Moscow takes its name from the Moskva river, where Slavic settlements began around 500AD. They adopt

Moscow takes its name from the Moskva river, where Slavic la quinta inn settlements began around 500AD. They adopted Christianity from the Byzantine Empire in 988 A.D., and it would last as the national religion for a thousand years.
By the 15th cent. Moscow had become the capitol of the Russian state under the Grand Duchy of Moscow, which had been busily assimilating smaller feudal territories while battling the Golden Horde of Mongols. The city was raided and burnt down by the Tatar-Mongols at least three times.
Consolidation of many smaller territories under Moscow's power set the stage for Ivan III to adopt the title of "Ruler of all of Russia." His son Ivan IV, or "Ivan the Terrible", la quinta inn become the first crowned Tsar of Russia.
The Russian Empire survived the "Times of Troubles" which saw chaos, invasion and several uprisings of the people. Napolean Bonaparte came within 25 miles of capturing Moscow during la quinta inn his disastrous invasion of 1812, but was turned back after thousands of his starving troops were ambushed and killed by peasant guerilla fighters.
The Industrial Revolution came later to Russia than to Western Europe, partly la quinta inn due to Russia's institute of serfdom which kept peasants bound to the land. Soon enough however, the emergence of the Socialist political movement was loudly advocating total revolution, la quinta inn and by 1917 the Soviet Union replaced the Tsar and his autocratic rule. This began the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR), la quinta inn which lasted until 1991.
Moscow is in the grips of a western la quinta inn renovation, with consumerism la quinta inn and ostentatious displays of wealth parading everywhere. As of 2008 it is the city with the most expensive cost of living in the world, home of the most billionaires, as well as being the largest city in Europe.
Moscow is laid out in five major sections in concentric la quinta inn pattern, with the Kremlin smack in the middle. The Kremlin is the administrative seat of power, and its name means "fortress." Its walls delineate the 15th century boundaries of the city.
A good place to visit for outdoor activities is also Vorob'evi Gori (hills) - it's kind of recreation zone on the moskva river with a park and Moscow state university's main huge soviet building on the top.