come prima yacht owner

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COME PRIMA is a 49.95 m Motor Yacht, built in Italy by Benetti and delivered in 2000. She is one of 7 Golden Bay models.

Her top speed is 18.0 kn, her cruising speed is 16.0 kn, and she boasts a maximum cruising range of 3200.0 nm at 14.5 kn, with power coming from two MTU diesel engines. She can accommodate up to 10 guests in 5 staterooms, with 10 crew members. She has a gross tonnage of 496.0 GT and a 9.0 m beam.

She was designed by Stefano Natucci , who also designed the interior. Stefano Natucci has designed 43 yachts and designed the interior of 9 yachts for yachts above 24 metres.

The naval architecture was developed by Benetti , who has architected 375 other superyachts in the BOAT Pro database - she is built with a Teak deck, a Steel hull, and Aluminium superstructure.

COME PRIMA is in the top 10% by LOA in the world. She is one of 506 motor yachts in the 45-50m size range, and, compared to similarly sized motor yachts, her cruising speed is 0.51 kn above the average, and her volume 12.41 GT above the average.

COME PRIMA is currently sailing under the Malta flag, the 3rd most popular flag state for superyachts with a total of 1059 yachts registered. She is currently located at the Nautech refit yard, in France, where she has been located for 1 week. For more information regarding COME PRIMA's movements, find out more about BOAT Pro AIS .

Specifications

• Name: COME PRIMA
• Previous Names: AMNESIA,AQUILA,BLUE NIGHT,SANDS
• Yacht Type: Motor Yacht
• Yacht Subtype: Displacement
• Model: Golden Bay
• Builder: Benetti
• Naval Architect: Benetti
• Exterior Designer: Stefano Natucci
• Interior Designer: Stefano Natucci
• Refits: 2003-01-01

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COME PRIMA Yacht, IMO 8981937

This ship info includes data on what are the dimensions and general vessel particulars, last and next special class survey, who is the owner of the ship come prima , its commercial manager, ism manager, classification society, their addresses and contact details and shipyard where it was built as well as statistics for the number of owned and managed ships and companies related thereto..

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COME PRIMA current position is received by AIS. Ship info reports, fleet analysis, company analyses, address analyses, technical specifications, tonnages, management details, addresses, classification society data and all other relevant statistics are derived from Marine Vessel Traffic database. The data is for informational purposes only and Marine Vessel Traffic is not responsible for the accuracy and reliability of data reported above herein.

COME PRIMA Benetti Golden Bay | From EUR€ 160,000/wk

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COME PRIMA Benetti Golden Bay | From EUR€ 160,000 /wk

Superyacht COME PRIMA is a 50.0m (164'1") Benetti Golden Bay built in 2000 and benefitting from a stylish refit in 2022. With her deck jacuzzi and RYA-approved water sports centre status, she offers charter guests a truly special experience. Up to 12 guests can be accommodated in 7 staterooms looked after by a crew of ten.

NOTABLE FEATURES OF COME PRIMA: ~Refitted in 2022 ~Tri-deck design ~Deck jacuzzi ~Huge lifestyle sun deck ~ RYA-approved water sports centre ~Loads of water toys ~At anchor and underway stabilisers ~Air conditioning ~WiFi

EXTERIOR COME PRIMA is a superb vessel with amazing exterior space across three levels. The sun deck offers lounge, bar, a 12-person jacuzzi and a huge forward sun-padded area which can be sheltered by two umbrellas.

The upper deck aft plays host to the main al fresco dining area with a contemporary dining table to seat twelve. There is a comfortable bench seat which wraps around the rear of the deck hugging the railings. On the main deck aft is the primary exterior lounge area with a huge u-shaped sofa and some occasional chairs.

COME PRIMA Specifications

INTERIOR The interior is a lovely blend of panelled wood, mirrors and neutral soft furnishings, designed by Stefano Natucci. The upper deck salon is a sociable, family space with a casual lounge, cosy round dining table and full bar. Doors on either side lead out the upper deck aft. Forward on the upper deck is a crew pantry, wheelhouse, captain’s accommodation and office and general ships office.

The main deck salon is a beautifully light, carpeted space with an aft lounge consisting of two facing sofas and occasional chairs and a forward dining room with a stylish feature dining table. Amidships on the main deck is the VIP stateroom, well-equipped galley to port and main foyer leading to the master suite via an owner’s office to starboard.

Yacht Charter Accommodation

The guest accommodation is configured as one master, one VIP on the main deck and two doubles, two twin and one convertible stateroom. The stunning master suite is forward on the main deck and is accessed via a private study to starboard. The main part of the suite is full beam with king sized bed, lounge space and vanity and his and hers walk-in-wardrobes and ensuites are forward. The additional guest accommodation is the lower deck with two doubles and two twin and one convertible cabin. All the cabins benefit from the luxury and privacy of ensuite bathroom facilities.

Charter Amenities and Extras

Tenders & Toys ~tender 6,8m custom (12pax) ~1 crew tender ~2 Waverunner ~1x stand up jetski ~Inflatable lounge sofa ~Towable platform 2 seat ~Swim step ( Aquaglide ) ~Jump platform ( Aquaglide) ~Donalds ( 2 pcs ) ~Water skies ( 1 pair ) ~Paddle board rigid ( 1 pc ) ~Inflatable paddle boards ( 2 pcs ) ~Body board ( 2 pcs ) ~Towable banana ~Lounge platform ( Jobe ) ~And more to come ! ///Audio Visual Equipment and Deck Facilities ~refit 2022 ~Plex ~Sonos ~Apple TV ~Sky TV

Charter Yacht Disclaimer

This document is not contractual. The yacht charters and their particulars displayed in the results above are displayed in good faith and whilst believed to be correct are not guaranteed. CharterWorld Limited does not warrant or assume any legal liability or responsibility for the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any information and/or images displayed. All information is subject to change without notice and is without warrantee. A professional CharterWorld yacht charter consultant will discuss each charter during your charter selection process. Starting prices are shown in a range of currencies for a one-week charter, unless otherwise marked. Exact pricing and other details will be confirmed on the particular charter contract. Just follow the "reserve this yacht charter" link for your chosen yacht charter or contact us and someone from the CharterWorld team will be in touch shortly.

COME PRIMA Enquiry

Positive Customer Review: "One of the most memorable parts for me was the launch. I went with my wife, and Benetti had a Roman Catholic priest bless the yacht. It was very beautiful with all the Italian music and then the British national anthem, and it was all very unexpected. I thought I was just going to be putting the boat in the water, but in fact it turned into a very emotional day!" - Owner of a Benetti called motor yacht 11:11

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COME PRIMA Yacht for Charter

COME PRIMA is a millennial yacht, launched in the year 2000 by Benetti. At an overall length of 164'1" (50m) and with a beam of 29'6" (9m), she can comfortably accommodate up to 12 guests for luxury charters in the Mediterranean. The yacht’s exterior and interior design is the work of Stefano Natucci. The color palette is fresh neutrals combined with exquisite wood paneling. The guests sleep in six luxurious staterooms, comprising a master, two doubles, two twins and a triple stateroom. The master is impressive, extending across the full beam of the yacht.

COME PRIMA cruises steadily at 13 to 14 knots, and has a top speed of 18 knots. Her range is 3,200 nautical miles and she is powered by twin MTU engines. A crew of 10 takes care of the guests and keeps the yacht in top condition. They’re experts at creating compelling itineraries that combine the perfect blend of relaxation and exploration. The yacht was refitted in 2022, raising her to even higher levels of excellence.

COME PRIMA focuses on France, Italy and Monaco for charters. The French Riviera and the islands of Sardinia and Corsica are popular destinations. Guests can expect the finest restaurants, beach clubs, boutiques and cultural and historical attractions ashore. Returning to the yacht, they have the best of life afloat. A great complement of water toys includes WaveRunners, a Jet Ski, paddleboard, water ski, towable toys, and a banana. There is also a tender for escorting guests ashore and exploring closer to coastlines. Cuisine is also a highlight of every cruise. The talented on-board chef will create wonderful dishes to suit each charter party, occasion and destination. 

