Old Arbat: sights. Old Arbat, Moscow: history and photo

Moscow is an incredibly interesting city, and every traveler will find here something for your taste: entertainment, museums, attractions. The Old Arbat is one of the main places that every tourist should see in the Russian capital. Here the spirit of old Moscow still remains, and in addition, there is a special, bohemian atmosphere, which creates the charm of this area.

History

Moscow is an ancient, diverse and very large city. Tourists always want to find a place where there would be many interesting and numerous attractions. The Old Arbat, whose history dates back to at least the 15th century, allows you to see several historical eras, feel the spirit of old Moscow, and at the same time buy souvenirs and even eat. Probably, therefore, most travelers after the Red Square often rush to the Arbat.

The first mention of the area was found in the chronicle of 1493, it described a terrible fire from the church candles that were not extinguished in the church. Until the 18th century, the word "Arbat" was used to refer to a district that included the surrounding streets up to Vozdvizhenka, and only later it became the name of a separate street. It once ran the road to Smolensk. But already at the end of the 18th century Arbat became a prestigious place for living, local nobility settled here, new buildings were erected.

After the fire of 1812, a new life begins for the street, all wooden buildings have disappeared from it, and vacant places are being built up by new houses. At the end of the 19th century, the final appearance of the Arbat was formed. Unfortunately, construction in Soviet times dealt a blow to the Arbat streets and lanes.

But the Old Arbat as a whole survived, in 1974 it was freed from transport, but the historical stone blocks also disappeared. In 1986, the street was again paved with stone, installed lanterns "under the old days". Today Arbat is a place that all foreign tourists must visit, it is for them that merchants of souvenirs and artifacts are built here every day. But, despite all the alterations, the street still retains the spirit of old Moscow, so there is something to see.

Tour of the Arbat

In Moscow there are several zones for walking, and one of the most popular streets is the Old Arbat. Sights, a walk through which can become a real encyclopedia of the capital's life, store the memory of many famous people and events. In addition, a trip to the Arbat is a dive into a special atmosphere. Street artists, artists and musicians, the theater. E. Vakhtangova, the House of the actor - all this creates a special mood, the spirit of creativity. Walking along the Arbat, you can meet many interesting people, buy traditional Russian souvenirs and, of course, see the traditional Moscow architecture.

Arbat Square

What is the best way to see the sights? Old Arbat is waiting for us ahead. But you need to start the walk from Arbat Square, which since the 18th century was called the Arbat Gate and is a kind of starting point for the whole district. From the square there are beautiful views of 4 important streets: Novy Arbat, Gogol Boulevard, Vozdvizhenka and Old Arbat. The square is worth a walk around to see the Khudozhestvenny cinema, the famous house with the inscription "Nowhere except as in Mosselprom" - a masterpiece of Moscow constructivism, the church of Boris and Gleb.

Cinema "Khudozhestvenny"

Before you start exploring the sights (Old Arbat keeps a lot of secrets), it's worthwhile to stay for a while at the Khudozhestvennoy cinema. It is not only a cinema of art, but also an architectural monument, and a significant historical place. The building acquired its modern appearance in 1910-1912, when it was rebuilt by the architect F. Shekhtel. It was the first building, which was specially intended as a cinema. It was in it that the first premieres of Russian cinema were held, here for the first time a sound film was shown. At the beginning of the 20th century, Khudozhestvenny was a gathering place for the Moscow intelligentsia, it is known that A. Bely, V. Bryusov, and L. Tolstoy used to be here.

Restaurant Prague

To start walking along the Arbat is from the first sight (Old Arbat, 2/1) - restaurant "Prague". The building appeared in the 18th century, then the apartment house was located here. Later it was rebuilt several times, and its present appearance finds its home in 1914-1915, when it is finally redesigned by the architect A. Erichson. The restaurant was opened here for the first time in 1896, it received its famous name from a tavern that used to be here. The owner of the restaurant, the merchant Tararykin, did everything to make his establishment one of the most fashionable places in Moscow. And today "Prague" continues to work, you can taste a lot of delicious dishes, one of the most famous among them is the eponymous cake.

Arbatskaya metro station

Special attention should be paid to the two entrances to the metro station Arbatskaya - Arbatsko-Pokrovskaya and Filevskaya lines. Both stations are monuments of culture of federal importance. At the station Filevskaya line, you must always see the ground pavilion. It was created by the architect L. S. Teplitsky and in the plan has the form of a five-pointed star. The ground vestibule is a real symbol of the Moscow metro. At the station Arbatsko-Pokrovskaya line the most notable place is the station hall. Spectacular, grandiose building with a length of 220 m (this is the second longest station of the Moscow metro), decorated in the Moscow Baroque style, striking with its splendor and elegance.

Dwelling houses of Arbat

The main sights of Old Arbat are the buildings of the second half of the 19th - the beginning of the 20th century. Street is a real guide to architectural styles. Here you can see houses in the traditional style of classicism, in avant-garde modernist style, in "Russian style", neobarochnye constructions, constructivist houses. But, in addition to architectural features, the houses are interesting by their inhabitants, because here at different times lived AS Pushkin, B. Okudzhava, A. Rybakov, AF Losev, A. Bely and many other celebrities. Almost every house is the object of various legends and myths, so you can study the history of each house.

Theater them. E. Vakhtangova

Old Arbat (sights), a photo of which can be found in the album of every tourist who has visited Moscow, is known not only for its long history, but also for a special, creative atmosphere. This is promoted by the theater located in house number 26. The building was built in the middle of the 19th century, after the revolution it was nationalized and transferred to the theater studio E. Vakhtangov. Here played many famous Russian actors, created outstanding directors, and today the theater is a place of attraction for creative intelligentsia and youth.

Wall of Victor Tsoi

In 1990, the sights of Arbat were enriched by the appearance of a new, spontaneous memorial in honor of the deceased rock musician Victor Tsoi. On the wall, anyone can leave an inscription. There are portraits, including those already famous. Several times the vandals tried to destroy the wall, but it was revived every time by the fans of the musician.

Monuments of Arbat

In addition to the buildings, Arbat, of course, is interesting and its monuments. On both sides of the Arbat Square there are two monuments to the great Russian writer - NV Gogol. You can compare the visions of the sculptors Andreev and Tomsky and decide which Gogol is closer to you. At the intersection of Arbat and Plotnikov Lane there is another monument - a monument to the writer, poet, singer Bulat Okudzhava. The sculpture of G. Frangulyan often becomes a place for photographing tourists. Already almost into the monument turned and a cow that stands near the cafe "Mu-mu", with her, too, consider it their duty to take pictures of visitors to the Arbat.

The apartment of the poet A.S. Pushkin

Of several historic houses, especially the Old Arbat in Moscow, whose sights are known all over the world, is proud of the memorial apartment of the great Russian poet AS Pushkin. House No. 53 is one of the oldest buildings in the Arbat. Here in 1831 a poet lived for several months, it was here that he brought his young wife N. Goncharov after the wedding and spent the best time of his life here, he said. True, he did not write here at all. Today, the apartment contains objects of the Pushkin era, the situation in which the poet lived lived was reconstructed. Today the whole house is given to a museum where you can not only remember Pushkin, but also learn a lot of interesting information about the history of Moscow.