Moscow
) is the
capital of
Russia and the country's principal political, economic, financial, educational, and transportation center, located on the
Moskva River. The city's population of 10.4 million permanent inhabitants within the city boundaries
[ ] constitutes about 7% of the total Russian population. It is the
most populous city in Europe. The city is in the
Central Federal District located in the western part of the
Russian Federation. Historically, its position was central in the Russian homeland. It was the capital of the former
Soviet Union, and
Muscovite Russia, the pre-Imperial Russian state. It is the site of the famous
Kremlin, which now serves as the residence of the
President.
Moscow's architectural and performing arts culture are world-renowned. Moscow is also well known as the site of the
Saint Basil's Cathedral, with its elegant
onion domes, as well as the
Cathedral of Christ the Savior. The
Patriarch of Moscow, whose residence is the
Danilov Monastery, serves as the head of the
Russian Orthodox Church. Moscow also remains a major economic center and is home to a large number of
billionaires and is perennially considered
one of the most expensive cities in the world.
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. Moscow also became the host of the
1980 Summer Olympics.
The first reference to Moscow dates from
1147 when
Yuri Dolgoruki called upon the prince of the
Novgorod Republic to "come to me, brother, to Moscow."
Nine years later, in
1156, Prince
Yuriy Dolgorukiy of
Kiev ordered the construction of a wooden wall, which had to be rebuilt multiple times, to surround the emerging Moscow.
After the sacking of
1237-
1238, when the
Mongols burned the city to the ground and killed its inhabitants, Moscow recovered and became the capital of an independent
principality in
1327.
Its favorable 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 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
Dmitry Donskoy of Moscow led a united Russian army to an important victory over the Mongols in the
Battle of Kulikovo. After that, Moscow took the leading role in liberating Russia from Mongol domination. In
1480,
Ivan III had
finally broken the Russians free from
Tatar control, allowing Moscow to become the center of power in
Russia.
The Russian capital, which had wandered from Kiev to Vladimir, came to rest in this city by the end of his reign, and Moscow became the capital of an empire that would eventually encompass all of present-day Russia,
Siberia, and parts of other lands.
The
17th century was rich in popular risings, such as the
liberation of Moscow from the Polish 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 in
1812, the Muscovites burned the city and evacuated, as Napoleon's forces were approaching on
September 14. Napoleon's army, plagued by hunger, cold, and poor supply lines, was forced to retreat. 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 success of 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.
During the
Great Patriotic War, 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 Center 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 defenses, 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, which began in the early 1930s, 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 the
Russian Federation. Since then, the emergence of a
market economy in Moscow has produced an explosion of Western-style retailing, services,
architecture, and lifestyles.
Moscow is the seat of power for all of Russia. At the center of the city, in the
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. Moscow, like with any national
capital, is also the host of all the foreign
embassies and diplomats representing a multitude of nations in Russia. On a slightly smaller scale, Moscow is located within the
Central Federal District, one of the seven
federal districts of Russia. As result, it falls under the administration of a representative appointed by the
President of Russia to head the district. Moscow is also designated as one of only two federal cities -
Saint Petersburg being the other - within Russia. Since all
Russian subjects - republics, provinces, cities, and territories - have two representatives within the
Federation Council of Russia, the over 10 million Muscovites are represented by just two people - 1.1% of the Council - despite the fact that they account for 7.3% of the total population of 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 (currently
Yuriy Luzhkov). It is divided into 10 administrative (
okrugs) and 123 municipal districts. Administrative districts: Zelenogradskiy Administrative Okrug (City of
Zelenograd in the federal classification), Northern Administrative Okrug, North-Eastern Administrative Okrug, North-Western Administrative Okrug,
Central Administrative Okrug, Eastern Administrative Okrug, Southern Administrative Okrug, South-Eastern Administrative Okrug, South-Western Administrative Okrug, and Western Administrative Okrug. Nine of the ten administrative districts, except of Zelenogradskiy, are located within City of Moscow main boundaries.
