Zaryadye

Zaryadye (Russian: Зарядье) is a historical district in Moscow established in 12th or 13th century within Kitai-gorod, between Varvarka Street and Moskva River. The name means "the place behind the rows", i.e., behind the market rows adjacent to the Red Square.

This section is based upon P.V.Sytin's "History of Moscow Streets"

Zaryadye is the oldest trading settlement outside the Kremlin walls. The first chronicle notice is dated 1365, when a fire destroyed the area. Fires continued in 1390, 1468, 1493, 1547; in 1451, the fire was set by Tatar raiders. Zaryadye's Main Street (Великая улица), later called Mokrinsky lane (Мокринский переулок), connected Kremlin with the docks and warehouses on Moskva River; some sources call it the first street of Moscow outside Kremlin walls.

In 1536-1538, the walls of Kitai-gorod fortress separated Zaryadye from the river; access to the river was possible only through the gates in south-western and south-eastern corners of the neighborhood. The businesses changed their logistics pattern, walking away from river trade to supplies by land. Population of traders became more and more diluted by craftsmen and court servants.

Peter I reforms struck two blows at Zaryadye. First, when the court relocated to Saint Petersburg, the area lost the tenants, many businesses closed. Second, Peter's rampart, built between Kitai-gorod wall and the river, closed all the sewage moats, trapping all the waste inside Zaryadye. For at least a century, Zaryadye became an unhealthy and unsafe social bottom of Moscow.

Things improved after the fire of 1812. The State, fearing future fires, banned all wooden construction. Poorer landlords of Zaryadye could not afford stone buildings and sold their properties. They were purchased by real estate developers, who quickly converted Zaryadye in an area of cheap rental housing, usually two or three storey high. For nearly a century, Zaryadye was the garment district of Moscow, a back yard of the wealthy Kitai-gorod.

Since 1826, Glebovskoye Podvorye (Глебовское подворье), an inn in Zaryadye, was a hub of Moscow Jewish community. In 1856, Jews were allowed free settlement in the city, and preferred settling nearby, in Zaryadye. By 1891, Moscow housed an estimated 35,000 of Jews, at least half of them settled in Zaryadye (the first synagogue opened in 1891 two blocks north-east).

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