The capital of our Motherland, Moscow, is beautiful from a bird's eye view. There are many observation platforms in the city, the most modern of which is located on the 56th floor of the Empire skyscraper in Moscow City. Numerous travel agencies offer excursions to the top, but you can get there on your own without booking an excursion. We will tell you how to get to the Moscow City observation deck in the next article.
Moscow City
Moscow City is a place that many people love for its high-tech style and the image of a modern metropolis. It’s true, being on the territory of this city of glass and concrete, you can’t believe that you are in Russia, and not in Chicago or Hong Kong. Social networks are full of photographs against the backdrop of Moscow skyscrapers. Many people think that when they go up to the observation deck of a skyscraper, they will see something special. But is it?
When can you get to the Moscow City observation deck?
You can get to the observation deck with a tour from the agency (prices from 1000 rubles) or come to the Empire Tower on your own and purchase a ticket to the observation deck for 700 rubles. If you arrive in the morning on the weekend, you can save money and rise to the heavens for only 500 rubles (check for details). This amount includes the excursion.
Before visiting the Moscow City observation deck, we recommend that you first study the opening hours of the observation deck.
You can get to the lookout on weekends from 10 to 22. On weekdays, the lookout is open from 18 to 22. The ascent at 22 is made without a guide. Tours run every hour. But it's better if you clarify the details on the official website of the observation deck in the City, you never know!
Moscow City. Schedule
How to find the Empire Tower, where the Moscow City observation deck is located
The observation deck in the City is located in the Empire Tower.
Finding it is quite easy.
The first thing we need is to get to the Vystavochnaya metro station or the Delovoy Tsentr metro station. Next, from the metro follow the signs to the Bagration Bridge. You don't need to go to the bridge itself, that is, we have to stay on this side of the river.
If you arrive by car, keep in mind that parking at the City is paid (100 rubles per hour, specific opening hours - on weekdays from 20-00, on weekends from 11 am). In general, you shouldn't come here by car.
This is the diagram posted on the official website. As you can see, you can reach the Empire Tower through the second floor of Avimola, but in our opinion it is easier to do this from the Bagration Bridge.
Towards the City
As you move, you will see a security booth with the sign Empire Tower.
Security guard
We turn right and approach the skyscrapers. Visually, the Empire looks like this: oval and green. If you look up, your head may involuntarily spin.
Skyscrapers
On your right hand you will have the Evolution Tower, twisted in a spiral (you are not going there), and on your left - the Empire Tower.
Empire Tower
Feel free to come in and go to the reception desk. This is where you can buy tickets for the climb. By the way, ticket prices are steep - adults cost 700 rubles, children 400 rubles. Children under 7 years old are free.
By the way, on the first floor of the Empire there is an interesting art object - a huge watering can camera. There are usually a lot of people wanting to take pictures.
Camera Leica
We are waiting for the group and take the high-speed elevator to the 56th floor. I recommend that you stock up on candy or chewing gum when you go up the elevator - it really hurts your ears.
What will we see on the City observation deck?
You've probably already rolled out your lip, took a selfie stick with you, and hope that your photos will get a lot of likes... But don't be fooled! The Empire Tower is surrounded on all sides by skyscrapers, so you can only see anything from one side of the Empire.
Entrance to the Observation Deck
All the beautiful photographs that are shown to us in the booklets were taken by professional photographers with a zoom of at least 200 mm.
Why are we paying this kind of money? Well, here's what: the guide will tell you about the construction of Moscow City, what the original idea of the complex was and what is happening now, and will demonstrate the features on the model. The story is interesting. They will tell you a little about what is located to the left and right of the skyscraper.
Moscow City is fashionable. There is practically no one here over 45 years old.
Moscow City layout
So-so layout, only children like it.
Observation tower Moscow City
At the lookout
The rest of the time you will walk around the unfinished room with concrete ceilings and, if you are lucky, you will see some small exhibition at the top.
Moscow City observation deck
There are skyscrapers all around, you can even see the sunset like this.
Or like this.
As in the famous song “Skyscrapers, skyscrapers, and I’m so small.”
Skyscrapers
Skyscrapers
Skyscrapers
People are trying to photograph something.
At the Moscow City observation deck
Photographers with telephoto lenses have the best luck here. Here's what you can see and zoom in on.
