Opening date and history

The property on this bank of the Moscow River is surrounded by legends that lack a solid historical basis. The names of boyar Ivan Nikitich Bersenye-Beklemishev and even Malyuta Skuratov are mentioned. It is believed that a wooden house with a stone foundation existed here as early as the 15th-16th centuries, and traces of it were discovered by restorers.

Owners and significant figures

Clarity regarding the owners emerges only from the early 17th century, when the land passed to the sons of Stepan Kirillov. In the middle of the same century, the sole owner became the Duma clerk Averky Kirillov, a wealthy merchant and statesman. At the peak of his career, he headed the Treasury Office, the Grand Palace Office, and other institutions involved in trade, finance, and tax collection. Kirillov's activities were cut short in 1682 when he was killed during the Streltsy uprising as a supporter of the Naryshkin family.

Reconstruction and restoration

Kirillov's social status was reflected in the appearance of his house. The stone chambers were built on a grand scale: ornate window frames, elegant half-columns and pilasters, cornices with a ledge testified to the high prosperity of the owners. Foreign guests described the wealth of the house, marveling not only at the beautiful facade and impressive courtyard with a garden but also at the rich furnishings with expensive furniture. The time of the house's construction can be judged by the round plate in the center of the vault of the large chamber with the date "1657". The neighboring Church of the Holy Trinity, known as Nikolskaya on Bersenevka, was also built by Kirillov and was connected to the chambers by a wooden passage. Here, in 1682, Averky Kirillov himself was buried. The church, which lost its bell tower in the 20th century, has survived to this day.

The final appearance of the building was formed in the early 18th century when the property belonged to clerk A.F. Kurbatov. At that time, the upper floor, which was previously wooden, was built, and the facade received European elements: volutes with fine white stone carvings, rustication at the corners, and a stone canopy above the entrance. According to one version, the completion of the house was handled by architect Ivan Zarudny.

Subsequently, the chambers of Averky Kirillov passed to the treasury and were used by various institutions: the Chamber Collegium, the Land Office, the Discharge Archive, the Moscow Treasury Chamber, and the Senate Courier Team. Since 1870, the house became a center for the protection of Russia's cultural heritage: it housed the Imperial Moscow Archaeological Society under the leadership of Count Uvarov. After the revolution, various scientific institutions occupied the building, and today it is home to the Russian Institute of Cultural Studies. Restorers maintain the appearance of the house and continue to study its history.