Moscow is the largest and one of the most beautiful cities in Russia. Its population is over 13 million. Moscow plays a significant part in industrial, scientific and cultural life of modern Russia. The city features the best theaters of the country, plenty of universities, exhibition halls, libraries, and plant facilities. Some of Moscow museums are well known all over the world. Among them are the State Tretiakov Gallery that possesses the richest collection of Russian art in the world, the State Historical Museum, the Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts, and many others. Life of many persons of art such as poet Marina Tsvetaeva, writer Mikhail Bulgakov, patron of art Pavel Tretiakov were closely connected to the Russian capital.
   The Muscovites blandly call their native city "gold-domed Moscow". This definition is absolutely right, since Moscow is the place where magnificent churches and cathedrals were erected. Some of the city temples are unique, so that the specialists mark out the certain style that is called "Moscow church architecture". The most famous temples of Moscow are Saint Basil Cathedral and Cathedral of Christ the Savior.
   The distinguishing characteristic of Moscow is a radial circular city planning that was formed at the end of the 16th century. Another feature is the landscape with its hilly relief and steep turns of the Moscow River. The Kremlin, Arbat, Novodevichy convent, Poklonnaya Mountain, and Red Square are the unique historical and architectural monuments of Moscow. The tourists from all over the world come to the Russian capital to admire its beauty.
      Each year Moscow is getting more and more beautiful. It turns into the marvelous architectural ensemble where the ancient temples neighbor the modern buildings, and the old curved streets are perfectly combined with wide thoroughfares. The city has changed dramatically since old times, but still it attracts the visitors with the atmosphere of the ancient city that was poetized and glorified plenty of times.