Legends. Neglinka, its history and rumors

Neglinnaya, or, as the people say, Neglinka, originated from the Pashensky swamp, which was located in Maryina Grove. It passes through the central streets of the capital: Novosushchevskaya Street to Tsvetnoy Boulevard, past Trubnaya Square along Neglinnaya Street, through Theater Square to Alexander Garden and along the Kremlin Wall to the Moskva River. The Neglinka flows into the Moscow River at Borovitsky Gate. It has several tributaries, the largest of which is the Naprudnaya River.

There are several versions of the origin of the name of the river. Someone believes that the name comes from the absence of clay: Neglinka – no clay. Someone expresses the opinion that she got her name because of her bottom. Neglinnaya – neglinna – neglinna. And “glime” means “depth”.

Up until the 19th century. Neglinka was used as a natural “farm” for growing fish. Merchants bought a license for this activity from the Moscow authorities. In winter, ice from the Neglinka was transported throughout Moscow and used to store food. The purity of the water was monitored by a special police department: Muscovites were forbidden to wash clothes and wash horses in this water.

Numerous disasters are also associated with the river: it is the Neglinka that is “responsible” for large-scale Moscow floods of the 16th-19th centuries.

Over time, the banks of the river were actively built up, and the river itself became clogged and shallow. The quality of the water in it deteriorated and the Neglinka became almost an urban sewer ditch.

This Moscow river is associated with many secrets and rumors that have grown into legends.

One of them is the legend about Stepan Shishkovsky, the leader of a secret expedition under Catherine II. Shishkovsky often personally interrogated the accused with prejudice. According to some reports, more than two thousand people died after his interrogations. The people complained that Stepan dumped the bodies of his victims into the river.

Another rumor is related to the Bloody Lady.

On the site of the modern “Children’s World” was the estate of Daria Saltykova or, as the people called her, Saltychikha. The lady was rich, she owned about 1200 peasants, excluding children. She became famous for her sadistic inclinations towards the serfs. Only Empress Catherine II was able to stop her brutal murders.

Until that moment, the Bloody Lady believed in the magical powers of the Neglinka, so every day she went down to its banks and washed herself with its waters, Daria believed that this water would help her become beautiful.

In 1817, work began on “bricking up” Neglinka underground, in 1819 they were completed. Despite the quality of the collector, the river from time to time got out, flooding the surrounding areas. The causes of flooding were showers, floods and clogged pipes.

In 1860, the collector was lengthened by one kilometer, and in 1970 Neglinka was almost completely hidden from the eyes of Moscow residents. The river has become a kind of ghost attraction, a legend among diggers, lovers of history and archeology.

Extreme lovers have the opportunity to go down as part of the excursion and see Neglinka live. There is also an imitation of the fabulous Neglinka at the gates of the Kremlin.

Olga Bakhareva.

Author’s photo