Moscow - Москва (8)

Moscow - Москва (8) Moscow is the administrative, economic, political center of Russia and the one of the country’s major cities. The population of Moscow is about 9 million people, it’s total area is about 900 thousand square kilometers. Founded by Yuri Dolgoruky, Moscow was first mentioned in the chronicles in 1147. From a small frontier settlement, Moscow turned into a wealthy city, the capital of Moscovy. Moscow remained the center of Russia and became the main target of Napoleon’s attack. Moscow is a major inducation. Old churches, cathedrals and monasteries attract thousands of tourists from all over the world. Moscow is noted for art museum housing unique collections of Russian and foreign painters. The Kremlin is the main tourist attraction. When a small settlement was surrounded with a wooden wall, it becomes a fortress. During the Tatar invasion the Kremlin fouers were built for decoration when Moscow had ceased to be a fortress. The Bell Tower of Ivan the Great and the cathedrals date from the 15th to the 17th century. In the Kremlin cathedrals tsars and emperors were crowned and buried. Magnificent cathedrals of the Kremlin are famous for their frescoes, too.