Meshchansky District - relatively a small administrative unit in the northern part of the center of Moscow. But if you want to go around it on foot, although everyone now prefers cars, it will be quite difficult.
How to get to him
Eight metro stations lead to the right place (Kuznetsky Most, Riga, Dostoevskaya, Sukharevskaya, Lubyanka, Prospect Mira, Trubnaya), and six trolleybuses (No. 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 are preserved with the exception of some. First Meshchanskaya Street was renamed Prospekt Mira. However, at its very beginning, the avenue does not resemble it at all, since it is too narrow and built up with low buildings. Well, what to do is the historical center, which in each large city consists of narrow streets. Another thing - Olympic Avenue - 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 arise
The first mention of Moscow is connected with the place that the Meshchansky district will be called much later, or rather, when Yuri Dolgoruky took a vow in 1147 on the lands of Stepan Kuchka in the region somewhere between Lubyanka Square and Sretensky Gate, he built at the mouth of the Neglinka River. She was also called Samoteka. Mills were built on its shores and fished. Through it, bridges were built - Kuznetsk, Petrovsky, Voskresensky and Trinity. In the era of Catherine II, the river was taken into pipes underground, there was only a street with this name - Neglinnaya. Moscow was built and grew by those about whom they now say "come in large numbers here." In the 1670s, along the paths leading to the Trinity-Sergius Monastery, Belarusians, Poles, Lithuanians began to settle, who called their places and cities the “mest”, those who live in them - “residents”, who converted the Russian language into "Bourgeois". So the Meshchansky district appeared, or rather, the Meshchansky settlement. Residents mainly engaged in crafts and traded. Compared to other residents of Moscow, they had a more western and advanced method of managing their settlement. They had election-based management. 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 walking.
He still surprises visitors, for example, with blooming orchids, which amaze with the aromas of cherries, marzipan, chocolate or almond butter and a variety of colors, sizes of flowers. In addition, residents could walk along Sretensky, Tsvetnoy and Rozhdestvensky boulevards, as well as the Catherine Garden. A lot later, the
Festival Park appeared
.
Sretensky Monastery
Sretensky Monastery (14th century) is one of the oldest structures that controlled the Yaroslavl road and was part of a chain of defensive monasteries. He was often visited by Ivan the Terrible, he was also revered by Mikhail Romanov. With the money allotted to him, new cells and the rector’s building were built. Of the original buildings, the Sretensky Cathedral and monastery cells (built from the 17-18th centuries) have survived to our days.
Now it is a newly functioning monastery, where restoration work is underway and new cells are being built. The publishing house at the monastery publishes not only Orthodox, but also fiction and historical literature.
Christmas monastery
The Nativity Monastery is a convent for women, also built in the 14th century. By the beginning of the 20th century, a parish school for girls and an orphanage were opened here. But during the years of Soviet rule it was closed, silver vestments from icons were taken out, communal apartments were arranged in cells, the walls of the monastery were demolished. At the end of the 20th century, the life of the monastery was reborn.
It is believed that Perov wrote his famous Troika either in Kitay-Gorod, or at the walls of the Nativity Monastery. And this is the Meshchansky district of the city of Moscow.
Briefly about other attractions
The chambers of the princes of Khovansky is an ancient building that can be photographed only from space. And although modern architects were preparing a restoration project, they don’t give the building to them, they are occupied by FSB services.
The city estate of Count Rostopchin, who was governor of Moscow in 1812. A beautiful building that collapses despite being located in the very center - Bolshaya Lubyanka Street , Meshchansky District, Moscow.
Sandunovsky baths are perfectly preserved and are functioning to this day.
Architectural Institute and Theater School Shchepkina are also located in the Meshchansky district.
Well-known ambulance to them. Sklifosovsky and the hospital MONIKI is also the Meshchansky district of the Central Administrative District.
Conclusion
The huge recently reconstructed Detsky Mir, fashion houses, buildings constructed according to the designs of Kazakov, Bazhenov, Quarenghi, the huge Olympic sports complex and many other interesting objects can be found while walking around the Meshchansky district. This place is worth a visit.