Moscow (Moskva) (Russian: Москва́, romanised: Moskva, IPA:
[mʌsk'va] (help·info) see also
other names) is the capital of Russia and the country's economic, financial, educational, and
transportation centre. It is located on the Moskva River in the Central Federal District, in the European part of
Russia. The metropolitan area of Moscow (Moskva) is the largest in
Europe, whose population constitutes about 7% of the total Russian population. [1] Historically, it was the capital of the former Soviet Union and the Grand Duchy of Moscow, the
pre-Imperial Russian state. It is the site of the Kremlin, which now serves as the ceremonial residence of the President of Russia.
Moscow also remains a major economic centre and is home to a large number of Russian
billionaires; it was recently named as the most expensive city in the world for expatriate
employees.[2] It is home to many scientific and
educational institutions, as well as numerous sport facilities. It possesses a complex transport system that includes the world's
busiest metro system, which is famous for its architecture.
History
-
The city is named after the river (old Russian: гра́д
Моско́в, literally the city by the Moskva River). The origin of the name is unknown, although several theories
exist.[3] One theory suggests that the source of the name
is an ancient Finnic language, in which it means "dark" and "turbid".
The first Russian reference to Moscow dates from 1147 when Yuri Dolgoruki called upon
the prince of the Novgorod Republic to "come to me, brother, to Moscow."[4] Nine years later, in 1156, Prince Yuri Dolgoruki of
Rostov ordered the construction of a wooden wall, which had to be rebuilt multiple times, to
surround the emerging city.[5] After the sacking of
1237-1238, when the Mongol-Tatars burned the city to the ground
and killed its inhabitants, Moscow recovered and became the capital of an independent principality in 1327.[6] Its favourable position on the headwaters of the Volga
River contributed to steady expansion. Moscow developed into a stable and prosperous principality for many years and
attracted a large number of refugees from across Russia.
Under Ivan I the city replaced Tver as capital of
Vladimir-Suzdal and became the sole collector of taxes for the Mongol-Tatar rulers. By
paying high tribute, Ivan won an important concession from the Khan. Unlike other principalities,
Moscow was not divided among his sons but was passed intact to his eldest. In 1380, prince Dmitri Donskoi of Moscow led a united Russian army to an important victory over the Tatars in the
Battle of Kulikovo. Although this victory is regarded as important its result was
somewhat exaggerated; the battle wasn't decisive. After 2 years of battle Moscow was completely destroyed by khan
Tokhtamysh. In 1480, Ivan III had
finally broken the Russians free from Tatar control, allowing Moscow to
become the centre of power in Russia.[7] Ivan III relocated
the Russian capital to Moscow (the previous capital was Vladimir), and the city became the capital of an empire that would
eventually encompass all of present-day Russia and other lands. In 1571, the Crimean
Tatars attacked and sacked Moscow, burning everything but the Kremlin.[8]
In 1609 the Swedish-Finnish army led by Count
Jacobus (Jaakko) De la Gardie ("Lazy Jaakko") and Evert
(Eetvartti) Horn started their march from Velikiy Novgorod towards Moscow to help
Tsar Vasili Shuiski, entered Moscow in 1610 and
suppressed the rebellion against Tsar, but leaving it early next year 1611, following which the Polish-Lithuanian army invaded.
