Zamoskvorechye – sightseeing tour on foot

invites you to exciting excursions around Zamoskvorechye. In this distinctive area, the atmosphere of old Moscow still reigns, which is disappearing before our eyes. You will see narrow pedestrian streets, low houses, magnificent temples and churches. In many Zamoskvoretsky courtyards you will meet unexpected discoveries and learn a lot of interesting things about the people who lived here. You will walk along Pyatnitskaya and Bolshaya Ordynka, visit Klimentovsky and Lavrushinsky lanes, go to Kadashevskaya embankment, visit ancient churches.

Theater Museum and Bakhrushin House

The starting point is Theater Museum (Paveletskaya metro station). From the metro, exit to Valovaya Street, turn left and walk along Valovaya to the Bakhrushin Museum, which is located on Bakhrushina Street itself. Until 1922 it was called Luzhnetskaya.

Theater Museum named after A. A. Bakhrushin in Zamoskvorechye

The theater museum was created in 1894 by the famous Russian merchant and philanthropist A. Bakhrushin and was located in his former estate house. The museum building was built in 1896 by the architect K. Gippius in the early English Gothic style (pseudo-Gothic style with its characteristic pointed arches).

After the revolution, Bakhrushin was appointed director of the museum. His collection was preserved, and the museum did not close. Lovers of interiors are in for a surprise - the entrance hall, the hall on the second floor, made of dark wood, as well as the huge stained glass window, have been completely preserved.

In addition to the interiors and theater collection, visitors can enjoy a cozy courtyard, imagining themselves in the courtyard of an estate of the last century.

The Bakhrushin family dates back to the 17th century. I suggest heading to the mansion of K. Bakhrushin at Novokuznetskaya Street, 27/6. To do this, walk along Bakhrushina Street in the direction opposite to the Garden Ring and turn left on 1st Novokuznetsky Lane

Walk along this lane to Novokuznetskaya Street. At the corner of the alley and the street there is the mansion of K. P. Bakhrushin with a garden in front of it.

Mansion of K. Bakhrushin on Novokuznetskaya street

The mansion was built in 1895–1896 in the eclectic style. Look at the facade of the building - its rich stucco decoration is impressive. Above the balcony on the side of the alley there is a pediment with putti and the owner's monogram; the year of completion of the work is indicated directly above the entrance. Unfortunately, the balcony can only be seen through the bars, as the entrance to the garden is closed.

Sytin's printing house and Smirnov's house

The next transition, to Sytin's printing house , will be the longest - as much as 9 minutes. Go to Pyatnitskaya Street, to house 71/5. To do this, go along Novokuznetskaya towards the Garden Ring to the 5th Monetchikovsky Lane.

Go along the 5th lane to the 3rd Monetchikovsky lane, turn left, walk a little more to the 2nd Monetchikovsky lane. It will lead you to Pyatnitskaya street directly to the desired house.

The huge building of I. D. Sytin’s printing house “Russian Word” was built in 1903 in the rational modern style, but with neo-Gothic elements. During Soviet times, the building was built with another floor, thus leaving all the decorative elements built into the walls.

The printing house on Pyatnitskaya printed every fourth book in Moscow. This huge production was organized using the latest technology. In 1905, during the uprising, the building was burned, but a year later Ivan Dmitrievich restored it.

Continue along Pyatnitskaya to the apartment building of V.P. Smirnov (house 65). It was built in the neo-Gothic style in 1910. Look at the many towers rising up. Narrow vertical windows, vertical bay windows - all these are neo-Gothic elements.

Smirnov’s apartment building is also called the “House with an Eagle” for the bird of prey located above the entrance.

Rekk Mansion and Lepeshkin Estate

Opposite Smirnov's house is the Rekk mansion , also known as the "House of Lions". It was built in 1897 by order of V. Rekk. The author of the design of the building in the eclectic style was the architect S. Sherwood. This house is one of the most beautiful on Pyatnitskaya Street.

The house is divided into two volumes. The right volume is decorated with a portico with composite columns with volute-scrolls of the Ionic order and acanthus leaves from the Corinthian order. Between the columns on either side of the window there are two caryatids - female sculptures that replace a column or pilaster.

On the sides of the façade lie two lions. The right lion looks menacingly towards the street, and the left one sleeps with its head on its paw. The left volume of the building is an octagonal tower with an unusual dome. The façade of the mansion is richly decorated with various stucco moldings in the style of French architecture from the era of Louis XIV.

The famous Rekk mansion or "House of Lions"

A little further along Pyatnitskaya, 48, directly opposite the Church of the Life-Giving Trinity in Vishnyaki, there is the Lepeshkin estate , the main house of which was built at the end of the 18th century.

The estate building has baroque attics, rare for Moscow, which give the building a resemblance to a palace. An attic is a decorative wall above the eaves of a building. The facade is richly decorated. On the second floor, between the arches there are pairs of caryatids facing each other.

Now this building is occupied by the Institute of Astronomy of the Russian Academy of Sciences, and you can only look at the beautiful facade through the fence.

Pay attention to the Church of the Life-Giving Trinity in Vishnyaki opposite the estate (Pyatnitskaya, 51). The first mention of it dates back to 1642.

In 1678, it was rebuilt in stone in honor of the victory over the Turks near the city of Chigirin by order of the commander of the Streltsy regiment Matvey Veshnyakov. In 1824–1826, the church was reconstructed in the Empire style at the expense of S. Lepeshkin.

In the 1980s, during another renovation, a dump truck with sand drove up to the main entrance and fell into the ground! As it turned out later, there was an underground passage from the Lepeshkin estate to the church. It was used by a merchant and his family to attend services. The passage, according to the director of the Institute of Astronomy, was reliably covered.

History of Bolshaya Ordynka

“On the southern side, along the Moscow River, the oak city ended its boundary over a ditch or chimney of the 17th century, against which the once large Ordynskaya road, which turned into Bolshaya Ordynka Street, also ran from Zamoskvorechye. This road approached the river bank directly opposite the low-lying part of the Kremlin, where the Church of Constantine and Helena stands and where the oldest trading haven in Moscow existed, which later moved to the present Moskvoretsky Bridge,” says Moscow expert I.E. Zabelin.

The appearance of Ordynka, part of the Great Horde Road leading to the Golden Horde, dates back to the 14th century. A trade route passed through it from north to south. An important factor in the formation of Ordynka was the “living” bridge - the first bridge across the Moscow River - through which communication was established with the Kremlin and Veliky Posad. In the old days, Ordynka stretched beyond its modern borders. The first settlement on Ordynka was the village of Kadashevo, which housed the Kadashevskaya Sloboda in the 16th century. Later, next to Kadashevskaya, the Tolmachevskaya settlement appeared, where interpreters lived - translators who served at the royal court. Most interpreters were Tatars who learned Russian and participated in negotiations between Russia and the Horde. Interpreters helped to establish trade relations between Russian and Tatar merchants.

