Spanning an impressive 6.6 million miles and notorious for its communist history and frigid weather, Russia has grown from eight centuries of culture into a European staple with a surprising edginess.
Moscow is Russia’s official capital and most populous city, the core of the Russian Orthodox Church, and the nation’s political, industrial, cultural, scientific, and educational center. Despite the clash of its Soviet past and capitalist present, Moscow steams ahead toward modernization and social change, finding the sweet spot between preserving traditional Russia and embracing the flurry of fashion, wealth, entertainment, and education we see today.