Moscow is the capital of Russia, its political, economic, commercial and cultural center. It was founded eight centuries ago by Prince Yuri Dolgoruky. Gradually the city became more and more powerful. In the 16th century Ivan the Terrible established Moscow as the capital of the new Muscovy state.
Now Moscow is one of the largest cities in the world. Its total area is about nine hundred square kilometers. The population of the city is over 8 million people. Moscow is one of the most beautiful cities in the world. The heart of Moscow is Red Square. It has more historical significance than any other place in Moscow. The main Kremlin tower, the Spasskaya Tower, has become a national symbol of the country.
On the territory of the Kremlin you can see old cathedrals, the Bell Tower of Ivan the Great, the Palace of Congress, the Tzar-Cannon and the Tzar-Bell, which are the biggest cannon and bell in the world. There are a lot of beautiful places, cathedrals, churches and monuments in Moscow. There are more than eighty museums in Moscow. The largest museums are the Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts and the State Tretyakov Gallery. Moscow is famous for its theaters. The best-known is the Bolshoi Theater. Drama theaters and studios are also very popular. Moscow is a city of students. Moscow has over eighty higher educational institutions.