Moscow

Moscow is the capital and largest city of Russia, sitting along the Moskva River in Central Russia. With over 13 million people living within its city limits, Moscow is one of the world's biggest cities. It covers a vast area and includes many parks and green spaces, making it one of the greenest major cities on the planet.

First mentioned in records from the year 1147, Moscow grew to become an important center for Russia. It was the heart of the country for many centuries and later became the capital once again after a period when the capital was elsewhere. Today, Moscow remains the political and economic center of Russia and Eastern Europe.

Moscow is also a cultural hub, famous for its beautiful Russian architecture. Landmarks such as Red Square, Saint Basil's Cathedral, and the Moscow Kremlin attract visitors from around the world. The city boasts an extensive public transportation network, including the busy Moscow Metro, which is one of the largest and busiest rapid transit systems in Europe.

Etymology

The name Moscow likely comes from the Moskva River. One popular idea is that the river's name means "wet" from an ancient language, suggesting it flows through a marshy area. Words in other languages related to this idea include terms for "pool," "wash," and "drown."

Over time, the name changed from older forms like Mosky to the modern Moskva. Moscow has earned nicknames such as the "third Rome," and people who live there are called Muscovites in English.

History

Moscow has been an important city for over 800 years. It first appeared in records in 1147 and grew from a small settlement into a major center.

In the early years, Moscow faced invasions and fires but kept growing. Over time, it became the capital of Russia and later the Soviet Union. During World War II, Moscow was a key battleground, and many people helped defend the city.

After the war, Moscow changed greatly with new buildings and developments. Today, it remains Russia's capital and one of Europe's largest cities.

Geography

Moscow is located on the banks of the Moskva River, which flows through central Russia. The city has many bridges crossing the river and its canals. Moscow's highest point is Teplostan Upland, reaching 255 metres above sea level.

Moscow is the reference point for the time zone used in much of European Russia, Belarus, and the Republic of Crimea. This time zone, called Moscow Standard Time (MSK), is 3 hours ahead of UTC, or UTC+3. Daylight saving time is no longer used.

Moscow experiences a humid continental climate with long, cold winters and warm summers. Winters typically last from mid-November to the end of March, while summers are warm. The city's climate is influenced by its distance from the Atlantic Ocean, which helps moderate temperature extremes.

In winter, temperatures usually drop to around −10 °C (14 °F), but can sometimes rise above 0 °C (32 °F). Summer temperatures often reach between 20 °C and 26 °C (68 °F to 79 °F), but heat waves can push temperatures above 30 °C (86 °F). The city receives about 1,731 hours of sunshine each year, with the most sunlight occurring from May to August.

Main article: Climate of Moscow

Paleontology

Moscow has important paleontological sites, where scientists have found fossils from long ago. Near the Gorodnya River, scientists discovered fossils of ancient sea creatures and traces left by burrowing animals. These fossils help us learn about life from millions of years ago.

In 1878, a scientist named Hermann Trautschold found the fossil of an ancient sea reptile near what is now part of Moscow. Later, in 2014, this creature was named Undorosaurus trautscholdi in his honor. Fossils can be seen in museums in Moscow, such as the Orlov Museum of Paleontology and the Vernadsky State Geological Museum.

Demographics

Moscow is a very large city with lots of people. In 2021, about 13 million people lived inside the city limits. Many different groups of people call Moscow home, including Christians, Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus, and others.

The city has many places for people to worship, such as churches and mosques. Moscow has been an important center for Christianity, especially the Russian Orthodox Church, for a long time. Today, people of many faiths live and work together in Moscow.

Cityscape

See also: List of tallest buildings in Moscow

Moscow's architecture is very famous around the world. You can see beautiful buildings like Saint Basil's Cathedral with its colorful onion domes, the Cathedral of Christ the Savior, and the Seven Sisters. The first Kremlin was built in the middle of the 12th century.

In the past, Moscow's design had walls and roads that helped shape the city. The Kremlin was rebuilt in the 15th century with towers and churches built by Italian architects. Later, the city added many masonry structures like monasteries, palaces, and churches.

During Soviet times, the city's look changed a lot. Big roads were built, and many old buildings were removed. Some important churches were destroyed, but some were rebuilt later. New kinds of buildings appeared, like the Seven Sisters, seven tall skyscrapers that are easy to spot in Moscow.

Moscow also has many parks and green spaces. There are 96 parks and 18 gardens, including four botanical gardens. Gorky Park is a big park with places to play, perform, and relax. Izmaylovsky Park is one of the largest urban parks in the world. Other famous parks include Sokolniki Park and Losiny Ostrov National Park, where you might see elk.