Historian-archivist M.N. Tikhomirov in the book “Ancient Moscow XII–XV centuries.” suggests that Tatars have long settled on Bolshaya Ordynka: “Some other signs also indicate the old settlement of the Zamoskvorechye region by Tatars. The street leading from Zamoskvorechye to the Kremlin still bears the Tatar name Balchug. In Zamoskvorechye we find Ordynka Street, which previously led to the Kremlin gates. Through Zamoskvorechye the Ordynskaya road went straight to the south. It was here that it was most convenient for the “besermen”, primarily the Tatars, to settle.”[6]. In the 16th century, on the very outskirts of Zamoskvorechye and Bolshaya Ordynka, the Ekaterininskaya Bleaching Settlement appeared, whose residents produced bleached yarn for the courtyard.

As the famous expert on the history of the capital P.V. writes in his book “From the History of Moscow Streets”. Sytin: “The courtyards in the settlements were small, narrow along the street and somewhat longer in depth, which is why the blocks were cut up by many alleys. The huts are wooden, mostly chicken houses; They stood in rows along the street and occupied a small area along it. Behind the hut is a barn or barn, and behind it there is always a vegetable garden.

The settlements were separated from one another by groves and fields. In the middle of the settlement there was usually a church, next to it there was a “brotherly courtyard”, where self-government was concentrated.” In Kadashevskaya Sloboda such a church was the Church of the Resurrection in Kadashi, in Cossack - the Church of the Assumption, in Cossack, in Tolmachevskaya - the Church of St. Nicholas in Tolmachi, and in Ekaterininskaya - St. Catherine the Great Martyr, in Vspolye.

In 1572, at the request of Ivan the Terrible, the relics of the holy martyrs Michael and Theodore of Chernigov were transported to Moscow. The procession moved along Bolshaya Ordynka. All of Moscow came to see the relics of the saints. At the place where the relics met, the Church of Michael and Theodore of Chernigov is now located. In the 17th century, archers from Pyzhov’s regiment settled on the street, which gave its name to Pyzhevsky Lane and the Church of St. Nicholas in Pyzhi. Moscow archers guarded the Kremlin and took part in campaigns. In peacetime, the archers did not disdain crafts, trade, and gardening, which brought them closer to the townspeople. A Cossack settlement appeared to the south (Cossack Sloboda). Cossacks carried out military service, and their families were engaged in agriculture.

Hordes of Crimean Tatars, naturally, moved along Bolshaya Ordynka during the raids on Moscow. The Tatars did not often get to the protected Kremlin, but Zamoskvorechye was regularly “consigned to swords and fires.” On Bolshaya Ordynka, Russian warriors met the enemy, offered resistance, and sometimes even completely destroyed them. During the Time of Troubles, detachments of Poles led by the Pretender marched through the Serpukhov Gate along Bolshaya Ordynka to Moscow. In September 1612, during the Battle of Moscow, the Klimentovsky fort stood near Bolshaya Ordynka, the defense of which became one of the main events of the battle. Both archers and Cossacks took part in it. Historian S.M. Soloviev reports: “On the 24th, on Monday, again at dawn, the battle began and continued until the sixth hour after sunrise; the Poles crushed the Russians and trampled them into the river, so that Pozharsky himself and his regiment barely survived and were forced to cross to the left bank; Trubetskoy and his Cossacks went to camps across the river; The Cossacks also abandoned the Klementyevsky fort, which was immediately occupied by the Poles who came out of Kitay-Gorod.”[7]

By the end of the 17th century, Bolshaya Ordynka occupied a central position in Zamoskvorechye, but Yakimanka and Pyatnitskaya were of greater importance. Even now, the border of two Moscow districts – Yakimanka and Zamoskvorechye – runs along Bolshaya Ordynka. In the 18th century, rich merchants and even nobles increasingly settled here. They are attracted by the tranquility and sparseness of Bolshaya Ordynka, because it was then that the traffic completely moved to Pyatnitskaya Street. “Merchant people who came out of the settlements, leaving their former homes, and to this day clearly live in Moscow in the master’s courtyards in settlements, for example, beyond the Moscow River on Pyatnitskaya and Ordynka,” [8] notes Solovyov.

At the end of the 18th century, the entrance and exit from Bolshaya Ordynka were decorated with houses with porticoes and rounded corners. Merchants invested huge amounts of money in building houses and remodeling churches.

For example, in 1783–1791, by order of merchant A.I. Dolgov, a refectory with the thrones of Varlaam of Khutyn and the icon of the Mother of God of the Joy of All Who Sorrow, as well as a three-tiered bell tower were added to the Sorrowful Church of 1685. The project was carried out by architect V.I. Bazhenov. And in 1834, another great architect O.I. Beauvais partially redesigned the temple of the icon of the Mother of God of All Who Sorrow. According to P.V. Sytin: “In the 19th century. wooden one-story houses on the street were replaced by stone two-story, rarely three-story" [9].

In the 19th century, the large architectural buildings of churches, noble and some merchant houses contrasted with low, low-rise buildings. In the second half of the 19th century, high apartment buildings appeared on Bolshaya Ordynka. In 1899, Dutch linden trees were planted along the street, which made it even more cozy. Later B.L. Pasternak, who lived not far from Bolshaya Ordynka in Lavrushinsky Lane, will write:

The age-old, fragrant, unfaded linden trees look gloomy due to their lack of sleep.

Bolshaya Ordynka is interestingly described in the famous guidebook of the Sabashnikov brothers “Around Moscow. Walks around Moscow and its artistic and educational institutions" 1917: "Let's turn onto Bolshaya Ordynka. Until recently, this area was quite dirty: there were small shops, taverns, inns and carriage houses here. Turning into the first lane to the right, we look into gate No. 8 and see a typical courtyard, like an inn”[10].

The most important event of the beginning of the 20th century for Bolshaya Ordynka was the construction in 1909, at the expense of Grand Duchess Elizabeth Feodorovna, of the Marfo-Mariinskaya Convent of Mercy, which combined charitable and medical work. The main temple of the monastery, the Intercession Cathedral, was designed by A.V. Shchusev, and the paintings were done by M.N. Nesterov. In 1926 the monastery was closed. After construction by engineer V.S. Kirillov and the same Shchusev in 1938, the Moskvoretsky Bridge, which began to open onto Bolshaya Ordynka, the latter again became the main artery of Zamoskvorechye. During the Soviet years, the famous Zamoskvoretsk punks lived on Bolshaya Ordynka. In the 1950s, the appearance of the street changed somewhat: for example, a thirteen-story ministerial building appeared on the corner with Pyzhevsky Lane.

Isaev House and Korobkova Mansion

Next, I suggest taking a walk to house 49A, building 2, which is located in the courtyard. This is the apartment building of K. Isaev , built in 1903 in the Art Nouveau style.

Let's consider the features of its decor. The house is symmetrical, its facade is crowned with a curved attic under a deep canopy. The landing window, located in the middle, is decorated very stylishly. It is surrounded by a floral belt and elegantly intercepted by horizontal white belts in several places.

