Khitrovka District Moscow is a small historic quarter in the Basmanny District, east of Kitay-Gorod, between Solyanka Street, Pokrovsky Boulevard and Yauzsky Boulevard. It grew around the Khitrov market, set up in the 1820s, and became in the second half of the 19th century the place described as the bottom of Moscow, where thousands of unemployed workers lived in flophouses.
Today the slums and the market are gone, and the quarter is a calm group of lanes with surviving houses from the 17th and 18th centuries, a few churches and a restored square. It is a short, atmospheric walk that fits well between Kitay-Gorod, Pokrovka and the Chistye Prudy.
Quick Facts
| Russian name | Хитровка |
|---|---|
| Address | Khitrovskaya Square area, at the crossing of Podkolokolny, Pevchesky and Petropavlovsky lanes, between Solyanka Street and Yauzsky Boulevard, Moscow |
| District | Basmanny |
| Metro | Kitay-Gorod (Kaluzhsko-Rizhskaya Line (Line 6, orange) and Tagansko-Krasnopresnenskaya Line (Line 7, purple), A university guide describes a walk from this station through the lanes to Khitrovskaya Square; the exit and the walking time were not verified) Chistye Prudy (Sokolnicheskaya Line (Line 1, red), A possible alternative station on the north side of the area; the exit and the walking time were not verified) |
| Opening hours | The lanes and the square are public and can be walked at any time; the churches, shops and cafes keep their own hours.
(as of October 2026 – check the official site) |
| Admission | Walking the area is free. Churches and other venues set their own rules. |
| Best time to visit | The quarter can be visited all year, and it is best in daylight on a dry day in spring, summer or autumn. The lanes are quiet and poorly lit at night. Crowd patterns were not verified. |
| Recommended duration | 1 to 2 hours |
| Last updated | October 7, 2026 |
What Is (and Isn't) Part of a Visit to Khitrovka?
| Part | Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Khitrovskaya Square and the lanes | Included in the standard ticket | Public streets that can be walked free at any time. |
| Osterman manor and the Buturlin and Khitrovo houses | Outside / not part of it | Historic buildings seen from the street; visiting rules were not checked. |
| Church of Sts. Peter and Paul | Separate ticket or institution | An active church with its own opening hours and rules. |
| Church of All Saints in Kulishki | Separate ticket or institution | An active church with its own opening hours and rules. |
| Beslan memorial | Outside / not part of it | A memorial nearby, to be treated with respect. |
| Pokrovka and Chistye Prudy | Outside / not part of it | Nearby areas with their own guides. |
| Kitay-Gorod | Outside / not part of it | The old merchants' quarter to the west, with its own guide. |
Why Visit Khitrovka?
Khitrovka is a part of Moscow that few visitors reach, yet its surviving architecture is of unusual quality: the 17th-century chambers of Stolnik Buturlin, the 18th-century Khitrovo house and the former Osterman manor, which later served as the Myasnitsky police station.
The quarter also has a history that has been written about by Vladimir Gilyarovsky and used by Maxim Gorky for The Lower Depths, and it has long served as a film set for old Moscow. It is a flat, short walk through quiet lanes, free of crowds, close to the Kitay-Gorod metro station.
How Khitrovka Is Laid Out
Khitrovka lies at the crossing of Podkolokolny, Pevchesky and Petropavlovsky lanes, between Solyanka Street to the south and Yauzsky Boulevard to the north-east. The old square was at the crossing, on the site of today’s house 11a in Podkolokolny Lane. Khitrovsky Lane keeps the name of the old market.
The surviving buildings are scattered along the lanes: the Khitrovo house at Podkolokolny Lane 16A, the Buturlin mansion in Podkopaevsky Lane, the former Osterman manor at Khitrovsky Lane 2, the Flat-Iron house, and the churches of Sts. Peter and Paul and of All Saints in Kulishki. A school built in the 1930s stands on the site of the market.
