Vocabulary. to boast a number of unique sights –гордиться рядом уникальных достопримечательностей

to boast a number of unique sights – гордиться рядом уникальных достопримечательностей

to be built under the supervision of smb – строиться под руководством кого-либо

architect – архитектор

to be built for decoration – быть построенным для украшения

the Archangel Cathedral – Архангельский собор

the Annunciation Cathedral – Благовещенский собор

to hold receptions – проводить приемы

the Tsar Cannon – Царь-пушка

the Tsar Bell – Царь-колокол

marketplace – рыночная площадь

meeting spot for popular assem­blies – место проведения народных собраний

the Lenin Mausoleum – Мавзолей В.И. Ленина

tomb – гробница, захоронение

the Cathedral of Basil the Beautified – Собор Василия Блаженного

cupola – купол

dome – купол, свод

to extend - простираться

the merchants' quarter – торговый квартал, квартал купцов
main thouroughfare – главная магистраль

to be lined with smth – быть обрамленным чем-либо

the Christ the Saviour Cathedral – Храм Христа Спасителя

to encircle - окружать

to be demolished – быть разрушенным

notable feature – заметная черта, отличительная черта

boulevard - бульвар

Gothic-influenced – испытавший на себе влияние готического стиля

Skyscraper – небоскреб

free-standing structure – отдельно стоящее здание

broadcast tower - телебашня

the Museum of Oriental Cultures – Музей восточных культур

the National Exhibition Centre – Всероссийский выставочный центр

recreation area – зона отдыха

Botanical gardens – Ботанические сады

Ornate – богато украшенный

underground – метро

to be regarded as smth – считаться чем-либо

There is a lot to see in Russia, but first of all foreign tourists visit the capital of our country, Moscow, its economic and cultural centre.

The first thing I would advise a foreigner to see and the most popular Moscow sight is the Kremlin. First, it is one of the most ancient sights of Moscow. Second, it has long been a symbol of Moscow, and a foreign guest can't fail to see it. It was built as a fortress in the 15th-16th century under the supervision of Italian architects. The twenty towers on the Kremlin wall were built in the 17th century for decoration. Among the ancient buildings Inside the Kremlin are the famous churches: the Archangel Cathedral with tombs of princes and tsars, the Blagoveshchensky (Annunciation) Cathe-dral with Andrey Rublyov's frescoes, the Uspensky cathedral, Granovitaya palata (Palace) where receptions were held by Russian tsars, and the Grand Kremlin Palace. Among other historical monuments of the Kremlin are the Tsar Cannon and the Tsar Bell, both of enormous size.

Near the Kremlin is the huge Red Square, the most famous Rus­sia's square. Originally it was a marketplace and a meeting spot for popular assemblies; it is still used as a parade ground and for demonstrations. On the west side of Red Square and along the Kremlin wall are the Lenin Mausoleum and the tombs of Soviet political figures; on the north side is the completely rebuilt Kazan Cathedral (constructed in the 17th century, razed by Stalin, and rebuilt in 1993); and at the southern end stands the imposing Cathedral of Basil the Beautified. The cathedral has numerous cupolas, each a different color, grouped around a central dome. In front of the cathedral stands a monument to Minin and Pozharski.

Near Red Square extends the old district of Kitaigorod. It is one of the oldest places in Moscow, once the merchants' quarter, later the banking section, and now an administrative centre with various government offices and ministries. Tverskaya Street (formerly Gorky Street), a main thorough­fare, extends from the Kremlin and is lined with modern buildings. Near the beginning of Tverskaya Street is Treatre Square, containing the world-famous Bolshoi and Maly treatres. Encircling the Kremlin and Kitaigorod is the Bely Gorod (white city), traditionally the most elegant part of Moscow and now a commercial and cultural area. In the Bely Gorod is the Christ the Saviour Cathedral; demolished in 1931, it was rebuilt in 1990s.

Notable features of Moscow are the concentric rings of wide boul­evards. Post-Soviet Moscow has seen renewed construction, including the Triumph-Palace, which echoes Stalin's Gothic-influenced Seven Sisters skyscrapers and is the tallest building in Europe. The tallest free-standing structure in Moscow is the Ostankino Tower (1967), a broadcast tower and tourist attraction that rises 1, 771 ft (540 m). Among Moscow's many cultural and scientific institutions are the University of Moscow (founded in 1755), the Russian Academy of Sciences, a conservatory (1866), the Tretyakov Art Gallery, the museum of Fine Arts, the Museum of Oriental Cultures, the State Historical Museum, the National Exhibition Centre. Treatres include the Moscow Art Treatre, the world-famous Bolshoi, the Maly Treatre and many others. Numerous large parks and recreation areas include Gorky Central Park, the forested Izmailovo and Sokolniki parks, and Ostankino Park, with its Botanical gardens.

The ornate underground regarded by many as the most beautiful underground in the world was opened in 1935.

Translate the following sentences into English:

1. Москва может гордиться рядом уникальных достопримечатель-ностей, среди которых Кремль, построенный как крепость под руководством итальянских архитекторов.

2. Среди знаменитьгх древних построек Кремля —Архангельский собор, Успенский Собор и Грановитая палата, где цари устраивали приемы, Большой Кремлевский дворец, Царь-пушка и Царь-колокол.

3. Красная площадь первоначально была рыночной площадью и местом проведения народных собраний, на ней находятся Мавзолей В. И. Ленина и захоронения советских политических деятелей, а также внушительный Собор Василия Блаженного с многочисленными куполами.

4. Около Кремля простираются старый район Китай-города, который когда-то был кварталом купцов, и Белый город с Храмом Христа Спасителя, восстановленным в 1990-х годах.

5. К другим достопримечательностям Москвы относятся широкие бульвары, образующие концентрические кольца, семь небоскре­бов в стиле, напоминающем готику, Останкинская телебашня и Ботанический сад.

6. Богато украшенное московское метро считается самым красивым метро в мире.

Answer the following questions:

1. When was Moscow founded? 2. Is there a monument to Yuri Dolgoruky in Moscow? Where is it? 3. When did Moscow become the capital? 4. In 1712 the capital was moved to St Petersburg, wasn't it? When did Moscow become the capital again? 5. Was ancient Moscow a big city? What's the total area of modern Moscow? 6. What's the population of Moscow? 7. What places of interest in the centre of Moscow do you know? 8. What do you know about St Basil's Cathedral? 9. What can you see on the territory of the Kremlin? 10. What are the most famous Moscow museums? (art galleries?) 11. What theatres in Moscow do you know? 12. What is your favorite place in Moscow?