Between the third and fourth floors, architect Kekushev placed a cartouche on a floral background. However, the owner of the house left it empty.

The next point on route No. 6 is located at Pyatnitskaya, 33. This is the Korobkova mansion . This house was rebuilt in 1894–1899 by architect Lev Kekushev. He decorated his buildings with the figure of a lion or the head of this animal. If you look closely, you can see the famous Kekushevsky lion on top of the roof, under the openwork lattice.

The roof itself is decorated in a typical Art Nouveau style with extensive use of forged metal for decoration, as well as the bay window - a prominent window above the entrance on the second floor. There is an abundance of sculptural compositions on the facade and one of the most characteristic elements of the Art Nouveau style is the mascaron (a serious female head above the first floor windows).

The mansion has preserved its rich interior decoration. The front lace staircase, which ends with a small semicircular balcony, is especially impressive.

A fascinating route from the Square of Three Stations to Lubyanka along the sights of Moscow.

Temple of Clement and Church of All Who Sorrow

Walk a little further along Pyatnitskaya to Klimentovsky Lane. You will see the elegant Temple of the Holy Martyr Clement of the Pope . Saint Clement lived in the 4th century, he is revered by both Orthodox and Catholics, since at that time there was no division of churches.

The wooden temple was first mentioned in written sources in connection with the battle in 1612 between Russian and Polish-Lithuanian troops during the Time of Troubles. This battle became a turning point in the war - the liberation of Moscow from the Lithuanian-Polish invaders began at the St. Clement Church.

The first stone temple was built on this site in 1657. In 1769, the construction of the five-domed Baroque temple was completed, which has survived to this day.

The elegant decor of the building corresponds to the Baroque style: bright colors of the facade and domes, paired columns, complex platbands, broken pediments, oval windows, figured domes, thin stucco ornaments and cartouches.

At the corner of Klimentovsky Lane, 16 and Bolshaya Ordynka Street, 21, there is the Dolgov-Zhemochkin city estate . The main house in the classical style was built around 1770 on a vaulted basement at the turn of the 17th-18th centuries. According to the custom of the 18th century, the main house of the estate is located in the depths of the property, with a vast front courtyard stretching in front of it.

After the fire of 1812, the estate was rebuilt in the Empire style and began to be considered one of the best examples of late Moscow classicism. Walk also to the rear façade of the main house with its semi-circular terrace and stairs to the garden. To do this, you need to turn right from Klimentovsky Lane, before reaching the last house of the lane.

Opposite the Dolgov estate on Bolshaya Ordynka, 20, there is the Church of the Icon of the Mother of God “Joy of All Who Sorrow,” built in 1831–1836, or rather rebuilt after the fire of 1812, in which the original church, created by Vasily Bazhenov back in 1783–1791, was damaged.

Beauvais added a rotunda to the temple, and he carefully preserved everything that Bazhenov created and used its composition and decor when designing the new volume of the building. Look at the dome of the Beauvais rotunda and the dome of the Bazhenov bell tower - their proportions and finishes are very similar.

The attraction of the Church of “Joy of All Who Sorrow” is the interiors of the rotunda. The majestic Ionic colonnade is impressive in scale; the dome is decorated with elegant paintings. The temple was built in the Empire style, like most of Beauvais' buildings after the War of 1812.

From 1930 to 1940, the temple was used as a storage room for the Tretyakov Gallery, which saved it from the sad fate of many Moscow churches.

Zamoskvorechye of yesteryear

This special world in the middle of the bustling capital was created by the new masters of life - merchants. They are accustomed to their usual way of life - rural, leisurely, patriarchal. They woke up here when they just went to bed on Arbat or Prechistenka.

The merchants lived in good-quality houses, surrounded by high fences and fully locked. How the life of the inhabitants of Zamoskvorechye proceeded, what they did and what they dreamed of, you will learn during a walking tour of memorable places.

Church of St. Nicholas and Marfo-Mariinskaya Convent

After visiting the “Joy of All Who Sorrow” Church, return to Klimentovsky Lane and walk along Bolshaya Ordynka to the Church of St. Nicholas in Pyzhi (house 27/6). The temple was built in 1657–1672.

Walking tour of Moscow. Zamoskvorechye

We recently went on a walking tour around the Moscow region - Zamoskvorechye. We decided to buy tickets after seeing a promotion on a coupon site. They probably wouldn’t have just gone like that. With a 50% discount, they cost 200 rubles each. The closer to summer, the more offers I began to find on sites selling coupons. In addition to this excursion, I bought coupons for two more).

The gathering was scheduled for 20:00 at the station. m. Novokuznetskaya near the fountain of Adam and Eve. The time, in my opinion, is not entirely convenient; we could have gotten ready earlier. Having arrived, we snacked on the sandwiches we had purchased in advance so that our stomach would stop bothering us with its growling. After that, we still had about 40 minutes left to contemplate children playing in the fountain, people relaxing, drinking beer and a homeless person collecting empty cans after them, who smelled far from French perfume.

Fountain of Adam and Eve, Art. m. Novokuznetskaya

About 10-12 people came for the excursion. Half are under 30 years old, the other half are 30-40 years old. Mostly women, there were only three men. After waiting for all members of the group, we moved towards the street. Pyatnitskaya .

I’ll tell you a little about what I learned on this walking tour about the history and streets of Zamoskvorechye. Most of them start from the Moscow River. This area is located “beyond the Moscow River from the Kremlin,” hence its name, which is quite obvious. Previously, the area was called Zarechye. Streletsky settlements and Cossack settlement were located here (remember 1 and 2 Cossack Lane?), which protected the entrances to the Kremlin. The names of some army commanders were immortalized in the names of churches and streets in Zamoskvorechye. For example, the Trinity Church in Vishnyaki is located where Vishnyakov’s Streltsy Regiment was stationed, the Nikola Temple in Pyzhi is where Pyzhov’s regiment was, Vishnyakovsky and Pyzhevsky lanes are also named after them.

The craft settlements located here also contributed to the names of the streets. Take the same Novokuznetskaya. Here was the Kuznetskaya Sloboda, which was forced out of the area of the current Kuznetsky Bridge. Both the bridge and the street got their name from them. Kozhevnicheskaya Street, Monetchikovsky Lanes, Sadovnichesky Lane, Tolmachevskaya Street (translators used to be called interpreters), etc. also came from the names of craft settlements.

Panorama of Zamoskvorechye, approximately 1850. Clickable.

Since the 19th century Merchants lived here. They were very pious, did charity work, and with their money a large number of temples and churches were built in Zamoskvorechye. On the site of the Novokuznetskaya metro station there used to be a temple built in honor of the patroness of trade, Paraskeva Pyatnitsa. The temple was demolished, but the name of the street - Pyatnitskaya - remained. In Soviet atheistic times, all streets that received their name from the names of temples, churches and monasteries were renamed. So Ilyinka became a street. Kuibysheva, Varvarka - st. Razin, but this transformation did not affect Pyatnitskaya Street, apparently one of the officials thought that the name came from the day of the week - Friday :-). After the abolition of serfdom, many could not afford estates and their own houses. Therefore, at the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th centuries. a new type of house appears - an apartment building. Unlike the two or three-story buildings of old Moscow, the apartment building was multi-story. They were intended for renting out apartments and rooms to generate income. Hence the name. There were apartment buildings of different levels: for the rich, middle class and even for the poor. What they used to earn by renting out apartments in Moscow, what now, nothing has changed, only the price)).

