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Mar 9, 2016 · There’s a Moscow in Idaho near the border with Washington, another up north in Maine and one down south in Texas. When Ren Vasilyev, now a professor of geography at the State University of New York Geneseo, was a graduate student, she decided to tackle the riddle of America’s many Moscows.
- Overview
- Character of the city
Moscow, city, capital of Russia, located in the far western part of the country. Since it was first mentioned in the chronicles of 1147, Moscow has played a vital role in Russian history. It became the capital of Muscovy (the Grand Principality of Moscow) in the late 13th century; hence, the people of Moscow are known as Muscovites. Today Moscow is not only the political centre of Russia but also the country’s most populous city and its industrial, cultural, scientific, and educational capital. For more than 600 years Moscow also has been the spiritual centre of the Russian Orthodox Church.
The capital of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (U.S.S.R.) until the union dissolved in 1991, Moscow attracted world attention as a centre of communist power; indeed, the name of the seat of the former Soviet government and the successor Russian government, the Kremlin (Russian: Kreml), was a synonym for Soviet authority. The dissolution of the U.S.S.R. brought tremendous economic and political change, along with a significant concentration of Russia’s wealth, into Moscow. Area 414 square miles (1,035 square km). Pop. (2010) city, 11,738,547; (2020 est.) city, 12,678,079.
If St. Petersburg is Russia’s “window on Europe,” Moscow is Russia’s heart. It is an upbeat, vibrant, and sometimes wearisome city. Much of Moscow was reconstructed after it was occupied by the French under Napoleon I in 1812 and almost entirely destroyed by fire. Moscow has not stopped being refurbished and modernized and continues to experience rapid social change. Russia’s Soviet past collides with its capitalist present everywhere in the country, but nowhere is this contrast more visible than in Moscow. Vladimir Ilich Lenin’s Mausoleum remains intact, as do many dreary five-story apartment buildings from the era of Nikita Khrushchev’s rule (the mid-1950s to the mid-1960s), yet glitzy automobiles and Western-style supermarkets, casinos, and nightclubs are equally visible. Many Orthodox churches, as well as some synagogues and mosques, have been restored, Moscow’s novel theatres have reclaimed leadership in the dramatic arts, and traditional markets have been revived and expanded. These markets, which under the Soviets were known as kolkhoz (collective-farm) markets and sold mainly crafts and produce, are now more sophisticated retail establishments.
It has become habitual to compare Moscow with St. Petersburg, its rival and the former (1712–1918) capital of Russia. While St. Petersburg has absorbed western European influences, Moscow is viewed as a traditional Russian city. Unlike its rival, Moscow has a well-defined city centre marked by the Kremlin. Other characteristics of Moscow are its physical layout in radial spokes and rings that have been extended over time, its hodgepodge of architectural styles, and its historical buildings that were mainly built by Russian architects. Moscow’s buildings were predominantly wooden until the 1920s, when brick and stone came into use.
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World Cities
- The Kremlin. The Kremlin is one of the most popular sights in Moscow. The word “kremlin” means fortress, but when you see it, you’ll understand why it’s also been called “a city within a city.”
- The Red Square. The Red Square is the main square of Moscow. It is also known as Lenin’s Mausoleum and contains several important buildings, including St Basil’s Cathedral.
- Gorky Park. Gorky Park is a large park in Moscow, Russia. It was founded in 1928, and it’s located near the Moscow River. The park is popular with tourists and locals, who stroll through its many paths and enjoy its amenities like playgrounds for children or an amusement park for older kids.
- St. Basil’s Cathedral. This is a Russian Orthodox church located in Red Square in Moscow and one of the most famous landmarks in Russia. It was built between 1555 and 1561 on orders from Ivan IV (Ivan the Terrible) as part of his palace complex.
Moscow is situated on the banks of the Moskva River, which flows for just over 500 km (311 mi) through the East European Plain in central Russia, not far from the natural border of the forest and forest- steppe zone. 49 bridges span the river and its canals within the city's limits.
What to see in Moscow. Red Square, the Kremlin, Saint Basil's Cathedral... Discover the most important monuments, churches, parks and palaces in Moscow: what, where, when and how to visit them!
Description: capital and most populous city of Russia. Neighbors: Kaluga Oblast and Moscow Oblast. Categories: capital of Russia, federal city of Russia, big city, megacity, largest city, city or town, federal subject of Russia and locality. Location: Moscow Oblast, Central Russia, Russia, Eastern Europe, Europe. View on OpenStreetMap.
May 17, 2018 · Moscow (mŏs´kou, –kō), Rus. Moskva, city (1991 est. pop. 8,802,000), capital of Russia and of Moscow region and the administrative center of the Central federal district, W central European Russia, on the Moskva River near its junction with the Moscow Canal.
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