“Another district?” she sighed. Today we are exploring Novokurkino in Moscow. Moscow is the capital and largest city of Russia. It has a population of over 13 million. Moscow stands on the Moskva River. It is the most populous city in Europe.
First documented in 1147 Moscow has a rich history. It once served as the capital of the Grand Duchy of Moscow. Moscow remained the political and economic center for most of its history. The capital later moved to Saint Petersburg. It returned to Moscow in 1918.
Moscow is the political economic cultural and scientific center of Russia. It is a global city with one of the world’s largest urban economies. The city is a popular tourist destination. Moscow boasts the second-highest number of billionaires.
The city’s name comes from the Moskva River. One theory suggests the name means “river at a wetland”. Moscow has earned epithets like The Third Rome. It is also one of twelve Hero Cities.
Moscow’s history stretches back to prehistoric times. Slavic tribes settled here around 950 AD. The first known reference to Moscow was in 1147. Yuri Dolgorukiy met with Sviatoslav Olgovich here. In 1156 Dolgorukiy fortified the town. He created a wooden wall that later became the Kremlin.
Daniel the youngest son of Alexander Nevsky inherited the timber fort. He sided with his brother Dmitry in power struggles. Daniel is credited with founding Moscow monasteries. Moscow was stable and prosperous attracting refugees. Ivan I defeated Tver becoming the sole tax collector for Mongol rulers.
The Khan strengthened Moscow to counterbalance Lithuania. In 1380 Prince Dmitry Donskoy led a united Russian army to victory over the Mongols. Ivan III broke free from Tatar control in 1480. Moscow became the capital of an empire.
Italian architects rebuilt the Moscow Kremlin in the 15th century. The Kremlin walls stand as designed by Solarius. The Great Bell Tower was built in the early 16th century. A trading settlement grew east of the Kremlin.
The city faced numerous disasters including fires and plague epidemics. Peter the Great moved the government to Saint Petersburg in 1712. The population decreased initially but grew tenfold by 1915. Napoleon invaded Russia in 1812 forcing Moscovites to evacuate. A fire destroyed much of the city.
The Bolsheviks began their uprising in Moscow in November 1917. Vladimir Lenin moved the capital back to Moscow in 1918. The Kremlin became the political center again. During World War II Moscow was declared to be in a siege.
After the war housing crises led to high-rise apartments. The Moscow Ring Road was opened in 1961. Moscow hosted the Summer Olympic Games in 1980. The USSR dissolved in 1991 and Moscow remained the capital. A market economy emerged.
The area of Moscow more than doubled in 2012. It became the largest city on the European continent by area. The annexed territory was named New Moscow. Today Moscow continues to evolve. It blends historical richness with modern dynamism.n