The portico
Eight white columns.
Sergey A. Demidov — CC BY 4.0 · Руслан Кривобок — CC BY 4.0 · Валерий Шустов — CC BY 4.0 · Юлия Иванко — CC BY 4.0
The Bolshoi Theatre is a historic opera house in central Moscow and home to the Bolshoi Ballet and Opera, among the oldest and best-known companies in the world. Its ballet company is the world's largest, with more than 200 dancers. It stands about 700 metres in a straight line from Red Square. The present building was first designed by Joseph Bové and opened on 18 January 1825. After a fire in 1853 it was rebuilt to a design by Alberto Cavos. It reopened on 28 October 2011 after a six-year renovation that restored its original acoustics and decor. The famous Neoclassical front, pictured on the 100-ruble note, has a portico of eight great white columns topped by a bronze chariot drawn by four horses. Inside is a red and gold auditorium with tiers of boxes and a huge chandelier. In front lies a square with gardens and a fountain lit at night. Book performance tickets well ahead, as they sell fast. Even without a show, the front and square are worth a stop, especially in the evening. The UK Foreign Office advises against all travel to Russia, and non-Russian bank cards may not work, so read the current advice before you plan.
Eight white columns.
Tiers and a chandelier.
A square lit at night.
Theatre Square, central Moscow, Russia
GUMGUM is a historic shopping centre facing Red Square, with a front extending 242 8 minutes walk
Red SquareRed Square is one of the oldest and largest squares in Moscow, in the historic h9 minutes walk
Saint Basil's CathedralSaint Basil's Cathedral is a Russian Orthodox church on Red Square in central Mo11 minutes walk
Moscow KremlinThe Moscow Kremlin is a fortified complex at the heart of the capital, with five13 minutes walk
Mayakovskaya StationMayakovskaya is a Moscow Metro station on the Zamoskvoretskaya Line, in the Tver23 minutes walkWell ahead; tickets sell fast.
The famous front, the square and fountain.