The 17th century was rich in popular risings, such as the liberation of Moscow from the
Polish-Lithuanian invaders (1612), the Salt Riot (1648), the Copper Riot (1662), and the Moscow Uprising of 1682. The
city ceased to be Russia's capital in 1712, after the founding of St. Petersburg by
Peter the Great on the Baltic coast in 1703. When
Napoleon invaded Russia in 1812, the Muscovites burned the city and evacuated, as Napoleon's forces were approaching on 14 September. Napoleon's army, plagued by hunger, cold, and poor supply lines, was forced to retreat and
was nearly annihilated by the devastating Russian winter and sporadic attacks by Russian military forces. In January 1905, the
institution of the City Governor, or Mayor, was officially introduced in Moscow, and Alexander
Adrianov became Moscow's first official mayor. Following the Russian Revolution of
1917, on March 12, 1918, Moscow became the capital of the
Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic and the Soviet
Union less than five years later.[9]
During the Great Patriotic War (a part of World
War II after German invasion in the USSR), the Soviet State Committee of Defence and the General Staff of the
Red Army was located in Moscow. In 1941, sixteen divisions of the national volunteers (more
than 160,000 people), twenty-five battalions (18,500 people) and four engineering regiments were formed among the Muscovites. In
November 1941, German Army Group Centre was stopped at the outskirts of the city and
then driven off in the course of the Battle of Moscow. Many factories were evacuated,
together with much of the government, and from October 20 the city was declared to be under
siege. Its remaining inhabitants built and manned antitank defences, while the city was bombarded from the air. It is of some note that Stalin refused
to leave the city, meaning the general staff and the council of people's commissars remained in the city as well. Despite the
siege and the bombings, the construction of Moscow's metro system, continued through the
war and by the end of the war several new metro lines were opened. On May 1, 1944 a medal For the defence of Moscow and in 1947 another medal In memory of the 800th anniversary of
Moscow were instituted. On May 8, 1965 in commemoration of the
20th anniversary of the victory in World War II, Moscow was one of twelve Soviet cities
awarded the title of the Hero City. In 1980, it hosted the Summer Olympic Games.
In 1991 Moscow was the scene of a coup attempt by the government members opposed to the reforms of Mikhail Gorbachev. When the USSR was dissolved in the same year, Moscow continued to be the capital of
Russia. Since then, the emergence of a market economy in Moscow has produced an explosion
of Western-style retailing, services, architecture, and lifestyles.
- See also: Coat of arms of
Moscow
Government
-
Mayor's office (former
Comecon headquarters) highrise to the left and Russian government to the
right, view from Kudrinskaya square
Stalin skyscraper.
Moscow is the seat of power for the Russian Federation. At the centre of the city, in Central Administrative Okrug, is the Moscow
Kremlin, which houses the home of the President of Russia as well as many of
the facilities for the national government. This includes numerous military headquarters and the headquarters of the Moscow Military District. Moscow, like with any national capital, is also the host of all the foreign embassies and diplomats
representing a multitude of nations in Russia. Moscow is also designated as one of only two federal cities - Saint Petersburg being the other - within Russia. Lastly, Moscow is located within the central economic region, one of twelve
regions within Russia with similar economic goals.
The entire city of Moscow is headed by one mayor (Yuriy Luzhkov). It is divided into ten administrative okrugs and 123 districts. Nine of the ten
administrative districts, except the City of Zelenograd (number 1 on the map), are located within City of Moscow main
boundaries.
All administrative okrugs and districts have their own coats of arms, flags, and elected
head officials. Additionally, most districts have their own cable television, computer network, and official newspaper.
In addition to the districts, there are Territorial Units with Special Status, or territories. These usually include areas
with small or no permanent populations, such as the case with the All-Russia
Exhibition Centre, the Botanical Garden, large parks, and industrial zones. In
recent years, some territories have been merged with different districts. There are no ethnic-specific regions in Moscow, as in
the Chinatowns that exist in some North American and
East Asian cities. And although districts are not designated by income, as with most cities,
those areas that are closer to the city centre, metro stations or green zones are
considered more prestigious.
In addition to being the capital of Russia, Moscow is the administrative centre of Moscow
Oblast. Since Moscow has status of a federal city, it is
administratively separate from the oblast.
Climate
Average temperature (red) and precipitations (blue) in Moscow
Moscow has a humid continental climate (Koppen climate classification Dfb) with warm, somewhat humid summers and long, cold
winters. Typical high temperatures in the warm months of July and August are around 22 °C (72
°F); in the winter, temperatures normally drop to approximately -12
°C (10 °F) highest temperature ever recorded was
+ °C ( °F).[10] and lowest ever recorded -42.2C
in January 1940. Monthly rainfall totals vary minimally throughout the year, although the precipitation levels tend to be higher during the summer than during the winter. Due to the
significant variation in temperature between the winter and summer months as well as the limited fluctuation in precipitation
levels during the summer, Moscow is considered to be within a continental climate
zone.
