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Category : Eiffel Tower in 1991

Media in category "eiffel tower in 1991".

The following 8 files are in this category, out of 8 total.

• 1991 in Paris
• Eiffel Tower by year
• Eiffel Tower in the 1990s

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Top Tips for Visiting the Eiffel Tower in Paris

A surprising fact about Paris’ iconic Eiffel Tower: During its construction and prior to its unveiling for the Universal Exposition in 1889, it was decried and even hated by countless “tastemakers” and artists of the time.

Many felt that the tower, constructed from over 18,000 individual pieces of metal (primarily iron) by Gustave Eiffel and his engineers, was an eyesore on the Parisian skyline. Due to this unpopularity, there were many calls for its dismantling.

But that, of course, was not to be. It’s now so beloved that it’s practically synonymous with the city itself, even though most locals don’t spend much time there (and many have never even visited it!) Still, when it bursts into scintillating light at the top of each hour after nightfall, you’d be hard-pressed to find someone who can keep their eyes away.

Before you go, here are our top tips for making the most of your visit to the Eiffel Tower, especially on a first visit.

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1. Learn a Bit About the Tower’s History & Architecture

I always find that reading up (at least briefly) on the places I intend to visit greatly enhances my appreciation and understanding of them, because I’m not going in blind.

And when it comes to the Eiffel Tower, there are perhaps few monuments in the world more obscured by simple clichés. It can be hard to really see it for what it is, or place it in its historical context, since our brains so stubbornly view it as a symbol of Paris rather than, well, a remarkable feat of architecture and engineering for its time.

When it was constructed at the turn of the 20th century, metal was not a material widely used to construct buildings or towers– and plans to erect a tower that would rise some 300 metres/985 feet would have seemed, well, a massive feat.

The project from Gustave Eiffel, the engineers Maurice Koechlin and Emile Nouguier, and a team of architects was chosen from among over 100 other proposed towers to grace the Champ de Mars; ground was first broken in January 1887. Its construction was remarkably speedy, despite being highly complex: it required some 7,300 tons of wrought iron and between 150 and 300 workers to achieve. 22 months later, it was inaugurated.

One of the biggest challenges for the engineers and designers was to allow the mostly-iron structure to stand up to strong winds. Precise mathematical calculations were made to allow for the supports to hold and for the entire structure to withstand strong gusts.

It was in the nearby suburb of Levallois-Perret that the tower’s 18,000+ pieces were created, then assembled onsite. The design of each tiny piece was incredibly precise and required painstaking assemblage, which produces the metal latticework effect of the finished tower.

In the months its inauguration at the Universal Exposition in 1889, the tower drew some 2 million visitors and quickly gained global fame as the largest man-made structure in the world– significantly tamping down critique.

But some continued to hate it: the French writer Guy de Maupassant is famously rumored to have eaten lunch at the tower’s restaurant every day, since it was the only place in the city you couldn’t see the structure. (On a side note, that’s not actually true– there are plenty of spots where you can’t see it at all).

What many don’t know is that the tower wasn’t meant to remain standing for more than 20 years. Gustave Eiffel had secured a permit to allow it to grace the skyline for two decades– no more. But because his creation was also considered to be a useful radio tower, the permit was extended– and with time, it became so iconic and beloved that tearing it down was unthinkable.

These days, the Eiffel Tower is affectionately known as “La Dame de Fer” : “The Iron Lady”

It became a French historical monument in 1964, and part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site in Paris in 1991. Today, it’s the world’s single-most-visited monument that charges entry fees, and over 7 million people visit it on average each year. It remains the tallest structure inside the Parisian city walls. Many people believe it to be shorter than the Montparnasse Tower, but the latter is around 100 feet shorter.

For a more in-depth history of the Tour Eiffel, see this page.

2. Admire Eiffel’s Towering Achievement, From Way Up High

Wondering whether it’s worthwhile to go up to the top of the world’s most-famous tower, which rises ton nearly 985 feet ? I certainly believe it is, at least once .  All but the sportiest and most adventurous will want to eschew the nauseating prospect of climbing the 669 stairs to the first level, body exposed to wind and plunging heights.

