BORDER FORTRESS

In 1147, Suzdal Prince Yuri Dolgorukiy invited to Moscow his ally — Novgorod and Seversk Prince Svyatoslav. This event, marked in the Ipatyev manuscript, became the first mention of the city's name in a historical chronicle of Ancient Rus. That date has become Moscow's birthday.

In 1156, as it is marked in the Tver manuscript, Vladimir and Suzdal Prince Yury Dolgorukiy founded Moscow fortress in the mouth of the Neglinnaya River, higher than the Yauza River. The new fortress united two forced centres on the Borovitskiy Hill. The names of the rivers point the exact location of the fortress on the triangular area between the present-day Borovitskiy, Troitskaya and Sekretnaya Towers.

In 1237-1240, hordes of Batyi Khan invaded the North-Eastern and the Southern Rus. Forty-nine archaeologically known towns of that time were blown up. In 1238, Moscow was rubbed through the Tartar invasion. The manuscript tells the city's population was eliminated, everyone, including babies and old people, the city itself was blown up and destroyed, so the Moscow land trembled with sorrow and pain. However, the city survived, renewed and grew.