Coat of arms

Moscow
Location Flag

Government
Country
District
Subdivision Russia
Central Federal District
Federal City
Mayor Yuriy Luzhkov
Geographical characteristics
Area
- City
1,081 km²
Population
- City (2005)
- Density
10,415,400
8537.2/km²
Coordinates 55°45′8″N, 37°37′56″E
Elevation <130 - 253 m
Time zone
- Summer (DST) MSK (UTC+3)
MSD (UTC+4)
Other Information
Postal Code 101xxx-129xxx
Dialing Code +7 495; +7 499
License plate 77, 99, 97, 177
Moscow (Russian: Москва́, Moskva, IPA: [mʌsk'va] (help·info)) is the capital of
Russia and the country's principal political, economic, financial, educational,
and transportation center, located on the Moskva River in the Central Federal
District, located in the European part of Russia. The city's population of 10.4
million permanent inhabitants within the city boundaries [1] constitutes about
7% of the total Russian population. Likewise, it is the most populous city in
Europe. 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
ceremonial residence of the President.
Moscow's architecture and performing arts culture are world-renowned.
Moscow is also well known as the site of 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; it is perennially considered one of the
most expensive cities for expatriate employees in the world.[2] 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.

History
Saint Basil's Cathedral and Spasskaya Tower of Moscow Kremlin at Red
Square.
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."[3]
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.[4] After the sacking of 1237-1238, when the
Mongol-Tatars burned the city to the ground and killed its inhabitants, Moscow
recovered and became the capital of an independent principality in 1327.[5] 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-Tatar 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 Tatars in the Battle of Kulikovo. After that, Moscow
took the leading role in liberating Russia from Tatar domination. In 1480, Ivan
III had finally broken the Russians free from Tatar control, allowing Moscow to
become the center of power in Russia.[6] 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 and parts of other lands.
The 17th century was rich in popular risings, such as the liberation of Moscow
from the Polish-Lithuanian 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.[7]
Kremlin Embankment and Moscow skyline with Cathedral of Christ the
Saviour on the left and Kremlin on the right
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 Russia. Since then, the
emergence of a market economy in Moscow has produced an explosion of
Western-style retailing, services, architecture, and lifestyles.
See also: Coat of arms of Moscow

Government
The districts of Moscow
Moscow is the seat of power for the
Russian Federation. 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. This includes numerous
military headquarters and the
headquarters of the Moscow Military
District. 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.
See also: Administrative divisions of Moscow
Climate

Average temperature (red) and

precipitations (blue) in Moscow
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).[8]
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.

City layout
The layout of Moscow, from a
1784 map
Moscow is situated on the banks of
the Moskva River, which flows for
just over five hundred kilometers
through western Russia, in the
center of the East-European plane.
Moscow's road system is centered
roughly around the heart of the
city, 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).[5] 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. [5] 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 Дорога), 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.

Architecture
Ostankino Tower - the tallest free-standing
structure in Eurasia
For a long time the view of the city was
dominated by numerous orthodox 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.[9] 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,[9] bridged with innovative metal-and-glass vaults.
Stalin, however, is also credited with building the The Seven Sisters, comprising
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 architecture. 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.[10] 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, Uzkoye 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, familiarly
known as "false teeth of Moscow" and notorious for the wide-scale disruption of
a historic area in the Moscow downtown involved in the project.
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.

Culture: Museums and galleries

The Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts
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. [11] 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.[12] 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.[12] 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.

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. The 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 (Государственный 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[13],
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 than 160,000 items.[14] The Borodino Panorama[15]
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.

Theatres and other performing arts

Bolshoi theater
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[1].
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 [16],
famous for ballet and estrade performances, is the place of frequent concerts
of pop-stars such as Alla Pugacheva and is situated in the soon to be
demolished building of Hotel Rossiya, the largest hotel in Europe.
Bolshoi Theatre during an April 2005 performance
Moscow International Performance Arts Center[17], 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 [18] 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.[19] . 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 [20] collection are shown regularly.

