Tatiana Day (Students’ Day) in Moscow is celebrated every 25 January and combines two traditions: the feast of St. Tatiana in the Orthodox calendar and the anniversary of the day Empress Elizabeth signed the decree founding Moscow University in 1755, the first Russian university. The date was the name day of the mother of Ivan Shuvalov, who with Mikhail Lomonosov proposed the project.
Students in Russia regard it as their holiday, and in Moscow the celebrations center on Moscow State University, with its old buildings on Mokhovaya Street and the university church of St. Tatiana. It is not a day off, but it is a lively day for students and for anyone with the name Tatiana. Visitors can see the street mood, the church and the university quarter, and many city venues offer student events.
Quick Facts
| Russian name | Татьянин день (День студента) в Москве |
|---|---|
| Type | Holiday / observance |
| When | Every year on 25 January, a fixed date that is 12 January in the old Julian calendar and the feast of St. Tatiana. |
| Next occurrence | January 25 (same date every year) |
| Typical duration | One day, with student events and city programs sometimes spread over several days around it. |
| Public holiday | No, an observance (regular working day) |
| Address | Old Moscow State University buildings, Mokhovaya Street, at the corner of Bolshaya Nikitskaya Street, central Moscow OpenStreetMap · Google Maps |
| District | Tverskoy |
| Metro | Okhotny Ryad (Sokolnicheskaya Line (Line 1, red), A central station beside Manezhnaya Square, near the old university buildings; the exit and the walking time were not verified) Biblioteka Imeni Lenina (Sokolnicheskaya Line (Line 1, red) and other lines, A central interchange within reach of Mokhovaya Street on foot; the exit and the walking time were not verified) |
| Admission | Walking around the old university area and watching the street celebrations is free. Events organized for the day, such as concerts, rinks and exhibitions, set their own prices. |
| Best time to visit | The day itself is 25 January, and the busiest moments are in the morning around the church and in the afternoon and evening in the student areas. Late January is cold, usually below freezing. The week before is exam time and quieter. Crowd patterns were not verified. |
| Last updated | October 7, 2026 |
Dates, programs and prices change from year to year. Always check the official website for the current edition.
Why Visit Tatiana Day (Students' Day) in Moscow?
The day lets a visitor see a living Moscow tradition tied to a real place: the old university quarter on Mokhovaya Street, the house church of St. Tatiana on the corner of Bolshaya Nikitskaya Street, and the student life that surrounds them. It is also a good moment to learn how a church date became a secular holiday, which was made official in 2005.
It has a light, humorous side, with free honey mead for students at the university, a custom of shouting a phrase from the window before exams, and stories such as Chekhov’s remark on the students of 1884. The streets stay open and nothing needs a ticket, though details of the programs change each year.
How Tatiana Day (Students' Day) in Moscow Is Celebrated
In the 19th century the holiday began with a prayer in the university church, followed by loud and festive gatherings across Moscow, and eyewitnesses claimed that the city had never been so noisy. Today the day begins with services in churches, among them a liturgy at the house church of the Martyr Tatiana on Mokhovaya Street, and students and staff gather at Moscow State University, where the president of the university is known for giving free honey mead, medovukha, to the student body.
Students have their own rituals: when they are studying for the winter exams, they may look out of the window, wave their books and shout a phrase calling for an easy pass, a custom reported by the Moscow Times. City authorities often add events over several days, such as discounted skating and attractions for students and for people named Tatiana, concerts and quests. The programs differ each year, so check the official sources.
Highlights of Tatiana Day (Students' Day) in Moscow
The old university quarter on Mokhovaya Street
Moscow University moved to the estate of Prince Peter Repnin on Mokhovaya Street in 1757, by decree of Empress Elizabeth, and in the 1780s the architect Matvey Kazakov built a new university quarter near it. The old buildings stand at the corner of Mokhovaya and Bolshaya Nikitskaya streets, near the Kremlin. They are the historic center of the holiday, though the modern campus is on Sparrow Hills.
Tip: Look for the plaque and the classical facade, and see the Bolshaya Nikitskaya guide on this site for the street.
The Church of St. Tatiana
The house church of the Martyr Tatiana was consecrated in 1791 at the university, on the corner of Mokhovaya and Bolshaya Nikitskaya streets, and Tatiana became regarded as the patron saint of students. It was closed in the Soviet period and rebuilt in the 1990s, according to a guide. On 25 January the Patriarch has led a festive liturgy there. Its visiting hours were not verified.
Tip: Dress modestly and expect crowds and checks around the church on the day.
Free honey mead at the university
Since the celebrations were revived at Moscow State University in 1992, a tradition has developed of treating students to medovukha, Russian honey mead, on Tatiana Day, with the university president taking part in the Moscow Times account. It is aimed at students, so visitors should not expect to receive it. The details of where and when vary each year.
Tip: Watch the tradition from nearby and do not join the queue unless you are a student.
