Upper trading rows - gum. Upper trading rows (GUM building)

GUM, located in the very center of Moscow, was known as the Upper Trading Rows until 1953. His building is a very important federal building. GUM is one of the largest department stores in Europe. It occupies a significant area - a whole quarter of the capital. The main facade of the building overlooks Red Square.

The construction of the modern GUM refers to 1890-93. A.N. Pomerantsev is the architect of this building, and V.G. Shukhov - his engineer.

How the Upper Trading Rows appeared in Moscow

It is hardly possible to determine the year of creation now. Judging by documents dating back to the 17th century, the malls were the center of wholesale and retail trade in the capital. In those years, between Ilyinka and Nikolskaya there was a long two-story building, known as the Upper Trading Rows. Opposite him was a monument to Minin and Pozharsky. Behind the building there were many small wooden benches that often burned during Moscow fires. The flames flared up especially often in winter. Their main reason was the use of home-made stoves by shop assistants for heating in cold weather. Interestingly, during a strong fire that occurred in 1812, the quarter with shops for some reason survived.

New building

A new building for Moscow's Upper Trading Rows was built in 1815. O. Bove became its architect. The building after construction was divided into separate parts that belonged to private owners. When the time came for a major overhaul, it turned out that it was impossible to get consent for it from all the owners. As a result of the lack of repair, the building fell into such disrepair that one day a woman, trying on a dress in a store, broke her leg, falling through the floor, rotten with time.

Creation of a joint stock company

At the end of the 19th century, when our country was experiencing a powerful industrial and economic boom, the Moscow Governor-General decided to demolish the old building and build a new one. However, the owners again disagreed with the proposal because it violated their property rights. In addition, for a small merchant, even the shortest downtime threatened ruin. The owners of the building decided to create a special commission that put forward impossible conditions to the city authorities. The Moscow Duma could not agree to them in any way, so the matter dragged on. With the support of the Moscow governor-general in 1880, the owners of the building were obliged to create a joint-stock company, called "Upper Trading Rows".

In Moscow, six years later, in 1886, a committee was formed to create a charter to regulate the process of rebuilding the old building. The emperor personally approved this charter, after which the proceedings began on property rights to the land. In August 1888, the long-awaited consent was received. Two-thirds of the owners joined the Society, then a board was elected. The share capital amounted to 9,408,400 rubles. Shares with a nominal value of 100 rubles were issued for the entire amount.

Project by A. Pomerantsev

On November 15, 1888, the All-Russian competition started. Projects for the new building of the Upper Trading Rows were received from all over the country. The old shops began to be demolished on the same day. In total, 23 projects were presented to the commission, the work of A. Pomerantsev was recognized as the best. The proposal of this architect met the main requirements of the competition. Profitability and rationality were combined in the Upper Trading Rows in Moscow, designed by Pomerantsev. Their architectural style kept continuity. The building looked like an old building.

The architectural style can be defined as pseudo-Russian. The upper trading rows in Moscow, according to the plan of A. Pomerantsev, included two buildings. Currently, one of them is known as GUM, while the other was built in the former Warm Rows. It has also survived to this day. slightly smaller than GUM. It ends up on the street. Ilyinka. Thus, identifying GUM and the Upper Trading Rows is not entirely correct.

Construction of a new complex and its opening

The official solemn ceremony of laying the new Upper Rows took place in May 1890. It was attended by important people - representatives of self-government and city administration. The construction of the building was completed in 1893. From now on, the upper shopping arcade in Moscow was a large complex consisting of two buildings, as well as an underground shopping street, which was equipped with central heating and a power plant.

The opening date of the malls is December 2, 1893. On this occasion, the residents of the city served a prayer service, and then Sergei Alexandrovich, the Grand Duke, together with his wife Elizaveta Petrovna, personally examined the building. Since that time, the upper shopping arcades in Moscow have become not just a shopping center. Under the glass roofs of this building, whole families came for the weekend to admire one of the most beautiful and elegant buildings in the city of Moscow. The photo above is from 1893.

New Upper Trading Rows

The newly opened Upper Trading Rows (GUM building) were three-story, consisting of 3 longitudinal passages. Passage ceilings are steel arched trusses with 16-meter glazed spans. There were three halls inside the building.

As before, the retail space was divided among the owners. However, from now on they were salons, not shops. The trading places located in the new building were rented out to the most famous companies. No wonder, because the cost of renting in such a luxurious building as the Upper Trading Rows in Moscow has become very expensive. Their architecture attracted attention, and the interior decoration was on top. Beautifully finished, shining with mirrors, furnished with luxurious furniture, they amazed the imagination. In total there were 322 departments on 3 floors of the building. They could buy any kind of food or industrial goods. The basement of the building was intended for wholesale trade.

In the passage, in order to attract more buyers, sellers began to offer additional services. For example, a branch of the International Moscow Bank appeared in the Upper Trading Rows. Also, a jewelry and engraving workshop, a hairdresser's, a post office, and a dentist's office began to work here. The restaurant opened in 1895.

Important innovations

In the old days, in small shops, the seller announced to the buyer the cost of a particular product. Usually the price was too high, so buyers haggled to bring it down. Now, for the first time, price tags have begun to be used, thanks to which the people have lost their traditional entertainment. It is also interesting that it was the Upper Trading Rows in Moscow (architect - Pomerantsev) - the department store in which for the first time in Russia appeared. Finally, the rule began to be applied in practice, according to which the buyer is always right. A cloakroom was opened in the Upper Trading Rows, and an information desk began to work. Concerts and exhibitions, musical evenings began to take place.

