Bolshaya Lubyanka Street runs from Lubyanka Square to Sretensky Gate Square. Its history is rich in events and spans several centuries.
The origin of the street name
There are several versions of the origin of the toponym “Lubyanka”.
The name may have occurred:
- from the tract, the mention of which is found in chronicles in the XV century;
- from the word "bast" - the inner part of the bark of trees and shrubs;
- from the Baltic root "forehead" - clean, peel;
- from Novgorod Lubyanitsa Street: during the time of the relocation of Novgorodians to Moscow, they renamed part of the then-called Sretenka Street to Lubyanka.
Street renaming
In Moscow, st. Bolshaya Lubyanka changed its names more than once, but its initial name was Sretenka, which she received in the XIV century, in honor of the “meeting” of Muscovites with the icon of Our Lady of Vladimir. In those days, Moscow could have been invaded by Tamerlane’s troops, and an icon was brought to protect the city from this disaster. The worship of the Muscovites icon took place near the church in the name of Mary of Egypt, which was located on the territory of modern Lubyanka street. Moscow managed to avoid the raid of Tamerlane, and the Sretensky Monastery was built at the place of meeting , and the whole street was named after this event.
At the beginning of the XIX century, the street began to be called Bolshaya Lubyanka, and in 1926 it was renamed Dzerzhinsky Street. In 1991, it was returned to its former name - Big Lubyanka.
The main memorable dates in the fate of the street
Since the foundation of the Sretensky Monastery, believers have been walking along the street and square. The monastery and temples of Sretenskaya Street were very revered among believers in Moscow and pilgrims from other cities.
In 1611, fierce fighting took place on the street, especially a strong and bloody one was near the church Introduction to the Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary opposite the estates of Prince Pozharsky. Pozharsky himself led the attack and was seriously injured.
In 1662, a “copper revolt” began on this street, a turmoil that swept all over Moscow.
The famous path of MV Lomonosov from Kholmogory to Moscow (in 1731) was walking along Sretenke Street.
In 1748, there was a very strong fire at Lubyanka, as a result of which about 1,200 houses, 26 churches were burned and about 100 people died.
The Moscow fires of 1812 did not affect the street.
In the XIX century, the street turned into the main trading point of the city, and by the end of the century it was completely filled with agencies of insurance companies and apartment buildings.
The street suffered heavy losses in the 20th century. After the October Revolution, the churches in the name of Mary of Egypt and the Entry into the Church of the Most Holy Theotokos were completely destroyed. Sretensky monastery lost most of its buildings and temples, was abolished, returned to the church only in 1991.
Almost the entire building was destroyed at the beginning of the street, where there were houses of church attendants, a candy store, an optical, jewelry, hunting and watch store, etc.
Since 1920, all buildings on the even side of the street have been occupied by state security agencies. In the 30s, large-scale construction began on the complex of existing and currently FSB buildings, which occupy an entire quarter. In 1979, the FSB building was built on the odd side of the street.
On the rest of the street Bolshaya Lubyanka, buildings of the 17th-18th centuries and the end of the 19th century are preserved. There is a square on the street, formed on the site of the demolished Church of the Introduction to the Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary, it is called Vorovsky Square, a monument to V.V. Vorovsky is also installed there (the USSR ambassador to the Scandinavian countries, killed by the White Guards in 1923).
sights
Bolshaya Lubyanka Street in Moscow is the place where the NKVD buildings and noble estates, scientific institutions and monastery buildings were closely intertwined. This is a place where almost every house is a landmark with its own destiny.
Sretensky Monastery
It was built in 1397, and in 1930 most of its buildings were destroyed to the ground. In those buildings that have survived, in Soviet times the school was located. The monastery was returned to the church only in 1991. At present, it is a working monastery, in the territory of which a cross is installed in honor of the heroes of the war of 1812 and the victims of the execution of the NKVD of the 30-40s. The relics of the great Orthodox saints Seraphim of Sarov, Nicholas the Wonderworker, Mary of Egypt are stored in the temple.
FSB building
The building of the Federal Security Service was built in 1898, one of the most beautiful and most sinister buildings in Moscow. Initially, the building was a tenement house for an insurance agency, but during the revolution the premises were occupied by the Cheka. Later, precisely because of the location of their headquarters in the Lubyanka, the street began to be associated with KGB structures and cause fear among Muscovites. Currently, the building does not look as sinister as before, but legends and rumors still circulate around it.
Manor Orlov-Denisov
In the building in the XVI century, the stone chambers of Prince Dmitry Pozharsky were located. At the beginning of the XVIII century, the main house was rebuilt by placing the Mint in it.
In 1811, Count F. Rostopchin became the owner of the estate.
In 1843, the mansion was bought by Count V. Orlov-Denisov (the hero of the war of 1812), who rebuilt the structure by adding two wings.
Cathedral of the Meeting of the Icon of the Mother of God of Vladimir
The cathedral was built in the XVII century on the site of the temple (built in 1397). The cathedral was erected at the expense of Tsar Fedor III in honor of saving Moscow from the raid of Tamerlane's troops.
City estate of the architect V.I. Chagin
The building was built in 1892 and changed according to the project of the new owner - Russian and Soviet architect V. B. Chagin. The house has luxurious Venetian windows on the 1st floor, and arched - on the 2nd. The building currently houses a restaurant and office space. The object belongs to the regional architectural monuments.
City estate of E. B. Rakitina - V.P. Golitsin
The building was built in the 18th century, as the Rakitin city estate, in 1856 V.P. Golitsyn became the owner of the estate, in 1866 - P.L. Carloni, and in 1880 the Land Bank began to own the house. In 1914, Yu. V. Andropov was born here.
New FSB Building
A new house designed by Paul and Makarevich was built in 1983. Earlier on the territory of the headquarters building were the possessions of Prince Volkonsky, then the Khilkovs, Golitsins. The new building forms a square with extensions, which houses the entire leadership of the FSB of Russia.
Solovetsky stone
In autumn 1990, a memorial to the victims of political repression was erected on Lubyanka Square. The boulder was brought from the Solovetsky Islands, on the territory of which there was a special purpose camp and where political prisoners were held.
The former house of Luhmanov
The building was built in 1826 by order of the merchant Lukhmanov. During the revolution, the building was the headquarters of the Cheka, until 1920 F.E.Dzerzhinsky met here. At the moment - a cultural monument.
How to get to Bolshaya Lubyanka street
Moskovskaya Street extends from southwest to northeast, between Lubyanka Square and Sretenka Street. You can get to Bolshaya Lubyanka Street by metro, get off at the Lubyanka or Kuznetskiy Most stations.