• Impressive refit in 2022
• Interior styling by Stefano Natucci
• Great array of watersports equipment
• Spacious full-beam master stateroom

Charter Details

• At-Anchor Stabilizers
• Deck Jacuzzi

For a full list of all available amenities & entertainment facilities, or price to hire additional equipment please inquire.

Accommodations

Specifications, toys & tenders.

• tender castoldi 21
• 1 crew tender
• 2 Waverunner
• 2 Seabobs F5
• 1 Kayak 2 seater
• 1 Kayak 2/3 seater
• 1 Flitesurf/E-foil
• 1x stand up jetski
• Inflatable lounge sofa
• Towable platform 2 seat
• Swim step ( Aquaglide )
• Jump platform ( Aquaglide)
• Donuts ( 2 pcs )
• Water skies ( 1 pair )
• Paddle board rigid ( 1 pc )
• Inflatable paddle boards ( 2 pcs )
• Body board ( 2 pcs )
• Towable banana
• Lounge platform ( Jobe )

Winter Rates

2023/2024 Season. Rates p/week + expenses

€ 160,000

€ 205,000

Cruising Regions

• West Mediterranean
• French Riviera
• Italian Riviera

Summer Rates

2024 Season. Rates p/week + expenses

€ 180,000

• Amalfi Coast

Itineraries

Weekly rates from €160,000

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Yacht, IMO 8981937

• VesselFinder
• Miscellaneous

The current position of COME PRIMA is at West Mediterranean reported 2 mins ago by AIS. The vessel arrived at the port of Marseille, France on Mar 13, 07:40 UTC. The vessel COME PRIMA (IMO 8981937, MMSI 229913000) is a Yacht built in 2000 (24 years old) and currently sailing under the flag of Malta .

Position & Voyage Data

Map position & weather, recent port calls, vessel particulars.

COME PRIMA current position and history of port calls are received by AIS. Technical specifications, tonnages and management details are derived from VesselFinder database. The data is for informational purposes only and VesselFinder is not responsible for the accuracy and reliability of COME PRIMA data.

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Description

COME PRIMA is a masterclass in Benetti design, and is the fifth yacht from the Italian Shipyard’s Golden Bay Series. Delivered in 2000 and refit in 2022, she is a cruising yacht with capability, reaching speeds of up to 18 knots. COME PRIMA is a steel and aluminium monohull displacement yacht and is built to ABS class. She is powered by two MTU 12V296 TE94 diesel engines, capable of achieving 3,8000 n/m and is equipped with zero speed stabilisers.

At 50m (164’ 1”) long, this tri-deck motor yacht offers a charming space from which to relax and unwind. Packed with amenities, COME PRIMA accommodates up to 12 guests in her 6 staterooms. Located on the sun deck is a large shaded sunbathing platform, Jacuzzi, bar and lounge area. Her main deck includes a second sunbathing platform and dining area. A water sports centre and gym area complete her exterior. The interior includes a full beam master stateroom on the main deck, a VIP cabin on the upper deck that converts into a twin cabin, 2 double cabins and 2 twin cabins located on the lower deck. A main salon and dining area offer sumptuous relaxation, and a second lounge and bar area provide a superb space for entertaining. Entertainment onboard includes a home theatre television and media centre, wifi throughout and an exceptional range of water toys.

• Number of Guests: 12
• Number of Cabins: 6
• Cabin Configuration: 1 Convertible, 3 Double, 2 Twin
• Bed Configuration: 2 King, 2 Queen, 4 Single
• Engines: ME: MTU 12V296 TE 94 *2 - 1620 kW each
• Genset: northern lights 125kw*2
• Cruising Speed: 13 knots
• Fuel Consumption: 380 Litres/Hr
• tender castoldi 21
• 1 crew tender
• 2 Waverunner
• 2 Seabobs F5
• 1 Kayak 2 seater
• 1 Kayak 2/3 seater
• 1 Flitesurf/E-foil
• 1x stand up jetski
• Inflatable lounge sofa
• Towable platform 2 seat
• Swim step ( Aquaglide )
• Jump platform ( Aquaglide)
• Donuts ( 2 pcs )
• Water skies ( 1 pair )
• Paddle board rigid ( 1 pc )
• Inflatable paddle boards ( 2 pcs )
• Body board ( 2 pcs )
• Towable banana
• Lounge platform ( Jobe )

Key features

• Refitted as new in 2022

Rates & locations

Winter 2023/2024.

October to April

• From: 160,000€ /week
• To: 205,000€ /week

Summer 2024

May to September

• From: 180,000€ /week

MYBA Terms: The Charter Fee includes the charter of the yacht with all its equipment in working order, tools, stores, cleaning material and basic consumable stores for engine-room, deck and cabins, etc., the crew’s wages, food and the insurance of the yacht for marine risk and third party claims and the crew for employer’s liability insurance. The Charterer will be charged extra, at cost to the yacht, for all other expenses. These include fuel for the yacht, fuel for the ski-boats or other tenders, food for the charterers, wines, beers, spirits and soft drinks for the Charterers, other consumable stores, berthing dues and other harbour charges away from the yacht’s own berth, including pilotage fees and charges for water and/or electricity taken from the shore, laundry, telephone, fax or telex via Satcom, Radio Telephone or telex costs, hire costs of special equipment placed on board at the request of the Charterer and crew gratuities. Prices exclude VAT (if applicable). VAT calculation depends on the embarkation port' country and on the cruising area. Charters shorter than a week are also available, depending on the date.

Availabilities

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Mediterranean & Adriatic

COME PRIMA is a masterclass in Benetti design, and is the fifth yacht from the Italian Shipyard’s Golden Bay Series. Delivered in 2000 and refit in 2022, she is a cruising yacht with capability, reaching speeds of up to 18 knots. COME PRIMA is a steel and aluminium monohull displacement yacht and is built to ABS class. She is powered by two MTU 12V296 TE94 diesel engines, capable of achieving 3,8000 n/m and is equipped with zero speed stabilisers.

At 50m (164’ 1”) long, this tri-deck motor yacht offers a charming space from which to relax and unwind. Packed with amenities, COME PRIMA accommodates up to 12 guests in her 6 staterooms. Located on the sun deck is a large shaded sunbathing platform, Jacuzzi, bar and lounge area. Her main deck includes a second sunbathing platform and dining area. A water sports centre and gym area complete her exterior. The interior includes a full beam master stateroom on the main deck, a VIP cabin on the upper deck that converts into a twin cabin, 2 double cabins and 2 twin cabins located on the lower deck. A main salon and dining area offer sumptuous relaxation, and a second lounge and bar area provide a superb space for entertaining. Entertainment onboard includes a home theatre television and media centre, wifi throughout and an exceptional range of water toys.

Explore more onboard

Come prima yacht for charter, key features.

• Refitted as new in 2022
• Exceptional Sun Deck
• Fantastic crew
• Proven charter record

tender & toys

• tender castoldi 21
• 1 crew tender
• 2 Waverunner
• 2 Seabobs F5
• 1 Kayak 2 seater
• 1 Kayak 2/3 seater
• 1 Flitesurf/E-foil
• 1x stand up jetski
• Inflatable lounge sofa
• Towable platform 2 seat
• Swim step ( Aquaglide )
• Jump platform ( Aquaglide)
• Donuts ( 2 pcs )
• Water skies ( 1 pair )
• Paddle board rigid ( 1 pc )
• Inflatable paddle boards ( 2 pcs )
• Body board ( 2 pcs )
• Towable banana
• Lounge platform ( Jobe )

€160,000 p/week

Get in touch.

