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Kuznetsky Most ( rus, Кузне́цкий Мост, p=kʊˈzʲnʲet͡skʲɪj ˈmost) is a street in central
Moscow Moscow ( , US chiefly ; rus, links=no, Москва, r=Moskva, p=mɐskˈva, a=Москва.ogg) is the capital and largest city of Russia. The city stands on the Moskva River in Central Russia, with a population estimated at 13.0 million ...
, that runs from Bolshaya Dmitrovka Street to Lubyanka Street. The name, literally ''Blacksmith's Bridge'', refers to the 18th-century bridge over the (now
underground Underground most commonly refers to: * Subterranea (geography), the regions beneath the surface of the Earth Underground may also refer to: Places * The Underground (Boston), a music club in the Allston neighborhood of Boston * The Underground ...
)
Neglinnaya River The Neglinnaya ( rus, Неглинная, p=nʲɪˈɡlʲinːəjə), also known as Neglinka, Neglinna, Neglimna (Неглинка, Неглинна, Неглимна), is a 7.5 km underground river in the central part of Moscow and a tributar ...
, and a nearby
foundry A foundry is a factory that produces metal castings. Metals are cast into shapes by melting them into a liquid, pouring the metal into a mold, and removing the mold material after the metal has solidified as it cools. The most common metals pr ...
and the settlement of its workers. Since the middle of the 18th century, Kuznetsky Most has been a fashionable shopping street. The street is administered by
Tverskoy District Tverskoy District ( rus, Тверско́й райо́н, p=tvʲɪrˈskoj, a=Ru-Тверской.ogg) is a district of Central Administrative Okrug of the federal city of Moscow, Russia. Population: The district extends from Kitai-gorod nor ...
(west) and
Meshchansky District Meshchansky District (russian: Мещанский район) is a district of Central Administrative Okrug of the federal city of Moscow, Russia. Population: The district extends due north from Kitai-gorod to Kamer-Kollezhsky Val. Weste ...
(east).


History


Early history

Until the end of 15th century, Moscow was growing eastward, into
Kitai-gorod Kitay-gorod ( rus, Китай-город, p=kʲɪˈtaj ˈɡorət), also referred to as the Great Possad () in the 16th and 17th centuries, is a cultural and historical area within the central part of Moscow in Russia, defined by the remnants ...
. Prince
Ivan III of Russia Ivan III Vasilyevich (russian: Иван III Васильевич; 22 January 1440 – 27 October 1505), also known as Ivan the Great, was a Grand Prince of Moscow and Grand Prince of all Rus'. Ivan served as the co-ruler and regent for his bli ...
established his arsenal (Пушечный двор, Cannon Court) in the west, beyond the Neglinnaya river. Later, he also set up a settlement of former
Pskov Pskov ( rus, Псков, a=pskov-ru.ogg, p=pskof; see also names in other languages) is a city in northwestern Russia and the administrative center of Pskov Oblast, located about east of the Estonian border, on the Velikaya River. Population ...
residents, abducted from their hometown after the wars of the 1480s. Population grew slowly until the 1737 fire which razed the area.


The Bridge

Soon after the fire, the territory was built out with upper-class buildings and shops. Large territories north from the street were consolidated by the
Vorontsov Vorontsov (russian: Воронцо́в), also Woroncow and de Woroncow-Wojtkowicz,is the name of a Russian noble family whose members attained the dignity of Counts of the Holy Roman Empire in 1744 and became Princes of the Russian Empire in ...
family estate. In 1754-57, architect Semyon Yakovlev built a stone bridge over Neglinnaya River to a design by
Dmitry Ukhtomsky Prince Dmitry Vasilyevich Ukhtomsky (russian: Дмитрий Васильевич Ухтомский; 1719–1774) was the chief architect of Moscow, Russian Empire during the reign of Empress Elizabeth of Russia. Biography Ukhtomsky was b ...
. The bridge over Neglinnaya lowlands extended 120 meters long and 12 meters wide; the shops between Kuznetsky Bridge and Vorontsov lands were literally standing on the edge of this bridge. The street was known as the home of notorious Darya Saltykova (1730-1801), condemned to life in prison for torturing her slaves.


19th century

The
Fire of Moscow (1812) Fire is the rapid oxidation of a material (the fuel) in the exothermic chemical process of combustion, releasing heat, light, and various reaction products. At a certain point in the combustion reaction, called the ignition point, flames are p ...
spared Kuznetsky Most, where
Napoleon Napoleon Bonaparte ; it, Napoleone Bonaparte, ; co, Napulione Buonaparte. (born Napoleone Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French military commander and political leader who ...
's Guards were stationed in defense of the French colony in Moscow. In 1817-1819, the city locked the Neglinnaya River in a tunnel and demolished the redundant bridge - excluding its northern wall that supported surviving buildings. Soon, the French colony returned and Kuznetsky Bridge became the street of bookstores, fashion and upper-class shopping, mostly managed by the French. ''Kuznetsky Most'' became the symbol of French influence on Russians, immortalized in Woe from Wit by Alexandr Griboyedov. After
Emancipation reform of 1861 The emancipation reform of 1861 in Russia, also known as the Edict of Emancipation of Russia, (russian: Крестьянская реформа 1861 года, translit=Krestyanskaya reforma 1861 goda – "peasants' reform of 1861") was the first ...
, Kuznetsky Most became the financial center of Moscow, with historical Juncker Bank Building and Dzhamgarov Bank built in the 1890s.
Art Nouveau Art Nouveau (; ) is an international style of art, architecture, and applied art, especially the decorative arts. The style is known by different names in different languages: in German, in Italian, in Catalan, and also known as the Modern ...
landmark by
Ivan Mashkov Ivan Pavlovich Mashkov (russian: Ива́н Па́влович Машко́в, 13 January 1867 – 1945) was a Russian architect and preservationist, notable for surveying and restoration of Dormition Cathedral of Moscow Kremlin, Novodevichy ...
, the ''Sokol'' building (3, Kuznetsky Most) was built in 1903-1904. However, at that time its address was Kuznetsky Lane: the part of Kuznetsky Most west of
Petrovka Street Petrovka Street is a street in Moscow, Russia, that runs north from Kuznetsky Most and Theatral Square up past Strastnoy Boulevard and Petrovsky Boulevard. The street takes its name from the St. Peter's Monastery, situated at the top of ...
was then known as Kuznetsky Lane; two streets were merged only in 1922.