Each administrative district consists of several municipal districts (
raions). Each municipal and administrative district has its own
coat of arms, flag, and elected head official. Additionally, most raions have their own cable television, computer network, and official newspaper. Along with municipal districts are Territorial Unities 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 raions. There are no ethnic-specific raions in Moscow in the manner
Chinatowns exist in some
North American and
East Asian cities. And although raions are not designated by income, as with most cities, those areas that are closer to the city center,
metro stations or green zones are considered more prestigious.
 |
Average temperature (red) and precipitations (blue) in Moscow |
Due to the city's high northern latitude, its
daylight period varies drastically through the year. At its shortest, at the
winter solstice, the day lasts less than seven hours
, whereas at its longest, at the
summer solstice, Moscow's daylight period extends beyond eighteen hours.
As a result, Moscow is exposed to cold winters, warm and mild summers, and very brief spring and autumn seasons. Typical high temperatures in the warm months of July and August are around 20
°C (68
°F); in the winter, temperatures normally drop to approximately -12
°C (10
°F).
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.
Moscow is situated on the banks of the
Moskva River, which flows for just over five hundred kilometers through western Russia. Although Russia is situated on both the
European and
Asian continents, Moscow, the economic and political center of Russia,
is considered a European city as it lies west of the
Ural Mountains.
Moscow's road system is centered roughly around the seat of the Russian government, 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).
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.
The third ring, the Third Transport Ring, was completed in
2003 as a high-speed
freeway. The Fourth Transport Ring, another freeway, is currently 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 "орога), 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.
For a long time the view of the city was dominated by numerous churches. The look of the city changed drastically during Soviet times, mostly due to
Joseph Stalin, who oversaw a large-scale effort to modernize 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.
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,
bridged with innovative metal-and-glass vaults.
Stalin, however, is also credited with building the
The Seven Sisters, which are comprised of seven, cathedral-like structures. A defining feature of Moscow's skyline, their imposing form was allegedly inspired by the Municipal Building in
New York, and their style - with intricate exteriors and a large central spire - has been described as
Stalinist gothic architeture. 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.
The Soviet policy of providing mandatory housing for every citizen or their 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 neighborhood 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 hint on 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
façades of
Tverskaya Street, for example) are also examples of the
bourgeois decadence in
Tsarist times.
Ostankino,
Kuskovo,
Abramtsevo 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, designed by Mikhail Posokhin.
Like in
London, but on a broader scale, plaques on the 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 to the outside world. There are also many 'house-museums' of famous Russian writers, composers, and artists in the city.
Views of Moscow
Image:sk334.jpg|Presidium of Russian Academy of Sciences. Image:sk331.jpg|Moscow International House of Music and Swissotel Krasnye Holmy. Image:sk302.jpg|Paveletsky Tower Business center. Image:sk328.jpg|Triumphal arch on Kutuzov Avenue, dedicated to victory over Napoleon's army. Image:sk280.jpg|Bogdan Khmelnitsky Bridge. Image:sk388.jpg|Riverside building. Image:sk337.jpg|Old Andreevsky Bridge. Image:sk345.jpg|Cathedral of Christ the Saviour Image:sk225.jpg|Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Borodinsky Bridge Image:sk55.jpg|Moscow International Business center, Tower 2000. Image:eur.jpg|Square of Europe Image:wintermoscow.jpg|Winter Moscow at night, view on IBC. Image:rs1.jpg|Riverside Towers business center, which includes offices of PricewaterhouseCoopersImage:mon1.jpg|Moscow monorail Image:Kotelincheskaya Naberezhnaja Moscow.hires.jpg|Stalinist Skyscraper at Kotelnicheskaya Embankment. Image:vd1.jpg|"Friendship of Nations" fountain in All-Russia Exhibition Centre Museums and galleries
Many of Moscow's museums and galleries have
collections that can be compared to those of the best museums of
Western Europe and
North America. 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.
[See also: The Official Site of the Tretyakov Gallery Retrieved on 2006-07-08.] Currently 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.
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 iconographer Andrei Rublev.
The New Tretyakov, created in Soviet times, mainly contains the works of Soviet artists, as well as of a few contemporary artists, but there is some overlap with the Old Tretyakov Gallery for early twentieth century art. The new gallery includes a small reconstruction of
Vladimir Tatlin's famous
Monument to the Third International and a mixture of other
avant-garde works by artists like
Kazimir Malevich and
Wassily Kandinsky.
