Kitay-gorod

In the past, this district was named the Great Possad and its part was located on the territory of the modern Kremlin. From the four convents, which situated here, only Zaikonospassky monastery preserved up to present days. This two-storey cathedral was erected in 1720 by the design of the architect A. Stepanov and was consecrated in honor of the Image of Edessa and the icon of Virgin Mary. The school of liberal arts, the Slavic Greek Latin Academy (is the first higher education establishment, M. V. Lomonosov himself graduated from that academy) and, later, the religious school were opened at the monastery in different years.

The double Iverskie Gates of the Kitay-gorod wall are located between the Municipal Duma building and the State Historical Museum building. This double-arched gates in the wall, which were constructed in the middle of the XVI century, were, later, topped with two towers with two-headed eagles. Besides the Saint Basil's Cathedral on the Red Square, in the Kitay-gorod district, also, there is the church of the Saint Trinity in Nikitnikov as an etalon of the Moscow ornament. This rectangular church, which rises on the basement, is completed with the closed arch. Five decorative cupolas are set on the two tiers of vaults. Side-chapels with the same decorative elements and one cupola adjoin the cathedral from two sides. Richly decorated roof of the bell-tower adjoins the western part of the church, where the church-porch with a gallery is located. The walls are adorned with the white stone carvings and glazed tiles.

More than 15 outstanding cathedrals, monasteries and chapels were preserved up to present days on the territory of the Kitay-gorod. Nowadays, the district includes several streets, each of them is famous for a reason. On Nikitskaya Street there was the Royal Print Yard. Ilyinka Street had the Embassy importance and was considered as the richest one in the city. On Varavrka Street there were the apartments of Romanov family. There is an opinion that if the Kitay-gorod was located in some European capital, it will certainly become its main point of interest and tourist Mecca.