12.09.2009History of Moscow metro
At the end of the 19th century railway construction and industrial development led to sharp increase in Moscow's size and a rise in its population. By then Moscow covered 710 sq km and was home to 978,500 people. Some 16,000 horse-drawn cars provided the main form of transport.
The emergence of the horse-drawn tram in 1872 provided the impetus for the development of public transport though even the introduction of electric trams in Moscow in 1902 could not solve the problem of providing mass public transport. The city's rapid development required radical reorganisation of urban and suburban public transport.
One of the first attempts to solve the problem took the form of a ring railway and was submitted to the Moscow City Council or Duma by the Urals-Ryazan Railway Company and A.I.Antonovich, a railway engineer. The Government recognised the future benefits of such a ring railway and in 1898 passed a resolution for its immediate construction. This was started in 1902 after all the necessary research had been carried out. The railway provided a solution for transit freight but did not solve the problem of rapid transit within the city.
As soon as the outline of the peripheral ring railway around Moscow was finalised, two urban underground railway projects linked to it were developed — the idea of a metropolitan railway was thus born.
10.09.2009State cultural center and Museum of Vladimir Vysotsky
The idea of Vysotsky Museum foundation appeared in 1980, just after the poet's death in 1980. The Taganka Theater, where Vysotsky had worked as an actor, was overflowed with letters from ordinary people who offered the establishment of the exposition dedicated to the life and creativity of the outstanding poet and bard (a singer who wrote songs outside the Soviet establishment). At the same time the initiative group consisting mainly of those who worked with Vysotsky and admired his talent was formed.
09.09.2009International Centre-Museum by name of Nickolas Roerich
The International Centre-Museum by name of Nickolas Roerich was founded by Svetoslav Roerich as a public cultural and educational centre on the base of the unique heritage of his parents Nickolas and Helena Roerich. In 1990 the heritage was transferred from India to Russia as a gift. The Museum is situated in the very heart of Moscow at the ancient estate of the Lopukhins. This unique architectural monument of the XVII-XIX centuries was restored thanks to the assistance of the public and patrons.
08.09.2009State Museum of Oriental Art
The impressive collection of Oriental art is housed in the State Museum of Oriental Art. The Museum is located in the very center of Moscow. The pale yellow Corinthian-pillared building it occupies is the architectural monument of the early Russian classicism. The building was erected in 1821 by Italian architect D. Zhilyardi as a private mansion of Lunin family.
Almost a century after the expropriated house of Lunin welcomed the expositions of the Museum of Oriental Art that was established in 1918. The Museum funds were formed on the basis of the expropriated private collections of Russian celebrated collectors and scientists including Brokar, Ostroukhov, Faberge, Kastalsky, Konchalovsky, Mosolov, Shchukin and others.
07.09.2009State Museum of Vladimir Mayakovsky
The State Museum of Vladimir Mayakovsky was opened in 1974 in the building where the poet lived and worked from 1919 to 1930. The basis of its collection was formed from the stocks of the Library-Museum named after Mayakovsky that had been functioning since 1938.
While Mayakovsky was a prominent representative of avant-guard art, the Museum dedicated to his live and creativity was designed not to the classic museum canons. The building was decorated in postmodern style. Prominent artists, architects and designers of the 20th century used a new method of the organization of the space making a visitor a co-author and participant of the museum action.
05.09.2009Museum of Moscow history
The Museum of Moscow History that is one of the oldest Museums of the city was established on the initiative of Russian scientific community in 1896. The basis of the new Museum collection was formed with the exhibits of the pavilion "Moscow" at the All-Russian Artistic and Industrial exhibition, which was held in Nizhny Novgorod in 1896. With time the Museum acquired a great number of articles depicting life in the city throughout its history, from Moscow's ancient beginnings to the present day. Among them there were various maps, drawings, photos, documents, sculptural models of city buildings and districts as well as everyday objects. The Museum's exhibition was housed in one of the Krestovsky Towers.
