Moscow Orphanage (Moscow)

 Classicism, interesting place, 1760s construction, nonresidential building, object of cultural heritage of federal importance (Russia)

The main building of the Moscow Orphanage, one of the earliest and largest Neoclassical structures, occupying a large portion (379-metre frontage on Moskva River) of Moskvoretskaya Embankment between the Kremlin and Yauza River was a project by Catherine the Great and Ivan Betskoy. This Orphanage was failed by high infant mortality and its aim of social service failed that was aimed at preparing ideal citizen i.e. very high standard of refinement, cultivation, and professional qualifications out of abandoned children. Out of 40,996 children admitted during Catherine II's reign, 35,309 died during their stay there.

This project was proposed by educator Ivan Betskoy and endorsed by Catherine II of Russia on September 1, 1763 with donations by The Empress (100,000 roubles) and big donations, from Prokofy Demidov (200,000 roubles) and Ivan Betskoy (162,995 roubles) including some others.

Maria Feodorovna, wife of Emperor Paul, supervised this national charity from May 1797, remained in charge from 1801, after assassination of her husband and continued upto 1828 i.e. till her death.

Throughout its existence the home received support from private donors plus the Board of Trustees managed the income from two special taxes – one, a tax of public bathhouses, theater and concert performances, and the other, on playing cards. For nearly a century, all playing cards sold in Imperial Russia were taxed 5 kopecks per package on domestic-made cards and 10 kopecks on imports. A tax stamp with the emblem of the Orphanage, a pelican, appeared on every deck. There were additional taxes on river navigation and the sale of ice from cold cellars.

During the Plague of 1771, a foreign doctor, Charles de Mertens was working at the Home. Placing the compound under strict quarantine, he permitted no one to enter the buildings except himself and anyone who showed indications of illness was placed in isolation elsewhere on the grounds.

The institution, headed by retired major general Ivan Tutolmin, was not damaged during Napoleon's occupation of Moscow, despite its proximity to the centre of the Fire of Moscow, which completely destroyed the adjacent districts, including Kitai-gorod and Taganka.

The Moscow Crafts College was established as an orphanage for teenagers in 1830, and continues today as the Bauman Moscow State Technical University.

During Stalin's reconstruction of old Moscow in 1937, several Orphanage buildings facing Bolshoy Ustinsky Bridge were demolished to make way for the new bridge.