Near Moscow, the most beautiful estates of Zakharovo and Vyazema are located, which symbolize the freedom and enslavement of the Russian people, personify a model of a real Russian village. Today, on the territory of both estates is located the State Historical and Literary Museum-Reserve A.S. Pushkin.
Picturesque edges
Rich nature, magnificent fields and fields, free wind stroking the tops of perennial trees, village dances with songs and dances, embodying all the charm and adherence of the Russian soul - these were the first to see these estates as a little shy boy with naughty curly hair. It was at the beginning of the 19th century, when the village of Zakharovo (the museum-reserve today) with serfs in the amount of 73 souls was sold to the heiress of the old boyar family Maria Alekseevna Hannibal. She and her family, together with little Sasha Pushkin, lived here in the summer months, beginning in May 1805.
The poet was very fond of visiting the estate not only with his family; in moments of mental anguish he came to the shore of the lake, along the banks of which lindens grew. Fresh air, space and a sense of inner freedom forever changed the look and character of Alexander Sergeyevich. In his works there are so many epithets and comparisons, colorful descriptions of Russian nature and the life of peasants, that it seems as if these feelings came to him with his birth. A special atmosphere is filled with Zakharovo. The Pushkin Reserve near Moscow is in demand among everyone who loves Russia and the poet’s work.
Unlimited sources of inspiration
The future poet lacked the attention of his parents, but his grandmother M.A. Hannibal tried to put all the impressions and perceptions of Russian life into the soul of her brilliant grandson. For the first time, little Pushkin adopted the fullness and colorfulness of his tongue from his grandmother, whose life and stories were full of adventures and wanderings. After listening to stories about Ibrahim Hannibal, the husband of Maria Alekseevna, Alexander subsequently embodied his image in the unfinished work “The Arap of Peter the Great”. The poet enjoyed spending time in Zakharovo. The Museum-Reserve is a piece of Russia that Pushkin loved so much.
Another source of inspiration was the unforgettable Arina Rodionovna - the poet’s nanny, who, having received her freedom, did not want to leave her family and continued to babysit the remaining children until her death in 1828. Little Sasha’s acquaintance with the world of folk epics and sayings, songs and sayings came precisely thanks to the nanny. She never stopped pouring proverbs and jokes for a minute, and the young poet Pushkin listened to her speeches with such reverence that he seemed to want to absorb all her knowledge to the end. If you want to touch the past of the poet, then you should come to the Pushkin Museum-Reserve (Zakharovo).
Initial works
The period of the first verses also belongs to the time when the Pushkin family began to spend a lot of time outdoors in Zakharovo. Not far from the estate were located Big Vyazemy, where on Sundays the inhabitants of the estate went to Mass. There Alexander Sergeevich saw with his own eyes the ruins of the Godunov estate. In his work Boris Godunov, he easily embodied these memories.
The birch grove, which came close to the estate, especially struck the heart of the young poet. He even asked to be buried among these magnificent trees after death. A wide alley led from the house to the pond. Not so long ago, a wooden gazebo was restored and recreated on the shore . A monument to Alexander Pushkin, who loved to sit on a bench under a large linden tree, now stands at the pond.
Neglected places of carefree childhood
When in 1811, Alexander went to study at one of the lyceums in St. Petersburg, his grandmother sold Zakharovo (the museum-reserve today) to her sister. Then the estate changed owners several times. A.S. Pushkin was here for the last time before his marriage in 1831. After wandering around the places of his childhood, he noticed that now everything is wrong and everything is wrong, everyone has broken, everything is overgrown.
At the end of the 19th century, the old house in Zakharovo was dismantled, and a new one was built in its place. So the new building stood until the fire in 1993, then the house completely burned down. There is no trace left of Pushkin's estate Zakharovo, except for old trees, which keep the secrets of those bright days. Here is such a brief history of the Pushkin Museum-Reserve. The guides are happy to tell her visitors, and the guests of this area are listening with interest to how the Russian poet grew up.
Museum
Since 1976, evenings and holidays dedicated to the memory of the poet have been held in Zakharovo. And in 1999, on the occasion of the two hundredth anniversary of the birth of Alexander Pushkin, the old house of Maria Hannibal was restored, where the museum is now located. Everyone who comes to these memorable places can enjoy the clean air that the great poet once breathed, and the mute statues, witnesses to the flourishing and formation of the poetic talent of the unforgettable son of the Russian land - Alexander Sergeyevich Pushkin.
Be sure to visit the restored Zakharovo estate. The Museum-Reserve welcomes guests every day until 5 p.m., the ticket price is from 15 rubles to 150 rubles.