Between Manezhnaya Square and Red Square, very close to Voskresensky Gate, one of Moscow's sights is tucked away. You may not notice at first that the Zero Kilometer lies beneath your feet, from which all the roads of boundless Russia are measured.
In fact, the “real” zero kilometer is located not far from the Central Telegraph, but for a symbolic marker, documentary precision is not all that important.
The Zero Kilometer as a visual landmark appeared here in 1995. The creation of the well-known Moscow sculptor Aleksandr Rukavishnikov is a round metal marker set into the paving stones, inscribed with “Zero Kilometer of the Highways of the Russian Federation”.
Note that it specifically mentions highways, because there is also a railway Zero Kilometer – it is located on the platform of Yaroslavsky Station.
Around the marker there are four more parts of the composition, together forming a square whose corners point to the four cardinal directions. It features relief images of animals characteristic of different continents. According to the author's idea, the circle is meant to symbolize harmony, and the square paradise.
Tourists rarely pay attention to the monument's deeper meaning, but in the hope that their wishes will come true, they gladly toss a coin over their shoulder while standing on the marker's slab.