Socialist realism features can also be find within the halls of the New Tretyakov Gallery.
Another art museum in the city of Moscow is the
Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts, which was founded by, among others,
Marina Tsvetaeva's father.
Pushkin Museum is similar to
The British Museum in
London in that its halls are a cross-section of world civilizations, with many plaster casts of ancient sculptures. However, it also hosts famous paintings from every major Western era of art; works by
Claude Monet,
Paul Cézanne, and
Pablo Picasso are all sampled there.
The
State Historical Museum of Russia ("осударственный Исторический музей) is a museum of Russian history wedged between
Red Square and
Manege Square in Moscow. Its exhibitions range from relics of the prehistoric tribes inhabiting present-day Russia, through priceless artworks acquired by members of the Romanov dynasty. The total number of objects in the museum's collection numbers in the millions. The
Polytechnical Museum[See also: The Official Site of the Polytechnical Museum Retrieved on 2006-07-23. ( English version)], founded in
1872 is the largest technical museum in Russia, offering a wide array of historical inventions and technological achievements, including humanoid automata of the 18th century and the first Soviet computers. Its collection contains more then 160,000 items.
The
Borodino Panorama[See also: The official site of Borodino Panorama museum] museum located on Kutuzov Avenue provides an opportunity for visitors to experience being on a battlefield with a 360°
diorama. It is a part of the large historical memorial commemorating the victory in the Patriotic War of
1812 over Napoleon's army, that includes also the Triumphal arch erected in
1827.
Theaters and other performing arts
Moscow is also the heart of Russian performing arts, including
ballet and film. There are ninety-three theaters, 132 cinemas and twenty-four concert-halls in Moscow
.
Among Moscow's many theatres and ballet studios is the
Bolshoi Theatre and the
Malyi Theatre as well as
Vakhtangov Theatre and
Moscow Art Theatre. The repertories in a typical Moscow season are exhaustive and modern interpretations of classic works, whether operatic or theatrical, are quite common.
State Central Concert Hall Rossia [See also: The Official Site of the State Central Concert Hall "Rossia". Retrieved on 2006-07-17.], famous for ballet and estrade performances, is the place of frequent concerts of pop-stars such as
Alla Pugacheva and is situated in the building of Hotel Rossia, the largest hotel in Europe.
Moscow International Performance Arts Center
[See also: The Official Site of the Moscow International Performance Arts Center. Retrieved on 2006-08-09.], opened in
2003, also known as
Moscow International House of Music, is known for its performances in classical music. It also has the largest
organ in Russia installed in Svetlanov hall.
There are also two large
circuses in Moscow:
Moscow State Circus and
Moscow Circus on Tsvetnoy Boulevard [See also: The Official Site of the Moscow Nikulun Circus. Retrieved on 2006-07-17.] named after
Yuri Nikulin.
Soviet films are integral to film history and the
Mosfilm studio was at the heart of many Soviet classic films as it is responsible for both artistic and mainstream productions.
. However, despite the continued presence and reputation of internationally-renowned Russian filmmakers, the once prolific native studios are much quieter. Rare and historical films may be seen in Salut cinema where films from the
Museum of Cinema [See also: The Official Site of the Museum of Cinema. Retrieved on 2006-07-22.] collection are shown regularly.
Parks and landmarks
There are 96 parks and 18 gardens in Moscow, including 4 botanical gardens. There are also 45 thousand hectars of green zones besides 10 thousand hectars of forests
.
The
Central Park of Culture and Rest named after
Maxim Gorky founded in 1928. The main part with area of 68.9 hectars
[ Green dress of Moscow] along the Moskva river contains estrades, children attractions, including the
Observation Wheel water ponds with boats and water bicycles, dancings, tennis courts and other sport facilities. It borders the
Neskuchniy Garden with area of 40,8 hectares " the oldest park in Moscow, and a former Emperor's residence, created as a result of intergration of three estates of XVIII century, which contains also the
Green Theater, one of the largest open aphiteaters in Europe, able to contain up to 15 thousand people
[ [http://mosday.ru/photos/?neskuchniy Neskuchniy Garden].
Izmaylovsky Park created in
1931 is one of the largest parks in the world. Its area of 1534 hectares is 6 times greather than that of Central Park in
New York.
