Tverskoy Boulevard
Encyclopedia
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
. It is a part of the Boulevard Ring
Boulevard Ring
The Boulevard Ring is Moscow's second centremost ring road . Boulevards form a semicircular chain along the western, northern and eastern sides of the historical White City of Moscow; in the south the incomplete ring is terminated by the embankments of Moskva River...
and begins at the end of the Nikitsky Boulevard
Nikitsky Boulevard
Nikitsky Boulevard, Russian: Никитский бульвар, is a boulevard in central Moscow, Russia. The boulevard is a part of the Boulevard Ring, connecting Arbat Square with Nikitskie Vorota square at the crossing with the Nikitsky Street...
, at the crossing with Nikitsky Street. The boulevard ends at the Pushkin Square
Pushkin Square
Pushkinskaya Square or Pushkin Square in Moscow, historically known as Strastnaya Square and renamed for Alexander Pushkin in 1937, is located at the junction of the Boulevard Ring and Tverskaya Street, 2 km northwest of the Kremlin...
and Tverskaya Street
Tverskaya Street
Tverskaya Street , known as Gorky Street between 1935 and 1990, is the main and probably best-known radial street of Moscow, Russia. The street runs from the central Manege Square north-west in the direction of Saint Petersburg and terminated at the Garden Ring, giving its name to Tverskoy District...
, one of the busiest places in Moscow. East of Tverskaya Street becomes Strastnoy Boulevard
Strastnoy Boulevard
Strastnoy Boulevard, , is a major boulevard in Moscow. It begins in the Tverskoy District by Pushkin Square, Tverskaya Street and Tverskoy Boulevard. The boulevard ends at Petrovka Street, although east of Petrovka, it becomes Petrovsky Boulevard, where it heads to Clean Ponds. The Strastnoy...
.
Tverskoy Boulevard was the first boulevard in the historical neighbourhood of Bely Gorod
Bely Gorod
Bely Gorod is the central core area of Moscow, Russia. The name comes from the color of its defensive wall, which was erected in 1585-1593 at the behest of tsar Feodor I and Boris Godunov by architect Fyodor Kon...
, "White Town" in Russian. The name comes from the fact that Bely Gorod was surrounded by white stone fortification wall which was built at the end of the 15th century and demolished at the end of the 17th century. It was replaced by several boulevards, together forming the Boulevard Ring.
This oldest of Moscow's boulevards was laid out in 1796 under the direction of the architect Karin
Karin
Karin is a common feminine given name in various Germanic languages , and in some French-speaking areas, as well as Japanese...
. Silver birches were the first trees to be planted here, but they did not take root, and so for almost 200 years the wind has rustled through the heavy foliage of mighty lime trees. Immediately after it was laid out this picturesque boulevard became a favourite place for high society people to take their walks. It became “a green club” for the Moscow aristocracy because of a great number of lime trees on the boulevard.
In October 1812 the boulevard's appearance was dramatically changed when French soldiers put up their tents here. They used the lamp posts to hang Muscovites whom they suspected of arson. Almost all the limes were cut down for firewood. After the French retreat, Tverskoy got some rivals, as new boulevards were laid out. Nevertheless, it remained so much more popular than the others that people would often simply say 'the Boulevard,' and it was understood that thev were referring to Tverskoy.
In the reign of Nicolas the I mulberry trees were planted on the boulevard, and they produce their leaves late. In spring the emperor came to visit Moscow and he went for an early morning stroll along the boulevard. He drew attention to the incomprehensible ‘sticks’ on the boulevard, and so Zakrevsky, the governor-general, ordered the fire brigade for the Tverskoy area to take up these trees that same night. The following morning he reported to the emperor: “Your Highness, the Boulevard has been cleared of sticks!”
In the years before the revolution the boulevard and coffee house opposite where the Pushkin Theatre now stands were the favourite meeting places for Moscow's artists.
At the beginning of the boulevard a statue of the scientist K. Timiryazev
Timiryazev
Timiryazev or Timiryazeva is an Azeri Russian last name and may refer to:*Dmitry Timiryazev , Russian statistician, brother of Kliment Timiryazev*Kliment Timiryazev , Russian botanist, physiologist...
was unveiled on 4 November 1923, sculpted by Sergey Merkurov
Sergey Merkurov
Sergey Dmitrievich Merkurov was a prominent Soviet sculptor-monumentalist of Greek-Armenian descent. He was a People's Artist of the USSR, an academic at the Soviet Academy of Arts, and director of the Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts from 1944 to 1949...
and laid out by the architect Osipov. The scholar is depicted in the gown of Cambridge University where he was awarded an honorary doctorate. The granite pedestal beares the inscription of 'the curve of plant physiology' which Timiryazev elucidated. In October 1941 the statue was overturned by a Fascist bomb, but after a few hours it was back in its place. Its lower half still bears the marks caused by bomb splinters.
