Let me lead you through the streets of Moscow

by Anni Pelmeni

Tverskaya is the major avenue of Moscow. It symbolically connects the Kremlin with the rest of Russia.

Already in the 14 th century this road connected Moscow and one of the powerful Russian county – Tver. That’s the reason for the modern name of this road – Tverskaya (feminine adjective from the name Tver). When Moscow expanded the part of the road was included into the city and became the major avenue. Both in the Russian Empire time and in Soviet time anyone of some importance would try to build his quarters here or buy an apartment. In 18 th century when Peter the Great moved the capital to St. Petersburg, Tverskaya avenue also was the part of the road that connected Moscow with St. Petersburg. That’s why after the city center Tverskaya becomes Leningradskoe shosse which is a highway to St. Petersburg. During the Soviet time this avenue was named after Maxim Gorky – a famous Soviet writer. It is rather interesting that Stalin ordered to re-name the street while Maxim Gorky was still alive (usually streets are named after someone only if the person in question is already dead). It was sort of a gesture of appreciation of Gorky’s support for Stalin’s totalitarian regime. In 1990 with the new winds of perestroika, the street regained its traditional name of Tverskaya.

Tverskaya has always been the center of business and power. It was and it is still a place for luxury shopping boutiques, most trendy cafes, beauty salons, high class hotels. Nowadays the prices in the boutiques and restaurants on Tverskaya might shock even if you are used to luxury shopping. But this is the paradox of Moscow: Russian people like to look cool by spending ridiculously huge amount of money and tourists’ places in Moscow are just beyond being ridiculously expensive.

Stumbe it!