Pozharsky Chambers and fortress monastery: walking along historical route in Moscow center

On November 4, Russia celebrates National Unity Day. It commemorates the victory of militia over Polish invaders in 1612. Dozens of Moscow streets, squares, and buildings keep the memory of these and other events of the time. The Get to Know Moscow portal has prepared a list of the most interesting ones. The route "Moscow in the Time of Troubles" is the most popular and has been viewed about 11,000 times. We opened the map, created a route, and set off together with guide Marina Kramskaya.

From Bolshaya Lubyanka to Nikolskaya streets

The Time of Troubles lasted almost 15 years. It began in 1598 when Feodor I died having left no heir. Then Boris Godunov, Vasily Shuisky, three false Dmitrys followed. It all ended with people rebelling against the Poles who occupied Moscow. The first militia was drafted in 1611 but was defeated. Then, Nizhny Novgorod formed another army. Dmitry Pozharsky and Kuzma Minin commanded the second militia. In 1612, they won the final battle expelling the Poles from Moscow.

Many parts of the city familiar to Moscow residents witnessed those events. You dive into history at the very first stop of the route, in front of the big wrought gate of the house of Count Orlov-Denisov on Bolshaya Lubyanka Street. You can get here from the Lubyanka and Kuznetsky Most metro stations. The façade is sky blue, the two-story house with ornate drawings and smooth white semi-columns stands out from the neighboring buildings and resembles a palace.

In the 17th century, it was stone chambers of Prince Dmitry Pozharsky. There was a battle in 1611 nearby between a Russian militia unit and Polish invaders who had occupied Moscow. Together with his army, Pozharsky himself fought here but was wounded and transported to the Trinity Lavra of St. Sergius. The basement of the building still has the walls built in the time of the prince. Marina Kramskaya tour guide

In 2020, the building was restored and now Moscow residents can admire its unique exterior and interior decoration. And only history reminds us what happened here almost four centuries ago.

After visiting the estate, we walk past Vorovsky Square back to the metro station and then walk along Nikolskaya Street towards Red Square. We are going to the Cathedral of Our Lady of Kazan. On the left, we see the Historical Museum, the glimmering GUM behind and a large golden dome in front of us. In 1612, a battle between the second militia and the Poles took place here. The famous Mother-of-God of Kazan icon was brought here too.

"The icon was brought from Kazan because people believed it would help defeat the enemy, and it did. On October 22, 1612, the militia led by Kuzma Minin and Dmitry Pozharsky protected by the icon seized Kitay-Gorod and soon the Poles surrendered the Kremlin. Commemorating the battle 13 years later, Pozharsky funded construction of the wooden Cathedral of Our Lady of Kazan. In 1636, the Mother-of-God of Kazan icon was moved there," she says.

Later, the wooden church was rebuilt, and in the 1920s, it was restored under the supervision of the Soviet architect Pyotr Baranovsky. However, a few years later, the Moscow Soviet decided to demolish the bell tower, with the church itself destroyed in 1936. Thanks to Baranovsky's detailed schemes, the cathedral was reconstructed in the 1990s very close to the way the Soviet restorer saw it.

The first sculpture and Kremlin’s memory

Our next stop is St. Basil's Cathedral on Red Square. Every brick, boulder, and stained glass here is filled with history. However, we are going neither to the square nor even the church. The monument to Minin and Pozharsky familiar to Moscow residents and tourists is a symbol of that time. It was designed by architect Ivan Martos commemorating the expulsion of Polish invaders from the city.

It is peculiar that the monument was the first sculpture in Moscow. Before it was unveiled in 1818, there were no bronze sculptures: traditionally, churches were built in memory of major events. In 2021, restoration of the monument started, now completed. So the famous monument is again located on Moscow’s main square.

The Kremlin, the main symbol of the Russian capital, can also tell a lot. Its walls remember grand dukes, tsars, and even impostors. In 1606, False Dmitry I jumped out of the window on the second floor of the Kremlin wooden palace. He was trying to run away from armed plotters, but failed and was captured. Besides, the Poles once hid in the Kremlin from the second militia.

Patriarch Hermogenes had difficult days in the eastern part, the Chudov Monastery. He stood against the non-Orthodox Poles and was imprisoned for this.

"But even there Hermogenes continues his fight sending calls across the country. He encourages the people to unite and combat the invaders. This is what promotes Minin and Pozharsky’s victorious uprising. Hermogenes also predicts that the Romanov dynasty will reign soon," says Marina Kramskaya.

An ornamented bronze handle, a mouthpiece and ceramics: what else archaeologists found close to the monument to Minin and Pozharsky

Old Chertolye and the way to the monastery

We can find traces of the time even outside the Kremlin. Along Volkhonka Street, we come to Prechistenskiye Gate Square. We see ancient history here too. The territory between the Moskva River and the place where the Kropotkinskaya metro station pavilion is now located used to be called Chertolye.

In those days, there was a ravine and creek Chertory along the walls of the Bely Gorod. In 1611, the first militia fought here. However, the Poles crossed the wall through the unlocked Prechistenskiye Gate (there is now a square with the same name) and attacked the Russian troops. Almost three centuries later, the Cathedral of Christ the Savior was erected on the battle site.

Off route, there is another place to be visited. For this, go from the Kropotkinskaya to Sportivnaya station (no transfer needed), turn right from the lobby and exit to a large square. In front of us, we see the Novodevichy Convent. It was founded in 1525 on the Maiden’s Field – not only as a monastery but also as a fortress to protect Moscow. Initially, the building covered a smaller area and was surrounded by a small ditch and a stone wall.

In 1606, the convent was defended against the troops of Ivan Bolotnikov who rebelled against the tsar and four years later, negotiations were held on the Maiden’s Field to invite the Polish Prince Ladislaus IV of Poland to rule Russia. Later, the monastery passed from hand to hand and in 1612, the final battle between the second militia and the Polish invaders happened here. The invaders were defeated and left Moscow.

"It is not easy to follow the traces of the Time of Troubles, since much has been lost or rebuilt over four centuries. But things we can see and learn today are extremely valuable," the guide adds.

The Get to Know Moscow portal is a collaborative project of the Moscow departments of information technologies, culture, cultural heritage, education and science. It has about 240 routes in various city districts. The interactive guide contains photos and descriptions of over 2,200 buildings, 350 museums, 680 monuments, as well as information about 334 historical figures.