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Moscow is the capital and largest city of Russia. The city stands on the Moskva River in Central Russia, with a population estimated at 13.0 million residents within the city limits, over 18.8 million residents in the urban area, and over 21.5 million residents in the metropolitan area.
- 2,561.5 km² (989.0 sq mi)
- 156 m (512 ft)
- Muscovite
- Russia
- Overview
- Character of the city
Moscow, city, capital of Russia, located in the far western part of the country. Since it was first mentioned in the chronicles of 1147, Moscow has played a vital role in Russian history. It became the capital of Muscovy (the Grand Principality of Moscow) in the late 13th century; hence, the people of Moscow are known as Muscovites. Today Moscow is not only the political centre of Russia but also the country’s most populous city and its industrial, cultural, scientific, and educational capital. For more than 600 years Moscow also has been the spiritual centre of the Russian Orthodox Church.
The capital of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (U.S.S.R.) until the union dissolved in 1991, Moscow attracted world attention as a centre of communist power; indeed, the name of the seat of the former Soviet government and the successor Russian government, the Kremlin (Russian: Kreml), was a synonym for Soviet authority. The dissolution of the U.S.S.R. brought tremendous economic and political change, along with a significant concentration of Russia’s wealth, into Moscow. Area 414 square miles (1,035 square km). Pop. (2010) city, 11,738,547; (2020 est.) city, 12,678,079.
If St. Petersburg is Russia’s “window on Europe,” Moscow is Russia’s heart. It is an upbeat, vibrant, and sometimes wearisome city. Much of Moscow was reconstructed after it was occupied by the French under Napoleon I in 1812 and almost entirely destroyed by fire. Moscow has not stopped being refurbished and modernized and continues to experience rapid social change. Russia’s Soviet past collides with its capitalist present everywhere in the country, but nowhere is this contrast more visible than in Moscow. Vladimir Ilich Lenin’s Mausoleum remains intact, as do many dreary five-story apartment buildings from the era of Nikita Khrushchev’s rule (the mid-1950s to the mid-1960s), yet glitzy automobiles and Western-style supermarkets, casinos, and nightclubs are equally visible. Many Orthodox churches, as well as some synagogues and mosques, have been restored, Moscow’s novel theatres have reclaimed leadership in the dramatic arts, and traditional markets have been revived and expanded. These markets, which under the Soviets were known as kolkhoz (collective-farm) markets and sold mainly crafts and produce, are now more sophisticated retail establishments.
It has become habitual to compare Moscow with St. Petersburg, its rival and the former (1712–1918) capital of Russia. While St. Petersburg has absorbed western European influences, Moscow is viewed as a traditional Russian city. Unlike its rival, Moscow has a well-defined city centre marked by the Kremlin. Other characteristics of Moscow are its physical layout in radial spokes and rings that have been extended over time, its hodgepodge of architectural styles, and its historical buildings that were mainly built by Russian architects. Moscow’s buildings were predominantly wooden until the 1920s, when brick and stone came into use.
Britannica Quiz
World Cities
- Explore the Kremlin. Address. Moscow, Russia, 103132. Get directions. Phone +7 495 697-03-49. Web Visit website. First-time visitors must tour the Moscow Kremlin.
- Visit Novodevichy Convent. Address. Novodevichy Passage, 1, Moskva, Russia, 119435. Get directions. Phone +7 499 246-85-26. Web Visit website. The Novodevichy Convent is a UNESCO World Heritage site and the most well-known cloister in all of Moscow.
- Meet Stalin's Seven Sisters. Moscow's Seven Sisters of Stalinist Architecture remember the mid-century leader's need for Russia to illustrate its size and might.
- Get a Sparrow's-Eye View. Address. Vorob'yevy Gory, Moscow, Russia, 119192. Get directions. For the best view in Moscow, take a trip to the summit of Sparrow Hills.
Things to Do in Moscow, Russia: See Tripadvisor's 810,016 traveler reviews and photos of Moscow tourist attractions. Find what to do today, this weekend, or in April. We have reviews of the best places to see in Moscow. Visit top-rated & must-see attractions.
Explore Moscow's artistry, history and majesty with Lonely Planet's expert tips and recommendations. Find attractions, articles, activities and guidebooks for your Moscow trip.
Today, Moscow is a thriving, exuberant capital city that overflows with life, culture and sometimes traffic. A sprawling metropolis, and one of the largest cities in Europe, Moscow is home to numerous museums, Soviet-era monoliths and post-Soviet kitsch, but continues to pave the way forward as Muscovites move into the 21st century.
Moscow is the capital and largest city of Russia. The city stands on the Moskva River in Central Russia, with a population estimated at 13.0 million residents within the city limits, over 18.8 million residents in the urban area, and over 21.5 million residents in the metropolitan area.
