Prechistenka: Moscow Mansions, Pushkin and Tolstoy Museums

Prechistenka Street Moscow is a street in the Khamovniki District that branches off Volkhonka Street near the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour and runs toward the Garden Ring. It keeps its 19th-century charm and a row of impressive mansions, and it is often called a street like an exhibit because of the museums in them.

Along it stand the Alexander Pushkin Museum, the Leo Tolstoy Museum and the gallery of the Russian Academy of Arts named after Zurab Tsereteli. The street is a good short walk, and it is easy to confuse with its parallel neighbor Ostozhenka, which has much newer buildings, so the guide below explains which museum is where.

Quick Facts

Russian name	Пречистенка
Address	Prechistenka Street, from Volkhonka Street near the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour toward the Garden Ring, Khamovniki District, Moscow OpenStreetMap · Google Maps
District	Khamovniki
Metro	Kropotkinskaya (Sokolnicheskaya Line (Line 1, red), Listed as the nearest station for the Alexander Pushkin Museum at number 12/2 and for the Russian Academy of Arts gallery at number 19; the exit and the walking time were not verified) Park Kultury (Sokolnicheskaya Line (Line 1, red) and Koltsevaya Line (Line 5, brown), Another station for the street's western end; the exit and the walking time were not verified)
Opening hours	The street is public and can be walked at any time; museums, galleries, shops and cafes keep their own hours. The Alexander Pushkin Museum, for example, is closed on some weekdays and its hours differ between sources, so check its own site. (as of October 2026 – check the official site)
Admission	Walking the street is free. Museums and galleries charge their own admission, and no price was verified for this guide.
Best time to visit	The street can be visited all year, and it is best on a dry day in spring, summer or autumn, when the courtyards and the facades are at their best. Museum hours differ by day, so plan around them. Crowd patterns were not verified.
Recommended duration	2 to 3 hours
Last updated	October 7, 2026

What Is (and Isn't) Part of a Visit to Prechistenka?

Part	Status	Notes
Prechistenka Street and its courtyards	Included in the standard ticket	A public street that can be walked free at any time; courtyards belong to residents, so check before you enter.
Alexander Pushkin Museum (12/2)	Separate ticket or institution	A branch of the Pushkin State Museum with its own ticket and hours.
Leo Tolstoy Museum (11/8)	Separate ticket or institution	A literary museum with its own ticket and hours.
Tsereteli Gallery (19)	Separate ticket or institution	A gallery of the Russian Academy of Arts with its own ticket and hours.
Morozov Mansion (21)	Separate ticket or institution	The presidium and exhibition halls of the Academy, with their own rules.
Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts (Volkhonka 12)	Outside / not part of it	A different, much larger museum on the neighboring Volkhonka Street; do not confuse it with the Alexander Pushkin Museum.
Leo Tolstoy Estate in Khamovniki	Outside / not part of it	Tolstoy's house, on a different street of the district, with its own ticket.
Cathedral of Christ the Saviour	Outside / not part of it	At the start of the street, an active church with its own rules.

Why Visit Prechistenka?

Prechistenka is one of the few streets of the center where the mansions of the Russian nobility survive in a row, with grand two- and three-story houses in the Empire style. Several of them are museums: the main building of the Alexander Pushkin State Museum at number 12/2, the Leo Tolstoy Museum at 11/8 and the Tsereteli Gallery at number 19.

It is also a short, flat walk from the Kropotkinskaya station, with courtyards to look into and the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour at its start. Note that the Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts, on Volkhonka, is a different institution from the Alexander Pushkin Museum on Prechistenka.

How Prechistenka Is Laid Out

Prechistenka starts at Volkhonka Street, beside the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour, and runs south-west within the Khamovniki District toward the Garden Ring. Ostozhenka, the street parallel to it, has much newer buildings, while Prechistenka keeps the older mansions. The Kropotkinskaya station is at the start of the street.

The museums are spread along the street: the Leo Tolstoy Museum at number 11/8 and the main building of the Alexander Pushkin Museum at 12/2 are close to the start, the Dolgorukov House with the Tsereteli Gallery is at number 19, and the Morozov Mansion with the presidium of the Russian Academy of Arts is at number 21. The courtyard of number 32, a former school, is further along.