Moscow State University building
View from the Moscow City observation deck
View from the Moscow City observation deck
Luzhniki
Observation tower Moscow City
Alternative views of Moscow City
In our opinion, a much more picturesque observation deck on the City is located on the opposite bank. Of course, you won’t see Moscow from a bird’s eye view, but the view of the skyscraper complex is fabulous. Particularly spectacular shots can be taken in the evening or morning. It's always crowded here, but there's enough space for everyone.
Moscow City in the evening
Moscow City in the evening
Perhaps it makes sense to go up to the Moscow City observation deck once to form your own opinion. But we noticed a more interesting pastime for ourselves on Presnenskaya Embankment - a boat trip, the pier of which is located near the same Bagration Bridge. Tickets are sold in the lobby at the entrance to the bridge from the City side; one of the ticket offices is located near the Tree of Life sculpture.
Personally, I like the view of the City better than the view from it!
Open roofs you can climb on, in Moscow, especially residential buildings, this has long been something fantastic. All passages leading to attics or roofs must be securely locked and sealed by law.
However, if you are drawn to the rooftops, the dizzying heights of the buildings, and if you like a bird's eye view of the city, Moscow can still satisfy your desires and offer some options. If you are an extreme sports enthusiast who wants to climb onto a roof for the thrill, and you like the process more than the result itself, or you need to climb a specific roof, then this is the place for you. Methods for breaking locks, entering the territory, and so on are described here. If you just need height, you want to look at the city from above, then below are observation platforms that you can get to legally and without difficulty.
So, how to get to the roof in Moscow?
- Observation platforms in Moscow.
The most famous of them is the playground located on the roof of Children's World in the center.
Address: Teatralny proezd, house number 5
Visitors are accepted from 10.00 until 21.30
What's most interesting is that it's free!
The observation deck is not so high, only the seventh floor, but the platforms are completely open, and they offer a very beautiful view: the Cathedral of Christ the Savior, the Kremlin, the Lubyanka building, Stalin's high-rise buildings, the Polytechnic Museum and others.
The venues are quite small, but there are a lot of people wanting to take a look, so it’s better to come here on a weekday - you won’t be crowded on weekends. The best time is early in the morning or late in the evening, then there are fewer people and the landscape is more beautiful.
Children are allowed onto the playground without any problems, but getting up here with a stroller will be quite difficult, because there are no ramps. - You can also get to the karisha in Moscow at the Ostankino TV tower, or rather, it’s not a roof, of course, but a special observation deck.
I don’t think there’s any need to explain the location of the Ostankino Tower, but just in case, here’s the address: Academician Korolev Street, house number 15, building 2
Visitors are accepted from 10 a.m. until 9 p.m. inclusive.
There are two options to choose from:
The first option is open area located at an altitude of 340 meters. The site is open from May and ends in October; visitors are accepted only on fine days.
Second option - closed area, located at an altitude of 337 meters, is a little lower and not as interesting as the open one, but visitors are accepted all year round, regardless of the weather.
You can get to these places as part of excursions that take place hourly, that is, the time in which you can visit the site is limited.
In order to enter, you need to have some form of identification with you - a passport, a driver's license, for foreigners - a foreign passport or an identity card of their country, the main thing is to have a photograph with your name.
You can take children with you, as long as they are over 7 years old.
Cost: 980 rub. per ticket for an adult and 480 rubles for a child. Photo or video shooting can be done free of charge. - Another option is to admire the city Moscow City skyscrapers
The auditoriums are, of course, closed, there is no full-fledged feeling of a “roof” as such, but there is height:
The first site is located in the Empire Tower, on the 58th floor. The view is beautiful, you can feel the height.
The tower is located on Presnenskaya Embankment, well, actually, where exactly the Moscow City skyscrapers are located, it seems to me there is no point in explaining, you will also recognize the tower itself - house number six, building two.
Sessions last 50 minutes and take place every hour on weekdays from six in the evening to ten. On weekends or holidays - from 11 pm to 10 pm.
The price today is 700 rubles for an adult ticket, and 500 rubles for children aged 7 to 14 years. Children under 7 years old can travel with their parents for free.