+377 97 77 64 65

• Email: [email protected]

Head office

Le Montagne

6 Boulevard des Moulins

98000 Monaco

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All particulars are believed correct but cannot be guaranteed. All Rights Reserved © 2024 MYSEA

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Come Prima is a 50.0 m motor yacht built by Benetti from Italy in the year 2000. This superyacht has a beam of 9.0m, a draft of 2.85m, and a volume of 496 GT. It was previously known as Sands, Blue Night, Aquila, and Amnesia.

Stefano Natucci designed the exterior of the yacht, while the interior was crafted by Stefano Natucci, and the naval architecture was handled by Benetti SpA. The superyacht can accommodate up to 12 guests and has accommodation for 10 crew members, including the captain.

Come Prima superyacht is ranked as the 904th largest yacht globally and the 56th largest yacht built by Benetti.

Description

Length: 50.00 m/ 164′ 1″ Beam: 9 m / 29′ 6″

CONSTRUCTION

Built: 2000 Benetti

Refit: 2022

Cruise speed: 13 KN

Cabins: 6 Crew: 11

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TRANQUILITY

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• Destinations

CHECK YACHT AVAILABILITY ON YOUR DATES

• Year Built / Refit 2000 / 2022
• Length 50m./164′1″
• Builder Benetti
• Charter Destinations Mediterranean
• Yacht Type Motor

SPECIFICATION

CONFIGURATION

Air Conditioning

Stabilisers at anchor

Stabilisers underway

Approved RYA water sports centre

TENDERS & TOYS

tender castoldi 21 1 crew tender 2 Waverunner 2 Seabobs F5 1 Kayak 2 seater 1 Kayak 2/3 seater 1 Flitesurf/E-foil ...

1x stand up jetski Inflatable lounge sofa Towable platform 2 seat Swim step ( Aquaglide ) Jump platform ( Aquaglide) Donuts ( 2 pcs ) Water skies ( 1 pair ) Paddle board rigid ( 1 pc ) Inflatable paddle boards ( 2 pcs ) Body board ( 2 pcs ) Towable banana Lounge platform ( Jobe )

Cruising Areas - COME PRIMA

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2002/2022 Benetti

COME PRIMA YACHT FOR CHARTER

The COME PRIMA is a true testament to luxury and craftsmanship on the water. Built by the world-renowned yacht builders, her name, which translates to ‘first-class’ in Italian, speaks volumes of her quality and pedigree. With sleek lines and a grandiose silhouette, COME PRIMA stands out in any marina she graces. Her spacious and impeccably designed interiors are fitted with state-of-the-art amenities, providing unparalleled comfort and convenience for her guests. A distinctive feature is her expansive deck space, ideal for sun-soaked afternoons or starlit gatherings, epitomizing the quintessential yachting experience. Built for performance as much as for elegance, COME PRIMA slices through the waves with surprising agility for a yacht of her size. Whether for an extravagant celebration or a quiet escape, COME PRIMA ensures an unforgettable voyage.

From €160,000 per week

• Length 50m / 164'1ft
• Number of guests 12
• Guest cabins 6
• Region Western Mediterranean
• Builder Benetti
• Cruising speed 13 knots
• Max speed 17.5 knots
• Number of crew 11
• Draft 2.85m
• Range 2800nm
• Hull material Steel

Stand out features

• Refitted as new in 2022
• Impressive 3,200nm range
• 6.8m custom tender
• Full-beam master cabin with his/her en suite

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COME PRIMA features

COME PRIMA stands as a testament to the unrivaled excellence in the world of luxury yachting. This stunning vessel is a proud representation of the meticulous craftsmanship and visionary design ethos that her makers are renowned for. Her striking exterior is a sight to behold, boasting sleek lines and a balanced silhouette, perfectly encapsulating modern maritime elegance. COME PRIMA’s interior is just as impressive, housing a variety of luxurious accommodations designed for the ultimate comfort of her guests. The yacht’s comprehensive layout includes several beautifully appointed cabins, each reflecting an unyielding commitment to sophistication and comfort. COME PRIMA’s remarkable cruising capabilities make her a dynamic contender in various sailing scenarios, whether exploring the tranquil coves of the Mediterranean or venturing into the vibrant landscapes of the Caribbean. She’s more than just a yacht; COME PRIMA is a nautical masterpiece offering a charter experience defined by unparalleled luxury, remarkable comfort, and breathtaking adventures.

COME PRIMA provides unparalleled accommodation that seamlessly integrates luxury and comfort. The yacht features six opulently designed cabins that can graciously house up to 12 guests, catering to a variety of group configurations. A highly adaptable layout includes one convertible cabin, ideal for those seeking flexible accommodation options. It effortlessly transitions to suit the unique needs of each voyage and its guests. Three lavish double cabins provide a sanctuary of elegance and tranquillity, each displaying immaculate attention to detail and a commitment to comfort. In addition, COME PRIMA boasts two tastefully appointed twin cabins, offering a serene and refined environment. Each cabin, carefully crafted and elegantly furnished, ensures that every moment spent on COME PRIMA is imbued with an unparalleled sense of luxury and relaxation.

Experiencing a charter on COME PRIMA is akin to entering a world of unmatched luxury, personalized service, and enchanting discovery. From the moment guests step on board, they are treated to a warm, bespoke service by the expert crew, eager to cater to their every need. The yacht’s luxurious amenities, coupled with her intuitive design, allow for ultimate relaxation and high-end entertainment, whether it’s a family holiday, a getaway with friends, or a corporate retreat. Each meal onboard becomes a culinary journey as COME PRIMA’s onboard chef curates a menu tailored to guests’ preferences, turning every dining experience into an occasion to be savored. Furthermore, the yacht’s exceptional cruising capabilities enable exploration of the world’s most beautiful and exclusive destinations. A charter on COME PRIMA transcends the typical yacht experience, offering a unique blend of adventure, tranquillity, and exquisite service that leaves an indelible impression on all who journey with her.

COME PRIMA, designed with remarkable cruising capabilities, opens up a world of dreamy destinations to its fortunate guests. Its advanced engineering allows the vessel to explore a myriad of enchanting locations, from the crystalline waters of the Mediterranean with its sun-soaked coasts and historical harbors, to the exotic allure of the Caribbean and its multitude of tropical islands. COME PRIMA’s versatility doesn’t end with warm-weather cruising; she is equally at home among the icy panoramas of the Arctic or the raw, rugged beauty of the Norwegian fjords. The yacht’s design allows for access to secluded bays and exclusive marinas, offering an opportunity to explore some of the world’s most sought-after, less-traveled locations. Each voyage aboard COME PRIMA is an immersive journey, promising an extraordinary blend of relaxation, adventure, and discovery against the backdrop of the world’s most breathtaking maritime landscapes.

Chloe Riley says

COME PRIMA redefines luxury yachting with her unparalleled elegance, comfort, and versatility.

Chloe Riley

Head of Charter Management

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COME PRIMA Interior & Exterior Photos

50.01m  /  164'1   benetti   2000 / 2022.

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M/Y Prima was built for a Shipping Company, owner of Columbus Yacht brand. At the moment, another 55m yacht is under construction and the designing of other models ranging from 38m to 75m, with steel hull are being designed.

The technical launch of this beautiful Superyacht was attended by local Authorities, shipyard workers, national and international brokers and specialist press. The technical launch of M/Y “Prima” represents an important goal for Palumbo, that last year acquired two Shipyards in Malta, one of them fully dedicated to superyachts refitting. The M/Y “Prima” was designed by Sergio Cutolo (Hydrotech Naval Architecture) and the interior design by Tommaso Spadolini (Spadolini Studio Design), international well known names in the field in the designing of luxury mega yachts. M/Y “Prima” has a full displacement of about 700t, six staterooms including full beam Owner’s cabin with balcony and VIP cabin on the bridge deck. Exceptional volume from her 10.2m beam, large common areas and massive internal volumes are the main characteristic of Prima. 12 Sleeps guests and 12 sleeps in crew in six double crew staterooms plus Captain’s cabin. In the Sun Deck, a large Jacuzzi is well exposed on the sun pad island and there is a bar inboard of the crews’ staircase down to the bridge deck pantry.

