Moscow has many interesting architectural sights, monuments and parks. However, the greatest interest is caused by houses in which real people lived and worked. One of these magnificent historical buildings that we inherited is the English Court on Varvarka.
Medieval building history
The history of the court began in the fifteenth century, when a certain Ivan Bobrischev, the bed-keeper of the king, built a small house. After his death, the building passed to the state, since the owner of the house left no heirs and did not bequeath the house to anyone.
In 1556, the then formidable Tsar Ivan decided to establish trade relations with Europe. Three years earlier, the British navigator Richard Chancellor discovered the so-called northern sea route. This path connects Russia and England. One of the first decrees of Ivan the Terrible was to provide British citizens with all trade benefits and privileges in all Russian cities. Thanks to a favorable trade agreement, Russian merchants supplied furs, hemp, wood and wax to England, andin return they received lead, gunpowder, cloth and pewter utensils of outlandish coinage. A house was allocated for the English trade mission, which is now located in Zaryadye. Over time, English trade in Russia grew so much that English merchants had their own representative offices in almost every city. But the history of the Old English Court does not end there.
Recent history
Warm trade relations between Russia and England ended abruptly in 1649. The English King Charles the First was executed, and this led the relations between the two countries into the deepest political and diplomatic crisis. Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich, who was then on the throne, ordered all British trade missions to be expelled from the country. The English court passed to the boyar Miloslavsky, a relative of the tsar, who owned the building for twenty years. After his death, the chambers were again transferred to the state treasury.
Tsar Peter organized the first Arithmetic School in the English court, then for a long time the chambers were in private hands. During this period, the number of ancillary buildings increased, the house itself was reconstructed and rebuilt many times, as a result of which the original decorative elements and foundations practically disappeared. In the middle of the 20th century, the architect Pyotr Baranovsky, who oversaw the demolition of old buildings for the construction of a Stalinist skyscraper, discovered the historical foundation and defended its significance in the highest circles of power. The English Court has been turned into a historical museum. During its opening 18October 1994, Queen Elizabeth II of England and her husband were on a visit to Moscow and became guests of honor at the ceremony.
How to get there
If you do not know how to get to the Old English Court, then Red Square should serve as your guide:
- The first way. Take the metro to the station "Okhotny Ryad" or "Revolution Square". Pass through the Resurrection Gate, the arch near the chapel, exit to Red Square. Then follow the path along GUM. Without turning anywhere, you get to the traffic light. The street will be on your left. This is Varvarka Street, where the object is located.
- The second way. You need to get off at the metro station "Kitay-Gorod" and turn onto Varvarka Street, which starts immediately at the exit of the metro. The exact address of the English House is Varvarka Street, 4a.
It is best to walk or rent a bike if you are walking around old Moscow in summer or autumn, as there are always traffic jams in the center of the capital, and it is always pleasant to walk through historical places. Opening hours - from 11.00 to 20.00.
Museum
The English Court in Moscow is not only a historical architectural structure. The walls of the building hide unique specimens of not only the devices of Russian and English life of those times. Among the exhibits you can find items related to trade and maritime affairs.
The interior of the English court was recreated according to documentary sources, and during the reconstructionall rules were strictly observed. Inside you can find a stove that served to heat the room, an oak table with writing instruments. Along the walls, ancient navigational charts are hung or fixed on special pedestals, on which you can see all the details known at that time.
Among the exhibits there are items related to trade. Barrels in which wheat, gunpowder, corned beef, pewter, weapons and even harpoons for catching large marine fish were transported. The museum offers guided tours for adults and children.
Children's excursions
Excursions in Moscow are one of the most popular leisure activities. There are also in the Old Court. The English Court Museum is one of the leaders in cultural education. A popular excursion is "The Stories of a Foreign Merchant". Together with children under 17, the heroes of that era in appropriate costumes walk through the halls, listen to stories and legends, and completely immerse themselves in the world of English life.
The minimum age for children to visit Old English excursions in Moscow is eleven years old, as young children are not able to perceive and consciously perceive historical information, even in the easiest and most interesting form. There are no private tours. To visit a school group, you must apply in advance, indicating the exact number of people and the time of arrival. One adult accompanying person is allowed.
Navigation school and merchant business
On the territoryMuseum has a wonderful historical game, or, as it is now commonly called, a quest. Museum staff and guides present real instruments to the attention of the participants, tell about their purpose and invite the children to try themselves as sailors. Children are trying to calculate the sea route, use the astrolabe, use it to determine the coordinates of the ship.
Another interesting activity will be the study of the merchant business. Trade, in modern terms. Children will independently try to calculate the amount of the goods, put the goods in barrels, write a cover letter.
Walking tours
For adults, there are interesting walking tours throughout the English Court. Moving from building to building, guides tell interesting stories that have accumulated around this architectural gem for almost 500 years. A sightseeing tour, a journey through the old house, the secrets of the ancient chambers of Moscow - all this will be told and shown by the employees of the museum complex. The duration of the walking tours is one hour. This time is enough to fully immerse yourself in the era of the birth of Russian-British trade relations, feel the charm of the old way of life and, of course, enjoy the magnificent views of the historic Varvarka Street and the new Zaryadye Park.
Visitor reviews
Those who had a chance to visit one of the oldest and most interesting museums in Moscow say that they are glad to have spent such a fruitful time. What tour guides and guides saynot found in ordinary school textbooks on history and geography. The exhibits carefully kept by the caretakers of the museum complex are impressive. Inside there is a small shop where you can buy gifts and souvenirs for your family, friends and yourself, of course. Tourists also like the location of the object: there is no need to spend time and money on additional transport, everything is within walking distance from the main attractions of Moscow.
You can safely come here with children, say reviews of the Old English Court Museum. If walking is very tired, you can sit on a bench in the shade of trees and shrubs, recuperate in a small cozy cafe, designed for an average excursion group.
Having had enough of the views of old Moscow, it is enough to turn one hundred and eighty degrees, and in front of tourists is the high-tech, modern Zaryadye Park.
