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Meshchansky & Basmanny

Covering a large swathe of central Moscow, Meshchansky is markedly laid-back compared with its neighbouring districts. Here you'll find fewer offices, dominated as it is by prerevolutionary residential buildings. Beyond the Garden Ring, Basmanny is an area of 19th-century red-brick factories, now taken over by innovative postmodern galleries, cool cafes and digital startups. South of the Yauza, Taganskaya pl is a monster intersection that can be difficult to navigate, but the area is home to a few unusual sights, including Bunker-42 and the Museum of the Russian Icon.

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