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A brief history of Moscow
The history of Moscow is so rich and varied that it would take an entire book (and more) to document it in full. Nevertheless, here's a brief guide to what you should know about the city's history:
Prince Yuri Dolguruky is often referred to as the founder of Moscow and he is known to have ordered the building of defences around the settlement back in the 12th century.
The city soon became an important trading post, prospering as a result and having armies backed by rich noblemen. Indeed, much of the early history of the city refers to ongoing battles with enemies, such as the Mongols.
At the end of the 15th century the famous Kremlin cathedrals were built, which are familiar to any who have seen photographs of Moscow.
The city continued to expand and prosper, being the home of the Romanov dynasty from the late 16th century until they were ousted during the Bolshevik Revolution of 1917. During the 18th century, Moscow was no longer the capital city (that honour being bestowed on St Petersburg) but still remained the coronation site for Russian Tsars.
The revolt of 1917 transformed daily life in Russia, with Moscow itself seeing great changes. Communist rule saw the physical appearance of the city being altered extensively but much of the centre remains incredibly beautiful, hence its growing popularity with tourists.
Guide to Moscow - Back to our overview of the city.
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