The first thing is worth a visit Spartakovskaya Str. and Gavrikov lane. It was there in the middle of the XVII century. built a new Foreign Quarter. It would seem, at what the Germans are here? And despite the fact that up to them to Moscow prostitution as such was not. And the Russian people, sometimes visiting village, in the horror was upon the cross. It was why, poryadochki in this part of Moscow is almost no different from Berlin, which contemporaries wrote: "Walking through the Tiergarten, now and again come across people copulating, and corrupt local women offer themselves, revealing a breast." What about open corruption case under a bush in Moscow might not profit but about some of the taverns, called on the German style tavern, you can really see the selling of women. Their income they shared with the owner of the drinking establishment, so the tavern and were the first public houses in Moscow. Adds a special piquancy to the situation that the first favorite Prince Peter the Great in the future, was Anna Mons, the daughter of the owner of one of these institutions.

Love with brass knuckles

By the middle of the XIX century. Moscow has found its most current quarter lights. But it is not red, and yellow, in unison with the famous "yellow ticket" who pretended to prostitutes instead of a passport. The concentration of brothels in the area Drachevki (now Pipe Sq. Tsvetnoy Boulevard and side streets Sretenka) was frightening: the brothels took possession of 97 out of 100! Their level, as expected, was different. But the special mark in history has left a basement room hotel "Crimea" (now - Theatre School of Modern Drama ", Pipe Sq., D. 22/14), it was called" Hell. " And deservedly so. "In foulness, filth and dirt, it surpasses all the dens," - wrote in police reports. Paying a "hellish" Marukha for a night of love 50 kopecks., A lover of cheap strawberries could part with all the money, clothes, and even life - pimps "poltashek were vicious drug-klofelinschiki. Once he Gilyarovsky almost became their victim. And, if it was not strong Knuckles writer, Russian literature would be greatly impoverished.

«England" in the center of Moscow

; provided in the old Moscow and escort services. The choice of elite prostitutes was extremely high. According to Census 1888, among them other than Russian and Poles were listed Germans, French, and one (!) Negro. Lived, these demi-monde in expensive hotels, "numbering." And the most careful attention should be paid to numbering "England", situated on the corner Stoleshnikov lane. and Petrovka (now Petrovka, d. 15/13). It was here in the arms of Charlotte Altenroz known cocottes unknown origin, 24 June 1882 died the famous Russian General Mikhail Skobelev. This story is familiar to many on the novel by Boris Akunin, The Death of Achilles, where she was, though embellished, but described quite accurately. It is worth adding that "England" was visited by many Russian celebrities: the "enumeration" resting, for example, Saltykov-Shchedrin, Nemirovich-Danchenko, and even some of the professors of Moscow University.

Konstantin Kudryashov