A sensible route starts at Kropotkinskaya, follows the street from the cathedral to the Garden Ring, and then returns on the other side of the street so that you see the facades from both sides.

Highlights of Prechistenka

The Alexander Pushkin Museum at 12/2

The main building of the Alexander Pushkin State Museum is an Empire-style mansion at Prechistenka 12/2, with a pediment decorated with a bas-relief of two lions holding the coat of arms of the Seleznev family. Historians cannot say whether Pushkin ever visited the house, which belonged to the Khrushchev family in his lifetime. The museum needs its own ticket, and it is separate from the Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts on Volkhonka.

Tip: Check the museum's own site for hours, since closing days differ between sources.

The Leo Tolstoy Museum at 11/8

The museum is one of the oldest literary museums in Russia, founded in 1911 by the Tolstoy Society, according to the Washington Post, though another listing gives 1920. It is housed in a refined Empire-style mansion, the Lopukhin-Stanitsky Mansion, which Tolstoy himself never visited. It holds the world's largest collection of objects related to the writer and needs its own ticket.

Tip: The Tolstoy Estate, where he lived, is on another street in Khamovniki and is a separate museum.

The Tsereteli Gallery in the Dolgorukov House

The museum and exhibition complex of the Russian Academy of Arts, the Art Gallery of Zurab Tsereteli, is in the architectural ensemble of the Dolgorukov House at Prechistenka 19. Apart from some ancient Roman and Greek statues, it is dedicated to the work of the academy's president, Zurab Tsereteli. It has its own hours and ticket, and the artist is controversial.

Tip: Check the gallery's hours, which differ by weekday.

The Morozov Mansion at number 21

The Morozov Mansion, at Prechistenka 21, is the location of the presidium and exhibition halls of the Russian Academy of Arts. It is one of the grander buildings of the street and stands a short distance from the Dolgorukov House. It has its own hours, and the visiting rules were not checked.

Tip: Look at the facade from across the street to see the full width of the building.

The courtyard of number 32

Behind the building at Prechistenka 32 is a hidden courtyard, kept immaculate with flower beds and children's swings, which was once the famous Polivanov school, a boys' gymnasium that educated the children of the cultural elite before the revolution. The girls' gymnasium of Sofya Arsenyeva occupied the Davydov mansion at number 17/10. Check whether the courtyard is open before you enter.

Tip: Look for the passage from the street, and respect that residents live there.

The mansions of the street

Grand two- and three-story mansions were more common on Prechistenka than on its neighbor Ostozhenka, where smaller single-story buildings predominated, and some of them survive. Mikhail Bulgakov visited relatives in a former tenement house at number 24/1 in 1916. The street keeps the look of the old noble Moscow, with several museums in the former houses.

Tip: Walk one side out and the other back to see all the facades.

Atmosphere

Prechistenka is a quiet street of old mansions with tall windows, pediments and gates, where the traffic is lighter than on the nearby Garden Ring. Museums and galleries sit behind the facades, and the courtyards hold small gardens.

By day the street is used by museum visitors and residents, and the pace is slow, with cafes and shops at the ground floor level. In the evening it is calm and lit by lamps. The Golden Mile has the most expensive housing in the center, which is why the area looks well kept. The crowd varies by day and season, and no figures were verified.

History of Prechistenka

Prechistenka begins at Volkhonka Street, whose history goes back to the court of a 14th-century prince, and the area was long part of the western approaches of the city. A state-run pub on the Volkonsky property gave Volkhonka its name, and the royal Coach Yard stood on the site of today’s Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts, which gave its name to Kolymazhny Lane.

In the 18th and 19th centuries Prechistenka became a street of the nobility, with grand two- and three-story mansions, many in the Empire style after the rebuilding of Moscow following the fire of 1812. The houses changed owners often. The Khrushchev family owned the manor that houses the Alexander Pushkin Museum, and historians cannot say whether the poet visited it.

In the 19th century the street was also known for its schools. Lev Polivanov’s boys’ gymnasium and Sofya Arsenyeva’s girls’ gymnasium were both on Prechistenka, and the 1st Moscow Gymnasium and the Alexandro-Mariinsky School, later an institute, also stood here. The Leo Tolstoy Museum, one of the oldest literary museums of Russia, was founded in 1911 by the Tolstoy Society in a mansion that Tolstoy himself never entered.