Apartment house.

Let's go further along the street. Pyatnitskaya to Malaya Ordynka past the Temple of Clement of the Pope, built in a baroque style atypical for Moscow at that time. Money for construction was allocated by a merchant with an interesting surname - Dolgov. Apparently, his last name did not stop him from earning money)). The temple gave its name to Klimentsky Lane.

Temple of Clement Pope

Malaya Ordynka seemed familiar to me, a little later I remembered that there is a museum of Soviet slot machines here. But it turned out that he was not the only one. The Ostrovsky House Museum is also located here. It turned out that he lived here on Malaya Ordynka next to the Church of St. Nicholas in Pyzhi. The guide told a lot about the temple and Ostrovsky’s life.

Ostrovsky House-Museum

Church of St. Nicholas in Pyzhi

Ordynka Street itself (Bolshaya and Malaya) received its name from the Ordynskaya Sloboda, which was located here. The Horde members were engaged in delivering quitrents to the Golden Horde.

From Malaya Ordynka we move to Bolshaya Ordynka to the Marfo-Mariinsky monastery. This monastery was founded by Elizaveta Feodorovna, the sister of the wife of the last Russian Emperor Nicholas II and the wife of Sergei Alexandrovich Romanov, son of Alexander II and brother of Alexander III. It took a long time to figure it out to understand who is who)). The monastery opened recently, in 2009. They say it is very beautiful there. But we were unable to get into either this temple or the others that we walked around during this excursion, because... after 19:00 they are all closed. By the way, the architect of the church in the Marfo-Mariinsky monastery was A.V. Shchusev, who built Lenin's mausoleum after the revolution. Such an interesting fate - I started with churches, ended with a mausoleum).

Temple in the Marfo-Mariinskaya Convent

We approach the Tretyakov Gallery. Not far from it there is such a fountain in the form of picture frames placed next to each other. Opposite this fountain is a house in which such famous writers as Agnia Barto, Boris Pasternak, Ilf and Petrov once lived.

We stood near the Tretyakov Gallery for quite a long time. The guide talked about the history of its origin, its creator and the exhibits of the gallery. During the story, a crowd of teenagers wearing masks that covered half their faces passed us and moved towards the fountain where we had recently been. Screams were heard from there, and then a native of the southern countries of the former USSR ran past us. He didn’t have any shoes on, he ran away from this crowd as fast as he could barefoot. He received a couple of blows, but they did not knock him down. Managed to escape. Probably, this can be considered my first “acquaintance” with skinheads in Moscow.

Many houses in the old districts of Moscow have windows at sidewalk level. No, don’t think about it, they haven’t built it like this before. It is believed that in 100 years, 1 meter of the so-called cultural layer of the earth grows. Here is one of these old houses, can you tell by eye how old it is?

Next we go to the Temple of the Resurrection in Kadashi. This used to be the territory of Kadashevskaya Sloboda. Coopers were called Kadash, i.e. masters of making barrels, tubs, etc. But the inhabitants of this settlement were also engaged in trade, and from 1613 weaving production appeared here.

Church of the Resurrection of Christ in Kadashi.

Judging by the poster, everything is not as calm here as it seemed.

First Kadashevsky Lane, which is near the temple that gave it its name, ends in a drainage canal. It was dug parallel to the Moscow River under Catherine II. Under the mayor of Moscow Yu. Luzhkov, fountains appeared, the jets of which flow directly from under the water. In the evening, according to the guide, there should also be lighting there. Because We looked from afar, only one fountain was visible, and we couldn’t take a good picture.

I realized I was missing out on a lot in this area. In particular, I have never been to the Vodootvodny Canal or seen its fountains. I think it’s worth taking a day and walking along the Bolotnaya, Kadashevskaya embankments along the canal and along the Sofiyskaya embankment of the Moscow River - to look at the Kremlin from the other side, and not, as usual, from Red Square or the Alexander Garden.

Our walking tour of Zamoskvorechye ended near the Polyanka metro station at the Temple of St. Gregory of Neocaesarea. Such a beautiful temple, see photo below.

As you understand from what was written, the attractions of Zamoskvorechye are mainly numerous temples. It is clear that in the two hours that this walking tour lasted, we were not able to get around all of Zamoskvorechye. Although I am not a fan of temples and churches, and not even baptized, I was interested in seeing and listening to all this. And it’s rare that after work you manage to get out somewhere. This walking tour of Moscow brought some variety to an ordinary weekday.

Temple of the Assumption, Church of Neocaesarea, Demidov mansion

Along Bolshaya Polyanka return to house 37, the Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Cossack Sloboda . It was built in 1695–1697 in the Moscow Baroque style. Using the example of this building, the basic principle of the construction of Russian churches is very clearly visible - an octagon on a quadrangle.

Baroque features are clearly visible in the design of the window frames - they are decorated with torn pediments, and there are also double columns in the corners. The bell tower was erected a hundred years later, in 1797–1798, in the classical style. It was then that the church acquired its modern appearance.

Continue your walk along Bolshaya Polyanka towards the center. You need house 29 - this is one of the most beautiful shrines in Moscow, which was nicknamed “red”, that is, beautiful, for its bright and beautiful painting. The Church of Gregory of Neocaesarea in Derbitsy was built in 1668–1679.

Subsequently, after the completion of construction, the Church of St. Gregory of Neocaesarea in Derbitsy became a court church, although it was located outside the Kremlin. She was regularly visited by members of the royal family. Pay attention to one interesting detail: the crosses of the domes are topped with small crowns - this is a sign that the temple is royal.

The architecture of the temple is also extraordinary. This is a Russian pattern with rows of fiery kokoshniks, rich decoration of window frames and a multi-colored bright facade. The facades of the bell tower and quadrangle are decorated with a belt of nine thousand multi-colored tiles with a “peacock's eye” pattern. The colors of the tiles have retained their original brightness to this day.

The interior decoration of the temple is no less magnificent. The huge iconostasis in six rows is impressive. In 1859, the church underwent a thorough restoration for the first time. The Church of St. Gregory of Neocaesarea was closed at the end of 1935. Of the icons transferred to the museum, only one can be seen in the Tretyakov Gallery - the most valuable Mother of God of Eleusa of Kykkos.

On the way to the Tretyakov Gallery, go to house number 13, after it turn right, walk along the pedestrian path to Staromonetny Lane. Next, take a little to the left and exit onto Bolshoi Tolmachevsky Lane. He will lead you to the pedestrian Lavrushinsky Lane, which ends at the beautiful Demidov estate .

