In October 1994, a new museum appeared in Moscow on Varvarka - the English Compound. For more than 20 years, about 40 thousand people annually come to this small complex to take a time trip and find themselves in medieval Moscow as foreign trade guests.
History of the English Compound
The beautiful building of the Old English Compound Museum is an integral part of the exposition, because chambers of commerce have been standing on Moscow soil for more than five centuries and are closely connected with the presence of the British in Russia.
At the end of the XV century. near the Kremlin, on Varvarka Street, merchant Ivan Bobrishchev is laying a stone house to protect expensive goods from frequent fires. There is a version that the fashionable Italian architect Aleviz Fryazin also had a hand in creating the house of a wealthy merchant who took an active part in the development of Kitai Gorod. Spacious basements made of white stone are made in the chambers, and a beam is arranged on the facade to lift loads and transfer them to the storage.
When Bobrishchev, who had no heirs, dies, the house passes into the possession of the Grand Duke of Moscow Ivan the Terrible. At that time, the king was very interested in establishing trade relations with England. Therefore, representatives of the Moscow company, who received a certificate of duty-free trade with Muscovites from the English Queen Elizabeth I, received a warm welcome in the Russian capital. Ivan the Terrible grants the British unprecedented rights, including the freedom to set prices for their goods and trade duty free. For the convenience of English businessmen, the British receive Bobrishchev's former home, and the building receives the unofficial name "English Compound".
The British brought in European goods, and exported furs, wax, hemp, and wood. Subklets again came in handy - in them the goods were safely stored and were protected from thieves. The upper floors were arranged to receive guests. Around the house, an orchard is broken, a cookhouse is being built.
The building was damaged in 1571 during the Tatar invasion, but then it was renovated and expanded.
At the beginning of the XVII century. the yard is expanding, a canopy and a staircase are attached. After the British acquire another building in the capital, the compound begins to be called the Old English Courtyard.
In 1649, the wonderful life of the British in Muscovy ends: the autocrat Alexei Mikhailovich confiscates merchant property, trade is prohibited.
Chambers in the city center are bought by I. Miloslavsky for 500 rubles. After his death, the building is given to the Ambassadorial order. In the XVIII century. the first arithmetic school in the country is arranged here, then the house passes from hand to hand. It is constantly being rebuilt, adapting to the needs of new owners, gradually the unique appearance of the English Compound is changing, and by the XIX century. nothing reminds of a beautiful white-stone structure in the Russian style.
The history of the museum complex
The history of the English Compound Museum is like a miracle.
Surprisingly, the house, which survived the wars and revolutions, was preserved, although having lost its original appearance. In the Soviet years, institutions were located here and the area was divided into apartments. For almost 20 years, it housed a library.
In the 50s, during the construction of the hotel, it was planned to demolish the old house. But restorer P. Baranovsky recognized a unique architectural monument under many years of layering, insisted on reconstruction, and the house was saved.
After restoration work, the chambers of the English Merchant Courtyard were given the look that those who lived in the XVI century could see: white walls are cut through by narrow arrow-shaped windows, decorated with shovels and thin cornices.
In 1994, a monument of medieval Moscow architecture gains a second life - a branch of the Moscow Museum - the English Compound Museum - opens in its walls.
Exposition
Low semicircular arches, steep stairs and canopies greet museum visitors.
Going down to the basement, you can see the hatch through which goods were loaded from the street. The exposition is complemented by a variety of items that were traded by the British - barrels, furs, ropes.
The main staircase leads to the 2nd floor, where the Treasury is located - a hall for receiving guests. Here the merchant treasury of merchants was saved - chests-lari lined up along the walls. The floor is covered with black-and-white tiles, fashionable five centuries ago, in the corner there is a stove decorated with elegant tiles. The tiles and tiles are genuine, they were discovered during excavations of the English Compound.
In the middle of the hall is an impressive table - this is exactly what the English merchants received guests and had lush dinners. In the windows, you can see copies of documents and books, nautical charts, models of sailing ships that the British used in Shakespearean times.
On the second floor there is a cookery, where an exposition devoted to gastronomic predilections in the Middle Ages is presented.
The English Compound Museum is small, but being in it creates an extraordinary sense of transference over time. A lot of objects found during excavations of the courtyard, as well as Zaryadye, allow a better understanding of foreign merchants who saw in Russia the opportunity to get inexhaustible wealth.
Excursions
It is very interesting to visit the museum "Old English Compound" with a guided tour. The employees of the complex have developed a number of fascinating interactive programs designed for different ages and interests, as well as a special cognitive walk for the visually impaired. Tours offered at the museum:
- a review that can be conducted in English;
- costumed, during which "foreigners" talk about their visits to ancient Moscow and life in Russia;
- pedestrian in the historical surroundings of Zaryadye;
- For younger schoolchildren, the program “Journey through the old house” has been prepared.
In addition, in the museum you can study the navigational basics, gastronomic customs of England of the XVI century, visit the role of a merchant and learn to count in the old way.
The museum hosts lectures on the life of foreigners in medieval Moscow.
Interesting Facts
- In 1994, the opening of the English Compound Museum in Moscow was attended by Elizabeth II, Queen of Great Britain.
- In 2016, the exposition was replenished with a treasure trove of silver coins of the XVI-XVII centuries. 20 kg of coins were hidden in a capsule, flask and jug. The amount of savings amounted to 380 rubles - this is the salary of a colonel of archers for 10 years.
- Thanks to the excellent acoustics of the premises, the Treasury Chamber holds concerts of ancient music every month and historical and literary performances.
- In the Chambers, you can organize wedding photography, which will be an original gift for the newlyweds, or spend a children's birthday.
Where is the museum
The address of the English Compound Museum is easy to remember: st. Varvarka, 4A. The nearest metro station is Kitay Gorod. Buses M5 and 158 make a stop nearby.
How the English Compound Museum works
You can come on any day except Monday, as well as the last Friday of the month. On other days, the complex, located in the Old English Courtyard, receives visitors from 10 to 18 hours. On Thursday, the museum opens an hour later, at 11:00, but also closes at 21:00.
Cost of visiting
Those who come with a Muscovite card issued to students enter the museum for free, as do a number of privileged categories. However, the cost of visiting the Old English Courtyard Museum (English Compound) is low:
- 200 rubles for adults;
- 100 rubles for children under 17 years of age, students, senior citizens and many others.
Well, every third Sunday in the museum entrance is free for everyone.