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Ruth Eckerd Hall

New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC)

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Chick Corea (born June 12, 1941) is the stage name of Armando Anthony Corea, is one of the most influential jazzman on the 20th Century, a talented pianist, keyboard and composer from Chelsea, Massachusetts, U.S.

Corea, born of Italian and Spanish descent, was introduced to the pinao aged four by his jazz trumpet playing father. Surrounded by jazz music Corea’s early influences were from bebop stars such as Dizzy Gillespie, Charlie Parker and Lester Young. After learning the drums – which would influence Corea’s use of the piano as a percussion instrument – he was taught by the concert pianist Salvatore Sullo, adding a classical composition string to the musician’s bow.

Corea gained a heap of musical experience in the 1960s playing with the bands of Mongo Santamaria, Willie Bobo, Blue Mitchell, Herbie Man and Stan Getz. Through such experience the pianist made his recording debut in 1966 with “Tones for Joan’s Bone” a hard bop album with a explosive and propulsive energy.

In 1968 Corea joined Miles Davis’ band and released the albums “Filles de Kilimanjaro” and “In a Silent Way” introducing an avant grade playing style with elements of free jazz improvisation. The 70s spelled an electric, experimental period, after departing from the avant-garde acoustic act Circle, Corea formed the Brazilian fusion band Return to Forever, played a number of duet tours with Gary Burton and Herbie Hancock, and composed his own classical pieces.

From 1985 Corea formed the fusion group the Elektric Band and to even out his music style the band Akoustic Trio a few years later. The jazzman’s ability to continue to develop and explore new styles of music and fuse handfuls of music influences is what has defined Corea a tour de force in modern jazz. He signed a deal with GRP Records in 1989 which released ten of Corea’s subsequent albums, started his own label titled Stretch Recordsin 1992, and began taking a big interest in classical music.

Early in the new millennium the pianist and composer released a string of piano and jazz albums from “Solo Piano: Originals” (2000), “Past, Present & Futures” (2001), “Rendezvous in New York” (2003), “To the Stars” (2004) and “The Ultimate Adventure” (2006). As well as collaborations with banjoist Béla Fleck, vibraphonist Gary Burton and a series of power-trio recordings titled “Five Trios”.

In 2008 Corea re-joined forces with John McLaughlin who he had played with in Miles Davis’ band, who with a host of other musicians recorded “Five Peace Band: Live” and led to the label Concord rereleasing Return to Forever’s four albums. A few years later in 2012, alongside Eddie Gomez and Paul Motian, he recorded and released “Further Exploration”, and Deutsche Gramophone issued “Corea: The Continents Concerto for Jazz Quintet and Chamber Orchestra in February. Chick Corea & The Vigil has been the pianist’s most recent endeavour featuring bassist Hadrien Feraud and Marcus Gilmore on drums.

The jazz icon has been nominated for 59 Grammy Award of which he has won twenty, his 1968 album “How He Sings, How He Sobs” has been inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame, and Corea continues to be one of the most influential jazz players of modern times.

Live reviews

Well. I am sad to say that after decades of following Chick I have to admit, this was not his best gig. Since I am also a pianist and jazz enthusiast, and have many hours of stage time, an old familiar set of phrases come to mind. “Milk it,” and “Fooled em, again.” But wait, Chick you didn’t fool me. Lots of noodling, interrupted by an occasional Wow that said these guys were still the talents you always knew, but unfortunately this was an easy money stop on the way to another gig, and one that would pay for an overnight in Austin. Heck maybe it was a paid practice for something better. Dunno. But Austin isn’t known for a huge following of jazz lovers. Tsck Tsck. You can believe what you will about these guys, and you don’t know me from Adam, but at least keep what I said as a possibility so you won’t be completely surprised. I personally believe that those who fall under the prodigy category, should work harder at keeping a live performance as something special, or simply stop touring. Chick is a prodigy but not so good at teaching others to improve their game. A player only. But a known good one. Therefore he needs to be better a faking me out, for me to bother going to see him. My 2 cents.

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Armando Anthony Corea may not be a universally recognisable household name to the majority yet for anybody with interests in jazz will know the stage name Chick Corea within an instance. Billed as one of the most influential jazz performers of the 20th century, Armando has enjoyed a glittering career that spans fifty years. With varying commercial and critical success and an admirable dedication to the music, he continues to tour live now well into his 70s.

