Tverskaya Street is Moscow's Main Street and one of Moscow's oldest streets, named for the city of Tver one of Russia's oldest cities. During the 1600s and 1700s, Tverskaya Street was where Moscow's in-crowd hung out and settled; it was the place where if you wanted to be seen, it was the place to go. The nobility considered it in-fashion to settle in this district. Among the mansions dating from the reign of Catherine the Great are the home of the mayor of Moscow built in 1778. Also the renowned English Club or as it's known today the State Central Museum of Contemporary History of Russia built in the 1780s. Tverskaya Street was the street the Tsars would enter Moscow from St. Petersburg, so of course some nobility settled on Tverskaya Street hoping to be seen and impress the Tsar with their mansions. Then, Tverskaya Street was surfaced with wooden planks, and was only 15 metres wide. In 1872 the first Moscow konka, a horse-drawn tram and later in the late 1800s the first electric tram in Moscow traveled along Tverskaya Street. Electric lights appeared on Tverskaya Street before any other street in Moscow in 1896. In 1932 the street was renamed Gorky Street as a gift from Stalin to the famous writer before Gorky's death. Tverskaya Street would be the first street to tragically suffer under Stalin's General Plan for the Socialist Reconstruction of Moscow. Not a single old church remains on Tverskaya Street, only on some side streets; many of the old houses were demolished or if they held any importance removed further from Tverskaya when the street was straightened and widened. The closer you get to the Kremlin, the more old buildings you will see. With the death of communist rule, Russia is returning to her historic past, Gorky Street was again renamed Tverskaya Street. Though much of Tverskaya Street's history has been sadly wiped away, it is still an interesting street to walk down. As you walk you cannot help see how much Russia is like other countries because on Tverskaya Street you can see and feel the real Russia and her people. As you walk down Tverskaya Street, you will notice archways leading to side streets. Take time to take a peek through a few of these archways and you will discover some are like time machines. These archways are where you discover the older buildings of Tverskaya's area. Moscow's Tverskaya Street is Moscow's version of New York's ˜Fifth Avenue" or "Broadway" and as you walk down Tverskaya, you cannot help but notice the similarities between these streets.

Before we begin our tour, one word of caution, the only way to cross Tverskaya Street is through the underground pedestrian crossings, do not try to cross the street itself. Not only is it too dangerous, but also against the law and if a traffic police officer sees you, it's ticket time and may be even some more trouble depending on what type of police officer he is. A few officers here are known for expecting a little payola to help smooth this over, especially if you're an American. So just do not jaywalk on Tverskaya Street. Cross only at the underground pedestrian crossings and avoid any problems.

Let's begin our tour at the BeloRusskaya Metro Station, found next to our first stop, the Belorussky Railway Station. I think it is best to start here because it is a downhill walk from here to the Kremlin and an easier walk at least for this old man. Of course you can start at the Kremlin just as easy and walk to the BeloRusskaya Metro Station, but I always prefer to end this walk at the Kremlin. The Belorussky station was built in 1870, then was rebuilt in 1907 by I. Strukov making the station into two buildings, joined at an angle. A single building was designed as the royal chambers and was named "Royal Corner." Its present name, Belorussky railway station was given in 1936. In 1938, the metro station Belorusskaya which we just got off from was opened in the right side of the station.

We now should be standing on Tverskaya Street, if you're hungry and looking for a quick snack, go to the left and to the end of the Belorussky Station. Walk down the sidewalk steps and you'll be right in front of a Subway Sandwich shop (popular sandwich shop in the US) otherwise we'll be going to the right, down Tverskaya Street.

Walking down Tverskaya Street, we're going towards the Kremlin. We'll come to the Tverskaya-Yamskaya intersection, look across the street and you'll see the Moscow branch of The Valaam Monastery Church: The Church in the name of Sergius and Germanos the Valaam Wonder-Workers. The Valaam Monastery was founded in either the 10th or 12th century on Valaam Island in Kareliya, Russia. The monks of this monastery were skillful photographers because in the 1850s the Valaam Monastery set up its own photostudio because of a Saint Petersburg philanthropist's donations. This church is not too old as churches go in Moscow; started sometime in the 1800s I believe.