Upper trading rows after the October Revolution

After the revolution that took place in 1917, the shops located in the building were nationalized. They were closed and then reopened by the resolution of V. I. Lenin. However, trade in the passage after the nationalization began to decline. It stopped altogether after 1918. The building of the Upper Trading Rows in Moscow (GUM) from now on began to be used by various institutions. Desks were brought into the once luxurious salons, and officials filled these rooms. The building of the Upper Trading Rows in Moscow has become a rather uncomfortable place. First, the heating was turned off in it, and then the power plant located in the basement was flooded with water, as a result of which the building lost electricity.

NEP period

In the 1920s, state-owned enterprises began to introduce self-financing. Since that time, producers could independently dispose of a part of their own production. These years are known in history as the period of the New Economic Policy (NEP). Many businesses have been leased out. The upper trading rows shared this fate. In 1921, the building housed the State Department Store (abbreviated as GUM). True, at that time the passage was no longer the brilliant place as it was known before. Yes, and they sold mainly stationery in GUM.

Department store in the 1930s and 1940s

It must be said that the Upper Trading Rows as a store did not last long. Already in the 1930s. the premises again began to be adapted for offices, as well as for enterprises, among which was the printing house of the Council of People's Commissars of the USSR, which worked until 1995. In accordance with the General Plan for the Reconstruction of Moscow, adopted in 1935, Red Square was supposed to be expanded. For this it was necessary to demolish GUM. However, this project was not implemented. GUM also survived during the Great Patriotic War. It was from here that Yu. B. Levitan on May 9, 1945 conveyed to the Russians the joyful news of the surrender of Germany.

In 1947, another threat loomed over the building. At that time, it was decided to erect a monument dedicated to the victory in the Great Patriotic War on Red Square. GUM, as the initiators of this enterprise believed, hinders its implementation. However, the building survived again by a happy coincidence. The monument never appeared on Red Square.

Revival of GUM

In 1953, the revival of GUM began. That was the time. It was then that it was decided to free GUM from the institutions that occupied it. The reconstruction of the building has begun. Commercial equipment, machinery, building materials were sent from various cities of the USSR. Some shops opened before the work was completed.

The revived GUM became the largest store in the USSR. A lot of goods were brought in for its opening. Huge queues lined up outside the store. Police squads controlled the crowd. In total, the department store had 11 departments, they sold ready-made clothes, textile goods, knitwear and underwear, shoes, furniture and carpets, household goods, toys and stationery, hats and furs, and religious goods. The total assortment of the store was more than 30 thousand items.

Another reconstruction

GUM in the mid-1960s was almost demolished again, but the building was once again lucky. The department store not only survived, but also became one of the largest in the world after the addition of the following stores: "Belgrade", "Youth", "Prague", "Simferopol", "Crystal" and "Leipzig". The next reconstruction of GUM was completed in 1985. In 1987, the Eliseevsky grocery store became part of the department store.

Centenary of the founding of the joint-stock company

In 1993, the centenary of the formation of the joint-stock company "Upper Trading Rows" was celebrated. The celebration for this occasion continued for a whole week. Many figures of science and culture, as well as business people took part in it. In GUM these days the main entrance was opened (from the side of Red Square).

Department store today

Today, the department store is one that meets the most modern requirements. The Showroom has recently been refurbished. Night illumination adorned the main facade of GUM. Since 2006, a skating rink has been built in front of the store in winter. Almost every tourist who comes to Moscow longs to visit the Upper Trading Rows (GUM). The style of the building reflects the Russian spirit, and inside you can find a lot of interesting things.

Main Department Store (GUM)(until 1953 Upper Trading Rows) - a large shopping complex in the center of Moscow and one of the largest in Europe, occupies a whole block and faces Red Square with its main facade, is an architectural monument of federal significance.

Among the trading establishments in Russia at the end of the 19th century, the Upper Trading Rows occupied a special place.

This largest shopping mall played an important role in the economic life of the country. Passage (from French - passage, passage) - a type of commercial or business building in which shops or offices are placed in tiers on the sides of a wide passage with a glazed coating. The location of the malls in the very heart of Moscow, in the ancient center of Russian trade, predetermined their rich history.

Already in the 17th century, almost all retail and wholesale trade in Moscow was concentrated in the shopping malls on Red Square.

The place that is now occupied by GUM, Vetoshny passage and the opposite row of houses along it, has long been a bustling shopping center of the city.

The building of the Upper Trade Rows was built in 1890-1893 according to the project of architect A. N. Pomerantsev and engineer V. G. Shukhov. The building is designed in pseudo-Russian style.

The building was located in the quarter between Red Square and Vetoshny passage along the radius: according to documents of that time, the length of the facade overlooking Red Square was 116 sazhens, and that of 122 sazhens overlooking Vetoshny passage.

The grand opening of the Upper Trading Rows with the participation of the Governor-General of Moscow, Grand Duke Sergei Alexandrovich Romanov and Grand Duchess Elizabeth Feodorovna took place on December 2 (14), 1893.

