Moscow City skyscrapers stand on a bend of the Moskva River at the western edge of the Presnensky District, just east of the Third Ring Road. The Moscow International Business Center covers about 60 hectares, and its construction began in 1998 on former factories and quarries.
The cluster holds the tallest buildings in Moscow, among them the Federation Tower, with towers of 374 and 243 meters, the copper-glazed Mercury City Tower and the twin OKO towers, together with the Afimall City shopping center, offices, apartments and observation decks. It is a modern landscape, with little of old Moscow, and it is easy to reach from the metro stations Delovoy Tsentr and Mezhdunarodnaya.
Quick Facts
| Russian name | Москва-Сити |
|---|---|
| Built / opened | 1990s onward |
| Address | Presnenskaya Embankment, Moscow International Business Center, Presnensky District, Moscow |
| District | Presnensky |
| Metro | Delovoy Tsentr (Line 8A (Solntsevskaya branch), Bolshaya Koltsevaya Line (Line 11) and Moscow Central Circle (Line 14), The main interchange, underneath the Afimall City shopping center; exit 1 leads to Afimall and the Federation Tower; the Panorama 360 site gives about 3 minutes' walk) Mezhdunarodnaya (Filyovskaya Line (Line 4, light blue), Described as the closest station to the skyscrapers by one guide; the exit and the walking time were not verified) Vystavochnaya (Filyovskaya Line (Line 4, light blue), Closest to the Expocentre; one map listing gives about 4 minutes' walk to Federation Tower; the exit was not verified) |
| Opening hours | The streets, the embankment and the plazas between the towers are public and can be walked at any time; shops, restaurants, offices and observation decks keep their own hours, which were not verified.
(as of October 2026 – check the official site) |
| Admission | Walking the district is free. Observation decks and other venues charge their own admission, and no price was verified for this guide. |
| Best time to visit | The district can be visited all year. Clear days give the best views from the decks, and sunset is popular for photographs. The open-air deck depends on the weather. Crowd patterns were not verified. |
| Recommended duration | 2 to 4 hours |
| Last updated | October 7, 2026 |
What Is (and Isn't) Part of a Visit to Moscow City?
| Part | Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Plazas, embankment and Afimall City | Included in the standard ticket | Public spaces and a shopping center that can be walked free; shops keep their own hours. |
| Panorama 360 (Federation Tower East) | Separate ticket or institution | An indoor observation deck with its own ticket, sold at booths in Afimall City and a terminal in the tower. |
| OKO South Tower open-air deck | Separate ticket or institution | An open-air deck with its own ticket and weather limits. |
| Towers and offices | Outside / not part of it | Mostly private offices and apartments; seen from the outside. |
| Tower 2000 platform | Separate ticket or institution | A viewing platform on the opposite bank, with its own rules, not verified. |
| Expocentre | Outside / not part of it | A nearby exhibition complex near the Vystavochnaya station. |
| Krasnaya Presnya | Outside / not part of it | The older part of the Presnensky District, with its own guide. |
Why Visit Moscow City?
Moscow City is the place to see the other face of the capital: the Federation Tower, completed in 2017 to a design by Sergey Tchoban and Peter Schweger, the Mercury City Tower, which was the tallest building in Europe when it was completed, and the OKO complex with its canted folds.
It also has two observation decks of note: Panorama 360 on the 89th floor of the Federation Tower East and an open-air deck on the OKO South Tower. The plazas and the embankment are free to walk, and the Afimall City center has shops and food on several levels. The district gives a view of the whole city from above.
How Moscow City Is Laid Out
The district lies on the left bank of the Moskva River, in a bend, with the plots numbered along the embankment. The Afimall City shopping center, with a hotel on its roof, forms the low central core, and the metro and railway stations of Delovoy Tsentr lie underneath it. The towers rise around it.
The Federation Tower stands on the embankment at Presnenskaya Embankment 12, the Mercury City Tower and the City of Capitals complex stand nearby, and the OKO and Naberezhnaya towers are on the east and north sides. Tower 2000, the first tower of the project, stands on the opposite bank, linked by the Bagration Bridge, with boat piers below it.