Sokolniki park, which got its name for famous hawk huntings occured here in the past, is one of the oldest in Moscow and with area of 600 hectares four times greather than London's Guide-park. From a central circle with a large fountain radiate birch, maple and elm alleys. Farther, after the Deer ponds, there is a labirint, composed of green paths.
Lilac park founded in 1958 is known for its permanent sculpture exposition and a large rosarium with more than 8 thousand rose bushes.
Losiny Ostrov National Park (literally - "Elk Island"), bordering the Sokolniki park, with total area of more than 116 km² is the first national park of Russia, located in Moscow and
Moscow Oblast. It is presumed to be the largest forest in a city of comparable size. It is also known as the "city taiga", where living elks can be met.
Moscow has always been a popular destination for tourists. Some of the better known attractions include the the city's
UNESCO World Heritage Site,
Moscow Kremlin and
Red Square,
[UNESCO considers the Moscow Kremlin and Red Square to be part of a single World Heritage Site. See also [http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/545 UNESCO's profile on this site.] which was built between the
14th and
17th centuries.
Just outside Moscow, in
Kolomenskoye, is another popular attraction and UNESCO World Heritage Site, the
Church of the Ascension, which dates from
1532.
Other popular attractions include the
Moscow Zoo, home to nearly a thousands species and more than 6,500 specimens.
Each year, the zoo attracts more than 1.2 million adult visitors.
Moscow is a very green city if compared to other cities of comparable size in Western Europe and America. The long days will also afford one more time to cover the immense wealth of historical, cultural or simply popular sites in Moscow. Tsytsin Main Moscow
Botanical Garden, bordering the
All-Russia Exhibition Centre is the largest in Europe
[See also: The Official Site of the Main Moscow Botanical Garden. Retrieved on 2006-07-18.] and a live exhibition of various spices of plants from different parts of the world as well as scientific research laboratory.
Sports
Moscow is home to more Olympic champions than any other city in the world. Unsurprisingly, it was the host city of the
1980 Summer Olympics, although the
yachting events were held at
Tallinn, in present-day
Estonia. Large athletic facilities and the main international airport, Sheremetyevo Terminal 2, were built in preparation for the 1980 Summer Olympics. Moscow had also made a bid for the
2012 Summer Olympics. However, when final voting commenced on
July 6,
2005, Moscow was the first city to be eliminated from further rounds. The Games were finally awarded to
London.
Moscow is home to sixty-three stadiums (besides eight football and eleven light athletics maneges), of which
Luzhniki Stadium is the largest. Forty other sport complexes are located within the city, including twenty-four with artificial ice. There are also seven
horse racing tracks in Moscow
, of which
Central Moscow Hippodrome,
[See also: The Official Site of the Cental Moscow Hippodrome] founded in
1834, is the largest.
Football is probably the most popular spectator sport among the young, followed by
ice hockey. Clubs such as
Dynamo,
CSKA,
Lokomotiv and
Spartak are prominent on the European stage.
Because of Moscow's cold locale,
winter sports have a large following as well. Many of Moscow's large parks offer marked trails for skiers and frozen ponds and canals for skaters.
There are 1696 high schools in Moscow, as well as 91 colleges.
Besides these, there are 222 institutions offering higher education in Moscow, including 60 state universities
and the
Lomonosov Moscow State University, which was founded in
1755.
Today, its campus is the largest university campus in the world.
The university main building located in Vorobyovy Gory (
Sparrow Hills) is 240-meter-tall and when completed, was the tallest building outside the United States.
The university has over 30,000
undergraduate and 7,000
postgraduate students, who have a choice of twenty-nine faculties and 450 departments for study. Additionally, approximately 10,000 high school students take courses at the university, while over two thousand researchers work. The Moscow State University library contains over nine million books, making it one of the largest libraries in all of Russia. Its acclaim throughout the international academic community has meant that over 11,000 international students have graduated from the university, with many coming to Moscow to learn the
Russian language.
Bauman Moscow State Technical University, founded in
1830, is located in the center of Moscow and provides more than 18,000 undergraduate and 1,000 postgraduate students with an education in science and engineering offering a wide range of technical degrees.