Here on Tverskaya Street, you'll find stores, hotels, cafes and restaurants of all types and the street is under constant construction. You cannot help wonder if Bozo the Clown is the city developer of Moscow. Just like in times past, Tverskaya Street is still the place to be and be seen.

We now are at Triumphalnaya Square This is where Moscow's Arch of Triumph Monument in memory to Russia's defeat of Napoleon was once located in 1814 before taken down in 1936 during Stalin's remodeling of Moscow. The arch was restored in 1968 at the entry plaza of Kutuzov Avenue. This square was renamed, "Mayakovsky Square" after the famous Russian poet whose statue looks down on you as you pass by, but changing times brings new names and again this square was renamed to its former name only recently. There are quite a few things to see around this large square.

The pink and grey building facing the square is the Tchaikovsky Concert Hall, whose massive square-pillared portico and diamond-patterned facade sits above the main entrance of the Mayakovsky Metro Station. This concert hall was originally built as a theater for the director and producer, Vsevolod Meyerhold. Meyerhold, who is now regarded as one of Russia's most exciting theater. However, Meyerhold was arrested and killed during one of Stalin's murderous purges of the 1930s and the theater was converted into a concert hall, which is now used by the Russian State Symphony Orchestra. Today the Tchaikovsky Concert Hall hosts regular concerts by both the Russian State Symphony Orchestra and many visiting international orchestras, choirs, soloists and conductors. The Garden Ring was built over the city's medieval ramparts. In the 30's this area, especially Tverskaya Street was widened and rebuilt in the Stalinist manner.

After passing Triumphant Square, we'll now come to the Grand-Hotel Marriott. Among the famous guests of the Marriott Grand Hotel Moscow were several US Presidents including Bill Clinton and George Bush, Vice-President Albert Gore, Secretaries of State Madlen Allbright and Colin Powell, Prime Minister of Israel Ariel Sharon.

Now we come to the State Central Museum of Contemporary History of Russia formerly known as the Museum of Revolution located at building No. 21, a mansion built in the 1700s. A brother of the poet Kheraskov lived here for a time and in the 18th century, held secret meetings of the first Masonic Lodge which was outlawed in Russia. Some of the lodges famous members included Kheraskov, Cherkassky Turgenev and Nikolai Novikov, after Kheraskov's death in 1807 ownership of the house passed to Count A. Razurnovsky. The most famous tenant of this building has to be the English Club from 1831 to 1917. The Club had a 'Hell Room' for gambling. Up to 1905 the English Club was the only place in Moscow where gambling was legal. The famous Russian poet, Alexander Pushkin was banned for awhile until he could repay his gambling debts and the writer Tolstoy was almost banned, but his friend Katkov paid his gambling debt.

Next we find the Sytin's Printing House at no. 18. Ivan Sytin, an educator and strong proponent of education started this publishing house in the late 1800s. Some of his published authors included Alexander Pushkin, Michael Lermontov, Nicholai Gogol, Fyodor Dostoyevsky, Anton Chekhov and Leo Tolstoy. Sytin wanted to enlighten the simple and uneducated people of Russia to literature by selling books inexpensively. His hundred-volume Library of Russian Writers cost only 3 rubles. He made classic Russian literature affordable for anybody who wanted to read it. The Bolsheviks nationalized the Sytin's printing house and the Pravda newspaper was printed here during the 1920s. As a matter of fact you can see the new Pravda office building almost in back of the Sytin's Printing House.

On the comer of Tverskaya and Tverskoi Boulevard there is a huge house at No. 17, built in the late 1930s by the architect Mordvinov. On the house's angular tower there used to be a big statue of a ballerina with her leg raised and her hand pointing to the sun, but because the statue was in such bad shape it was removed in 1958 before it could fall on somebody. The ancient Church of St. Dmitri Solunsky was also found here on this site with the house, but was removed in 1936. Baranovsky tried to save the church, offering to move it inside the courtyard and working out a plan for its removal. But his efforts did not work out since Stalin was not a lover of churches. Next to the church was an old house in which in the 1920s had a cafe named 'Stoilo Pegasa.' This cafe was considered something of a literary club by many writers of Moscow then often visited by Yesenin. Isadora Duncan, the poet Klyuyev, and the theatre director Tairov.