Most of the historic Volkhonka was demolished in 1838 and in the 1880s to clear sites for the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour and a riding school, which was replaced in 1912 by the Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts. The cathedral was destroyed in 1931, and a replica was completed in 2000. Mikhail Bulgakov visited relatives on Prechistenka in 1916.

In the Soviet period many mansions of the street became institutions, and today several are museums: the Alexander Pushkin State Museum and the Leo Tolstoy Museum, and the Dolgorukov House and the Morozov Mansion, which belong to the Russian Academy of Arts. The stretch of the Khamovniki District between the Boulevard Ring and the Garden Ring is known as the Golden Mile and has the most expensive housing in downtown Moscow.

Prechistenka keeps its 19th-century charm and is a street where, as the city’s own site puts it, the street itself is like an exhibit.

Legends and Myths about Prechistenka

Did Pushkin visit the museum's house?

Disputed by historians. A popular question is whether the poet Alexander Pushkin ever visited the mansion that houses his museum on Prechistenka. The Khrushchev family, who owned the manor in his lifetime, had a wide circle of acquaintances, so he could theoretically have been a guest. Historians cannot say for sure whether he did.

Tickets and Booking for Prechistenka

There is no ticket for the street. The museums and galleries sell their own tickets, and no price was verified for this guide. For the Alexander Pushkin Museum, use its own site, pushkinmuseum.ru; its opening hours and closing days differ between the sources read, so check before you plan a visit. The Academy of Arts gallery has its own site as well, which was not checked here.

• Two Pushkin museums: the Alexander Pushkin Museum is on Prechistenka, and the Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts is on Volkhonka, so book the right one.
• 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; the official page for the Pushkin museum is pushkinmuseum.ru.

Suggested Itineraries for Prechistenka

1 hour

Start at Kropotkinskaya, walk down Prechistenka on one side and back on the other, and look at the Empire-style facades of the Pushkin and Tolstoy museums from the street.

2 hours

Follow the 1-hour walk and add one museum, the Leo Tolstoy Museum or the Alexander Pushkin Museum, planning it with its own hours. Look into the courtyard at number 32.

3 hours

Add the Tsereteli Gallery and the Morozov Mansion, then walk to the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour at the start of the street. Check each venue's hours first.

How to Get to Prechistenka

The nearest metro station is Kropotkinskaya, on Line 1, which is listed for the Alexander Pushkin Museum and for the Academy of Arts gallery, at the start of the street near the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour. Park Kultury (Lines 1 and 5) serves the western end. The exits and walking times were not verified.

• Metro: use Kropotkinskaya to start at the cathedral; the metro guides on this site explain the lines.
• Taxi: the taxi apps guide of this site explains the options; the street is quiet but the roads around it are busy.

Accessibility

No accessibility information for the street or the museums was found. The pavements are level, as far as is known, but the access to the mansions and the courtyards was not verified, so ask each venue before you go.

Food Nearby

Cafes and restaurants stand on and around Prechistenka and Ostozhenka. No individual venue was verified for this guide, so check opening hours and menus on site.

What to Bring

Comfortable shoes* for a slow walk and a museum visit, and layers for the season. Bring rubles in cash for small purchases, since foreign cards are reported not to work.

Best Views and Photo Spots of Prechistenka

The facade of the Alexander Pushkin Museum

The Empire-style mansion with its pediment and the relief of two lions, seen from across the street. The straight view shows the full width of the building.

Best time: Morning light.

The courtyard of number 32

A quiet courtyard with flower beds and swings behind the former school, which gives a view of old Moscow away from the street. Check that it is open before you enter.

Best time: Late morning.

Prechistenka from the Garden Ring end

The line of mansions on both sides of the street, seen along its axis toward the cathedral. The view shows the scale of the street.

Best time: Dusk, when the lamps come on.

Photography Rules

No general photography rules for the street were found. Museums and galleries set their own rules, so look for signs and ask the staff before you photograph interiors, and avoid flash. Respect the privacy of residents in courtyards.

