The superb situation of the Ritz-Carlton means that Moscow's most celebrated historic sights are mostly visible from the hotel itself. The Kremlin, of which the imposing medieval walls and towers are clearly visible from most floors of the hotel, is the political and religious center of Moscow, which has seen over eight centuries of Russian history, and contains spectacular cathedrals, rich collections of state treasure, and the center of modern Russian government.
Next door, Red Square is one of the world's most famous tourist sights, and deservedly so. From the unsettling beauty of St. Basil's Cathedral to the elegant style moderne facade of the GUM shopping mall, the square is a feast of architectural delights, with a cumulative effect that is nothing short of breathtaking.
Just a few minutes' walk from the Ritz-Carlton on Teatralnaya Ploshchad, Moscow's Bolshoy Theater is one of the greatest opera houses in the world, and is rapidly recovering from a lull in the nineties. By the time it reopens in 2008, it will once again be home to a unique and highly respected ballet company that excels at grand performance on a monumental scale.
Ulitsa Tverskaya, on which the Ritz-Carlton stands, has been one of Moscow's major transport arteries since the founding of the city, the start of the road to Tver, which was a major trading center in medieval Russia. Today it has a number of interesting sights, and is home to many of Moscow's most prestigious shops and dining establishments.
