At first glance, the secretaries general of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union were ordinary people, no different from their fellow citizens. They also devotedly devoted themselves to a common cause - the building of communism, after which they needed a good rest. It is advisable that the weekend be spent in a pleasant and well-equipped area with a good climate and excellent service. Such were the numerous dachas of Brezhnev Leonid Ilyich, the owner of the Kremlin from 1966 to 1982.
Where did the general secretaries rest
All heads of state loved to spend their holidays in comfortable and safe places. In order to provide the leaders with maximum comfort, special departmental cottages were built, equipped with the latest technology. Each state leader had a lot of such country residences, in almost every corner of the vast Motherland. Many of them inherited to the successor.
JV Stalin rested in different regions of the USSR. But the most beloved country house of the leader of all peoples was the estate in Kuntsevo, which was then considered to be the Moscow Region. The Volyn cottage, namely the so-called residence, was built as a one-story house without special frills. But Stalin's paranoia led to the fact that over time, the estate was equipped with a bomb shelter and an enhanced security system. It is noteworthy that in the country there was no dictator's office. Here, Stalin preferred exclusively to relax and be distracted from state affairs. At the Volyn cottage, the leader spent his last days, where he died in 1953.
Stalin's successor N. S. Khrushchev loved luxury. And unlike his predecessor, he believed that the cottage is not just a place to relax. Here, in a relaxed atmosphere, many political issues can be resolved. The most popular was the cottage in Pitsunda. Brezhnev eventually fell in love with this residence.
Khrushchev's craving for luxury led to the fact that the buildings were equipped with lush columns and balconies, and the interior was replenished with luxurious furniture. Unlike the ascetic taste of Stalin, Nikita Sergeyevich did not shy away from brightness and splendor.
The favorite summer residence of L. I. Brezhnev was the Crimean "Wisteria" in Lower Oreanda. Subsequently, the second president of Russia, V.V. Putin, began to rest on it.
The last Secretary General of the USSR M. S. Gorbachev preferred to rest on the southern coast of Crimea, in the estate "Zarya". The summer cottage was built in the forest and was controlled by protection from water and air. No living soul could come close to the building. The residence was equipped with a helipad, an escalator to the sea, a sauna, a modern cinema, as well as a court and a billiard room. Like all his predecessors, the last secretary general liked to relax in comfort and convenience.
Crimean cottages of party leaders of the USSR
In total, there were 11 state residences on the fertile peninsula:
- State building No. 1 was the estate “Glinitsia”, built for N. S. Khrushchev. The estate, which was inherited by L. I. Brezhnev, subsequently became the Secretary General’s favorite vacation spot.
- State building No. 3 was built in Malaya Sosnovka specially by order of I.V. Stalin. Like all the main country residences, the estate was painted green to mask. Over time, the cottage "Tent" was completed by Brezhnev.
- In state building No. 6 on the southern coast of Crimea, in the village of Oliva, the general secretaries received honored guests.
- State delivery No. 11 “Foros” has a sad history. It was here that, during the August coup in 1991, the last general secretary of the USSR was held. M.S. Gorbachev. In addition, "Dawn" was the last summer house in the history of the suburban residences of Soviet leaders.
L. I. Brezhnev and Crimea: favorite places
Leonid Ilyich first visited the peninsula during the Great Patriotic War. The future secretary general took part in the Kerch-Eltigen landing operation. He was so fond of the comfortable climate that since 1963 he began to rest regularly on the Black Sea coast. Sometimes the secretary general spent 1.5-2 months in the Crimea.
In addition to the main state dacha in the Crimea, Brezhnev also visited the sovereign residence No. 7 on Chair. He also stayed in Malaya Sosnovka - the former summer residence of Stalin, which the Secretary General remade in his own way.
State delivery of Brezhnev in the Crimea: beloved "Wisteria"
The sovereign residence number one was built in 1955 specifically for Nikita Khrushchev. Subsequently, the cottage "Glinicia" became Brezhnev's favorite vacation spot. In Crimea, the cottage passed over time into the possession of the successor of Leonid Ilyich Yu. V. Andropov.
