architect Konstantin Melnikov lived there for a very long time. Since 2014, the house-studio has hosted a memorial exhibition dedicated to the famous architect.

Address:
10 Krivoarbatsky Lane, Moscow

Bulgakov Museum

The iconic address of the building at number 302-bis is well-known to every admirer of Bulgakov’s work. The “evil apartment” No. 50 in this house has stirred the imaginations of book lovers and supernatural fans for over a century. It is here that the mystifier writer Bulgakov settled an evil spirit in his novel “The Master and Margarita.”
Today, the writer’s museum is located there. The apartment with its exhibits has become a monument to the bygone communal life of Moscow in the 1930s.

Address: 10 Bolshaya Sadovaya Street, entrance 6, 4th floor, apt. 50.

Sanduny Baths

An interesting pastime in Moscow can even be had in a bathhouse, especially if it has a 200-year history. And such a bathhouse exists. These are the legendary functioning Sanduny, where even Pushkin himself used to go for a steam. The complex with classic public Russian baths is the oldest of its kind.
It is recognized as an architectural monument of the capital in the Beaux-Arts style, with preserved historical interiors and traditions, including pools.

Address: 14 Neglinnaya Street, buildings 3-7.