A sensible route starts at Delovoy Tsentr, goes up through Afimall to the plaza, walks past the towers to the embankment and finishes at the Bagration Bridge or at the Mezhdunarodnaya station.
Highlights of Moscow City
The Federation Tower
The Federation Tower has an East Tower of 374 meters and 97 floors and a West Tower of 243 meters and 63 floors, completed in 2017 to a design by Sergey Tchoban and Peter Schweger. The East Tower is the tallest building in Moscow and the second tallest in Europe, after the Lakhta Center in St. Petersburg. The West Tower has the Sixty restaurant on the 62nd floor. The towers are mostly offices.
Tip: Look up from the embankment side, where the two towers show their full contrast.
Panorama 360
Panorama 360 occupies the 89th floor of the Federation Tower East, about 327 meters above the ground, and is described as Europe's highest indoor observation deck. It is at Presnenskaya Embankment 12. Tickets are sold at booths in Afimall City and at a terminal near the reception on the -2 level of the complex. Prices and hours were not verified, so check them on the deck's official site.
Tip: Take exit 1 from Delovoy Tsentr, which leads toward Afimall and the tower.
The Mercury City Tower
The Mercury City Tower, 338.8 meters tall, was completed in 2013 and was the tallest building in Europe at the time. It has a distinctive geometric shape and copper-colored glazing, which stands out among the blue and silver towers. It is a multifunctional building with offices and apartments, and a sight from outside.
Tip: See it at sunset, when the copper glass catches the light.
The OKO towers
OKO is a complex of two skyscrapers on plot 16, with canted folds that let the towers recede from one another as they rise. Its South Tower surpassed the Mercury City Tower in 2014 and briefly became the tallest building in Russia and Europe. An open-air observation deck at 354 meters on the South Tower is described as the highest open-air deck in Europe. Check its hours and prices.
Tip: Check the weather before you go to the open-air deck.
Afimall City
Afimall City is the shopping center at the center of the district, with a hotel on its roof and the Delovoy Tsentr metro station underneath. It is the main walking route between the metro and the towers, and has shops, food and the ticket booths for Panorama 360. Its hours were not verified.
Tip: Use it as a shelter from wind and rain on the way between towers.
Tower 2000 and the Bagration Bridge
Tower 2000 was the first tower of the project and stands on the opposite bank, with a viewing platform from which the whole cluster can be seen. The Bagration Bridge crosses the river from it to the district, with piers below it for boat trips. Check whether the platform is open before you go.
Tip: Cross the bridge for the best view of the whole skyline.
Atmosphere
Moscow City is a landscape of glass, steel and wind, with towers rising from wide plazas and the river bend at their feet. The scale is large, the streets are broad, and sounds come from traffic, the metro and the echo of the plazas.
By day office workers cross the plazas between the towers and Afimall, and visitors queue for the decks. In the evening the towers are lit and the embankment draws walkers. It is a district of the 21st century, with little old Moscow in view. The crowd varies by day and season, and no figures were verified.
History of Moscow City
The Moscow International Business Center was conceived in 1992 and occupies about 60 hectares on a bend of the Moskva River, at the western edge of the Presnensky District, east of the Third Ring Road. Construction began in 1998 on the site of abandoned factories and quarries, and the project was delayed by the financial crisis of 1998.
The first tower, Tower 2000, was built from 1996 on the opposite bank of the river, and the Bagration Bridge was built to link it with the district. The first towers on the main site followed in the 2000s, including the Naberezhnaya Tower complex and the City of Capitals, whose Moscow Tower was for a time the tallest building in Europe until it was surpassed by The Shard in London in 2012.
The Mercury City Tower, begun in 2006 and completed in 2013, became the tallest building in Europe. In 2014 the South Tower of the neighboring OKO complex surpassed it, and in November 2014 the East Tower of the Federation Tower, then still under construction, was again taller. The Federation Tower was completed in 2017 and is the tallest building in Moscow.