In a giant three-story building, consisting of three longitudinal passages with deep cellars, more than a thousand stores were located. The structure of the passage floors is arched steel trusses with glazing of sixteen-meter spans. In addition to the arcades, the building has three large halls. Finnish granite, Tarusa marble, sandstone were used in the exterior decoration.

In 1952-1953, the building was restored and turned into the State Department Store (abbreviated name - GUM). Currently, the shopping complex is not a state-owned one, but the name GUM is still used today along with the old name "Upper Trading Rows".

Icon of the Holy Prince Alexander Nevsky on the facade of the GUM building.






Near the building of the Upper shopping arcade are:

N once the largest passage in Europe - the Upper shopping arcade, or the modern GUM. The neo-Russian style building was built on a historically trading place at the end of the 19th century in record time - three years. The architects were given only three months to develop the project. The main condition is the preservation of the architectural harmony of the main Moscow square, because the shopping arcade turned out to be face to face with the ancient building of the Kremlin. We suggest recalling 10 facts about the architectural monument with Natalia Letnikova.

Upper shopping malls. In the center of the capital between Ilyinka and Nikolskaya they traded three hundred and four hundred years ago. The first stone trading rows were built under Boris Godunov. Neatly along Vetoshny Lane. Under Catherine II, the architect Giacomo Quarenghi developed the design of the Upper Trading Rows in the style of classicism. Osip Bove completed the work after the fire of 1812. Barely half a century has passed - the shopping complex required reconstruction. The shopkeepers could not reach an agreement with the city authorities. As a result, the building was declared emergency and a competition was announced for the construction of a new one.

All-Russian competition. Rationality, economy, architectural harmony with the historical landscape. Architects' projects submitted to the competition had to meet at least three requirements. 23 architects from Moscow, St. Petersburg, Nizhny Novgorod, Odessa and even Berlin presented their vision of a new building on Moscow's main square. The projects were placed in three halls of the Historical Museum. By the way, the new building should have been in harmony with the bright red stone tower - the Historical Museum, made in the neo-Russian style.

"Moscow merchants". Academy of Arts, Construction Department of the Provincial Government, Technical Committee, Architectural and Artistic Society. The project was chosen by common efforts - by a special commission. The first prize of six thousand rubles was awarded to the work under the motto "Moscow merchants" - St. Petersburg architect Alexander Pomerantsev. The second prize went to the work of Roman Klein - the future author of the Museum of Fine Arts, the third - to the Austrian August Weber - one of the authors of the building of the Polytechnic Museum. Pomerantsev's project was personally approved by Alexander III.

From temples to shopping arcade. By the time the competition was held, architect Alexander Pomerantsev had only managed to complete the project of the Temple-Monument to Alexander Nevsky in Sofia by order of the Bulgarian prince, build a wooden church in Fedoskino and a hotel in Rostov-on-Don. Subsequently, Pomerantsev took the post of chief architect of the 1986 All-Russian Exhibition in Nizhny Novgorod. Together with Viktor Vasnetsov, he built the second largest after the Cathedral of Christ the Savior - the Moscow Cathedral in the name of Alexander Nevsky, destroyed in 1952.

"City in the City" by Alexander Pomerantsev. Sixteen separate buildings with glazed streets between them, arcade galleries. A large central tower with a main entrance, gates and turrets. The new building on Red Square came out solemn and harmoniously blended into the historical landscape. The upper trading rows have become the largest passage in Europe - along the length of the galleries and the area of ​​the "glass sky". Icons with especially revered saints were placed above the entrances to GUM: images of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, the Savior Not Made by Hands, Elijah the Prophet, Sergius of Radonezh.

The glass sky of the "man-factory". The inventor and innovator Vladimir Shukhov, included in the hundred outstanding engineers of all time, applied an innovative approach when building the roof of the Upper Trading Rows: arched structures with cable tightening, which made it possible to reduce the weight of the roof. Shukhov hid the eight-petalled dome behind the facade of the building. The abundance of glass gives the building a feeling of lightness, although it took 800 tons of metal to build the floors. The openwork steel frame made of metal rods has become a real work of art.

Progress in the old Russian style. The most high-tech Moscow building of its time. An artesian well, heating and ventilation systems, sewerage, even its own snow melter and a mini railway for transporting goods. Gas lighting in the city and its own power plant in the mall. From shops to salons. The shopping arcade became not only a place for buying and selling, but also a prototype of a business center. Representative offices of trading companies are located on the third floor, and wholesale shops are located in the basement.

Trade in the Parisian spirit. The fixed price for goods in Russia was first introduced in the Upper Trading Rows. The experience of the owner of the store "Le Bon Marche" Aristide Boucicault, who set price tags and invented sales in the middle of the 19th century in France, has also taken root in Russian trade. In the Moscow Trade Rows, sales - "cheap" ones were very popular with the townspeople. The rows have become a kind of exhibition of the achievements of the capitalist economy: Kalashnikov watches, Abrikosov confectionery, Brocard perfumery. In a word, pre-revolutionary boutiques of Russia. Mayakovsky. "To GUM, Komsomol members, to GUM, workers' faculty!"- called the poet. But, having already become the Main Department Store, the Upper Trading Rows were on the verge of demolition more than once. In the mid-30s of the twentieth century, they wanted to build a huge People's Commissariat of Heavy Industry on Red Square - on the site of GUM. But this plan remained on paper, as did the intention in 1947 to erect a monument on this site in memory of the victory in the Great Patriotic War. Since 1953, GUM has again become a shopping arcade and one of the symbols of the city.