As he is still ably bodied and musically talented it would seem foolish for him to take an early retirement when he clearly enjoys taking to the piano so much. The audience sits within the auditorium in quiet excitement as they watch Corea bring his long discography to life with his comrade of musicians. All attain an equally high level of skill and harmonise wonderfully throughout the night. The venue's acoustics offer rich tones and carry the vocal well which is notably less powerful than during Corea's heyday yet it still has those synonymous tones. He is clearly a master of a craft and after 90 minutes of live performance he has supplied clear and solid evidence.

I was lucky enough to get to see Chick Corea in Spain live at Montreux in 2004. He was just as talented as ever before, his jazz fusion was new and exciting to those in attendance who had never experienced it before. The audience started loud and rowdy, cheering for Chick, but once he started playing they fell silent.

He played slowly, softly, and beautifully. The combination of Latin and jazz slowly began to come out and be heard as we sat transfixed. The guitar played fast and impressive riffs. The piano answered them in style.Even with the enchanting music the audience could not stay dead silent, here and there people let out little cheers, until finally a full combination of the band came together for loud, fun jazz funk, and the whole audience cheered together.

Chick put on a great show that continued into the night with everyone loving every second of it. It was an impressive set for an impressive man. I loved that show and I think everyone in the audience loved it too. I would highly recommend a Chick Corea show for anyone who thinks they might even remotely be a fan of his style of jazz music.

American jazz artist Armando Anthony Corea, known professionally as Chick Corea, is the half Italian, half Spanish musical wonder that has been gracing jazz circles of the music industry for decades, since the early 60s. Since making his recording debut in 1966 Corea has risen from height to height and is regraded today as one of the most talented and influential jazz musicians of the twentieth century. He is a wonder on stage, age having no limits on his musical ability. A talented pianist, keyboard player and composer he wows the audience from the moment he steps on to stage with a whole host of skills. His combination of jazz music fused with Latin and pop is breath taking and the whole audience remained silent, in awe, during his entire show. He is truly captivating on stage and it was brilliant to see such a legend perform live, especially in a relatively intimate setting in which you could really hear the instruments as refined and delicate rather than hearing them on loud speakers.

Fantastic! Great performance by all 3 musicians. The perfect venue for Chick Corea, Dave Weckel and last but certainly not the least, John Patatucci ; all monster performers. They were AWESOME!

The acoustics were perfect. No feed back issues, no distortions of any type.

I wished for a few more tunes to be played; but they had to play a second show.

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Chick Corea has added more dates to his 75th birthday world tour

Chick Corea has added several dates with multiple line-ups to his celebratory 75th birthday world tour.

The keyboardist will perform alongside vibraphonist Gary Burton in Milan, Italy, on September 1-2 and Paris, France on September 4.

On October 12-17, he will perform in several cities in the eastern United States with his Elektric Band, which features drummer Dave Weckl, bassist John Patitucci, saxophonist Eric Marienthal and guitarist Frank Gambale.

In addition, Corea will be on the road with two different Trilogy formations. From August 30 to September 18, he will be playing shows in such countries as Israel, Belgium and China with bassist Avishai Cohen and drummer Marcus Gilmore. He will then return to the United States for a number of concerts with bassist Eddie Gomez and drummer Brian Blade.

The keyboardist and composer celebrated his 75th birthday on June 12. As previously announced, his world tour will culminate with an unprecedented two-month residency at the Blue Note jazz club in New York City from October 19 to December 12.

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An introduction to one of the most popular jazz artists ever.

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Chick Corea’s infectious passion for playfulness, songs, and experimentation made him one of the most popular jazz artists ever. Three years before the pianist succumbed to a rare form of cancer in 2021, he offered a quote to Downbeat that serves as the credo for his career: “Great art is made when the artist is free to try whatever techniques he wants and combine things any way he wants.”

Born to parents of Italian descent, Corea developed an enduring affinity for Spanish and Latin music, derived in part from his early experiences playing in the bands of Mongo Santamaria and Willie Bobo. He dropped out of two music academies, yet wrote a number of ambitious classical works and collaborated with symphony orchestras. Steeped in swing and bebop music as a youth, he helped Miles Davis give birth to jazz-rock fusion, and later created his own highly-acclaimed variant with the group Return to Forever. He composed a handful of standards, yet distinguished forays into “free” and experimental jazz are also threaded through his vast catalog.

