Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
The long-serving, popular mayor Yury Luzhkov is removed from office. He is replaced
by Sergei Sobyanin.
2011
Moscow negotiates a land deal, whereby the city acquires a huge tract of sparsely
populated land, more than doubling its geographic area.
'Come to me, brother, please come to Moscow.' With these words, Yury Dol-
goruky invited his allies to a celebratory banquet at the fortification he had
erected on Borovitsky Hill, at the confluence of two rivers. The year was 1147.
The settlement would prosper, eventually gaining power in the region and es-
tablishing itself as the capital of Ancient Rus. Nine centuries later - even as
Russia has gone through multiple transformations - it is still ruled from the
fortress that crowns Borovitsky Hill.
Medieval Moscow
Prince Daniil became the first Grand Prince of Moscow at the end of the 13th century.
Revered for his humbleness and diplomacy, he was canonised by the Russian Orthodox
Church in 1652.
Early Settlement
Moscow began as a trading post, set up by eastern Slav tribes who had migrated eastward
from Kyivan Rus. Back in Kyiv, Grand Prince Vladimir I was anxious to secure his claim of
sovereignty over all the eastern Slavs. He made his son Yaroslav the regional vicelord, over-
seeing the collection of tribute and the conversion of pagans.
After Vladimir's death, the descendants of Yaroslav inherited the northeastern territories
of the realm, where they established a series of towns, fortresses and monasteries that is
today known as the Golden Ring.
Political power gradually shifted eastward to these new settlements. During his reign,
Grand Prince Vladimir Monomakh appointed his youngest son, Yury Dolgoruky, to look
after the region. Legend has it that on his way back to Vladimir from Kyiv, Prince Yury
stopped at Moscow. Believing that Moscow's Prince Kuchka had not paid him sufficient
homage, Yury put the impudent boyar (high-ranking noble) to death and placed the trading