The place that is now occupied by GUM, Vetoshny passage and the opposite row of houses along it, has long been a lively shopping center of the city.
At the suggestion of the Moscow Governor-General in 1869, the Duma raised the question of demolishing the old Upper Trading Rows and building new ones. In 1880, the City Duma, having enlisted the support of the Governor-General, obliged the owners of shops to form a joint-stock company "Upper Trading Rows". In 1886, at a general meeting of the owners of the shops of the Upper Trading Rows, on the initiative of the mayor N. A. Alekseev, a committee was created, which was instructed to prepare a charter and proposals for restructuring the rows. The charter of the joint-stock company was approved by the tsar himself, and proceedings began in detail on the rights to the land. On August 30, 1888, after two-thirds of the shopkeepers had applied for membership in the Society, its official opening took place. The shareholders elected the council and the board. The share capital of the Company amounted to 9,408,400 rubles. Registered shares with a par value of 100 rubles were issued for this amount.
On November 15, 1888, the Board of the Society announced an all-Russian competition for the best project for the building of the Upper Trading Rows. This day became a significant event in Moscow - shops began to be broken, and on February 21, 1889, the commission began to consider competitive works. Twenty-three projects were presented in the halls of the Historical Museum. The first prize was awarded to A. Pomerantsev, the main advantages of his proposal - rationality and economy - most fully met the conditions of the competition, meeting the artistic and urban planning requirements. As conceived by A. Pomerantsev, the building of the main section of the Upper Trading Rows was an intersection of three horizontal and vertical passages connecting Nikolskaya and Ilyinka streets. The upper rows consisted of two buildings. The main building is now known to every Muscovite, this is the current GUM. Behind him, in the disorderly Vetoshny Row, they formed Vetoshny Passage, and in the former Warm Rows - another building, smaller, the one that still stands and faces Ilyinka. The project traced a successive connection with the layout of the once existing shopping malls. In the same style with the Upper Trading Rows, the Middle Trading Rows were built according to the project of R. Klein.
In the summer of 1889, preparations for construction began, and on May 21, 1890, the laying of the building took place. The official ceremony was attended by representatives of the highest Moscow administration and city government. In 1890–1891, the foundation and walls of the Upper Trading Rows were erected, and in 1893 its cladding and interior decoration were completed. The huge Upper Trading Rows with two buildings and an entire underground street, central heating and its own power plant were built in two and a half years.
The grand opening of the Upper Trading Rows took place on December 2, 1893. On the occasion of a significant event, a prayer service was served. After that, the Governor-General of Moscow, Grand Duke Sergei Alexandrovich and Grand Duchess Elizaveta Feodorovna and other honored guests examined the ranks, expressing pleasure at the construction of this graceful and elegant building in the capital. In the summer of 1894, there was no more popular place for walking than the Upper Trading Rows. Whole families came, examined the lines under the glass roofs.
The entire trading area was divided among merchants, but not into shops, but into salons. They amazed with beautiful furniture, an abundance of mirrors and rich decoration. Almost all groups of industrial and food products were on sale in 322 departments of the store, located on three floors. The basement was used for wholesale trade. Places in the Upper Trading Rows were rented out to the most famous firms.
Huge shops of retail and wholesale trade in silk and brocade fabrics were owned by the firm of the Sapozhnikov brothers in the Upper Trading Rows. In the central row there was a watch shop of the M. Kalashnikov Trading House, founded in 1832. A wide range of confectionery products - from marmalade and marshmallows to glazed fruits was offered by the Factory and Trade Association "A. Abrikosov and S. For the high quality of its products, the company in 1882 was awarded the right to place the state emblem on the packaging. The Partnership of Prokhorovskaya Tryokhgornaya Manufactory, the Partnership of Emil Tsindel, and the Zhirardovskaya Manufactory, whose products were in great demand in Russia and abroad, had their own stores in the Upper Trading Rows.
To attract more customers, the mall offered additional services. For this purpose, a branch of the International Moscow Bank, an engraving and jewelry workshop, a hairdresser's, a dentist's office, and a post office were opened. A restaurant was opened in 1895.
In the Upper trading rows for the first time began to use price tags. Indeed, in small stores, the seller himself announced the price to the buyer. And most often "with a request." In other words, it was no longer possible to bargain here, which for many centuries was one of our favorite folk pastimes. In the Upper Trading Rows, the rule of all department stores in the world - "The customer is always right" - dominated. And it was here that the first domestic book of complaints and suggestions appeared.
The rows have become the prototype of modern European shopping centers, where not only trade, but also arrange exhibitions and concerts. In May 1891, G. Brocard - the owner of a rich collection of paintings, rare books and antiques - exhibited them in specially rented halls of the Upper Trading Rows. And since 1895, musical evenings began to be held in the ranks.
People came to the Upper Trading Rows not only for shopping. Here they walked, spent time looking at goods, rested, and had fun. It was possible to sit in a restaurant, in a cafe, write and send a letter or telegram, talk on the phone, resolve financial issues in a bank branch, buy tickets to any Moscow theater. At the service of buyers were translators, porters, a left-luggage office, an information desk, and a cloakroom. Concerts were organized for visitors, to which famous artists were invited.