Since it opened enrollment to students from outside Russia in
1991, Bauman Moscow State Technical University has increased its international enrollment to up to two hundred.
The
Moscow Conservatory[See also: The Official Site of the Moscow Conservatory. Retrieved on 2006-07-17.], founded in
1866 is a prominent music school in Russia, whose graduates included
Sergey Rachmaninoff,
Alexander Scriabin,
Aram Khachaturian,
Mstislav Rostropovich, and
Alfred Schnittke.
The
Gerasimov All-Russian State Institute of Cinematography, abbreviated as VGIK, is the world's oldest educational institution in
Cinematography, founded by
Vladimir Gardin in
1919.
Sergei Eisenstein,
Vsevolod Pudovkin, and
Aleksey Batalov were among its most distinguished professors and
Mikhail Vartanov,
Sergei Parajanov,
Andrey Tarkovsky,
Nikita Mikhalkov,
Eldar Ryazanov,
Aleksandr Sokurov,
Yuriy Norshteyn,
Alexandr Petrov,
Vasily Shukshin,
Konrad Wolf among graduates.
Moscow State Institute of International Relations, founded in
1944, remains Russia's best known school of international relations and diplomacy, with six different schools focused on international relations. Approximately 4,500 students make up the the university's student body and over 700,000 Russian and foreign-language books - of which 20,000 are considered rare - can be found in the library of the Moscow State Institute of International Relations.
[{{cite web|url=http://www.mgimo.ru/showcontent.asp?UID={7F81DBB2-6EEE-4796-B2DF-7230433C5C41}" |title=Facts and Figures |publisher=MGIMO (Moscow State Institute of International Relations) |accessdate=2006-07-06}}] Anmong other prominent institutions are the
Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, also known as
Phystech,
Moscow Aviation Institute and the
Moscow Engineering Physics Institute.
Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology has taught numerous
Noble Prize winners, including
Pyotr Kapitsa,
Nikolay Semyonov,
Lev Landau and
Alexandr Prokhorov, while the
Moscow Engineering Physics Institute is known for its research in
nuclear physics.
Other institutions, such as the
Financial Academy, the
State University of Management, the
Plekhanov Academy of Economics and the
Higher School of Economics offer degrees in management and economic theory. Several Moscow institutions have divisions in other regions and countries around the world, including Russian neighbor
Mongolia.
Although Moscow has a number of famous Soviet-era higher educational institutions, most of which are more oriented towards
engineering or the fundamental science, in recent years Moscow has seen a significant growth in the number of commercial and private institutions that offer classes in
business and
management. Many state institutions have expanded their education scope and increased their student enrollments. Institutions in Moscow, as well as the rest of post-Soviet Russia, have begun to offer new international certificates and
postgraduate degrees, including the
Master of Business Administration.
Student exchange programs with different (especially,
European) countries also have become widespread in Moscow's universities, while many schools within the Russian capital will also offer seminars, lectures, and courses for corporate employees and businessmen.
Moscow is known as one of the most important science centers in Russia. The headquarters of the
Russian Academy of Sciences are located in Moscow as well as numerous research and applied science institutions.
Kurchatov Institute, Russia's leading research and development institution in the field of nuclear energy, where the first
nuclear reactor in Europe was built,
Landau Institute for Theoretical Physics,
Institute for Theoretical and Experimental Physics,
Kapitza Institute for Physical Problems,
Steklov Institute of Mathematics are all situated in Moscow.
There are 452 libraries in the city, including 168 for children
.The
Russian State Library,
[See also: The official homepage of the Russian State Library] founded in
1862 is the national library of Russia. The Russian State Library is home to over 275 kilometers of shelves and forty-two million items, including over seventeen million books and serial volumes, thirteen million journals, 350,000 music scores and sound records, and 150,000 maps, making it the largest library in Russia and one of the largest in the world. Items in 247 different languages comprise approximately twenty-nine percent of the collection.
[ ]The
State Public Historical Library, founded in
1863 is the largest library, specializing in
Russian history. Its collection contains four million items in 112 languages (including 47 languages of the former USSR), mostly on Russian and world history,
heraldry,
numismatics, and the history of science.
