Bersenevskaya Embankment

The history of the embankment began more than half a century ago. Historians and local historians are still arguing why 800 meters of land along the Moscow River is called that. One of the versions (less popular) says that in ancient times gooseberry orchards grew here, and “beresen” is the old name for this berry. The second version is associated with the nobleman, diplomat and statesman Ivan Bersen-Beklemishev. During the time of Ivan III, he owned this territory and ordered that the possessions be fenced with bersen lattices from bold people.

Latticed fences, of course, have not survived to this day, but there are many monuments of history and architecture, without which it is difficult to imagine not only the Yakimanka District, but also modern Moscow. Perhaps the most iconic building is the House on the Embankment, a monument of constructivist architecture by Boris Iofan, once the tallest residential building in the capital. Famous scientists, politicians, marshals and generals, and people who held the fate of the USSR peoples in their hands, lived here. And the house is known throughout the country, largely thanks to the novel of the same name by Yuri Trifonov.

Other architectural landmarks are the famous Red October chocolate factory, which now houses an art cluster; the building of the former Moscow yacht club in pseudo-Gothic style; historical warehouses of the Smirnov’s vodka factory and his city estate; Temple of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker on Bersenevka.