- Khamovniki District
Khamovniki District ( _ru. Хамовники) is a south-western division within the
Central Administrative Okrug ofMoscow ,Russia . The district extends fromBolshoy Kamenny Bridge intoLuzhniki bend ofMoskva River ; northern boundary withArbat District follows Znamenka Street, Gogolevsky Boulevard, Sivtsev Vrazhek andBorodinsky Bridge .The district contains
Pushkin Museum ,Cathedral of Christ the Saviour ,Devichye Pole medical campus,Novodevichy Convent and memorial cemetery,Luzhniki Stadium . The stretch of Khamovniki betweenBoulevard Ring andGarden Ring , known as Golden Mile, is downtown Moscow's most expensive housing area.From Kremlin to Luzhniki
Within the Boulevards: Volkhonka Street
"For more details on this section, see Cathedral of Christ the Saviour,
Palace of Soviets andPushkin Museum "The central part of Khamovniki is dominated by the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour, a 2000 replica of 19th century cathedral by
Konstantin Thon , destroyed in 1931.History of Volkhonka and Znamenka street goes back to 14th century court of
Sophia of Lithuania , wife of PrinceVasili I and the regent of Moscow after his death, which stood on the site ofPashkov House (Russian State Library ) and later housed theShuisky family. [Russian: П.В. Сытин, "Из истории московских улиц", М, 1948 ("Sytin"), p.70] The site of Pushkin Museum was occupied by the royal Coach Yard (Колымажный двор, Kolymazhny Dvor), giving name to existing Kolymazhny Lane. The western boundary of central district, marked by extinct "Chertoryi" brook on site of present-dayGogol Boulevard , was fortified in 1504 and 1580s. It is believed thatMalyuta Skuratov , close associate of Ivan Grozny, lived and was buried here, as indicated by the tombstone found in 1930s. The area gained importance with the completion ofBolshoy Kamenny Bridge in 1690s. Throughout 18th century, it acquired noble residents likeGolitsyn ,Dolgorukov and Volkonsky families. A state-run pub on Volkonsky property gave name to Volkhonka Street. Most of historical Volkhonka was demolished in 1838 and 1880s, clearing sites for Christ the Saviour and a riding school ["Sytin", p.69] , the latter replaced in 1912 by Pushkin Museum. Znamenka Street was razed in the 20th century and is now occupied by Ministry of Defense institutions.Boulevards to Garden Ring: The Golden Mile
Urbanization of the territories beyond the walls of
Bely Gorod (Bolevard Ring) is credited to Ivan Grozny. Ivan allocated these lands toOprichnina , his own private domain. Very soon, Ivan's faithful associates resettled into "oprichnina" lands, thus present-day Ostozhenka, Prechistenka and Sivtsev Vrazhek streets initially developed as upper-class neighborhoods and retained this status ever since. ["Sytin", pp.168, 173] Lanes in these neighborhoods (Mansurovsky, Khrushyovsky etc.) are named after original landlords. Ivan's son, childless Fyodor I, instituted extantConception Monastery between Ostozhenka andMoskva River on the site of old Saint Alexis convent that perished in theFire of Moscow (1547) . Until the 1830s, frequent floods discouraged construction near the river, and the boundary of inhabited territories was 100-200 meters to the north from present-day embankment (seeVodootvodny Canal for more details). Legacy of 16th century survives in historical red and white chambers across Christ the Saviour, restored to their (perceived) original shape. Upper-class population grew stronger after theFire of Moscow (1812) , when the main streets were rebuilt inNeoclassical architecture by disciples ofMatvey Kazakov . Grand 2-3 mansions were more common in Prechistenka, smaller single-story buildings - in Ostozhenka street; some of them survive to date. However, the territory between facades of Ostozhenka and the embankment were a maze of wooden huts, small factories etc.; this disparity continued until 1990s, and even today there are many run-down, condemned wooden houses. The end of 19th century gradually