| Weather averages for Moscow |
| Month |
Jan |
Feb |
Mar |
Apr |
May |
Jun |
Jul |
Aug |
Sep |
Oct |
Nov |
Dec |
Year |
| Record high °C (°F) |
8.6 (47) |
8.3 (47) |
17.5 (64) |
28.0 (82) |
33.2 (92) |
33.9 (93) |
35.6 (96) |
34.8 (95) |
29.4 (85) |
23.7 (75) |
12.5 (55) |
9.2 (49) |
() |
| Average high °C (°F) |
-5.8 (22) |
-4.5 (24) |
1.2 (34) |
10.5 (51) |
18.1 (65) |
21.9 (71) |
23.2 (74) |
21.5 (71) |
15.5 (60) |
8.1 (47) |
0.6 (33) |
-3.5 (26) |
() |
| Average low °C (°F) |
-11.7 (11) |
-11.2 (12) |
-6.1 (21) |
1.6 (35) |
7.3 (45) |
11.6 (53) |
13.4 (56) |
12.1 (54) |
7.2 (45) |
2.1 (36) |
-3.9 (25) |
-8.4 (17) |
() |
| Record low °C (°F) |
-38.1 (-37) |
-35.2 (-31) |
-27.9 (-18) |
-18.8 (-2) |
-5.0 (23) |
0.8 (33) |
5.1 (41) |
2.1 (36) |
-5.2 (23) |
-16.1 (3) |
-23.3 (-10) |
-38.0 (-36) |
() |
| Precipitation mm (inch) |
42 (1.7) |
36 (1.4) |
34 (1.3) |
44 (1.7) |
51 (2) |
75 (3) |
94 (3.7) |
77 (3) |
65 (2.6) |
59 (2.3) |
58 (2.3) |
56 (2.2) |
() |
| Source: Pogoda.ru.net[11] 7.09.2007 |
The layout of Moscow, from a 1784 map
Moscow is situated on the banks of the Moskva River, which flows for just over five
hundred kilometres through western Russia, in the centre of the East-European plain. There are 49 bridges across Moskva River and its canals within city limits.
Moscow's road system is centred roughly around the heart of the city, the Moscow
Kremlin. From there, the roads in general radiate out to intersect with a sequence of circular roads or "rings" focused at
the Kremlin.
The first and innermost major ring, Bulvarnoye Koltso (Boulevard Ring), was built at
the former location of the sixteenth century city wall around what used to be called
Bely Gorod (White Town).[6] The Bulvarnoye Koltso is technically not a ring; it does not form a complete circle, but
instead a horseshoe-like arc that goes from the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour to the Yauza
River. In addition, the Boulevard Ring changes street names numerous times throughout its journey across the city.
The second primary ring, located outside the Boulevard Ring, is the Sadovoye Koltso (Garden
Ring). Like the Boulevard Ring, the Garden Ring follows the path of a sixteenth century wall that used to encompass part
of the city.[6] The third ring, the
Third Transport Ring, was completed in 2003 as a high-speed freeway. The Fourth Transport Ring,
another freeway, is under construction to further reduce traffic congestion. The outermost ring within Moscow is the
Moscow Automobile Ring Road (often called the MKAD from the Russian Московская Кольцевая
Автомобильная Дорога), which forms the approximate boundary of the city.
Outside the city, some of the roads encompassing the city continue to follow this circular pattern seen inside city
limits.
Architecture
Moscow's architecture and performing arts culture are world-renowned. Moscow is also well known as the site of
Saint Basil's Cathedral, with its elegant onion
domes, as well as the Cathedral of Christ the Savior and
the Seven Sisters. The Patriarch of Moscow, whose residence is the Danilov Monastery, serves as the head of the Russian
Orthodox Church. Moscow also hosted the 1980 Summer Olympics. For a long
time the view of the city was dominated by numerous Orthodox churches. The look of the city changed drastically during Soviet
times, mostly due to Joseph Stalin, who oversaw a large-scale effort to modernise the
city. He introduced broad avenues and roadways, some of them over ten lanes wide, but he also destroyed a great number of
historically significant architectural works. The Sukharev Tower, as well as numerous
mansions and stores lining the major streets, and various works of religious architecture, such as the Kazan Cathedral and the Cathedral of
Christ the Saviour, were all destroyed during Stalin's rule. During the 1990s, however, both the latter were rebuilt.