The house in a classical style was built at the end of the 18th century. Since then it has had several owners. After the War of 1812, the house was badly damaged, and in 1814 it was restored and rebuilt. Today we see the design of the facade of that time.

Since 1942, the main house belongs to the Scientific Pedagogical Library named after K. D. Ushinsky. The most unique thing about the estate is the excellent cast iron fence. This miracle of foundry art of the 18th century was created in the 1760s at one of the Demidov factories according to the drawings of the architect F. S. Argunov.

Walking tour of Zamoskvorechye

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Zamoskvorechye is not only a special area, with its own unique flavor and charm, it is a “special country” that could be the calling card of Moscow. A walk around Zamoskvorechye is especially pleasant on a weekend; it’s a good place to escape from “modernity” and the bustle of the capital’s central streets. During a tour of Zamoskvorechye you will be able to visit one of the richest and largest settlements - Kadashevskaya. And an entertaining collection of everyday life of the 18th and 19th centuries: spinning wheels, Russian clothing, dishes and other household items will help you imagine how they lived in the suburban huts. A significant monument in Kadashi now is the Church of the Resurrection of Christ, made in the Baroque style. You will also visit the stately bell tower with six tiers, popularly called the “candle”. It's worth climbing it - the view is simply stunning! By the way, here is the unique Sundial in the capital. Unfortunately, not all settlements have been preserved as well, and from some only their names remain: Staromonetny Lane, Novokuznetskaya metro station, Ovchinnikovskaya embankment.

During a walking tour of Zamoskvorechye you will learn all its secrets. For example, it is known for the fact that Streltsy lived there, but after the Streltsy riot in 1698, they became banned there. Their houses and shops were abandoned and the area became inhabited exclusively by merchants. Rumor has it that our capital owes its reputation as a “big village” to the Zamoskvoretsk merchants. But you can’t tell this from their houses - among them there are almost palaces, for example, the Dolgov estate. Moreover, being fabulously rich, it was the merchants who promoted art, thanks to which the Tretyakov Gallery appeared in Moscow.

Walking with a guide around Zamoskvorechye you will visit the Marfo-Mariinsky Convent, which serves as a symbol of mercy. Its founder, Grand Duchess E.F. Romanova, was taken away by security officers to her death from here, and the story of the novice touches to the depths of the soul. Now the monastery has recreated the interiors of Elizabeth Feodorovna’s rooms based on archives and old photographs.

During a tour of Zamoskvorechye you will find yourself in the world of a magical musician who touched the country with both his unforgettable songs and his unsolved death. Igor Talkov is a part of our history, in which there was everything: both good and bad - this, in fact, is what our excursion will be about.

How many stories of merging the past with the future is hidden in Zamoskvorechye?... On a walking tour along Pyatnitskaya Street, Bolshaya Ordynka Street, Lavrushensky Lane and others, you will learn the secrets of this area.

Tretyakov Gallery

The Tretyakov Gallery building occupies almost the entire Lavrushinsky Lane; its founder is Pavel Mikhailovich Tretyakov. One day, after visiting the Hermitage, Pavel Mikhailovich decided to start collecting works of art.

Pavel Mikhailovich bought his first paintings in 1850, when he was only 19 years old. For 35 years he collected his richest collection. His goal was to collect the most complete collection of the best works of Russian artists.

By collecting paintings by Russian painters, Tretyakov supported the domestic art school. It is amazing how he chose the best from the many paintings.

Of all the Moscow collectors, only Tretyakov was given the right to be the first to choose works in artists' studios. Pavel Mikhailovich was a brave collector who did not recognize other people's authorities.

The basis for the future gallery was a small mansion bought by the Tretyakov brothers in Lavrushinsky Lane. In 1872–1874, the first gallery space for 1,500 works was built next to the residential building. In the 1880s, a two-story gallery building surrounded the Tretyakovs’ residential building on three sides. The collection received the status of a museum.

In 1893, the Moscow City Art Gallery of Pavel and Sergei Tretyakov was opened. By that time, it had already collected 1287 works of painting, 518 graphics and 15 sculptures! Today the collection of the Tretyakov Gallery numbers more than 140,000 items!

Let's return to the architecture of the Tretyakov Gallery building. Its calling card is its fabulous façade, famous throughout the world. It was built according to the sketches of the famous artist Viktor Vasnetsov in 1902–1904 in the neo-Russian style.

At the entrance there are three ancient Russian towers, the top of the wall is crowned in the center with a keel-shaped frame in the form of a kokoshnik, bordering the ancient coat of arms of Moscow. Such a facade, like a theater curtain, covers three separate facades of old buildings with a single decorative wall.

What will you learn

On a tour of Zamoskvorechye you will get answers to such questions.

How this area was born, why it is called that, and what was here before.
You will learn the history of the construction of famous temples and beautiful houses.
Listen to interesting stories from the lives of merchant families.
Why did this patriarchal corner survive during the years of Soviet power?
How the most famous museum in Zamoskvorechye, the Tretyakov Gallery, appeared.
What role did the Botkins, Mamontovs, Morozovs, and Tretyakovs play for the city?

The guide's stories about the history of this area will take you back several centuries and help you feel the spirit of old Moscow, preserved here today.

You can book a walking tour to Zamoskvorechye on our website. Pre-ordered tickets guarantee that the walk will take place at the time you planned, will be conducted by professional guides and will give only positive emotions.

Churches of St. Nicholas of the Ascension of Christ

To the left of the main gallery building is a new building, completed in 1989, called the Engineering Building. Go through the arches in the Engineering Building to St. Nicholas Church in Tolmachi . She entered the museum complex because she is the custodian of the oldest Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God in Rus'.

The Church of St. Nicholas in Tolmachi (Maly Tolmachevsky Lane, 9) was first mentioned in chronicles in 1625. The stone temple was erected in 1697 in the Moscow Baroque style. In 1834, a new Empire style bell tower and refectory were erected. The temple was visited by the Tretyakov family, and subsequently the temple was reconstructed at their expense.

The Tretyakov Gallery is located on the territory of the former Kadashevskaya Sloboda. This settlement was the largest in Zamoskvorechye, it consisted of more than 1000 households.

I suggest going to the main temple of Zamoskvorechye - the Church of the Resurrection of Christ in Kadashi . It is located at 2nd Kadashevsky Lane, 7.

To do this, walk along Lavrushinsky Lane to house 15, building 1, after it turn right and follow the path to 1st Kadashevsky Lane. Turn left on it, walk to the Kadashevsky dead end, from which there will be an entrance to the Kadashevskaya Sloboda Museum and the temple itself.

The location of the temple in Kadashi - opposite the Kremlin Assumption Cathedral, between two main roads to the south - Polyanka and Ordynka - determined its important position and significance.

The Church of the Resurrection in Kadashi served as the main vertical, the compositional dominant of Zamoskvorechye. The ringing of bells after the Kremlin began here, and then they were picked up by other temples and churches.

The temple was built in 1687; in 1695, a bell tower was built in the Moscow (Naryshkin) Baroque style: fine white stone carvings, torn pediments of window frames, elegant “cockscombs” and cornices.

