The historical quarters of Kitay-gorod appeared on the map of Moscow in 1538. Then another fortress wall was built to the corner towers of the Moscow Kremlin, and a real merchant town with Gostiny Dvor and Trade rows was built inside it. The center of the Russian book printing with a printing house was located here. By the beginning of the 20th century, Kitay-gorod became a business district of the capital. And in the Soviet time party-state offices were located here.
Unfortunately, only fragments survived from the ancient Kitay-gorod wall which can be seen, for example, in the underground passage at the metro station "Kitay-gorod". However, the Kitay-gorod itself preserved the stunning atmosphere of old Moscow with churches that have fallen underground, bell-ringing and boyar chambers. This ancient district of the capital starts from the Red Square and runs along the oldest streets of the city: Varvarka, Ilyinka and Nikolskaya. One can walk for a long time at these always crowded streets looking at numerous restaurants, photographing architectural masterpieces, such as St. Basil’s Cathedral and Kazan Cathedral or the arcades of the old Gostiny Dvor.