The ensemble of Provision Warehouses is one of the outstanding monuments of Moscow. This is a monument of civilian architecture of the first half of the 19th century which has been fully preserved. It is also a part of historical and cultural heritage of our city. This is the best example of the late classic (Empire style) in Moscow, which was very popular after the 1812 war.
This building occurred in 1832-1839 within Krymskaya Square, at the Ostozhenka and the Zubovsky Boulevard in the form of provision warehouses. This ensemble replaced the Zemlianoy Gorod Rampart and served as storage for military units quartered in this area of Moscow.
The actual construction of the Provision Warehouses in 1829-31 was implanted by Fyodor Shestakov, but the design bears the stamp of Stasov’s genius which combined the functional requirements of the warehouse with the archaic clarity of the Doric order, imposed on a structural mass with little ornament. Among Stasov’s contributions of the construction of Moscow, his greatest achievement comes from a series of designs (1816-21) for provision warehouses, originally intended for Petersburg. When the need arouse to build space for army provisions storage in Moscow at the end of the 1820s, Stasov’s first warehouse variant of 1821 served as a basis.
The Moscow Warehouse consists of 3 large identical two-storey buildings with tapered walls and main portals in a manner considered “Egyptian”. The central part which is slightly deepened and adorned by rustic stone and restrained décor. The main entrance with massive pylons is situated on Ostozhenka street.
Large doors, Ledoux-like semicircular windows and rustication – all brought relief from the building’s stark walls. The walls, the doors, and a precisely-etched frieze and cornice accented the building mass. The portals are surmounted by pediments and a recessed window arch but there are no columns: only the entablature specifies the Doric order. The hipped roofs with ventilation dormers serve the accent to the mass of the ensemble and the proportional relations among the three components. Decorative stucco details and strict metallic gates with traditional motives of military armature decorate this ensemble. Moscow architect Dmitry Shestakov managed to dispose massive buildings in the cramped and irregular space. He also created the magnificent cast-iron fence and the building for the guard, situated at the back of the yard. In spring 1835 all the buildings were whitewashed. Fences, doors, shutters were painted in black, roofs, water pipes, gutters were painted in red.
The Provision Warehouses achieve a combination of the aesthetic and the useful that was considered a guiding ideal of classical architecture.
During 100 years Provision Warehouses were used as storage. Due to this fact the original view of the building was preserved.
In early 1930s the territory and buildings of Provision Warehouses were given to the General Staff for its automobile base. In such a situation the historic building lost its essence and began to destroy.
Throughout many years the Government Bodies responsible for guarding historic monuments and culture of Moscow wanted to withdraw the automobile base from the territory of the Provision Warehouses but they managed to do this only in 2006.
In this very year the ensemble was given to the municipal property. Now the State Institution of culture “Moscow City Museum” is housed in the ensemble of Provision Warehouses.
The Museum and the Government of Moscow are planning to make a reconstruction of the unique ensemble under up-to-date museum technologies with the purpose to create a contemporary museum about Moscow.
Today the ensemble Provision Houses is being used as a museum with permanent expositions: “Moscow. 1941”, “Provision Houses: its past and future”
International and regional exhibitions also take place. New programs such as
“Moscow International Museum Forum”, “The City’s Day”, “Days of Historical and Cultural Heritage of Moscow”, “New Year’s performance”, “Night in the museum”, “Sunny City” are great success among Muscovites.
Now projects “Open Museum. Moscow 21st century.” and “Famous Muscovites” are being planned for 2009-2010.
Muscovites are active participants of the Museum; more than 700 000 people have visited exhibitions and other events since the opening day. The public opinion poll revealed that Muscovites would be very glad see new exhibitions in the complex Provision Warehouses.
