One of the most famous sights in Moscow is the world-famous Bolshoi Theatre. The theatre company was founded in 1776 by Prince Pyotr Urusov and the original theatre was opened in 1780 and was known as the Petrovsky Theatre due to its location on Ulitsa Petrovka. In 1805 this theatre was destroyed by fire and was subsequently rebuilt by 1808, only to be destroyed once more during Napoleon's invasion of Moscow in 1812. The theatre was once again rebuilt between 1821 and 1824 according to a plan by architect Joseph Bové. This was the first theatre to bear the name Bolshoi, meaning big or grand. The theatre was once again destroyed by fire in 1853 and was rebuilt in 1856. After the Revolution the theatre remained opened, but its imperial symbols were replaced by Soviet ones.

In 2000 a new stage was opened in a neighbouring building. Between 2005 and 2011 the original stage of the theatre was closed and billions of roubles were spent restoring, refurbishing and improving the theatre in order to maintain the theatre's status as one of the world's leading ballet theatres. During the restoration, the building's interior was returned its original imperial décor and the hammer and sickle on the outside was replaced with the double-headed eagle. Tickets to performances can be bought directly online or at the ticket office located outside the theatre.  Some tourist agencies also offer tours of the theatre.

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