Family Suitability

The street is a flat, quiet walk that suits families with older children, with museums for those who like literature and art. There are few playgrounds, so plan a cafe stop. Stroller access on the pavements and in the museums was not verified.

Moscow Vibes Tips

• Do not confuse the Alexander Pushkin Museum on Prechistenka with the Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts on Volkhonka.
• Walk one side of the street out and the other back, since the facades look different from across the road.
• Look for the passage to the courtyard of number 32, and remember that residents live there.
• Check museum hours before you set out, since closing days differ between sources.
• Prechistenka and Ostozhenka run parallel but look very different, so walk both if you have time.
• Combine the street with the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour at its start.

Explore Nearby Prechistenka

Sights near Prechistenka

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  Cathedral of Christ the Saviour Moscow – about 800 m away (~13 min walk) · typical visit: 45 minutes to 1.5 hours; about 1 hour 20 minutes for the full guided tour
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  Pushkin State Museum of Fine Arts Moscowabout 950 m away (~16 min walk) · typical visit: 2–3 hours per building
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  Multimedia Art Museum Moscowabout 300 m away (~5 min walk) · typical visit: About 1.5 to 2 hours
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  Zachatyevsky Convent Moscowabout 450 m away (~7 min walk) · typical visit: 1–2 hours
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  Museum of Moscowabout 550 m away (~9 min walk) · typical visit: About 1.5 to 2 hours
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  Melnikov House Moscowabout 750 m away (~12 min walk) · typical visit: About 1.5 to 2 hours (guided tour)

Metro stations near Prechistenka

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  Kropotkinskaya Metro Stationabout 700 m away (~11 min walk)
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  Park Kultury Metro Stationabout 700 m away (~12 min walk)
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  Smolenskaya Metro Stationabout 950 m away (~15 min walk)

Restaurants and cafes near Prechistenka

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  Multikulturaabout 50 m away (~1 min walk)
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  Bagebiabout 50 m away (~1 min walk)
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  Ainaabout 350 m away (~5 min walk)
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  Sakhalinabout 1000 m away (~16 min walk)

Nightlife near Prechistenka

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  Rhythm & Blues Cafeabout 1.3 km away (~22 min walk)
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  Rule Taproomabout 1.4 km away (~22 min walk)

Hotels near Prechistenka

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  Library Hostel Moscowabout 500 m away (~8 min walk)
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  Maidens Hotel Moscowabout 650 m away (~11 min walk)
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  Nabat Palace Arbatabout 900 m away (~15 min walk)

Train stations and river piers near Prechistenka

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  Kievsky Railway Terminalabout 1.7 km away (~27 min walk)

Events and traditions near Prechistenka

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  Orthodox Easter in Moscowabout 800 m away (~13 min walk)
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  Orthodox Christmas in Moscowabout 800 m away (~13 min walk)
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  December Nights Music Festival in Moscowabout 950 m away (~15 min walk)

Related guides

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  Khamovniki: Novodevichy Convent, Prechistenka and the Golden Mile
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  Arbat: Old Arbat Street, Tsoi Wall and Pushkin’s Apartment
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  Leo Tolstoy Estate Museum Moscow: Tolstoy’s Winter Home and Hours
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  10 Best Squares and Streets for a Walk in Moscow: Routes and Tips

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FAQ: Prechistenka

Where is Prechistenka?

In the Khamovniki District, branching off Volkhonka Street near the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour.

Which museums are on Prechistenka?

The Alexander Pushkin Museum, the Leo Tolstoy Museum and the Tsereteli Gallery, among others.

Is the Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts on Prechistenka?

No, it is on Volkhonka Street; the Alexander Pushkin Museum is on Prechistenka.

Did Tolstoy live in the Tolstoy Museum?

No, he never entered the building; his house is on another street of Khamovniki.

Is there an entrance fee?

No for the street; museums and galleries charge their own admission.

Which metro station is the nearest?

Kropotkinskaya, on Line 1.

What is the Golden Mile?

The stretch of Khamovniki between the Boulevard Ring and the Garden Ring, with the most expensive housing in downtown Moscow.

How long does a visit take?

About 1 to 3 hours, depending on the museums.

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