Listen to the best pieces by Chick Corea on Apple Music or Spotify .

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Corea was not afraid to fail. His passion occasionally left him prone to sentimental treacle and heedless bombast. His catchy hybrids offended purists of various Spanish and jazz subgenres, and his already polarizing belief in Scientology raised eyebrows when he invoked it as his impetus to connect more consciously with his audiences.

But Corea’s discography speaks for itself, and his 25 Grammy awards, and 60 nominations, speak to his broad appeal. Whether your tastes run toward the mainstream or out to the fringe in various directions, there is music to be savored among Corea’s bountiful output. His talent and curiosity were capacious and genuine, and frequently resulted in durably delightful work.

Chick Corea’s early work

Chick Corea had already established himself as an ace sideman for more than five years in various Latin and hard bop ensembles, so it is not surprising that the first two releases under his own name – Tones for Joan’s Bones in 1966, Now He Sings, Now He Sobs in 1968 – revealed an artist of obvious maturity and command, especially adept at conceiving and executing fresh hard bop songs with a Latin tinge.

The lead piece from each record is dazzling, and recommended. “Litha,” from Tones , immediately engages with a sophisticated horn arrangement for trumpeter Woody Shaw and Joe Farrell on tenor sax, subtle shifts in tempo from the rhythm section, and superb solos from Farrell and Corea, who prances like Bud Powell and pounces like McCoy Tyner on the piano. “Steps – What Was,” from Sobs , is a trio date that is essentially two songs cleaved by a marvelous Roy Haynes drum solo. The “Steps” portion contains the seeds of what would later become his most popular standard, “Spain.” The entire performance is a tour de force of elements that evolved into Corea’s signature style – the glistening melodic flourishes, stair-step runs up and down the scale, catchy detours, and thorny interludes that wend their way back to his abiding lyricism.

The sessions that produced Sobs also encompasses Corea’s most indestructible composition, a mid-tempo ballad of immaculate beauty entitled “Windows.” Listening to the subsequent times he revisited the song – most notably an early 70s concert performance in a band led by Stan Getz , on the 1998 Like Minds album with Gary Burton and Pat Metheny, and in a 2005 Super Trio concert with Christian McBride and Steve Gadd – it felt more and more like the Sobs version was definitive.

Miles Davis to Return To Forever

Chick Corea was among the elite alumni of Miles Davis’ seminal electric groups of the late 60s and early 70s, who soon formed their own bands that became the vanguard of fusion jazz. His Fender Rhodes was vital to the luminous mystique of In a Silent Way (especially the spellbinding title song) and contributed to the mélange of jazz, funk, and rock that was christened Bitches Brew .

Those classic Miles records in turn helped mold the character of first two renditions of the band that would make Corea famous: Return to Forever. The first edition of RTF was airy, tropical, and imbued with the spirit of dance, due in part to the Brazilian husband-and-wife team of vocalist Flora Purim and percussionist/drummer Airto alongside Corea, Farrell, and virtuoso acoustic and electric bassist Stanley Clarke. Nearly every song on the group’s two albums could be regarded as essential to Corea’s legacy. We’ll go with the sun-kissed “Sometime Ago/La Fiesta” pairing that closes their eponymous first record with Purim’s soaring trills and the thrilling glide of the group’s jam-band interplay. On the group’s other album, Light as a Feather , the inevitable choice is Corea’s beloved composition, “Spain,” delivered here with a sprightly swirl of flute and keyboards, crisp hand-clapping and other ingenious percussion.

Corea punted Farrell and the Brazilians and opted to rock out on the second edition of Return to Forever, bringing in powerhouse drummer Lenny White beside Clarke’s already formidable chops in the rhythm section, and immaculate shredder Bill Connors on guitar. The quartet’s lone album, Hymn of the Seventh Galaxy , was another, but very different, RTF classic, best characterized by the blistering “Captain Senor Mouse.”