Hoping to climb all the way to the top? Sorry: the stairs leading from the first floor to the summit are closed to the public. (There are, by the way, a total of 1,665 stairs from the ground floor to the top…)

But taking the elevators up to the third-floor observation decks affords pretty unbeatable views of the city. Glass floors and enormous windows give you some of the best panoramic vantages around– and from here you can also admire the tower’s artful construction from up close. A number of panoramic indicators help you to accurately spot Parisian landmarks including the Trocadero, Invalides, Sacré Coeur in Montmartre, and the Arc de Triomphe.

Book skip-the-line tickets to The Eiffel Tower (with optional Seine cruise) here (with Viator)

On the top deck, you can visit a recreated version of Gustave Eiffel’s office, complete with uncanny, life-sized wax figures of the engineer and the American inventor Thomas Edison.

There’s also a champagne bar and a model of the tower as it appeared in 1889, in its original red-brown hue.

3. Take a Tour to Dig Deeper

One mistake I see a lot of first-time visitors to “La Tour Eiffel” make? They spend an hour in line, then rush up to the observation decks, poke around, take a few selfies and panoramic shots, buy a couple of postcards at the gift shop– then leave.

Unless they’re the type to read up on a site before visiting (as I suggest above) or to lug an old-fashioned guidebook around, it’s unlikely that they’ve actually engaged with the place beyond a superficial level.

{Related: The Best Things to Do in Paris on a First Trip}

Taking a guided tour can avoid that scenario. Knowledgeable guides and docents can offer more historical context for what you’re seeing, point out hidden details you may not have noticed otherwise, and (hopefully) answer any questions you might have.

There are myriad tours available out there, so shop around a bit before deciding which might be best for you. GetYourGuide offers a reasonably priced guided tour of the Eiffel Tower that includes direct access by elevator to the observation decks.

You can also book skip-the line tickets and a guided tour of the Eiffel Tower here (via Tiqets.com)

4. Consider Enjoying a Meal at the Eiffel Tower (for the Views & the Food)

If you want to extend your stay and the fabulous views from up on high, you might consider lunch or dinner at one of the Eiffel Tower’s onsite restaurants.

Madame Brasserie is located on the first floor and offers a slightly more relaxed French brasserie vibe, while the gastronomic second-level restaurant,  Le Jules Verne is significantly pricier and degrees more formal.

Current menu items at Madame Brasserie, helmed by Michelin-starred chef Thierry Marx, include pork belly with beluga lentils, carrots and celery, roasted baby leeks with herbed oil and orange vinaigrette, and, for dessert, buckwheat crumble with apple and pear confit, salted caramel sauce and crème fraiche.

Le Jules Vernes, meanwhile, boasts a Michelin star and is headed by celebrated Chef Frédéric Anton. You can view the current menus here.

You’ll also find a champagne bar, buffet-style snack bars and onsite gift shops at the tower to keep you entertained once inside.

5. Try to Beat the Crowds

As we mentioned earlier, la Tour Eiffel is visited by millions every year, and that can mean long lines and overcrowded conditions. Not exactly the ones you want, in other words.

To beat the crowds, consider visiting in low season (roughly early October to early March) or go as early in the morning as you can and aim to be there 15 minutes or so before opening time. Weekdays can sometimes be quieter as well, but again, if you’re visiting during peak tourist season you’re unlikely to see calm conditions even outside of weekends.

Booking tickets in advance and skipping the long lines/queues is also a good potential strategy. You can book skip-the-line tickets with optional direct access to the summit here (via GetYourGuide) , or book tickets with priority entrance and audio guide here (via Tiqets.com).

6. After Your Visit: Head to Rue Cler

One of the problems many tourists encounter “post-Eiffel” is figuring out what else to do in the area. It can feel a bit sterile, and it’s not uncommon to see visitors walking around looking a bit confused and uncertain of where to head next.

