On Vagankovsky Hill in Moscow stands the building of the Russian State Library, formerly known as the Pashkov House. It is one of the most beautiful structures in the capital, mentioned in Bulgakov's novel "The Master and Margarita" as the meeting place of Levi Matvey and Woland.

The house on Vozdvizhenka was built in 1784-1786 at the request of Pyotr Pashkov, known as the "vodka king." He earned significant income from alcohol trade, surpassing treasury revenues, which allowed him to amass a vast fortune.

The building's design is attributed to architect Vasily Bazhenov. It is said that one of his works displeased Catherine II, so he secretly directed the construction, turning the building "back" to Borovitsky Hill, where the Kremlin is located.

The house is executed in the classical style and consists of a central block with ceremonial rooms and side wings used as utility and living spaces. Vagankovsky Hill serves as a natural pedestal for this ensemble. According to legend, deep within it lies Ivan the Terrible's Library, containing lost documents and the king's books.

In 1812, the building was damaged by fire, and architect Osip Bove altered the columns and covered the open balconies with a gabled roof.

In 1839, the impoverished descendants of Pashkov sold the house to the state, and it became the site of the Noble Institute, and later the Fourth Moscow Gymnasium.

In 1861, the Pashkov House became home to the rich museum collection of Count Nikolai Rumyantsev, a known bibliophile and connoisseur of sciences. In 1915, the building's inter-floor partitions were removed, creating a reading room for 300 seats. Here, according to legend, Konstantin Tsiolkovsky self-taught, and Leo Tolstoy worked on "War and Peace."

Seven years later, the Rumyantsev Museum was liquidated, non-book collections were distributed, and the building became the State Library of the USSR named after Lenin.

From the late 80s to the early 2000s, the house stood empty, and renovations were halted. In 2009, the former Pashkov mansion became the Russian State Library.