Peter Knoch is one of the co-founders of the Club of German Engineers and Architects (KdAI) in Moscow and has been living and working in the Russian capital for several years. There is something exotic and at the same time sober in the fact that it is not a native Muscovite, but a German architect, who introduces the architecture of Moscow: the look of a professional, free from urban everyday life, snatches genuine masterpieces from the abundance of the capital's buildings, sometimes not obvious to everyone. Knoch undoubtedly created his atlas for architectural gourmets. It is not suitable for light and superficial reading: the book needs to be studied, and then slowly wander around and find the buildings published in it in a living city. For the author, this is a fascinating process: “Moscow seems more inaccessible than it really is. She hides herself under a shell and at first can repulse, "- admits Knoch and draws a parallel between the city and its inhabitants:" just like the people themselves, who behave in public places, almost repulsive, but in their personal space, on the contrary, they are open and sincerely. " The city is in no hurry to demonstrate its masterpieces - it takes a lot of effort to see them - this is the main leitmotif of Knoch's story.
It is quite difficult to understand this guide right away - as well as, however, how to navigate the history of a real city with its centuries-old strata. The book covers the broadest temporal and spatial context of architectural monuments - from the first stone churches to the objects of the elite Ostozhenka, from the Kremlin to the very outskirts, including the territory of Sokolniki and VVTs. The lion's share of information is contained in maps, which occupy an equal position in the book, along with photographs and annotations to objects traditional for this genre. The illustrative basis was made up of 25 masterpieces arranged in chronological order. The choice of Peter Knoch in this case is clearly not a tourist, but a professional one, especially in terms of the legacy of the 20th century. Among them were, for example, the building of the Izvestia publishing house and the Openwork House on Leningradka, the buildings of ITAR TASS and INION. Among the most modern objects, Knoch chose the Golden Mile, including the Medny House and apartments in Molochny Pereulok in the guide, as well as the Federation Tower and the White Square complex.
On the reverse side of each of the 25 objects there are fragments of a map of Moscow with numerous monuments of different eras and styles indicated on them. However, one should not look for the one on the back - the maps are presented, rather, as "preparations for the future", manuals for especially curious tourists who are ready to make their own discoveries. But the catalog at the end of the book will help to determine the route to the desired building: all buildings marked on the map are numbered in chronology and are given there with addresses, an indication of the architect and the year of construction. For convenience, all rooms are also sorted using a color corresponding to a specific historical period.
The guide is supplemented by alphabetical indexes of buildings and architects. In general, Peter Knoch tried to put into his book all possible information collected for easy navigation around the city, even a person who is not familiar with architecture, who, after reading the guide, will get an idea of the real state of affairs in this area. The true architectural values of Moscow, obtained in such a difficult way, promise to reward the meticulous researcher: “Moscow is not at all what it seems at first glance - more diverse, more modern, more open, more liberated, with a more valuable life position,” the author promises to his readers.
