History of Moscow: The historical and documentary exhibition “Nikolskaya Street in documents and photographs” was opened in the capital under the open sky

May 21, 2016 in the framework of the Day of historical and cultural heritage of Moscow was opened a historical and documentary exhibition of the Main Archive of Moscow "Nikolskaya Street in documents and photographs".

The exposition under the open sky is located on the Nikolskaya Street and will be available to everyone. The exhibition features documents from the Archival fund of Moscow, reflecting the pages of history of the Kazan Cathedral, and St. Nicholas Greek and Zaikonospassky monasteries, Synodal Printing and pharmacies of Ferrein, Nikolsky and the Tretyakov shopping malls, "Slavonic Bazaar" and GUM.

Nikolskaya - one of the oldest streets of Moscow. It connects the Red Square with Lubyanka Square. There was more in the pre-Mongol period, as a way out of the Kremlin in the city of Vladimir-Suzdal principality. It is named for St. Nicholas Greek monastery (first mentioned in chronicles in 1390 as a convent "Old Nikola"; from the middle of the XVI century - Compound Greek monks, destroyed in 1935). Since the end of the XIV century until the middle of the XVI century the street was called the Nikolaskaya or the Sretenskaya (on Sretensky Monastery). After the construction in 1530s of wall of China-town, cut off from the outside of the Sretensky Monastery, it became known as Nikolskaya. 

In 1560s here came the first Russian printing house by Tsar Ivan IV Vasilyevich - Sovereign's Printing House. Here worked renowned printers Ivan Fedorov and Petr Mstislavets, and the first Russian dated book "The Apostle" was created in 1564 on the circuit court. In 1721-1907 the Moscow State Historical Archives Institute (now - Russian State University for the Humanities) in place of the printed Sovereign yard was located Synodal Printing House, 1930.

In 2013 Nikolskaya Street was beautified under the city program "My Street". Today, a well-appointed pedestrian area of the Nikolskaya - one of the favorite places of Muscovites.