Old Arbat Sights : Moscow’s Oldest and Most Popular Walking Street

Old Arbat is the number one people-watching destination, where you come to see and to be seen.
The Arbat is almost always buzzing. Locals are hurrying to work. Visitors are sightseing dozens of aspiring artists painting portraits and selling their paintings. There are souvenir shops, hundreds of restaurants and coffee shops and even a condomierie – a condom store. At night bands are playing at a radius of every 10-15 meters.Make sure to include this street in your Moscow travel itinerary

Best sights of Moscow’s Old Arbat

The unique atmosphere of Old Arbat is fascinating. You can find references to this very inspiring pace in the works of great Russian writers Leo Tolstoy, Anna Akhmatova, Mikhail Bulgakov, and Bulat Okudzhava, who used to live right there in Old Arbat.

This is one of the oldest streets in Moscow, dating back to the 15th century. The Arbat became a pedestrian only in 1974. It t magnetizes Russians and foreigners alike with the liveness and continuous action.

History of Moscow’s Old Arbat

There are several theories on where the name Arbat came from. It possibly came from the Arabic “robot” – suburb. Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich Romanov tried to rename the street into Smolenskaya. But the locals continued to call it Arbat.
A stroll for leisure or people-watching is a must. The magnificent old building facades, each one unique and full of delicate details.

Vakhtangov Theater on Old Arbat

The theater has a modern noble look. It is the cultural center of the Old Arbat. In 1997, the Princess Turandot fountain was erected in front of the entrance in honor of the performance that became the theater’s symbol.

Wall of memory of Viktor Tsoi

Since the time when the Arbat became pedestrianized, it has attracted local musicians. There are bands and solo singers, some of them are really good, performing day and night. It s pretty much a tradition. You won’t miss a very distinctive, vivid wall as you stroll down Old Arbat . It is the wall of memory of Viktor Tsoi, a famous Russian alternative signer. His fans leave a broken cigarette at the wall in his memory.

House of Bulat Okudzhava

Okudzhava, a Soviet singer, spent his childhood in Old Arbat. Ther is a monument of him, walking out of his communal apartment with a newspaper, surrounded by lyrics of his songs and poems.