In 1995 a statue by Bichugov was put up in the centre of the boulevard in memory of Sergei Yesenin
Sergei Yesenin
Sergei Alexandrovich Yesenin was a Russian lyrical poet. He was one of the most popular and well-known Russian poets of the 20th century but committed suicide at the age of 30...
.
On the left hand side at No. 11 there is a house built in the first half of the 19th century. From 1889 to 1928 it was the home of the great actress Maria Yermolova
Maria Yermolova
Maria Nikolayevna Yermolova was said to be the greatest actress in the history of the Maly Theatre in Moscow and the first person to be proclaimed the "People's Artist of the Republic" ....
. Her father was the prompter at the Maly Theatre
Maly Theatre (Moscow)
Maly Theatre is a drama theater in Moscow, Russia. Established in 1806 and operating on its present site on the Theatre Square since 1824, the theatre traces its history to the Moscow University drama company, established in 1756...
--she learnt to read from his prompt copies of plays. In 1862 her father enrolled her in the drama school on Neglinnaya Street. It was said of her first role, in Emilia Galotti
Emilia Galotti
Emilia Galotti is a play in five acts by Gotthold Ephraim Lessing , which premiered on 8 March 1772 in Brunswick . The work is a classic example of German bürgerliches Trauerspiel . Other works in this category include Schiller's Kabale und Liebe and Hebbel's Maria Magdalene...
on the stage of the Maly Theatre, that such a debut occurs only once in a hundred years. She played the lead roles in the tragedies
Tragedy
Tragedy is a form of art based on human suffering that offers its audience pleasure. While most cultures have developed forms that provoke this paradoxical response, tragedy refers to a specific tradition of drama that has played a unique and important role historically in the self-definition of...
The Maid of Orleans
The Maid of Orleans (play)
The Maid of Orleans is a tragedy by Friedrich Schiller, written in 1801 in Leipzig. During his lifetime, it was one of Schiller's most frequently-performed pieces.-Plot:...
and Mary Stuart by Friedrich Schiller
Friedrich Schiller
Johann Christoph Friedrich von Schiller was a German poet, philosopher, historian, and playwright. During the last seventeen years of his life , Schiller struck up a productive, if complicated, friendship with already famous and influential Johann Wolfgang von Goethe...
, and Katerina Kabanova and Larisa Ogudalova in Ostrovsky's plays. Her study was on the first floor with windows of violet glass. On 15 May 1970 the house was opened as a memorial museum.
On the site of the new building of MKhAT (No.22) stood the house of A. Kologrivov, where long years ago extravagant balls were held. Praskovya Yurevna, the elderly lady of the house, was very keen on these entertainments, and she served Griboyedov as a model for his Tatyana Yurevna in Woe from Wit -
Such balls she gives – none could be richer
From Christmas-tide and on to Easter.
In her younger days she organized performances of Italian operas in her home, and took part herself as prima donna. Karamzin was a devoted admirer of her talent. It was in this house in 1829 at a ball of the renowned dancing master Yogel that Alexander Pushkin met the young beauty Natalia Goncharova for the first time, and fell head over heels in love with her. Two years later she became his wife.
At house No. 25 a beautiful yellow and white mansion is concealed behind a modest fence. Early last century it was owned by A. Yakoviev, the uncle of A. Hertzen. Hertzen was born here in 1812, and hence the building is often known as 'Hertzen's house'.
In 1920 the house was handed over to writers' organisations, and it became the country's literary centre. Yesenin
Sergei Yesenin
Sergei Alexandrovich Yesenin was a Russian lyrical poet. He was one of the most popular and well-known Russian poets of the 20th century but committed suicide at the age of 30...
and Mayakovsky
Vladimir Mayakovsky
Vladimir Vladimirovich Mayakovsky was a Russian and Soviet poet and playwright, among the foremost representatives of early-20th century Russian Futurism.- Early life :...
gave readings here.
Many Russian writers described Tverskoy Boulevard in their books, for example Leo Tolstoy
Leo Tolstoy
Lev Nikolayevich Tolstoy was a Russian writer who primarily wrote novels and short stories. Later in life, he also wrote plays and essays. His two most famous works, the novels War and Peace and Anna Karenina, are acknowledged as two of the greatest novels of all time and a pinnacle of realist...
, Anton Chekhov
Anton Chekhov
Anton Pavlovich Chekhov was a Russian physician, dramatist and author who is considered to be among the greatest writers of short stories in history. His career as a dramatist produced four classics and his best short stories are held in high esteem by writers and critics...
, Ivan Bunin, Alexander Pushkin and Mikhail Bulgakov
Mikhail Bulgakov
Mikhaíl Afanásyevich Bulgákov was a Soviet Russian writer and playwright active in the first half of the 20th century. He is best known for his novel The Master and Margarita, which The Times of London has called one of the masterpieces of the 20th century.-Biography:Mikhail Bulgakov was born on...
. This area is one of the cultural centers of Moscow. There are many museums, theatres and galleries here.
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Source: "Great Moscow 850: Guide", E.Efimova, 1997