One place I strongly recommend is the nearby Rue Cler, a delightful street lined with traditional shops and greengrocers. Just a short walk from the tower by taking Rue de Grenelle, the street is understated but full of charm.

Rick Steves has called it one of his favorite streets in the city, and it’s regularly lauded as one of the finest destinations for anyone with gourmet proclivities. You can also stop for coffee or lunch on one of the pleasant terraced cafes in the area.

Bakeries and patisseries , fresh produce, small boutiques selling fine foodstuffs, fish and flower vendors– there’s a wealth of traditional goodies peddled on the street, which somehow manages to preserve the vibe of a small village. It seems far, far away from the hordes. And that’s a good thing, right?

Eiffel Tower: Getting There & Practical Info

The Tour Eiffel is located in Paris’ 7th arrondissement, on the left bank of the Seine River. It’s close to sights and attractions including the Bateaux-Mouches river-cruise boarding area, the Musée d’Orsay, the Trocadero and the Champ de Mars.

{Browse & Book Eiffel Tower Tickets, Tours & Experiences Through Viator}

• Address: Champ de Mars, 5 Av. Anatole France, 75007 Paris
• Metro: Bir-Hakeim (line 6), Ecole Militaire (line 8) or Trocadero (line 9); or take the commuter-line RER C train to the Champ de Mars-Tour Eiffel stop. A note to visitors with limited mobility: The Tower is a 10 to 15 minute walk from each of these stations
• Information (tel): +33 (0)8 92 70 12 39
• Ticket prices and opening times: These vary greatly depending on season, how many levels you wish to visit, etc. Visit the official website for more info; you can find specific information on ticketing and opening times here .

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Editor’s Note/Disclaimer: This post contains some affiliate links. While using them to book an experience or tour will come at no additional cost to you, they help to fund more free, in-depth features like this one at Paris Unlocked. Thank you.

Courtney Traub is the Founder and Editor of Paris Unlocked. She’s a longtime Paris resident who now divides her time (as well as she can manage) between the French capital and Norwich, UK. Co-author of the 2012 Michelin Green Guide to Northern France & the Paris Region, she has been interviewed as an expert on Paris and France by the BBC, Australian Broadcasting Corporation, Le Figaro, Matador Network and other publications. Courtney has also written and reported stories for media outlets including Radio France Internationale, The Christian Science Monitor, Women’s Wear Daily and The Associated Press. In addition to going down various rabbit holes of curiosity when it comes to French culture, history, food and art, Courtney is a scholar of literature and cultural history whose essays and reviews have appeared in various forums.

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Paris Unlocked

The birth of the Eiffel tower

A realized utopia, eiffel tower.

You are at the top of the Eiffel Tower, overlooking Paris at a height of almost 300 m / 1000 feet.

At the opening of the Tower in 1889, this very place was different from what you are seeing.

Le Campanile et le Phare de la tour Eiffel - Les merveilles de l'Exposition 1889 by © Collection tour Eiffel Eiffel Tower

It was used, in particular, as a laboratory to carry out scientific experiments and measurements. Many instruments were installed here such as barometers, anemometers, lightning conductors.

In fact, Gustave Eiffel arranged an office for himself at the very top of the Tower for astronomical and physiological observations. He even installed a weather station.

It was these scientific experiments carried at the Tower which saved it from being destroyed by popular demand. Did you know the Tower should have been pulled down just 20 years after it was erected for the 1889 Exposition Universelle!

Affiche - Chemin de fer Paris-Lyon-Méditerranée - Exposition Universelle 1889 - Paris by © Collection tour Eiffel Eiffel Tower

For the 1889 Universal Exhibition, marking the centenary of the French Revolution, a great competition was announced in the country's Official Gazette.

Universal exhibitions were a technological and industrial showcase for nations, testifying to the achievements made during the industrial revolution.