[ Official site of the State Public Historical Library]Intercity transport
There are five airports serving Moscow:
Sheremetyevo International Airport,
Domodedovo International Airport,
Bykovo Airport,
Ostafievo International Airport and
Vnukovo International Airport. Sheremetyevo International Airport is the most common entry point for foreign passengers (as it handles sixty percent of all international flights)
although other airports also serve the city of Moscow, particularly with flights within Russia and to and from states from the former
Soviet Union.
is the leading airport in Russia in terms of passenger throughput. Moscow's airports are at different distances from the city center; Bykovo Airport is the farthest of the five, located 35
kilometers (21
miles) from the city center
and Ostafievo airport is the nearest.
Likewise, Moscow employs several train stations to serve the city. All of Moscow's nine rail terminals (or
vokzals) -
Belorusskiy Rail Terminal,
Kazanskiy Rail Terminal,
Kievskiy Rail Terminal,
Kurskiy Rail Terminal,
Leningradskiy Rail Terminal,
Paveletskiy Rail Terminal,
Rizhskiy Rail Terminal,
Savyolovskiy Rail Terminal, and
Yaroslavlskiy Rail Terminal - are located close to the city center, but they each handle trains from different parts of Europe and Asia.
There are also many smaller railway stations in Moscow. As trains are relatively cheap, they are the mode of preference for travelling Russians, especially when departing to
Saint Petersburg, Russia's second-largest city. Moscow is also the western terminus of the
Trans-Siberian Railway, which traverses nearly 9300 kilometers of territory to
Vladivostok.
Moscow also has two passenger river terminials (
South River Terminal and
North River Terminal or Rechnoy vokzal) and regular motorship routes and cruises along
Moskva and
Oka rivers used mostly for entertainment. North river terminal, built in
1937 is also the main hub for long-lange river routes. There are also three freight ports serving Moscow. Besides this Moscow has a bus terminal for long-range and intercity passenger buses (
Moscow Avtovokzal) with daily overturn of about 25 thousand passengers serving about 40% of long-range bus routes in Moscow
[See also: [1] Realty news]. Retrieved on 2006-07-22.].
Local transport
Local transport includes the
Moscow Metro, a
metro system famous for its art,
murals,
mosaics, and ornate
chandeliers. When it first opened in
1935, the system had just one line. But today, the Moscow Metro contains twelve lines, mostly underground with a total of 171 stations. The Moscow Metro is
one of world's busiest metro system, serving more then seven million passengers daily.
[ ] There is also a
monorail line, operated by the same company.
As Metro stations outside the city center are far apart in comparison to other cities, up to four kilometers, an extensive bus network radiates from each station to the surrounding residential zones. Suburbs and satellite cities also connected by commuter
electric rail network. The buses are very frequent, often more than one a minute. Every large street in the city is served by at least one bus route. There are also
tram and
trolleybus networks.
There are over 2.6 million cars in the city on a daily basis.
Recent years have seen explosive growth in the number of cars, which have caused traffic jams and the lack of parking space to become major problems.
The
MKAD, along with the
Third Transport Ring and future Fourth Transport Ring, is one of only three
freeways that run within Moscow city limits. However, as one can easily observe from a map of Moscow area, there are several other roadway systems that form
concentric circles around the city.
In 2006,
Mercer Management Consulting named Moscow the world's
most expensive city, ahead of perennial winner
Tokyo, due to the stable
Russian ruble as well as increasing housing prices within the city.
Some prices are considerably higher for the foreign visitor than for locals. For locals, small apartments bought or given by the state in the Soviet era, coupled with extremely low utility costs and easily avoidable
income tax serve to lower the
cost of living greatly.
Business and Trade
A significant portion of Russia's profits and development is concentrated in Moscow as many multi-national corporations have branches and offices in the city. The plush offices and the lifestyles of the typical corporate employee in Moscow are often indistinguishable from any other
Western European city, although the average salary for the Muscovite is lower.
After the financial crisis in the late
1990s, various business sectors in Moscow have shown exponential rates of growth. Many new business centers and office buildings have been built in recent years, but Moscow still experiences shortages in office space. As a result, many former industrial and research facilities are being reconstructed to become suitable for office use.
