When I first visited Red Square, I was (of course) impressed by everything about it. I had a very strong emotional response to finally seeing St. Basil’s in person, and the Kremlin is obviously a big deal. While the post-card places on the square are definitely worth a visit (or two, or three…), to my surprise what really stole my heart on Red Square was the GUM – a shopping complex.
a view inside the GUM on Red Square
GUM stands for State Department Store, and this one has been around since it was built by architect Alexander Pomerantsev in the late 1890s (Brooke 45).
I’ve had my share of shopping malls (I work in the Mall of America), and this one is by far my favorite. With a glass ceiling, a fountain, and flowering trees, it is incredibly light and airy. It feels like spring in a fairy-tale.
See if you can spot two designer brands.
Two must-sees are:
- Stolovaya No. 57, a cafeteria on the 3rd floor that serves delicious food and has a Soviet-style soda vending machine.
- Gastronome No. 1, an upscale grocery store with chandeliers, marble arches, and a jaw-dropping amount of just about everything.
While the shops here are very expensive (think Dior, Tiffany & Co.), GUM is still a wonderful place to walk around, window-shop, and until things start to turn green, pretend that it’s spring.
For more information, GUM has its own website (in both Russian and English).
Caroline Brooke, Moscow: A Cultural History (New York: Oxford University Press, 2006)