A Look at Moscow through the Ages
It was in the year 1147 that the first official mention of Moscow was made in any official documents. The city was spoken of in the Historical Chronicles and was said to be founded by Yury Dolgoruky, the Russian prince.
In the year 1328, Moscow was crowned as the capital of the Great Moscow Principality and also as capital of the entire Russian territory. It was in the year 1672 that Peter I was born and in 1713, under his rule, the capital of Russia was shifted from Moscow to St. Petersburg.
In the year 1755, a great advancement in the field of education was made and the first university in Russia, called Moscow University, was established. It is the oldest university in Russia and still continues to be the best and most sought-after.
In the year 1812, the famous Patriotic War with Napoleon was fought. Fires from the war destroyed buildings and structures all around Moscow. It has still not been confirmed whether it was the Russian patriots or the French army that started the fires.
In 1918, on 12th March, Moscow was declared the capital of Soviet Russia. Around the year 1925, the tight hold on the New Economic Policy by the communist authorities was lessened to a degree, and Moscow became a hub of social, commercial, artistic and expressionist activity. Cinema, fine art, photography all began to flourish in the city.
The year 1991 brought with itself a small scale revolution in Moscow and the coming in of democracy. A much anticipated process, bringing in democracy proved to be a much more challenging task than was originally expected.
In the year 2006 Moscow was declared to be the most expensive city in the world. Money earned through the oil and gas industries created unimaginable wealth and prosperity in the city and put it firmly on the international radar.
Moscow continues to grow and establish itself even now. A renewed focus is being dedicated to the study of arts and education to help create a balanced atmosphere in the city.
Moscow as a tourist destination is thriving. It is a place to head to when you have some time on hand, so that you are able to truly absorb the culture of the place.