Parks and landmarks

Novodevichy Convent is just one

of many medieval monuments that
dots the city
There are 96 parks and 18 gardens
in Moscow, including 4 botanical
gardens. There are also 450 square
kilometres of green zones besides
100 square kilometres of forests [1].
Moscow is a very green city if
compared to other cities of
comparable size in Western Europe
and America. There are average 27 square meters of parks per person in
Moscow compared with 6 for Paris, 7.5 in London and 8.6 in New York. [21]
The Central Park of Culture and Rest named after Maxim Gorky founded in
1928. The main part with area of 689,000 square metres [21] 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 408,000 square
metres — 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 [22].
Izmaylovsky Park created in 1931 is one of the largest parks in the world. Its
area of 15.34 km² is 6 times greater than that of Central Park in New York.
Sokolniki park, which got its name for famous falcon huntings occurred here in
the past, is one of the oldest in Moscow and with area of 6 square kilometres
four times greather than London's Hyde 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.
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.
Tsytsin Main Moscow Botanical Garden of Academy of Sciences, founded in
1945 is the largest in Europe [23]. It covers territory of 3.61 km² bordering the
All-Russian Exhibition Center and contains a live exhibition of more than 20
thousand of different species of plants from different parts of the world as well
as scientific research laboratory. It also contains a rosarium with 20 thousand
rose bushes, dendrarium and an oak forest with average age of trees
exceeding 100 years as well as a greenhouse on more than 5000 square
meters[21].
Lilac park founded in 1958 is known for its permanent sculpture exposition and
a large rosarium.
Moscow has always been a popular destination for tourists. Some of the better
known attractions include the city's UNESCO World Heritage Site, Moscow
Kremlin and Red Square,[24] which was built between the 14th and 17th
centuries.[25] Kolomenskoye is another popular attraction with its UNESCO
World Heritage Site, the Church of the Ascension, which dates from 1532.[26]
Other popular attractions include the Moscow Zoo, home to nearly a thousands
species and more than 6,500 specimens.[27] Each year, the zoo attracts more
than 1.2 million adult visitors.[27] The long days will also afford one more time to
cover the immense wealth of historical, cultural or simply popular sites in
Moscow.
Sports Lokomotiv Stadium, reconstructed
in 2002, Moscow is home to more Olympic
champions than any other city in the
world.[citation needed] 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[1], of which Central Moscow
Hippodrome,[28] founded in 1834, is the largest.

Grand Sport Arena of Luzhniki Stadium as seen from Sparrow Hills

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.
Moscow also hosts the annual Kremlin Cup, a popular tennis tournament on
both the WTA and ATP tours. In 2006 the event is to be held from the 9th-15th
October on both the women and men's tennis tour. It is regarded as a very
prestigious tournament and is one of the ten Tier-I events on the womens' tour
and a host of Russian players feature every year.

[edit] Leisure and entertainment

There is a vibrant night life in Moscow. The major and one of the most popular
nightlife areas is around Tverskaya Street. The southern part of Tverskaya
Street near the Manege Square and the Red Square area is known as an area
with many expensive, luxurious bars and restaurants, and is considered being
a playground for New Russians and celebrities. Tverskaya Street is also one of
the busiest shopping streets in Moscow. The adjoining Tretyakovsky Proyezd,
also south of Tverskaya Street, in Kitai-gorod is one of the most expensive
shopping streets in Europe [citation needed]. Many prestigeous night clubs and
casinos, such as Metelitsa located along Noviy Arbat street. There also many
other different night clubs of various ideology including those for gays, lesbians
and bisexuals.

[edit] Education
See also: Education in Russia

Moscow State University at Sparrow Hills.

There are 1696 high schools in Moscow, as well as 91 colleges. [1] Besides these,
there are 222 institutions offering higher education in Moscow, including 60
state universities[1] and the Lomonosov Moscow State University, which was
founded in 1755.[29] 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.[30] 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.[31] 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. [32]
The Moscow Conservatory[33], 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 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. [34]
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.[35]
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.

[edit] Science and research

The headquarters of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow
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.
The 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 and Steklov
Institute of Mathematics are all situated in Moscow.
There are 452 libraries in the city, including 168 for children [1]. The Russian
State Library,[36] 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.[37][38]
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.[39]

[edit] Transport
[edit] Intercity transport

Underground electric railway (elektrichka) station in Vnukovo Airport

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)[40] although other airports also serve the city
of Moscow, particularly with flights within Russia and to and from states from
the former Soviet Union.[41] Domodedovo International Airport 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[40] and Ostafievo
airport is the nearest.

North river terminal in Moscow

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. [42] 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[43].

[edit] Local transport

Map of the Moscow Metro
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 172 stations. Park Pobedy ("Victory Park"),
completed in 2003, is the deepest metro station in the world, which also
contains the longest escalators in Europe. The Moscow Metro is one of world's
busiest metro system, serving more than seven million passengers daily. [44]
There is also a monorail line, operated by the same company. Facing serious
transportation problems Moscow has wide plans of expansion of Moscow Metro.

Moscow Monorail
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. [1] 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 the 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.
See also: Moscow Metro
[edit] Economy
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. [45] 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[46] serve to lower
the cost of living greatly.
See also: Economy of Russia

[edit] 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. [47] Since the Russian
financial crisis in late 1998, 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 turnover of about thirty million dollars and
about ten thousand sellers[48] from different countries (including the China,
Turkey, Azerbaijan and India). It is administratively divided 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.[49] 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.[50] 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.

