Historic Site · Moscow, Russia
Bolshoi Theatre
The historic opera house of Moscow, home of the Bolshoi Ballet and Bolshoi Opera. Built 1825.
Photo: Юрий Д.К. via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0. Cropped and resized for display.
Landmark facts
| Location | Moscow, Russia |
|---|---|
| Type | Historic Site |
| Built | 1825 |
| Architect | Joseph Bové |
| Coordinates | 55.7603° N, 37.6186° E |
Every fact above is taken from the sources listed below; anything no source states is left blank rather than guessed.
What Bolshoi Theatre is known for
The historic opera house of Moscow, home of the Bolshoi Ballet and Bolshoi Opera.
About Bolshoi Theatre
The Bolshoi Theatre is a historic opera house in Moscow, Russia, originally designed by architect Joseph Bové. Before the October Revolution it was a part of the Imperial Theatres of the Russian Empire along with Maly Theatre in Moscow and a few theatres in Saint Petersburg.
History
The company was founded on 28 March 1776, when Catherine II granted Prince Peter Vasilyevich Urusov a licence to organise theatrical performances. Fire destroyed the Petrovka Theatre on 8 October 1805, and the theatre that replaced it burned during the French invasion of Moscow in 1812. The first instance of the current theatre was built between 1821 and 1824, designed and supervised to completion by architect Joseph Bové, and it opened on 18 January 1825. A fire in 1853 caused extensive damage and a further reconstruction was carried out by Alberto Cavos. From July 2005 to October 2011 the theatre was closed for restoration, and it re-opened on 28 October 2011.
Planning a visit? Visit the official Bolshoi Theatre website — the official site has the current visiting information.
How to get there
| Nearest town | Moscow |
|---|---|
| Nearest airport | Sheremetyevo International Airport (SVO) |
| Distance from the airport | 16.2 miles (straight line) |
Nearest major airport by straight-line distance from the landmark's coordinates; road distance will be longer.
Airports near this landmark
The airports a visitor would actually fly into, nearest first — each link opens its profile on our sister site AirportProfiles.
- Sheremetyevo International Airport (SVO) · Moscow, Russia · 17.5 miles away
- Vnukovo International Airport (VKO) · Moscow, Russia · 18.2 miles away
- Zhukovsky International Airport (ZIA) · Moscow, Russia · 25.2 miles away
Landmarks nearby
The closest landmarks in this library, by straight-line distance.
More landmarks in Russia
More historic sites
Frequently asked questions
What is Bolshoi Theatre?
The historic opera house of Moscow, home of the Bolshoi Ballet and Bolshoi Opera.
Where is Bolshoi Theatre located?
Bolshoi Theatre is in Moscow, Russia. Its coordinates are 55.7603° N, 37.6186° E.
How do I get to Bolshoi Theatre?
The nearest town is Moscow, and the nearest airport is Sheremetyevo International Airport (SVO), about 16.2 miles away (straight line).
When was Bolshoi Theatre built?
Bolshoi Theatre was built 1825.
Sources
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bolshoi_Theatre — Wikipedia article — overview, history and core facts (CC BY-SA).
- https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q138908 — Wikidata — built year, architect, height/size, visitors, official website (CC0).
- https://bolshoi.ru/ — Official website of the landmark / managing body.
- https://github.com/jbrooksuk/JSON-Airports — Nearest major airport computed from landmark and airport coordinates (haversine); airport list: jbrooksuk/JSON-Airports.
Page last updated 13 November 2026.