Nikolskaya Street
from Red to Lubyanskaya Square
Description:
Nikolskaya Street is an ancient Moscow street in the historical district of China-Gorod, running from Krasnaya to Lubyanka Square. Even in pre-Mongol times, it was part of the Great Vladimir Road, connecting Moscow with Rostov the Great, Suzdal and Vladimir.
The name of the street comes from the monastery of Nikola the Old and is first mentioned in written sources in 1547. In 1935-1990 the street was called 25 October Street.
For centuries, Nikolskaya was one of the busiest shopping streets of old Moscow. Here were the famous Upper shopping rows (today GUM), Nikolskaya sold and bought weapons and saddles, household utensils and icons. In the XVII century there were courtyards of the most noble boyars and princes.
At the beginning of the XIX century Nikolskaya became the center of the Moscow book trade, and in the second half of the XIX century there were offices of the largest Russian entrepreneurs, the largest deals were concluded, bidding was held - in short, business life was boiling.
Now on the street there are many monuments of architecture and cultural objects of federal and regional importance. It is here that the Printing Yard is located - the first Russian printing house, where Ivan Fedorov in 1564 printed his famous "Apostle".