A sensible walk starts at Kitay-Gorod, follows the lanes to the square and the mansions, and ends toward Pokrovsky Boulevard and Pokrovka.
Highlights of Khitrovka
Khitrovskaya Square
The square existed from the 1820s to the 1930s and was restored in the 2010s, and it is again on the city's maps as Khitrovskaya Square. It was the heart of the Khitrov market, set up by the landowner Nikolay Khitrovo, who in 1823 acquired the land for a meat and greens market. Today it is a quiet space among old houses. A school stands near the site of the market.
Tip: Stand at the crossing of Podkolokolny and Pevchesky lanes to see the old layout.
The former Osterman manor
The former manor of the Osterman family, from the 18th century, stands at Khitrovsky Lane 2 and later served as the Myasnitsky police station in the 19th century. The house is linked with writers including Tyutchev, Mayakovsky and Ehrenburg, according to a local history blog. It is one of the best-known buildings of the quarter. It is not open to visitors, as far as is known.
Tip: Look at the facade from the lane, which is narrow.
The Buturlin chambers
The mansion of Stolnik Buturlin, from the 17th century, stands at Podkopaevsky Lane 11/11, building 1, 2, and is one of the oldest surviving houses of the quarter. It shows the older, merchant and noble layer of Khitrovka before the slums. It is a historic monument, and visiting rules were not checked.
Tip: Look for the older, thick walls and small windows.
The Khitrovo house
The Khitrovo house, from the 18th century, stands at Podkolokolny Lane 16A, and carries the name of the landowner who founded the market. It is one of the surviving buildings of the architectural ensemble of the square. Check its current use on site, since it was not verified.
Tip: Walk the lane slowly, since the houses are close together.
The Flat-Iron house and the churches
The quarter has the Flat-Iron house, a wedge-shaped building, and the churches of Sts. Peter and Paul and of All Saints in Kulishki. The area also has a memorial to the victims of the Beslan tragedy. The churches are active, with their own opening hours and rules.
Tip: Check the churches' hours before you go inside, and dress modestly.
The lanes and the film settings
From the second half of the 20th century Khitrovka has been used by filmmakers as a living set of old Moscow. Its lanes keep the look of the 19th century, with low houses and narrow turns. Walking them gives the best sense of the old quarter.
Tip: Walk the lanes in daylight, since they are quiet and poorly lit at night.
Atmosphere
Khitrovka is quiet and small-scale: narrow lanes, low old houses, a few trees and the sound of nearby traffic muffled by the buildings. It feels like a village inside the center, though the Garden Ring and Solyanka are a few minutes away.
By day the lanes are used by residents, students and a few walkers, and in the evening they are calm. The historical memory of the place is present in the names of the lanes and in the surviving mansions. The crowd varies by day and season, and no figures were verified.
History of Khitrovka
The quarter takes its name from Nikolay Khitrovo, who in 1823 acquired land here and received permission to build a meat and greens market. The market, set up in the 1820s, stood at the crossing of Podkolokolny, Pevchesky and Petropavlovsky lanes, and the square around it existed until the 1930s.
Older buildings already stood in the area: the 17th-century chambers of Stolnik Buturlin and the Shuisky-Baratynsky chambers, and the 18th-century houses of the Lopukhins, the Khitrovo family and the Osterman manor.
In the 1860s the market became a job market for unskilled labor, drawing unemployed peasants who came to the city to seek their fortune. The lanes around it were built up with dormitories, taverns and tea houses, and by the 1880s the quarter had become a district of crime and poverty, with thousands of people living in flophouses. It was described by the journalist Vladimir Gilyarovsky in his book on Moscow and Muscovites, and the playwright Maxim Gorky drew his characters for The Lower Depths from its inhabitants. The painter Alexei Savrasov ended his days here.
