A reconstructed medieval gateway that was the magnificent entrance to the capital city dating back to 1037.

Hidden in a metro shop under a shopping mall, this small museum tells the story of one of the world's largest urban transit systems.

The tallest hotel in Europe.

Back in the tiny USSR.

The gorgeous entrances into the city's underbelly look more like grand halls than subway stops.

This small museum is basically a time capsule of daily life in the Soviet Union.

An early-20th-century "dacha" village of quaint cottages curiously located in a modern part of Moscow.

Moscow's imposing monument to the Space Age.

Museum celebrating the achievements of the Soviet space program.

Immortal combat in a Moscow museum.

A little church on a tiny island looks like something from a fairy tale.

A man-made island fort that has housed soldiers, scientists, and ravers.

Nightmarish example of the unintended consequences of weapons testing.

A replica of the straw hut where Vladimir Lenin lived in hiding, disguised as a hay farmer, in 1917.

Dark, eerie exhibits make for a surreal exploration of the subconscious.

Palace where the nearly un-killable Rasputin was murdered.

Inside the world's largest seed bank, WWII botanists elected to starve to death rather than compromise their collection.

A city block packed with whimsical sculptures that seem to be plucked from a tiled fantasy world.

This Russian museum stresses the importance of keeping clean and even holds one of Pavlov's dogs.

Rare documents, old instruments, and gruesome specimens showcase the history of military medicine.

An ever-growing literary collection housed in the apartment where the Russian author penned his final novel.

A small and surprising passageway in Saint Petersburg devoted to the Beatles.

An unusual collection of self-made musical instruments and unique noises.

A scale model of Russia so big visitors are offered binoculars to rent so they can see the whole thing.