Abstract
Russia's bimetropolitanism dates back to 1712, when Peter the Great transferred the nation's capital from Moscow to St. Petersburg. Despite the removal of the tsar and his court, Moscow retained the formal status of capital, becoming the city of the emperors' coronation. This article examines the creation of the phenomenon of Moscow culture since that time. Bimetropolitanism was perceived in Russian mentality as both a rivalry and a dialogue of two capitals—each representing a unique Russian identity. Throughout the centuries one was a center of the country and the nation, and the other played a role of an eccentric point, a “window to Europe.” In 1918, the two capitals changed their formal roles: Moscow became the main city of the state; Petersburg lost its metropolitan status, but kept the status of second city
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.