Moscow.

   Moscow is the capital of Russia, its political, economic, commercial and cultural center. It was founded 8 century ago by prince Yuri Dolgoruky. Historians has accepted the year of 1147 as the start of Moscow history. In the 13^th century Moscow was the center of the struggle of Russian lands for the liberation from tartar yoke. In the 16^th century under Ivan the Terrible Moscow became the capital of the new united state. Though Peter the Great moved the capital to S-Petersburg in 1712 Moscow remained the heard of Russia. That is why it became the main target of Napoleons attack. Three quarters of the city was destroyed by fire during Napoleons occupation, but by the mid 19^th century Moscow had been completely restored. After the October revolution Moscow became the capital again. Now Moscow is one of the largest cities in Europe. Its total area is about 900 sq km. The population of the city about 9 mln.

   Moscow is one of the most beautiful cities in the world. The heard of Moscow is Red Square. The Kremlin and St. Basils cathedral are master-piece of ancient Russian architecture. The main Kremlin Tower, The Spasskaya has become the symbol of the country. On the territory of the Kremlin you can see old cathedral the bell tower of Ivan the Great, the palace of Congress, The (T)sar – Cannon and the (T)sar – Bell, the biggest Cannon and Bell in the world. St. Basils cathedral was build in 1552 in memory of the victory over Kazan. There is a legend that Ivan the Terrible blinded the architects Barma and Postnik because he didn't want them to create another muster-piece. 

   It is necessary to mention such monuments to the great Russian writers Aleksandr Pushkin and to the first Russian printer Ivan Phedorov.

   One of the highest buildings in Moscow is the state Moscow university. It is 32 storages high. It was founded in 1755 by the great scientist Michael Lomonosow. Its new building was opened in 1953. 

   We say that Moscow is a port of 5 seas as the Moscow-Volga Chanel links Moscow with the Baltic, White, Caspian, Black and Asow sea. There are more then 80 museums in Moscow. The largest Museums are  he Pushkin museum of fine arts and the state Tretyakov gallery.

   The gallery takes its name from its founder Pavel Tretyakov a Moscow merchant and connoisseur. In the middle of the 19^th century Tretyakov began to collect Russian paintings. He visited all the exhibitions and bought the best pictures of contemporary artists. The museum also has a reach collection of old Russian icons. In 1881 Pavel Tretyakov opened his collection to the public and 11 years later he donated it to the city of Moscow.