The second site in the Moscow City complex is located on the 54th floor of the Federation high-rise
The address is almost the same - Presnenskaya embankment, only house number 12
Sessions last a little less - 35 minutes. Held every day from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. You must register in advance, and also take identification documents with you.
Price: on weekdays varies depending on time. From 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., the cost will be 500 rubles, the rest of the time on weekdays, as well as on weekends, the price will be 700. Children are allowed no younger than seven years old, the price is the same as for adults. - Opportunity to get on the roof there is also, in many luxury high-rise buildings and hotels
As an option - a residential complex on Chapaevsky "Triumph Palace". Address: Chapaevsky Lane, building No. 3, there are actually several houses there, in some you can get on the roof, in others you can’t.
You can get there for free, but to do this you must be a resident of this complex or be a guest of a resident. The rest are not allowed there, but you can use “social engineering” or try to give money to the guards. To be honest, we are all human and love money, so this option may well work. - Some restaurants, bars or cafes located on the upper floors of buildings, can also provide their guests with the opportunity to take a bird's eye view of the city.
The most famous restaurants are Roof of the World in Moscow City, or a restaurant in the Ostankino TV tower. In general, there are quite a lot of them - just type the query into the search engine “ rooftop restaurants in Moscow"and we will get a solid list of cafes and restaurants with cuisine for almost any, even the most sophisticated taste. Moreover, in some of them you can admire the city all year round; in summer you have open terraces, and in winter there are huge panoramic windows. Interestingly, not all of these places are available only to a select few; the cuisine in some of these restaurants is quite affordable for the average person. - Fitness centers like many sports complexes also boast the possibility of access to the roof.
In the Olimpiyskiy, for example, you can sunbathe on the roof. Of course in warm weather. You can get there by purchasing a subscription. Pool address: Olympic Avenue 16/2.
Some fitness clubs turn their roofs into yoga areas or even have outdoor pools there, for example SKY Club located on Minskaya Street. Of course, for this you need to have a club card, but the prices in some are quite reasonable.
If none of the proposed options suits you,
Agree, sit on the roof overlooking the Red Square and sipping wine with a lovely young man is a good way to spend an evening. And if finding wine and a guy is not so difficult, then finding a roof will be more difficult. Firstly, many of them are simply closed, and you won’t be able to climb them. Secondly, there is a chance that some granny will call the police and hand you over. Third, many of them are very inconvenient to navigate - the angle of inclination is too great and the surface is slippery. We have chosen only safe roofs, access to which does not pose a risk to life and health.
OTOKOMAE
By the address Neglinnaya, 10 gallery of modern art located OTOKOMAE. If you go upstairs and find in the same building a small cafe with a summer veranda, then with the naked eye you can see a fire escape to the roof of the house. " Negotiate with the owner“, the waiter told us and pointed his finger at the young man in a gray T-shirt. " Climb in, just be careful", - answered " master", and we climbed onto the roof, from which we had a view of the night Petrovka And Kuznetsky Bridge. Under your feet: street musicians, lanterns and the roar of the evening streets - in a word, beauty.
Kamergersky, 1
We discovered this roof with a roofing friend while wandering around Kamergersky Lane. There is one problem: there is an intercom on the door, but we dealt with it. All I had to do was Google the code for this lock ( The model is written below on the intercom, you need to google it). Then everything goes according to the script: you go up to the top floor, make your way through the attic, and voila - in front of you Tverskaya,Red Square And Kamergersky Lane.
Bolshaya Polyanka, 30
It’s very cozy on this roof: you can sit there from morning to night. Getting there is also very simple: either dial the code from the intercom, or just wait until someone comes out of the entrance. You go up to the last, 14th, floor and just walk through the open door. From this roof you can see all seven Stalinist high-rises, and from there it’s very cool to watch fireworks: if it’s some kind of holiday, it usually starts at Moscow State University and goes in a circle until “ Moscow City».
Anna Alieva
Amateur roofer
My mother always said: " Anya, Moscow is full of rooftop restaurants, why can’t you just go there?“Mom doesn’t understand that this cannot be compared with the most ordinary roof, on which there is no one but you. You sit in the middle of the antennas, read a book, enjoy the view and feel simply incredible. In such an environment, I prepared for exams very productively.
The only thing I'm afraid of is the police. There is not always a risk that they will take you away, but some roofs have sensors and cameras, plus the residents of the house can always complain about you. In general, I don’t see anything dangerous in this activity, especially if the roof is flat.