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Three decades after the Soviet era, this Moscow street echoes what was.

And hints where russia is heading., welcome to tverskaya street.

MOSCOW — Thirty years ago, the Soviet Union ceased to be. The flag was lowered for the last time on Dec. 25, 1991. That moment still raises deep questions for the U.S.S.R.’s heirs: “Who were we as Soviets, and where are we going as Russians?”

Many of the answers can be found on Moscow’s main thoroughfare — named Gorky Street, after writer Maxim Gorky, from 1932 to 1990, and renamed Tverskaya Street, a nod to the ancient city of Tver, as the Soviet Union was awash in last-gasp reforms.

It was the Soviet Union’s display window on the bright future that Kremlin-run communism was supposed to bring. It was where the KGB dined, the rich spent their rubles, Vladimir Lenin gave speeches from a balcony, and authorities wielded their power against one of the most famous Soviet dissidents, Alexander Solzhenitsyn.

In the 1990s, Tverskaya embodied the fast-money excesses of the post-Soviet free-for-all. In later years, it was packed with hopeful pro-democracy marchers. And now , under President Vladimir Putin, it is a symbol of his dreams of reviving Russia as a great power, reliving past glories and crushing any opposition to his rule.

Join a tour of Moscow’s famed Tverskaya Street.

Hotel National: Where the Soviet government began

The window in Room 107 at the Hotel National faces Red Square and the Kremlin. It offers a perfect view of Lenin’s tomb — fitting, since he was Room 107’s most famous guest.

The Kremlin was damaged during the Russian Revolution in 1917. So Lenin and his wife moved into Room 107 for seven days in March 1918, making the hotel the first home of the Soviet government.

The Hotel National in Moscow, from top: Artwork in the Socialist Realist style — which artists were ordered to adopt in the 1930s — still adorns the hotel; Elena Pozolotina has worked at the hotel since 1995; the hotel, which contains a restaurant, was built in 1902; the National has hosted notable guests, including Soviet leader Vladimir Lenin, then-Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) and actor Jack Nicholson. (Photos by Arthur Bondar for The Washington Post)

The National, built in 1902 during the era of Imperial Russia, also accommodated other Soviet leaders, including Leon Trotsky and Felix Dzerzhinsky, chief of the secret police. The building continued to be used by the Soviet government as a hostel for official party delegates and was renamed First House of Soviets in 1919.

Guests can now stay in the same room Lenin did for about $1,300 a night. In more recent years, the hotel has hosted notable guests including Barack Obama (when he was a senator) and actor Jack Nicholson.

“This hotel feels a little like a museum,” said Elena Pozolotina, who has worked at the National since 1995.

“We have rooms that look onto Tverskaya Street, and we always explain to guests that this is the main street of our city,” Pozolotina said. “This corner of Tverskaya that we occupy, it’s priceless.”

Stalin’s plan: ‘The building is moving’

When Soviet leader Joseph Stalin demanded a massive redevelopment of Moscow in 1935, an order came to transform modest Gorky Street into a wide, awe-inspiring boulevard.

Engineer Emmanuel Gendel had the job of moving massive buildings to make way for others. Churches and monasteries were blown up, replaced by newspaper offices and a huge cinema.

The Moscow Central Eye Hospital was sheared from its foundation, rotated 97 degrees, jacked up, hitched on rails and pushed back 20 yards — with surgeons operating all the while, or so official media reported at the time.

Gendel’s daughter, then about 8, proudly stood at a microphone, announcing: “Attention, attention, the building is moving.” Tatiana Yastrzhembskaya, Gendel’s granddaughter and president of the Winter Ball charity foundation in Moscow, recalls that Gendel extolled communism but also enjoyed the rewards of the elite. He drove a fine car and always brought the family the best cakes and candies, she said.

The largest Gorky Street building Gendel moved was the Savvinskoye Courtyard. The most difficult was the Mossoviet, or Moscow city hall, with a balcony where Lenin had given speeches. The building, the former residence of the Moscow governor general, had to be moved with its basement. The ground floor had been a ballroom without central structural supports.

Moving buildings on Gorky Street in 1940, from left: A mechanic at a control panel regulates the supply of electricity while a house is being moved; a postal worker passes a moving house; a specialist unwinds a telephone cable during a building move to maintain uninterrupted communication; 13 rail tracks were placed under a house, on which 1,200 metal rollers were laid. (Photos by RGAKFD)

Gendel’s skills were used all over the U.S.S.R. — straightening towers on ancient mosques in Uzbekistan, inventing a means to drag tanks from rivers during World War II and consulting on the Moscow Metro.

Like many of the Soviet Union’s brightest talents, Gendel found that his freedom was tenuous. His ex-wife was called by the KGB internal spy agency in 1937 and asked to denounce him. She refused, and he avoided arrest.

“I believe he was not arrested and sent to the camps because he was a unique expert,” said Yastrzhembskaya. World War II, known in Russia as the Great Patriotic War, interrupted the Master Plan for Gorky Street.

Aragvi restaurant: A haunt of the KGB

In the 1930s, the head of the elite NKVD secret police, Lavrenty Beria, one of the architects of the Stalin-era purges, ordered the construction of a state-owned restaurant, Aragvi, to showcase food from his home republic of Georgia.

One night, NKVD agents descended in several black cars on a humble Georgian canteen in Moscow that Beria had once visited. The agents ordered the chef, Longinoz Stazhadze, to come with them. The feared NKVD was a precursor to the KGB.

Stazhadze thought he was being arrested, his son Levan told Russian media. He was taken to Beria, who said that he had agreed with “the Boss” (Stalin) that Stazhadze would run Aragvi. Stazhadze had grown up a peasant, sent to work in a prince’s kitchens as a boy.

Aragvi opened in 1938. It was only for the gilded set, a reminder that the “Soviet paradise” was anything but equitable. The prices were astronomical. It was impossible to get a table unless the doorman knew you or you could pay a hefty bribe.

Aragvi, at No. 6 Tverskaya, was a favorite of the secret police; government officials; cosmonauts and pilots; stars of theater, movies and ballet; directors; poets; chess masters. Beria reputedly dined in a private room. Poet Sergei Mikhalkov said he composed the lyrics of the Soviet national anthem while sitting in the restaurant in 1943.

It was privatized in the 1990s and struggled, before closing in 2002. It reopened in 2016 after a $20 million renovation. But the new Aragvi closed abruptly in 2019 amid reports of a conflict between its owner and the building managers.

“You put your entire soul into cooking,” said the former head chef, Nugzar Nebieridze, 59, celebrated for his khinkali, a meaty dumpling almost the size of a tennis ball. He was devastated to find himself unemployed. But other doors opened. He now prefers to travel, giving master classes around Russia.

Stalin’s funeral: A deadly street crush that never officially happened

On March 6, 1953, the day after Stalin died of a stroke, an estimated 2 million Muscovites poured onto the streets. They hoped to catch a glimpse of his body, covered with flowers and laid out in the marbled Hall of Columns near Red Square.

Yulia Revazova, then 13, sneaked from her house with her cousin Valery without telling their parents. As they walked toward Pushkin Square, at one end of Gorky Street, the procession turned into a scene of horror. They saw people falling and being trampled. Some were crushed against metal fences. Valery, who was a few years older, grabbed Yulia by the hand and dragged her out of the crowd.

“He held my hand really tight and never let it go, because it was pure madness,” she recalled recently. “It took us four or five hours to get out of there. People kept coming and coming. I couldn’t even call it a column; it was just an uncontrollable mass of people.”