Le Champ de Mars et l'Ecole Militaire depuis les hauteurs du Trocadéro avant la construction de la tour Eiffel by © Collection tour Eiffel Eiffel Tower

The 1889 competition consisted of "studying the possibility of erecting on the Champ-de-Mars a 300-metre tower with a 125m2 square base". 

The Champ-de-Mars and the Military school as seen from the Trocadéro before the construction of the Eiffel Tower.

Selected from among 107 projects, it was that of Gustave Eiffel, an entrepreneur, Maurice Koechlin and Emile Nouguier, both engineers, and Stephen Sauvestre, an architect, that was accepted.

Gustave Eiffel en pied dans l'escalier de la tour Eiffel by © Collection tour Eiffel Eiffel Tower

A brilliant engineer, Gustave Eiffel founded a company specialising in metal structural work.

In this sense the Eiffel Tower was the very height of his career. He devoted the last thirty years of his life to experimental research.

This enthusiast and true genius was able to transcend his own limits to leave us monuments such as the dome on the Nice Observatory, the metal structure of the Statue of Liberty and the Bordeaux railway bridge.

Bureau des Etudes de Gustave Eiffel - La Tour Soleil de Bourdais, projet concurrent de la tour Eiffel (calque à la plume) by © Collection tour Eiffel Eiffel Tower

The competition held at the time of the 1889 Exposition Universelle received several other entries for 300-metre towers.

A serious component was the project of Jules Bourdais, he was the architect of Palais du Trocadéro. 

He imagined a tower of 300 m based only of stone.

Dessin projet de MM Eiffel, Nouguier et Koechlin by © Collection tour Eiffel Eiffel Tower

In June 1884, Emile Nouguier and Maurice Koechlin, the two chief engineers in Eiffel's company, came up with the idea of building a very tall tower. It was to be designed like a large pylon.

It would have four columns of latticework girders, separated at the base and coming together at the top, and joined to each other by more metal girders at regular intervals.

Pylône de 300m de hauteur pour la ville de Paris - 1889 - Avant Projet de MM Nouguier et Koechlin by © Collection tour Eiffel Eiffel Tower

The company had by this time perfectly mastered the principle of building bridge supports. The tower project was a bold extension of this principle up to a height of 300 metres - equivalent to the symbolic figure of 1,000 feet.

Reproductions des planches originales de Gustave Eiffel by © Collection tour Eiffel Eiffel Tower

On 18 September 1884, Eiffel registered a patent “for a new configuration allowing the construction of metal supports and pylons capable of exceeding a height of 300 metres”.

Sauvestre proposed stonework pedestals to dress the legs, monumental arches to link the four columns and the first level, large glass-walled halls on each level, a bulb-shaped design for the top and various other ornamental features to decorate the whole of the structure.

The first floor - Copy of Gustave Eiffel's original plates

The second floor - Copy of Gustave Eiffel's original plates

The top - Copy of Gustave Eiffel's original plates

Antennas - Copy of Gustave Eiffel's original plates

The first digging work started on 26 January 1887 and marked the beginning of the Tower's construction.

Conception—Société d'Exploitation de la Tour Eiffel

The Eiffel Tower in 1900

The eiffel tower's inauguration and first visitors, the construction of the eiffel tower.

The 1st floor is one of the most spectacular and attractive locations in Paris thanks to its oblique, transparent architecture and experience of the breath-taking drop.

Set off and explore the history of the Eiffel Tower, feel the thrill of the glass floor, and see Paris sprawl away beneath your feet...

1st Floor Attractions

Madame Brasserie

The famous "brasserie" is back!

With chef Thierry Marx at the reins, enjoy the cuisine at Madame Brasserie in a welcoming, contemporary setting, all the while enjoying a unique view over the capital.    Created with local, seasonal products, the dishes on offer from chef Thierry Marx will be sure to surprise your tastebuds. So take the time to treat yourself and experience true brasserie culture. 

Infos & Bookings

Services and areas designed for relaxation

Take a break after your visit in the upper levels

Places for rest and contemplation, restaurants, shops: facilities that invite you to enjoy a pleasant break with stunning views of Paris.

