There is a rumor online that Moscow is "guarded" by sculptures of knights positioned on the facades of several buildings. But it's just a rumor...

It may also have simply been a personal preference of the architects of the time, without any mystical significance. That said, there really are seven knight sculptures that still stand "guarding" buildings in Moscow, with each, interestingly, facing one of the four cardinal directions (east, west, north, south), respectively.

1. North - Shugaeva house

Yulia Ivanko/mos.ru

The apartment building at 2, Sadovaya-Samotechnaya Street was built in 1913-1914 in the Scandinavian Art Nouveau style by architect Vasily Volokitin.

Yulia Ivanko/mos.ru

It belonged to Anna Shugaeva, wife of Sergey Shugaev, a Moscow merchant.

2. East - Epstein house

Igor Ivanko/'Moskva' Agency

This apartment building at 11 Gusyatnikov Lane was designed in 1909 by architect Valentin Dubovsky in the neo-Gothic style. The house also once belonged to a merchant named Maxim Osipovich Epstein.

Igor Ivanko/'Moskva' Agency

The knight on its facade is considered the most "medieval" of all Moscow. It is located at the level of the second floor, which allows for a good view of it.

3. South - Dement house

Anton Kardashov/'Moskva' Agency

This apartment building at 54 Bolshaya Polyanka Street was also built according to the designs of Valentin Dubovsky and on the order of a merchant named Yakov Dement in 1910-1912.

Anton Kardashov/'Moskva' Agency

There were originally two knights, but only one has survived through the years.

4 & 5. West - Reck house

Sigwald (CC BY-SA)

Sigwald (CC BY-SA)

Built according to the designs of Gustav Helrich in 1911, the apartment building of Russian banker Jacob Reck at 13 Prechistenka Street is adorned with two knights.

6 & 7. West - Filatova house

Olga-lisenkova (CC BY-SA)

Olga-lisenkova (CC BY-SA)

The most famous knights in Moscow stand at 35 Arbat Street in front of the 'Anna Filatova' apartment building, also built according to the designs of Valentin Dubovsky in 1913-1914.