See Moscow from a birds-eye perspective

When visiting Moscow, you might enjoy glorious views from a boat or the ground, but at the same time, you might look for the places that will allow you to have a birds-eye perspective. There are several such viewpoints in Moscow, and depending on the weather you might see completely different things.

The most popular

Vorobyovy Gory (Sparrow Hills) viewpoint is the most popular and free of charge. You can get there by climbing up the hill from the Vorobyovy Gory metro station or by trolleybus. From the 80 meters high bank of the Moscow River, you can see the Luzhniki Sports Complex with its Big Sports Arena, that hosted Football World Cup 2018, two-level Luzhniki bridge, Russian Academy of Science. Also, try to find six Stalin high-risers, and the seventh, the Moscow University, will be behind your back. The Vorobyovy Gory park is a good place for hiking.

The latest

The latest viewpoint on the roof of the Central Children’s Store on Lubyanka was open in 2015, after the reconstruction of the building. From the height of the 8th floor, you can see only the closest buildings and the tops of churches and the Kremlin towers. You’ll definitely see Lubyanka Square below. It is free and open from 10h till 22h every day.

The highest

The highest viewing point is Ostankino TV-tower. From the height of 337 meters, you can see the whole Moscow with its square of 2,5 thousand sq. km and, perhaps, a part of the Moscow Region. No doubt, the view depends on the weather. If it is cloudy, you could see only the clouds. You can also see the ground below through the transparent floor. Downstairs, you can visit a small museum, which tells the history of the Ostankino TV-tower and presents the models of TV-towers of the world. For visiting it, you have to buy the tickets. The online tickets are available and have your passport with you.

The most fashionable

The most fashionable viewpoints are located in the Moscow-City Business Centre. One is on the 58th floor of the Imperial Tower, and the other one is on the 89th floor of the Federation Tower. It’s better to book your tickets online or by phone.

The oldest

To get to the oldest viewpoint you have to buy an entrance ticket to the Moscow Kremlin, a ticket to Ivan the Great Bell Tower and climb up 137 steps. "He who has never climbed to the top of Ivan the Great, who has never had an opportunity to take in the whole of the ancient capital at one glance from end to end, who has never admired that majestic panorama, stretching almost beyond that range of vision, knows absolutely nothing about Moscow." Mikhail Lermontov wrote these words in the 19th century. The view changed drastically, but still, you can see the ancient Kremlin cathedrals.

The most relaxing

On the 29th floor of the Radisson Royal Hotel (Hotel Ukraina), there is a bar. Take a cup of coffee and a dessert “Pavlova” made of meringue and topped with fruits and whipped cream, relax, and enjoy the view of the House of the Government of the Russian Federation (the White House), Moscow City Hall, and New Arbat street.

All these viewpoints have different heights. Some are free, while others are fee-based. Some also have additional services, and of course, you see different views. You can choose the viewpoint you like the most or have a tour and compare them all. In any case, it is a pleasure to see Moscow from a birds-eye perspective.