The moment of the decree
On 12 January in the old style (23 January new style), Empress Elizabeth signed the decree founding Moscow University on the initiative of Ivan Shuvalov and Mikhail Lomonosov. The first 100 students began classes in the late spring of 1755. The Orthodox feast of St. Tatiana falls on 25 January today, which is why the two traditions merged.
Tip: Read about Lomonosov and Shuvalov before you go to understand the story.
City events for students
In recent years the city has run programs over several days around 25 January in locations such as VDNKh, parks, sports complexes and cultural centers, with discounts for students and for people named Tatiana, skating, tubing and quests. The programs change each year and no specific one is described here. See the VDNH and Ostankino and the ice skating guides on this site.
Tip: Check the official city portal for the current program.
The modern campus on Sparrow Hills
The main campus of Moscow State University is on Sparrow Hills, with the viewpoint over the Moskva River and the main building built from 1949 to 1953. It is not the site of the old celebrations, but it is the place where students live and study today. See the Sparrow Hills guide on this site.
Tip: Combine the old quarter in the center with the viewpoint on Sparrow Hills on another day.
What It Means for Your Visit
25 January is not a public holiday, so offices, shops, museums and transport work as usual, and there are no road closures. The effects are local: the streets around Mokhovaya and Bolshaya Nikitskaya are busier with students, there are checks and crowds around the church during services, and bars and cafes near universities are full in the evening.
Many venues, from rinks to museums, offer discounts or programs for students and for people named Tatiana, but the offers differ each year and often require a student card or an ID. Book restaurants for the evening if you want a table, and check the city’s official sources for the current program.
Atmosphere
On 25 January the streets around Mokhovaya and Bolshaya Nikitskaya are full of students in winter coats, groups walking toward the university buildings, and people with flowers for friends named Tatiana. The air is cold, and the mood is light, with laughter, jokes and a sense of a short break from exam preparation.
Around the church there is a quieter flow of worshippers, and in cafes and bars in the evening the celebrations are loud and young. The scene is less a public spectacle than a series of small gatherings. The crowd varies by year and no figures were verified.
History of Tatiana Day (Students' Day) in Moscow
St. Tatiana of Rome is a martyr of the early Church whose memory the Orthodox Church celebrates on 12 January in the old style, which is 25 January in the 20th and 21st centuries. In 1755 Empress Elizabeth Petrovna signed a decree founding Moscow University, the first Russian university, on the initiative of Ivan Shuvalov and Mikhail Lomonosov. The date coincided with the name day of Shuvalov’s mother, Tatiana.
The first 100 students began classes in the late spring of 1755. In 1757 the university moved to the estate of Prince Peter Repnin on Mokhovaya Street, and in the 1780s Matvey Kazakov built a new university quarter. In 1791 a church was consecrated in the university in honor of the Martyr Tatiana, and she came to be regarded as the patron of students and teachers.
In the 19th century Tatiana Day was celebrated in a loud and festive way, and Anton Chekhov recalled that in 1884 Moscow’s students drank everything except the Moscow River, and only because it was frozen. Before the revolution of 1917 the day was celebrated on 12 January.
The holiday was not marked in the atheist Soviet period, and the university church was closed and later rebuilt in the 1990s. In 1992 the celebrations were revived at Moscow State University under its rector Viktor Sadovnichy, with the custom of giving mead to students. In January 2005, on the 250th anniversary of the university, a presidential decree established the Day of Russian Students on 25 January.
Today Tatiana Day is celebrated in university towns across the country as Students’ Day, and in Moscow it joins church services at the house church on Mokhovaya Street, student gatherings and city programs.
Tickets and Booking for Tatiana Day (Students' Day) in Moscow
There is no ticket for Tatiana Day itself. The celebrations on the streets and the church services are free, and concerts, rinks, exhibitions and discounts are organized by the university, the city and individual venues, each with its own rules and prices. Details change every year, so no program or prices are given here. Student discounts usually need a valid student card, and foreign cards may not be accepted, so ask the venue.
- Official information: the city’s official portal, mos.ru, lists public events for Students’ Day, and the university’s own site lists its events.
- 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 organizer’s own page for the current edition.
Get Tickets for Tatiana Day (Students' Day) in Moscow
How to Get to Tatiana Day (Students' Day) in Moscow
The old university buildings stand at Mokhovaya Street, at the corner of Bolshaya Nikitskaya Street, near the Kremlin. The nearest stations are Okhotny Ryad (Line 1) and Biblioteka Imeni Lenina (Line 1 and other lines); the exits and walking times were not verified.
- Metro: use Okhotny Ryad or Biblioteka Imeni Lenina; the metro guides on this site explain the lines.
- Taxi: the streets near the church can be busy during services; the taxi apps guide of this site explains the options.
Accessibility
No accessibility information was found for the day. The old university area is in the dense center with pavements that may be icy, and the church may have steps, so check with the church or the university about access before you go.
Food Nearby
Cafes and restaurants on Mokhovaya Street, Bolshaya Nikitskaya Street and around Manezhnaya Square are within reach, and student bars are busy in the evening. No individual venue was verified for this guide, so check opening hours and menus on site.
