Old Square is, in fact, not a square at all, but a pedestrian street running from Varvarka to Ilyinsky Gate Square, and a hillside overgrown with trees, a green strip that arose where the Kitaigorod wall once ran. Actually, the Old Square was originally a passage along the wall, from its inner side (the passage from the outer side was called Kitaygorodsky). After the demolition of the wall of Kitai-Gorod in the early 1930s, the relief of this area became clearly visible - Staraya Ploschad lies above Kitaygorodsky passage and Ilyinsky Square, and the closer to the Moskva River embankment, the more the relief drops.

The Kitaygorod wall was built in the 1530s under the guidance of the Italian architect Petrok Maly and was considered one of the best fortifications of its era. For a long time, the buildings of Kitay-Gorod adjoined almost close to the wall, but after the fire of 1812 destroyed most of the buildings, it became possible to lay new wide passages along the wall. The passage from the Varvarsky to the Ilyinsky Gates was called the Old Square, and from the Ilyinsky to the Vladimir (Nikolsky) Gates - the New Square. The construction of the newly formed "squares" was, respectively, only on one (even) side, since the Kitaigorod wall was located on the other. Until the end of the 19th century, there was a crowded market on Old Square (as well as on New Square), where they traded a wide variety of goods, mainly clothes, shoes and small utensils.

The current development of the Old Square has developed mainly in late XIX- the beginning of the twentieth century. The largest and most representative building on the square - tenement house Moscow Fire Insurance Company (house No. 8), built in 1901-1903 according to the design of the architect F.O. Shekhtel. The first three floors of the house were intended for renting out for offices and shops, and the top two floors were occupied by a fashionable hotel. The interior design of the trading floors, and especially the hotel premises, was made in the Art Nouveau style and was distinguished by sophistication and sophistication.

The house standing on the corner with Ilyinka (house No. 2/14) is a tenement house of the Moscow Merchant Bank, based on a post-fire building with benches, designed by architect O.I. Beauvais. In the early 1890s, the building was rebuilt according to the project of the architect B.V. Freidenberg, various offices and shops were also located here, among other things - the board and warehouse of the Danilov Manufactory Partnership.

The neighboring house (No. 4) is the building of the Trade House of V.I. Titov, built by the architect V.V. Sherwood in 1912-1915. Before the revolution, the furnished rooms "Ilyinskoye Compound" were also located here. The building was seriously damaged in 1941, during one of the air raids on Moscow, its facade was restored in simplified forms.

Simultaneously with the Titov Trading House, the same architect V.V. Sherwood built a house in the neighboring property (house No. 6) - the building of the E.A. and E. Armand, owned by representatives of a well-known family of merchants and industrialists, whose ancestors moved from France to Russia in late XVIII in. The Armands owned several weaving and dyeing factories (the largest factory is in the current city of Pushkino, Moscow Region), were actively involved in charity work (in particular, they donated a lot to create the Museum fine arts in Moscow).

The last building in the row of buildings on Staraya Ploshchad (house 10/4) was built in 1898 according to the design of architect A.V. Ivanov for the Varvara House-Building Society, before the revolution, the hotel "Novovarvarinskoye Compound" was located here.

On the corner with Varvarka is located, built in the middle of the 18th century and rebuilt in the 20s of the 19th century. Fortunately, the church was not demolished in Soviet time- the temple was closed in the late 1920s, decapitated, and was used as housing, as well as for household purposes. Currently, the temple is being restored and will soon be reopened to believers.

IN Soviet years some of the houses on the square were occupied by the organs of the CPSU (the Central Committee of the Party was located in house 4), so the name "Old Square" became synonymous with supreme power. It remains so to this day, since at present the buildings on the square are occupied by the Administration of the President of the Russian Federation.

A few years ago, a fence with two checkpoints was built along the pedestrian part of the square. official version, for security. Access to the buildings on the Old Square is currently restricted.

Old Square- an area in the Tverskoy district of the Central Administrative District of Moscow. It is located between the Ilyinsky Gate Square and the Varvarsky Gate Square.

Old Square in Moscow - history, name

The area became isolated in the 1820s. as part of New Square.

Houses on the Old Square

Old Square, 2/14. Merchant Bank House . Ilyinka, 14/2.

Old Square, 4. Trading House Titov . The monumental six-story building was built by V.V. Sherwood in 1912-1915. for the trading house of the hereditary honorary citizen Ivan Sergeevich Titov. Refurbished in 1930-1940. Previously, it housed the Central Committee of the CPSU. Now Old Square, 4 is the address of the Administration of the President of the Russian Federation.

Old Square, 6. Trading House Armand . The building was built by Sherwood in 1912-1915. for the trading house Armand. In 1941 it was reconstructed by Vlasov.

Old Square, 8. Hotel "Boyarsky Dvor" . The five-storey house on the hill was built in 1901-1903. Shekhtel with the participation of Galetsky. The customers were the Moscow Fire Insurance Company and the Morozov Bogorodsko-Glukhovskaya Manufactory. The first three floors of the building, which were covered by the Kitay-gorod wall, are practically devoid of decor. They were intended for commercial premises and offices. The fourth and fifth floors, peeking out from behind a massive wall, were stylized as an ancient fortress. They were occupied by the Boyarsky Dvor Hotel. In Soviet times, the building housed the Central Committee of the CPSU. Now the building is occupied by the Office of the President of the Russian Federation.

In connection with the repair and restoration work, the entrance of visitors to the territory of the Kremlin is carried out through the Trinity Gates, the exit - through the Borovitsky Gates. Passage of visitors to the Armory and exit is through the Borovitsky Gate.

From August 22 to September 01

visitors will not exit through the Spassky Gates.

August 27 from 13:00

The Patriarchal Palace is closed to the public.

Admission of visitors to the Patriarchal Palace ends at 11:30.

May 15 to September 30

The Moscow Kremlin Museums are switching to summer mode. Architectural ensemble open for visits from 9:30 to 18:00. The Armory is open from 10:00 to 18:00. Tickets are sold at the box office from 9:00 to 17:00. Day off - Thursday. Exchange electronic tickets produced in accordance with the terms of the User Agreement.

May 15 to September 30

the exposition of the bell tower "Ivan the Great" is open to the public.

In order to ensure the preservation of monuments under adverse weather conditions, access to some museum-cathedrals may be temporarily limited.

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