"Photos of old Moscow"
Among the trading establishments in Russia at the end of the 19th century, the Upper Trading Rows occupied a special place. This largest shopping mall played an important role in the economic life of the country. The location of the malls in the very heart of Moscow, in the ancient center of Russian trade, predetermined their rich history.

The pre-revolutionary guidebook says the following about this fragment of Red Square: “The shops in the rows were the property of the guests. There were large and small, sometimes reaching sizes of one arshin wide. Crowding, frequent fires and crowded buyers forced the Moscow government to take more than once measures to streamline this So, after a big fire, Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich issued a long decree on streamlining the entire row trade with a detailed schedule for the location of the corresponding rows. "

The plans of Moscow, act materials (purchasing fortresses, lawsuits, etc.), archaeological monuments - everything indicates that already in the 17th century, almost all retail and wholesale trade in Moscow was concentrated in the malls on Red Square. The place that is now occupied by GUM, Vetoshny passage and the opposite row of houses along it, has long been a lively shopping center of the city.

The ancient buildings of the 17th century existed until Catherine II, when they were broken down and replaced with new ones. According to the project of the famous Quarenghi (1744-1817), the restructuring was conceived on a grandiose scale, but not completed; Moscow city architects Selekhov and Karin hastily completed the building, which still exists today under the name of the Old Gostiny Dvor. This slender white building, with an elegant colonnade, unfortunately, completely overpriced by signboards, is located between Ilyinka and Varvarka, next to the Stock Exchange.

Only from the side of Red Square, and even then from a distance, did the former Upper Trading Rows, crowded with people and wagons, look more or less decent. There, from Nikolskaya to Ilyinka, opposite the monument to Minin and Pozharsky, which at that time stood in the center of Red Square, a whole block was occupied by a two-story building, a bit reminiscent of the architecture of the current Gostiny Dvor: two central turrets, eight columns, large rectangular windows on the first floor, semicircular windows of the second.

The stone building obscured the view of the swarm of small wooden shops that were always on fire. Fires occurred several times a year, especially often in winter - because of the stoves, which were heated by clerks who were not resistant to frost. But the biggest fire in 1812, during the days of the French invasion, bypassed the malls.

Upper city rows (top view from the back side)

In 1815, according to the project of the architect O. I. Bove, a new building of the Upper Trading Rows was erected. The building, which occupied a whole block, was divided among private owners, and they could not be persuaded in any way even for a major overhaul. The building collapsed before our eyes, once a layer of plaster fell on the buyers, and another time the lady, trying on a velvet dress, fell through the rotten floor, broke her leg and was taken to the hospital right in the unpaid renovation - the owner was afraid to remind her of this, rejoicing that she did not claim the loss. However, in the second half of the 19th century, when the rapid growth of industry and trade began in Russia, the malls no longer met the requirements of the time, the scale and modern forms of trade.

Upper city rows (view of the right side from Red Square)

“The old city rows were dark ruins. The passages in them were not distinguished by cleanliness, there were many steps and various steps, it was possible to walk along such rows only with great care. From the memoirs of the merchant I.A. Slonova.

Upper city rows (view of the middle part from Red Square)

Once there was such a case. I walked with children's boots behind a respectable gentleman and, going down the stairs, as usual, painted the unusual qualities of the children's boots he had chosen and gradually lowered the price for them. The buyer walked in silence. In the middle of the stairs we met a senior clerk and asked me: "What's the matter?" I answered him: “I appointed two rubles seventy-five kopecks, they favor a ruble fifty kopecks.” The clerk said: "Pin up," and went to the top. The buyer quickly turned around and, stepping on me, said menacingly: “Whom to pin?” I got scared and told him that no one. The buyer got angry, loudly expressed his displeasure, wanted to call the police and draw up a report. The owners and clerks tried to calm the formidable buyer and explained to him that the word "pin" in our jargon means "sell". The buyer called us all fools and left the shop without buying boots.

Instead of the words "give" and "sell" we spoke on the orders of the owner "favour" and "pin". He invented a few more intricate words, with the help of which the employees explained themselves to each other in front of the buyers, and the latter, unfortunately, did not understand these words.

Upper city rows (view of the left side from Red Square)

Between the "verbs", along the entire length of Red Square, there was the liveliest original part of the Gostiny Dvor - the Knife Line. On one side of it were shops with fashionable goods, on the other, between the outer doors overlooking Red Square, numerous lockers were placed in stone piers. Each locker occupied a space three arshins long and two arshins wide. The merchants who traded in them were always on the outside of the counter, that is, they stood together with the buyers. Lockers for trading were extremely inconvenient, and certainly harmful to the health of traders; around them there was always a through wind; in winter they were covered with snow in a blizzard. In summer it was poured with slanting rain. Therefore, most of the merchants who traded in lockers often caught colds and got sick. In the lockers they sold cheap lace, fringe, buttons, needles, various trimmings, etc.