The central core, the Afimall City shopping center, was built from 2011 on top of the metro and railway interchange of Delovoy Tsentr, and a hotel was added on its roof in 2012. The district has a metro station of the Moscow Central Circle and of the Bolshaya Koltsevaya Line, and the Moscow Central Diameters stop nearby at Testovskaya and Kamushki.
Plans for new buildings continue, including a business center called Bagration that is intended to replace the northern exit of the Bagration Bridge. Today the district is the symbol of modern Moscow, with offices, apartments, hotels, shops and observation decks.
Tickets and Booking for Moscow City
There is no ticket for the district. The observation decks sell their own tickets, and Panorama 360 sells them at booths in Afimall City, on its second floor, and at a terminal near its reception on the -2 level of the Federation Towers complex, according to the deck’s directions page. Prices, hours and any advance booking were not verified for this guide, so check the deck’s own site before you plan a visit. The observation decks guide of this site compares the options.
- Weather: the open-air deck depends on the weather, so check conditions before you go.
- Payment: foreign Visa and Mastercard cards are reported not to work in Russia, and the sanctions rules of your own country may restrict some Russian payment services, so check this yourself.
Rates for Russian citizens and concessions differ at most venues, so check each venue’s own page for all categories.
Plan and Book
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Suggested Itineraries for Moscow City
2 hours
Start at Delovoy Tsentr and go up through Afimall City to the plaza. Walk past the Federation and Mercury towers to the embankment and see the skyline.
3 hours
Follow the 2-hour route and add Panorama 360, with its ticket planned beforehand. Check the deck's hours and the weather first.
Half day
Add the OKO open-air deck or a walk across the Bagration Bridge to Tower 2000. End at the Mezhdunarodnaya station.
How to Get to Moscow City
The main interchange is Delovoy Tsentr, which serves Line 8A, the Bolshaya Koltsevaya Line (Line 11) and the Moscow Central Circle (Line 14), with direct exits to Afimall City and the towers. Mezhdunarodnaya (Line 4) is described as the closest station to the skyscrapers, and Vystavochnaya (Line 4) is closest to the Expocentre. The exits and walking times were not verified.
- Metro: use Delovoy Tsentr for the main plaza and follow the signs to exit 1; the metro guides on this site explain the lines.
- Taxi: the taxi apps guide of this site explains the options; the district has limited parking.
Accessibility
No accessibility information for the district was found. The plazas and Afimall City are level and have lifts, as far as is known, but the access to the decks and the metro stations was not verified, so ask each venue before you go.
Food Nearby
Afimall City and the towers have cafes and restaurants, among them the Sixty restaurant on the 62nd floor of the Federation Tower West. No individual venue's current status was verified, so check opening hours and menus on site.
What to Bring
Layers, since the plazas are windy, and a camera for the views from the decks. Bring rubles in cash for small purchases, since foreign cards are reported not to work.
Best Views and Photo Spots of Moscow City
The Bagration Bridge
The whole cluster of towers rising across the river from the pedestrian bridge. It is the classic view of the skyline.
Best time: Sunset.
The embankment at the Federation Tower
The two towers of the Federation Tower looking up from the river side. The contrast in height is the point.
Best time: Morning light.
Panorama 360
A 360-degree view of Moscow from the 89th floor, with the river and the Stalin skyscrapers in the distance. Glass reflections need care.
Best time: Clear days at sunset.
Photography Rules
No official photography rules for the district were found. Observation decks and offices set their own rules, so check on site. Rules on flying drones in Moscow are strict, were not checked for this guide, and should be confirmed with the authorities before any flight.
Family Suitability
The plazas, the embankment and Afimall City suit families, and the observation decks are an event for children who like heights. Ticket prices and any age rules were not verified. Stroller access in the plazas and the center is likely, but was not confirmed.
Moscow Vibes Tips
- Take exit 1 from Delovoy Tsentr if you are going to Panorama 360, since it leads toward Afimall and the Federation Tower.
