Moscow

Everything that characterizes the country is especially important to the description of its capital.  Moscow was founded in 1147 by Prince Yuri Dolgorukiy. Moscow is the bridge between Past and Present nowadays. Skyscrapers, luxuries hotels, banks, restaurants and limousines - characterize modern city of a European country – coexists harmoniously with old buildings of monasteries and golden domes of churches. Moscow was famous for its churches in the past, but during the soviet period most of them were closed or destroyed.

In the early nineties many of the destroyed churches have been restored and traditional religions were gaining popularity. Believers for the most part belong to the Russian Orthodox Church, though there are also Catholics, Jews and Muslims here. Moscow is the multinational city with population more than 10 million people. Most of them are Russians (85%) and the others consist of nationalities of former Soviet Union such as Ukrainians, Byelorussians, Tartars, Armenians  etc.

Moscow is the  major political, economical, cultural, religious, financial, educational, and transportation center of Russia, and sometimes is called -  the Heart of the country. Kremlin is the heart of the city of Moscow.

Originally Kremlin was made of wood, but at the end of the 15th century it was reconstructed in stone. By time it became a rampart of Russian state, official residence of Russian tsars and patriarchs of Russian Orthodox Church. Even nowadays Russia's presidential administration is located in Kremlin. During the visit to Kremlin you will see its cathedrals and museums, The Kremlin Armoury, Diamond Found, The Grand Kremlin Palace (the official residence of the head of the state). 

There are many museums in Moscow.  Some of them are devoted to history, others to music, literature and art.

Museums and Culture

The Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts is the largest museum of European art and is famous for the unique collection of masterpieces by Western artists presented by French, Flanders and Italian impressionists, etc. The State Tretyakov Gallery is famous for its collection of Russian fine art from icons of 9-19th centuries to the works of portrait-painters of 18th century and artists of 20th century. 
There are more than 80 museums in Moscow.

The Moscow Metro is well known for the ornate design of its stations, which are the most beautiful in the world. Each station has got its own style and history. Underground palaces are decorated with marble, bronze statues, chandeliers, created with the only one ideological aim -  to persuade the starving people to the fact that their future would  be promising if they work hard. Construction of the Moscow Metro began in the middle of the 30s in the 20th century, but even nowadays the beauty of The Moscow Metro amazes people, who see it for the first time. There are 150 stations in the Moscow Metro. You can quickly, comfortably and safely get to any point (place) in Moscow. There is also another public transport in Moscow: buses, trolleybuses and trams.