The estate initially had 14 rooms, as well as a main dining room, a fireplace room, a banquet room and a spacious loggia on the second floor. Nikita Sergeevich was forced to go down to the sea to sunbathe. With Brezhnev’s ownership, a convenient indoor heated pool, as well as tennis courts and a gym, appeared on the territory of Glinitsia.
State delivery number two: the rest of the Latvian Secretary General
Brezhnev’s summer house number two is the Baltic Breeze Cottage in Jurmala, Latvia. From the very beginning, the construction was conceived as a resting place for the party leaders of the USSR. In the “Baltic Breeze” they tried to preserve everything as it was during the life of the Secretary General. Even the leader’s personal office has been preserved. From here Brezhnev could lead the country, not looking up from the rest.
However, the cottage in Jurmala did not receive the attention of the Secretary General too often. Leonid Ilyich liked the mild Crimean climate more. Nevertheless, the cottage is still called Brezhnev and is the most visited attraction of Jurmala.
The fascinating nature of Abkhazia
The subtropical climate of the Black Sea coast of the Caucasus has always attracted those wishing to relax with comfort and colorful impressions. The nature of Abkhazia is vibrant and diverse. Mountain peaks, rough rivers, open spaces of the Black Sea and plentiful vegetation make the area look like a fairy tale. The hot air temperature is easily tolerated by vacationers due to the low humidity level. However, sudden changes sometimes occur: warm weather is suddenly replaced by a gale of wind with heavy rain.
It is not surprising that in Abkhazia the leaders of the Soviet Union also liked to rest. Only Stalin owned five suburban residences in a picturesque area. But the most famous estate is Brezhnev's cottage in Abkhazia. Built around a spruce and fir forest, it was a place where, it seems, the air itself heals. The colorful mountain landscapes fascinate, and wild animals wandering in the forests evoke thoughts of good hunting.
Abkhazian holiday home of the Secretary General
The cottage of L. I. Brezhnev is located in Pitsunda, on the shore of Lake Ritsa. Actually, the estate was transformed from two departmental summer residences of the predecessors of the Secretary General. Stalin’s beloved summer cottage was connected with Khrushchev’s apartments nearby. The gallery created two state buildings into a single suburban complex.
It is noteworthy that the building looks like a ship (when viewed from above). Such an idea was carried out by the personal architect of the Generalissimo Miron Merzhanov under the personal order of Stalin. As in all other country estates, there was no office in the country: the main man of the country preferred to be distracted from state affairs on vacation. For greater comfort, the interior of the building completely resembled the leader’s Kremlin apartment. The construction was accompanied by a sad story. Due to the extreme secrecy of the facility, all builders were subsequently shot. A barbed wire was pulled along the entire perimeter of state delivery, and about 300 people entered the security system. Not far from the main building were houses for servants and guards. During the reign of Khrushchev and Brezhnev at the Abkhazian cottage, various meetings were held with leaders of other countries, where important foreign policy issues could be resolved in a relaxed atmosphere. A photo of Brezhnev’s dacha captures many such moments.
Native Moscow Region: State Secretary General in Zarechye
A country residence near the capital was allocated to Leonid Brezhnev in 1960 after his appointment as chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR. A wooden building with a small cozy study has become one of the Secretary General’s favorite vacation spots. Brezhnev’s summer residence “Zarechye-6” (photo see below) was subsequently reconstructed.
The Secretary General was especially pleased with the landscape of the area. There were a lot of game in the forests of Zarechye, and Leonid Ilyich with pleasure spent his free time hunting.
It is noteworthy that during the movement of the leader from the dacha to the Kremlin, the Skolkovskoye and Mozhayskoye Shosse and Kutuzovsky Prospekt were blocked. Thus, the security took care of the security of the main person of the country. After the death of the Secretary General, the cottage was still at the disposal of Brezhnev’s relatives for some time. And only in 1991 the estate passed into the use of Moscow Mayor Gavriil Popov, who privatized the building and sold it. Today Brezhnev's cottage in the district is completely destroyed.
