The Commission for the Construction of the City of Moscow was established in 1813. It led to a great program of rebuilding, which included a partial redesign of the City Centre. Many buildings across the city were built or reconstructed during this time, including the Great Kremlin and Armoury palaces, the university, the Manezh (Riding School), and the Bolshoi Theatre. During the 19th century, the industrial sector recovered rapidly. The Moscow stock exchange was established in 1837. In 1859, the railroad opened to St. Petersburg, which significantly increased labour mobility, and large numbers of peasant families moved into Moscow. By 1861, the serfs were freed, and the railway opened to St. Petersburg in 1851 marked the beginning of the railway age.
In 1835, the population of Moscow was 336,000. By 1871, it reached 602,000, and in 1897, it was 970,000. The city also became the hub of Russia’s railways, with trunk lines to all parts of European Russia. Most of the mainline termini were located near or on the Kamer-Kollezhsky barrier, which marks the limits of the built-up area. A large number of new factories, particularly those dealing with textiles, began operating outside the barrier.
Meanwhile, metalworking and heavy engineering industries developed in the 1890s. Between 1897 and 1915, the population of Moscow doubled to 1,983,700. Later in the 19th century, public bodies and wealthy individuals constructed ostentatious buildings in various imitations of “Old Russian” and “modern” styles.
Below are some fascinating historical photos that will take you back to late-19th century Moscow.
