Keys to Moscow. How tea helped obtain nobility, what caused the feud between the Capulets and Montagues of old Moscow, where to find a mansion that hides an underwater kingdom

Yana Soroka is a journalist, a graduate of the journalism faculty of Moscow State University named after M. V. Lomonosov, author of the book about ancient mansions "Secret Doors of Moscow" and the historical and architectural blog "You Can’t Google This," which has 85,000 subscribers. What made apothecaries the heroes of a Shakespearean drama? What did the merchant hide in the secret room? Why did the gymnasium student flood the principal's office? And how did baths ruin two marriages? "Keys to Moscow" is a book that opens 16 doors to the most exquisite, mysterious, and unusual houses of the city. Each building is not only an architectural gem of Moscow but also a repository of dangerous secrets, piercing dramas, love, and hopes of former residents. Take a journey into the past. Sitting at the dinner table with Alexei Tolstoy, listen to his stories about Parisian oysters and former luxury. Peek at how Maxim Gorky separates himself with bookshelves from the underwater inhabitants of a modern-style house. Find the mysterious tower hidden in the alleys, visit a tea shop resembling a Chinese box, stroll through the halls of the Treasury, imagining yourself in a treasure cave. The streets of Moscow, filled with stories, will come alive, becoming close and dear. Forward! Explore and fall in love with the capital.