Moscow was first mentioned in 12th century chronicles as a fiefdom of Prince of Rostov and Suzdal Yuri Dolgoruky, and the year 1147 is considered to be the date of its founding.
Having become the capital of the centralized Russian state in the second half of the 15th century, Moscow saw its population expand and despite the fact that since 1712 it ceded the place of the capital to St. Petersburg, it remained the country's major religious, political, economic and cultural center.
After coming to power, the Soviet government made Moscow the capital of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic in 1918 and then of the entire Soviet Union in 1922.
For a long time, there was no tradition of celebrating City Day in Moscow as such. It is known that on January 1, 1847 Moscow marked its first jubilee – the 700th anniversary. The capital celebrated its next anniversary only a hundred years later with flags, fireworks and festivities. Since 1997, City Day has been celebrated annually on the initiative of the Moscow authorities.
Moscow Day has become a bright national holiday that gathers thousands of Moscow residents and guests in the squares and streets of the capital. This year's celebration program includes about 150 major events, including a gala show at the Luzhniki Grand Sport Arena, free amusement parks for residents and guests, a parade of ships, trains, streetcars and countless other events.
Today Moscow is a modern metropolis with all the conveniences of life. Last year, the Russian capital ranked third in the UN-HABITAT City Prosperity Index, behind only Singapore and Toronto.
Take a look at Sputnik's gallery covering the evolution of Moscow through time.
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