“I still have this feeling, the fear of massive crowds,” added Revazova, 82. “To this day, if I see a huge group of people or a really long line, I just cross the street.”

Neither Revazova nor her cousin knew about Stalin’s repressions.

“People were crying. I saw many women holding little handkerchiefs, wiping away tears and wailing,” she recalled. “That’s the psychology of a Soviet person. If there is no overarching figure above, be it God or Lenin, life will come crashing down. The era was over, and there was fear. What will we do without Stalin?”

Officials never revealed how many people died that day. The Soviet-approved archival footage of the four days of national mourning showed only orderly marches and memorials.

No. 9: The ruthless culture minister

The Soviet culture minister, the steely Yekaterina Furtseva, was nicknamed Catherine the Third, after the forceful Russian Empress Catherine the Great. Furtseva destroyed writers, artists or anyone else who challenged Soviet ideas. She lived at an elite 1949 apartment building for government officials at No. 9 — an ultra-prestigious address with a view of the Kremlin.

Furtseva, a former small-town weaver, made sure that No. 9 was only for the cream of party officials and other notables, such as famous Soviet actress Natalia Seleznyova, scientists, conductors and architects.

Riding the coattails of Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev, Furtseva was the only woman in the Politburo and later became the Soviet Union’s cultural gatekeeper despite her provincial sensibilities. She once infamously mixed up a symphony with an opera, and critics were quick to notice.

“She had little in common with the artistic leaders of her country except a liking for vodka,” Norwegian painter Victor Sparre wrote in his 1979 book on the repression of dissident Soviet writers, “The Flame in the Darkness.”

Furtseva was famous for previewing performances and declaring anyone even subtly critical of Soviet policies as being anti-state. Director Yuri Lyubimov described one such visit to Moscow’s Taganka Theater in 1969, when she turned up wearing diamond rings and an astrakhan coat. She banned the play “Alive,” depicting a cunning peasant’s struggle against the collective farm system. She “was livid, she kept shouting,” he told L’Alternative magazine in 1984. She stormed out, warning him she would use her influence, “up to the highest levels,” against him.

He was expelled from the party and in 1984 was stripped of his citizenship. She vehemently denounced Solzhenitsyn, and banned the Bolshoi Ballet’s version of “Carmen” in 1967 over prima ballerina Maya Plisetskaya’s sensual performance and “un-Soviet” costumes that did not cover enough leg.

“The ballet is all erotica,” she told the dancer. “It’s alien to us.” But Plisetskaya, whom Khrushchev once called the world’s best dancer, fought back. The ballet went on with some excisions (the costumes stayed) and became a legend in the theater’s repertoire.

Furtseva was nearly felled by scandal in 1974, ordered to repay $80,000 spent building a luxurious dacha, or country home, using state labor. She died months later.

Where Solzhenitsyn was arrested

The Nobel Prize-winning Solzhenitsyn exposed the Soviet system’s cruelty against some of its brightest minds, trapped in the gulag, or prison camps.

Solzhenitsyn was given eight years of hard labor in 1945 for privately criticizing Stalin, then three years of exile in Kazakhstan, a Soviet republic at the time. His books were banned. After release from exile in 1956, he was allowed to make only 72-hour visits to the home of his second wife, Natalia, at 12 Gorky St., Apt. 169. Solzhenitsyn had to live outside the city.

“People knew that there were camps, but not many people, if any, knew what life was like in those camps. And he described it from the inside. He had been there himself, and that was shocking to a lot of people,” said Natalia Solzhenitsyna during a recent interview at the apartment, which became a museum in 2018.

“Many people say that he did make a contribution to the final fall of the Soviet Union.”

Solzhenitsyn, who died in 2008, called Russia “the land of smothered opportunities.” He wrote that it is always possible to live with integrity. Lies and evil might flourish — “but not through me.”

The museum displays tiny handwritten copies of Solzhenitsyn’s books, circulated secretly; film negatives of letters smuggled to the West; and beads made of compacted bread that he used to memorize poems in prison.

“He spent a lot of time here with his children. We were always very busy. And we just enjoyed ourselves — being together,” Solzhenitsyna said. They had three sons.

No. 12 Gorky St., from top: Natalia Solzhenitsyna lived in the apartment for years, and her husband, Soviet dissident Alexander Solzhenitsyn, was allowed only short visits; the site now houses a museum displaying items connected to him, such as negatives containing a copy of a novel he wrote; another exhibit includes Solzhenitsyn’s clothes from when he was sent to the gulag and beads made of compacted bread that he used to memorize poems; the Nobel Prize-winning writer’s desk is featured at the museum. (Photos by Arthur Bondar for The Washington Post)

Because of KGB bugs, if the couple were discussing something sensitive, they wrote notes to each other, and then destroyed them. Two KGB agents usually roosted in the stairwell on the floor above, with two more on the floor below.

“The Soviet authorities were afraid of him because of his popularity among intellectuals, writers, people of culture and the intelligentsia.”

Her favorite room is decked with black-and-white photos of dissidents sent to the gulag, the Soviet Union’s sprawling system of forced labor camps. “It’s dedicated to the invisibles,” she said, pointing out friends.

Sweden planned to award Solzhenitsyn’s 1970 literature prize in the Gorky Street apartment, but the writer rejected a secret ceremony. A Swedish journalist in Moscow, Stig Fredrikson, was Solzhenitsyn’s smuggler. He carried Solzhenitsyn’s Nobel lecture on tightly rolled film disguised as a battery in a transistor radio, and he took other letters to the West and transported photos taped to his back.

“I felt that there was a sense of unfairness that he was so isolated and so persecuted,” Fredrikson said in a recent interview. “I got more and more scared and more and more afraid every time I met him.”

In 1971, the Soviet Union allegedly tried to poison Solzhenitsyn using a secret nerve agent, leaving him seriously ill. Early 1974 was tense. The prosecutor subpoenaed him. State newspapers railed against him.

The morning of Feb. 12, 1974, the couple worked in their study. In the afternoon, he walked his 5-month-old son, Stepan, in the yard below.

“He came back here, and literally a minute later, there was a ring at the door. There were eight men. They immediately broke the chain and got in,” his widow said. “There was a prosecutor in his prosecutor’s uniform, two men in plainclothes, and the rest were in military uniform. They told him to get dressed.”

“We hugged and we kept hugging for quite a while,” she recalled. “The last thing he told me was to take care of the children.”

He was deported to West Germany. The couple later settled in Vermont and set up a fund to help dissident writers, using royalties from his book “The Gulag Archipelago.” About 1,000 people still receive money from the fund, according to Solzhenitsyna.

When the writer and his wife returned to Russia in 1994, they traveled across the country by train. Thousands of people crushed into halls to hear him speak.

Solzhenitsyn abhorred the shock therapy and unchecked capitalism of the 1990s and preferred Putin’s tough nationalism. He died of heart failure at 89 in August 2008, five months after a presidential election in which Putin switched places with the prime minister, Dmitry Medvedev, in a move that critics saw as a ploy to get around constitutional term limits.

No. 6: ‘Feasts of thought’

Behind a grand Stalin-era apartment block at 6 Gorky St. sits an ornate 1907 building famous for its facade, art nouveau glazed blue tiles, elegant arches and baroque spires. Once a monastery dormitory, it was a staple of pre-Soviet postcards from Moscow. But in November 1939, the 26,000-ton building was put on rails and pushed back to widen the street.

Linguists Lev and Raisa Kopelev lived in Apt. 201 on the top floor. Their spacious dining room became a favored haven for Moscow’s intelligentsia from the 1950s to the 1980s.

“People gathered all the time — to talk. In this apartment, like many other kitchens and dining rooms, at tables filled more often than not with vodka, herring and vinaigrette salad, feasts of thought took place,” said Svetlana Ivanova, Raisa’s daughter from another marriage, who lived in the apartment for nearly four decades.

