Ostankino Tower is one of the tallest towers in Europe and the fourth tallest in the world. Nikolai Nikitin was the designer. Construction began on the tower in 1963 and was completed in 1967. It is also member of the World Federation of Great Towers, an international association of monuments. Nikitin received the prestigious Lenin award for his work in 1970.

The tower transmits 11 television stations, 12 radio-broadcasting stations, and 17 satellite television programs. The tower has 3,544 stairs, an elevator that can take 13 people to the top of the tower in less than a minute, and weighs 55,000 tons. An average 0.2 million people visit the tower observatory each year.

A fire in 2000 almost caused the demise of the tower and resulted in its restaurant, the rotating and glass-walled Seventh Heaven, to remain permanently closed. In addition, three people died in the fire. A fire in 2007 resulted in less damage and no casualties.

Fearless visitors will enjoy the glass floor. What makes a trip to the tower worth the wait is being able to see Moscow in its entirety. It is also one of the favorite locations for base jumpers. The tower is breathtaking when viewed in the nighttime light.

Ostankino Palace is a neo-classical wooden building that was constructed from 1792 to 1798. The palace grounds include many architectural treats: a picturesque park, stunning gardens, a splendid theater hall, a pond, and a beautiful church. It is the third largest wooden building in the world. Ostankino Palace is the former summer residence and entertainment site of the wealthy Count Nikolai Sheremetv. In 1918, it became property of the state.

Visitors will enjoy viewing the palace’s many treasures. The Church of the Trinity features well-maintained icons. Gorgeous fabric lines the walls of the palace and attractive woodcarvings fill the rooms. Vivid colors fill the walls. Beautiful chandeliers hang from the ceiling. The adjacent Ostankino Park reveals reproductions of famous statues and an assortment of pavilions. Chinese ceramics, sculptures, and other artwork fills the regal structure.

In addition, the lush gardens that surround the palace are immaculately landscaped. Sites to not miss include the Italian Pavilion, the Egyptian Hall, and the oval theatre-ballroom. The theater is host to classical musical concerts. The palace is open Wednesday through Sunday from 11 am to 6 pm, until September. Be aware that the palace is unheated and is closed if it is raining or humid.

The Sergey Korolyov House-Museum is the former house of the “founder of practical Russian space-flight.” The house was a gift from the Soviet government to the rocket engineer and space designer as a reward for the successful launch of the first artificial satellite. Korolyov lived in the house from 1959 to 1966. In 1972, the house became a museum. Thousands of items are available for viewing: books, photographs, documents, and personal belongings. Many of the items were donated by Korolyov’s widow.

A special treat is the impressive library and his desk that displays his well-known globe. Korolyov’s influence in the space exploration field cannot be denied. Every astronaut and cosmonaut owes a debt of gratitude to the former leader of the Soviet space program. It is of because of his accomplishments that the United States and other countries have gone on to achieve great things in space technology.

Located in downtown Moscow, the museum is open Sunday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Saturday from 11 am to 5 pm. The home is maintained as it was when Korolyov lived in it. An average of 3,000 visitors visits the museum each year. Tours last an hour and are available in English, Spanish, Italian, German, and Russian.

The basket of Aerolift is a spherical aerostat which offers the possibility to see the city from a height of 150 meters. A trip with the aerostat lasts about ten minutes. Trips at night are available if you wish to see the city's lights and the impressive panorama from above.

A monument created in 1964 to celebrate the achievement of Soviet space pioneers, the Conquerors of Space is a 350-foot tall titanium monument that is shaped like the exhaust spiral of a rocket. The Russian space exploration program and their accomplishments are what pushed America to put a man on the moon.

Located near the All-Russia Exhibition Centre, the simplicity and the beauty of the tribute cannot be denied. Both sides of the monument are decorated with people who helped to make the space program happen: scientists, workers, and Laika the first space dog.

A.P. Faidysh-Krandievsky sculpted the design and architects A.N. Kolchin and M.O. Barshch constructed it. The grand opening of the monument took place on October 4, 1964, which also happened to be the 7th anniversary of the Sputnik One launch.

The visit to the Conquerors of Space is well worth it. Of special note is the poem that talks about conquering darkness over space and the awesome Cosmonautics Museum that displays artifacts from the glory days of the space program. Museum visitors will enjoy treats such as videos, Yury Gagarin’s space suit, and other items. In addition, there are many nearby space related sites that one can enjoy after viewing the Conquerors of Space monument. The museum is open 10 am through 7pm Tuesday through Sunday.

The Worker and Kolkhoz Woman Monument perfectly represents the Soviet theme of solidarity, magnificence, and supremacy. Both figures are shown walking from east and west as they patriotically display the symbols of communism, the hammer and sickle. The male worker holds a hammer in the air while the woman holds a sickle alongside the hammer completing the symbol. The monument perfectly brings together the peasant farmer and the industrial worker, one of the goals of communism.

Originally built by the Soviet sculptor Vera Mukhina for 1937 world fair in Paris, this 300 foot statue is located in the Russian Exhibition Centre in Moscow. Kolkhoz means collective farm, a farm that belonged to the Soviet state. The intent of the collective farms was to share the work and the profits equally. In 1941, Mukhina was awarded the Stalin Prize by the Soviet government for her work.

In 2003, the statue left Moscow for a five year long restoration process. A lack of financing delayed the restoration process for several years. In 2008, the statue regally returned to its former home. One should visit the stainless nickel chrome steel monument just to gaze at the sheer size of it. You will not be disappointed.

Krugovaya Kinopanorama plays a type of cinema presentation that projects the film on a circular screen with a horizontal 360° view. Eleven cameras work synchronously for that purpose. The Kinopanorama shows documentary movies about Moscow. It is the only cinema of this kind in Russia.

Also known as Pavilion 1, The Central Pavilion was designed by Yu.Schuko and E.Stoliarov. It is a 56 meters high tower crowned with a gold-plated sculpture. The Pavilion is an excellent representative of the Russian classical architecture.

One of the most stunning discoveries for those who visit Russia is the extraordinary Friendship of Nations Fountain, a display of 16 statutes that represent the former member nations of the of former Soviet Union: Russia, Armenia, Ukraine, Belarus, Uzbekistan, Lithuania, Latvia, Tajikistan, Estonia, Turkmenistan, Moldavia, Georgia, Kirghizstan, Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan. The 16th country, Karelo-Finnish SSR, was incorporated back into Russia in 1956. The main objective of the fountain was to present the idea of national identity to the Soviet people and the world.

Also known as the People's Friendship Fountain, it is located in the plaza near the Russia Exhibition Centre. The fountain was constructed in 1950s by sculptors Z. Bazhenova, L. Bazhenova, Z. Ryleeva, I. Tchaikova, and A. Teneta. Each bronze and gold-plated maiden features a female wearing the national dress of their country.

The figures majestically form a circle around a wheat sheaf made of gold-plated copper sheet. The bowl that encircles the monument is made of red granite and is powered by eight pumps that process thousands of liters of water. Eight hundred jets that spray water ensure stunning and ever-changing displays of beauty. Nonetheless stunning, this statue evokes memories of an era long gone, but not forgotten.

The Stone Flower fountain boasts with a big sculpture of a flower decorated with mosaics and stones from the Urals. The fountain also features multiple bronze figures of swans. This thousand sheet gorgeous fountain is unique in the All-Russian Exhibition Center and in the entire world.

The Aerospace Pavilion, originally called the Mechanization pavilion, is an impressive building with a giant arch. This arch has an embrasure made of mirror glass. The pavilion is famed for its dome with metallic framework.