The prog-rock virtuosity that dominates mid-period Return to Forever reached its zenith on Where Have I Known You Before? , which flipped Connors for the, even more, fleet-fingered Al DiMeola, a teenager without a conscience and licks to burn. Corea uses more synthesizers, White and Clarke tromp the throttle even harder, and the whole shebang barrels into an epic closer, Corea’s Eastern-tinged “Song To The Pharoah Kings,” a blatant flirtation with wankery rescued by phenomenal musicianship.

Chick Corea’s experimental work

The commercial success of Return to Forever has obscured some of the more admirably challenging aspects of Chick Corea’s approach to music. His interest in more disruptive ensemble improvisation goes back as far as those invaluable 1968 sessions in a trio with drummer Roy Haynes and bassist Miroslav Vitous which resulted in “Fragments.” But just as bassist Stanley Clarke was an invaluable foil for his fusion jazz work, the bassist Dave Holland was often at his side for the freer, less structured material.

In fact, back when Miles was paving the path for jazz-rock fusion, Corea and Holland would climb out on limbs together in the context of that ensemble. The best example of this is on The Lost Quintet albums documenting Miles’ European tour in 1969. In the midst of a live rendition “It’s About That Time,” a song from In A Silent Way , the pair are improvising sounds and textures – from blips and bowed squeals to dynamic distortion – that carry the music into another realm.

Not coincidentally, after they left Miles, Corea, and Holland formed the acoustic avant-garde quartet Circle, a cooperative with drummer Barry Altschul and multi-reedist Anthony Braxton, who went on to become a hallowed figure and teacher in the realm of experimental jazz performance and composition. Even with Corea as a leavening agent, much of Circle’s output is an acquired taste. An exception is a still-knotty rendition of Wayne Shorter’s “Nefertiti,” performed live in Italy.

His Spanish heart

The music of Spain and Latin America permeates Chick Corea’s catalog, but Corea seems to express it best as a jazz hybrid and/or an assured but tender embrace. When Corea unfurled My Spanish Heart in 1976, the bombast from the final editions of Return to Forever seemed to spill over into the ambitious double-disc, replete with a 17-piece big band.

Touchstone from 1982 shows more restraint, but it wasn’t until 2019, with Antidote , that Corea concocted just the right amount of panache in his meld of salsa, flamenco, and fusion jazz. After an awkward first verse in English, Panamanian vocalist Reuben Blades provides the perfect mixture of sentiment and gravitas on the wonderfully supple, multi-faceted title song.

As for the jazz hybrid and the embrace, they don’t get much better than Corea’s live acoustic rendition of “Armando’s Rhumba,” the best version of an often-recorded tribute to his father. This is also from 2019, a performance with one of Corea’s final supergroups, Trilogy, featuring Christian McBride on bass and Brian Blade on drums.

Duets and solo

An entire section could be devoted to pieces by Chick Corea and vibraphonist Gary Burton, who always seems to calibrate Corea’s sine waves of effusion and restraint and mesh it with his own deft command of resonance and melodic invention. The sumptuous material on all three of their duet albums is recommended, but let’s pluck the aptly named Corea chestnut, “Crystal Silence,” as the emblem of their remarkable synergy. The duet between Corea and banjo player Bela Fleck on “Children’s Song #6” retains the theme of apt titles, with a guileless flow of united energy on a song Corea patterned after the classical composer Bela Bartok.

A final duet selection is a marvelous exchange between pianists Corea and Hiromi, compelling because Corea is now the elder statesman whose august presence somewhat tempers her youthful exuberance. Their mutual respect and joyful sense of play enliven their rendition of “Old Castle, by the River, in the middle of a Forest.”

As for Corea solo, “Where Are You Now?” is an eight-part suite from Piano Improvisations Vol. 1 from 1971, which runs the gamut from serene joy to playful gamboling to tempestuous flares over the course of its many sections.

Rooted in bop

For all of Chick Corea’s stylistic adventures, he retained a great loyalty and affection for the swing and bebop music his jazz-musician father had in the household when he was growing up. Truly honoring the pillars of that style involves retaining their inimitable spirit while avoiding slavish imitation. Corea threads that needle brilliantly.

A Corea recording too frequently overlooked is his Three Quartets album from 1981, with the enviable line-up of saxophonist Michael Brecker with a rhythm section of drummer Steve Gadd and the longtime bassist for Bill Evans, Eddie Gomez. Corea’s “Quartet No. 2” is broken into two parts and is dedicated to Duke Ellington and John Coltrane, respectively. The ensemble does them both justice.