Solzhenitsyn and fellow dissident Joseph Brodsky were Kopelev family friends, as were many other artists, poets, writers and scientists who formed the backbone of the Soviet human rights movement of the 1960s.

As a writer and dissident, Kopelev had turned his back on the Communist Party and a prestigious university position. The onetime gulag prisoner inspired the character Lev Rubin in Solzhenitsyn’s novel “In the First Circle,” depicting the fate of arrested scientists.

“The apartment was a special place for everyone. People there were not afraid to speak their mind on topics that would be considered otherwise risky,” Ivanova said. “A new, different spirit ruled in its walls.”

Eliseevsky: Pineapples during a famine

The Eliseevsky store at No. 16 was a landmark for 120 years — born in czarist Russia, a witness to the rise and fall of the Soviet Union, a survivor of wars, and a bastion during eras of shortages and plenty. It closed its doors in April.

Eliseevsky fell on hard times during the coronavirus pandemic, as international tourists dwindled and Russians sought cheaper grocery-shopping alternatives.

In the palace-like interior, two chandeliers hang from an ornate ceiling. Gilt columns line the walls. The front of the store, looking out at Tverskaya Street, has a row of stained glass.

The Eliseevsky store, which opened in 1901, is seen in April, with a few customers and some archival photos, as it prepared to close as an economic victim of the coronavirus pandemic. (Photos by Arthur Bondar for The Washington Post)

Denis Romodin, a historian at the Museum of Moscow, said Eliseevsky is one of only two retail spaces in Moscow with such pre-revolutionary interiors. But Eliseevsky’s level of preservation made it “one of a kind,” he said.

The building was once owned by Zinaida Volkonskaya, a princess and Russian cultural figure in the 19th century. She remodeled the house into a literary salon whose luminaries included Russia’s greatest poet, Alexander Pushkin.

St. Petersburg merchant Grigory Eliseev opened the market in 1901. It quickly became a hit among Russian nobility for its selection of European wines and cheeses.

Romodin said it was Russia’s first store with price tags. Before Eliseevsky, haggling was the norm. And it was also unique in having innovative technology for the time: electric-powered refrigerators and display cases that allowed goods to be stored longer.

Even in the Soviet Union’s hungriest years, the 1930s famine, Eliseevsky stocked pineapples.

“One could find outlandish delicacies here, which at that time seemed very exotic,” Romodin said. “It was already impossible to surprise Muscovites with wine shops. But a grocery store with luxurious interiors, and large for that time, amazed and delighted Muscovites.”

The First Gallery: A glimpse of openness

In 1989, in a dusty government office by a corner of Pushkin Square, three young artists threw off decades of suffocating state control and opened the Soviet Union’s first independent art gallery.

That April, Yevgeny Mitta and two fellow students, Aidan Salakhova and Alexander Yakut, opened First Gallery. At the time, the Soviet Union was opening up under policies including glasnost, which gave more room for public debate and criticism.

Artists were ordered to adopt the Socialist Realist style in 1934, depicting scenes such as happy collective farmworkers. Expressionist, abstract and avant-garde art was banned. From the 1970s, underground art exhibitions were the only outlets to break the Soviet-imposed rules.

The First Gallery, from top: Yevgeny Mitta, Aidan Salakhova and Alexander Yakut opened the Soviet Union’s first independent art gallery in 1989 and received media attention; Mitta works on a painting that he displayed at his gallery; Mitta recalled recently that he “felt we had to make something new”; an undated photo of Mitta at his gallery in Soviet times. (Photos by Arthur Bondar for The Washington Post and courtesy of Yevgeny Mitta)

“I just felt we had to make something new,” recalled Mitta, 58, who kept his interest in contemporary expressionism a secret at a top Moscow art school in the 1980s.

“It was like nothing really happened in art history in the 20th century, like it stopped,” he said. “The Socialist Realism doctrine was invented and spread to the artists as the only one, possible way of developing paintings, films and literature.”

After the collapse of the Soviet Union, artists had to “learn how to survive, what to do, how to work and make a living,” he said.

McDonald’s: ‘We were not used to smiling’

In the Soviet Union’s final years, a mania raged for all things Western. Estée Lauder opened the first Western-brand shop on Gorky Street in 1989, after meeting Raisa Gorbachev, the wife of reformist Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev, in December 1988.

The Soviet Union’s first McDonald’s, located across Pushkin Square on Gorky Street, opened on Jan. 31, 1990 — a yellow-arched symbol of Gorbachev’s perestroika economic reforms. Pizza Hut opened later that year. (In 1998, Gorbachev starred in a commercial for the pizza chain.)

Karina Pogosova and Anna Patrunina were cashiers at the McDonald’s on opening day. The line stretched several blocks. Police officers stood watch to keep it organized.

The Soviet Union’s first McDonald’s opened in 1990 and eager customers lined up to enter; Karina Pogosova, left, and Anna Patrunina were cashiers at the fast-food restaurant on Gorky Street then, and they are senior executives with the company today. (Photos by Peter Turnley/Corbis/VCG/Getty Images and Arthur Bondar for The Washington Post)

“The atmosphere was wonderful. The first day I had to smile the entire day and my face muscles hurt,” Patrunina said. “This is not a joke. Russians do not smile in general, so we were not used to smiling at all, not to mention for more than eight hours straight.”

Pogosova and Patrunina were students at the Moscow Aviation Institute when they learned McDonald’s was hiring through an ad in a Moscow newspaper. Interview questions included: “How fast can you run 100 meters?” It was to gauge if someone was energetic enough for the job.

Pogosova and Patrunina are still with the company today, as senior vice president of development and franchising and vice president of operations, respectively.

“I thought that this is the world of opportunities and this new world is coming to our country, so I must be in this new world,” Patrunina said.

The smiling staff wasn’t the only culture shock for customers. Some had never tried the fountain sodas that were available. They were unaccustomed to food that wasn’t eaten with utensils. The colorful paper boxes that Big Macs came in were occasionally saved as souvenirs.

McDonald’s quickly became a landmark on the street.

“I remember very well that the street and the entire city was very dark and McDonald’s was like an island of light with bright signage,” Pogosova said. “The street started to change after McDonald’s opened its first restaurant there.”

Wild ’90s and a missing ballerina

The end of the Soviet Union uncorked Moscow’s wild 1990s. Some people made instant fortunes by acquiring state-owned enterprises at throwaway prices. Rules were being written on the fly. The city was pulsing with possibilities for those with money or those desperate to get some.

“It was easy to get drunk on this,” said Alex Shifrin, a former Saatchi & Saatchi advertising executive from Canada who lived in Moscow from the mid-1990s until the late 2000s.

It all was on full display at Night Flight, Moscow’s first nightclub, opened by Swedish managers in 1991, in the final months of the Soviet Union, at Tverskaya 17. The club introduced Moscow’s nouveau elite to “face control” — who merits getting past the rope line — and music-throbbing decadence.

The phrase “standing on Tverskaya” made its way into Russian vernacular as the street became a hot spot for prostitutes. Toward the end of the 2000s, Night Flight had lost its luster. The club scene in Moscow had moved on to bigger and bolder venues.

Decades before, No. 17 had been famous as the building with the dancer: a statue of a ballerina, holding a hammer and sickle, placed atop the cupola during Stalin’s building blitz.

Muscovites nicknamed the building the House Under the Skirt.

“The idea was to have Gorky Street as a museum of Soviet art. The statues represented a dance of socialism,” art historian Pavel Gnilorybov said. “The ballerina was a symbol of the freedom of women and the idea that, before the revolution, women were slaves. It is as if she is singing an ode to the regime.”

The crumbling statues were removed by 1958. People forgot them. Now a group of Muscovites, including Gnilorybov, are campaigning for the return of the ballerina.

