Even in the first third of the last century, at the end of Moscow's Sretenka, the famous Sukharev Tower stood. Its history is closely connected with the name of the mysterious Count Yakov Willimovich Bruce.
Memory of Colonel Sukharev?
The Sukharev Tower was built in 1692-1695. in place of the wooden Sretensky gate. The height of the stone structure was as much as 60 meters. In addition to the watchtower, Tsar Peter I ordered to build two-story chambers with a through passage - in fact, the tower was part of them. The entire structure did not bear much resemblance to traditional Russian buildings; rather, it resembled a European town hall. However, the tsar was an adherent of everything European.
Muscovites began to call the new tower and chambers Sukharevs, since there was "based" a rifle regiment headed by Colonel Lavrentiy Sukharev. Once, during the streltsy revolt, it was this regiment, the only one in Moscow, that remained loyal to Peter. This is how the legend was born that the notorious tower was built precisely in gratitude to the Tsar's savior Sukharev and his archers. For a long time, historians also adhered to this version, however, such a broad gesture of the emperor is not confirmed by any written evidence. On two commemorative plaques, which had been adorned with the walls of the Sukharev Tower since Peter the Great, it was written: “The Sretensky Gate was built in the second Streletsky regiment in the Earthen City, and above those gates there were chambers and tents with clocks, and near the gates on both sides of the small chamber, and the state barn,and behind the gate to the new Meshchanskaya Sloboda is a chapel with cells to the Nikolaevsky Monastery on Pererva. And that construction began in the summer of 7200 (1692), and 7203 (1695) was completed, and at that time the future stolnik and Colonel Lavrenty Pankratyev Sukharev had a future regiment”.
It was in the Sukharev Chambers that the first in Russia mathematical and navigation schools, an astronomical observatory, a library were located under Peter the Great … Many surrounding objects were later named after the Sukharev Tower: Bolshaya and Malaya Sukharevskaya squares, Sadovo-Sukharevskaya street, Bolshoi and Maly Sukharevsky lanes, Sukharevsky market …
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Moscow Warlock
For a long time Sukharev Tower served as the residence of Jacob Bruce, who was called the "Moscow warlock": the count was too fond of alchemy, astrology and other "secret" sciences. Muscovites saw at night in the windows of the upper floor a blue light, which they considered "devilish", and whispered in fright that Bruce was dealing with evil spirits …
It was also said that the Count had a "Black Book" written by Satan himself, and that on the eve of his death, Bruce walled it up in the wall of the Sukharev Tower.
Flea market and Bryusov's car
After Bruce's death in 1735, admiralty offices and judicial chambers were located in the Sukharev Tower. And after the Patriotic War of 1812, when residents began to return to burnt and devastated Moscow, the famous Sukharevsky market appeared next to the tower. People tried to return property looted during their absence, and in order to avoid clashes and unrest, Governor-General Count Fyodor Rostopchin issued the following decree: “Any thing, no matter where it comes from, is the inalienable property of the one who currently owns it, and any owner can sell them, but only once a week, on Sunday, in one place, namely on the square opposite the Sukharev Tower. The looted things from all over Moscow were carried there.
Gradually Sukharevka turned into a huge and vicious flea market, praised, in particular, by the writer Vladimir Gilyarovsky in his book "Moscow and Muscovites". By the way, a strange tradition was associated with it that existed among the local community. April 11 (this date was considered the birthday of Jacob Bruce) everyone had to obey the unwritten rule: "Do not push the stolen junk, do not scour the pockets of tweaks, do not shout and rob the merchants, otherwise Bruce will punish and immobilize his hands and tongue." And indeed, the disobedient became crippled, lost their hands and tongue, and were forced to live exclusively by begging.
Caches for Stalin
Under Soviet rule, in 1926, the Moscow Communal Museum was opened in the Sukharev Tower. But in 1934, despite the protests of many historians and cultural figures, the tower was demolished with the approval of Stalin himself - in the opinion of Soviet "experts", it interfered with traffic.
The true reasons for the demolition are still not clear. There is a version that Stalin dreamed of getting to underground caches with treasures, supposedly hidden under the tower. That is why the building was not blown up, but dismantled.
Demolition of the Sukharev Tower
Photo: retromosfoto.ucoz.ru
There is a legend that when the tower began to be demolished, an old man with a black beard came out and began to observe the work. The workers beat the walls with all their might, but the building did not budge. And the mysterious old man stood and watched … Finally, a car arrived and they took him somewhere. After that, the demolition process finally started. The old man was later said to be a local sorcerer. Although it is possible that it was one of the Moscow architects, according to rumors, was on duty at the building to prevent it from being demolished.
When the tower turned to ruins, Stalin allegedly personally supervised the dismantling of the rubble, making sure that the workers did not hide anything. Indeed, ancient tomes were found within the walls, but the notorious "Black Book", which belonged to Jacob Bruce, was not there.
Sukharevka - a new tower
Today, the name Sukharevskaya Square has returned to the everyday life of Muscovites, like many old place names. The former Kolkhoznaya metro station also became "Sukharevskaya".
There is an idea to restore this unique architectural monument. At a press conference in September 2008, Moscow's chief archaeologist, Alexander Veksler, said that the base of the tower was preserved and that research was under way. There was even a proposal to create an underground museum there, dedicated to the Sukharev Tower.
