Observation Decks - inevitable points of attraction and some of the most attractive places on the map of any major city and tourist center. They are visited by tourists, adored by newlyweds, favored by artists and poets - people of all ages come here to take a closer look at the city. Moscow is no exception: the capital is striking in scale, but how to discern it from the height of human growth?
Observation decks in Moscow allow you to feel the scale of the metropolis and enjoy its beauty and sights. The capital was really lucky in this regard: the hilly relief with elevation changes, the presence of river valleys and variable number of storeys of buildings led to the appearance in Moscow of a really large number of observation decks and observation points - and this is far from only Vorobyovy Gory, from which guidebooks are full of views. Bridges, hills, roofs of buildings and various structures - the capital has a place to show off the cityscape!
We invite you to familiarize yourself with the most famous viewpoints of the city, as well as little-known but interesting viewpoints. The list includes both free and paid sites. The indicated prices and opening hours are valid as of the date of publication of the material (December 17, 2018), before visiting we recommend checking them on the official websites.
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Landscape and technical structures |
Observation deck on Vorobyovy Gory
Vorobyovy Gory is the most famous observation deck in Moscow, which has become a truly iconic city landmark.
Ostankino Tower
The Ostankino TV Tower is a 540 meter high television and broadcasting tower, the tallest free-standing structure in Russia.
The tower has 2 observation decks at once: open and closed, located at an altitude of 337 and 340 meters, respectively.
Both observation platforms offer an excellent view of the surroundings and a large number of attractions: the Ostankino Estate Museum, the Ostankino TV Center, Ostankino ponds, the territory of VDNKh and the Main Botanical Garden of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Losiny Island. In the distance you can see modern Moscow skyscrapers: MIBC "Moscow City" and "Triumph-Palace", you can also see Stalin's skyscrapers. For sweet things - the Moscow monorail, the railway tracks of the Savyolovsky and Oktyabrsky directions, views of the simple and not very Moscow areas: Ostankinsky, Butyrsky, Sokol, Otradnoye, Alekseevsky, Tushino, Marfino, Bibirevo, Altufevo and others.
The observation deck of the Ostankino tower is a place from which you can see the whole of Moscow, but not everything is visible due to the long distance and the specifics of the location.
The address: Academician Korolev street, 15k1, metro stations "VDNKh", "Timiryazevskaya".
Visiting mode: with a guided tour, by appointment.
Entrance fee: from 700 rubles and above (adult ticket, depending on route, day and session).
Business center "Moscow-City"
"Moscow City" is one of the newest sights of Moscow, a business district with glass towers and skyscrapers that have become very popular with tourists coming to Moscow.
Of course, such a place was not without an observation deck - and several of them appeared in the skyscrapers of "Moscow City" at once! Depending on which building and from which floor you look at the city, you can see a unique panorama of Moscow: the historical center (Kremlin, Cathedral of Christ the Savior and other attractions), Moskva River embankments, Kievsky railway station, White House, Moscow Zoo, Moskovsky the planetarium, the Ostankino tower, the "golden brains" of the Russian Academy of Sciences, the Luzhniki stadium and much more. Moscow skyscrapers will appear at a glance: Stalinist (Hotel "Ukraine", buildings of Moscow State University and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, a house on Kudrinskaya Square) and modern (House on Mosfilmovskaya, "Triumph-Palace"), and finally something can be viewed not only from the bottom up.
At the moment, the most popular viewing platforms of "Moscow City" are Panorama360 on the 89th floor of the Federation Tower (360 meters), Museum-observation deck Moscow-City on the 56th floor of the Empire Tower (215 meters) and HIGH PORT 354 on the roof of the OKO tower (354 meters).
The address: Presnenskaya embankment, MIBC "Moscow-City".
Panorama360 official website: pnr360.ru
Official website of the Moscow City Observation Museum: museum.citymoscow.ru
HIGH PORT 354 official website: smotrovaya.com
Cathedral of Christ the Savior
The Cathedral of Christ the Savior is located near the Prechistenskaya embankment of the Moskva River in the very center of the city - and it also has an equipped observation deck! It runs along the perimeter of the building - in fact, these are as many as 4 platforms located between its bell towers.
