The building of the Central Excise Customs of the Federal Customs Service of Russia
The Federal Customs Service of Russia houses the Central Excise Customs Office in a building located in the heart of historic Moscow, on the quiet but time-worn Yauzskaya Street. This address is now known as the seat of the Central Excise Customs Office, yet few passersby realize that behind its stern façade lie nearly three centuries of history, filled with merchant ambitions, the aromas of confectionery, and architectural transformations. The official presence of the customs service at this site began on May 5, 1997, when the corresponding order of the State Customs Committee was signed. Shortly thereafter, on July 24, 1997, under an agreement governing the use of the property, the Central Excise Customs Office took up occupancy in the building at Yauzskaya Street 8, Building 1. However, the roots of this structure stretch deep into the 18th century, as it forms part of the former city estate of the Sarachevs (Sarychevs) and the Kudryavtsevs, resting on the foundations of ancient chambers. Interestingly, the complex originally consisted of two main buildings: a stately main house and an annex, which is precisely what the customs office occupies today. The estate’s golden age came in the 19th century. Its first distinguished owners were the Sarachevs. Between 1810 and 1850, the proprietor was a merchant from Pokrovskaya Sloboda who later attained noble status, Prokhor Borisovich. Yet the true flourishing and substantial reconstruction of the estate are associated with the name of Semyon Agafonovich Kudryavtsev. This hereditary honorary citizen and merchant not only excelled in the grocery trade but also founded his own confectionery production. In 1880-1882, according to the design of architect Kirpichev, a factory wing was added to the main house, along with living quarters for employees, transforming the aristocratic residence into an industrial enterprise. His son, Alexey Semyonovich, continued the family business, and after his death, management passed to his widow, Ekaterina Pavlovna Kudryavtseva. She was destined to become the last owner of the estate in pre-revolutionary Russia. In 1912, at her initiative, the annex was thoroughly rebuilt and acquired the architectural appearance that we can see today. The renovated building became the profitable tenement house of E.P. Kudryavtseva, providing a steady income. Up until the October Revolution of 1917, this enterprising merchant’s wife and honorary citizen of Moscow preserved the family brand, continuing to produce confectionery under the name “Kudryavtseva E.P., Heiress of Kudryavtsev A.S.” After the advent of Soviet power, the estate, like many private properties, was nationalized. The tenement house lost its aristocratic sheen and was converted into multi-apartment housing for the new class of citizens building the young socialist state. Thus, passing through eras, changing owners and functions, the old annex of the Kudryavtsev estate was transformed into a state institution. Today, when employees of the Central Excise Customs Office enter these doors, they step not just into a workplace, but onto ground imbued with living history, where behind every brick lie the fates of merchants, manufacturers, and architects who shaped the face of old Moscow.
Address: Moscow, Yauzskaya St., 8, building 1.
