He saved thousands of his fellow citizens from debt and continues to provide free counseling to people in difficult situations.

One of the world’s largest megacities is home to over 13 million people. At the same time, the city can claim to be the greenest—it has more than 240 gardens, parks, and specially protected natural areas. The oldest park, Alexander Garden, is located by the Kremlin wall and was created over 200 years ago. The Moscow Metro is stunning: it has 15 lines and over 250 stations. Many central stations are true architectural masterpieces. For example, in the passage between “Rimskaya” and “Ploshchad Ilyicha,” there is a fountain with small statues of Romulus and Remus and a wall made of rare Carrara marble.

Yaroslavl is over 1000 years old! The first mentions of it appeared in chronicles in 1010, but several centuries before that, settlements already existed in the area. The city’s historic center is even listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site—a rare occurrence. In 1612, during the Time of Troubles, Yaroslavl was the capital of Russia, and today it is called the capital of the Golden Ring. Valentina Tereshkova, the world’s first female cosmonaut, was born in this city. The Yaroslavl Planetarium is named after her. Additionally, the city is home to one of the cutest museums—”My Favorite Teddy Bear,” with a huge collection of toy bears.

The Yaroslavl region is one of the most industrially developed regions in Russia. Even in pre-Petrine times, 24 categories of artisans worked here. Peter the Great wanted to build a major weapons factory in the region, but the enterprise burned down almost immediately after starting operations. However, the Yaroslavl Large Manufactory, which produced linen, silk, and woolen fabrics, became famous not only in Russia but also abroad. Today, the region’s industrial specialization includes mechanical engineering (including instrument making), oil refining, petrochemical and chemical industries, and food processing. There is also a major research institute and a manufacturer of gas purification equipment that protects the air from industrial pollution.

This million-plus city in southern Russia has access to five seas: the Black Sea, the White Sea, the Baltic Sea, the Azov Sea, and the Caspian Sea. The Don River marks the border between Europe and Asia, so residents of Rostov-on-Don regularly travel from one part of the world to another. On Voroshilovsky Avenue, there is its own Walk of Fame, where stars have been embedded since 2008 in honor of outstanding citizens. There is also an unusual theater shaped like a tractor. It was built in 1935 in honor of the famous Rostov plant, a manufacturer of agricultural machinery.

During the Great Patriotic War, Rostov-on-Don was one of the most destroyed cities—it had to be almost completely rebuilt. To this day, construction remains one of the region’s strongest industries. The city is among the top ten in terms of housing construction. There are over five thousand construction enterprises here