Russian Blog

Moscow… when mentioned, this word calls up in any person association with the city which has extraordinarily rich culture and history, the city full of wonderful mysteries and riddles. Moscow is a unique city, the biggest in Russia and one of the most ancient in the world. Moscow is a cradle of Russian people and Russian state.

The first mention of Moscow as a small settlement goes back to 1147. More than eight centuries and a half have already passed. Moscow has gone through many trials — Tartar invasion, the Mongol overlordship, inroads of the Crimean khans, national distempers, two World Wars, revolutions at the beginning of XX century. Numerous events have left its unique imprint on architectural look of the city — here silent alleys of XIX century adjoin modern busy avenues, boyar chambers neighbour upon buildings in a modern style and constructivism, ancient churches are along with tower buildings.

In Moscow the most valuable monuments of Russian history and architecture are concentrated: the Kremlin, the Novo-Dyevitchi Convent, the Moscow State university, the Triumphal arch, the Memorial architectural ensemble. There is a large number of churches and cathedrals in and around Moscow, although some of them are not used for services they are beautifully kept.

The best starting point of the tour around the city is Red Square, the central and the most beautiful square in Moscow. Here one can see the Cathedral of St. Basil the Blessed, an enduring masterpiece of Russian architecture, monuments to Minin and Pozharsky, visit the State History Museum. The heart of Moscow is the Kremlin, a wonderful architectural ensemble with three magnificent cathedrals, the Bell Tower of Ivan the Great, palaces, fortress walls and 20 towers.

The tremendous amount of ancient monuments is being restored and reconstructed. Much has been done to make muscovites and visitors of the city feel pleased and convenient in the streets of the capital, new hotels, cafes and restaurants are being constantly opened. Moscow is well-known for its museums and exhibition spaces — the State Tretyakov Gallery, the Museum of Fine Arts named after A.S. Pushkin, the Manege.

Moscow leads a versatile cultural life, full of exciting events and unforgettable performances. A lot of cinemas, clubs, concert halls, drama and musical theatres, including the Bolshoi Theatre with its world-known ballet and opera won’t leave anyone indifferent.

Every person who has once visited Moscow is sure to return to this fine original city to feel depth of its contrasts, to touch its cultural traditions, different times and fates.