The Church of the Beheading of John the Baptist on Malaya Lubyanka, also known as the Church of John the Baptist, is considered one of the oldest in Moscow, although it is mentioned in historical documents from 1620. According to legend, the church was built in 1337 during the reign of Grand Duke Ivan Kalita, near his residence. The last building of the church, designed as a stone single-domed structure, dates back to 1643. This modest square structure with an 18th-century bell tower stood until the beginning of the Bolsheviks' anti-religious campaign. The church had chapels in honor of Saints John the Theologian and Nicholas the Wonderworker, as well as ancient icons of John the Baptist, the Mother of God of Vilnius, and Saint Catherine the Great Martyr. In 1862, the refectory was expanded. The bell tower was built in the 1740s.

The last address of the church was: Malaya Lubyanka, house 6. Over time, this street was called New Street, Kirchny Lane, and Malaya Lubyanka Lane. Although it may seem that Malaya Lubyanka has neither a beginning nor an end, it ran parallel to Bolshaya Lubyanka and started from Lubyanka Square. A part of the street that no longer exists extended to Furkasovsky Lane and was called Pretechinsky Lane in honor of the church. Furkasovsky Lane got its name from the courtyard of tailor Pierre Furkase, located near the church.

The church was closed in 1929 and demolished in 1931. In its place, a new building for the NKVD was constructed in 1944-1945 according to the design of architect A.V. Shchusev.