Published on: 2026-10-09
Source: Moscow Government – Правительства Москвы –
An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
Thanks to the service “Mosbilet” Now anyone can visit the Moscow City Hall building on Tverskaya Street (house 13). Built in the 18th century by architect Matvey Kazakov, until 1917 it served as the residence of the Moscow governors-general, then housed the Moscow City Council, and now Government of Moscow operates here.
In October, city residents are once again invited to take a tour of a historic building. What awaits them is detailed in the mos.ru article.
Bricks with stamps and fragments of the White City
The first tour of the historic estate, which has become a symbol of city governance, began exactly at noon. Through a massive wooden door, guests entered the grand entrance of the building, decorated with rectangular columns, admired the arches and ribbing of the hall, and soon found themselves in an unusual space. The semi-basement rooms with red brickwork had been used as technical facilities for decades, but not long ago were transformed into a modern digitized museum. Original maker’s marks of Russian Empire factories remain on the bricks, the wooden rafters and steel beams can be clearly seen beneath the ceiling, and niches are visible in the walls—remnants of old stoves that once heated the mansion. Among the brickwork stand out white spots—limestone blocks that were part of the fortifications of the White City.
“When this building was constructed, the ancient defensive fortification—the White City’s wall—was simultaneously dismantled. Its foundation and underground part were made from blocks like these, and there is a 99 percent probability that some of these blocks ended up here,” explains historian and researcher of the Governor-General’s House Alexander Spivak.
Through the Ages
The muse of history, Clio, appearing on the wall as an avatar, tells about the most important pages in the life of Moscow. The eight-minute animated film vividly depicts the chronicle of eight centuries. Literally before our eyes, Moscow transforms from a remote provincial principality into a center of trade and political power. The construction of the Kremlin, the victory at the Battle of Kulikovo, the establishment of autocracy, the reforms of Ivan the Terrible, the dramatic events of the Time of Troubles, the revival of the state under the Romanovs, the founding of Moscow University, Napoleon’s invasion, and the great fire — epochal events pass on the screen like fragments of a historical film.
“How fascinating it is to delve into the past of our capital and realize how much Moscow has endured, how many people have given their lives for it. I must definitely bring my son’s classmates here,” remarked Olga, a participant of the already concluded tour, with admiration.
Then the avatar-bellhop, watching the flame of the virtual fireplace, suggests moving to the adjacent hall dedicated to Moscow’s city governors. Of the more than 120 leaders who succeeded each other since 1709, the 11 most significant in the city’s history stand out. Here is the first Moscow governor, Tikhon Streshnev, who rebuilt the stone bridges near the Kremlin and drained the swamp on Mokhovaya; Zakhar Chernyshyov, who organized Moscow’s people’s militia in 1812 and boosted the population’s morale with caricatures of Napoleon; Fyodor Rostopchin, who began a large-scale reorganization of the city and defeated the cholera epidemic; Dmitry Golitsyn. Also presented here are Prince Vladimir Dolgorukov, who first illuminated Moscow with gas and then electric lamps; the restorer of the Kremlin and one of the creators of the Moscow Ring Railway, Grand Duke Sergey Alexandrovich; Lazar Kaganovich, who played a key role in the construction of the Moscow metro; and modern city leaders under whom it has become one of the best and most well-maintained cities in the world.
From Empire to Mossovet
The estate on Tverskaya Street was built in 1782 for the Moscow Governor-General Count Zakhar Chernyshev, a famous military leader of his time. The project was entrusted to Matvey Kazakov, a master of Moscow classicism. According to Alexander Spivak, the mansion was perfectly suited for a high-ranking official: it could comfortably accommodate his family and office staff, and host balls and formal receptions.
“Zakhar Chernyshev did not have the chance to live here — he died shortly before the completion of the construction, and a few months later Empress Catherine II bought the estate from his heirs for 200 thousand silver rubles to make it the official residence of the Moscow general-governors,” the guide continues.
Over the centuries, the building has been rebuilt several times. Originally, it was a three-story mansion; now the house has eight floors, and thanks to the intricate architecture, counting them is not so easy.
“Each governor modernized this building in their own way. A particularly notable reconstruction took place in the 1890s — during the time of Grand Duke Sergei Alexandrovich, who lived in the mansion together with his wife, Grand Duchess Elizabeth Feodorovna, for 14 years. They invited the famous architect Nikolai Sultanov, who installed electricity, telephone, arranged steam heating in the building, and transformed the interior. And during the Soviet era, the floors began to be added,” says Alexander Spivak.
Record relocation
The most significant day in the history of the government mansion is September 16, 1939. According to the master plan for the reconstruction of Moscow, during the expansion of Tverskaya Street (then called Gorky Street), the building, which at that time housed the Moscow Council of Workers’ Deputies, was moved almost 14 meters in 40 minutes.
“This is a world record that has not been surpassed to this day. To move such an impressive house, trenches were dug along its entire width, where guide rails were laid, and holes for them were cut in the foundation. Then the remaining lower parts of the foundation were sawed off, steel rollers were placed on them, and the mansion was shifted using powerful jacks. At the time of the move, the interior of the building was reinforced with metal structures: rails, ties. Some items are still embedded in the walls,” says the tour guide.
After becoming acquainted with the engineering intricacies and architectural features of the building, the tour participants will find themselves in the ceremonial gallery that connects the two wings of the mansion. They will see portraits of the city mayors of the 20th century. They will also visit the Marble Hall, where ceremonial city receptions are held.
Upcoming tour dates “Governor-General’s House, Mossovet, City Hall” — October 10 and 11. Tickets can be purchased without surcharges and commission on the city platform “Mosbilet.”
“Mosbilet” — the official service on the mos.ru portal, through which you can purchase tickets to theaters, museums, concert halls, and other institutions subordinate to the Moscow Department of Culture, without commission or markups. The service page features announcements of the most anticipated events, season premieres, city festival activities, exhibitions, performances, and concerts taking place in the upcoming weekend.
You can buy a ticket directly through the service. For events where personal data is required to purchase a ticket, entering the visitor’s last name, first name, patronymic, and details will not be necessary: if the user has a standard or full account, it is enough to leave the default document selection value as Mos ID. Mandatory fields must be filled in manually if the account is simplified. When issuing tickets for young guests through the service, all data must be entered only by the accompanying adult. For children under 14 years old, only last name, first name, patronymic, and date of birth can be specified, and it is not necessary to show the child’s document when attending cultural events.
In addition, authorized users will be able to open QR codes of tickets in the mobile applications “My Moscow”, “My id”, and “Moscow State Services”.
Moscow poster, cultural events, and other leisure options — on the “Mosbilet” channels in messengers “Max” and Telegram.
Please note; This information is raw content obtained directly from the information source. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.