Old Red Square

The passage between the benches and lockers was four arshins wide. The exhibitions in the shops were small and bad, they were replaced by merchants and their clerks, who stood near their shops and loudly invited the passing public to come to them. Pointing their fingers at their shops, they shouted: “Perhaps we have satin, caniface and other silk goods for you.” The boot and clog merchants were not content with the mere inviting of customers at their shops; for a more visual understanding of their product, they gave their boys a pair of boots under their arms and sent them to Red Square to invite buyers. All day long the boys walked around the sidewalks in rows and offered to everyone they met to buy boots. Finding someone who wanted to, the boy brought him to the shop and handed him over to the clerks, and he again went to the square to catch buyers, who were called "areal". It was very difficult for them to sell, since these buyers always offered half the price, and sometimes less.

Upper city rows (view along Nikolskaya street from the northeast corner)

Wandering shoemakers, the so-called hackers, were still walking along the rows and along Red Square; they carried small pieces of leather, a knife, nails, a hammer, and a thick wooden stick with an iron foot. With the help of these tools, they repaired old boots in the most prominent and lively places for a cheap price. To do this, the owner of thin boots, in spite of any weather, took off his shoes on the street and stood barefoot while the liner repaired his boots. Such scenes and types are no longer found on Moscow streets.

Upper city rows (view along Nikolskaya from the historical museum)

There were many types of Ostrovsky among the merchants and their employees in the Knife Line. So, for example, not far from Zaborov's shop, a short, shaven old man Chervyakov was selling haberdashery in a locker. He dressed in summer in a lionfish, and in winter in a raccoon coat with a standing collar. On his head he always had a high top hat, which he did not part with even in winter, even in severe frosts. In general, the figure of Chervyakov was extremely comical. He was such a suspicious person that he did not trust not only strangers, but even himself. Every evening he locked and printed his locker for more than an hour. When he finished typing, he removed the top hat from his head and began to pray on all four sides, first on an ordinary icon, then on his locker, on a neighboring bench and on a fruit “verb”. After that, he left. Moving away from his locker for 200-300 steps, he returned and again began to inspect and feel all the locks and seals in the locker. Then he again prayed on all four sides and left, but after a few minutes he again appeared for the same ... Thus, the old man made an audit of the locks and seals several times daily. He stopped this occupation when the rank and file watchmen took chain dogs out of the dungeon and let them in. them all night in the Knife Line.

Upper city rows - Knife line (2nd spinner from Nikolskaya st.)

Another original, a certain Batrakov, who sold ready-made clothes, went every morning to the "Bubnovsky Hole", from where he always returned in the evening red as boiled cancer. Entering the store, he loudly asked the clerks: “What, did you sell?” The senior clerk answered: "Sold, sir." The merchant went behind the counter to the "proceeds", opened an empty box ... "Where is the money?" - "Why, they sold, but they didn’t sell, sir," the Merchant silently approached the clerk and whispered something long and impressively in his ear.

Upper city rows (view along Ilyinka from Red Square)

The neighbor Eremkin, who sold tea, was also interesting, although he was not at all engaged in trade. His profession was "to intercede anywhere and everywhere, for everyone and everything." To do this, he had acquaintances in various courts, offices, boards, etc. He never refused any case, he took on everything, for the possible and the impossible. His main specialty was to get merchants medals, orders, the title of honorary citizen, etc. For Svan services, he took inexpensively and therefore always had a large clientele among merchants.

Middle city rows (view from Moskvoretskaya street)

There was also a rather elderly merchant, Korolyov, who sold shoes. This guy was a big fan of fires. He always went to every fire, wherever it was, day or night, it makes no difference, and he was always the last to leave when the fire was extinguished.

Middle city rows (view along Khrustalny Lane from Ilyinka)

But the most striking and typical figure in the Knife Line was our host, old Zaborov. He always sat on a high stool at the entrance to the shop; on the other side of the door stood a bunch of his clerks and in unison called everyone who passed into the shop, offering them to buy shoes and boots. Zaborov traded wholesale and retail; its annual turnover was somewhat more than 100 thousand rubles.

No matter how many buyers there were in the store, all the clerks could not leave here. There was constant duty, the duty of the duty officer was to "call" buyers. Many passers-by didn’t like this call, they answered the caller saying: “What a watchdog ...” In the rest of the rows, the call was practiced in smaller sizes.

Middle city rows (view along Khrustalny Lane from Varvarka)

The icon row was very typical. One half of it was occupied by icon shops, and the other by women selling handmade lace in small lockers. In icon shops, icons were not sold, but “bartered”. It was done in this way. The buyer, entering the store, said:

I would like to exchange the icon.

The seller, in response to this, quickly took off his cap from his head and put it right there on the counter. The buyer followed the example of the seller and stood bareheaded as well. Icon selected. Buyer asks:

How much does it cost to exchange an icon?

The merchant charged a fabulous price for it. The auction began. For greater persuasiveness, the seller said that he had set a divine price, because it was a sin to bargain for icons. The buyer agreed with him and bought the icon for a "divine price". Icons were traded for the most part by Rogozhsky and Zamasvoretsky merchants. More intelligent buyers did not agree with the "divine prices" set by the merchant. They asked him to cover his head with a cap and take half of the “divine price” for the icons. The seller quickly made concessions and sold the icon for the offered price.

Middle city rows (view along Varvarka from Moskvoretskaya street)

Merchants and clerks who traded in icons were all POLITICALLY ardent alcoholics. They were considered the most honored guests in the Diamond Hole and enjoyed special respect. Some of them, who had been drinking an incredible amount of wine there every day for decades, were given a significant discount. The merchants were very proud of this well-deserved privilege.