replaced country-style houses with 3-4 story rental buildings. Architectural diversity expanded intoArt Nouveau (Lev Kekushev 's andWilliam Walcot 's mansions, 1900-1903),Russian Revival fantasies (Pertsov Building, 1906-1910 [Russian: "Древнерусские мотивы в архитектуре Москвы конца XIX – начала XX века (“неорусский стиль”)", "Искусство выбора", N2, 2003 [http://mosmodern.race.ru/stat/stat008.html www.mosmodern.race.ru] ] , and Tsvetkov House, 1901 [Russian: [http://moskva.kotoroy.net/arch_press.php?id=42 moskva.kotoroy.net] ] ), Dutch style (Prechistenskaya, 3) and Neoclassical Revival (Mindovsky House byNikita Lazarev ).Since 1990s, territory of old Ostozhenka became a construction site. Old blocks are torn down one by one and replaced with modern-looking midrise apartment buildings and offices. The area is now probably the most expensive real estate in Moscow, nicknamed "The Golden Mile". In March 2007, advertized "starting" prices for yet unbuilt properties range from 12,000 to 20,000
USD persquare meter (1100-2050 USD per square foot). [Russian: [http://www.mian-realty.ru/EliteFlats/EliteFlatAllPerPage.aspx www.mian.ru] ]Beyond Garden Ring: Khamovniki proper
Khamovniki proper is the territory directly beyond Ostozhenka Street (across the Garden Ring). "Kham" was the name of fabric made by the craftsmen of local
sloboda . These craftsmen, originally fromTver , were forced to settle in Moscow in 1624. ["Sytin", p.267] ExtantChurch of St. Nicholas in Khamovniki , the center of sloboda, was erected in 1679. In 1708, Peter I added a canvas factory. The textile tradition continued into industrial age; late 19th century textile mills are now converted to offices.The area is marked by two large historical military institutions: the Grain Warehouses (Провиантские склады, 1827 ["Sytin", p.160] ) and Khamovniki Barracks, built in 1807-1809 by
Matvey Kazakov on the site of canvas factory, and later expaded. A huge parade ground in front of the barracks now forms part ofKomsomolsky Prospekt . The neighborhood also hasLeo Tolstoy memorial house (Lva Tostogo Street, 21). Stalinist apartment blocks between Komsomolsky Prospect and Moskva River, like Ostozhenka, belong to the most expensive real estate.Novodevichy Convent, cemetery and Devichye Pole
"For more details on this section, see
Novodevichy Convent ,Novodevichy Cemetery andDevichye Pole "Fortified
Novodevichy Convent , a UNESCOWorld Heritage Site , was established in early 16th century at the far end of Luzhniki bend to control river crossing of the oldSmolensk road. Extant structures remain virtually unchanged since 17th century. AdjacentNovodevichy Cemetery , inaugurated in 1898, has been Moscow's most famous burial site (excludingKremlin Wall Necropolis ). The area between Khamovniki sloboda and the Convent, once a 1.6kilometer long stretch of green field used for public festivities, is known asDevichye Pole . In 1884-1897, it was developed in a medical campus ofMoscow State University . State-funded clinics, built in strict neoclassical manner, were lined on the northern side of Bolshaya Pirogovskaya Street; privately-funded clinics, on the southern side, present a diversity of styles fromPalladian architecture toRussian Revival fantasies. In 1905-1914, the city and private sposors added new educational properties, including nation's largest college for women. At the same time, Moskva River bank north from the campus developed into a strip of factories; more factories and workers followed during 1915 evacuation of industry and workers fromRiga . To accommodate these residents, in 1920s theBolshevik administration built the Rationalist Usachevka housing project and ConstructivistKauchuk Factory Club .Luzhniki
"For more details on this section, see
Luzhniki Stadium andLuzhniki Palace of Sports "Luzhniki area today is locked between River Moskva and the Moscow Ring Railroad, built in 1900s. The name is borrowed from an old Luzhniki village, razed to construct the main Stadium.
