Moscow is one of the largest megacities in the world, a city where decisions have been repeatedly made that turn out to be crucial for the population of entire countries and even continents. 4-5 million foreign tourists visit it annually. Moreover, for most of them, the words “Russia”, “Moscow” and “Kremlin” are synonyms in some sense, and they do not even try to go beyond the framework of the traditional excursion program, to see little-known and modern sights of our capital, and also to get acquainted with its history. But the past of this city is incredibly interesting, as are the events that take place there every day.
Basic information about Moscow
According to the 2014 data, the population of Moscow is 12,108,257 people, 91% of whom are Russians. The city is located on the banks of the river of the same name, in the central part of the East European Plain. At the same time, Moscow is a city of federal significance, where almost all the most important authorities of our state are located, except for the Constitutional Court of the Russian Federation.
The beginning of the history of Moscow
Although it is believed that the city was founded in the year 1147, archaeological finds suggest that it is at least 1000 years old. There is also reason to believe that the first inhabitants of these places were Vyatichi. Thus, the exact date of the formation of Moscow is not known. Why, on September 6, 2014, was the 867th anniversary of the city celebrated in the Russian capital? The fact is that the basic information about Moscow concerning the first centuries of its existence is contained in the famous Ipatiev Chronicle. In particular, it is there that you can read the first record of the village with that name, located on the site of the modern Goncharnaya Street. This monument of ancient Russian literature mentions the meeting in the town of Moscow of Princes Yuri Dolgoruky, Svyatoslav Olgovich, and their friends in 1147 on the day “Heel for the praise of the Virgin,” which, judging by the calculations of researchers, means Saturday April 4.
In addition, from the annals it is known that after 9 years, the son of Yuri Dolgoruky, Andrei Bogolyubsky, founded a small wooden fortress on Borovitsky Hill , which housed the prince's squad. Around this fortification, Moscow began to develop. The history of the city also contains information that in 1177 the old fortress was burnt by Prince Gleb, the ruler of Ryazan, and a new one was built in its place.
Further history of Moscow
In the 13th century, the city became the center of the specific principality and over the next 100 years survived the Horde invasion, the plague epidemic, as well as the treacherous attack and the looting by the army of Khan Tokhtamysh. Despite all these events, Moscow gradually turned into one of the most important economic, cultural, religious and political centers of Russia. Especially much for the development of the city at that time was done by princes Ivan Kalita and Dmitry Donskoy. In particular, the basic information about Moscow of that time indicates that the first of them built an oak, and the second - a white-stone Kremlin.
The next important events in the history of Moscow were the proclamation of Ivan the Terrible Tsar of Moscow and All Russia and the establishment of the patriarchate there in 1589.
Moscow from the 17th to the 20th century
The role of the city in the life of Russia under the first tsars from the Romanov dynasty, when it was the capital of a state that has a vast territory, increased inexplicably. This is what pre-Petrine Moscow was! The history of the city in subsequent centuries is also not without interesting events. True, in 1712 St. Petersburg became the capital, but all the monarchs who ascended the throne of the Russian Empire continued to be crowned in Moscow. Moreover, in 1812 the city became a huge fire trap for Napoleon and defended the country.
Moscow in the 20th century
After the revolution of 1917, the city regained the status of the capital and began to change before our eyes. In particular, a subway appeared in Moscow, the Moscow Ring Road was built, and active development of the former suburbs began. At the same time, many monuments of religious architecture were destroyed, including the Holy Monastery, the Cathedral of Christ the Savior, the Church of the Assumption, etc.
So began its formation “Soviet” Moscow. The history of the city of this period also contains a tragic page related to its heroic defense during the Second World War, when hundreds of thousands of residents sacrificed their lives to prevent the enemy from entering his beloved capital. All the more joyful was the day when the famous Victory Day parade took place on Red Square, marking the end of the most terrible war in the history of mankind. As for the post-war period, the 800th anniversary of Moscow was celebrated in 1947, which laid the foundation for the formation of a tradition that is still alive, and in the 1950s the so-called “Stalinist skyscrapers” appeared. Among the significant events that took place in the capital of the USSR, it is impossible not to mention the Olympics-80, for which 15 new sports facilities and the same number of hotels were built in the city.
The beginning of the post-Soviet period in the history of Moscow
As you know, the USSR collapsed in 1991, and the Russian Federation appeared on the political map of the world, or, as it is often called in the world, Russia. Moscow became the capital of a federal state with the largest territory in the world, consisting of 85 entities. In 1995, such new official symbols of the Russian capital were approved as its flag, coat of arms and anthem.
A little earlier, the restoration of the Cathedral of Christ the Savior, blown up by the Bolsheviks, as well as other religious shrines destroyed during the years of the atheism began. Thus, modern Moscow began to take shape, based on the traditions of previous centuries.
The most significant new architectural structures of the capital
Since the beginning of the 2000s, many skyscrapers were built in Moscow that changed the face of the city. Among such objects, the buildings of the Moscow City International Business Center, which are located on a total area of about 100 hectares, are especially notable. In addition, other skyscrapers were built for housing and offices. Thus, modern Moscow is gradually turning into a city where multi-story tower buildings made of glass and concrete are no longer a rarity. However, such structures sometimes “grew” in historical areas and spoiled their appearance, since they did not harmonize with the surrounding city landscape at all. Fortunately, since 2008, this method of construction, called the "point building", has been banned.
New monuments of the capital
In the past two decades, the piggy bank of Moscow sights has replenished with many new monuments and tourist sites. For example, the sculptural composition “Children - Victims of Adult Vices” is very interesting. Also, visitors to the city should see sculptural portraits of the heroes of Conan Doyle’s stories, a monument to Nikulin, the Pushkin and Natalie fountain, Luzhkov bridge. And, of course, one cannot fail to mention the gigantic monument to Peter the Great, which, despite conflicting opinions about its artistic value, has already become one of the most recognizable modern sights of the capital. In addition, you should definitely see the monument to the heroes of the First World War, erected in 2014.
From this article you got basic information about Moscow, its history and modern attractions. This city is proud of Russia. Everyone must see it with their own eyes.