How did a tiny village become part of a sprawling metropolis? Let’s explore Boborykino in Moscow. This village is a part of the Podolsk region. It resides within the Strelkovskoye rural settlement. Once, Boborykino was in the Bryantsevsky rural district until the mid-2000s.
Boborykino sits about 11 kilometers from Podolsk city center. Head towards the northeast to find it. Nearby villages include Potapovo and Fedyukovo. You will also find Maloye Bryantsevo and Yakovlevo close by. Spirovo is also not far away. The Pustyshka River flows near Boborykino.
In 2002, only five people lived in Boborykino. Three were men and two were women. By 2005, the population remained at five. The 2010 census recorded 31 residents. Boborykino has seen some growth.
Moscow itself has a rich history. The city’s story began around the Moscow Kremlin. This started in the 14th century. Moscow became the capital of the Grand Duchy of Moscow. It was also the Tsardom of Russia. Later, the capital moved to Saint Petersburg. Peter the Great made this change. Moscow then became the capital again in 1918. It was the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic’s capital. This republic later became part of the Soviet Union. Since 1991, Moscow has been the capital of the Russian Federation.
Moscow grew in concentric circles over time. These circles were once separated by walls. The Kremlin was the fortress. Kitaigorod was the walled town. Some think of it as “Chinatown”. Bielygorod was the white town. Zemlianoigorod was the earthworks town. Miestchanskygorod was the bourgeois town outside the walls.
After the fire of 1812, the city changed again. Ramparts became the Boulevard Ring and Garden Ring roads. These replaced walls around Bielygorod and Zemlianoigorod. Moscow’s population grew rapidly. In the 19th century, it went from 250000 to over a million. The 20th century saw it jump from one to ten million.
Moscow is known as Russia’s heart. St. Petersburg is its window on Europe. Moscow faced much reconstruction. This was after Napoleon’s army occupied it. A fire nearly destroyed it in 1812. Refurbishment and modernization have been ongoing ever since. Soviet and capitalist influences collide in Moscow. Lenin’s Mausoleum stands. So do old apartment buildings. Modern supermarkets and nightclubs are also visible.
Moscow has always been central to Russia’s story. Even a small village like Boborykino adds to its tale. From a handful of residents to its location near Podolsk, it is a piece of the larger puzzle. The history of Moscow is complex. It includes grand events and quiet village life. Together they form the city we see today.