Middle city rows - view along Ilyinka from the northeast corner

As you know, all stores and shops have their own special labels that mark the goods. To do this, the merchant chooses some word that has ten different letters, for example, "Mel'nikikov"; With the help of these (1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0) letters, he writes units, tens, hundreds and thousands.

Middle city rows - view along Ilyinka from Red Square

Once I was an eyewitness to the following interesting scene. Two merchants, an old one and a young one, came to the icon shop, and with them three women to bathe three icons for the wedding. They chose them for a long time, then asked how much it would cost to exchange these icons. The seller appointed 150 rubles for them. The merchants found this price too expensive and began to explain themselves with their mark as follows: a young man, obviously a fiancé, turning to his father, said: “You can give Artsy, whoever, rest in peace.” The old man answered this: “No, it’s expensive, it will be quite hard, he,” and turning to the seller, he said: “If you want to take 90 rubles, we won’t give you more than a penny, otherwise we’ll buy it elsewhere.” The seller quickly made concessions, and the ICONS were sold to merchants for "firmly, he."

Middle city rows. View from the Execution Ground

In the center of Gostiny Dvor there was a row of so-called "changers", most of them were Japanese. They exchanged money, sold and bought series and coupons. The money-changers were placed in benches one and a half arshins wide; in front of each of them on the counter were piles of small silver coins. One of the changers, a certain Savinov, was distinguished by great eccentricity. The man is very rich, always sober and stingy, he often arranged rather strange and ridiculous sprees. So, for example, during the winter, he hired a luxurious troika 8-10 times and rode it alone from morning to evening back and forth along Red Square.

Harmful city rows (view along Varvarka from the church of Varvara torment.)

In the summer, Savinov walked differently: he dressed up in a white suit, covered his head with a white cap, in the form of a skufia, and put on a gold ring with a huge diamond on the index finger of his right hand. In such a buffoonish form he sat for whole days on a bench on Tverskoy Boulevard, and all the time he showed off his forefinger with a diamond. Savinov was a fat 55-year-old, rather vigorous old man. The passing audience looked at this monster with great surprise and chuckled good-naturedly.

The upper city rows - the Hysterian passage (the beginning of the Big Vetoshny Row from Nikolskaya Street)

In the old days, beggars were engaged in the exchange of small coins on Red Square; they took three kopecks from each ruble for exchange. This is where the so-called money-changers and money changers originate; the latter are now called banking offices, and the money-changers are called bankers.

Upper city rows - Middle Cross Passage (from the monument to Minin and Pozharsky)

Many poor merchants had neither a clerk nor a boy, but they carefully went to the tavern twice a day and sat there for quite a long time. Leaving for the tavern, the merchant did not lock the shop or even close it, but simply placed a broom across the door and left calmly. If a buyer came in his absence, then, seeing a broom at the door of the merchant, he meekly went back, leaving the purchase until another time.

Upper city rows - Silver row (1st spinning from Ilyinka)

In winter, in severe frosts, the owners sat all day in the tavern, and generously left the clerks and boys to freeze in the shops. The latter suffered especially from the cold, as they were dressed very badly. Frosts sometimes reached 30 degrees or more; the birds froze and fell on the fly. In such severe frosts, it used to be completely numb, everything would freeze both outside and inside. When you drink hot tea in the cold, it produced the action of molten lead in the stomach, and the next day a large swelling appeared under the chin and it was painful to swallow. Such a disease was called "pigs". In severe frosts, thick ropes were stretched along all rows to warm the merchants; they were pulled with a cry by many people, and this warmed them. Then, in severe frosts, we still played “In ice” - a large piece of ice was driven with our feet along the rows. At night, in severe frosts, large bonfires were lit on Theater Square and at the intersections of the central streets to warm the poor people. Returning home from daily “hikes”, often with frostbitten feet and hands, since we were not given warm boots and mittens, I often warmed up by the fire on Theater Square in the company of coachmen and cab drivers waiting for the theatrical tour ...

Upper city rows. Silver row (2nd spinner from Ilyinka)

It was strictly forbidden to smoke tobacco and light a fire in Gostiny Dvor, so on dark autumn days, shops were locked at three in the afternoon.

Life in the ranks was family-patriarchal. As soon as the shops were unlocked, the neighbors gathered in groups in a row and reported various news, otherwise they simply told each other how someone spent their time yesterday. Such neighborly conversations were called "chesky" - to continue it, the company went to a tavern, where they sat for two or three hours over tea. Then they went to their shops. After staying in them for a short time, they gathered in a row in groups and again went to the tavern. Thus, the merchants spent their time quietly and cheerfully.

Upper city rows - Pansky row (1st spinning from Ilyinka)

From early morning until late evening, a lot of the public, buyers, suppliers, craftsmen, artel workers, cabbies, beggars and others wandered through the rows. In the shops everywhere was visible ebullient activity: they sold, bought and sent various goods. In general, in the whole diverse and noisy crowd there was a lot of life and movement. Numerous peddlers walked along the rows among the public, carrying on their heads in long trays covered with warm blankets, roast veal, ham, sausages, pies, saiki, etc., while all the peddlers loudly shouted the names of their goods in different voices.

