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| History | |
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See also: History of Moscow
Moscow (Russian Empire) in 1908
The city is named after the river (old Russian: гра́д Моско́в, literally "the city by the Moskva River"). The first reference to Moscow dates from 1147 when Yuri Dolgorukiy called upon the prince of the Novgorod-Severski to "come to me, brother, to Moscow."[3]
Nine years later, in 1156, Prince Yuri Dolgorukiy of Rostov ordered the construction of a wooden wall, the Kremlin, which had to be rebuilt multiple times, to surround the emerging city.[14] After the sacking of 1237–1238, when the Mongols burned the city to the ground and killed its inhabitants, Moscow recovered and became the capital of the independent Vladimir-Suzdal principality in 1327.[15] Its favorable position on the headwaters of the Volga River contributed to steady expansion. Moscow developed into a stable and prosperous principality, known as Grand Duchy of Moscow, for many years and attracted a large number of refugees from across Russia.
Under Ivan I of Moscow the city replaced Tver as a political center 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. Moscow's opposition against foreign domination grew. In 1380, prince Dmitry Donskoy of Moscow led a united Russian army to an important victory over the Tatars in the Battle of Kulikovo. The battle, however, was not decisive and only two years later Moscow was sacked by khan Tokhtamysh. Ivan III, in 1480, finally broke the Russians free from Tatar control, allowing Moscow to become the center of power in Russia.[16] Under Ivan III the city became the capital of an empire that would eventually encompass all of present-day Russia and other lands.
In 1571, the Crimean Tatars attacked and sacked Moscow, burning everything but the Kremlin.[17]
Kremlevskaya Naberezhnaya and Moscow skyline
In 1609, the Swedish army led by Count Jacob De la Gardie and Evert Horn started their march from Great Novgorod toward Moscow to help Tsar Vasili Shuiski, entered Moscow in 1610 and suppressed the rebellion against the Tsar, but left it early in 1611, following which the Polish–Lithuanian army invaded. During the Polish–Muscovite War (1605–1618) hetman Stanisław Żółkiewski entered Moscow after defeating the Russians in the Battle of Klushino. 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 plague epidemics ravaged Moscow in 1570–1571, 1592 and 1654–1656.[18] The city ceased to be Russia’s capital in 1712, after the founding of Saint Petersburg by Peter the Great near the Baltic coast in 1703. The Plague of 1771 was the last massive outbreak of plague in central Russia, claiming up to 100,000 lives in Moscow alone. During the French invasion of Russia in 1812, the Muscovites burned the city and evacuated, as Napoleon’s forces were approaching on 14 September. Napoleon’s Grande Armée, plagued by hunger, cold and poor supply lines, was forced to retreat and was nearly annihilated by the devastating Russian winter and sporadic attacks by Russian military forces. As many as 400,000 died in the adventure and only a few tens of thousands of ravaged troops returned.[19]
French invasion of Russia in 1812, Fire of Moscow, painting of Smirnov A.F., 1813
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 Russian Revolution of 1917, on 12 March 1918[20] Moscow became the capital of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic and of the Soviet Union less than five years later.[21] During World War II (the period from June 22, 1941, to May 9, 1945 known in Russia as the Great Patriotic War), after the German invasion of the USSR, the Soviet State Defense Committee and the General Staff of the Red Army was located in Moscow.
Red Square, painting of Fedor Alekseev, 1802
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. That November, the German Army Group Center was stopped at the outskirts of the city and then driven off in the Battle of Moscow. Many factories were evacuated, together with much of the government, and from 20 October the city was declared to be under siege. Its remaining inhabitants built and manned antitank defenses, while the city was bombarded from the air. Joseph 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 continued through the war, and by the end of the war several new metro lines were opened.
Map of Moscow, 1784
Both German and Soviet casualties during the battle of Moscow have been a subject of debate, as various sources provide somewhat different estimates. Therefore, total casualties between 30 September 1941, and 7 January 1942, are estimated to be between 248,000 and 400,000 for the Wehrmacht and between 650,000 and 1,280,000 for the Red Army.[22][23][24]
On 1 May 1944, a medal For the defense of Moscow and in 1947 another medal In memory of the 800th anniversary of Moscow were instituted. In commemoration of the 20th anniversary of the victory over Nazi Germany, on May 8, 1965, Moscow became one of twelve Soviet cities awarded the title of Hero City.
In 1980, it hosted the Summer Olympic Games, which was boycotted by the United States and several other Western countries due to the Soviet Union's involvement in Afghanistan in late 1979. In 1991, Moscow was the scene of the failed 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. In 1998, it hosted the first World Youth Games.
A panoramic view of Moscow in 1867. Image with notes.
[edit] Tags:Russia,Central,Russian,Capital,City,Moskva River,Yuri Dolgorukiy,Rostov,Vladimir-suzdal,Principality,Tver,Mongol-tatar Rulers,Tatars,Tokhtamysh,Ivan Iii,Crimean Tatars,Swedish,Jacob De La Gardie,Evert Horn,Tsar,Polish–lithuanian,Polish–muscovite War (1605–1618),Hetman,Battle Of Klushino,Salt Riot,Copper Riot,Saint Petersburg,Peter The Great,Baltic Coast,French Invasion Of Russia,Napoleon,Grande Armée,Russian Revolution Of 1917, | |
| Location | |
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Satellite image of Moscow and suburbs
Moscow aerial view looking towards the south-east
Moscow is situated on the banks of the Moskva River, which flows for just over 500 km through the East European Plain in central Russia. 49 bridges span the river and its canals within the city's limits. Elevation of Moscow at the All-Russia Exhibition Center (VVC), where the head Moscow weather station is situated, is 156 m (512 ft). The highest point is Teplostanskaya highland at 255 m (837 ft).[25] The width of Moscow city (not limiting MKAD) from west to east is 39.7 km (24.7 mi), and the length from north to south is 51.7 km (32.1 mi).
