|
Visitors who wish to understand Russia and her long struggle for
freedom should make a point to walk the Arbat. The street existed as
early as 1493, as records of a great fire that began in a church
once located there confirm. During the reign of Ivan the Terrible it
was the home of his sixteenth century secret police. By the
seventeenth century it had become the chosen home of aristocrats,
and later artists seeking patronage made it their home. It took on
its current appearance at the turn of the twentieth century when
elegant two and three story buildings were built for bourgeois
families. After 1917, these were converted into communal appartments
where several working class families lived. |
Contact Us
Visas
Hotels
Cars
Adventure
Sights
Cruises
Flights
