HISTORY AND ARCHITECTURE

Moscow, the capital of the Russian Federation is one of the major world megapolises with the population over 10 million people. It is the country’s important industrial, financial and business centre.

Moscow is a city of great historical and cultural traditions, attracting millions of tourists from all over the world.

The first mention of Moscow in historical annals dates back to 1147. At that time Moscow was a little settlement founded by Prince Yury Dolgoruky. A grand monument to the founder of Moscow towers above the city’s central thoroughfare – Tverskaya Street.

Only in the 14th -15th centuries Moscow became an important centre round which Russia, disintegrated into small-scale principalities, constantly at enmity, was united. In the late 14th century Moscow became the capital of the Russian centralized state and was superior to many major European cities in area and population. The then boundary of Moscow was today’s Gardens Circle.

Under Ivan IV, gone down to history as Ivan the Terrible, an intensive stone construction began, religious and cultural life developed. However, mass executions, famine and fire caused severe damage to Moscow from which it recovered only during the next decade.

Considerable changes in the capital’s life took place under Peter I. Inspite of the fact that the capital of Russia was transferred to newly built St. Petersburg, Moscow retained its role of a political, economic, religious and cultural centre of the country.

In the 18th century educational establishments, a public theatre, a printed newspaper appeared, the first Russian university emerged. Estates of the gentry, public buildings, churches were built, new streets and squares were laid.

Moscow played a decisive role in Russia’s victory over Napoleon’s invaders in 1812. When after a bloodshed battle at Borodino Napoleon approached Moscow the majority of inhabitants abandoned the city with the retreating Russian army having set their houses on fire so that they were not looted by the Frenchmen. A month-long stay in the devastated Moscow put Napoleon’ army on the verge of ruin, forcing it to retreat from Moscow and later from Russia. The events of those days are recreated in the “Borodino Panorama” Museum, generally visited on INTOURIST city tours.

By the late 19th century Moscow was again an important industrial and trading centre. Its role in the development of Russian culture enhanced. That period is associated with the exuberant growth of literature, poetry, painting, theatre and publishing. In Moscow, new museums, higher schools, theatres were opened, numerous art exhibitions were arranged.

The 20th century brought about great upheavals to the country and the world: World War I, people’s unrest, the October Revolution of 1917 which started a new epoch. In 1918 Moscow became the capital of Soviet Russia and in 1922 when Soviet republics united – the capital of the USSR. Its role as an industrial and cultural centre enhanced. Far-going changes in the architectural image of the city fall on the Soviet period as many old-time buildings were pulled down to be replaced by new Soviet style architectural constructions, among which are seven high-rising buildings called “Stalin’s Skyscrapers”.