From the observation platforms of the Cathedral of Christ the Savior, located at an altitude of 40 meters, a unique panorama of the Kremlin and a view of the Moscow River (Prechistenskaya, Kremlin, Bersenevskaya and a number of other embankments) opens. In the immediate vicinity of the temple there are the House on the Embankment, the complex of buildings of the Red October factory, the Foreign Ministry building and other sights of the historical center of the city, which appear before the visitors of the site from an unusual angle.
The address: Volkhonka, 15, metro station "Kropotkinskaya".
Visiting mode: with a guided tour.
Visit cost: paid, the exact amount is unknown.
Bell tower "Ivan the Great"
The Ivan the Great Bell Tower (sometimes called the Ivan the Great Bell Tower) is located on the territory of the Moscow Kremlin and boasts a glorious past: until the 18th century it was the tallest building in Russia - a whole 81 meters! Today this record is a thing of the past, however, the bell tower is still the tallest building in the Kremlin.
The observation deck of the bell tower is the most central observation deck in Moscow. It is located in an open gallery of the first bell tier at a height of 25 meters: you cannot see the city landscapes stretching into the distance from here, but it offers an excellent view of Cathedral Square and the architectural ensemble of the Kremlin, the Moskva River and Zamoskvorechye. This is the only place from where you can look at the Kremlin from the inside from above.
The address: Moscow Kremlin, Okhotny Ryad metro station, Lenin Library, Alexandrovsky Garden, Borovitskaya.
Working hours: by sessions, depending on weather conditions and time of year.
Entrance fee: 250 rubles.
Arch of the central entrance to Gorky Park
Observation deck near "Tower 2000"
Tower 2000 is one of the buildings of the Moscow City business center, located on the right bank of the Moskva River (on the other side of the main part of the complex).
A small observation deck is located next to the building: there is no smell of wide city landscapes here, but a beautiful view of Moscow City, the Mirax Plaza business center and a number of the nearest embankments of the Moskva River opens up from here. prized primarily for the views of the "Moscow City": skyscrapers from here are in full view, so Muscovites and tourists often come here to take spectacular photos against the backdrop of the business center.
Fans of modern high-rise architecture will appreciate this place.
The address: Taras Shevchenko embankment, next to the Tower 2000 business center (23A Taras Shevchenko embankment), Vystavochnaya, Delovoy Tsentr, Mezhdunarodnaya metro stations.
Working hours: around the clock.
A chamber and little-known place on the high bank of the Moskva River near the Bogdan Khmelnitsky Bridge.
The site boasts views of Europe Square and Kievsky Railway Station, the House of the Government of the Russian Federation ("White House"), MIBC "Moscow City" (one of the most attractive vistas) and Berezhkovskaya embankment of the Moscow River. The observation deck has a considerable length - in fact, it is a well-maintained path with a side along the slope, thanks to which one and the same city objects can be viewed from different sides.
The address: Rostovskaya embankment, opposite building 5, metro stations "Kievskaya", "Smolenskaya".
Working hours: around the clock.
Entrance fee: free.
("Kievsky pedestrian bridge") is located near the Kievskaya metro station and Kievsky railway station.
From the open viewing platforms located on both sides of the bridge, you can see a number of Moscow embankments (Rostovskaya, Taras Shevchenko, Berezhkovskaya, Savvinskaya) and the adjacent landmarks: the Government House, the Ukraine Hotel, the Foreign Ministry building, the house on Kudrinskaya Square, the main building Moscow State University and the Novodevichy Convent.
The address: between Berezhkovskaya and Rostovskaya embankments near Kievsky railway station, Kievskaya metro station.
Working hours: around the clock.
Entrance fee: free.
Pushkin pedestrian bridge
The Pushkinskiy (Andreevskiy) pedestrian bridge is located in the very center of the capital: it connects the Frunzenskaya and Pushkinskaya embankments.