Urbanization of Luzhniki actually started during
World War I . In 1914-1916,Nikolay Vtorov company built a munitions factory, still existing on a triangular lot south-east from present-dayLuzhniki Metro Bridge . [Russian: "Строители Москвы. Москва начала века" М, ООО О-Мастер, 2001, ISBN 5-9207-0001-7 (Builders of Moscow)] In 1928, the city built the first wooden Luzhniki Stadium ("Chemists' Stadium", 15,000 seats) on the site of present-day main arena. This stadium and Luzhniki village was torn down in 1950s [Russian: Aлександров, Ю.Н., Жуков, К.В., "Силуэты Москвы", М, 1978, c.18] .Notable buildings, cultural and educational facilities
Museums
*
Pushkin Museum of fine arts, Volkhonka, 12
*Alexander Pushkin Museum, Prechistenka, 12/2
*Leo Tolstoy Museum, Prechistenka, 11
*Leo Tolstoy Estate in Khamovniki, Lva Tolstogo, 21
* Red Chambers (Ostozhenka, 2) and White Chambers (Prechistenka, 1) at Prechistenskye GatesChurches
*
Novodevichy Convent (est. 1582)
*Cathedral of Christ the Saviour (2000)
*Church of St. Nicholas in Khamovniki (1682) [http://days.pravoslavie.ru/Hram/268.htm www.pravoslavie.ru]
* Zachatyevsky Women's Convent (est.1360) Second Zachatyevsky Lane [http://days.pravoslavie.ru/Hram/168.htm www.pravoslavie.ru]
* Church of Archangel Michael of Devichye Pole clinics (1894-1897, architect M.I. Nikiforov), [http://www.pravoslavie.ru/jurnal/061120164126 www.pravoslavie.ru]
* Church of SaintAntipas of Pergamum , Kolymazhny Lane, 8 [http://days.pravoslavie.ru/Hram/184.htm www.pravoslavie.ru]
* Church of Propet Elijah (1702, architectIvan Zarudny ), Second Obydensky Lane, 6 [http://days.pravoslavie.ru/Hram/102.htm www.pravoslavie.ru]
* Church of Saint Vlasy, Gagarinsky Lane, 20 [http://days.pravoslavie.ru/Hram/195.htm www.pravoslavie.ru]
* Church of Dormition, Bolshoy Vlasyevsky Lane, 2/2 [http://days.pravoslavie.ru/Hram/323.htm www.pravoslavie.ru]
* Church of Raising Lord's Cross in Chisty Vrazhek (1658) First Truzhenikov Lane, 8 [http://days.pravoslavie.ru/Hram/80.htm www.pravoslavie.ru]
* Church of Dmitry Prilutsky (1880), Bolshaya Pirogovskaya Street, 6 [http://days.pravoslavie.ru/Hram/96.htm www.pravoslavie.ru] [Bolshaya Pirogovskaya Street has an unusually odd numbering; No.6 is actually at its western end, near Novodevichy]Public transportation access
Moscow Metro :
*Kropotkinskaya - Pushkin Museum, Christ the Savior
*Smolenskaya (Arbatsko-Pokrovskaya) ,Smolenskaya (Filyovskaya) - Smolensk Square, Arbat lanes
*Park Kultury-Radialnaya ,Park Kultury-Koltsevaya - Khamovniki proper
*Frunzenskaya - Devichye Pole campus
*Sportivnaya - Novodevichy Convent, Luzhniki north
*Vorobyovy Gory - Luzhniki southReferences
External links
* [http://hamovn.cao.granit.ru/document/2006/10/25/d1555/ Copy of official site]
* [http://www.xamovniki.ru/ Official site]
* [http://www.ivan.ru/ Photos of Khamovniki]
* [http://moscow.gramota.ru/map203.shtml History of Khamovniki (in Russian)]
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