At art school I was instilled with a love of beauty and art, so beautiful sunsets on the rooftops bring me sincere delight.
It must be said that roofers are not fools either. The most resourceful managed to turn their passion for heights into a profitable business. Here, for example, are three Internet services that are ready to give everyone a tour of the rooftops of the capital. So to speak, any whim for your money!
Walking-on-the-roofs.rf
« We can arrange a visit to the roof and also help with filming. We only have legal sites at a fair price. We can organize an unforgettable date for couples!" - write the guys from the organization " Walking on the rooftops" Do you want to give your girlfriend a romantic dinner? Contact them, pay 4990 rubles, and everything will be at the highest level. 0+
The restaurant with the interesting name “Carlson”, like the favorite cartoon character, is located on the roof. But this is the roof of not an ordinary high-rise building, but a modern business center called Central City Tower, the building of which rises on Ovchinnikovskaya embankment. From here you have an excellent view of the Kremlin and Zamoskvorechye.
Ovchinnikovskaya embankment, 20, building 1Restaurant "Jerusalem" 18+
The terrace of the Jerusalem restaurant is deservedly considered one of the best summer areas in Moscow. On the veranda located on the roof of the synagogue, you can dine al fresco in a relaxing resort atmosphere, admire the Moscow panorama and romantic summer sunsets. Visitors are treated to dishes of Israeli, Middle Eastern and Caucasian cuisine.
st. Bolshaya Bronnaya, 6, building 3White Rabbit Restaurant 18+
The panoramic restaurant is located on the 16th floor of Smolensky Passage. From here you have a 360-degree view of the center of Moscow: the Kremlin, the Moscow River, the Cathedral of Christ the Savior and Moscow City lie right at your feet. Under the arches of the glass dome, it is pleasant to admire the sunset rays while tasting signature cocktails and delicious dishes from the award-winning chef Vladimir Mukhin.
Smolenskaya square, 3Restaurant "Turandot" 18+
"Turandot" is not just a restaurant, but a real palace in the Baroque style. On its roof there is a trellis terrace, stylized as a landscape garden of the 18th century. Openwork partitions entwined with greenery divide the vast space of the roof into cozy corners in which fountains gurgle and marble statues are installed. Hydrangeas, roses and wild grapes grow here, and the passages are designed as avenues with orange trees in tubs.
Tverskoy Blvd., 26, building 3Restaurant Sky Lounge 18+
Sky Lounge is one of the most famous restaurants at altitude. It is located on the 22nd floor of the RAS skyscraper, offering a wide view of the capital. The restaurant terrace is a popular place for romantic dates. Visitors can choose dishes to suit their taste: the menu presents an original mix of Russian, European and Oriental cuisine with author’s variations.
Leninsky Prospekt, 32a, Building of the Russian Academy of Sciences (RAN), 22nd floorRestaurant Spettacolo 12+
The Mediterranean restaurant is located on the fifth floor of the Vremena Goda shopping center. Its panoramic windows offer picturesque views of Kutuzovsky Prospect; on the glass terrace you can dine surrounded by lush greenery at any time of the year. Pizza here is baked in an Italian wood-burning oven, and seafood dishes are prepared according to Sicilian recipes.
Kutuzovsky Prospekt, 48, shopping center "Vremena Goda"The establishment received its name by inheritance from a Soviet ice cream parlor, which was located in the same place since the 50s of the last century. The new building, built on the site of the historical cafe, largely inherited its features. On the third floor you will find a cozy summer terrace in the open air, where on a sunny day you can have lunch, sitting in a comfortable wicker chair.
st. Malaya Bronnaya, 8/1
Restaurant "Happiness on the Roof" 0+
One of the most romantic restaurants in the capital occupies two floors, and on the roof there is a veranda with a view of Pushkin Square and the dome of the Church of the Nativity of the Virgin. Here you can have a delicious breakfast, have a lyrical date or banquet, buy unusual sweets prepared according to original recipes, and send a “letter of Happiness” to friends and family.