Later that same year, Corea reunited the Now He Sobs trio with Roy Haynes and Miroslav Vitous on a wonderful outing that included a side of original material and a side of Thelonious Monk compositions. Only one of Corea’s many Monk tributes eclipses it: A glorious workout of “Monk’s Dream” by a touring quartet in 2010 that Corea named the Freedom Band, including familiar cohorts Roy Haynes on drums and Christian McBride on bass, with Kenny Garrett on saxophone.

Last but not least, Bud Powell was a formative influence for Corea, and in 1996 he released a tribute album whose title didn’t mince words: Remembering Bud Powell . Along with the more renowned Powell compositions, he dove into some deep cuts, including the rarely played “Glass Enclosure,” which has an unsettling moodiness and claustrophobic feel that fits its title. Where Powell recorded it as a trio, Corea fashioned a sextet that comprised what would later become the Freedom Band foursome, plus saxophonist Joshua Redman and trumpeter Wallace Roney. Listening to an artist known for joyous lyricism and forward-thinking plumb his roots for this incisive take on Powell’s dour, obscure, autobiographical composition, is yet another of the many rewarding nooks and crannies that make up the music of Chick Corea.

Think we missed one of Chick Corea’s best pieces? Let us know in the comments below.

Tim Bonenfant

June 13, 2021 at 3:17 pm

I would point out that “Song of the Pharoah Kings” is based on the same “Children’s Song #6” (with Bela Fleck) that is a part of your list. Chick repurposed a few of the Children’s Songs this way. Children’s Song #4, for example, became “Space Circus.”

Britt Robson

June 14, 2021 at 5:51 pm

@Tim Bonenfant

Good point.

In retrospect, along with mentioning how “Steps” led to “Spain,” i feel bad about not mentioning that “Spain” was also formulated from Rodrigo’s “Concierto de Aranjuez.”

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Moscow Metro

The Moscow Metro Tour is included in most guided tours’ itineraries. Opened in 1935, under Stalin’s regime, the metro was not only meant to solve transport problems, but also was hailed as “a people’s palace”. Every station you will see during your Moscow metro tour looks like a palace room. There are bright paintings, mosaics, stained glass, bronze statues… Our Moscow metro tour includes the most impressive stations best architects and designers worked at - Ploshchad Revolutsii, Mayakovskaya, Komsomolskaya, Kievskaya, Novoslobodskaya and some others.

What is the kremlin in russia?

The guide will not only help you navigate the metro, but will also provide you with fascinating background tales for the images you see and a history of each station.

And there some stories to be told during the Moscow metro tour! The deepest station - Park Pobedy - is 84 metres under the ground with the world longest escalator of 140 meters. Parts of the so-called Metro-2, a secret strategic system of underground tunnels, was used for its construction.

During the Second World War the metro itself became a strategic asset: it was turned into the city's biggest bomb-shelter and one of the stations even became a library. 217 children were born here in 1941-1942! The metro is the most effective means of transport in the capital.

There are almost 200 stations 196 at the moment and trains run every 90 seconds! The guide of your Moscow metro tour can explain to you how to buy tickets and find your way if you plan to get around by yourself.

Moscow Metro Tour

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Moscow metro private tours.

• 2-hour tour $87:  10 Must-See Moscow Metro stations with hotel pick-up and drop-off
• 3-hour tour $137:  20 Must-See Moscow Metro stations with Russian lunch in beautifully-decorated Metro Diner + hotel pick-up and drop off. 
• Metro pass is included in the price of both tours.

