In the central part of the East European Plain between the Oka and the Volga is the wonderful city of Moscow - the capital of our vast Motherland. This metropolis has a lot of interesting places and cultural heritage sites. Moscow is visited annually by tens of thousands of tourists, many of whom come just for them. What are these places?
History of Moscow
An interesting fact is that historians have not yet established the exact date of formation of the future capital. At one time, scientists suggested that the construction of Moscow dates back to the 9th century and Prince Oleg founded the city, but there is no documentary evidence of this version.
Therefore, it is conditionally believed that the city was founded in the XII century by Yuri Dolgoruky (son of Vladimir Monomakh).
Established in 1147, Moscow (for the first time the city is mentioned in ancient Russian chronicles) began its rapid development. The reason was the favorable geographical location of the united settlements, in which the Finno-Ugric peoples first lived.tribes, and after a while representatives of the East Slavic tribal union (Vyatichi).
During the reign of Ivan the Terrible, the settlement received the status of a city and became the capital of the Russian state.
In 1682, Peter I became the Tsar of All Russia, and later the Emperor of Russia, who legitimized St. Petersburg, built on the banks of the Neva, as the capital of the empire.
Thus, since 1712 and for 206 years, Moscow was an ordinary city. And From 1918 to the present time - the capital.
Origin of the name
Before listing the cultural heritage sites of Moscow, it is worth saying a few words about the origin of the city's name. One of the assumptions says that the word comes from the language of the Finno-Ugric tribe: “mask” (bear), “ava” (mother). This opinion is based on the fact that many bears lived in the territory in ancient times.
The most reliable theory is that the word "Moscow" comes from the ancient language of the Komi peoples: "moska" (cow), "va" (river). This option is confirmed by the fact that the natural conditions of the area contributed to the development of cattle breeding and, probably, a herd of cows always grazed on the banks of the river.
Megapolis in our time
Now Moscow is a world-famous metropolis with a population of over 12 million people and an area of 2560 square meters. km.
Locals are proud of historical monuments: 566 monuments and 415 buildings related to the history of Russia.
In addition, the city has more than 60 museums, 105 theaters of variousdirections and many other unique objects.
The oldest part of the city covers 27 hectares and impresses with the beauty of towers, cathedrals and palaces that attract tourists from all over the world.
Monuments of history and culture
The leadership of the Russian Federation pays great attention to the cultural heritage of Moscow.
On June 30, 2012, Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev approved their list. It includes objects of significant historical value.
The list of Moscow cultural heritage sites was formed with the participation of artists, historians, representatives of restoration services and the public. It consists of separate buildings, structures, palace and park ensembles, monasteries, temples, and is listed in all guidebooks for guests of the capital.
Among tourists, visiting the ensemble of the Moscow Kremlin, St. Basil's Cathedral, the Novodevichy Convent, the Arbat, the Ostankino Tower, the Tsaritsyno estate, Kuskovo are popular.
Kremlin
This is not just the most famous landmark of the Russian capital, but a cultural heritage site of Moscow and the oldest building that has survived to our time.
In the XII century, on the banks of the Neglinnaya River, at the direction of Yuri Dolgorukov, the construction of a defensive structure began, which later became one of the emblems of the capital.
Around the Kremlin, erected from logs, the future city began to grow. The first wooden buildings, according to historicaldocuments, became the church of St. Nicholas, the temple of Daniel the Stylite (Christian ascetic, saint in the guise of saints).
All these structures have not survived due to repeated fires.
In 1326 the Moscow Prince Ivan Kalita began to build a stone fortification. The Assumption Cathedral was the first temple on its territory.
The Kremlin was repeatedly rebuilt. Its territory expanded due to the construction of new buildings. By the end of the 16th century, the complex takes on an almost modern look.
By the way, the Kremlin, like Red Square, is included in the list of UNESCO cultural heritage sites. There are three such significant places in Moscow - the Church of the Ascension in Kolomenskoye and the Ensemble of the Novodevichy Convent.
St. Basil's Cathedral
The main square of Moscow is decorated with a building that attracts the attention of all tourists in the world - St. Basil's Cathedral. Construction began in 1555 by order of Ivan the Terrible.
At that time in Moscow there were many people who were canonized by the church as saints.
Among the wandering hermits, the holy fool Vasily, who was respected by the royal nobility and Ivan the Terrible himself, had a special reverence.
Blessed Basil died in 1552. Six years later, a church was erected over his grave. It is believed that this building gave its name to the temple built in honor of the victory over the Kazan Khanate.
