In Zamoskvorechye, there is one of the shortest streets in Moscow, measuring only 250 meters. It starts from the Chugun Bridge over the drainage canal after Pyatnitskaya Street and ends at the Moskva River. This is Balchug Street.

This place has historical significance and traces its history back to the 14th century, during the time of Dmitry Donskoy. Historians disagree on the origin of the name. Pyotr Sytyn claims that "Bal-chekh" in Tatar means mud, swamp, which indeed existed here. Sergey Romanyuk believes that "balchug" is related to "balchuk," which meant a fish trade or market that once existed here. Ivan Kondratiev wrote that "Balchug" may come from the Turkish "valka," meaning ravine.

According to legend, Ivan the Terrible opened the first tavern in Russia here in 1552. In the 16th century, two public baths were built here, and the gates of the Tsar's Garden were located nearby, marking the beginning of Sadovnicheskaya Street.

The area was troubled due to frequent floods and fires. The situation improved after the construction of the drainage canal during the reign of Catherine II, and stone shops began to appear. However, the flood of 1908 nearly submerged the island, raising the water level by nine meters.

Today, a walk down the street does not remind one of past disasters. The new architecture of the 90s does not create a historical mood, but one can notice a small three-story house of historical architecture. Its facade is "squeezed" between a large building and 19th-century structures resembling stone shops in the Empire style. The architecture of the building is eclectic, characteristic of the second half of the 19th century when many estates were reconstructed in a new style.

Upon closer inspection, the symmetrical two-story facade (the third floor was likely added later) reveals a city estate of a chamber type. The house almost adjoins the territory of the Moscow Courtyard of the Solovetsky Monastery with a 17th-century church, so it did not have an adjacent garden.

After a recent restoration, a floral salon was placed on the first floor of the building, while a restaurant and bar occupy the upper levels. The obelisks in the niches of the second floor were restored, and the building acquired a striking contrast of white and red brick colors, highlighting its facade. Since the building is "squeezed" by other constructions, the architects used different facade colors for visual distinction.