Upper City Rows - Small Cloth Row (view from Ilyinka)

Each peddler had his own nickname. Of these, some were called "Goat", "Rooster", "Master", "Snail", etc. Then there were interesting types of ordinary cooks. They carried in one hand a large clay pot with cabbage soup wrapped in a warm blanket, in the other hand a basket with bowls, wooden spoons and black bread. A bowl of hot tasty cabbage soup with meat cost ten kopecks. After eating, bowls with the remnants of cabbage soup and bread were placed on the floor in rows near their shops, where they were eaten by stray dogs running along the rows. Then the cook came, collected bowls, immediately wiped them with a dirty and greasy towel and again poured hot cabbage soup into them for those who wished.

Upper City Rows - Big Cloth Row (view from the middle of the rows)

Many beggars and holy fools walked along all the rows, among them there were many burnt-out merchants, drunkards and expelled clerks, officials and others. Their degrees Tit Titychi often made former people sing and dance near their shops. Such a scene was beautifully depicted by Pryanishnikov in his painting, located in the Tretyakov Gallery.

Wandering musicians also walked along the rows and amused the merchants with unwise music. Many military musicians came to the New Year, who, after the music, congratulated the merchants on the New Year. The clerks and boys amused themselves by pinning on the backs of the poor and holy fools humorous figures cut out of paper, and to them various inscriptions, with which those already offended by fate walked through the ranks, arousing laughter everywhere with their appearance.

Upper city rows - Lapotny row

Then boxes with live mice, carefully wrapped in paper, were thrown up on busy places; Passers-by willingly picked up such finds and quickly hid with them.

The following fun was also in great use: a small silver coin was placed on the floor in the middle of the row, a thin black thread was glued to it, which was stretched across the floor into the shop; the end of the thread was in the hands of the employee. A passer-by, seeing a silver coin lying on the floor, quickly bent down to pick it up; at that moment, a thread was pulled from the shop and a coin flew out from under the nose of a surprised passerby. This trick was always accompanied by the Homeric laughter of the merchants.

In winter, in severe frosts, such fun was done a little differently. The coin was not tied, but frozen to the floor. The finder first tore off the coin with his fingernail, but he did not succeed; then he began to vigorously chip it with his heel. The merchants laughed and said to the finder: "And you try with your hoof..." The finder scolded the merchants and left. The coin remained in place.

Upper City Rows - Narrow Row

The game of checkers was widespread in Gostiny Dvor. To do this, the merchants sat in a row near their shops on stools or boxes and played all day long. Among the players were real virtuosos, whose game was going to be watched by many curious people, who sometimes made large bets for the players. During Thomas's week in Gostiny Dvor a "cheap" was arranged, for which various marriages and worthless things were specially prepared. To do this, outside, near the shops, temporary counters were set up, on them lay various goods in large heaps, and the customers dug into them like chickens.

Upper city rows. Big Vetoshnaya row (1st spinner from Ilyinka)

Selling "on the cheap" was furnished with special rules. So, for example, the goods bought "on the cheap" were not changed, they were not responsible for its quality, and under no pretext were they given money back. In shoe shops there was an additional rule - shoes were not allowed to be tried on cheap stuff. Shoes, tightly bound in pairs, for the most part were different, that is, one more, the other less, or very similar - two shoes, and both on one foot. The buyers brought such shoes back and asked to change them, but they were categorically denied this, citing the fact that they were not responsible for anything “on the cheap”.

On this occasion, rather unpleasant incidents often occurred between buyers and sellers. At night, all the numerous entrances to the Gostiny Dvor were closed with dilapidated, thin doors, knocked together from thin boards and popular prints. Inside the Gostiny Dvor was guarded by row watchmen and many angry dogs. moreover, each row in its entire width was hung with torn tarpaulins and matting.

Upper city rows. Large Icon Row (view from the middle of the rows)

Night thefts in the ranks were quite rare and exceptional. Despite the fact that it was certainly forbidden to smoke tobacco and light a fire in Gostiny Dvor, fires sometimes broke out there, as usual "from an unknown cause." Since horse firefighters could not get into the ranks, there was a special foot fire brigade in the city part to put out the row fires, which always ran to the fire very late, and each barrel of water was carried by three firefighters. This tortoise crew was of little use in extinguishing fires; usually she was sent on duty during performances at the Bolshoi and Maly theaters.

Upper city rows. Small Vetoshny Row

Every year on Saturday, during the sixth week of Lent, there is a palm market and a walk on Red Square. To do this, along the Kremlin wall, opposite Gostiny Dvor, linen tents and chests are arranged in several rows, in which they sell children's toys, artificial flowers, defective dishes, popular prints, old books, mostly with torn out sheets (second-hand booksellers sell them at a choice of 10 -20 kopecks) and many other things of the same kind.

Middle city rows. Transverse passage from the frontal place

Middle city rows. Mirror row (1st spinner from Ilyinka)

Middle city rows. Bottom vegetable row

This is where the first part ends. There will be a big sequel soon. By clicking on the photos you can view them in good quality and see the place from which it was taken. You can also leave your comments and take part in the discussion of each picture. When preparing the material used:

I.A. Slonov: “From the life of commercial Moscow”
- Found: Moscow Cathedrals, Monasteries, Churches
- Alexey Dedushkin
- GUM website
- Website "Photos of old Moscow"
Also, a special thanks to all users who uploaded photos.

Other photo stories:

MKAD. site. Also, I will be very grateful if you post information about this project in your journal.