The Botanical Garden of Academy of Sciences is the largest in Europe, with many different plants from around the world. The All-Russian Exhibition Center has many big pavilions and beautiful fountains. Moscow is full of famous places to visit, like the Moscow Kremlin and Red Square, and the Moscow Zoo, which has many animals from different parts of the world.

Moscow rings

Moscow's roads are built around the Kremlin, with several circular roads, or "rings," spreading out from the center. The first ring, called the Boulevard Ring, follows an old wall and forms a horseshoe shape rather than a full circle. Next is the Garden Ring, which also follows an old wall. The Third Ring Road, a fast highway, was finished in 2003. There are plans for more roads to help cars move around the city easily.

Moscow also has special circle lines on its subway system. One of these, called the Moscow Central Circle, opened in 2016, and another, the Big Circle Line, is still being built. The outermost ring is the Moscow Ring Road, built in the 1950s, which marks the edge of the city. New roads are being built even farther out to help with traffic.

Culture

Moscow is a vibrant city with many places to explore art and enjoy performances. One of its most famous art museums is the Tretyakov Gallery, which has two buildings. The older building shows beautiful paintings from Russian artists, while the newer building displays works from Soviet times and modern artists.

The city also has the Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts, where visitors can see artwork from many different countries and time periods. Moscow is a key place for performing arts, with many theaters and concert halls. The famous Bolshoi Theatre is known for its ballet performances. There are also cinemas and film festivals held throughout the year.

Sports

See also: Football in Moscow

Moscow is a very important city for sports. By 2005, over 500 Olympic champions lived there. The city has many sports places, including 63 stadiums. The largest is Luzhniki Stadium, which is the 4th biggest in Europe. It has hosted big events like the 1980 Summer Olympics and the 2018 FIFA World Cup.

Moscow has hosted the Summer Olympics in 1980 and tried to host them again in 2012, but London was chosen instead. The city has strong teams in many sports. In ice hockey, HC CSKA Moscow and HC Dynamo Moscow are very successful. In basketball, PBC CSKA Moscow has won many titles. Moscow also has famous football teams like FC Spartak Moscow.

Moscow has many places for different sports. There are ice rinks for skating, tracks for horse racing, and parks for skiing and skating in winter. The city holds the Kremlin Cup tennis tournament every year and has hosted other big events like the Eurovision Song Contest in 2009.

In bandy, Dynamo Moscow is one of the most successful clubs in the world. The city also has strong futsal teams. When Russia hosted the 2018 FIFA World Cup, new stadiums were built, including the Dynamo Stadium and Spartak Stadium.

Entertainment

See also: List of shopping malls in Moscow

Moscow is a fun place to visit with many clubs, restaurants, and bars. Tverskaya Street is one of the busiest shopping streets in the city.

Nearby, the Tretyakovsky Proyezd area in Kitai-gorod has fancy stores like Bulgari, Tiffany & Co., Armani, Prada, and Bentley. Moscow has many large nightclubs, especially around an old chocolate factory where you’ll find bars, galleries, cafés, and restaurants.

Dream Island is a big indoor amusement park that opened on 29 February 2020. It is the largest indoor theme park in Europe, covering 300,000 square meters. The park has a beautiful landscaped area, a concert hall, a cinema, a hotel, a children’s sailing school, restaurants, and shops.

Authorities

Moscow has its own local government. The Mayor of Moscow leads the city and works with the Government of Moscow. There is also a Moscow City Duma, which makes important decisions for the city.

Moscow is also an important place for the government of all of Russia. Many key offices are based there, including the Government of the Russian Federation, the State Duma, and the Federation Council. The Moscow Kremlin is where the President of Russia has an official office.

Moscow works hard to keep its people safe. The city has many security cameras that help watch over public places. There are special numbers people can call if they need help quickly, just like in other parts of Russia.

Administrative divisions

Main article: Administrative divisions of Moscow

Moscow is led by a mayor, currently Sergey Sobyanin. The city is divided into twelve main areas and 125 smaller districts. Moscow's growth started in the 12th century and expanded by adding new areas around its center, following a pattern of circles and lines. Important circular roads and subway lines mark its shape. In 2012, Moscow grew larger by including nearby areas, adding space and people to help the city develop. Each area and district has its own symbols and leaders. Some special zones, like large parks and gardens, have unique status but no permanent residents. Moscow does not have special areas for specific cultures like some other big cities.

Economy

See also: Economy of Russia

Moscow has a very strong economy and is one of the largest in Europe. It creates more than one-fifth of Russia's total goods and services. In 2021, Moscow's economy was worth about ₽24.5 trillion, which is around US$332 billion. People in Moscow also earn more on average than people in other parts of Russia.

