Tretyakov Gallery
Третьяковская галерея
The world’s most important collection of Russian art, ranging from the 12th-century Vladimir Mother of God and Andrei Rublev’s Trinity to Repin, Surikov and Kramskoi’s Unknown Woman. It is the textbook of Russian fine art.
The Tretyakov Gallery was founded in 1856 by the merchant Pavel Tretyakov and donated to the city of Moscow in 1892. It sits in the Zamoskvorechye district on the south bank of the Moskva River. The main building’s fairy-tale red-brick facade was designed by the painter Vasnetsov. Its 62 galleries are arranged chronologically. Early Russian icons come first, including the 12th-century Vladimir Mother of God (displayed in the nearby St. Nicholas Church) and Andrei Rublev’s Trinity, which was handed over to the Church in 2023 and is displayed according to agreement, so check locally. Next are 18th- and 19th-century portraits, plus works by Levitan and Bryullov. The highlights are the Peredvizhniki (Wanderers) movement: Repin’s Ivan the Terrible and His Son Ivan and Cossacks Writing a Letter to the Turkish Sultan, Surikov’s Boyarina Morozova, Vasnetsov’s Three Heroes, Kramskoi’s Unknown Woman, Shishkin’s Morning in a Pine Forest, Levitan’s landscapes and Vrubel’s Tsarevna Swan. Art of the 20th century, including Malevich, Kandinsky, Chagall and Soviet Socialist Realism, is housed in the New Tretyakov Gallery (Novaya Tretyakovka) on Krymsky Val, which requires a separate ticket.
Entry to the main building costs about 700 to 800 rubles. Audio guides are available in Chinese. Buying tickets online in advance avoids the queues. The late session open until 21:00 on Thursdays to Saturdays is the most relaxed time to visit.
Getting there: It is a 5-minute walk from Tretyakovskaya metro station. Pyatnitskaya Street nearby has many cafés. A 15-minute walk takes you to Zaryadye Park or the Red October district.
Opening hours
Tue, Wed and Sun 10:00–18:00; Thu–Sat 10:00–21:00; closed Mondays
Nearby sights
- Moscow Metro
- Moscow Kremlin
- Saint Basil's Cathedral
- Lenin's Mausoleum
- Zaryadye Park
- Red Square
- GUM Department Store
- State Historical Museum