The only place in Moscow where you can get acquainted with the patriarchal life of the aristocracy of the times preceding the era of Peter the Great is the House of Romanov Boyars. The building, a branch of the Historical Museum, is an architectural monument of the 15th century. According to legend, the founder of the royal Romanov dynasty, Mikhail Fedorovich, was born here.
On the territory of the ancient center of Moscow, behind the shopping malls located there, in a place that in ancient times was called Zaryadye, there is the only building preserved from the Romanovâs vast estate.
Historical complex
Today, the historical complex offers tourists to get acquainted with the eleven buildings of the XVI-XVIII centuries, different in their purpose and style. One of the buildings is the Museum of the House of Romanov Boyars. This place is one of the first museums in the capital, which became an architectural monument by order of Alexander II, who ruled the king at that time. The three-story building in Zaryadye (the House of Romanov Boyars) is famous for its unusual architecture.
Stock museum exhibits are represented by ancient weapons and household items of the time. The underground level houses the archaeological museum. Here you can see a real pottery workshop, in which Moscow artisans of the 15th century worked.
Other buildings of the complex
On the territory of the historical architectural ensemble there are churches - cathedrals, a temple and the Old English courtyard, belonging to the most ancient buildings, as well as the House of Romanov Boyars in Moscow. The Church of the Great Martyr Barbara gives the name of the street - Varvarka.
Features of the Museum "House of the Romanov Boyars"
Making a decree on the creation of the museum, the emperor set the task to recreate life and the environment in which his ancestors lived. F.F. Richter, an architect at the court, collecting materials from available sources, was able to bring the idea of ââTsar Alexander to life, and since 1857 the building was designated as a historical monument. After the October Revolution of 1917, the museum was partially reconstructed, and it was called the Museum of the Boyar Life. In 1932 he became a branch of the State Historical Museum. In its original form, the building has not reached our days. The cellar of white stone, built in the 16th century, is perfectly preserved. Currently, the Historical Museum places part of the original museum exhibits in the old chambers, reflecting the culture and lifestyle of Russian boyars of the late XVII century.
Rooms for the boyar family
Territories for living had a clear division. Above the basement level, where the men lived, there were additional rooms - the refectory, the largest and most spacious room. The whole family gathered here to eat. There were guests invited to the feast. On the same floor there was an office of the boyar, a spacious room for elder sons and a large library. Boyar children from 6-7 years old were taught various sciences. They were taught arithmetic, geography and taught, using a goniometer and compass, to draw maps. A compulsory subject was the study of foreign languages, which included Latin.
Women lived on the top floor, made entirely of wood. Such a room was called a tower.
The brightest and most spacious room - the Svetlitsa - had windows on three sides, there were spinning wheels, hoops, a loom and all kinds of materials for needlework. They sewed, spun, embroidered the boyar's daughters along with the servant.
In this atmosphere, a calm and measured life flowed, where wealth and harmony in the family were paramount.
A visit to the Museum of the House of Romanov Boyars is an excursion very popular not only among visitors. Muscovites bring their children here to introduce them to the history of Ancient Russia.
What do the expositions say?
The Museum of the House of Romanov Boyars is not just a place where objects and materials of antiquity are exhibited. It hosts theatrical performances and specially prepared excursions designed for students of different ages. They tell and show the children, using the example of a boyar family, how great and valuable is the well-being of the family, in which everyone has their own role. To create it, you need a house where a woman is a good mistress and guardian of the way, and a man is a servant of the king and the Fatherland. How it was possible to achieve such harmony is presented in the exposition.
Thematic excursion programs
Excursion review "Hello Museum"
During the first visit to the museum in Zaryadye, the Chambers of the Romanov Boys are introduced to such concepts as âmuseum exhibitsâ, ârestoration worksâ, âexpositionsâ when they first visit the museum in Zaryadye. Sophisticated technical solutions that enhance the visual effect, an interesting exhibition never leave this category of visitors indifferent.
Schoolchildren of middle and senior grades (sightseeing tour)
Excursions to the "Chambers of the Romanov Boyars" in Moscow are regularly held. Pupils of grades 5-11 get acquainted with historical and architectural monuments of the XV-XVII centuries. They study the way of life and life of representatives of the Romanov dynasty during the pre-Petrine era. The first underground archaeological museum in the capital, located on the basement level, provides an opportunity to get in touch with the history of Zaryadye and learn more about the estate of the boyars.
For students in grades 8-11 - âThe First Romanovsâ
Pupils will become more familiar with the history of formation and the little-known pages of the Romanov clan. They learn that Mikhail Fedorovich, elected by the Zemsky Sobor to the kingdom, became the ancestor of the new royal dynasty. During the accession to the throne, he was barely 16 years old, but it was from this time that the time of turmoil in Russia came to an end. When visiting this tour, the film âThe First Romanovsâ is shown and visitors get acquainted with the exhibits of the museum. Students also learn more about the feat of Ivan Susanin.
When a museum turns into a theater
Theatrical performances - some organized especially for children, others for adults - allow us to understand the meaning of many expressions that came to us from antiquity.
A special event is also being organized - a theatrical performance at the Museum of the "House of Romanov Boyars" for the New Year. The feedback from numerous visitors allows us to understand that museum workers professionally, with high skill and incredible sincerity cope with the task. It is not so easy to âtransferâ visitors to the days when the representatives of the Romanov dynasty celebrated their favorite holidays to this day, such as Christmas, Christmas, New Year, Maslenitsa. After visiting the museum during the holidays, children remain impressed for a long time. There is a special relation to them. In addition to the days of major holidays, entertaining events are developed for them, and special classes are conducted. But most of all, children like to attend theatrical excursion performances in which the organization and script are thought out to the smallest detail.
New Year and other holidays in the House of Romanov Boyars
Going with children to the House of Boyars for the New Year holidays or Christmas, you need to be prepared for the fact that this is not an educational tour, in the truest sense, but still more entertainment with a historical component.
For foreign tourists
Foreign tourists who visit the museum with amazing enthusiasm are not left without attention. A special extended excursion program is provided for them. During the tour, they are told not only about the history of the formation and centuries-old rule of the Romanov family, but also acquainted with the main historical moments of Russia itself.
In 2008, the Chambers of the Romanov Boyars on Varvarka again acquired the element lost in troubled times, which is the emblem of the Romanov dynasty - the griffin. Stucco made by architect Chernousov on the wall of the house. To reproduce exactly the royal symbol, the descendants of the court architect Richter and Pavel Kulikovsky-Romanov, who belonged to the branch of the last Russian tsar, helped.
The employees of the Museum âHouse of the Romanov Boyarsâ, which is already over 150 years old, were able to create an atmosphere of the pore of the Romanov dynasty that is fascinating and so intriguing to the contemporary.