Moscow is a city shaped by centuries of political shifts, artistic achievements, and unique architecture. Its historic fortresses and underground transit network have many interesting stories to tell.
This quiz looks at the city’s famous landmarks, major historical turning points, and cultural symbols. You will see questions about iconic churches, revolutionary figures, and local traditions.
Once you finish, why not explore our quizzes on world capitals, look into sacred architecture, or read about historic places?
Which fortified complex serves as the official residence of the President of Russia?
The Bolshoi Theatre
The Bolshoi Theatre
The Hermitage
The Hermitage
The Winter Palace
The Winter Palace
The Kremlin
The Kremlin
Which iconic, vast open space in Moscow is adjacent to the Kremlin and St. Basil’s Cathedral?
Pushkin Square
Pushkin Square
Manege Square
Manege Square
Tverskaya Square
Tverskaya Square
Red Square
Red Square
Which religion has the largest number of followers in Russia, deeply influencing its culture and the art found in Moscow’s churches?
Buddhism
Buddhism
Roman Catholicism
Roman Catholicism
Islam
Islam
Orthodox Christianity
Orthodox Christianity
Which Tsar famously ordered the construction of St. Basil’s Cathedral in the 16th century?
Ivan the Terrible
Ivan the Terrible
Nicholas II
Nicholas II
Peter the Great
Peter the Great
Catherine the Great
Catherine the Great
What is the famous moniker affectionately given to the ornate stations of the Moscow Metro?
Palaces of the People
Palaces of the People
Tunnels of Steel
Tunnels of Steel
Soviet Corridors
Soviet Corridors
Subterranean Streets
Subterranean Streets
In which year did the Bolshevik Revolution take place, leading to the formation of the Soviet Union?
1911
1911
1917
1917
1922
1922
1924
1924
What are the traditional, handcrafted Russian nesting dolls called?
Balalaikas
Balalaikas
Gzhel pottery
Gzhel pottery
Samovars
Samovars
Matryoshka dolls
Matryoshka dolls
Which river flows through the heart of Moscow and past the Kremlin walls?
The Don River
The Don River
The Volga River
The Volga River
The Moscow River
The Moscow River
The Neva River
The Neva River
Which world-renowned Russian composer wrote the music for ‘Swan Lake’ and ‘The Nutcracker’?
Stravinsky
Stravinsky
Rachmaninoff
Rachmaninoff
Tchaikovsky
Tchaikovsky
Prokofiev
Prokofiev
Which structure, located on Red Square, houses the preserved body of the founder of the Soviet Union?
Lenin’s Mausoleum
Lenin’s Mausoleum
The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier
The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier
The Memorial Museum of Cosmonautics
The Memorial Museum of Cosmonautics
The Tsar Bell
The Tsar Bell
In which year did the Moscow Metro open its very first line?
1935
1935
1941
1941
1938
1938
1932
1932
Moscow is historically referred to by what title, reflecting its role as a key center of Orthodoxy?
The Third Rome
The Third Rome
The Golden Gateway
The Golden Gateway
The Heart of the Empire
The Heart of the Empire
The Northern Star
The Northern Star
Which symbol, found on the old Soviet flag, represents the alliance of industrial workers and farmers?
Red Star
Red Star
Oak Leaf Cluster
Oak Leaf Cluster
Hammer and Sickle
Hammer and Sickle
Double-headed Eagle
Double-headed Eagle
Which famous Moscow institution houses the world’s most comprehensive collection of Russian fine art?
The Museum of Modern Art
The Museum of Modern Art
The State Historical Museum
The State Historical Museum
The Tretyakov Gallery
The Tretyakov Gallery
The Pushkin Museum
The Pushkin Museum
Which metro station is famous for its dozens of bronze statues depicting Soviet citizens, including a popular dog whose nose passengers touch for good luck?
Novoslobodskaya Station
Novoslobodskaya Station
Mayakovskaya Station
Mayakovskaya Station
Komsomolskaya Station
Komsomolskaya Station
Ploshchad Revolyutsii Station
Ploshchad Revolyutsii Station
Which iconic, vibrant red soup, typically made with beets, is a staple of Russian cuisine?
Plov
Plov
Borscht
Borscht
Pelmeni
Pelmeni
Shashlik
Shashlik
Which Soviet leader was the last to lead the USSR before its dissolution in 1991?
Leonid Brezhnev
Leonid Brezhnev
Mikhail Gorbachev
Mikhail Gorbachev
Nikita Khrushchev
Nikita Khrushchev
Joseph Stalin
Joseph Stalin
Located within the Kremlin grounds, what is the name of the massive, world-record-holding bell that was never rung?
Tsar Crown
Tsar Crown
Tsar Bell
Tsar Bell
Tsar Sword
Tsar Sword
Tsar Cannon
Tsar Cannon
Which celebrated Russian poet and writer, often noted as the father of modern Russian literature, has a major square in Moscow named after him?
Fyodor Dostoevsky
Fyodor Dostoevsky
Leo Tolstoy
Leo Tolstoy
Anton Chekhov
Anton Chekhov
Alexander Pushkin
Alexander Pushkin
Which grand cathedral, destroyed in the 1930s and later rebuilt in the 1990s, is the tallest Orthodox church in Russia?
The Kazan Cathedral
The Kazan Cathedral
St. Basil’s Cathedral
St. Basil’s Cathedral
The Cathedral of Christ the Saviour
The Cathedral of Christ the Saviour
The Dormition Cathedral
The Dormition Cathedral
Which Moscow-based sports club was historically associated with the Soviet police and security services?
Spartak
Spartak
Lokomotiv
Lokomotiv
CSKA
CSKA
Dynamo
Dynamo
What is the colloquial name for the group of seven monumental Stalinist-style skyscrapers built in Moscow after World War II?
Soviet Obelisks
Soviet Obelisks
Moscow Towers
Moscow Towers
Seven Sisters
Seven Sisters
Stalinist Skyscrapers
Stalinist Skyscrapers
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