Moscow is the capital of Russia and the country's principal political, economic, financial, educational, and transportation center, located on the Moskva River in the Central Federal District, in the European part of Russia. As a world-renowned capital, Moscow is a principal focus for foreign visitors. Free-market reforms have encouraged the construction of new, modern hotels and the modernization of existing hotels in the city. The government also opened new tourist offices and refurbished many cultural attractions. Moscow's architecture and performing arts culture are world-renowned. Red Square is the heart of Moscow and the first destination of most visitors to the city and is surrounded by St. Basil's Cathedral, with its elegant onion domes, the State History Museum, Lenin's Mausoleum and one of the Kremlin's long brick walls. Moscow’s museums and galleries with their collections, are some of the largest and most important in the world.
Frequent art exhibitions thrive on both the new and the classic, as they once did in pre-Revolutionary times, and are derived from diverse branches of the arts - painting, photography, and sculpture.
There is a vibrant night life in Moscow. The major and one of the most popular nightlife areas is around Tverskaya Street. The southern part of Tverskaya Street near the Manege Square and the Red Square area is known as an area with many expensive, luxurious bars and restaurants, and is considered a playground for New Russians and celebrities. Tverskaya Street is also one of the busiest shopping streets in Moscow.
