Territory of the former Moscow regional Prison (Moscow)

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Tagansky prison or simply "Taganka" was built in 1804 by the decree of Emperor Alexander I. It was a suburb of Moscow of that time, near to the Tagansky area (from which has received the name)and also near the NovoSpassky monastery.

Originally it served as a prison work-house (analogue of present training schools) for criminal prisoners. At prison numerous workshops operated: tailor's, turning, binding, metalwork. Also there was a printing house.

By end of the 19th century the prison began to contain the political prisoners whose numbers greated increased after the October 1917 revolution. In the 20th century the prison began to function primarily as a transit facilty.

In different years in Tagansky prison contained: Savva Morozov, Pavel Florensky, Leonid Andreev, Nikolay Bauman, Leonid Krasin, Anatoly Lunacharsky, Michael Osorgin. In 1920 there were 1200 prisoners within the prison and by 1940th year their number had increased to 4120 persons.

In a prison courtyard in August, 1946 the former general Vlasov and some colleagues were executed by hanging. In its last years the prison carried the official name: Central Tagansky transit prison of the Eighth management of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the USSR.

In 1958 most of the prison was blown up, and in its place were constructed several five-story house. One of the prison buildingsremained and now houses offices.

The Tagansky prison has left a trace, both in works of art, and in national and criminal folklore. The song of "Taganka" is devoted it. In Tagansky prison in 1922 hero Ilfa and Petrov Ostap Bender (and also its real prototype) sat. While a prisoner at Taganki L. Radinym had been wrote a revolutionary song «Dared, companions, in a foot!», and known adventurer V.F.Trahtenbergom created in prison the first and the fullest «the Dictionary of thieves' speech». The prison's demolition it is mentioned in Vladimir Vysotsky's song «Hey, the driver, carry Butyrsky farm» (… have broken old Taganku).