Highlight of Metro Tour

• Visit 10 must-see stations of Moscow metro on 2-hr tour and 20 Metro stations on 3-hr tour, including grand Komsomolskaya station with its distinctive Baroque décor, aristocratic Mayakovskaya station with Soviet mosaics, legendary Revolution Square station with 72 bronze sculptures and more!
• Explore Museum of Moscow Metro and learn a ton of technical and historical facts;
• Listen to the secrets about the Metro-2, a secret line supposedly used by the government and KGB;
• Experience a selection of most striking features of Moscow Metro hidden from most tourists and even locals;
• Discover the underground treasure of Russian Soviet past – from mosaics to bronzes, paintings, marble arches, stained glass and even paleontological elements;
• Learn fun stories and myths about Coffee Ring, Zodiac signs of Moscow Metro and more;
• Admire Soviet-era architecture of pre- and post- World War II perious;
• Enjoy panoramic views of Sparrow Hills from Luzhniki Metro Bridge – MetroMost, the only station of Moscow Metro located over water and the highest station above ground level;
• If lucky, catch a unique «Aquarelle Train» – a wheeled picture gallery, brightly painted with images of peony, chrysanthemums, daisies, sunflowers and each car unit is unique;
• Become an expert at navigating the legendary Moscow Metro system;
• Have fun time with a very friendly local;
• + Atmospheric Metro lunch in Moscow’s the only Metro Diner (included in a 3-hr tour)

Hotel Pick-up

Metro stations:.

Komsomolskaya

Novoslobodskaya

Prospekt Mira

Belorusskaya

Mayakovskaya

Novokuznetskaya

Revolution Square

Sparrow Hills

+ for 3-hour tour

Victory Park

Slavic Boulevard

Vystavochnaya

Dostoevskaya

Elektrozavodskaya

Partizanskaya

Museum of Moscow Metro

• Drop-off  at your hotel, Novodevichy Convent, Sparrow Hills or any place you wish
• + Russian lunch  in Metro Diner with artistic metro-style interior for 3-hour tour

Fun facts from our Moscow Metro Tours:

From the very first days of its existence, the Moscow Metro was the object of civil defense, used as a bomb shelter, and designed as a defense for a possible attack on the Soviet Union.

At a depth of 50 to 120 meters lies the second, the coded system of Metro-2 of Moscow subway, which is equipped with everything you need, from food storage to the nuclear button.

According to some sources, the total length of Metro-2 reaches over 150 kilometers.

The Museum was opened on Sportivnaya metro station on November 6, 1967. It features the most interesting models of trains and stations.

Coffee Ring

The first scheme of Moscow Metro looked like a bunch of separate lines. Listen to a myth about Joseph Stalin and the main brown line of Moscow Metro.

Zodiac Metro

According to some astrologers, each of the 12 stops of the Moscow Ring Line corresponds to a particular sign of the zodiac and divides the city into astrological sector.

Astrologers believe that being in a particular zadiac sector of Moscow for a long time, you attract certain energy and events into your life.

Paleontological finds 

Red marble walls of some of the Metro stations hide in themselves petrified inhabitants of ancient seas. Try and find some!

• Every day each car in  Moscow metro passes  more than 600 km, which is the distance from Moscow to St. Petersburg.
• Moscow subway system is the  5th in the intensity  of use (after the subways of Beijing, Tokyo, Seoul and Shanghai).
• The interval in the movement of trains in rush hour is  90 seconds .

What you get:

• + A friend in Moscow.
• + Private & customized Moscow tour.
• + An exciting pastime, not just boring history lessons.
• + An authentic experience of local life.
• + Flexibility during the walking tour: changes can be made at any time to suit individual preferences.
• + Amazing deals for breakfast, lunch, and dinner in the very best cafes & restaurants. Discounts on weekdays (Mon-Fri).
• + A photo session amongst spectacular Moscow scenery that can be treasured for a lifetime.
• + Good value for souvenirs, taxis, and hotels.
• + Expert advice on what to do, where to go, and how to make the most of your time in Moscow.

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Claudia Looi

Touring the Top 10 Moscow Metro Stations

By Claudia Looi 2 Comments

Komsomolskaya metro station looks like a museum. It has vaulted ceilings and baroque decor.

Hidden underground, in the heart of Moscow, are historical and architectural treasures of Russia. These are Soviet-era creations – the metro stations of Moscow.

Our guide Maria introduced these elaborate metro stations as “the palaces for the people.” Built between 1937 and 1955, each station holds its own history and stories. Stalin had the idea of building beautiful underground spaces that the masses could enjoy. They would look like museums, art centers, concert halls, palaces and churches. Each would have a different theme. None would be alike.

