On Bolshaya Moskovskaya Street in Veliky Novgorod, one can see unusual ruins resembling a pile of bricks under a temporary roof. Locals call this place "House of Marfa Posadnitsa." However, this name is conditional, as the legendary ruler lived elsewhere. So why do the ruins bear her name?

It all comes down to impressionable travelers. Many of them believed that these ancient ruins were the palace of Marfa Boretskaya. Moreover, the romantic aura was enhanced by the very fact of this strong woman's struggle for independence from Moscow. Thus, thanks to the guests of Veliky Novgorod, the ruins became known as "House of Marfa Posadnitsa."

In reality, in the 16th century, there were stone chambers belonging to merchant Andrei Tarakanov, who prospered in the wine trade. According to some reports, he had an entire network of drinking establishments. The German traveler Adam Olearius wrote: "When I stayed in the Lübeck courtyard in Novgorod in 1643, near the tavern, I saw drunken and naked brethren coming out of the tavern: some without hats, some without boots and stockings, some in only their shirts."

Later, to combat drunkenness, local authorities began to convert taverns into Kruzhechny Dvory, where the sale of alcohol was strictly limited. As for Andrei Tarakanov, his life ended tragically: he was executed during the Novgorod pogrom of 1570, orchestrated by Ivan the Terrible's oprichniki. At that time, according to various accounts, about 10,000 residents of the city were killed, and the chambers were left without an owner.

Subsequently, a forge was located at this site, and then the building was abandoned. By the 19th century, the two-story chambers gradually turned into ruins. Their gloomy yet captivating appearance evoked thoughts among travelers about ancient Novgorod, its freedom-loving republican traditions, and Marfa Posadnitsa's struggle for the city's independence.