По адресу Малая Никитская, дом 28/1 находится один из самых известных домов в Москве (on Malaya Nikitskaya, 28/1 is one of the most famous buildings in Moscow).
The mansion was built at the beginning of the 20th century for a wealthy textile manufacturer. Later, it was the residence of Lavrenty Beria (1899–1953), the head of the secret police (NKVD) under Stalin, who lived in this house from the late 1930s until 1953.
Today, the building belongs to the Embassy of Tunisia.
It is said that если вы придёте ночью на перекрёсток в районе Патриарших прудов и вам повезёт, то, постояв несколько минут в тишине (if you come at night to the crossroads on Vspolny lane near Patriarch's Ponds and if you're lucky, within few minutes in the silent street) - you can hear only the distant noise of cars from Sadovaya-Kudrinskaya Street - you will soon hear the sound of an approaching car.
However if you look around you, you won't see any car. Звук двигателя автомобиля постепенно становится всё ближе (the sound of the engine is gradually getting closer), but you still can't see anything. You can feel it coming so near that you will probably step aside to move away from the street.
The car suddenly stops in front of the mansion. Someone opens the doors, and you can hear people getting out and exchanging indistinct words. Then the doors close again, and the sound of the car slowly fades away.
Some people swear they have heard it all; others simply laugh at the story. As for me, I am not trying to convince you of anything - but if you ever find yourself in Moscow and have some spare time, this mansion is well worth a visit.
Елена Коновалова
