This day in Russian history and the History of the world.

January 25

January 25, 1755: Russian Empress Elizaveta Petrovna issued a decree to found the first Russian University - M.V.Lomonosov Moscow State University.

The university was established to a design of Count Ivan Shuvalov and Russian scientist and writer Mikhail Lomonosov. It originally located in the Principal Medicine Store on the Red Square.

The university was transferred by Catherine the Great to the present Neoclassical building on the other side of Mokhovaya Street. In 2008, Moscow State University was placed 70th in the world's top universities according to the Academic Ranking of World Universities.

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