In soviet times it was named ulitsa Razina (Razin Street) It is the most ancient street in Moscow and dates and to the Kremlin. Or back from Red Square. Note that now (summer 2006) the Rossia Hotel that was between Varvarka Street and the Moskva River has been dismantling and then some new buildings will be constructed there.
Lets walk along Varvarka from it's beginning (note that in Moscow all streets begin in point nearest to the Kremlin). On the right-hand side of the street you'll see some gems of old Russian architecture, and to the left are the buildings of the former inns and trading rows of the 17th-19th centuries and monotonous multistorey buildings of the late 19th century.
Interesting buildings (going from the Kremlin, right-hand side.)
(No. 2) is the Church of St. Barbara (from which the street took its name in the 16th century) rebuilt in 1796-1801. A bit behind the church is an interesting white-stone building with narrow, asymmetrical window apertures and a steep wooden roof. This is the Old English Court or, as it is still known, the English Town House, where visiting English merchants and diplomatic envoys used to stay. Its role in Moscow's history dates