Meshchansky district. A modern take on history

2024 Author: Henry Conors | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-12 02:41

The Meshchansky district is a relatively small administrative entity in the northern part of the center of Moscow. But if you want to get around it on foot, although everyone now prefers cars, it will be quite difficult.

How to get there

Eight metro stations lead to the right place ("Kuznetsky Most", "Rizhskaya", "Dostoevskaya", "Sukharevskaya", "Lubyanka", "Prospect Mira", "Trubnaya"), six trolleybuses will also help 48, No. 48k, No. 9, No. 14, No. 42, No. 37), whose lines run along the ground, a bus and two tram routes (No. 19, No. 7). Transport without interruption serves the Meshchansky district. There are only twenty-one main streets. Historical names have been preserved with the exception of a few. The First Meshchanskaya Street was renamed Prospekt Mira. However, at its very beginning, it does not at all resemble a avenue, as it is too narrow and built up with low buildings. Well, what to do - this is the historical center, which in every major city consists of narrow streets. Another thing is Olimpiyskiy Prospekt - wide and spacious, which originates from the Garden Ring.

On one of its sides stands, like a toy, the Durov Theater, and on the other side, on a high hill, there is a mosque, which was the only one in Moscow under Soviet rule. But we must start in order.

When and how did this area appear

The first mention of Moscow is connected precisely with the place that much later will be called the Meshchansky district, or rather, when Yuri Dolgoruky on the lands of Stepan Kuchka in the area somewhere between Lubyanka Square and Sretensky Gates made a vow in 1147, he He also ordered to build a small fortress at the mouth of the Neglinka River. She was also called Samoteka. Mills were built on its banks and fish were caught. Bridges were built across it - Kuznetsky, Petrovsky, Voskresensky and Troitsky. In the era of Catherine II, the river was taken into pipes underground, only the street with this name remained - Neglinnaya. Moscow was built and grew by those about whom they now say "come in large numbers here." In the 1670s, along the roads leading to the Trinity-Sergius Monastery, Belarusians, Poles, Lithuanians began to settle, who called their places, cities, "myast", those who live in them - "meschans", whom the Russian language transformed into "philistines". This is how the Meshchansky district appeared, or, more precisely, the Meshchanskaya settlement. The inhabitants were mainly engaged in crafts and trade. Compared to the rest of the inhabitants of Moscow, they had a more Western and advanced method of managing their settlement. They had governance based on elections. Peter I also had a hand in the changes in this place. By his decree, the Pharmaceutical Garden was created - the first Botanical Garden in Moscow and a place for festivities.

He still surprises visitors, for example, with blooming orchids that amaze with the aromas of cherries, marzipan, chocolate or almond oil and a variety of colors and sizes of flowers. In addition, residents could walk along Sretensky, Tsvetnoy and Rozhdestvensky boulevards, as well as Catherine's garden. Much later, the Festival Park appeared.

Sretensky Monastery

The Sretensky Monastery (14th century) is one of the oldest structures that controlled the Yaroslavl road and was part of a chain of defensive monasteries. Ivan Vasilievich the Terrible often visited him, and Mikhail Romanov also revered him. With the money allocated by him, new cells and the abbot's building were built. Of the original buildings, the Sretensky Cathedral and monastery cells (built in the 17th-18th centuries) have survived to this day.

Now this is a newly functioning male monastery, where restoration work is underway and new cells are being built. The publishing house at the monastery publishes not only Orthodox, but fiction and historical literature.

Nativity Monastery

The Nativity Monastery is a nunnery also built in the 14th century. By the beginning of the 20th century, a parochial school for girls and an orphanage were opened here. But during the years of Soviet power, it was closed, the silver robes from the icons were taken out, communal apartments were arranged in the cells, the walls of the monastery were demolished. At the end of the 20th century, the life of the monastery was revived.

Assume thatPerov wrote his famous "Troika" either in Kitay-gorod or near the walls of the Nativity Monastery. And this is the Meshchansky district of Moscow.

Other attractions in a nutshell

The Chambers of Princes Khovansky is the oldest structure that can only be photographed from space. And, although modern architects were preparing a restoration project, the building is not given to them, it is occupied by the FSB services.

Urban estate of Count Rostopchin, who was the governor of Moscow in 1812. A beautiful building that is falling apart, despite being located in the very center - Bolshaya Lubyanka Street, Meshchansky District, Moscow.

The Sanduny baths are perfectly preserved and function to this day.

Architectural Institute and Theater School. Shchepkina are also located in the Meshchansky district.

Ambulance known throughout the country. Sklifosovsky and the MONIKI hospital are also the Meshchansky district of the Central Administrative District.

Conclusion

The huge recently reconstructed Detsky Mir, fashion houses, buildings built according to the designs of Kazakov, Bazhenov, Quarenghi, the huge Olimpiysky sports complex and many other interesting objects can be found walking around the Meshchansky district. This place is worth visiting.