- Dress for wind on the plazas, which is stronger than in the old center.
- See the skyline from the Bagration Bridge before you go up, so you know what to look for from above.
- Check the weather before the open-air deck, since views and access depend on it.
- Do not look for old Moscow here; combine the district with Krasnaya Presnya for the older Presnensky layer.
- Use Mezhdunarodnaya if you want to walk through the plazas toward the towers rather than through the mall.
Explore Nearby Moscow City
Sights near Moscow City
PANORAMA360 Moscowabout 350 m away (~5 min walk) · typical visit: About 1 to 2 hoursMain image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Only Love Is Above Observation Deck Moscowabout 350 m away (~6 min walk) · typical visit: 45–90 minutesMain image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Borodino Battle Panorama Museum Moscowabout 1.2 km away (~20 min walk) · typical visit: About 1.5 hoursMain image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Krasnaya Presnya Park Moscowabout 1.3 km away (~21 min walk) · typical visit: About 1.5 to 2.5 hoursMain image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Church of the Intercession at Fili Moscowabout 1.7 km away (~28 min walk) · typical visit: About 45 minutes to 1 hourMain image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Novodevichy Pond Moscowabout 2.4 km away · typical visit: 45–90 minutesMain image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Metro stations near Moscow City
Mezhdunarodnaya Metro Stationabout 250 m away (~4 min walk)Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Vystavochnaya Metro Stationabout 450 m away (~7 min walk)Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Delovoy Tsentr Metro Stationabout 450 m away (~7 min walk)Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Restaurants and cafes near Moscow City
KU: Ramen Izakaya Barabout 150 m away (~2 min walk)Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Ruskiabout 400 m away (~6 min walk)Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Nightlife near Moscow City
High Barabout 250 m away (~4 min walk)Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Hotels near Moscow City
Radisson Collection Hotel Moscowabout 1.9 km away (~31 min walk)Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Hotel Belgrad Moscowabout 2.7 km awayMain image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Golden Ring Hotel Moscowabout 2.7 km awayMain image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Train stations and river piers near Moscow City
Kievsky Railway Terminalabout 1.9 km away (~32 min walk)Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Related guides
Krasnaya Presnya: 1905 Barricades, Moscow Zoo and Metro ArtMain image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Dorogomilovo: Kutuzovsky Prospekt, Borodino Panorama and UkrainaMain image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Matryoshka Restaurant: Tsarist-Style Russian Food on the MoskvaMain image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
How to visit Moscow’s observation decks: Free Views and Paid TowersMain image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Khoroshyovskaya Metro Station: Big Circle, Line 7 and MCC TransfersMain image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Browse more: More in Presnensky · All Neighborhoods
FAQ: Moscow City
What is Moscow City?
A business district of skyscrapers on the Moskva River in the Presnensky District.
Which is the tallest tower?
The Federation Tower East, at 374 meters, is the tallest building in Moscow.
Where is the highest observation deck?
Panorama 360 is on the 89th floor of the Federation Tower East; the OKO deck is an open-air one at 354 meters.
Which metro station is the nearest?
Delovoy Tsentr, with direct exits to Afimall City and the towers.
Is Tower 2000 part of the district?
It is the first tower of the project, on the opposite bank, linked by the Bagration Bridge.
Can I go inside the towers?
Mostly no; they are offices, with a few decks and restaurants open to visitors.
Is there an entrance fee?
No for the plazas; the decks charge their own prices.
How long does a visit take?
About 2 to 4 hours, longer with a deck.
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Last updated: October 7, 2026. Found an error or something out of date? Report it and we will check and fix it.
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About this guide: AI assistance and accuracy
This guide is created with the help of AI and is based on official sources where available. Mistakes can still happen. Opening hours, prices, rules and other details are given to the best of our knowledge as of the date shown and can change without notice. It offers general recommendations only, not professional, legal or travel advice. Please confirm important details with the official source before you travel; you are responsible for your own plans and decisions.
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