Moscow is a city of layers. You’ve got the grim Soviet monoliths, the glittering high-rises of the financial district, and then there’s Red Square. But if you stand in the middle of that vast, cobblestoned expanse, your eyes won't just stay on the Kremlin’s red walls or the onion domes of St. Basil’s. They’ll drift toward that massive, palace-like facade running along the eastern edge. That’s the GUM department store Red Square Moscow, and honestly, it’s arguably the most interesting building in the entire country.
It's not just a mall. Calling GUM a mall is like calling the Louvre a "gallery for old pictures." It is a 19th-century masterpiece that has survived fires, revolutions, the threat of demolition by Stalin, and the weird, wild transition to hyper-capitalism. When you walk inside, the first thing you notice isn't the smell of expensive perfume—though that’s definitely there—it’s the light. The glass roof is an engineering marvel. It looks delicate, almost like lace, but it’s been holding up for over a century.
The Engineering Genius Nobody Notices
Back in the 1890s, when they were building the "Upper Trading Rows" (the original name), the architect Alexander Pomerantsev and the engineer Vladimir Shukhov were doing things that were frankly insane for the time. They used about 50,000 metal pods to support a glass roof that spans almost 800 feet. It’s a triple-arched structure. If you look up, you’re seeing roughly 800 tons of iron and glass.
Shukhov was a bit of a legend. He’s the guy who designed the first hyperboloid structures. In GUM, he managed to create something that feels airy and light despite being heavy enough to crush a small town. The glass is actually curved in a way that allows snow to slide off—a pretty vital feature when you’re dealing with a Moscow winter.
People think the store is one big building. It’s not. It’s actually three long, parallel passages connected by bridges. You can spend an entire afternoon just wandering the bridges on the second and third floors, watching the crowds below. It’s the best people-watching spot in Russia. You see tourists from Siberia, fashionistas from Milan, and babushkas who remember when the shelves were empty.
From Imperial Luxury to Soviet Kitchens
The history here is messy. When it opened in 1893, it was the pinnacle of luxury. Then 1917 happened. The Bolsheviks didn't really have a use for a high-end shopping arcade, so they nationalized it. For a while, it wasn't even a store. It was office space. Stalin actually used it for his bureaucracy.
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There’s a darker side to the GUM department store Red Square Moscow that most tour guides gloss over. In 1932, the body of Stalin’s wife, Nadezhda Alliluyeva, was laid out in state in one of the halls here after she committed suicide. It’s a strange, grim contrast to the luxury brands you see in those same windows today. Stalin actually tried to tear the building down twice. He wanted to expand Red Square for parades. Luckily, the logistics were too difficult, or he just got distracted, and the building stayed.
By the 1950s, it reopened as a department store. This was the "model" store for the USSR. If you wanted something rare—like a decent pair of boots or a Yugoslavian coat—you came here and stood in line. For hours. Sometimes days.
Why You Should Actually Go There Now
Look, I get it. You’re in Moscow, and you don’t want to spend your time in a place that sells $2,000 handbags. But GUM is different. It’s weirdly accessible if you know where to look.
First, you have to find "Stolovaya No. 57." It’s on the third floor. This is a "Soviet-style" canteen, but it’s not a gimmick—well, it’s a little bit of a gimmick—but the food is legit. It’s the kind of place where you grab a tray and point at things. You can get olivier salad, borscht, and kompot (a sweet fruit drink) for a fraction of what a meal costs elsewhere on Red Square. It tastes like a Russian grandmother’s kitchen.
Then there’s the ice cream.
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You cannot visit the GUM department store Red Square Moscow without eating the ice cream. They sell it from little carts with umbrellas, just like they did in the 50s. The waffle cups are iconic. The flavor? "Plombir." It’s a rich, high-fat vanilla that hasn't changed its recipe in decades. Even in the middle of January, when it's -20°C outside, you’ll see people walking through GUM eating this ice cream. It’s a rite of passage.
The "Historic Toilet" and Other Oddities
I’m not kidding—there is a museum-quality bathroom in the basement. It’s called the Historic Toilet. It costs a few hundred rubles to enter, which sounds crazy for a bathroom, but it’s restored to its Tsarist-era glory. We’re talking marble, gold-plated fixtures, and actual towels instead of paper dispensers. It’s a bizarre peak into how the elite lived before the revolution.
If you’re into fashion, the store is basically a museum of global brands. Bosco di Ciliegi is the company that operates a lot of the space now, and they’ve turned it into a high-end destination. But even if you’re not buying a watch that costs more than a car, the window displays are incredible. They change seasonally. During the New Year festival, the whole place is covered in thousands of lights and dozens of uniquely decorated Christmas trees.
Navigating the Space
GUM is huge. If you enter from Red Square, you’ll likely be overwhelmed. My advice? Start at the back. The entrance near the Nikolskaya street side is usually less crowded.
- Ground Floor: This is where the heavy hitters are. Louis Vuitton, Gucci, the big jewelry brands. It’s also where the famous grocery store "Gastronom No. 1" is located. Go there for the packaging alone—it looks like a 1950s Soviet dreamscape.
- Second Floor: More contemporary fashion and some great bridge views.
- Third Floor: This is for the soul. The canteen, the souvenir shops, and the more affordable Russian brands.
Practical Advice for Travelers
Don't expect a quick trip. The building is nearly 800 feet long. If you want to see the whole thing, give yourself two hours.
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Getting there is easy. Take the Metro to Okhotny Ryad, Teatralnaya, or Ploshchad Revolyutsii. They all exit within a few minutes' walk of Red Square.
Is it a tourist trap? Kinda. But it’s a tourist trap with a soul. It’s one of the few places in Moscow where the layers of history are actually visible. You can see the Tsarist ambition in the architecture, the Soviet rigidity in the layout, and the modern Russian excess in the shops.
Actionable Insights for Your Visit
If you're planning to head to the GUM department store Red Square Moscow, keep these specific tips in mind to make the most of it:
- The Golden Hour: Visit just before sunset. The way the light hits the Shukhov glass roof is spectacular, and as it gets dark, the exterior illumination turns on. The building is outlined in thousands of lightbulbs, making it look like a fairy-tale palace.
- Budget Dining: If Stolovaya No. 57 has a massive line (which it often does), check out the smaller cafes on the same floor. They often serve similar Russian staples without the 30-minute wait.
- Souvenirs: Don't buy the generic stuff at the airport. Gastronom No. 1 on the ground floor sells high-quality Russian chocolates, caviar, and tea in beautiful tins that make for much better gifts.
- Free Entertainment: Check the GUM website or local listings. They frequently host art exhibitions, vintage car shows, or flower festivals in the main passages that are free to the public.
- Avoid Peak Times: Saturday afternoon is chaos. If you want to actually see the architecture without dodging crowds, go on a Tuesday or Wednesday morning right when they open at 10:00 AM.
The building is a survivor. It has outlasted emperors and dictators. Whether you're there for the history, the engineering, or just a scoop of vanilla ice cream, you're walking through a space that defines the Russian identity. It’s grand, it’s a little bit over the top, and it’s absolutely worth your time.