The two-hour private tour was with a former Intourist tour guide named Maria. Maria lived in Moscow all her life and through the communist era of 60s to 90s. She has been a tour guide for more than 30 years. Being in her 60s, she moved rather quickly for her age. We traveled and crammed with Maria and other Muscovites on the metro to visit 10 different metro stations.

Arrow showing the direction of metro line 1 and 2

Moscow subways are very clean

To Maria, every street, metro and building told a story. I couldn’t keep up with her stories. I don’t remember most of what she said because I was just thrilled being in Moscow.   Added to that, she spilled out so many Russian words and names, which to one who can’t read Cyrillic, sounded so foreign and could be easily forgotten.

The metro tour was the first part of our all day tour of Moscow with Maria. Here are the stations we visited:

1. Komsomolskaya Metro Station  is the most beautiful of them all. Painted yellow and decorated with chandeliers, gold leaves and semi precious stones, the station looks like a stately museum. And possibly decorated like a palace. I saw Komsomolskaya first, before the rest of the stations upon arrival in Moscow by train from St. Petersburg.

2. Revolution Square Metro Station (Ploshchad Revolyutsii) has marble arches and 72 bronze sculptures designed by Alexey Dushkin. The marble arches are flanked by the bronze sculptures. If you look closely you will see passersby touching the bronze dog's nose. Legend has it that good luck comes to those who touch the dog's nose.

Touch the dog's nose for good luck. At the Revolution Square station

Revolution Square Metro Station

3. Arbatskaya Metro Station served as a shelter during the Soviet-era. It is one of the largest and the deepest metro stations in Moscow.

Arbatskaya Metro Station

4. Biblioteka Imeni Lenina Metro Station was built in 1935 and named after the Russian State Library. It is located near the library and has a big mosaic portrait of Lenin and yellow ceramic tiles on the track walls.

Lenin's portrait at the Biblioteka Imeni Lenina Metro Station

5. Kievskaya Metro Station was one of the first to be completed in Moscow. Named after the capital city of Ukraine by Kiev-born, Nikita Khruschev, Stalin's successor.

Kievskaya Metro Station

6. Novoslobodskaya Metro Station  was built in 1952. It has 32 stained glass murals with brass borders.

Novoslobodskaya metro station

7. Kurskaya Metro Station was one of the first few to be built in Moscow in 1938. It has ceiling panels and artwork showing Soviet leadership, Soviet lifestyle and political power. It has a dome with patriotic slogans decorated with red stars representing the Soviet's World War II Hall of Fame. Kurskaya Metro Station is a must-visit station in Moscow.

Ceiling panel and artworks at Kurskaya Metro Station

8. Mayakovskaya Metro Station built in 1938. It was named after Russian poet Vladmir Mayakovsky. This is one of the most beautiful metro stations in the world with 34 mosaics painted by Alexander Deyneka.

Mayakovskaya station

One of the over 30 ceiling mosaics in Mayakovskaya metro station

9. Belorusskaya Metro Station is named after the people of Belarus. In the picture below, there are statues of 3 members of the Partisan Resistance in Belarus during World War II. The statues were sculpted by Sergei Orlov, S. Rabinovich and I. Slonim.

10. Teatralnaya Metro Station (Theatre Metro Station) is located near the Bolshoi Theatre.

Teatralnaya Metro Station decorated with porcelain figures .

Taking the metro's escalator at the end of the tour with Maria the tour guide.

Have you visited the Moscow Metro? Leave your comment below.

January 15, 2017 at 8:17 am

An excellent read! Thanks for much for sharing the Russian metro system with us. We're heading to Moscow in April and exploring the metro stations were on our list and after reading your post, I'm even more excited to go visit them. Thanks again 🙂

December 6, 2017 at 10:45 pm

Hi, do you remember which tour company you contacted for this tour?

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• Early Years: 1941-71
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Archive: Previous Tours

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Tour Details

Moscow metro tour: architectural styles of the subway.

Duration: 2 hours

Categories: Culture & History, Sightseeing

This metro tour of Russia’s capital and most populous city, Moscow, is your chance to get a unique insight into the beautiful and impressive architecture of the city's underground stations. Admire their marble walls and high ceilings representing Stalin's desire for glory after World War 2, and see first-hand how the interiors change with the rise of new political eras. Your guide will lead you through the complex network, which is one of the most heavily used rapid transit systems worldwide, with over two billion travelers in 2011.

