The Arbat

Arbat was originally built in the 16th century as a settlement of court artisans, but they were replaced by the 19th century by artists and aristocrats. Arbat St. itself was the main westward artery until the 1960s, when Kalinin Prospect (now Novy Arbat) was cut through the old neighborhoods, destroying Arbat Square and several churches. Today Arbat St. is a pedestrian mall running from Smolenskaya Square (the location of Torgsin) to Arbat Square (the location of the Praga Restaurant)

Arbat Street near the Smolenskaya end in 1998.


Arbat St. near the Vakhtangov Theater,
where Margarita flew across it