Discover the Magic: Top 12 Fun and Fascinating Facts About Moscow You Never Knew!

1. Moscow: The Billionaire Playground

Who needs Monopoly when Moscow's playing with real cash and property? Roll the dice and pass go: As of 2020, Moscow is home to a whopping 84 billionaires, according to Forbes, beating even New York City in the tycoon-tally. With riches drenched in oil, gas, and finance, this Russian powerhouse has cashed in its "Free Parking" ticket and built a global economic empire!
Source => merriam-webster.com

2. Moscow Metro: Europe's Busiest Ride

Do you ever feel like you're stuck in the same old commute day after day, with nothing new to smile about? Well then, let me "metropolise" your spirits with this rip-roaring revelation: The Moscow Metro is not only a legendary locomotive landscape with over 200 stations rich in history and jaw-dropping architecture, but it's also Europe's busiest metro system, boasting a whopping 6.6 million daily riders! That's right, this subway soiree has been hustling and bustling since the 1930s, serving as an artistic tour de force and sustainable transportation model that cities around the world can only hope to mirror.
Source => link.las.iastate.edu

Did you know that St. Petersburg, Florida holds an impressive record as the birthplace of both scheduled aviation and Major League Baseball Spring Training since 1914? Get ready to be blown away by more fascinating facts! 🛩️⚾

=> Fun Facts about St-Petersburg-Florida

3. The Kremlin: A UNESCO Masterpiece

Once upon a vodka-soaked night, Yuri Dolgoruki huffed and puffed and built a fortress fit for tsars: Enter the Moscow Kremlin, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1990, boasting stunning architecture and religious masterpieces like the Church of the Annunciation, Cathedral of the Dormition, Church of the Archangel, and Ivan Veliki's bell tower.
Source => whc.unesco.org

4. Moscow Weather: Frosty to Sizzling

Hold onto your ushanka – Moscow isn't always frosty: While winters can see temperatures plummet to a bitter -7.9°C, summers sizzle with a balmy 20°C average in July, and the city experiences a generous dousing of rainfall year-round, making it a vibrant, ever-changing landscape worth tossing into your travel plans – just don't forget your rain boots and umbrella!
Source => en.climate-data.org

5. Billionaire Shuffle: Moscow's Wealth Drop

In a twist of Russian roulette with the world's economy, Moscow's highest rollers seem to have drawn the short straw: The city once boasted the most billionaires globally but has since tumbled to seventh place, losing 26 ultra-wealthy residents in the past year and over $200 billion in combined net worth, leaving a still impressive cadre of 53 billionaires.
Source => forbes.com

6. Park Pobedy: Deep Dive Metro Station

If you think taking the elevator to your 20th-floor office is taking you to great depths, think again, comrade: Moscow's Park Pobedy metro station plunges 84 meters below ground—equivalent to a staggering 28-story building—making it the deepest metro station in the world, while also entertaining over 200,000 daily passengers who seemingly enjoy diving this deep!
Source => bridgetomoscow.com

7. Moscow Subway: World's Third Busiest

If you ever find yourself playing an intense game of Sardines, and Europe's the playground: I've got you covered - just head to the Moscow Metro! A surprise awaits: It's not only the busiest subway system in Europe but also ranks as the third busiest in the world with an annual ridership of 2.5 billion passengers. Enjoy your cozy ride on any of its 17 lines, including the Moscow Monorail and Moscow Central Circle, which also make it the world's eighth-longest subway system by route length.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

8. Tsar Bell: Massive Yet Silent

In Moscow, they clearly believe that bigger is better, but sometimes bigger is also badder: the colossal Tsar Bell, weighing in at an impressive 200 tons, remains unrung due to a crack that formed during casting. As a silent witness of time, this behemoth of a bell now attracts awestruck visitors at the Kremlin.
Source => space.com

9. Gorky Park: Socialism Turns Fun Fest

Who said socialism was all gray skies and grim faces? Say "Privet" to the party at the People's Park: Gorky Park in Moscow, once the pride of Soviet recreational infrastructure, is now a bustling cultural hub and popular tourist destination, boasting revamped gardens, eclectic cafes, innovative museums, and a myriad of sporting facilities to satiate the fun-hungry masses.
Source => hum54-15.omeka.fas.harvard.edu

10. False Dmitry I: The Impostor Czar

Here's a Russian plot twist straight out of a "days of our czars" soap opera: a mysterious man named False Dmitry I, who claimed to be Ivan the Terrible's long-lost son, wormed his way on to the throne in 1605 with some sneaky Polish-Lithuanian support. Alas, much like a faulty Matryoshka doll, his reign crumbled quickly: the Russian boyars weren't fans of the imposter, toppled him within 11 months, and made his reign a gloriously scandalous chapter in Moscow's history.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

11. Moscow's Fiery French Fiasco

When Moscow played a fiery game of "hot potato" with the French: In 1812, following the French invasion of Russia, Moscow was engulfed by a catastrophic fire that burned much of the city to the ground. The fire, which started as small fires that spread due to Moscow's mostly wooden buildings and lack of firefighting equipment, was initially blamed on the scorched earth strategy of the Russians but later attributed to both Russian and French soldiers unknowingly trying to become amateur chefs or playing stolen property pyromaniacs. However, Leo Tolstoy's account in War and Peace puts the blame back on the abandoned city's vulnerability in the hands of invading troops.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

12. State Historical Museum: Blini of Culture

If you're ever in Moscow and craving a dose of culture so rich it could outshine even the priciest of blinis, look no further than this mammoth treasure trove: The State Historical Museum houses a staggering 4.5 million artifacts, making it one of the largest museums on the globe. With its immense collection spanning from ancient relics and rare manuscripts to ornate garments and weapons, it's truly a chronicle of Russian history in all its splendor.
Source => advantour.com