Moscow's road system is centered roughly around the Kremlin at the heart of the city. From there, roads generally radiate outwards to intersect with a sequence of circular roads ("rings").
The first and innermost major ring, Bulvarnoye Koltso (Boulevard Ring), was built at the former location of the 16th century city wall around that used to be called Bely Gorod (White Town).[15] 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 Savior 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 bell end Boulevard Ring, is the Sadovoye Koltso (Garden Ring). Like the Boulevard Ring, the Garden Ring follows the path of a 16th century wall that used to encompass part of the city.[15] The third ring, the Third Transport Ring, was completed in 2003 as a high-speed freeway.
The Fourth Transport Ring, another freeway, is 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.
[edit] Tags:Europe, | |
| Time | |
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Main article: Moscow Time
Time zones of Europe
Moscow serves as the reference point for the timezone used in most of Central Russia, including Saint Petersburg. The areas operate in what is referred to as Moscow Standard Time (MSK, мск), which is 4 hours ahead of UTC, or UTC+4. Daylight saving time is no longer observed.
Moscow Time (UTC+4)
[edit] Tags:Time Zone, | |
| Climate | |
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Main article: Climate of Moscow
Moscow has a humid continental climate (Köppen climate classification Dfb) with warm, and sometimes hot, somewhat humid summers and long, cold winters. Typical high temperatures in the warm months of June, July and August are around comfortable 23 °C (73 °F), but during heat waves (which can occur between May and September), daytime high temperatures often top 30 °C (86 °F)—sometimes for a week or a two at a time. In the winter, temperatures normally drop to approximately −10 °C (14 °F), though there can be periods of warmth with temperatures rising above 0 °C (32 °F). The highest temperature ever recorded was 38.2 °C (100.8 °F)[26] at the VVC weather station and 39.0 °C (102.2 °F) in the center of Moscow and Domodedovo airport on 29 July 2010 during the unusual 2010 Northern Hemisphere summer heat wave. At the new averages 1981–2010 mean temperature of July is 19.2 °C (66.6 °F). The lowest ever recorded was −42.2 °C (−44.0 °F) in January 1940. Snow cover (present for 3–5 months a year) typically begins at the end of November and melts by mid-March.
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.
The average annual temperature in Moscow is 5.8 °C (42.4 °F) (1981–2010), but for the last two years (2007–2008) the annual temperature has averaged above 7 °C (45 °F).[27] In contrast, during the first half of the 20th century, Moscow experienced light frost during the late summer months.[28]
On average Moscow has 1731 hours of sunshine per year, varying between a low of 8% in December to 52% in May–August.[29] In 2004–2010, the average was between 1800 and 2000 hours with tends to more sunshine in summer months[30]
Climate data for Moscow (VVC) normals 1981–2010, records 1879 – the present
Month
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Year
Record high °C (°F)
8.6
(47.5)
8.3
(46.9)
17.5
(63.5)
28.0
(82.4)
33.2
(91.8)
34.9
(94.8)
38.2
(100.8)
37.3
(99.1)
32.3
(90.1)
24.0
(75.2)
14.5
(58.1)
9.6
(49.3)
38.2
(100.8)
Average high °C (°F)
−4
(25)
−3.7
(25.3)
2.6
(36.7)
11.3
(52.3)
18.6
(65.5)
22.0
(71.6)
24.2
(75.6)
21.9
(71.4)
15.7
(60.3)
8.7
(47.7)
0.9
(33.6)
−3
(27)
9.6
(49.3)
Daily mean °C (°F)
−6.5
(20.3)
−6.7
(19.9)
−1
(30)
6.7
(44.1)
13.2
(55.8)
17.0
(62.6)
19.2
(66.6)
17.0
(62.6)
11.3
(52.3)
5.6
(42.1)
−1.2
(29.8)
−5.2
(22.6)
5.8
(42.4)
Average low °C (°F)
−9.1
(15.6)
−9.8
(14.4)
−4.4
(24.1)
2.2
(36.0)
7.7
(45.9)
12.1
(53.8)
14.4
(57.9)
12.5
(54.5)
7.4
(45.3)
2.7
(36.9)
−3.3
(26.1)
−7.6
(18.3)
2.1
(35.8)
Record low °C (°F)
−42.2
(−44)
−38.2
(−37)
−32.4
(−26)
−21
(−6)
−7.5
(18.5)
−2.3
(27.9)
1.3
(34.3)
−1.2
(29.8)
−8.5
(16.7)
−16.1
(3.0)
−32.8
(−27)
−38.8
(−38)
−42.2
(−44)
Precipitation mm (inches)
52
(2.05)
41
(1.61)
35
(1.38)
37
(1.46)
49
(1.93)
80
(3.15)
85
(3.35)
82
(3.23)
68
(2.68)
71
(2.8)
55
(2.17)
52
(2.05)
707
(27.83)
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