“It’s an idea that we want to give the city as a gift. It’s not political,” he said. “It’s beautiful.”

Pushkin Square: For lovers and protesters

Pushkin Square has been Moscow’s favorite meeting place for friends, lovers and political demonstrations.

In November 1927, Trotskyist opponents of Stalin marched to the 27th House of Soviets at one end of Tverskaya Street, opposite the Hotel National, in one of the last public protests against the Soviet ruler.

In December 1965, several dozen dissidents gathered in Pushkin Square to protest the trials of two writers. It became an annual event. People would gather just before 6 p.m. and, on the hour, remove their hats for a minute.

In 1987, dissidents collected signatures at Pushkin Square and other locations calling for a memorial to those imprisoned or killed by the Soviet state. The movement evolved into Memorial, a leading human rights group. Memorial was declared a “foreign agent” in 2016 under Putin’s sweeping political crackdowns.

In January 2018, left, and January 2021, right, protesters gathered at Pushkin Square. (Photos by Arthur Bondar for The Washington Post)

Protests in support of opposition leader Alexei Navalny were held at Pushkin Square earlier this year. And it is where communists and liberals rallied on a rainy September night to protest 2021 parliamentary election results that gave a landslide win to Putin’s United Russia party despite widespread claims of fraud.

Nearly 30 years after the fall of the U.S.S.R., Putin’s Russia carries some echoes of the stories lived out in Soviet times — censorship and repressions are returning. Navalny was poisoned by a nerve agent in 2020 and later jailed. Many opposition figures and independent journalists have fled the country. The hope, sleaze and exhilaration of the 1990s have faded. Tverskaya Street has settled into calm stagnation, waiting for the next chapter.

Arthur Bondar contributed to this report.

Correction: A map accompanying this article incorrectly spelled the first name of a former Soviet leader. He is Vladimir Lenin, not Vladmir Lenin. The map has been corrected.

About this story

Story editing by Robyn Dixon and Brian Murphy. Photos and videos by Arthur Bondar. Archival footage from the Russian State Documentary Film and Photo Archive at Krasnogorsk; footage of Joseph Stalin’s funeral from the Martin Manhoff Archive, courtesy of Douglas Smith. Photo editing by Chloe Coleman. Video editing by Jason Aldag. Design and development by Yutao Chen. Design editing by Suzette Moyer. Maps by Dylan Moriarty. Graphics editing by Lauren Tierney. Copy editing by Melissa Ngo.

2018 Primetime Emmy & James Beard Award Winner

In Transit: Notes from the Underground

Jun 06 2018.

Spend some time in one of Moscow’s finest museums.

Subterranean commuting might not be anyone’s idea of a good time, but even in a city packing the war-games treasures and priceless bejeweled eggs of the Kremlin Armoury and the colossal Soviet pavilions of the VDNKh , the Metro holds up as one of Moscow’s finest museums. Just avoid rush hour.

The Metro is stunning and provides an unrivaled insight into the city’s psyche, past and present, but it also happens to be the best way to get around. Moscow has Uber, and the Russian version called Yandex Taxi , but also some nasty traffic. Metro trains come around every 90 seconds or so, at a more than 99 percent on-time rate. It’s also reasonably priced, with a single ride at 55 cents (and cheaper in bulk). From history to tickets to rules — official and not — here’s what you need to know to get started.

A Brief Introduction Buying Tickets Know Before You Go (Down) Rules An Easy Tour

A Brief Introduction

Moscow’s Metro was a long time coming. Plans for rapid transit to relieve the city’s beleaguered tram system date back to the Imperial era, but a couple of wars and a revolution held up its development. Stalin revived it as part of his grand plan to modernize the Soviet Union in the 1920s and 30s. The first lines and tunnels were constructed with help from engineers from the London Underground, although Stalin’s secret police decided that they had learned too much about Moscow’s layout and had them arrested on espionage charges and deported.

The beauty of its stations (if not its trains) is well-documented, and certainly no accident. In its illustrious first phases and particularly after the Second World War, the greatest architects of Soviet era were recruited to create gleaming temples celebrating the Revolution, the USSR, and the war triumph. No two stations are exactly alike, and each of the classic showpieces has a theme. There are world-famous shrines to Futurist architecture, a celebration of electricity, tributes to individuals and regions of the former Soviet Union. Each marble slab, mosaic tile, or light fixture was placed with intent, all in service to a station’s aesthetic; each element, f rom the smallest brass ear of corn to a large blood-spattered sword on a World War II mural, is an essential part of the whole.

The Metro is a monument to the Soviet propaganda project it was intended to be when it opened in 1935 with the slogan “Building a Palace for the People”. It brought the grand interiors of Imperial Russia to ordinary Muscovites, celebrated the Soviet Union’s past achievements while promising its citizens a bright Soviet future, and of course, it was a show-piece for the world to witness the might and sophistication of life in the Soviet Union.

It may be a museum, but it’s no relic. U p to nine million people use it daily, more than the London Underground and New York Subway combined. (Along with, at one time, about 20 stray dogs that learned to commute on the Metro.)

In its 80+ year history, the Metro has expanded in phases and fits and starts, in step with the fortunes of Moscow and Russia. Now, partly in preparation for the World Cup 2018, it’s also modernizing. New trains allow passengers to walk the entire length of the train without having to change carriages. The system is becoming more visitor-friendly. (There are helpful stickers on the floor marking out the best selfie spots .) But there’s a price to modernity: it’s phasing out one of its beloved institutions, the escalator attendants. Often they are middle-aged or elderly women—“ escalator grandmas ” in news accounts—who have held the post for decades, sitting in their tiny kiosks, scolding commuters for bad escalator etiquette or even bad posture, or telling jokes . They are slated to be replaced, when at all, by members of the escalator maintenance staff.

For all its achievements, the Metro lags behind Moscow’s above-ground growth, as Russia’s capital sprawls ever outwards, generating some of the world’s worst traffic jams . But since 2011, the Metro has been in the middle of an ambitious and long-overdue enlargement; 60 new stations are opening by 2020. If all goes to plan, the 2011-2020 period will have brought 125 miles of new tracks and over 100 new stations — a 40 percent increase — the fastest and largest expansion phase in any period in the Metro’s history.

Facts: 14 lines Opening hours: 5 a.m-1 a.m. Rush hour(s): 8-10 a.m, 4-8 p.m. Single ride: 55₽ (about 85 cents) Wi-Fi network-wide

Buying Tickets

• Ticket machines have a button to switch to English.
• You can buy specific numbers of rides: 1, 2, 5, 11, 20, or 60. Hold up fingers to show how many rides you want to buy.
• There is also a 90-minute ticket , which gets you 1 trip on the metro plus an unlimited number of transfers on other transport (bus, tram, etc) within 90 minutes.
• Or, you can buy day tickets with unlimited rides: one day (218₽/ US$4), three days (415₽/US$7) or seven days (830₽/US$15). Check the rates here to stay up-to-date.
• If you’re going to be using the Metro regularly over a few days, it’s worth getting a Troika card , a contactless, refillable card you can use on all public transport. Using the Metro is cheaper with one of these: a single ride is 36₽, not 55₽. Buy them and refill them in the Metro stations, and they’re valid for 5 years, so you can keep it for next time. Or, if you have a lot of cash left on it when you leave, you can get it refunded at the Metro Service Centers at Ulitsa 1905 Goda, 25 or at Staraya Basmannaya 20, Building 1.
• You can also buy silicone bracelets and keychains with built-in transport chips that you can use as a Troika card. (A Moscow Metro Fitbit!) So far, you can only get these at the Pushkinskaya metro station Live Helpdesk and souvenir shops in the Mayakovskaya and Trubnaya metro stations. The fare is the same as for the Troika card.
• You can also use Apple Pay and Samsung Pay.