Next to Sytin's printing House we'll find Pushkin Square, originally named Strastnaya Square, but renamed in 1937 in honor of the famous Russian poet, Alexander Pushkin. Found at the intersection of the Boulevard Ring and the Tverskaya Street, this square is not only one of the busiest in Moscow, but also one of the busiest in the world. This square is famous as a meeting place since three metro stations lay under the square: Tverskaya, Pushinskaya and Chekhovskaya. So if you're going to meet somebody in Moscow. you usually arrange to meet in front of the statue of Pushkin. This is one of the few squares renamed by Stalin not to revert to its original name after the death of communism. I think this is because not only is Pushkin held in high regard, but because Pushkin Square is such a popular Moscow square.

At the center of the square is the famous statue of the Russian poet Alexander Pushkin, funded by public donations and built in 1880. Stalin had the statue moved to the other side of Tverskaya Street in 1950, where the Monastery of Christ's Passions was once located. If you look across from Pushkin Square of the right side of the Square on the right side of Tverskaya Street, you can see the first McDonalds to open in Moscow. The city of Moscow and the head of Canadian McDonalds Inc jointly own the McDonalds franchise in Moscow from my understanding. This is the world's largest fast food restaurant with over 800 seats and twenty-seven cash registers. The plaza around Pushkin Square is a popular location for outdoor plays, gatherings and political rallies. Straight in back of Pushkin Square is the Rossiya Cinema or Pushkinskaya Movie Theater which was opened in 1961. Now let's cross the street at the underground pedestrian crossing and go to building no.14.

On the left of the street at number 14 stands one of Moscow's most famous food shops, Yeliseyev's Emporium or called Gastonom One in Soviet times. The big store was built between 1898 and 1901 on Tverskaya ulitsa by Gabriel Baranovsky. Originally a late 1700s mansion was here on this location, then Matvei Kazakov. Yeliseyev, a St. Petersburg lover of fine foods, bought the building at the end of the 1800s. He remodeled the first floor of the building with crystal chandeliers, gilded interiors with stained-glass and mirrors, carved pillars, polished wooden display cases and built a grocery store for his fine imported and Russian foods.

We've now reached Tverskaya's main landmark besides the Kremlin, the red building of the City Council. The Moscow mayor's offices are found at No. 13, which was in times past the home of the Moscow governor-general. In 1782 the architect Kazakov built a two-story palace for governor-general Chernishov. Bricks for construction of the building were taken from the fortified walls of the old White City, which previously had been torn down on the orders of Catherine the Great. In 1784 while Yakov Bryus was the governor-general of Moscow, he decided to buy the Chernishov house and present it to the state as a home for Moscow's governor-generals. Since then, this palace on Tverskaya was the permanent home of Moscow governors-general. During rebuilding of Gorky Street the palace was moved back 42 feet, then from 1944 to 1946 the architect Chechulin built an extra two upper stories. In front of the governor's palace is Tverskaya Square with its monument to Prince Yury Dolgoruky. In honor of Moscow's 800th anniversary, a big bronze statue of Yury Dolgoruky on a powerful horse made its appearance in the upper section of the square in 1954. With the end of communist rule w the square was renamed to its original name as is the norm here to wipe away embarrassing Bolshevik philosophy. Walk back towards the fountains in back of the square and you'll find the Church of St. Kozma and St. Domian in Shubin to the right famous for feeding Moscow's homeless.

