Lazarev Institute of Oriental Languages - The Building

The Building

The first stone buildings on the site, eventually incorporated into present-day building, emerged in the last quarter of 17th century as the Miloslavsky residence. In the first half of 18th century they were owned by the Meller family - owners of iron mills in Ural region. Miloslavsky-Meller house is considered to be among the largest private stone buildings of 17th century Moscow.

Lazar Lazaryan, russified as Lazarev, acquired the land near the corner of present-day Krivokolenny and Armyansky lanes in 1758. Between 1758 and 1812 the main house was gradually expanded, notably by Ovakim Lazarev, son of Lazar and founder of the Institute.

Armyansky Lane area was spared by the Fire of 1812. In 1814 Ovakim Lazarev commissioned remodelling of the facade in Empire style. Name of the architect remains unknown; construction was managed by T. G. Prostakov, a free man, and I. M. Podyachy - a serf of Lazarevs. By 1823 the main building acquired its present-day shape; an obelisk in the rear courtyard, raised in 1822, was cast of pig iron produced at Lazarev's iron mills in Perm (later, the obelisk was moved into the front courtyard).

In 1828 Lazarev purchased adjacent building (2, Armyansky Lane) and converted it to an Armenian printshop. This corner lot has been previously owned by Saltykov and Nesvitsky families. New property remained unchanged until 1850s, when Pyotr Grigoriev (son of Afanasy Grigoriev) rebuilt it to match the main building. Subsequent restorations retained the street facades, but removed Grigoriev's finishes on the side wall, revealing 17th century brickwork.