Petrovsky Passage

Petrovsky Passage represents a unique combination of historical heritage and modern retail in the very heart of the Russian capital. This architectural monument of federal significance has continued to amaze Muscovites and visitors with its beauty and atmosphere for more than a century.

Location and Features of the Shopping Complex

Petrovsky Passage is located on one of Moscow’s oldest streets — Petrovka, in the Tverskoy District of the Central Administrative Okrug. The unique layout of the building provides a through passage to Neglinnaya Street, making the shopping complex convenient for visitors coming from different directions. The nearest metro stations — “Kuznetsky Most,” “Lubyanka,” and “Teatralnaya” — are just a few minutes’ walk away, ensuring excellent transport accessibility. The three-story building is designed in an eclectic style with elements of Art Nouveau; its facades are adorned with massive arched entrance groups. The interior space is divided into two retail lines connected by galleries, passages, and elegant staircases. Glass vaults above the shopping halls create a sense of lightness and fill the interiors with natural daylight.

The History of the Creation of the Firsanov Passage

The Vision of Vera Firsanova

The history of Petrovsky Passage begins at the start of the twentieth century, when the well-known Moscow entrepreneur and property owner Vera Ivanovna Firsanova decided to create a modern European-level shopping center. The property on Petrovka had belonged to the Firsanov family since the 1870s, but the old building no longer met the demands of the new era. Possessing refined European taste, Vera Ivanovna chose the French word “passage” as the name for her project. The concept envisioned a single, spacious retail environment where shops were not isolated from one another but formed an attractive space for customers.

Construction and Architectural Solutions

The design was undertaken by prominent Moscow architects Sergey Kalugin and Boris Freidenberg, who had previously created the Sanduny Baths complex for Firsanova. The engineering component was developed by the outstanding engineer Vladimir Shukhov, who proposed a revolutionary solution — wide semi-cylindrical glass vaults above the shopping rows. A special system for fastening metal arches provided a lightweight translucent ceiling. Construction lasted three years and required enormous investments for its time. Total costs exceeded one and a half million rubles — Firsanova had to sell two land plots to raise the necessary funds. The grand opening took place on February twentieth, nineteen hundred and six.

The Flourishing of Trade in the Pre-Revolutionary Era

After its opening, the Firsanov Passage quickly became one of the most prestigious shopping venues in Moscow. More than fifty different pavilions were housed under its vaults, including stores of the most renowned trading houses of the time.

Legendary Shops and Brands

The passage featured products from suppliers to the Imperial Court: “Vikula Morozov, Konshin and Sons,” the trading house “Markushevich and Grigoriev” offered silk and woolen fabrics, while “Veselkov and Tashin” specialized in fashionable materials for women’s dresses. Visitors could purchase corsets and umbrellas from Matilda Barish, sweets and pastila from the famous Abrikosov family, and underwear and ties from Louis Kreitzer. In nineteen hundred and seven, the first store in Russia of the French company Gaumont, selling cinema and photographic equipment, opened in the passage. This was a real event for Moscow enthusiasts of new technologies.

The Bristol Restaurant and Evening Illumination

In nineteen hundred and ten, the renowned Bristol restaurant and café opened on the basement level, where guests could enjoy exquisite dishes — trout, pancakes with caviar, French pastries, and coffee. The establishment quickly became a popular meeting place for Moscow’s elite. A special pride of the passage was its electric lighting — in the dark hours, the complex glowed with lights, attracting shoppers. Electricity was supplied from a power station located on the premises of another successful Firsanova enterprise — the Sanduny Baths. This was an expensive but spectacular innovation typical of major European and American cities.

The Soviet Period: From Trade to Industry

Nationalization and a New Purpose

In nineteen hundred and eighteen, the Firsanov Passage was nationalized by the new authorities. All private shops were evicted from the building, and many spaces were partitioned with plywood. A permanent industrial exhibition of the Supreme Council of the National Economy (VSNKh) was organized on the former retail floors; a cinema was opened, and a factory producing underwear for the Red Army was established. In nineteen hundred and twenty-one, the building’s facade was “decorated” with the bas-relief “The Worker” by sculptor Matvey Manizer — a vivid example of ideological propaganda of the time. This bas-relief has survived to this day. The shopping complex was renamed Petrovsky Passage after the street on which it stands.