On the southern facade of the refectory you can see a sundial - the only one in Moscow that is located directly on the temple building. The Church of the Resurrection of Christ in Kadashi has four altars, which is unique for temple architecture.

The upper church, with one main altar of the Resurrection of Christ, after which the entire church is named, was summer and cold. The lower temple, with three altars, was warm, heated by two tiled stoves.

Almost every day there is an excursion around the territory of the temple with a climb to the bell tower. Admiring the views of the city from above is priceless!

Travel to merchant Moscow

Many excursions start from the Cathedral of Christ the Savior. While on the Patriarchal Bridge, you will first see a magnificent panorama of the Kremlin, and then a “special country” opens up - Zamoskvorechye.

You will get acquainted with the unique ensemble of the 17th century, which includes the chambers of Averky Kirillov and the Church of St. Nicholas on Bersenevka.
Touch the secrets of the House on the Embankment.
You will visit Bolotnaya Square, famous for fist fights and preserving the memory of Pugachev.
You will learn about the creation by M. Shemyakin of the most original sculpture in Moscow - the monument to “Children - Victims of the Vices of Adults.”
Walking across the Luzhkov Bridge, you will find yourself in the once rich Kadashevskaya Sloboda, where around the world-famous Church of the Ascension there are perfectly preserved buildings from the 17th – 18th centuries.
You will pass by the Cyril and Methodius Center for Slavic Culture. By the way, Lieutenant Rzhevsky, known to everyone from jokes, used to live in this house.
You will visit the places where Akhmatova, Pasternak and other celebrities lived.
Admire the Temple of the Icon “Joy of All Who Sorrow.”
You will see the house that Margarita “smashed” in M. Bulgakov’s novel.

Sights of Chernigovsky Lane

The next point on the route is Chernigovsky Lane, where several amazing architectural monuments are concentrated.

Along 2nd Kadashevsky Lane you will exit onto Bolshaya Ordynka Street, turn right and then almost immediately left onto Chernigovsky Lane. The lane changes its direction twice, both times at right angles.

House 9/13 is the most spectacular in the lane, this is the Rzhevsky estate . The first owner of the site known to us was an officer of the Preobrazhensky Regiment, Captain V.T. Rzhevsky. It was he who, in 1710, built the chambers that underlie the main building of the building. Rzhevsky deliberately turned the house's front facade into a quiet alley, and not onto a busy street.

In the middle of the 18th century, Lieutenant of the Horse Guards Ilya Rzhevsky became the owner of the estate. Perhaps it was this lieutenant who became the prototype of the hero of famous frivolous jokes.

After the War of 1812, the house was rebuilt and acquired Empire features. The central part was highlighted by a powerful Doric portico. In the second half of the 19th century, the decoration of the facade was changed. It received trim and stucco molding in the neo-Baroque style.

At the beginning of the 20th century, the private men's gymnasium of the enthusiastic teacher V.D. Kasitsyn was located in the mansion. The reconstruction of the building for this educational institution was carried out under the leadership of the architect V.V. Sherwood.

At the second turn of Chernigovsky Lane there is a pink building of the former apartment building of I. F. Neishtadt (Bolshaya Ordynka, 9/2). It was built in a neoclassical style by an architect in 1913–1916.

The building is very elegant, it is decorated as if it faces the main street of Moscow, and not a quiet side street. The facade is decorated with pilasters and semicircular bay windows. Above the windows of the third floor, the walls are decorated with bas-relief panels with full-length musicians.

The owner of the house loved music. Above the windows of the fifth floor there are bas-relief compositions of half-naked women and men, very similar to the ancient Greek gods, listening to music that comes from the bas-reliefs of the lower floor.

Continue along Chernigovsky Lane. After the second turn, you will find yourself next to two churches, and a little further away you will see a tall green bell tower. The lane is named after the five-domed temple of the Chernigov miracle workers Prince Mikhail and boyar Fyodor . The existing temple was built in 1675 on the site of a wooden church.

The architecture of the temple in honor of these two martyrs is typical of Russian patterns: tiers of kokoshniks, their keel-shaped shape, elegant drums with stone decoration. Around each drum there is another tier of small kokoshniks.

Opposite the Chernigov Church is the Church of John the Baptist near Bor , presumably built in 1658, also on the site of a wooden building. The southern façade of the church, facing the alley, is very beautiful.

Pay attention to the unusual design of the door portal, as well as the unusual carved keel-shaped frames on the windows. On the second floor there are elements of ancient Russian architecture - a runner and a curb.

The green bell tower for this church was built quite far from it, on Pyatnitskaya Street, in the 80s of the 18th century, that is, a hundred years after the construction of the church itself. The decor of the bell tower uses techniques of classical order architecture: Doric, Ionic, Corinthian.

You can see other Temples and Cathedrals of Moscow by walking along the route from Cathedral Square to the Church of the Holy Life-Giving Trinity in Nikitniki.

From Chernigovsky Lane, exit to the right, onto Pyatnitskaya Street, to house 13. This is an apartment building of I.M. Galperin with a store. This is the most popular type of apartment building at the beginning of the 20th century. It was built in 1908–1909

Experts call the style of Galperin's apartment building as rational modernism. Its facade is laconic and strict, and also completely symmetrical. All vertical parts of the façade are lined with dark green “hog” ceramic tiles.

On the roof you can see the so-called phials - Gothic spiers, they emphasize the upward direction of the facade.

Sights of Zamoskvorechye

Zamoskvorechye is the oldest district of Moscow, distinguished by its historical and cultural originality. A few steps from Red Square, across the Moscow River, begins an area that has amazingly preserved the charm of a bygone era. On the streets of Zamoskvorechye you can see old mansions, solid merchant houses with wooden fences, elegant noble estates and elegant churches. The area is considered the cultural center of the capital, as popular theaters, museums, and exhibition complexes are located here. In recent years, active work has been carried out to restore the architectural appearance of the territory as part of the Zamoskvorechye restoration program.

State Tretyakov Gallery The largest art museum in the capital, founded by merchant Pavel Tretyakov in 1856. The museum is a national treasury of Russian art. From the moment Tretyakov transferred his personal paintings to the museum until the early 30s, the collection of paintings increased more than five times. A characteristic feature of the Tretyakov Gallery is the collection of paintings that reflect the original image and character of the Russian person. Currently, the exhibition includes more than 170 thousand works of Russian art, and the collection continues to be replenished. ADDRESS:

Lavrushinsky lane, 10

Maly Theater on Ordynka The oldest theater in the capital, occupying several buildings in the central part of the city. The branch, located on Bolshaya Ordynka (house 69), opened in 1944 on the initiative of Konstantin Zubov, a teacher at the Shchepkin Theater School. The premiere performance was the production “Engineer Sergeev”, dedicated to the first days of the war. Currently, young theater groups are working on the stage of the branch, whose repertoire includes classical works in a new interpretation and innovative performances based on the works of modern playwrights. ADDRESS:

st. Bolshaya Ordynka, 69

Moscow Theater of the Moon The theater, headed by Sergei Prokhanov, opened in 1993, but the troupe has been working in a modern building (on Malaya Ordynka) since 2004. The first performance “Byzantium”, based on the work of N. Gumilyov “The Poisoned Tunic”, is considered one of the most successful works. The main direction in the theater’s creativity is romance. Classics and works by contemporary authors are staged here, as well as performances for children. Some of the most popular productions include Tender is the Night, Faust, Intermission, and The Encore Wife. At the theater there is a children's creative studio “Little Moon”. ADDRESS:

st. Malaya Ordynka, 31, building 1

House-Museum of A. N. Ostrovsky The museum in the house where Alexander Ostrovsky was born opened in 1984. In the family estate, built at the beginning of the 19th century, the original interior furnishings and furniture collections that belonged to the playwright’s father have been preserved. There is a luxurious garden under the windows, which adds to the charm of the old mansion. The exhibition includes family portraits and personal belongings of the writer. On the second floor, two halls are dedicated to his work. In addition to excursions, the museum hosts many creative events. These are theatrical performances, reading excerpts from plays, meetings with actors. ADDRESS:

st. Malaya Ordynka, 9/12, building 6

Mansion of K. P. Bakhrushin This is an elegant building in the eclectic style. The house was purchased by the merchant of the first guild Konstantin Bakhrushin in 1891, and restoration work was carried out by the family architect Karl Gippius. During the reconstruction, the facades were decorated with white stucco, and the walls were painted bright blue. From the front entrance there was a balcony, elegant flowerpots, and a stucco fountain. A front garden was laid out in front of the entrance. After the revolution, the merchant family was evicted, and the building was handed over to the city authorities. Some of the interiors and merchant furnishings have survived to this day. Since 1933, the city prosecutor's office has been located here. ADDRESS:

st. Bakhrushina, 31/12, building 1

Korobkov's Mansion This is a lilac building of asymmetrical shape with a high scaly dome. The famous architects Kekushev and Shutsman took part in the rebuilding and reconstruction of the mansion, carried out in 1894. Over the years, outstanding representatives of culture and science lived here, including the President of the USSR Academy of Sciences A. Karpinsky and Academician V. Komarov. In 2013-2015, work was carried out in the building to restore the historical architecture. The object was among the laureates of the Moscow Government competition “Restoration 2015”. ADDRESS:

Pyatnitskaya st., 33-35, building 1

The Demidov estate in Bolshoi Tolmachevsky Lane The Demidov estate is an architectural monument of the 18th-19th centuries. The cast-iron fence and gate with a lace pattern are a striking example of Russian foundry art. The building was acquired by Amos Demidov in 1770. Subsequently, the owners of the estate were the merchants Zagryazhsky and Kozlin, and later Countess Maria Sologub. The house hosted literary evenings with the participation of Turgenev, Aksakov, Samarin and other famous Muscovites. In 1882, the estate was bought by the Moscow educational district for the construction of a men's gymnasium. In 1942, the Demidov house was transferred to the State Library for Public Education. ADDRESS:

Bolshoi Tolmachevsky lane, 3

House of N. S. Brashnin The house of Nikita Brashnin, a representative of the dynasty of Russian merchants and an honorary hereditary citizen, is located on Pyatnitskaya Street (house 44), next to the Tretyakovskaya metro station. The building, built in the 18th century, changed its owners many times. At the beginning of the 20th century, several families lived here; the famous silent film director Yakov Protazanov lived in one of the apartments. In the 1920s, a battalion of special forces units to combat counter-revolutionary activities settled in the building. Today the facility is included in the list of administrative buildings in Moscow. ADDRESS:

Pyatnitskaya st., 44, building 1

State Central Theater Museum named after A. A. Bakhrushin The Museum named after A. A. Bakhrushin was founded in the 90s of the 19th century. The first exhibition is the private collection of Moscow industrialist Alexei Bakhrushin. Today, the collection includes more than one and a half million unique exhibits, which include stage costumes and scenery, photographs, paintings, portraits of famous actors, posters and programs, examples of craft art, as well as other unique items related to the theatrical field. The collection features works by Golovin, Kustodiev, Roerich, Exter and other outstanding artists and masters of Russia. ADDRESS:

st. Bakhrushina, 31/12, building 1

Marfo-Mariinskaya Abode of Mercy Marfo-Mariinskaya Abode of Love and Mercy is a complex of buildings on Bolshaya Ordynka. The monastery was founded in 1909 on the initiative of Grand Duchess Elizabeth Feodorovna. After the murder of her husband by the terrorist Kalyaev, the princess devoted her life to serving God. The estate and gardens on Bolshaya Ordynka were purchased with money from the sale of personal property. A hospital, a house church, and a shelter for orphan girls were established here. Today, the monastery operates a rehabilitation center for children with cerebral palsy, an orphanage for girls, a day care group for disabled children, and the Elizavetinskaya Gymnasium. ADDRESS:

st. Bolshaya Ordynka, 34, building 13

Church of the Life-Giving Trinity in Vishnyaki An ancient Orthodox church, built in 1678, is the base center of St. Tikhon's Humanitarian University. The building, which has survived to this day, was erected in 1815 and illuminated in 1824 by St. Philaret. The bell tower was designed by architects F. Shestakov and N. Kozlovsky. After the revolution, the church was closed, and services resumed only in 1991. In 1994, His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II solemnly consecrated the chapels of the church. The church houses revered icons and particles of the relics of St. Tikhon and the Great Martyr Barbara. ADDRESS:

Pyatnitskaya st., 51, building 4

Church of the Great Martyr George the Victorious in Endov One of the most elegant churches in Moscow is located on Sadovnicheskaya Street (Novokuznetskaya metro station). On the site of the wooden church, a stone church was built in 1653 with donations from Muscovites. After the fire of 1812, the temple was almost completely destroyed. In 1836, the building was restored, decorated with new iconostases, and a porch was built. At the temple there was an almshouse for the sick, elderly and beggars, and during the war there was an infirmary. During the years of Soviet power, a hostel was built here. In 1993, services resumed, and in 2001 the altar was consecrated. ADDRESS:

Sadovnicheskaya st., 6, building 11

Church of the Ascension outside the Serpukhov Gate The Church of the Ascension outside the Serpukhov Gate was built in 1696 on territory donated by the Danilov Monastery. In 1709, a new stone structure was erected on the site of the old church. Part of the funds for the church was allocated by Alexei, the son of Peter I. After the death of the Tsarevich, construction was suspended. Only in 1762, thanks to the efforts of parishioners, work on the construction of the Upper Church, designed by the Italian architect Domenico Trezzini, was completed. In 1929, the church was closed and transferred to the national economy. Since 1990, worship services have been resumed. ADDRESS:

Bolshaya Serpukhovskaya st., 24/21A, building 1

Temple of the Hieromartyr Clement the Pope Temple of the Hieromartyr Clement the Pope is located on Pyatnitskaya Street. This is one of the most beautiful Orthodox cathedrals in Moscow with bright, memorable architecture in the baroque style. The object is included in the list of architectural monuments of Federal significance and on the excursion route of the Golden Ring. The temple has a unique element of decoration, no longer found in Orthodox churches - a wooden iconostasis with carved sculptures. Inside the church there is one temple hall and five chapels, a refectory with two chapels, and two bell towers. ADDRESS:

Pyatnitskaya st., 26, building 1

Ancient Orthodox Church in honor of the Intercession of the Most Holy Theotokos The Church of the Intercession of the Most Holy Theotokos Zamoskvoretskaya on Novokuznetskaya Street was erected by order of the Old Believer community. Construction of the temple (designed by architect V. Desyatov) lasted from 1908 to 1910. The style of architecture is ancient Russian architecture with elements of modernism. The interior decoration was made by artists from Bogatenko's workshop. During the years of Soviet power, various city organizations were located in the temple. In 1990, the building was transferred to another Old Believer community (Old Orthodox Church). Currently, the temple has the status of the Cathedral of the Russian Orthodox Church. ADDRESS:

Novokuznetskaya st., 38, building 1

Church of the Resurrection of Christ in Kadashi The temple was built on the site of a wooden church, the mention of which dates back to 1493. In 1657, there stood a stone cathedral with pediments decorated with scallop-shaped lace protrusions. In the 17th century, two porches and a bell tower were built. The interior decoration was decorated with a carved 12-meter iconostasis with gilded columns. In 1812, the French set fire to the temple, but the iconostasis miraculously survived. After the church was closed in 1934, a canning factory sports club was established here. Restoration work began in 1956, and in 1990 the temple was returned to believers. ADDRESS:

2nd Kadashevsky lane, 7

Church of St. Gregory of Neocaesarea This is one of the most famous cathedrals in Moscow and all of Russia. The church impressed Napoleon so much with its beauty that he gave the order not to touch the architectural masterpiece. The cathedral is decorated with attributes of “Russian pattern making”; the interior decoration was made by the famous 17th century master Stepan Polubes. The solemn consecration of the church took place on March 1, 1679 in the presence of Tsar Fyodor Alekseevich. Before the revolution, it was considered a court temple and was visited by members of the royal family, which is why crowns are engraved on the crosses. For its bright beauty, the temple was popularly called the “Red Church”. ADDRESS:

st. Bolshaya Polyanka, 29A

Church of the Beheading of John the Baptist near Bor The Church of the Beheading of John the Baptist was erected in 1514 by Aleviz the New on the site of the Ivanovo Monastery, which was transferred to Ivanovo Hill by decree of Vasily III. The church was built in the Baroque style with elements of Russian architecture. Iconostases created under the direction of architect Shekhtel and traces of ancient frescoes have survived to this day. The bell tower and refectory were added in the 18th century. After the revolution, city organizations were housed in the temple; restoration work was carried out in the 1970s. Currently, the temple is operational and services are held. ADDRESS:

Pyatnitskaya st., 4/2, building 5

The Chambers of Averky Kirillov and the Church of St. Nicholas on Bersenevskaya Embankment A house with a mezzanine on Bersenevskaya Embankment, adjacent to a monumental high-rise building, is clearly visible from the Patriarchal Bridge. These are the ancient chambers of the Duma clerk Averky Kirillov, a wealthy merchant and statesman. Averky was killed during the Streltsy riot in 1682 and buried in the house church of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker. The temple miraculously survived the years of wars and revolutionary upheavals. The chambers were rebuilt by the subsequent owner, clerk A. Kurbatov. The building was occupied by various scientific communities. Now the Russian Institute of Cultural Studies is located here. ADDRESS:

Bersenevskaya emb., 20

Church of the Icon of the Mother of God “Joy of All Who Sorrow” on Bolshaya Ordynka On the site of the modern church in the 17th century, the Church of the Transfiguration rose, where in 1688 the glorification of the icon of the Mother of God “Joy of All Who Sorrow” took place. In 1783, the church was rebuilt by the architect Vasily Bazhenov, and the new iconostasis was painted by Hieromonk Boniface from the Sarov Hermitage. The current building was erected in 1836 according to the design of Osip Bove and consecrated by Metropolitan Philaret of Moscow. After the revolution, the church was closed, but in 1948, services were resumed in the temple. In 2012-2013, restoration was carried out under the leadership of architect Kalugin. ADDRESS:

st. Bolshaya Ordynka, 20

The Zamoskvorechye district, which escaped radical restructuring in the post-war years, has captured the changing styles of ceremonial architecture over the past few centuries. Here you can see ancient chambers and Stalinist high-rise buildings adjacent to each other, Old Believer churches and typical residential buildings of the Soviet period. In the silence of the old streets hide elegant churches built after the fire of 1812, and on the central streets you can find elegant Empire estates and eclectic mansions.

Restaurant "Carlson" and business

After such an intense and eventful walk, it’s time to relax with a cup of coffee. I suggest going up to the roof of a modern business restaurant “Carlson” at Ovchinnikovskaya embankment, 20/1.

Here you can enjoy views of Zamoskvorechye, the Kremlin, the high-rise building on Kotelnicheskaya Embankment, as well as views of other high-rise buildings in Moscow. From Galperin’s house you need to go to house 17, then turn left and then exit through the courtyards into Pyatnitsky Lane.

Cross it, go further to Sadovnichesky Proezd (street with tram tracks), then follow the passage almost to the Vodootvodny Canal. The business center building will be on your right. The entire journey will take you about 7–10 minutes.

Since you are already on the Vodootvodny Canal, I suggest you walk a little more to see an interesting object of modern architecture. The business is located on Ozerkovskaya embankment, 22 (if you leave the Carlson restaurant, it’s about a 6-7 minute walk to the right along the embankment).

Dynamics, curved shapes, a lot of glass - all this gives the complex a very modern and stylish look, and it also fits well into the urban landscape, following the bends of the river.

The business received the international architectural prize European Property Award in 2013.

Metro "Novokuznetskaya"

After the Aquamarine business center, head to the Novokuznetskaya metro station to complete your walk around Zamoskvorechye.

From Ozerkovskaya Embankment, turn left into Ozerkovsky Lane, then turn right onto Bolshaya Tatarskaya Street, from which turn left into Klimentovsky Lane. It will lead to Novokuznetskaya Street almost to the metro.

At the same time, this metro station is worthy of a separate story. Novokuznetskaya station is a very beautiful station, its main decoration is the mosaic panels on the ceiling, their creation is one of the most important pages in the entire history of the metro.

Few people know that these amazing panels were created in besieged Leningrad in 1941–1942. Without food, without warm clothes, practically in darkness, in the unheated building of the Academy of Arts, V. Frolov spent several months collecting bright, cheerful mosaics from small pieces of smalt based on A. Deineka’s sketches.

The front-line food norm for an elderly artist is 125 grams of bread per day. On February 3, 1942, Vladimir Alexandrovich died of hunger. “Novokuznetskaya” was his last work... The metro station was opened in 1943.