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Why You Should Visit Khamovniki District in Moscow
No comments · Posted by Alex Smirnov in Cities, Travel
Moscow is a big place, there’s no doubt. That can make it tricky to narrow down the places to visit in the Russian Federation capital. However, there’s one place that should definitely not miss visiting, Khamovniki District.
As you’ll see below, this is one of the most beautiful, cultural and historical parts of Moscow. There’s a lot to see and do here and in this article we’ll explain the main highlights.
What’s Special About Khamovniki District?
Khamovniki District is located to the south-west of the city-center of Moscow inside the Luzhniki curve of the Moskva River. It’s also only a stone’s throw away from the popular Arbat District in the center of the city.
The one-time textile district of Russia’s capital, Khamovniki District’s name itself is derived from the name of a type of cloth once produced in the area. Thanks to the wealth that its former industry brought in, it has remained one of the most architecturally diverse and popular parts of the city.
There are two very distinct main streets in the district. On the one hand there’s Ostozhenka Street, which is known as the city’s “Golden Mile” thanks to the construction of expensive new high rise property on it.
The other main thoroughfare is Prechistenka Street, which has retained more of its 19th century feel. It was once the favored place to live for many of Moscow’s richest families and many of their mansions remain intact to this day.
Within Khamovniki District it’s easy to find sites of interest or important diplomatic offices such as the embassy of Austria in Moscow amongst others.
5 Places You Should Definitely Visit in Khamovniki
Khamovniki is a big district. It has a population of over 100,000 people. It is also filled with interesting cultural activities such as historical sites, museums, galleries and more.
Below we’ve highlighted 5 of the top sites you should see when visiting the area.
Cathedral of Christ the Savior
The Cathedral of Christ the Savior is one of the more curious sights you can see in the city. Despite appearing like something constructed in the 19th century if you’d come here before the year 2000, you wouldn’t have seen a cathedral at all.
However, this historical cathedral has been painstakingly rebuilt after its strange journey of being destroyed by the Soviet Government in 1931 to make way for the never completed Palace of the Soviets.
When the original project planned for the site didn’t come to fruition it was then used as an open-air swimming pool until the collapse of the Soviet Union. In 1990, reconstruction on the cathedral began and since its (re)completion at the end of the century it’s stood here since.
Leo Tolstoy Estate-Museum
Russia is well known for its literary history and one of its biggest names is Leo Tolstoy. The Russian state now owns his former home, located in Khamovniki District and it is open to the public to visit.
The famed artist wrote over 100 stories on the property and often hosted other notable cultural figures in Russian history such as Maxim Gorky and Sergei Rachmaninov. Today, visitors can explore his home and one-time estate, which has been restored to the way it appeared over a century ago.
Multimedia Art Museum Moscow (MAMM)
Multimedia Art Museum Moscow (MAMM) is one of the best contemporary art destinations in Khamovniki as well as the capital itself. It is home to ambitious photography exhibitions from both Russia and around the world.
In addition to hosting ongoing exhibitions exploring modern audio visual technologies and the art created by them, MAMM is also a top site for festivals, film screenings, and special lectures. It is about 500 rub to enter on most days but every third Sunday of the month it’s free to enter.
Luzhniki Olympic Complex
Moscow famously hosted the Olympics in 1980 and the stadium and main complex were located here in Khamovniki District.
The stadium and surrounding park are located on the Luzhniki curve of the Moskva River. In addition to the stadium there are a number of smaller arenas and the Olympic swimming pool from the 1980 games.
Today, as well as being a sport center in its own right, the stadium is used for concerts and is currently the home of Spartak Moscow. The surrounding park is also a green, open area that is the perfect spot for visitors to relax and unwind in.
Photo by: mos.ru
Pushkin Museum of Fine Art
The Pushkin is easily one of Moscow’s biggest art museums. It also has perhaps the second most comprehensive fine art collection in all of Russia after the Hermitage in St Petersburg.
The current collection hosts a mix of paintings, graphic art and sculptures as well as archeological artifacts. In addition to these works, the museum also hosts the annual December Nights international music festival every winter.
As you can see, there’s a lot to pack into a visit to Khamovniki District when in Moscow. As one of the most important cultural focal points in the city there’s a lot to explore and do. However, whatever the reason you choose to come to Moscow, you’ll find a lot of key sites here.
Tags: Moscow city
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