However, while the overall stability has improved in the recent years, crime and corruption continue to remain a problem hindering business development. The Mafia also runs
extortion rackets in most parts of the city, though there are no reliable data to understand how large their influence is.
The Cherkizovskiy marketplace, controlled by the
Azeri diaspora is the largest marketplace in Europe with daily overturn of about thirty million dollars and about ten thousand sellers
[ ] from different countries (including
China,
Turkey,
Azerbaijan and
India). It is administratively devided into twelve parts and covers a wide sector of the city.
Moscow is one of the top cities in the world for
billionaires; in 2006,
Forbes ranked Moscow second in highest number of billionaires, surpassed only by
New York City.
In
2004, Russia's thirty-six billionaires (of whom only three did not live in Moscow) held the equivalent of twenty-four precent of Russia's
gross domestic product.
The nouveau-riche, also called the "New Russians", often pejoratively, have a reputation for flaunting their wealth; the avenues for doing so, and subtly, have also increased in recent times - a sense of fashion and self-consciousness has instilled itself through the many haute couture and haute-cuisine spots in Moscow.
Industry
Primary
industries in Moscow include the
chemical,
metallurgy,
food,
textile,
furniture, and
machinery industries.
Automobile plants
ZiL and
AZLK, as well as the
Voitovich Rail Vehicle plant, are situated in Moscow. The
Mil Moscow Helicopter Plant is one of the leading producers of military and civil helicopters in the world. The
Poljot Moscow watch factory produces reliable military, professional and sport watches well known in Russia and abroad. The
Kristall distillery[See also: The Official Site of the Moscow Cristall distillery. Retrieved on 2006-07-08.] is the oldest distellery in Russia producing various
vodka types, including "
Stolichnaya" while a wide assortment of wines are produced at several Moscow wine plants, including Moscow Interrepublican Vinery.
[See also: The Official Site of the Moscow Interrepublican Vinery. Retrieved on 2006-07-07.] The Moscow Jewelry Factory
[See also: The Official Site of the Moscow Jewelry Factory. Retrieved on 2006-07-07.] and the Jewellerprom
[See also: The Official Site of the Experimental Moscow Jewelery Atelier Jewellerprom. Retrieved on 2006-07-07] are important producers of jewelry in Russia; Jewellerprom used to produce the famous and exclusive
Order of Victory, awarded to those aiding the Soviet Union's
Red Army during
World War II. There are also many other industries located just outside the city of Moscow, as well as many microelectronic industries in
Zelenograd.
Despite the economic growth experienced in Moscow since the dawn of the
twenty-first century, many industries have undergone various crises in recent years. Some of them has been sold to foreign
investors, such as
OTIS and
British American Tobacco, and others have been closed down to make for new buildings constructed as business centers. Additionally, some industry is now being transferred out of Moscow to improve the ecological state of the city. Nevertheless, the city of Moscow remains one of Russia's major industrial centers.
Living costs
During
Soviet times apartments were lent to people by the government according to the square meters-per-person norm (some groups, including people's artists, heroes and prominent scientists had bonuses according to their honors).
Private ownership of apartments was not allowed until
1990, when people were permited to secure property rights to the places they inhabited. Since the Soviet era, estate owners have had to pay the service charge for their residences, a fixed amount based on persons per living area. Due to the current economic situation, the price of
real estate in Moscow continues to rise. Today, one could expect to pay from $3400 to $3800 per square meter in the outskirts of the city or $6000-$7000 per square meter in a prestigeous district. The price sometimes may exceed $34000 per square meter in a flat.
[ Costs of realty in Moscow (2006)] A typical one-bedroom apartment is about thirty square meters, a typical two-bedroom apartment is forty-five square meters, and a typical three-bedroom apartment is seventy square meters. Many cannot move out of their apartments, especially if a family lives in a two-room apartment originally granted by the state during the Soviet era. Some city residents have attempted to cope with the cost of living by renting their apartments while staying in
dachas (country house) outside the city.
Employment
As of 2006, there are 8.47 million Muscovites able to work. 1.73 million are employed by state, 4.42 million are employed by private companies, and 1.99 million are employed by small businesses. There are 74,400 officially registered unemployed working age adults, of which 34,400 are eligible for unemployment benefits.