Find it on the large terrace and in the Ferrié Pavilion.

A new cultural path

Screens, touch screens, displays, digital albums, reproductions of items, etc. allow you to find out about all aspects of the Eiffel Tower, many little known.

Follow it along the outer passageway (current renovation works on the Eiffel Tower may prevent visitors to access some areas).

Spiral staircase section

A historical piece

Did you know that originally it was a spiral staircase which linked the second floor to the top? Gustave Eiffel would use it to reach the office that he‘d set up for himself! As it had become obsolete, the staircase was taken down in 1983.

Twenty sections were subsequently sold at auction for a very good price.

On the first floor of the Eiffel Tower, you can take a closer look at one of the remaining pieces of this historic staircase. It measures 4.30 meters in height.

Discover it along the outer passageway.

Restaurants & stores

Summer or winter terrace

The large terrace on the 1st floor welcomes you, in summer or in winter, for a welcome break. According to the season and the theme, you will enjoy a fantastic spot to chill out. Food and drinks are served all day.

Feeling peckish? Fancy a treat? The Ferrié pavilion buffet has you covered. Take a seat on the pleasant south-facing terrace for a well-deserved break!

1st floor boutique: Pavillon Ferrié

The Eiffel Tower’s largest boutique can be visited on your way up or down, or both! It offers a multitude of souvenirs, games, perfumes, a large selection of products “Made in France”, as well as books to help you expand your knowledge of the monument.

Continue tour

Lift & Stairs Sensational

The Esplanade Wonder

Second floor Amazement

1st Floor facts

The Gustave Eiffel room

• Prices & Times
• Haut de page

• The Official Eiffel Tower Website

Société d'exploitation de la tour Eiffel

Welcome to the official sete website.

The Société d’Exploitation de la Tour Eiffel operates, maintains, and runs events at the Eiffel Tower as part of a delegated public service contract with the City of Paris. Every year, SETE and its 340 employees welcome 6 million visitors to the Eiffel Tower. SETE’s aim is to improve and modernise every aspect of the Eiffel Tower, in an approach that focuses on security and quality.

What we do :

• Visiting the Eiffel Tower
• Haut de page

• Preplanned tours
• Daytrips out of Moscow
• Themed tours
• Customized tours
• St. Petersburg

Moscow Metro

The Moscow Metro Tour is included in most guided tours’ itineraries. Opened in 1935, under Stalin’s regime, the metro was not only meant to solve transport problems, but also was hailed as “a people’s palace”. Every station you will see during your Moscow metro tour looks like a palace room. There are bright paintings, mosaics, stained glass, bronze statues… Our Moscow metro tour includes the most impressive stations best architects and designers worked at - Ploshchad Revolutsii, Mayakovskaya, Komsomolskaya, Kievskaya, Novoslobodskaya and some others.

What is the kremlin in russia?

The guide will not only help you navigate the metro, but will also provide you with fascinating background tales for the images you see and a history of each station.

And there some stories to be told during the Moscow metro tour! The deepest station - Park Pobedy - is 84 metres under the ground with the world longest escalator of 140 meters. Parts of the so-called Metro-2, a secret strategic system of underground tunnels, was used for its construction.

During the Second World War the metro itself became a strategic asset: it was turned into the city's biggest bomb-shelter and one of the stations even became a library. 217 children were born here in 1941-1942! The metro is the most effective means of transport in the capital.

There are almost 200 stations 196 at the moment and trains run every 90 seconds! The guide of your Moscow metro tour can explain to you how to buy tickets and find your way if you plan to get around by yourself.

Moscow Metro Underground Small-Group Tour - With Reviews & Ratings

Moscow metro underground small-group tour.