Rules, spoken and unspoken

No smoking, no drinking, no filming, no littering. Photography is allowed, although it used to be banned.

Stand to the right on the escalator. Break this rule and you risk the wrath of the legendary escalator attendants. (No shenanigans on the escalators in general.)

Get out of the way. Find an empty corner to hide in when you get off a train and need to stare at your phone. Watch out getting out of the train in general; when your train doors open, people tend to appear from nowhere or from behind ornate marble columns, walking full-speed.

Always offer your seat to elderly ladies (what are you, a monster?).

An Easy Tour

This is no Metro Marathon ( 199 stations in 20 hours ). It’s an easy tour, taking in most—though not all—of the notable stations, the bulk of it going clockwise along the Circle line, with a couple of short detours. These stations are within minutes of one another, and the whole tour should take about 1-2 hours.

Start at Mayakovskaya Metro station , at the corner of Tverskaya and Garden Ring,  Triumfalnaya Square, Moskva, Russia, 125047.

1. Mayakovskaya.  Named for Russian Futurist Movement poet Vladimir Mayakovsky and an attempt to bring to life the future he imagined in his poems. (The Futurist Movement, natch, was all about a rejecting the past and celebrating all things speed, industry, modern machines, youth, modernity.) The result: an Art Deco masterpiece that won the National Grand Prix for architecture at the New York World’s Fair in 1939. It’s all smooth, rounded shine and light, and gentle arches supported by columns of dark pink marble and stainless aircraft steel. Each of its 34 ceiling niches has a mosaic. During World War II, the station was used as an air-raid shelter and, at one point, a bunker for Stalin. He gave a subdued but rousing speech here in Nov. 6, 1941 as the Nazis bombed the city above.

Take the 3/Green line one station to:

2. Belorusskaya. Opened in 1952, named after the connected Belarussky Rail Terminal, which runs trains between Moscow and Belarus. This is a light marble affair with a white, cake-like ceiling, lined with Belorussian patterns and 12 Florentine ceiling mosaics depicting life in Belarussia when it was built.

Transfer onto the 1/Brown line. Then, one stop (clockwise) t o:

3. Novoslobodskaya.  This station was designed around the stained-glass panels, which were made in Latvia, because Alexey Dushkin, the Soviet starchitect who dreamed it up (and also designed Mayakovskaya station) couldn’t find the glass and craft locally. The stained glass is the same used for Riga’s Cathedral, and the panels feature plants, flowers, members of the Soviet intelligentsia (musician, artist, architect) and geometric shapes.

Go two stops east on the 1/Circle line to:

4. Komsomolskaya. Named after the Komsomol, or the Young Communist League, this might just be peak Stalin Metro style. Underneath the hub for three regional railways, it was intended to be a grand gateway to Moscow and is today its busiest station. It has chandeliers; a yellow ceiling with Baroque embellishments; and in the main hall, a colossal red star overlaid on golden, shimmering tiles. Designer Alexey Shchusev designed it as an homage to the speech Stalin gave at Red Square on Nov. 7, 1941, in which he invoked Russia’s illustrious military leaders as a pep talk to Soviet soldiers through the first catastrophic year of the war.   The station’s eight large mosaics are of the leaders referenced in the speech, such as Alexander Nevsky, a 13th-century prince and military commander who bested German and Swedish invading armies.

One more stop clockwise to Kurskaya station,  and change onto the 3/Blue  line, and go one stop to:

5. Baumanskaya.   Opened in 1944. Named for the Bolshevik Revolutionary Nikolai Bauman , whose monument and namesake district are aboveground here. Though he seemed like a nasty piece of work (he apparently once publicly mocked a woman he had impregnated, who later hung herself), he became a Revolutionary martyr when he was killed in 1905 in a skirmish with a monarchist, who hit him on the head with part of a steel pipe. The station is in Art Deco style with atmospherically dim lighting, and a series of bronze sculptures of soldiers and homefront heroes during the War. At one end, there is a large mosaic portrait of Lenin.

Stay on that train direction one more east to:

6. Elektrozavodskaya. As you may have guessed from the name, this station is the Metro’s tribute to all thing electrical, built in 1944 and named after a nearby lightbulb factory. It has marble bas-relief sculptures of important figures in electrical engineering, and others illustrating the Soviet Union’s war-time struggles at home. The ceiling’s recurring rows of circular lamps give the station’s main tunnel a comforting glow, and a pleasing visual effect.

Double back two stops to Kurskaya station , and change back to the 1/Circle line. Sit tight for six stations to:

7. Kiyevskaya. This was the last station on the Circle line to be built, in 1954, completed under Nikita Khrushchev’ s guidance, as a tribute to his homeland, Ukraine. Its three large station halls feature images celebrating Ukraine’s contributions to the Soviet Union and Russo-Ukrainian unity, depicting musicians, textile-working, soldiers, farmers. (One hall has frescoes, one mosaics, and the third murals.) Shortly after it was completed, Khrushchev condemned the architectural excesses and unnecessary luxury of the Stalin era, which ushered in an epoch of more austere Metro stations. According to the legend at least, he timed the policy in part to ensure no Metro station built after could outshine Kiyevskaya.

Change to the 3/Blue line and go one stop west.

8. Park Pobedy. This is the deepest station on the Metro, with one of the world’s longest escalators, at 413 feet. If you stand still, the escalator ride to the surface takes about three minutes .) Opened in 2003 at Victory Park, the station celebrates two of Russia’s great military victories. Each end has a mural by Georgian artist Zurab Tsereteli, who also designed the “ Good Defeats Evil ” statue at the UN headquarters in New York. One mural depicts the Russian generals’ victory over the French in 1812 and the other, the German surrender of 1945. The latter is particularly striking; equal parts dramatic, triumphant, and gruesome. To the side, Red Army soldiers trample Nazi flags, and if you look closely there’s some blood spatter among the detail. Still, the biggest impressions here are the marble shine of the chessboard floor pattern and the pleasingly geometric effect if you view from one end to the other.

Keep going one more stop west to:

9. Slavyansky Bulvar.  One of the Metro’s youngest stations, it opened in 2008. With far higher ceilings than many other stations—which tend to have covered central tunnels on the platforms—it has an “open-air” feel (or as close to it as you can get, one hundred feet under). It’s an homage to French architect Hector Guimard, he of the Art Nouveau entrances for the Paris M é tro, and that’s precisely what this looks like: A Moscow homage to the Paris M é tro, with an additional forest theme. A Cyrillic twist on Guimard’s Metro-style lettering over the benches, furnished with t rees and branch motifs, including creeping vines as towering lamp-posts.

Stay on the 3/Blue line and double back four stations to:

10. Arbatskaya. Its first iteration, Arbatskaya-Smolenskaya station, was damaged by German bombs in 1941. It was rebuilt in 1953, and designed to double as a bomb shelter in the event of nuclear war, although unusually for stations built in the post-war phase, this one doesn’t have a war theme. It may also be one of the system’s most elegant: Baroque, but toned down a little, with red marble floors and white ceilings with gilded bronze c handeliers.

Jump back on the 3/Blue line  in the same direction and take it one more stop:

11. Ploshchad Revolyutsii (Revolution Square). Opened in 1938, and serving Red Square and the Kremlin . Its renowned central hall has marble columns flanked by 76 bronze statues of Soviet heroes: soldiers, students, farmers, athletes, writers, parents. Some of these statues’ appendages have a yellow sheen from decades of Moscow’s commuters rubbing them for good luck. Among the most popular for a superstitious walk-by rub: the snout of a frontier guard’s dog, a soldier’s gun (where the touch of millions of human hands have tapered the gun barrel into a fine, pointy blade), a baby’s foot, and a woman’s knee. (A brass rooster also sports the telltale gold sheen, though I am told that rubbing the rooster is thought to bring bad luck. )

Now take the escalator up, and get some fresh air.

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