Moscow is an important center for banks, oil companies, and many other big businesses. It has many tall buildings and offices, though sometimes there isn’t enough space for all the workers. The city makes things like chemicals, metals, food, clothes, furniture, energy, computers, and machines. Some famous factories in or near Moscow make helicopters, airplanes, space tools, and watches.

Education

Further information: Education in Russia

Moscow has many places where people can learn and study. There are 1,696 high schools and 91 colleges in the city. It also has 222 institutions of higher education, including 60 state universities. One of the most famous is the Lomonosov Moscow State University, which was founded in 1755. Its main building is very tall, standing at 240 metres (790 ft), and it was the tallest building in Europe when it was completed. The university has over 30,000 undergraduate and 7,000 postgraduate students who can choose from twenty-nine different areas of study and 450 departments. Its library has over nine million books, making it one of the largest in Russia.

Moscow is also home to important medical schools, such as the I.M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University and the Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University. These schools train doctors and offer courses for students who want to study medicine further. The city has many other schools too, including business schools, engineering universities, and a famous music school called the Moscow Conservatory.

Moscow is a big center for science, with many research institutions located there. The city has many libraries, including the Russian State Library, which is the largest library in Russia and has millions of books and other items.

Transportation

Main article: Transportation in Moscow

Metro

The Moscow Metro is famous for its beautiful artwork, including murals, mosaics, and shiny chandeliers. It began in 1935 and quickly became a key part of the city's transportation. The Metro is one of the deepest subway systems in the world, with stations very far underground. It is also one of the busiest, carrying about ten million passengers each day. Moscow plans to expand the Metro to help with traffic problems.

Monorail

The Moscow Metro also operates a short monorail line that connects Timiryazevskaya metro station with Ulitsa Sergeya Eisensteina. This line opened in 2004 and is useful for traveling near VDNH.

Bus, trolleybus and electric bus

Main article: Electric buses in Moscow

Moscow has many buses that travel from Metro stations to nearby neighborhoods. There are also trolleybuses, which use overhead wires for power. Recently, Moscow has been adding more electric buses and reducing older trolleybuses.

Moscow cable car

Main article: Moskva River cable car

In 2018, a cable car was opened above the Moskva River. It connects the Luzhniki sports complex with Sparrow Hills, making the trip faster than driving.

Tram

Main article: Trams in Moscow

Moscow has an extensive tram system that first started in 1899. Trams are especially helpful for traveling between Metro stations and some neighborhoods.

Taxi

There are many taxi services in Moscow, including popular app-based services like Yandex.Taxi and Uber.

Railway

Moscow has ten main train stations, each connecting the city to different parts of Europe and Asia. The city is also the start of the Trans-Siberian Railway, which travels across Russia to the Pacific coast.

Roads

Moscow has many cars, which can cause traffic jams. The city has several major ring roads to help with traffic.

Air

Moscow has five main airports, including Sheremetyevo International Airport, which is very important for international travel. Other airports like Domodedovo and Vnukovo also serve many passengers.

Water

Moscow has river terminals for cruises and entertainment along the Moskva and Oka rivers. The city is also connected to other parts of Russia through the Moscow Canal.

Sharing system

See also: Carsharing in Moscow

Moscow offers many sharing options, including car sharing, bike sharing, and electrical scooters. These services are popular and help reduce the number of private cars on the road.

Media

See also: Media of Russia

Moscow is an important center for media in Russia, with almost all of the country's main television networks, radio stations, newspapers, and magazines based there. Readers can find many news sources in both Russian and English.

Some well-known newspapers include The Moscow Times, Kommersant, Vedomosti, and Novaya Gazeta. Moscow also has many radio stations, with nearly 50 broadcasting on the FM band. One famous radio station is Echo of Moscow, and NTV is a major private television network.

Further information: List of newspapers in Russia

See also: Television in Russia

People

Main article: List of people from Moscow

Further information: Category:People from Moscow

Moscow has been home to many important people throughout history. One of them is Alexander Pushkin, who is known as the founder of modern Russian literature. He was born in Moscow in 1799. Another famous person from Moscow is Fyodor Dostoyevsky, born in 1821. Alexander Suvorov, a notable military leader, was also born in Moscow in 1730. Even Peter the Great, one of Russia’s most famous rulers, was born in Moscow in 1672.

International relations

Moscow has many friendships with cities around the world, called "twin towns" or "sister cities." These partnerships help different places share ideas and support each other.

Some of these friendships have changed because of conflicts, especially the ongoing situation between Russia and Ukraine. Cities like Berlin, Chicago, and Prague are no longer twinned with Moscow for now. Other cities such as Kharkiv and Kyiv in Ukraine are also not twinned at this time.