Airships and Auctions

Trade partially returned to the passage only in nineteen hundred and twenty-eight, and only on the first floor. The second line housed the Research and Experimental Construction and Operation Combine for Airships — Dirizhablestroy, where the first Soviet airships were designed. From nineteen hundred and thirty-one to nineteen hundred and thirty-six, the famous Italian engineer Umberto Nobile worked here under contract. Petrovsky Passage also contained an auction hall where property confiscated from the nobility and bourgeoisie was sold. It was this auction that was described by Ilya Ilf and Yevgeny Petrov in the novel “The Twelve Chairs” — this is where Ostap Bender and Kisa Vorobyaninov go in search of the chairs. During the years of the Great Patriotic War, Muscovites whose homes had been destroyed by bombings were settled on the third floor, turning part of the building into a communal apartment. In this form, the passage existed until the early 1960s, when it became a branch of TSUM.

The Modern Revival of a Historical Gem

Large-Scale Reconstruction

Petrovsky Passage became one of the first Moscow department stores to be reconstructed according to international standards. In nineteen hundred and eighty-eight to nineteen hundred and ninety, a large-scale renovation was carried out by the well-known Turkish construction company Enka. The opening ceremony of the renovated shopping complex was consecrated by Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus’ Alexy II. The restoration returned the passage to its original splendor and magnificence. However, later tenants significantly disrupted the planning structure and finishes, in particular by closing most of the important transverse connections between the retail lines.

Petrovsky Passage Today

Today, Petrovsky Passage is a prestigious shopping center with dozens of stores from world-famous brands. Boutiques of Max Mara, Kenzo, Bosco di Ciliegi, Bally, and other well-known labels are located here. Visitors can purchase fashionable clothing and footwear, accessories, watches, jewelry, cosmetics, home and interior goods. Cafés, a pharmacy, and a spa center are also available for guests. The shopping complex is open daily from ten in the morning until ten in the evening. Admission is free for all visitors.

Festive Fairs and a Special Atmosphere

One of the main highlights of modern Petrovsky Passage is its seasonal fairs. The Christmas fair in December creates a unique festive atmosphere — the alleys are decorated with bright garlands, New Year decorations are installed, and souvenirs and gifts are offered. The spring tulip fair in May attracts flower lovers from all over Moscow. Spectacular facades, elegant gallery lines, bright shop windows, and festive decorations make Petrovsky Passage a popular place for walks not only among shoppers but also among tourists and admirers of historical architecture.

Interesting Facts about Petrovsky Passage

Petrovsky Passage was built two years earlier than TSUM, making it its “older brother” among Moscow shopping complexes. In the pre-revolutionary era, lovers used the passage for secret meetings. A lady could tell her husband that she had been to the passage, and explain the absence of purchases by thriftiness — the alibi was flawless. Vera Firsanova owned not only the passage and the Sanduny Baths, but also dozens of mansions in Moscow, as well as the famous Serednikovo estate. The building is the only place in Moscow where, during the Soviet period, retail trade, an industrial exhibition, a cinema, a sewing factory, and an airship design bureau operated simultaneously. The glass vaults of Shukhov’s design were an innovative engineering solution for the early twentieth century and still impress with their lightness and elegance.

How to Get There and What to See Nearby

Petrovsky Passage is located in the very center of the capital at 10 Petrovka Street. It can be reached by metro — the stations “Kuznetsky Most,” “Lubyanka,” and “Teatralnaya” are a five to seven-minute walk away. Nearby bus routes stop at “Stoleshnikov Lane” and “Kuznetsky Most.” A visit to the shopping complex can easily be combined with a walk through the historic streets of central Moscow. Literally just a few steps away are Theatre Square, the elegant Tverskaya Street, Bolshaya Dmitrovka, and Kuznetsky Most. From the passage, it is easy to walk to Red Square via Nikolskaya Street, visit the Bolshoi Theatre, or stroll along the Boulevard Ring.

Conclusion

Petrovsky Passage is rightfully considered one of the most beautiful shopping complexes in the Russian capital. For more than a hundred years, it has remained at the center of Moscow’s commercial and cultural life, preserving the spirit of the aristocratic era while simultaneously meeting modern demands. An architectural monument of federal significance, a setting of a cult novel, and a witness to the dramatic events of the twentieth century — Petrovsky Passage continues to amaze and inspire new generations of Muscovites and city guests. Visiting this historic place allows one to touch the rich heritage of the capital and feel the connection of times.