Castle of Childhood

Although there isn’t currently a Disneyland in Russia, the next closest thing lies on the far outskirts of Moscow. This giant, six-story medieval castle colored in shades of orange, green, and pink appears to be one of Moscow’s most magical amusement parks. In reality, the towering chateau is a lavish kindergarten for 150 very lucky children.

There’s no better way to make a child’s early years extraordinary than sending them to a colorful castle every day. Moscow’s fairy tale kindergarten, known in English as the “Castle of Childhood,” was built in February of 2013 by Pavel Grudinin, who modeled it after Germany’s famous Neuschwanstein Castle. Grudinin’s mission was simple: to share magic and fun with the children of the area so they were always inspired and never bored.

The area surrounding the building is also whimsical. Outside the castle’s doors is an imaginative playground complete with hanging bridges, flower gardens, locomotive cars, and even a small carousel. Grudinin finances pretty much whatever the kids want, be it a xylophone or an observatory.