The first mentioning of Moscow as a settlement in the annals of history dates back to 1147. This very year is, thus, considered to be the year of its foundation. Moscow’s founder is Yuri Vladimirovitch Dolgorukiy, Prince of Suzdal. His followers in forming Muscovy were the famed Princes and Czars Andrey Bogolubskiy, Ivan Kalita, Dmitry Donskoy, Ivan the 3d, Boris Godunov, Mikhail Romanov and many others. After Peter the Great came to the throne cities and towns of the Russian state were assigned to provinces headed by governors. Till 1917 governors of Moscow faithfully served the city and the Russian state. Muscovites still remember names of many: Boyar Streshnev, Count Tchernishov, Prince Volkonskiy, Count Rostopchin, Prince Golitsin. All in all, there were more than 50 of them.
Since 1917 the functions of the local administration’s head were carried out by chairmen of executive committees of the Moscow Soviet of People’s Deputies. Lately these functions have been performed by mayors of Moscow. Almost nine centuries have already passed. Our city was repeatedly conquered and destroyed but again and again it was successfully rebuilt. At present Moscow is one of the largest cities of the world. The exceptionally favorable location of Moscow gave it advantages over other cities of the emerging Russia. From the very beginning the territorial development of Moscow was determined by the need to have a reliable defense. There were constant threats of invasion by nomadic hordes from the South and East and by Lithuanian and Polish conquerors from the West.
During that time such famous convent-fortresses as the Simonov, Spaso-Andronikov and Novo-Devichiy ones were built on approaches to Moscow. After the victory in the Kulikovskaya battle (1380) and the ’Ugra standing’ (1480) that put an end to the Tartar-Mongolian yoke the might of Muscovy started to quickly grow. In the 15th century by the size of its territory and population Moscow surpassed London, Prague and other largest cities of Europe. After the abolition of serfdom (1861) and in the course of developing capitalism in Russia rates of Moscow’ s growth increased and the city became the largest commercial and industrial center. By the end of the 19th century there were over 20 thousand commercial and industrial enterprises. Moscow’s industrial structure was dominated by textile, building, woodworking and food sectors. The period of the industrial upsurge was marked by vigorous advances of the foreign capital penetrating the Russian industry.
All chemical and electrotechnical enterprises in Moscow were in the hands of foreign companies. Moscow’s machine-building industry gathered momentum in its deelopment after the October coup. The Moscow of calico gave way to the Moscow of machine-building and electrical engineering. Retaining its very important role in producing consumer goods for the country as a whole Moscow became the powerful industrial center. No new industrial enterprises have been opened in the city during the period of democratic changes and this has had positive effect on the local ecology. What is more, many old enterprises now either curtail their production or move beyond city limits. At the same time new buildings (mainly, administrative, office and trade ones) keep cropping up. They are constructed by special design and architecturally are in harmony with the existing city structure.
|
|
