855th Anniversary of Moscow City Day Celebrated

Home>>World

Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Monday, September 02, 2002

855th Anniversary of Moscow City Day Celebrated

More than a million people celebrated City Day over the weekend in Moscow as the city center became a concert-filled pedestrian zone.

DISCUSSION

CHINESE

SEND TO FRIEND

More than a million people celebrated City Day over the weekend in Moscow as the city center became a concert-filled pedestrian zone.

Officially, City Day began Saturday with the raising of the city flag at Tverskaya Ploshchad opposite the Mayor's Office against the backdrop of a map of the city fashioned out of 7,000 flowers.

Ten newly married couples paraded down Tverskaya Ulitsa in classic automobiles before being given their marriage certificates on stage and being loaded down with trees -- that were then planted at Poklonnaya Gora -- and a barrel of honey that came from the mayor's own beehive.

City Day, Luzhkov said at the ceremony, "is more and more taking on the meaning of a state holiday," which is "fair as Moscow in grief and joy will always be together with Russia."

The ceremony was attended by Georgy Poltavchenko, the presidential envoy for the Central Federal District; the head of the presidential administration, Alexander Voloshin; First Deputy Prime Minister Valentina Matviyenko; LDPR leader Vladimir Zhirinovsky; and Russian Orthodox Patriarch Alexy II. The square was then taken over by a series of theatrical performers and dancers.

The city was officially celebrating its 855th birthday, but Poltavchenko said Moscow does not look its age and "every day looks better and better and younger," Interfax reported.

Calling Moscow one of the most beautiful cities in the world, Poltavchenko said: "This beauty was achieved by Muscovites and in lots of ways is thanks to the care of the mayor of Moscow."

Hundreds of events took place all over the city. Some were linked to Sept. 1, which as well as being the official anniversary of the founding of Moscow is Day of Knowledge, traditionally the day when children return to school.

More than 20,000 students paraded from Smolenskaya Ploshchad to Krimsky Most before a concert of student performances in Gorky Park on Sunday. Fireworks over the city were to close out the celebrations late Sunday.

Among the odder sights of the weekend was a parachutist jumping from the Ostankino television tower and Deputy Mayor Valery Shantsev making friends with bikers at the Night Wolves festival.

Questions?Comments? Click here

Moscow's Third Ring Road Overpass Collapses in Blaze

Moscow Railways Official Shot Dead

Moscow, Pyongyang Pin Hopes on Kim Jong Il's Visit

Highly Concerning China, US Plans to Deploy New Fighters in Guam ( 5 Messages)

Japanese Court Dismisses Germ Warfare Victims' Damages Claim ( 3 Messages)

China Plans to Stop the Overeas Flight of Corrupt Officials ( 14 Messages)

China's Exports Hit Record of US$56.2 Billion in July ( 96 Messages)

Old Chinese Beaten by NY Police, Triggers off Big Clash ( 47 Messages)