The quadrangular courtyard of two-story buildings on Stromynka, known in old Moscow as Catherine's Almshouse, was once the Khamovny Courtyard, a linen factory founded by Peter I in 1696 for the production of canvas for the fleet. In 1697, craftsmen began to be recruited for the factory, and by 1700 it was supplying linen to the Voronezh shipyards. That same year, Peter I visited the factory and noted that he liked it very much. By 1720, over a thousand people worked at the factory, with 330 looms, making it the largest textile manufactory of its time, producing not only canvas but also linen cloth and napkins.

The stone northern and western wings existed as early as 1719 and form the corner of the modern building facing Stromynka. The former grand western facade retains gates with paired pilasters, and anchors visible between the floors indicate vaulted ceilings.

In the mid-18th century, the factory was moved to Novgorod, and its buildings housed naval veterans. In 1785, the Catherine Almshouse opened here, replacing 82 ancient parish almshouses in Moscow. In 1787, the eastern and southern wings were built according to the design of architect Selekhov, closing the courtyard.

The elegant building with five domes in the courtyard of the almshouse dates back to the late 18th century. It possibly served as the almshouse church, where icons from the Old Transfiguration Palace were relocated. Historians note its resemblance to park pavilions of the estates of that era, particularly to sketches by Bazhenov. Deep cellars were located beneath the building.

In the early 19th century, a new Church of the Resurrection of Christ with a dome and wall paintings was built in the northwestern corner of the courtyard. Its interior was adorned with a classical rotunda, reminiscent of the works of Matvey Kazakov, who was working at the almshouse at that time. In 1806, a bell tower with a spire appeared above the western gates. In 1826, architect Osip Bove rebuilt the northern and western wings in the classical style, destroying the remnants of Peter's era decor.

At Catherine's Almshouse, in the orphanage, the future historian Ivan Zabelin was raised from ages 12 to 17, leaving memories of life within these walls and the fistfights that continued until the 1930s.

In the 1920s, the almshouse was renamed the 'Radishchev Invalid Home.' In 1923, its church was closed, the dome was demolished, and the interior was destroyed. Icons disappeared, and the bell tower was ruined. All buildings were raised by two floors, depriving the structure of its expressiveness. A student dormitory was established here, where writer Vladimir Chivilikhin lived.

In the interiors of the almshouse, now occupied by an educational institution, rare fragments of 19th-century decor have been preserved, including cast-iron columns and staircases.