Architect Vladimir Shukhov was responsible for building several of Moscow's
landmarks during early Soviet Russia. The Shukhov Tower, just one of many hyperboloid towers designed by Shukhov, was built between 1919 and 1922 as a transmission tower
for a Russian broadcasting company.[12] Shukhov also left a lasting legacy to the Constructivist architecture of early Soviet Russia. He designed spacious elongated shop galleries,
most notably the Upper Trade Rows (GUM) on Red
Square,[12] bridged with innovative
metal-and-glass vaults.
Stalin, however, is also credited with building the The Seven Sisters,
comprising seven, cathedral-like structures. A defining feature of Moscow's skyline, their imposing form was allegedly inspired
by the Manhattan Municipal Building in New
York City, and their style - with intricate exteriors and a large central spire - has been described as
Stalinist Gothic architecture. All seven towers can be seen from most
elevations in the city; they are among the tallest constructions in central Moscow apart from the Ostankino Tower which, when it was completed in 1967, was the tallest free-standing land structure in
the world and today remains the world's second-tallest.[13]
The Soviet policy of providing mandatory housing for every citizen and his or her family, and the rapid growth of the Muscovite
population in Soviet times, also led to the construction of large, monotonous housing blocks, which can often be differentiated
by age, sturdiness of construction, or 'style' according to the neighbourhood and the materials used. Most of these date from the
post-Stalin era and the styles are often named after the leader then in power - Brezhnev, Khrushchev, etc - and they are usually
ill-maintained.
The Stalinist-era constructions, usually in the central city, are massive and usually ornamented with Socialist realism motifs that imitate classical
themes. However, small churches - almost always Eastern Orthodox - that provide
glimpses of the city's past still dot various parts of the city. The Old Arbat, a popular
tourist street that was once the heart of a bohemian area, preserves most of its buildings from prior to the twentieth century. Many buildings found off the main streets of the inner city (behind the Stalinist
facades of Tverskaya Street, for example) are also
examples of the bourgeois decadence in Tsarist times.
Ostankino, Kuskovo, Uzkoye and other large estates just outside Moscow originally belong to nobles from the Tsarist era, and some
convents and monasteries, both inside and outside the city, are open to Muscovites and tourists.
Attempts are being made to restore many of the city's best-kept examples of pre-Soviet architecture. These revamped structures
are easily spotted by their bright new colours and spotless facades. There are a few examples of notable, early Soviet
avant-garde work too, such as the house of the architect Konstantin Melnikov in the Arbat area. Later examples of
interesting Soviet architecture are usually marked by their impressive size and the semi-Modernist styles employed, such as with the Novy Arbat project,
familiarly known as "false teeth of Moscow" and notorious for the wide-scale disruption of a historic area in the Moscow downtown
involved in the project.
As in London, but on a broader scale, plaques on house exteriors will inform
passers-by that a well-known personality once lived there. Frequently the plaques are dedicated to Soviet celebrities not
well-known outside of Russia. There are also many 'house-museums' of famous Russian writers, composers, and artists in the
city.
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Paveletsky Tower Business center
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Triumphal arch on Kutuzov Avenue, dedicated to victory over Napoleon's army
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Riverside Towers business center
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Culture
The world-famous Moscow's museums and galleries with their collections, are some
of the largest and most important in the world. Frequent art exhibitions thrive on both the new and the classic, as they once did
in pre-Revolutionary times, and are derived from diverse branches of the arts -
painting, photography, and sculpture.
One of the most notable art museums in Moscow is the Tretyakov Gallery, which was
founded by Pavel Tretyakov, a wealthy patron of the arts who donated a large private
collection to the city.[1] The Tretyakov Gallery is split
into two buildings. The Old Tretyakov, the original gallery in the Tretyakovskaya area on
the south bank of the Moskva River, houses the works of the classic Russian
tradition.[2] The works of famous
pre-Revolutionary painters, such as Ilya Repin,
as well as the works of early Russian icon painters can be found in the Old Tretyakov
Gallery. Visitors can even see rare originals by early-fifteenth century
