The heroes of Dostoevsky, Tolstov and Turgenev often went "to the waters." Russian aristocrats could also improve their health in the Caucasus. However, it was unsafe. European cities such as Wiesbaden (Germany) were more suitable for recreation and treatment. The sights of the resort, so beloved by Russian writers, are described in the article.
History
Ancient authors wrote about the territory occupied by Wiesbaden. Pliny the Elder mentioned hot springs in one of his works, calling them Aquae Mattiacorum. An interesting story has Wiesbaden. Attractions that attract tourists, however, are mainly from the 19th century. Whereas the modern name of the city, according to historical sources, appeared at the beginning of the ninth century.
The thing is that in the early Middle Ages the city was repeatedly captured, set on fire, destroyed. In the 16th century it became the Protestant city of Wiesbaden. