The Smolenskaya embankment of the Moscow River is a section between the Krasnopresnenskaya and Rostov embankments. In 2017, the area was upgraded under the My Street program. As a result, a promenade was formed, where, in addition to several embankments, Smolenskaya also entered.
Now there is an opportunity to walk along the river along wide sidewalks past well-groomed lawns from the Arbat to the Novodevichy Convent. There are benches for rest along the entire route.
Why is Smolenskaya embankment?
It appeared in the 19th century, but the main buildings were in the middle of the past. These are solid, “Stalinist” houses, luxury housing, expensive restaurants and offices. For example, a house for employees of the People's Commissariat of Defense of the USSR. It was built in 1940 according to the project of architect Shchusev.
There is a residential building erected for the USSR Ministry of Geology, and there is also a general for the Soviet army. Not so long ago, an apartment building, twelve-story, general's house, built in the middle of the last century, was included in the list of objects of cultural property of a regional scale. Architects under the guidance of Barkhin performed it in the style of a "Stalinist" empire.
Nearby, on Smolenskaya Square, is one of the Moscow skyscrapers - the Foreign Ministry building. The nearest metro station is also Smolenskaya. That is, the name of the embankment is not at all surprising. Smolenskaya street passing here was given its name.
Interesting objects on the waterfront
Views from the promenade are beautiful, majestic, but far from romantic. Here you can admire the city and be proud of it. On the other side of the river is another attraction of the city - the hotel "Ukraine". Go to the Moscow City skyscrapers for about 30 minutes, but they are clearly visible from Smolenskaya embankment. Although they can be seen almost everywhere. The river is very decorated with the pedestrian Bogdan Khmelnitsky and Borodinsky bridges, and on the other side - the Kiev railway station and Europe Square.
At the beginning of the XXI century, a new, modern building of the British Embassy appeared on the embankment. And so that Muscovites were not mistaken in the ownership of the building, a monument was erected here a little later to the most famous British in Russia - Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson. Accidentally or with intent, but by the will of the author A. Orlov, the great detective with another outwardly has a striking resemblance to the artists Vasily Livanov and Vitaly Solomin. The monument was created on the occasion of the 120th anniversary of the release of the first book about Sherlock Holmes.
Interesting Facts
On Smolenskaya embankment in Moscow, passers-by walking with a walking step are rarely found. Rather, it is a business center, and therefore everyone is in a hurry. But these places have long been looked after by photographers and filmmakers. The embankment along its entire length or objects located nearby, more than once participated in the filming of feature films and documentaries.
The most famous example: “Watch out for the car.” This small street repeatedly flashes on the screen during Yuri Detochkin’s trips on the stolen Volga, and it is here that the main character of the comedy falls into the trap. Frosya Burlakova, who came from Siberia to enter the conservatory, was also noticed here. In the film “Come Tomorrow”, the future singer gets acquainted with a student of Kostya precisely on Smolenskaya embankment. The films “Man from Nowhere” and “Envy of the Gods” are associated with the Ukraine Hotel.