Zariade

one of the ancient districts of the city of Moscow, located east of the Kremlin along the Moskva River between present-day Razin Street and the Moskvorech’e Embankment. It was the southern part of Kitai-gorod.

The district was named the Zariad’e in the 17th century because of its location behind (za) the traders’ stalls (riady) bordering Red Square. In the 12th century, there was already a suburb here, inhabited by artisans, including smelters, jewelers, tanners, and potters. In the 15th century, the sluzhilye liudi (military service class) and boyars began to settle in the Zariad’e. In the 16th and 17th centuries, foreign merchants’ yards were located there, including the English yard, remains of which have been preserved. The Zariad’e fell into decay in the 18th and 19th centuries and became a slum district. During the years of Soviet power, the area has been reconstructed. In the 1960’s the Rossiia Hotel and the Zariad’e cinema theater were built in the district. Churches from the 16th century to the 19th and the house belonging to the Romanov boyar family (in an altered state) have been preserved.