The population of Russia has been declining by about 700,000 persons per year since the fall of the
Soviet Union since
1991 due to low birth rates,
and Moscow is not entirely immune to these effects. In
2003, the number of deaths within the city exceeded the number of births by approximately 49,400.
Birth rates at the onset of the twenty-first century were on the rise, but the average age of the Moscow's population has continued to increase. In 2004, there were more than twice as many Muscovites over 55 years old than there were Muscovites under 14 years old.
However, large migration numbers still enable the city to overcome the effects of this system. These new Muscovites are attracted by the local economic growth, which contrasts to the stagnation or even decline in most of Russia as a result of sharp polarization of the country in recent years. In order to help regulate the population size within the city, Moscow has an
internal passport system that prohibits non-city residents from staying in the capital for more than ninety days without registration.
The city is home to small numbers of people of many racial and cultural groups, from African students to Irish business people. In
2002, Moscow's ethnic composition was 84.8%
Russian, 2.4%
Ukrainian, 1.6%
Tatar, 1.2%
Armenian, 0.9%
Azerbaijani 0.8%
Jewish, 0.6%
Belarusian, 0.5%
Georgian, and 7.2% other ethnicities.
Supporter violence has become a serious problem when international teams play in Moscow. In
2002, a dozen
Irish fans in Moscow for a Russia-Ireland game were attacked by
neo-Nazi groups. One later died of his injuries. That same year, when a Russia-
Japan World Cup match, played in Japan but broadcast live to the crowds in
Pushkin Square, went badly for the Russians, the crowd turned violent and wrought havoc in the center of the city, breaking windows, smashing and burning cars and looting several shops. Four Japanese students were beaten and more than one hundred people were injured in the violence following the game.
As with many cities in the world, international terrorism is a threat in Moscow. On
February 6 2004 a bomb explosion in a subway car near the
Avtozavodskaya metro station killed at least 40 and injured many. Other prominent acts of terror include the destruction of two apartment buildings in September
1999 (see
Russian Apartment Bombings), an explosion in the pedestrian subway under the Pushkinskaya square in August
2000, and the
capture of the theatre at Dubrovka in October
2002.
See also History of Moscow for historical population growth and List of districts and neighborhoods in MoscowMoscow is the headquarters of many Russian
television networks,
radio stations,
newspapers and
magazines.
English-language media include
The Moscow Times and
Moscow News which are, respectively, the largest
and oldest English-language weekly newspapers in all of
Russia.
The eXile is a newspaper in Moscow known for its satirical nature and pranks on Russian politicians.
,
Kommersant, and
Gazeta are Russian-language media headquartered in Moscow.
Expert and
Kommersant are among the country's leading and oldest Russian-language business newspapers.
Other notable media of Moscow include the
Echo of Moscow, the first Soviet and Russian private news radio and information agency, and
NTV, one of the first privately-owned Russian television stations.
* Karel Neubert. "Portrait of Moscow". 1964
* Albert J. Schmidt. "The Architecture and Planning of Classical Moscow: A Cultural History". 1989
* Kathleen Berton. "Moscow: An Architectural History". St. Martin's, 1991
* Marcel Girard. "Splendours of Moscow and Its Surroundings", trans. from French. 1967
* John Bushwell. "Moscow Graffiti: Language and Subculture". Unwin Hyman, 1990
* S.S. Hromov et al. (eds.). "History of Moscow: An Outline", trans. from Russian. 1981
* Galina Dutkina. "Moscow Days: Life and Hard Times in the New Russia". Trans. Catherine Fitzpatrick. Kodansha America, 1995
*
History of Russia*
Moscow-City*
Muscovy*
Third RomeGeneral
*
Official Moscow Administration Site*
Committee for Tourism of Moscow City Government*
WikiMapia: Moscow - aerial, satellite view of Moscow showing city landmarks
Media
*
The Moscow Times - official site of Moscow's leading English-language newspaper
*
The Moscow News - one of Moscow's oldest English-language newspapers
*
NTV - one of Russia's largest broadcasting companies
Images
*
Moscow House of Photography*
A photo gallery by Alexey Slizkov*
EarthCam: Red Square - webcams of Moscow's
Red Square*
Moscow Photos by Arkady Kulev
