Meshchansky District

It houses headquarters of Federal Security Service in Lubyanka Square, Central Bank of the Russian Federation, FAPSI and other government agencies as well as the Sretensky Monastery and the Sretensky Theological Academy.

Meschansky District acquired its name earlier, in the second half of 17th century, through the Ukrainians and Belarusians abducted from their hometowns in the course of Russo-Polish War (1654–1667).

These people settled north from present-day Garden Ring, reaching 692 households by 1682 (Sytin, p. 296).

In their languages, meshchane meant simply "town people", "the locals", without negative connotation; the name of Meshchanskaya sloboda persists to date.

Symbols on the coat of arms denote: North from Garden Ring: four historical buildings in a row are divided between Meshchansky and Maryina Roshcha District