The views are fully consistent with the location: from the open viewing platforms of the Pushkin pedestrian bridge you can see an excellent panorama of the embankments of the Moskva River, Gorky Park (by the way, an excellent view of the sculpture "Diver-Lighthouse"!), Vorobyovy Gory and Neskuchny Garden, the Moscow State University high-rise and "golden brains "RAS, as well as the Cathedral of Christ the Savior and the Kremlin towers.
In winter, the outdoor areas are closed, but the views can be admired from the covered part.
The address: between the Frunzenskaya and Pushkinskaya embankments of the Moskva River near the Golitsyn ponds (Gorky Park), the Frunzenskaya and Shabolovskaya metro stations.
Working hours: around the clock.
Entrance fee: free.
Patriarshy Bridge
A wide pedestrian bridge across the Moskva River and the Vodootvodny Canal opposite the Cathedral of Christ the Savior.
The location in the very center of Moscow provides excellent views: the viewer has access to panoramas of the Kremlin and the embankments of the Moskva River, a view of the "Red October", the House on the embankment and the monument to Peter I, as well as an excellent view of the Cathedral of Christ the Savior itself, at the foot of which the bridge is located ...
The address: in front of the Cathedral of Christ the Savior (Volkhonka, 15), metro station "Kropotkinskaya".
Working hours: around the clock.
Entrance fee: free.
Big Stone Bridge
Situated right next to the walls of the Kremlin, and although it was not originally conceived as an observation deck, the excellent views invariably bring cityscape lovers here.
The sidewalks of the bridge offer a magnificent view of the Kremlin embankment and a panorama of the southern fortress wall of the Moscow Kremlin with towers: from Vodovzvodnaya to Beklemishevskaya. Outside the walls you can see the Grand Kremlin Palace and the domes of cathedrals, and from the other sides you can see a good view of the House on the Embankment and the Cathedral of Christ the Savior.
The address: between the Kremlin and Sofiyskaya embankments of the Moskva River near the Vodovzvodnaya Tower of the Kremlin, Borovitskaya metro stations, Lenin Library, Alexandrovsky Garden.
Working hours: around the clock.
Entrance fee: free.
Gagarinsky tunnel
The Gagarinsky Tunnel is a unique engineering structure located on the slope of Vorobyovy Hills next to the RAS building.
The place where the bridge thrown across the Moskva River turns into a tunnel could become a full-fledged observation deck: an excellent view of the Moscow-City MIBC, the Mirax Plaza business center, the main building of Moscow State University and other Stalinist skyscrapers, the Luzhniki sports complex opens up. , Novodevichy Convent, Ostankino TV Tower, Soviet buildings on the Frunzenskaya Embankment and other attractions. The Third Transport Ring - at a glance! The dynamics of the metropolis as it is.
The address: above the entrance to the tunnel from the side of Andreevsky Bridge, Leninsky Prospekt metro station.
Working hours: around the clock.
Entrance fee: free.
Skhodnensky bucket slope
Skhodnensky ladle (Tushino bowl) is a huge depression in the ground, a unique natural monument in the South Tushino region.
From the high slope of the "pit" you can see the sleeping areas located around (South Tushino, Pokrovskoe-Streshnevo) and a number of attractions: the Otkrytie Arena (Spartak) stadium, Zhivopisny bridge, the towers of the Moscow City business center, the Triumph residential complex. Palace and Scarlet Sails, as well as the high-rise of Moscow State University. In addition, the view of the Skhodnensky bucket is impressive in itself - even if no other sights were visible from it.
The address: near Yana Rainis boulevard and Svetlogorskiy proezd, Skhodnenskaya metro station.
Working hours: around the clock.
Entrance fee: free.
The observation deck "Panorama360" in the "Moscow-City" complex has not yet opened, and is already claiming to be included in the Guinness Book of Records. Judge for yourself: the height is 360 meters, the panorama is 360 degrees, the view of the city through glass 6 meters high. There is nothing like this in all of Europe.
The highest observation deck at an altitude of 374 meters will open in Moscow City. It will be possible to admire the panoramic views already in January 2018.