• See more images

Tour Information

Key Details

• Mobile Voucher Accepted
• Free Cancellation
• Duration: 3 Hrs
• Language: English
• Departure Time : 10:00 AM
• Departure Details : Karl Marks Monument on Revolution Square, metro stop: Square of Revolution
• Return Details : Metro Smolenskaya
• If you cancel at least 4 day(s) in advance of the scheduled departure, there is no cancellation fee.
• If you cancel within 3 day(s) of the scheduled departure, there is a 100 percent cancellation fee.
• Tours booked using discount coupon codes will be non refundable.

Go beneath the streets on this tour of the spectacular, mind-bending Moscow Metro! Be awed by architecture and spot the Propaganda , then hear soviet stories from a local in the know. Finish it all up above ground, looking up to Stalins skyscrapers, and get the inside scoop on whats gone on behind those walls.

Know More about this tour

We begin our Moscow tour beneath the city, exploring the underground palace of the Moscow Metro. From the Square of Revolution station, famous for its huge statues of soviet people (an armed soldier, a farmer with a rooster, a warrior, and more), we’ll move onto some of the most significant stations, where impressive mosaics, columns, and chandeliers will boggle your eyes! Moreover, these stations reveal a big part of soviet reality — the walls depict plenty of Propaganda , with party leaders looking down from images on the walls. Your local guide will share personal stories of his/her family from USSR times, giving you insight into Russia’s complicated past and present. Then we’re coming back up to street level, where we’ll take a break and refuel with some Russian fast food: traditional pancakes, called bliny. And then, stomachs satiated, we are ready to move forward! We’ll take the eco-friendly electric trolleybus, with a route along the Moscow Garden Ring. Used mainly by Russian babushkas(grannies) during the day, the trolleybus hits peak hours in the mornings and evenings, when many locals use it going to and from their days. Our first stop will be the Aviator’s House, one of Stalin’s Seven Sisters, followed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs — and you’ll hear the legends of what has gone on inside the walls. Throughout your Moscow tour, you’ll learn curious facts from soviet history while seeing how Russia exists now, 25 years after the USSR.

Local English-speaking guide

Pancake snack and drink

Additional food and drinks

Tickets for public transport

Souvenirs and items of a personal nature

Tips and gratuities for the guide

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received at time of booking

Dress standard: Please wear comfortable shoes for walking. For your Urban Adventure you will be in a small group of a maximum of 12 people

Traveler Reviews

This tour exceeded our expectations. Nikolai (Nick), our tour guide, was very knowledgeable, thorough, and has a great personality. He didn't take shortcuts and really covered everything that was on the agenda in great detail. We saw beautiful metro stations and learned the history behind them, including many of the murals and designs.

We did the tour with Anna her knowledge and understanding of the History surrounding the metro brought the tour alive. Well done Anna!

This tour was amazing!

Anna was a great tour guide. She gave us heaps of interesting information, was very friendly, and very kindly showed us how to get to our next tour.

Amazing beauty and history.

An excellent tour helped by an absolutely amazing guide. Anna gave a great insight into the history of the metro helped by additional material she had prepared.

great tour and guide - thanks again

great will do it again, Miriam ke was very good as a guide she has lived here all here life so knew every interesting detail.a good day

Moscow Metro Tour

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Description

Moscow metro private tours.

• 2-hour tour $87:  10 Must-See Moscow Metro stations with hotel pick-up and drop-off
• 3-hour tour $137:  20 Must-See Moscow Metro stations with Russian lunch in beautifully-decorated Metro Diner + hotel pick-up and drop off. 
• Metro pass is included in the price of both tours.

