Treasures of the Basman Sloboda
Description:
Basmannaya Sloboda is one of the most interesting areas of Old Moscow. The formation of Basmannaya Sloboda as a historical district of Moscow begins at the turn of the XVI-XVII centuries.
From the Garden Ring, two streets depart in different directions: Old Basmannaya and New Basmannaya. In ancient times, along the Old Basmannaya Street, which until 1730 was called simply Basmanna, the main road to the palace village of Pokrovskoye-Rubtsovo passed, since the 1650s, Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich traveled along it to Preobrazhenskoe.
Then, during the reign of Peter I in the 90s of the XVII century, the main royal road is the modern New Basmannaya Street. It was on it that Tsar Peter began to travel to the village of Preobrazhenskoe, and to Lefortovo, and his favorite German settlement.
In different periods of time on these two streets and adjacent alleys lived many famous people whose names entered the annals of history. The life of these people is somehow connected with this district of Moscow: Pushkins, Golitsyns, Kurakins, Demidovs, Musins-Pushkins, Karamzin, Kheraskovs, Chaadaevs, Muravyevs-Apostles, Rokotovs, Perovskys, Proves, Varentsovs, Ermakovs, etc.
The Basmannaya Sloboda district can rightfully be considered a real architectural reserve. According to the projects of the most famous architects of different periods, palaces, temples, mansions, almshouses, shelters, educational institutions were built here. Among their creators we find such names as D.V. Ukhtomsky, K.I. Blanc, E.D. Tyurin, N.A. Lviv, R.I. Klein, M.F. Bugrovsky, N.P. Orlov, I.A. Fomin, I.E. Bondarenko, K.S. Melnikov, N.A. Ladovsky and others.
- What is Basman?
- Where can I see the Golden Room?
- Which of the merchants who lived in the Basmanna district in the 19th century kept a tame tiger at home?
- In which house can you find one of the smallest windows in Moscow?
- Where can I see a kerb made from a gravestone?
- Where was the famous tavern "Walking"?
- What secrets are connected with the house of magician and wizard Jacob Bruce?
- Why is Basmanny Sloboda considered a Masonic district?