Overtook everyone in height
The observation deck is being prepared on the 89th floor in the Federation East tower. For the first time, Muscovites and guests of the capital will be able to climb to a height of 360 meters in January 2018. Previously, the observation deck of the Ostankino tower was considered the highest - 334 meters, after which it was overtaken by the Oko tower in Moscow City - 354 meters. There are no competitors in Europe either.
It will be possible to climb to the new platform by high-speed elevator in literally 1.5 minutes, the ears are a little blocked, but then the beauty of the panorama seen is striking.
Below us is the Third Transport Ring, you can see the Triumph Palace on Sokol, the base of CSKA, - shows the guide Alena. - There is further the orange tower "Empire", behind it there is a view of the Moskva River and Stalin's skyscrapers.
We pass a little more and see a "flying saucer" that has landed somewhere in the area of Vorobyovy Gory.
This is Luzhniki. And it seems more near the stadium, - the journalists are surprised.
The view of Moscow is beautiful here not only in the evening, when the cars turn on the headlights and the orange-red stream moves in solid lines - it may seem that this is computer graphics, but people are driving in each car in real time. In the daytime, in the sunlight, the neighboring towers shine like precious stones, and the Kremlin, the Ostankino Tower and Poklonnaya Gora are literally buried in greenery.
Already now the Federation East Tower is becoming a place of attraction, investors are beginning to explore the space. We are pleased with the "Panorama360" project, which provides not only a panoramic view, but also 10 thematic functional zones, where you can get acquainted with interesting facts about Moscow, - says Mikhail Smirnov, General Director of Federation Tower CJSC.
Ice cream and projection show
The tour of the new observation deck will begin with a projection show about the formation of Moscow - it will be prepared by specialists who are doing the Around the World show. Only after that the windows will be open and guests will be able to see the real Moscow, take special tablets, point them to objects of interest and find out what buildings are outside the window.
Another feature is that an ice cream factory will operate right on the site. You can watch how cold desserts are made and you can eat at an altitude of 360 meters.
We recently launched production tours, and we know that it's not just kids who enjoy watching popsicle frosting. Here we will open a whole line of ice cream, with which it will be possible to take an ice cream in a cone or glaze for free, - said the vice president of the Chistaya Liniya company Armen Beniaminov.
The observation deck also claims to be the most fashionable - art exhibitions, lectures, film screenings, multimedia performances and concerts will be held here. And also to conduct free field lessons of Moscow studies for students of the capital's schools.
In the first year, about 30 thousand people are waiting for the observation deck, but the plans are to reach the attendance figure of 1 million per year.
No fears - glasses don't break
The glasses are so strong that it is impossible to break them even with a sledgehammer;
The tower itself, even during a strong wind, deviates by only 5 cm - it is very difficult to feel it;
The foundation of the tower is such that even if an airplane crashes into it, it will stand;
What if there is a fire? The facade of the building is made of glass, which will eliminate fires from the outside. If there is a fire inside, then it will be possible to go down two stairs, where light and oxygen will flow for 4 hours.
WHERE: complex "Moscow City", tower "Federation East", 89th floor.
WHEN: January 2018, follow the opening date on the website
PRICE: preliminary for children - 450 rubles, for adults - 1000 rubles.
There are so many interesting and unusual things in Moscow that it is difficult to choose where to go. Museums, art galleries, parks, the Kremlin with Red Square, churches and estates - it's hard to list everything, and even more so not to get around even in a week. A good way out in this case would be to visit observation decks - a favorite place for travelers in any tourist city. After all, only from a height can one take a look at this huge city, admire the beautiful metropolitan panoramas and, of course, take a lot of stunning photos.
Moscow is not only a capital, but also a city of contrasts, so there are many viewing platforms and each is impressive in its own way. One will be focused on the historical center, the other on the urban environment, the third on some interesting monuments, and the fourth will generally be able to cover everything entirely.
