One of the oldest streets in Moscow, Varvarka begins near the Church of St. Barbara the Great Martyr. In the past, it formed part of an important road leading to Vladimir, Ryazan, and Kolomna. In 14th-century chronicles, the street was known as Vsekhsvyatskaya, after the Church of All Saints on Kulishki, which is now located on Slavyanskaya Square.
The name Varvarka first appeared in written sources in 1434. In the 17th century, there were attempts to rename the street Znamenskaya and later Bolshaya Pokrovka, but the historical name remained in popular use. In 1933, it was renamed after Stepan Razin, before its original name was restored at the end of the 20th century.
Development along the street began in the 14th century, and several historic buildings have survived to this day. On one side, visitors can see a sequence of former torgovye buildings, including the Middle Trading Rows, a fragment of Gostiny Dvor, the Morozov Trading House, the Varvarka Courtyard, and the Tver Manufactory office.
The opposite side preserves the street's historical and religious character. Near the Church of St. Barbara stands the Old English Court, a rare example of medieval Russian architecture that once hosted English merchants and now houses a museum. Further along are the Church of St. Maximus the Blessed and the Znamensky Monastery complex, which includes a bell tower, the Romanov Boyars' Chambers, and monastic buildings. Lower down the street stands the 17th-century Church of St. George, followed by a group of historic income houses built by Z. M. Persits.