Opened in 1935, Moscow’s underground system, now 190 miles (305 km) long with 185 stations, is today one the largest and most heavily used rapid transit systems in the world. On this Moscow metro tour, discover the impressive architecture of Moscow’s underground stations and learn how they reflect the Soviet era.

Getting around by metro, your local guide will take you through parts of Moscow’s infamous history. Stop at stations built during the time of the USSR (Soviet Union) that are praised as one of the most extravagant architectural projects from Stalin’s time. After World War 2, he was keen on establishing Stalinist architecture to represent his rising regime and a recognized empire. Learn how when his successor started the de-Stalinization of the former Soviet Union in 1953, the extravagancy of the architecture was toned down.

Discover how the unique character of each station reflected several different eras. While stations like Kievskaya and Slavyansky Bulvar have pompous halls and high stucco ceilings brimming with extravagant decorations, those built later, like Volzhskaya, are lightly adorned with sparse furnishings. Architect Alexey Dushkin and painter Alexander Deyneka were just two of the many artists who made these magnificent landmarks possible.

Revel in Moscow's glory days, as well as the years of scarcity, on this fascinating Moscow metro experience. Conclude your tour at one of the central stations in Moscow. If you're lucky, you may even find the secret entrance to the unconfirmed Metro-2, a parallel underground system used by the government -- a mystery which has neither been denied nor confirmed today.

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Culture Shock Rating

We have a wide range of tours designed to give you an insight into the destination you're travelling in and there is something for everybody. The culture shock ratings considers the destination visited, transport used, activities undertaken and that "Wow, I'm really not at home now!" factor. While generalisations are always tricky, a summary of our gradings is as follows…

This is the least confronting of our tour range. Transport used on the trip is either private or a very comfortable public option, the activities included are usually iconic sites and locations that are not all too confronting.

The tour can include a mix of private and public transport providing a level of comfort that is slightly below what you would experience at home. Sites visited are usually iconic sites, tours can also include market visits, visits to communities etc that provide the traveller with a fantastic insight into destination.

Expect to rough it for parts of this tour, whether it's a packed public bus where you are forced to stand, a visit to a local market, a local community, you are sure to have an experience that is very different from what you're used to at home.

The comforts of your home town and the environment you are used to are more of a rarity. Expect some challenging transport options, visits to local sites and areas that don't resemble anything at home.

You're out there in the global community! You are likely to be exposed to the elements, travel in whatever means of transport is available and basically take it as it comes, whatever comes! It can be tough.

Physical Rating

Our physical rating gives you an idea of how much huffing and puffing you can expect on the tour. While generalisations are always tricky, a summary of our gradings is as follows…

These tours have very limited physical activity. Usually climbing in and out of the transport provided, walking through sites, markets etc included in the itinerary.

These tours have a bit of physical activity but nothing that should challenge you too much. This could be climbing on and off public transport through to a walk through the destination you're travelling in, they can include walking only tours or a combination of walking and transport.

These tours involve a bit of physical activity from walking up and down hills in the destination you're travelling in or the surrounding areas. Climbing on and off local transport or riding a bike up to 30 kms along predominantly flat terrain or jumping in a kayak for a gentle paddle on flat water.

These Tours will provide you with some solid physical activity. Whether its bike riding, walking, trekking, kayaking or riding on public transport you will need to have a good level of fitness to enjoy this tour.

Be prepared for some serious physical activity. These tours are our most challenging and involve some serious walking, hiking or bike riding. Can involve step climbs by foot or pedal and some challenging public transport options in the destination you are travelling.

Luxury Rating

Some trips are like a stroll on the beach, while others have you trekking alpine passes. Some of you thrive on camping out on the savannah, while others may prefer a hot shower and a comfortable bed in a lodge. Follow the grading systems below to find the right trip for you.

To help you choose the trip that's right for you, we've broken all of our trips down into four service levels. Measuring the comfort level of the accommodation and transport. So whether you're travelling on a budget and want to save money by using public transport, or prefer upgraded accommodation and are happy to pay a little more, then we have a level for you.

This is grassroots travel at its most interesting

Authentic experiences with some of the comforts of home

For those who like to travel in comfort

All the unique experiences wrapped up with a gold ribbon