GUM

GUM is the most popular shopping space in all of Moscow. Extending along the eastern side of the Red Square, it has been the premier shopping arcade of Moscow since the 19th century.

The GUM Departmental Store has been an important building on the Red Square. The current building was built back in the 19th century. It is a remarkable piece of architectural work. The peculiarly shaped building has a glass roof, held by an intricate steel framework. The facade itself extends for about 240 metres along the square. There was a time when shopping queues of the mall used to cover the axis across the Red Square! The GUM was completely privatised after the fall of the Soviet Union and it's first word was changed from Gosudarstvennyi to Gianvyi (translating to 'main' universal store, instead of 'state' universal store as earlier). Today it is home to a huge number of fashion and other international brands. It forms an integral part of the Red Square and you should definitely step inside to absorb the energy and the historical atmosphere of this magnificent shopping mall.