[RUSSIA] Moscow - Arbat Street

17:46 Travel Bunny 0 Comments

Existed since at least the 15th century, Arbat Street is one of the oldest and most popular walking streets in Moscow which attracts tourists like a magnet. It was a location where craftsmen set up shop. Today it is the most popular place to shop for souvenirs with lots of cafes and restaurants.



This is the entrance to Arbatskaya metro station.



Map of surrounding area around Arbatskaya metro station.





Across the street is Arbat Street. The yellow building is Prague Restaurant.



Tourists and locals alike like to stroll along Arbat Street.



There are a few artist displaying their work along the street.





A bronze statue of Joseph Stalin.



One of the many souvenir shops along Arbat Street.





Russian dolls is a popular souvenir choice. Generally the more dolls it has and the more intricate the design, the more expensive it is.



There are many design to choose from.



There are even some unconventional Russian dolls sold.



Another souvenir shop. Some shops allow some bargaining while others don’t.



My son got a free Russian doll from one of the shops.



A perfect weather for a walk along Arbat Street.



There are some benches along Arbat Street if you want to rest your feet.



Time for lunch! There are a few restaurants along Arbat street.



Sponge Bob is a popular cartoon character among children.



There’s even a Krusty Krab restaurant along Arbat Street.





I opt for MyMy reataurant. It is a self service restaurant and you have to line up to order your food.



The menu is both in Russian and English.



Food is great and affordable. Definitely recommended.





On the right is the Ministry of Foreign affair building at the other end of Arbat Street. This building is one of the seven skyscrapers in Moscow designed in the Stalinist style which is also known as the Seven Sisters of Moscow.



A map of Arbat Street which also shows the historic buildings along this 1 kilometer street.



Princess Turandot fountain in font of the Vakhtangov Theater. Turandot is a play of Russian Theatre and it is still performed here.



Bard and poet Bulat Okudzhava statue at Arbat Street. He wrote several poignant songs about the Arbat.



A monument to A. Pushkin and N. Gonchavora, he’s wife. Pushkin is considered the greatest Russian poet you lived from 1799 to 1837.



This is memorial apartment of A. Pushkin. This is where Pushkin and his newly wed wife lived for several months in 1831 after the wedding ceremony. Pushkin’s apartment is now a museum which was opened on 18 February 1986.



It is closed on Monday and Tuesday. It is open on Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 10am to 6pm. On Thursday, it is open from 12pm to 9pm.



Tsoi Wall is a graffiti covered wall at the intersection of Arbat Street and Krivoarbatsky lane. It is dedicated to Viktor Tsoi and his band Kino. It is customary for fans to leave a broken lighted cigarette in the special ash plate by the wall.



Church of Transfiguration was built in 1711 replacing an earlier wooden version. It was damaged by fire and looting during Napoleon’s invasion of 1812 and was subsequently restored.





Besides the church, there is another monument to A. Pushkin.



This round shape building is Melnikov’s House by architect Konstantin Melnokov. This house represents the innovation of Russian avant-garde.



The architect created this three storeys tall house from two interlocking cylinders. It is the only private house built during Soviet period. Even more surprising is the approval of his design by city planners, as it was completely unconventional in an era when uniformity was the de facto solution.



This is Vaktangov Theatre. The theatre was established in 1921 by theatre director Yevgeny Vakhtangov, a pupil of the well-known Konstantin Stanislavsky. With this, I walked back to Arbatskaya metro station where I took a metro back to Red Square.