Details About Moscow

Moscow's origins as a symbol of Russian spiritual and political power go back more than 850 years, so it's no surprise that today the city is the barometer and nucleus of the changes sweeping through Russia. Its vitality and chaos are a direct result of the collapse of communism and the efforts of its citizens to reinvent their lives. Nowhere are Russia's contrasts more apparent than here - ancient monasteries and ultra-modern monoliths stand side by side, and New Russian millionaires and poverty-stricken pensioners walk the same streets. The populace now prefer impromptu street markets to the huge state department stores, and churches which were destroyed or abandoned during the Soviet era are being lovingly restored. But the real flavour of this city is in its small nooks and crannies, each of them unique.