Country entertainments of Brezhnev
As you know, the secretary general loved hunting. Only on it, he could completely relax and escape from worries. As a result, Leonid Ilyich owned a large collection of hunting weapons. All his friends knew about the leader’s addiction and, trying to please him, on occasion gave him good imported guns. The shooter Brezhnev was excellent. The Secretary General won his best trophies by hunting in the forests around the Zavidovo cottage.
Guests were often invited to hunt, mainly the leaders of foreign countries. Wanting to amaze the interlocutors, Brezhnev could spend hours telling stories about hunting. However, the Secretary General’s trophies spoke for themselves. For a long life, Leonid Ilyich managed to hunt for waterfowl, and for large boars, and bears. All carcasses were carefully transported to a personal sausage-smoking shop, where they were processed into a variety of goodies.
The cottage of L. I. Brezhnev on the Dnieper
The secretary general also owned suburban buildings on which the leader had never been. Such was the cottage in Kamensky, on the Dnieper. The estate was set up in case of Brezhnev's sudden arrival in his small homeland. On the territory of about a hectare there is a cottage with several bedrooms, a dining room, a living room and a winter garden. The residence is complemented by a tennis court and a boat for receiving guests.
Although Leonid Ilyich himself never once visited the cottage, close relatives of the leader rested with pleasure on it.
The last refuge of the Secretary General: Brezhnev's cottage in Zavidovo
The main hunting ground of the Secretary General was a manor in the suburbs. Brezhnev loved Zavidovo very much and rested there with his family - his wife Victoria and grandchildren. The estate was very luxurious. Finished with granite and marble, the main building was complemented by a pine-timber tower and a hotel with 12 guest rooms. There was also a cinema hall and a billiard room.
The “royal” hunt was served by an entire army of 463 soldiers. The killed game was transported to the village of Kozlovo, where in a special sausage-smoking factory it was processed into sausages and stew. Not a single guest left Zavidovo without rich gifts.
Famous land and fishing. Noble carps, pike, perches and grass carp were caught in Lake Boykovo. The fish was also processed and served as personal presentations to the Secretary General.
The cottage in Zavidovo was the last refuge of the Secretary General. On November 10, 1982, he died in a dream from a blood clot.
The role of the state dacha in the foreign policy of the USSR
In the summer residences, the country's leaders not only rested, but also worked. In almost every country house, a convenient general secretary’s office was equipped, equipped with the latest technology.
It is known that Stalin preferred to rest in country estates, rather than engage in public affairs. But starting with Khrushchev, foreign guests began to be invited to the dachas in order to diversify their stay in the Soviet Union and to resolve important foreign policy issues.
Such a meeting place was, first of all, the state dacha in Brezhnev Crimea. The photo captured his many meetings with the leaders of foreign countries. The Yugoslav leader Josip Broz Tito and Fidel Castro, as well as the President of Finland Urho Kekkonen and the German politician Erich Honecker , visited Wisteria at different times . Such meetings, as a rule, were not inconclusive.
The cottage in Zavidovo was also visited by foreigners. In the spring of 1974, US Secretary of State Henry Kessinger came to the area. For hunting, an important guest was allocated ammunition (hat, padded jacket, boots), in which the unlucky hunter looked rather comical. As a result, the negotiations were held in a fun and relaxed atmosphere.
State deliveries today: further destinies of suburban residences of the powerful
In our time, almost all the summer residences of the general secretaries have been preserved. Many of them were inherited by the current rulers. This happened with Brezhnev's cottage in Pitsunda. She is now occupied by the President of Abkhazia.
Crimean "Glinitsia" has become a boarding house with the same name. Today you can easily get to the place where Brezhnev's cottage is located in the Crimea.
In the hunting grounds in Zavidovo today is the main residence for negotiations and recreation of the rulers of the Russian Federation with distinguished foreign guests.
Brezhnev's Ukrainian dacha passed into the private ownership of a local enterprise and turned into a sanatorium for employees.