Moscow is rapidly changing its face. More and more historical buildings are being reconstructing and renovating for business purposes: Voentorg, Moscow Hotel, Manezh, etc. With this process the city is loosing its 850-year old spirit.

Some enthusiasts have created a web-site called "Moskva, kotoroy net" or "Moscow that is no more". It contains a fine collection of photos of what is now gone and encourages us to preserve the rest of the buildings.



However, there some places where you can feel real Moscow. I'm lucky that my academy is located in such a place. In this semester I study on Nastasyinskiy Lane just off Pushkinskaya Square, in the very city center.

Next to our building is State Treasury designed by B. Nilus and V. Pokrovsky in 1913. Due to its unique architecture and turquoise colour, it looks like decoration for a Russian fairy tale.



Now the Banks of Russia keeps its cash reserves in this building. Therefore, there are fences with barbed wire and armed soldiers walking here and there in front of our window. Our girls wave to them at breaks, which makes them smile.