What to Bring
Warm winter clothing and shoes with grip for icy pavements, modest clothing if you plan to enter the church, and rubles in cash for small purchases, since foreign cards are reported not to work.
Best Views and Photo Spots of Tatiana Day (Students' Day) in Moscow
The old university buildings on Mokhovaya Street
The classical facade of the old university on the corner of Mokhovaya and Bolshaya Nikitskaya, with students passing. The winter light on the pale walls works well.
Best time: Late morning.
The exterior of the Church of St. Tatiana
The small domed church on the university corner, seen from the street in snow. Photograph from a distance and not the worshippers' faces.
Best time: Morning light.
Manezhnaya Square and the Kremlin wall nearby
The square and the Kremlin wall just down the street, a useful frame to combine with the university area. It shows the central setting of the old university.
Best time: Dusk.
Photography Rules
No general photography rules were found. The church and university buildings may restrict photography inside, and security staff may direct visitors near the university, so ask first and avoid flash in the church. Respect students and worshippers, and drone rules in Moscow are strict and were not checked.
Family Suitability
The day suits older children who are interested in history or students' traditions, and families can see the old quarter and the church from outside. Cold weather and the crowds are limits for young children. Stroller access on icy pavements is difficult.
Moscow Vibes Tips
- Treat the day as a street and student holiday; do not expect a formal public ceremony with tickets.
- Look for the church on the corner of Mokhovaya and Bolshaya Nikitskaya, not at the modern campus on Sparrow Hills.
- Do not expect free mead; the tradition is aimed at the university's students.
- Bring a student card if you have one, since many discounts require it, and ask the venue whether foreign cards or IDs are accepted.
- Book a table in advance for the evening if you want to join the celebrations in a bar or restaurant.
- Combine with the Bolshaya Nikitskaya and Kitay-Gorod guides on this site for a walk through the old center.
Explore Nearby Tatiana Day (Students' Day) in Moscow
Sights near Tatiana Day (Students' Day) in Moscow
Vernadsky State Geological Museum Moscowabout 50 m away (~1 min walk) · typical visit: About 2 to 3 hoursMain image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Moscow Museum of Archaeologyabout 300 m away (~5 min walk) · typical visit: About 45 minutes to 1 hourMain image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Alexander Garden Moscowabout 300 m away (~5 min walk) · typical visit: 30–60 minutesMain image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
State Historical Museum Moscowabout 300 m away (~5 min walk) · typical visit: 2.5–4 hoursMain image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Museum of the Patriotic War of 1812 Moscowabout 400 m away (~6 min walk) · typical visit: About 1.5 to 2 hoursMain image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Moscow Kremlin – about 450 m away (~7 min walk) · typical visit: 3–5 hours for Cathedral Square plus the Armoury ChamberMain image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Metro stations near Tatiana Day (Students' Day) in Moscow
Okhotny Ryad Metro Stationabout 300 m away (~5 min walk)Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Aleksandrovsky Sad Metro Stationabout 400 m away (~7 min walk)Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Alexandrovsky Sad Metro Stationabout 400 m away (~7 min walk)Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Restaurants and cafes near Tatiana Day (Students' Day) in Moscow
Belugaabout 200 m away (~3 min walk)Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Grand Cafe Dr. Zhivagoabout 200 m away (~3 min walk)Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Gvidonabout 250 m away (~4 min walk)Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Ikraabout 250 m away (~4 min walk)Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Nightlife near Tatiana Day (Students' Day) in Moscow
Rule Taproomabout 550 m away (~9 min walk)Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Rhythm & Blues Cafeabout 600 m away (~10 min walk)Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Hotels near Tatiana Day (Students' Day) in Moscow
Hotel National Moscowabout 200 m away (~3 min walk)Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
The Carlton Moscowabout 200 m away (~4 min walk)Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Four Seasons Hotel Moscowabout 300 m away (~5 min walk)Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Events and traditions near Tatiana Day (Students' Day) in Moscow
Golden Autumn Festival in Moscowabout 150 m away (~2 min walk)Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Gardens and Flowers Festival in Moscowabout 150 m away (~2 min walk)Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Moscow Traditions Festivalabout 150 m away (~2 min walk)Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
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FAQ: Tatiana Day (Students' Day) in Moscow
When is Tatiana Day?
On 25 January every year.
Why is it Students' Day?
Because Moscow University was founded by a decree of 1755 on St. Tatiana's feast, and the day was made official in 2005.
Is it a public holiday?
No, it is an observance and a normal working day.
Where is the main place?
The old university buildings and the Church of St. Tatiana on Mokhovaya Street.
What is the mead tradition?
Moscow State University treats its students to honey mead on the day.
Can visitors take part?
They can watch the street celebrations; student offers need a student card.
Are museums and shops closed?
No, they work as usual, and some offer student discounts.
Is it the same as the modern campus?
No, the modern campus is on Sparrow Hills; the old quarter is in the center.
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Last updated: October 7, 2026.
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