The religious complex, which has survived unchanged to this day, is a temple structure of eight churches, symbolizing the eight days of the battle for Kazan.
Novodevichy Convent
Another building included in the register of Moscow cultural heritage sites. This ensemble complex is located not far from Luzhniki (Sportivnaya metro station).
There is a legend that says that during the Mongol-Tatar enslavement of Russia, beautiful Russian girls were selected for the Golden Horde at this place. This belief explains the name of the current female Orthodox monastery.
The construction of the temple complex dates back to the middle of the 16th century (1524) at the direction of the Sovereign of All Russia Vasily III (father of Ivan the Terrible). Its construction was timed to coincide with the return of Smolensk to the Moscow principality.
The temple is inextricably linked with the history of Russia: at one time a legendary person, the boyar Morozov, was in custody here, in addition, on the instructions of Peter I, Princess Sophia spent 15 years in the monastery walls (under the name of Susanna), who did not want to voluntarily give authority to his brother.
Now tourists have the opportunity to visit the church service, view the temple interior and spend time in the silence of the monastery park.
Tourists visiting the Novodevichy necropolis, located on the territory of the temple, are allowed only as part of an excursion where you can see the burial places of famous people. As already mentioned, this is the third UNESCO cultural heritage site in Moscow.
Old Arbat
This is a famous place forwalks are also included in the register of cultural heritage sites in Moscow.
In the center of the city is the most famous pedestrian street about 1.5 km long - Old Arbat.
Historical documents show that in the 16th-17th centuries, on the site of a modern street, there was a Kolymazhnaya settlement (a craft village) for the manufacture of wagons and carts - carts.
A more convincing version is that the word comes from the short form "humpback", which characterizes the terrain: a curved part of the road.
In the 18th century, the Arbat was mainly inhabited by artisans and merchants.
In the middle of the 19th century, noble nobility began to settle here, and the street gradually became a quiet and calm part of the city, where stone and wooden mansions were built, surrounded by gardens.
Sergei Rachmaninov, Alexander Scriabin, Leo Tolstoy, Mikhail S altykov-Shchedrin and many other famous people of Russia lived here at different times.
Now the Old Arbat is a pedestrian zone. Many souvenir shops among museums of various directions, street artists, musicians, singers create an indelible impression on tourists.
Ostankino tower
It is considered a modern unique building. The Ostankinoradio-television tower, despite its relatively young history, is included in the register by the Department of State Protection of Cultural Heritage Objects.
The chief designer and author of the project was a scientist in the fieldbuilding structures Nikolai Nikitin. He also invented the very shape of the future tower - in the form of an inverted lily with a thick stem.
In 1963 (beginning of construction) the structure was considered the tallest in the world. Now this tower is listed as one of the tallest structures in central Europe.
The TV tower, built over four years, began broadcasting TV shows on November 7, 1967.
Tourists have the opportunity to see the Ostankino structure as part of an excursion, where the guide will tell you that the height of the structure is 540 meters, and the total weight, including the foundation, is 51,400 tons.
Guests of the city can take a high-speed elevator to the observation deck, located at an altitude of 340 meters, and visit the Seventh Heaven restaurant. A feature of this three-story drinking establishment is the rotation around its axis at a speed of one revolution in 45 minutes.
Tsaritsyno Mansion
The Department of State Protection of Cultural Heritage Objects has listed 21 mansions as historically significant places.
The most visited palace and park complex is Tsaritsyno (Tsaritsyno metro station).
The palace was built in the XVIII century and was intended as a country residence of Catherine II. After a complete restoration of a cultural heritage site in Moscow (completed in 2007), this building is used as a museum "History of Tsaritsyno".
OnThe territory of the palace is the Tsaritsyno Pond and the landscape park, a walk through which will delight tourists of all ages.
Kuskovo Mansion
One of the favorite vacation spots for Muscovites and guests of the capital is the Kuskovo estate. The address of the cultural heritage site of Moscow is Yunosti Street (Novogireevo metro station).
For 400 years, the palace building belonged to the Sheremetevs (representatives of the ancient boyar family).
After the completion of restoration work, two museums were opened in the building: the Museum of Ceramics and the Museum of the Kuskovo Estate. Tourists will be interested in taking a walk through the French Park, which is considered the most picturesque and oldest park in the capital of the Russian Federation.
You can talk for a long time about the historically significant places of this wonderful city. The Department for the Protection of Cultural Heritage Sites in Moscow compiled an impressive list of them. But above were listed those that really need to be visited at least once in a lifetime by every person interested in the history of our country.