Highlight of Metro Tour

• Visit 10 must-see stations of Moscow metro on 2-hr tour and 20 Metro stations on 3-hr tour, including grand Komsomolskaya station with its distinctive Baroque décor, aristocratic Mayakovskaya station with Soviet mosaics, legendary Revolution Square station with 72 bronze sculptures and more!
• Explore Museum of Moscow Metro and learn a ton of technical and historical facts;
• Listen to the secrets about the Metro-2, a secret line supposedly used by the government and KGB;
• Experience a selection of most striking features of Moscow Metro hidden from most tourists and even locals;
• Discover the underground treasure of Russian Soviet past – from mosaics to bronzes, paintings, marble arches, stained glass and even paleontological elements;
• Learn fun stories and myths about Coffee Ring, Zodiac signs of Moscow Metro and more;
• Admire Soviet-era architecture of pre- and post- World War II perious;
• Enjoy panoramic views of Sparrow Hills from Luzhniki Metro Bridge – MetroMost, the only station of Moscow Metro located over water and the highest station above ground level;
• If lucky, catch a unique «Aquarelle Train» – a wheeled picture gallery, brightly painted with images of peony, chrysanthemums, daisies, sunflowers and each car unit is unique;
• Become an expert at navigating the legendary Moscow Metro system;
• Have fun time with a very friendly local;
• + Atmospheric Metro lunch in Moscow’s the only Metro Diner (included in a 3-hr tour)

Hotel Pick-up

Metro stations:.

Komsomolskaya

Novoslobodskaya

Prospekt Mira

Belorusskaya

Mayakovskaya

Novokuznetskaya

Revolution Square

Sparrow Hills

+ for 3-hour tour

Victory Park

Slavic Boulevard

Vystavochnaya

Dostoevskaya

Elektrozavodskaya

Partizanskaya

Museum of Moscow Metro

• Drop-off  at your hotel, Novodevichy Convent, Sparrow Hills or any place you wish
• + Russian lunch  in Metro Diner with artistic metro-style interior for 3-hour tour

Fun facts from our Moscow Metro Tours:

From the very first days of its existence, the Moscow Metro was the object of civil defense, used as a bomb shelter, and designed as a defense for a possible attack on the Soviet Union.

At a depth of 50 to 120 meters lies the second, the coded system of Metro-2 of Moscow subway, which is equipped with everything you need, from food storage to the nuclear button.

According to some sources, the total length of Metro-2 reaches over 150 kilometers.

The Museum was opened on Sportivnaya metro station on November 6, 1967. It features the most interesting models of trains and stations.

Coffee Ring

The first scheme of Moscow Metro looked like a bunch of separate lines. Listen to a myth about Joseph Stalin and the main brown line of Moscow Metro.

Zodiac Metro

According to some astrologers, each of the 12 stops of the Moscow Ring Line corresponds to a particular sign of the zodiac and divides the city into astrological sector.

Astrologers believe that being in a particular zadiac sector of Moscow for a long time, you attract certain energy and events into your life.

Paleontological finds 

Red marble walls of some of the Metro stations hide in themselves petrified inhabitants of ancient seas. Try and find some!

• Every day each car in  Moscow metro passes  more than 600 km, which is the distance from Moscow to St. Petersburg.
• Moscow subway system is the  5th in the intensity  of use (after the subways of Beijing, Tokyo, Seoul and Shanghai).
• The interval in the movement of trains in rush hour is  90 seconds .

What you get:

• + A friend in Moscow.
• + Private & customized Moscow tour.
• + An exciting pastime, not just boring history lessons.
• + An authentic experience of local life.
• + Flexibility during the walking tour: changes can be made at any time to suit individual preferences.
• + Amazing deals for breakfast, lunch, and dinner in the very best cafes & restaurants. Discounts on weekdays (Mon-Fri).
• + A photo session amongst spectacular Moscow scenery that can be treasured for a lifetime.
• + Good value for souvenirs, taxis, and hotels.
• + Expert advice on what to do, where to go, and how to make the most of your time in Moscow.

Write your review

Claudia Looi

Touring the Top 10 Moscow Metro Stations

By Claudia Looi 2 Comments

Komsomolskaya metro station looks like a museum. It has vaulted ceilings and baroque decor.

Hidden underground, in the heart of Moscow, are historical and architectural treasures of Russia. These are Soviet-era creations – the metro stations of Moscow.

