In 2015, after renovation, the historic building at 5 Teatralny Proezd, Building 1, Moscow, was reopened. Since 1957, it housed the famous toy store "Detsky Mir," the first and only brand in the USSR for children's toy production. During the era of shortages, it was the place where everything could be found, although one had to endure long lines. Stores of this network were located in all major cities of the country and were recognizable to any Soviet, and later, Russian resident.
The store in the building on Lubyanka was the largest children's store in the Soviet Union and the first structure built to global standards. It was here that the first escalator in Moscow, located in a public building, appeared. It's also worth noting that "Detsky Mir" housed vending machines, which were not very common in the USSR. These machines offered various small items for children: notebooks, pencils, etc.
"Detsky Mir" was built on the site of the old trading building "Lubyansky Passage" and occupies an entire block directly above the "Lubyanka" metro station (until 1990 – "Dzerzhinskaya"). The construction of the department store was overseen by Anastas Mikoyan, the Minister of Trade of the USSR. At the start of the store's construction, he said:
The building on Lubyanka Square was privatized in 1992. In the 1990s, according to Muscovites' recollections, it housed organizations that had little to do with children: a car showroom, an online store, a bank.
In 2008, "Detsky Mir" was closed for reconstruction and was inaccessible for seven years. The renovation was completed on March 31, 2015. Muscovites had mixed reactions to the building after the renovation: some claimed that the renovation changed "Detsky Mir" beyond recognition, stripping the interiors of the nostalgia for carefree childhood. Others believe that the development company is keeping up with the times. Incidentally, the name "Detsky Mir" was replaced with "Central Children's Store on Lubyanka."
We won't delve into the debate about the changes that have occurred in "Detsky Mir" over the past years; instead, let's focus on a new part of the building that appeared after the renovation – the observation deck. It is located on the roof of the building and can be accessed from the 6th floor. Here’s a tip: if you want to reach the observation deck and the outside temperature is above 20 degrees, take the escalator. The elevator is crowded, stops on almost every floor, and the ventilation is poor. On the sixth floor of the department store, there is a food court, which is usually less crowded than, for example, in "Okhotny Ryad."
The deck offers beautiful views of the historic part of the city – the building on Kotelnicheskaya Embankment, the Kremlin, the main building of Moscow State University, and the "Moscow" hotel.
How to Get There
The deck is open daily from 10:00 AM to 10:00 PM. The best part: entry to the observation deck is free. You can get to "Detsky Mir" by reaching the nearby "Lubyanka" station, or take a walk from the central stations "Kuznetsky Most," "Okhotny Ryad," "Kitay-Gorod," "Ploshchad Revolyutsii," "Teatralnaya." The walk takes 5-10 minutes depending on the station you choose.
