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Old photos of Moscow

18 photographs of Moscow, from 1896 to 2024 — each pinned to the exact place it was taken.

Have an old photo of Moscow? A family album, a postcard, a print from the attic. Pin it to the map and it becomes part of the record.
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What the photos show

The 18 photographs of Moscow on PlaceWas span 8 decades, from 1896 to 2024. 5 of them were taken before 1980; the other 13 are recent views of the same streets and landmarks.4 spots were photographed more than once, so you can compare the same street, square or building across the years.13 of the photos carry a written caption explaining what is in the frame. Every picture is pinned to the place it was taken, so the map below shows where the photographers stood.

Pick a decade to filter the photos below and the map above. Open full map ↗

Places in Moscow through time

Spots photographed more than once — compare the same place across the years.

Moscow. Iberian Gate and Chapel, Moscow — photos through time
Moscow. Iberian Gate and Chapel 6 photos · 2009–2024
Protest against Navalnys' conviction ( ; Moscow), Moscow — photos through time
Protest against Navalnys' conviction ( ; Moscow) 4 photos · 1896–2014
Around Moscow, Moscow — photos through time
Around Moscow 3 photos · 2011–2015
Around Moscow, Moscow — photos through time
Around Moscow 2 photos · 1984–2015

Stories from Moscow

What contributors wrote about these photographs.

Saint Basil's Cathedral, Moscow, 1900
Saint Basil's Cathedral 1900 Saint Basil's Cathedral on Red Square appears in this 1900 photograph, its cluster of colorful onion domes already three and a half centuries old, having been commissioned by Ivan the Terrible in the 1550s.
The Moscow Kremlin, Moscow, 1900
The Moscow Kremlin 1900 The Moscow Kremlin, the fortified seat of Russian political and religious power since the medieval era, is shown here in a photograph from 1900, near the close of the Imperial period.
Manézs tér. Balra a Manézs, egykor cári lovarda, ma kiállítóterem. Fortepan, Moscow, 1958
Manézs tér. Balra a Manézs, egykor cári lovarda, ma kiállítóterem. Fortepan 1958 Manezs Square in Moscow, 1958, with the Manege building visible at left. Built in the early 19th century as an imperial riding school, it had by this time been converted into an exhibition hall.
Átjáró a Vörös tér és a szemben látható Manézs tér között, szemben a Moszkva szálló. Fortepan, Moscow, 1963
Átjáró a Vörös tér és a szemben látható Manézs tér között, szemben a Moszkva szálló. Fortepan 1963 A pedestrian underpass links Red Square with Manege Square in central Moscow, facing the Hotel Moskva across the way. This photograph, part of the Fortepan collection, dates to 1963 and shows a corner of the Soviet…
Approaching Red Square, Moscow, Moscow, 1984
Approaching Red Square, Moscow 1984 A view approaching Red Square in Moscow, photographed in 1984. The square lies at the historic heart of the Russian capital, bordered by the Kremlin walls and Saint Basil's Cathedral.
Угловая Арсенальная башня, Moscow, 2011
Угловая Арсенальная башня 2011 The Corner Arsenal Tower of the Moscow Kremlin, seen in 2011. Built at the end of the fifteenth century by the Italian architect Pietro Antonio Solari, the tower stands at the Kremlin's northern corner and is said to…
Around Moscow, Moscow, 2015
Around Moscow 2015 A street scene from central Moscow captured in 2015, part of a series of images documenting everyday views around the Russian capital away from its most famous monuments.
Moscow State Historical Museum 02, Moscow, 2017
Moscow State Historical Museum 02 2017 The State Historical Museum stands at the northern end of Red Square in Moscow, its red-brick, neo-Russian facade housing exhibits on Russia's history from prehistoric times to the modern era. This photograph, taken in…
1890s · 1 photo
1900s · 2 photos
1950s · 1 photo
1960s · 1 photo
1980s · 2 photos
2000s · 1 photo
2010s · 9 photos
2020s · 1 photo