An archway which leads from the left of Tverskaya to Bolshoi Gnezdnikovsky which means birdnest Lane is a small Tverskaya side street. It is believed that in ancient times there was a forest here and birds used this site for nesting in the trees. But most historians now only believe the craftsmen who specialized in making arrows and that 'nest' were a unit of measure used for arrow makers who lived here. At the start of Bolshoi Gnezdikovsky Lane stands the famous 'Nirnsee House' at building No.l0. Today the ground floor is the home to the theater school named Letuchaya Mysh, and an excellent cafe named 'Russkoe Bistro.' This house was formerly known as 'the roof house' with an open-air restaurant on the roof and a club in its basement. It was the first nine storied building in Moscow and for a long-time until the construction of the 'Soviet sky-scraper' on Kalashny Lane it was the tallest building found in Moscow. This house was built and owned by a German named Nirnsee, but because of the persecution he received because of WWI, he sold the house in August 1915 for a high sum of money to the banker D. Rubinshtein. Rubinshtein was notorious for his financial double dealings and his friendship with Rasputin. It is said that while he was imprisoned in the Peter and Paul Fortress in St. Petersburg, Rubinshtein gave this house to Rasputin as a gift, to gain Rasputin's protection and get Rasputin's help in releasing Rubinshtein from prison. There are rumors that Rasputin was a frequent visitor to this house and held orgies here while in Moscow. The house on Bolshoi Gnezdnikovsky Lane also became part of the history of Moscow movie studios. In 1915, Vladimir Gardin, a young famous movie producer who produced the first films of Anna Karenina, War and Peace, and Nest of Gentlefolk joined forces with the businessman Vengerov to set up their own movie studio. The office of the 'Cinema Seagull' was opened in the Nirnsee house, and shortly a film studio was built on the roof.

Kamergersky Lane is a nice pedestrian street on the right side of Tverskaya Street. The green building on the left side is the famous Moscow Arts Theater Mkhat founded in 1898 by the legend of modern theater, Konstantin Stanislavsky and Vladimir Nemirovich-Danchenko. Today this theater is used by many actors and actresses from Hollywood and now and then you may see a celebrity leaving the theater and strolling down Kamergersky Lane.

One of few buildings that "survived" the reconstruction of Tverskaya Street, the Yermolova Theater is still a popular theater company in Moscow today. The old green building was built in the 1830's and is one of the largest on Tverskaya Street.

On the corner of Tverskaya Ulitsa and Mokhovaya Ulitsa, stands the National Hotel, the most famous and prestigious hotel in Moscow before the 1917 Revolution. A few of the more famous guests included Anatole France and H. G. Wells. The National Hotel was built in 1903 by Aleksandr Ivanov. After the Revolution, it was used briefly by Lenin when he moved his Bolshevik government from St. Petersburg to Moscow, and the hotel became the First House of Soviets, a home for Party officials and distinguished foreign guests
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One of the final interesting things on Tverskaya Lane is the street on the left side walking towards the Kremlin named Moscow Georgievskii Pereulok. Here you will find the skyscraper where the Russian Duma meets. This short street also has an exhibition hall called 'Little Manezh. This used to be where the Russian Duma members parked their cars. You can see many Russian celebrities and well-known Russian news commentators here all the time. The ten-story building was built in the 1930's to house the Sovnarkom, and then Gosplan, the central planning committee that carried out Stalin's economic reforms and industrialization programs. Sadly its construction brought about the destruction of the palaces belonging to two of Russia's great boyar families, the Princes Gagarin and Golitsyn, but luckily, the home of the Troyerukov boyars, has survived. Built in the late 1600s by Fyodor Troyerukov, who was an adviser to Peter the Great, and is one of the few surviving buildings of its type and age left in Moscow today. It can be seen through the massive arch that leads from Tverskaya to Georgievskiy Pereulok. When you get to the end of this short lane, you can easily find the back and side of the most famous theaters in the world, The Bolshoi Theater. The Bolshoi Theater is what I consider a must see site, at present the main theater is closed for restorations, but if your lucky enough to attend a performance inside the main theater, it is something else.

Now you can walk back to Tverskaya Street and walk to the Kremlin and the Manege Square. This will complete your "Streetwalking" Tour of Tverskaya Street, the Broadway of Moscow. You will be able to find many restaurants at the underground three story shopping mall that is under Manege Square or catch the subway back to your hotel. The time it takes to complete this walk can be 2 and half to 4 hours, depending on how fast you move, if you stop and go into museums, shops, cafes, take photos. It generally takes me around 3 hours when I am taking a photographic walk on this street. But you can always catch a tram or trolley if you get tired while walking. Buses can be risky if you do not know where they are going.