Writers and theater people visited the quarter in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, among them Leo Tolstoy, Konstantin Stanislavski, Vladimir Nemirovich-Danchenko and the artist Vladimir Simov, who painted the sets for The Lower Depths. The Grand Duchess Elizaveta Fedorovna, founder of the Marfo-Mariinsky Convent, set up a school at the convent for orphans and for children she had picked up at the Khitrov market.
The flophouses were closed in the 1920s, and the market was liquidated in 1923. In the 1930s a school, later a college, was built on the square, and the historic square disappeared from the maps. From the second half of the 20th century filmmakers used Khitrovka as a living set of old Moscow.
In 2008 a building company designed a project to build up the former square, and the square was restored in the 2010s. It is again on the city’s maps as Khitrovskaya Square, and the quarter’s historic buildings, which are in good condition, are a protected architectural ensemble.
Tickets and Booking for Khitrovka
There is no ticket for the quarter. The churches set their own rules, and no individual venue was verified for this guide. Check each church’s own hours before you plan a visit, and dress modestly if you go inside.
- Neighboring areas: Pokrovka, Chistye Prudy and Kitay-Gorod, with their own guides, are close by.
- Payment: foreign Visa and Mastercard cards are reported not to work in Russia, and the sanctions rules of your own country may restrict some Russian payment services, so check this yourself.
Rates for Russian citizens and concessions differ at most venues, so check each venue’s own page for all categories.
Plan and Book
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Suggested Itineraries for Khitrovka
1 hour
Start at Kitay-Gorod and follow the lanes to Khitrovskaya Square. Look at the Osterman manor, the Khitrovo house and the Buturlin chambers.
2 hours
Follow the 1-hour route and add the churches of Sts. Peter and Paul and All Saints, planned with their hours. Continue to Pokrovsky Boulevard.
3 hours
Add Pokrovka Street and the Chistye Prudy pond for a coffee stop. Check venue hours first.
How to Get to Khitrovka
The nearest station is Kitay-Gorod (Lines 6 and 7), from which a university guide describes a walk through the lanes to Khitrovskaya Square. Chistye Prudy (Line 1) is a possible alternative from the north. The exits and walking times were not verified, so check the route on a map.
- Metro: use Kitay-Gorod to start; the metro guides on this site explain the lines.
- Taxi: the taxi apps guide of this site explains the options; the lanes are narrow and may be hard to reach by car.
Accessibility
No accessibility information for the quarter was found. The lanes are narrow and have uneven surfaces in places, and the access to the churches was not verified, so check before you go.
Food Nearby
Cafes and restaurants stand along Solyanka Street, Pokrovka and Chistoprudny Boulevard. No individual venue was verified for this guide, so check opening hours and menus on site.
What to Bring
Comfortable shoes for narrow lanes and uneven paving, and a map, since the street grid is irregular. Bring rubles in cash for small purchases, since foreign cards are reported not to work.
Best Views and Photo Spots of Khitrovka
Khitrovskaya Square
The restored square with the old houses around it. The low buildings and the quiet space give a sense of the old market.
Best time: Morning light.
The lanes near the Osterman manor
The narrow lane with the manor's facade, seen from the corner. The lane's turns give depth.
Best time: Late afternoon light.
The Buturlin chambers
The thick-walled 17th-century house in the side lane. Its small windows mark the older layer of the quarter.
Best time: Overcast light.
Photography Rules
No general photography rules for the quarter were found. The churches set their own rules, so ask before photographing inside, avoid flash, and respect the privacy of residents in the lanes.
Family Suitability
The quarter is a short, flat walk through quiet lanes, suitable for older children interested in history. The history of poverty and crime in the old market may need explanation for younger children. Stroller access on the lanes was not verified.
Moscow Vibes Tips
- Start at Kitay-Gorod and let the lanes lead you, since the grid is irregular and a map helps.
- Look for Khitrovsky Lane, which keeps the old market's name.