Bolshoi Putinkovsky lane, 5
Once in this restaurant, you will be transported to a luxury ship. The interior is dominated by natural materials, fresh exotic flowers are placed everywhere, and the windows are curtained with weightless fabrics. Here you can dine to the accompaniment of a white piano, admiring the views of old Moscow from the panoramic windows.
st. Bolshaya Dmitrovka, 20/1
Restaurant "Roof" 18+
At the Roof, you can not only try European cuisine, but also sunbathe on the lawn in the beach area. The local kitchen prepares aromatic berry teas and makes delicious candies from dried fruits and nuts. In the restaurant you can not only dine, but also learn culinary skills at one of the regular master classes. And on Fridays people come here to celebrate the weekend with the music of the capital’s DJs.
Altufevskoe highway, 8
This romantic spot is located on the roof of the Golden Ring Hotel. Under the arches of the glass dome, surrounded by green plants, you can have an unforgettable date or watch the summer sunset over Moscow. On the menu pages you will find Mediterranean dishes and traditional Russian delicacies. Children will be interested in the restaurant's playroom, where animators, games and cartoons await them.
st. Smolenskaya, 5 (Golden Ring Hotel, 22nd floor)
Summer terrace of Chips restaurant 18+
The Chips gastronomic project combines a trendy restaurant, bar and nightclub in one building, but the cozy rooftop terrace, decorated in the style of a Mediterranean resort, is especially popular among guests. Here visitors relax and dine while admiring the panorama of the historical city center. On Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings, social parties are held on the terrace, where you can meet famous representatives of the Moscow elite.
st. Kuznetsky Most, 7
After the reconstruction of the country's main Children's World, an observation deck was opened on the roof of the store. An entrance ticket to the roof costs 50 rubles. From here you can see the Kremlin, Lubyanka Square, the high-rise building and other iconic places of the capital. This makes for great photos on sunny days. The observation deck is quite spacious, so you won’t be bothered by bustling crowds of tourists.
Teatralny pr-d, 5/1Beach on the roof of the Caribbean water park
In summer, the roof of the Caribbean water park turns into a real beach. Sun loungers are provided for vacationers, there is a cafe, and you can also play table tennis and beach volleyball. Admission with a general ticket to the water park.
Almost everyone dreams of visiting the roof of a Moscow high-rise, regardless of age, status or registration. This gives a certain feeling of drive, enjoyment of aesthetic beauty and, of course, novelty - an opportunity to look at the city from a new height.
Such entertainment cannot be called typical, and according to the norms and rules of technical operation of the Moscow housing stock, going out on them without special permission is strictly prohibited. What to do if you really want to see all the beauties of the capital with your own eyes from one place?
Various bloggers or simply knowledgeable residents of Moscow have already written more than once about the location of buildings from where you can look at the city in a new way.
You can even make a small rating from such places:
- The roof on Petrovka is a popular place among roofers, but at the same time it is the most risky. In this building with the address on the street. Petrovka 38 is located none other than the main department of the Moscow Ministry of Internal Affairs. The roof here is open only to employees; you can get here by meeting one of them.
- On Pogonny Proezd 14/1 there is also a building with access to the roof. The high-rise is residential, so at the entrance to the entrance there is a door with a combination lock. Finding out the combination is not difficult, but going further through the watchman may turn out to be an impossible mission;
- The high-rise building on Novy Arbat will require serious physical training from the viewfinder. The only way to get to the roof of a building unnoticed by the residents is via a fire escape with numerous obstacles. This is definitely life-threatening, but this does not always stop connoisseurs of special “species”.
If such a risk is unnecessary for a lover of heights, then you should pay attention to such options as attending interesting events on the roof, where everyone is officially allowed to attend, or using the services of event companies.
To the open roofs of Moscow with event companies
Moscow event companies, such as Rooftour http://rooftour.ru/, are ready to help not only in finding an open roof, but also to organize a visit to it at the highest level. Regardless of the scale of the event, be it dates for two or corporate parties, enterprising organizers are ready to provide everything necessary for this. These companies also include:
- 32nd floor http://32etazh.ru/
- Center for Vivid Emotions http://emotioncenter.ru/
- Agency for organizing surprises http://soulpriz.ru/
Thus, there are quite a lot of options for visiting open rooftops in Moscow. You can choose one that suits your budget and personal preferences among many atypical places that do not necessarily require breaking the law or having serious acquaintances. Here it is enough to show your imagination and follow your desires.
