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The story of Homyakov's woods
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This story goes back to the 19th century, when a new "park" appeared in Moscow. It gave rise to lots of jokes and was nicknamed "Homyakov's woods". Homyakov was a poet and philosopher who lived in the first half of the 19th century. Many Russian writers, poets (including Pushkin and Gogol), historians would come to visit him in his house at the corner of Kuznetsky most and Petrovka streets. After his death the house was inherited by the relatives. In 1898 the wooden building burnt down in a fire. The owners soon moved into a neighboring stone house. This was about the time when Moscow authorities were trying to widen Petrovka street. The main obstacle was a fenced patch of Homyakov's land. But the owners didn't want to sell it cheaply, they demanded 100 thousand rubles (at that time it was more than a 3-storey house would cost). As a result the Homayakovs planted a couple of bushes and announced that they really couldn't do without their favorite "woods". Lots of jokes and caricatures were circulating around Moscow. Most of papers were discussing this case. In the end, tired of this scandalous reputation, the Homyakovs agreed to sell this land for 38 thousands (a fair trade at the time) Moscow old streets keep memory of lots of fascinating stories. Why not come here on your Moscow city break? |
Archive
 The construction of Moscow State Univercity. Moscow, 1951-52. source: www.oldmos.ru |
 Moscow state Univercity. Moscow, 2009 |
 Red Square Moscow, 1987 |
 Red Square Moscow, 2009 |
 Fedor Alexeev. Red Square. Moscow, 19th century |
 Red Square Moscow, 21st century |
 Christ the Savior Catherdal, Moscow, the end of the 19th century |
 Christ the Svior Cathedral, Moscow, 2009 |
 The church of the iceon of Mother of God of Kazan. Moscow 1900s. |
 Kaluzhskaya square. Moscow 2009 |
 Rumantsev museum (former Pashkov house). Moscow traffic, 1902 |
 Pashkov house. Moscow traffic, 2009 |
 Red Square, Moscow, 1937. sourse: www.oldmos.ru |
 Red Square, Moscow, 2009 |
 F.Alexeev. The view on the Resurrection Gates. Moscow, 1811. |
 The Resurrection gates and the History museum. Moscow, 2009 |
 Moscva swimming pool. Moscow, 1960-s |
 Christ the Savior Cathedral. Moscow, 2009 |
 Gogol's sculpture by Andreev on Preshistensky bulvar. Moscow, 1909 |
 Gogol's sculpture by Tomsky on Gogolevsky bulvar. Moscow, 2009 |
 Market on Red Square, Moscow, 1910 source: www.oldmos.ru |
 Gift market near Red Square, Moscow, 2009 |
 Red Square, Moscow, 1900 |
 Red Square, Moscow, 2010 |
 National hotel, Moscow, 1895 |
 National hotel, Moscow, 2009 |
 Church of St. John the Warrior, Moscow, 1888 source:oldmos.ru |
 Church of St. John the Warrior, Moscow, 2010 |
 The church of Saint Nicholas, Moscow, 1974 |
 The church of Saint Nicholas, Moscow, 2010 |
 Kitay-gorod wall, Varvarka gates, Moscow, 1920 |
 Beginning of Varvarka street, Moscow, 2010 |
 The Trinity Church in Nikitniki, Moscow, 1881 |
 The Trinity Church in Nikitniki, Moscow, 2010 |
 Malaya Dmitrovka street, Moscow, 1910 |
 Malaya Dmitrovka street, Moscow, 2010 |
 Eliseevsky grocery story, photo early XX century |
 Eliseevsky grocery nowadays |