- Read Gilyarovsky or Gorky before you go if you want the quarter's history to come alive.
- Walk the quarter in daylight, since the lanes are quiet and poorly lit at night.
- Combine it with Pokrovka and the Chistye Prudy pond for a longer walk.
- Do not expect museums or ticket offices; Khitrovka is a district to walk, not to tour.
Explore Nearby Khitrovka
Sights near Khitrovka
Kotelnicheskaya Embankment Building Moscowabout 650 m away (~11 min walk) · typical visit: About 30 minutes to 1 hourMain image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Museum of Russian Icons Moscowabout 750 m away (~12 min walk) · typical visit: About 1.5 to 2 hoursMain image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Zaryadye Concert Hall Moscowabout 800 m away (~13 min walk) · typical visit: About 2.5 to 3 hours for a concertMain image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Zaryadye Park Moscowabout 950 m away (~16 min walk) · typical visit: 1–2 hours; 3 hours with the pavilionsMain image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Floating Bridge Moscow – about 950 m away (~16 min walk) · typical visit: About 30 minutes on the bridge, 1.5 to 2 hours with the parkMain image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
St. Basil’s Cathedral Moscowabout 1.3 km away (~21 min walk) · typical visit: 45–90 minutes insideMain image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Metro stations near Khitrovka
Kitay-Gorod Metro Stationabout 700 m away (~11 min walk)Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Chkalovskaya Metro Stationabout 950 m away (~15 min walk)Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Kurskaya Metro Stationabout 1.2 km away (~19 min walk)Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Restaurants and cafes near Khitrovka
Masa Madreabout 400 m away (~6 min walk)Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Megobariabout 700 m away (~11 min walk)Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Bjornabout 1.3 km away (~22 min walk)Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Stolovaya 57about 1.4 km away (~23 min walk)Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Nightlife near Khitrovka
Harat's Pubabout 650 m away (~10 min walk)Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Alexey Kozlov Clubabout 800 m away (~13 min walk)Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Hotels near Khitrovka
Guten Duck Moscow Hostelabout 850 m away (~14 min walk)Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Philadelphia Hotel Moscowabout 1000 m away (~16 min walk)Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Rus Chistye Prudy Hostelabout 1.1 km away (~17 min walk)Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Train stations and river piers near Khitrovka
Kursky Railway Terminalabout 1.2 km away (~19 min walk)Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Events and traditions near Khitrovka
Day of Slavic Writing and Culture in Moscowabout 950 m away (~16 min walk)Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Non/fiction Book Fair in Moscowabout 1.1 km away (~18 min walk)Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Spasskaya Tower Military Music Festivalabout 1.4 km away (~23 min walk)Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Related guides
Pokrovka: Pokrovsky Gates, Art Nouveau Houses and Old ChurchesMain image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Kitay-Gorod: Walls, Varvarka Street and What to SeeMain image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Chistye Prudy: Clean Pond, Boulevard and Menshikov TowerMain image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Basmanny: Chistye Prudy, Old Churches and the German QuarterMain image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Myasnitskaya: Moscow’s Butchers‘ Street, Tea House and Post OfficeMain image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Browse more: More in Basmanny · All Neighborhoods
FAQ: Khitrovka
What is Khitrovka?
A historic quarter and former market square in the Basmanny District.
Why was it notorious?
From the 1860s the market area filled with flophouses and became a district of crime and poverty.
Is the old market still there?
No, it was liquidated in 1923, and a school was later built on the site.
What writers are linked with it?
Vladimir Gilyarovsky and Maxim Gorky, among others.
Which metro station is the nearest?
Kitay-Gorod, according to a university guide.
Is it safe to visit now?
It is a quiet residential quarter today; use the usual caution at night.
Is there an entrance fee?
No for the lanes; churches set their own rules.
How long does a visit take?
About 1 to 2 hours on foot.
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Last updated: October 7, 2026. Found an error or something out of date? Report it and we will check and fix it.
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