Our guide Maria introduced these elaborate metro stations as “the palaces for the people.” Built between 1937 and 1955, each station holds its own history and stories. Stalin had the idea of building beautiful underground spaces that the masses could enjoy. They would look like museums, art centers, concert halls, palaces and churches. Each would have a different theme. None would be alike.

The two-hour private tour was with a former Intourist tour guide named Maria. Maria lived in Moscow all her life and through the communist era of 60s to 90s. She has been a tour guide for more than 30 years. Being in her 60s, she moved rather quickly for her age. We traveled and crammed with Maria and other Muscovites on the metro to visit 10 different metro stations.

Arrow showing the direction of metro line 1 and 2

Moscow subways are very clean

To Maria, every street, metro and building told a story. I couldn’t keep up with her stories. I don’t remember most of what she said because I was just thrilled being in Moscow.   Added to that, she spilled out so many Russian words and names, which to one who can’t read Cyrillic, sounded so foreign and could be easily forgotten.

The metro tour was the first part of our all day tour of Moscow with Maria. Here are the stations we visited:

1. Komsomolskaya Metro Station  is the most beautiful of them all. Painted yellow and decorated with chandeliers, gold leaves and semi precious stones, the station looks like a stately museum. And possibly decorated like a palace. I saw Komsomolskaya first, before the rest of the stations upon arrival in Moscow by train from St. Petersburg.

2. Revolution Square Metro Station (Ploshchad Revolyutsii) has marble arches and 72 bronze sculptures designed by Alexey Dushkin. The marble arches are flanked by the bronze sculptures. If you look closely you will see passersby touching the bronze dog's nose. Legend has it that good luck comes to those who touch the dog's nose.

Touch the dog's nose for good luck. At the Revolution Square station

Revolution Square Metro Station

3. Arbatskaya Metro Station served as a shelter during the Soviet-era. It is one of the largest and the deepest metro stations in Moscow.

Arbatskaya Metro Station

4. Biblioteka Imeni Lenina Metro Station was built in 1935 and named after the Russian State Library. It is located near the library and has a big mosaic portrait of Lenin and yellow ceramic tiles on the track walls.

Lenin's portrait at the Biblioteka Imeni Lenina Metro Station

5. Kievskaya Metro Station was one of the first to be completed in Moscow. Named after the capital city of Ukraine by Kiev-born, Nikita Khruschev, Stalin's successor.

Kievskaya Metro Station

6. Novoslobodskaya Metro Station  was built in 1952. It has 32 stained glass murals with brass borders.

Novoslobodskaya metro station

7. Kurskaya Metro Station was one of the first few to be built in Moscow in 1938. It has ceiling panels and artwork showing Soviet leadership, Soviet lifestyle and political power. It has a dome with patriotic slogans decorated with red stars representing the Soviet's World War II Hall of Fame. Kurskaya Metro Station is a must-visit station in Moscow.

Ceiling panel and artworks at Kurskaya Metro Station

8. Mayakovskaya Metro Station built in 1938. It was named after Russian poet Vladmir Mayakovsky. This is one of the most beautiful metro stations in the world with 34 mosaics painted by Alexander Deyneka.

Mayakovskaya station

One of the over 30 ceiling mosaics in Mayakovskaya metro station

9. Belorusskaya Metro Station is named after the people of Belarus. In the picture below, there are statues of 3 members of the Partisan Resistance in Belarus during World War II. The statues were sculpted by Sergei Orlov, S. Rabinovich and I. Slonim.

10. Teatralnaya Metro Station (Theatre Metro Station) is located near the Bolshoi Theatre.

Teatralnaya Metro Station decorated with porcelain figures .

Taking the metro's escalator at the end of the tour with Maria the tour guide.

Have you visited the Moscow Metro? Leave your comment below.

January 15, 2017 at 8:17 am

An excellent read! Thanks for much for sharing the Russian metro system with us. We're heading to Moscow in April and exploring the metro stations were on our list and after reading your post, I'm even more excited to go visit them. Thanks again 🙂

December 6, 2017 at 10:45 pm

Hi, do you remember which tour company you contacted for this tour?

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