The list of observation points in Moscow is quite impressive, because in addition to the official ones, there are many shtetl, known only to native Muscovites. In addition, it is constantly updated, because the number of viewing platforms is only growing every year, and this is primarily due to the emergence of new architectural objects, on the last floors of which it is now customary to equip a space for observing the city. Below I will try to give a list of the most interesting and varied viewing platforms in Moscow, which definitely deserve attention.
Free viewing platforms
I will give the first place in the list of observation decks lookout on Vorobyovy Gory.
Located on a rather high bank of the Moskva River, not far from the red metro line, it is popular with both residents and guests of the city. The main reason is that next to the observation deck there is a forest park area and a long pedestrian embankment, which are well suited for recreation, walking and cycling, which, by the way, can be rented right there in the park. Here, the cable car will open, which will connect Vorobyovy Gory and Luzhniki, which is also quite an observation deck.
From a height of 80 meters - the natural height of the bank of the Moskva River, you will see the renovated Luzhniki Stadium, the panorama of Moscow City against the backdrop of water and even the city center.
There is another one nearby. observation deck near the unique building of the Russian Academy of Sciences... The entrance is free.
Not so long ago, after a lengthy reconstruction, it was opened Central Children's World, which is located next to the metro stations - "Lubyanka" and "Kuznetskiy most". A free observation deck has appeared on the top floor, from which you can view the historic center of Moscow. (Attention! Recently, a fee for visiting the viewing room was introduced)
And there is also the Museum of Childhood, which we talked about here.
The role of the youngest and most unusual observation deck rightfully belongs to To the Soaring Bridge in Zaryadye Park located not far from Vasilievsky Spusk near the metro station and public transport stops "Kitay-Gorod".
It was opened only a year ago, but has already become the most popular place in Moscow. An interesting engineering structure so far has no analogues in the world, and it can only be called a bridge conditionally, rather it is a V-shaped console hanging over the Moskvoretskaya embankment. Thanks to this design, the bridge was named "Soaring". Although the bridge is not high - only 15 meters above the level of the river, it offers good views of the Kremlin, St. Basil's Church, embankments, the Foreign Ministry building, GUM and, of course, the Zaryadye Park itself. The only drawback of this observation deck is the large number of people even on weekdays.
Admission to all of the above observation decks is absolutely free, and there is even no time limit on Vorobyovy Gory, which will allow you to admire Moscow at night.
By the way, there is a view bridge not only in Zaryadye. Our favorite view of the Kremlin - Kamenny and Patriarch bridges.
Observation Decks in Moscow City
The image of modern Moscow is made up of a relatively recently erected business complex of the capital Moscow-City... Consisting of ultra-modern skyscraper buildings, the complex dilutes and enlivens the cityscape of Moscow. It is not surprising that observation platforms are equipped on the upper floors of these buildings, one of which has become the highest in Moscow and even in Europe. There are several of them here - they are located on floors 58 (Empire Tower), 87 (Oko Tower) and 89 (Federation East Tower) floors of three adjacent buildings. Each of them has its own chips. In the Empire tower the observation deck appeared earlier than others. The view from it is limited by other towers, but you will see the main attractions. But she has the lowest price, the Moscow City Museum works.
In Federation Tower East there is a restaurant on the observation deck, the highest ice cream factory in the world "Chistaya Liniya", concerts and other events are held. The site is closed, as in the Empire, but it offers a 360-degree panorama of Moscow.
In the Tower of the Eye there is an open observation deck, so its visit is limited by weather conditions. There is also a restaurant here.
The views, as you might guess, are stunning from here, especially in the evening, when the capital, immersed in darkness, flashes with bright lights. The only annoyance is that it is clear that the views from here are already without the towers of the business center, which are usual in the metropolitan panorama.
Entrance to all observation points is paid, its cost varies from 600 to 1500 RUB depending on the time of day and the chosen altitude.
In addition to the official observation decks, Moscow City has many panoramic viewpoints. But, as you know, you just can't come there and take pictures of Moscow, the prices for everything are high.