Modern history

In the 1920s, the
Bolshevik The Bolsheviks (russian: Большевики́, from большинство́ ''bol'shinstvó'', 'majority'),; derived from ''bol'shinstvó'' (большинство́), "majority", literally meaning "one of the majority". also known in English ...
administration demolished the church on the corner of Kuznetsky Most and Lubyanka Street, creating Vorovsky Square. Nearby blocks were gradually converted to
KGB The KGB (russian: links=no, lit=Committee for State Security, Комитет государственной безопасности (КГБ), a=ru-KGB.ogg, p=kəmʲɪˈtʲet ɡəsʊˈdarstvʲɪn(ː)əj bʲɪzɐˈpasnəsʲtʲɪ, Komitet gosud ...
offices after World War II; the blocks facing Lubyanka Square were torn down to make way for the Ministry of the Maritime Fleet and
Alexey Dushkin Alexey Nikolayevich Dushkin (24 December 1904 – 8 October 1977) was a Soviet architect, best known for his 1930s designs of the Kropotkinskaya and Mayakovskaya stations of the Moscow Metro. He worked primarily for subway and railroads and ...
's
Detsky Mir Children's World (russian: «Де́тский мир») or Detsky Mir is a Russian children's retailer. Founded in June 1957, as of March 2022, the company had 1125 stores. It is the largest children's goods retailer in Russia and the CIS, with ...
department store. The latter was restored in 2014 and now hosts the world's largest mechanical clock, "
Raketa Raketa ( rus, Ракета, p=rɐˈkʲɛtə, "Rocket") wristwatches, have been manufactured since 1961 by the Petrodvorets Watch Factory in Saint Petersburg. The Petrodvorets Watch Factory is Russia's oldest factory, founded by Peter the Great i ...
Monumental". Since the 1980s, the street has regained its status as an upper-class shopping lane, notably with the rebuilding of
Roman Klein Roman Ivanovich Klein (russian: Роман Иванович Клейн), born Robert Julius Klein, was a Russian architect and educator, best known for his Neoclassical Pushkin Museum in Moscow. Klein, an eclectic, was one of the most prolific a ...
's historical TsUM store. Among cultural institutions located on the street are the Moscow Operetta Theater, Kuznetsky Most Exhibition Hall, as well as two major state libraries.


Rapid transit

Kuznetsky Most Kuznetsky Most ( rus, Кузне́цкий Мост, p=kʊˈzʲnʲet͡skʲɪj ˈmost) is a street in central Moscow, that runs from Bolshaya Dmitrovka Street to Lubyanka Street. The name, literally ''Blacksmith's Bridge'', refers to the 18th ...
, Lubyanka and Okhotny Ryad stations of the
Moscow Metro The Moscow Metro) is a metro system serving the Russian capital of Moscow as well as the neighbouring cities of Krasnogorsk, Reutov, Lyubertsy and Kotelniki in Moscow Oblast. Opened in 1935 with one line and 13 stations, it was the first un ...
are located nearby.


Gallery

File:Vasnetsov Pushechno-Liteyny dvor.jpg, Kuznetsky Most and Cannon yard in the 16th century. Reconstruction by A. Vasnetsov File:Kuz most 18v.jpg, Kuznetsky Most in the 18th century. File:Kuz most-1834.jpg, Kuznetsky Most in 1834 File:Kuz most-1834-2.jpg, Kuznetsky Most in the middle of 19th century File:Kuzneckij most-11.jpg, Kuznetsky Most, a view to side of the street Lubyanka, the end of the 19th century File:Kuz most 25.jpg, Kuznetsky Most. A view from the street Neglinnaya to side of the street Petrovka the end of the 19th century File:Kuz most-7.jpg, Kuznetsky Most. A view from the street Petrovka to side of the street Rozhdestvenka, 1912 File:Kuz most 39 perekrestok-Rojdestvenki.jpg, Kuznetsky Most. A view from the street Rozhdestvenka to side of the street Lubyanka, the beginning of the 1930s File:Кузнецкий пост после пересечения с Петровкой (Moscow clad in snow).jpg, Kuznetsky Most in 1908


References

* Russian: П.В.Сытин, "Из истории московских улиц", М, 1948 (Sytin) {{coord, 55, 45, 42, N, 37, 37, 12, E, region:RU_type:landmark_source:kolossus-ruwiki, display=title Shopping districts and streets in Russia Streets in Moscow Tourist attractions in Moscow