Looking at the map of Moscow, one can see that the capital of Russia was built in accordance with the concentric zone model. It means that the city was growing outward from a central point (historical area) in a series of rings. First, the Kremlin appeared, then the Kitay-gorod was built around it. After that, the Bely Gorod area emerged, and finally, the Zemlyanoy Gorod became an outer part of the city. These rings are still found on the actual city map, and some more were added in the 20th century!
The Boulevard Ring
This is not actually a ring, more like horseshoe-shaped line, surrounding 10 central Moscow boulevards outside the Kremlin and bearing against the Moscow river bank. It was built in the 16th century, when Tsar Fedor, the son of Ivan the Terrible, decided to put up a defensive wall around the developing Bely Gorod. The construction was 10 km long, with 17 towers and 11 entrance gates. The wall was demolished in the 18th century, the entrance gates became the new city squares and the former towers gave their names to the current boulevards.
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The Garden Ring
Currently being the major motorway, in the ancient times it was another wall to protect its inhabitants, around the Zemlyanoy Gorod area. Peasants, traders and craftsmen lived between the two walls. In the 18th century itsmains were also destroyed, the new big road was planned and the citizens were allowed to plant trees by it, based on their own preference. After the World War II, the Garden Ring was reconstructed and 3 Stalinist skyscrapers were placed nearby.
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The Third Transportation Ring and the Moscow Automobile Ring Road
These are the two significant motorways. The first one is 36 km long, with 17 junctions and 4 tunnels (including the Lefortovsky tunnel, one of the longest in Europe!). The second one served as the city administrative boundary for a long time and now is aiming to become a highway: the maximum speed here is 100 km/h and it features 10 lanes, 35 exits and 10 interchanges.
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The Moscow Central Circle
To see this one you’ll have to look at the new city transportation map. Just as the Koltsevaya (Circle) metro line, this is an urban railway line that encircles historical Moscow, and opened just recently, in 2016. Go for a ride, if you have some free time!
What’s next? There’s currently a new highway ring being developed. The Central Ring Road in the Moscow region will be a loooong road connecting all the major regional and federal motorways. There’s more good news, work on the Bolshaya Koltsevaya (Large Circle) Metro Line of Moscow will be finished by 2022! The capital is still growing, and we’re looking forward to see how the city will change in the following years.
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