 The house of governor-general, Moscow, beginning of the 20th century |
 Moscow Mayor's office, Moscow, 2010 |
 The synagogue on Bolshaya Bronnaya, Moscow, 1888 |
 The synagogue on Bolshaya Bronnaya, Moscow, 2010 |
 Arbatskaya square, Moscow, 1925 |
 Arbatskaya square, Moscow, 2010 |
 The view on the Kremlin, Moscow, 1890s |
 The view on the Kremlin, Moscow, 2010 |
 Tretyakov drive, Moscow, 1900 |
 Tretyakov Drive, Moscow, 2010 |
 Lubanskaya squre, Moscow, 1928 |
 Lubanskaya squre, Moscow, 2010 |
 Dzerzhinsky monument, Moscow, 1971 |
 Lubanskaya squre, Moscow, 2010 |
 Moscow University and Church of St Tatyana, Moscow, 1906 |
 Moscow Univercity and Church of St Tatyana, Moscow, 2010 |
 General Post offfice, Moscow, early 20th century |
 General Post offfice, Moscow, 2010 |
 Perlov Tea House, photographed in the 1960th |
 Perlov tea house, photographed in 2010 |
 Sukhareva Tower |
 Sretenka Street |
 The Sofia Embankment, Moscow, 1957 source: oldmos.ru |
 The Sofia Embankment, Moscow, 2010 |
 Moscow Zoo, Moscow, 1934 |
 Moscow Zoo, Moscow, 2010 |
 Moscow tram, Moscow, 1933. source: oldmos.ru |
 Moscow tram, Moscow, 2010 |
 Limonade machines, Moscow 1989 |
 Coca cola kiosk, Moscow, 2010 |
 M. Vorobjov. The view of Manege, Kutafia tower and the church of St. Nickolas, Moscow, 1917 |
 Manege, Kutafia and Trinity towers, Moscow, 2010 |
 Red Square, Moscow, 1872 |
 Red Square, Moscow, 2010 |
 Nikolaevsky train station, |
 Leningradsky train station |
 Yaroslavsky train station, postcard |
 Yaroslavsky train station, photograph, 2010 |
 Yaroslavsky train station before 1902 |
 Yaroslavsky train station,2010 |
 Tsaritsino, The Grand Palace, Moscow, 1990s |
 Tsaritsino, The Grand Palace, Moscow, 2008 |
 Alexey Mikhailovich palace, engraving |
 Alexey Mikhailovich palace, photo 2010 |
 Petrovsky palace, Moscow, 1910 |
 Petrovsky palace, Moscow, 2010 |
 Wine and Salt Court, photographed in early 1900 |
 House on the embankment, 2000 |
 Nobility's Assembly Rooms, Moscow, 1895-1903 |
 House of the Unions, Moscow, 2008 |
 Ascention convent, Moscow 1890-1900 |
 Administration of the president, 2000 |
 Red Gates, Moscow, 1920s |
 Garden ring, Moscow, 2010 |
 Salmanovsky circus, Moscow 1900 |
 Moscow Nkulin circus, Moscow, 2010 |
 'The Thought' by Mercurov on Tsvetnoy bulvar, Moscow, 1926 |
 'St George' obelisk onTsvetnoy bulvar, Moscow, 2010 |
 Moscow city hall, Moscow, early 20th century |
 Moscow History museum, Moscow, 2010 |
 The Moskva Hotel, photographed in 1970-80s |
 The Moskva Hotel, photographed in 2010 |
 Ilinka gates, Moscow 1910s |
 Ilinka gates square, Moscow, 2009 |
 Okhotny Ryad, Moscow, 1931 |
 Okhotny Ryad, Moscow, 2009 |
 The National and Inturist hotels, Moscow, 1980s |
 The National and Rits Carlton hotels, Moscow, 2010 |
 The Russia hotel, Moscow, 1980 |
 Varvarka street, Moscow, 2010 |
 The house of boyars Romanovs, Moscow, 1905, source: www.oldmos.ru |
 The house of boyars Romanovs, Moscow, 2010 |
 Skating rink on Chistye Prudy, 1910 |
 Skating rink on Chistye Prudy, 2005 |
 Detsky Mir, 2006 |
 Lubyanka square, 1900-1910 |
 Tsar Bell, Moscow, late 19th century |
 Tsar Bell, Moscow, 2010 |
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Wander around the city with your Moscow tour guide and you'll learn lots of amazing stories