Other paid observation decks
The next row of observation decks is available only with the purchase of a ticket or an excursion that includes an ascent to the observation deck. This is first and foremost observation deck from the bell tower of Ivan the Great, which takes place in the very heart of the capital - in the Moscow Kremlin.
The platform, located in the first tier of the bell ringing, has a height of only 25 meters, so you should not expect wide panoramas, but the view of the inner space of the architectural ensemble of the Kremlin is very informative. From here, from a bird's eye view, all the cathedrals and towers of the Moscow Kremlin are best seen.
To climb the bell tower, you need to pay 250 RUB, while a separate ticket to the Kremlin is purchased. The site is open from May 15 to September 30, tickets are sold at the ticket office of the Alexander Garden no later than 45 minutes before the start of the tour. Visitors are allowed in sessions in groups of 10. However, in order to have time to get to the bell tower, it is better to come to the very opening of the ticket office, since there are not so many sessions a day - only five or six.
Another famous site in the center of the capital is in the Cathedral of Christ the Savior... It is located near the Kropotkinskaya metro station.
The observation deck is not very high - only 40 meters, but the good location allows you to see an interesting panorama of Moscow. Kremlin, Arbat, Poklonnaya Gora, Pushkin Museum im. Pushkin and other main sights of Moscow. The rise is carried out in an organized manner, as part of an excursion group, the current cost is 450 rubles.
One of the most interesting and at the same time the oldest observation decks is located in the building of Moscow State University on Vorobyovy Gory.
I wrote about the free observation deck above, the same site on the 32nd floor of the educational building attracts not only with stunning views of the whole of Moscow, but from here the whole capital is "in full view" - historical buildings, mansions and churches, sleeping areas and green forest parks, wide avenues and narrow streets - this whole metropolitan panorama can be captured with a gaze, being on the observation deck, but also with its special atmosphere and history. The building, built in the middle of the 20th century, still retains the indescribable atmosphere of an educational institution, known to us from Soviet films. Therefore, the excursion, and most often it is with it that the passage to the observation deck is possible, will leave only the most positive impressions. In addition to the site, it will be possible to wander through the ceremonial halls and halls, examine the sculptural busts of scientists, look into the classrooms, in general, get acquainted with a curious page of history. The cost of the excursion is 600 - 800 rubles.
The well-known observation deck is located on the highest structure in Europe - Ostankino TV tower, recently celebrated its 50th anniversary.
The TV tower is located at the address known to many since childhood. Academician Korolev, 15, next to the station of the same name in the Leningrad direction.
The observation deck is at 85 meters. Although the tower is removed from the main central streets, in good weather you can see literally all of Moscow and even the surrounding villages near Moscow. A ticket to the observation deck costs RUB 700 on weekdays and RUB 1100 on weekends, it is better to buy them in advance on the tower's website, choosing early sessions to avoid excessive crowds. At the same time, children under 7 years old are not allowed, and due to the design features, also people with disabilities. There is an opportunity to visit the excursion "Tower from the Inside", the cost is from 1100 to 1600 rubles.
In Gorky Park you can climb to the roof of the main gate.
A panorama of the park opens from a height of 18 meters, as well as a view of the Sparrow Hills, the Shukhov Tower, Novy Arbat, Neskuchny Garden, the skyscrapers of Moscow State University and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
In a separate group, I would include the observation decks located in the buildings of high-rise hotels. For example, this should include two hotels located practically in the center of the city - Swissotel Krasnye Holmy (metro Paveletskaya) and Radisson Royal, the former Ukraine (metro Kievskaya).
In the first hotel, the observation deck is located on the 34th floor along a 360-degree trajectory. In another hotel, a 120-meter-high platform is located on two floors at once - 29th and 30th, the premises of which are occupied by an Italian restaurant. Huge panoramic windows of the restaurant on a closed terrace allow you to enjoy views of the historical center of Moscow, capital architecture, church domes, without getting up from the tables.
In general, observation points of Moscow not only help to get to know the capital better, to view historical monuments, but in themselves are already interesting objects of architecture and urban planning. It remains to find the most attractive place for yourself and enjoy the views that open from there.