[edit] Industry

Primary industries in Moscow include the chemical, metallurgy, food, textile,

furniture, and machinery industries.
The Mil Moscow Helicopter Plant is one of the leading producers of military and
civil helicopters in the world. Automobile plants ZiL and AZLK, as well as the
Voitovich Rail Vehicle plant, are situated in Moscow. The Poljot Moscow watch
factory produces reliable military, professional and sport watches well known in
Russia and abroad. The Kristall distillery[51] 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.[52] The Moscow Jewelry Factory[53] and the
Jewellerprom [54] 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.

[edit] Living costs

Triumph-Palace building, built in 2005, the tallest building in Europe (second

place holds Commerzbank Tower in Frankfurt) is just one of many prestigious
residential complexes
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 limited until 1990, when
people were permitted 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 $3800 in average per square meter in the
outskirts of the city or $6000-$7000 per square meter in a prestigious district.
The price sometimes may exceed $40000 per square meter in a flat. [55][56][57] 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.
[edit] Employment

As of 2006, there are 8.47 million Muscovites able to work. 1.73 million are
employed by the 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.[1]

[edit] Future development

[edit] Moscow-City

The Federation Tower, now being constructed is to be completed by 2007.

Moscow-City or Moscow International Business Center is a projected part of
central Moscow. Geographically situated in Presnya, located at the Third Ring,
the Moscow-City area is currently under intense development.
The goal of MIBC "Moscow-City" is to create the first in Russia, and in all of
Eastern Europe, a zone that will combine business activity, living space and
entertainment. It will be a city within a city. The project was conceived by the
Moscow government in 1992.
The construction of MIBC "Moscow-City" takes place on the
Krasnopresnenskaya embankment. The whole project takes up 1 square
kilometre. This territory is the only spot in downtown Moscow that can
accommodate a project of this magnitude. Today, most of the buildings there
are old factories and industrial complexes.
At its final stage it will incorporate the highest building in the world, the Russia
Tower, an aquapark and other recreational facilities, trade and entertainment
complexes, numerous prestigeous office and residential buildings, Wedding
Palace, the transport node and the new site of the Moscow government. A
construction of four new metro stations in the territory already completed, of
which two opened and two other reserved for future metro lines crossing MIBC,
and besides these, some other stations were planned. A rail shuttle service,
directly connecting MIBC with Sheremetyevo Airport is also planned.
The Federation Tower, now being built is to be the completed by 2007, will
become the tallest building in Europe when completed.
[edit] Other projects

[edit] Demographics

Residential apartments in Strogino

The population of Russia has been declining by about 700,000 persons per year
since the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991 due to low birth rates[58] and increase
in mortality, 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.[59] 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. [59]
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.[60]

[edit] Real Estate and Neighbourhoods

The Moscow real estate has been increasing a lot the latest years. Following
are some of the most expensive neighbourhoods in order:
Serebryany Bor is the most expensive residential area in Moscow. It’s located
in a pine forest on an island north-west of Moscow, 20 to 30 minutes from
Moscow by car. The area is popular among diplomats, and many people have
their dachas and summer colonies here.
Patriarch’s Ponds is the most expensive and luxurious neighbourhood within
the Garden Ring. The neighbourhood is located in the centre of Moscow,
between the Boulevard Ring and the Garden Ring, but is still pretty quiet. It is
also home to a number of embassies that gives the neighbourhood a higher
security status.
Another prestigious neighbourhood is Arbat named after Arbat Street, one of
the oldest streets in Moscow and a major tourist attraction with souvenirs,
restaurants, art shops and musicians. Arbat is also home to a number of
embassies.
Kropotkinskaya is a prestigious neighbourhood located along the Prechistenka
Street and the Moskva River. The neighbourhood is home to the most of the
embassies in Moscow. It is also home to the Pushkin Art Museum and the
Cathedral of Christ the Saviour.
Tverskaya Street and its surrounding streets like Tretyakov Drive, Stoleshnikov
Lane, Tverskoy Boulevard and the Theatre Square are home to luxury hotels
and expensive boutiques. Tverskaya Street is located next to the Red Square
and Kremlin and is the busiest shopping street in Moscow. It is called the main
street and has existed since the 12th century. The street is named after Tver,
as it’s heading to that direction.
Clean Ponds is located along the Clean Ponds Boulevard on the Boulevard Ring.
The prestigious neighbourhood is home to many pre-revolutionary buildings,
medieval churches, and embassies.
Zamoskvorechye means beyond the Moskva River. The area is very popular
among the French community as the neighbourhood is home to the French
embassy. The neighbourhood is also home to the famous Tretyakov Gallery.
Krasnaya Presnya is one of the more modern neighbourhoods in Moscow, as it
was reconstructed in the 1990s. It is now a more fashionable area than it was
before and home to embassies and the Moscow Zoo.

[edit] Crime
Sports team fan 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.[61]
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.