Moscow, the capital of the Russian Federation, is a political, economic, cultural and scientific centre. It was founded in 1147 by Prince Yuri Dolgoruki on the outskirts of Suzdar Principality.

At the end of the 15th century Moscow became the capital of the first Russian centralized state. At the beginning of the 18th century. Peter the Great moved the capital to St. Petersburg. After the October Revolution it became for the second time the capital of a new state.

The Moscow Kremlin: a symbol of Moscow and Russia. It’s the former residence of Russian tzars and patriarchs. It holds a unique collection of historical, architectural and cultural items. The Kremlin contains such unique masterpieces of ancient Russian architecture as the Cathedral of the Assumption — once the main cathedral of Rus, where tzars were crowned and patriachs buried; the Cathedral of Archangel Michael, the burial place of Russian tzars and Grand princes; the Cathedral of the Annunciation, the royal chapel. The Armoury Chamber, established in 1720 by order of Peter I, is the oldest Russian museum and a treasure house of Russian artistic craftsmanship from ancient times till our days.

Red Square has had different names over the long years of its existence. Red Square is a unique architectural ensemble. Here is the gem of Russian architecture — the Cathedral of the Intercession (St. Basil’s Cathedral), the State Department Store (GUM), the Lobnoye mesto, the State History Museum. Red Square is famous for the many historic events is has witnessed.

The Intercession Cathedral (St. Basil’s) is a unique monument of Russian architecture. It is a living witness of the Russian history. The Cathedral of St. Basil’s was built in honour of the final victory of Russian people over the tatar-mongols and the capture of Kazan (16th cent.). Now it is a branch of the State History Museum.

The Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts, one of the most famous museums of Western European. It is the second museum after the Hermitage as far as its collection is concerned. It was founded in 1912, as a collection of copies of famous sculptures of antiquity. Now it is one of the largest museums in the world with the unique collection of original works from Ancient Egypt, Fayum portraits, Western European art, a collection of impressionist and postimpressionist painting.

Kuskovo. The palace and park of Kuskovo are one of the outstanding monuments of Russian culture. The palace, ponds, canals, pergolas and the park form the ensemble of the 18th cent. The palace of count Sheremetyev was built in the second half of the 18th cent, in the early classical style. The palace and park pavilions contain an exhibition of the State Ceramics Museum.

The Moscow metro is considered the best in world. Today they cannot imagine Moscow without the metro. The metro map matches exactly the town map. It repeats Moscow’s traditional radial-circular lay-out.

The Novodevichy (New maiden) Convent was founded in 1524 to commemorate the recapture of the old Russian city of Smolensk. The convent was built as a fortriess on the approaches to Moscow. The convent is unique ensemble. One can see the domes of its Cathedral of the Holy Virgin of Smolensk from quite some distance. The collection of the museum includes icons of the 16—17th cent., an exhibition of embroidery and jewellery. It is the residence of the Metropolitan of Moscow at the same time. On the grounds of the Convent there is the necropolis, where famous people are buried.

Savvino-Storodgevsky Monastery. Situated in the town of Zvenigorod, 60 km from Moscow, it is one of the gems of Russian architecture of 15–17th centuries, the former summer residence of Tzar Alexei Romanov.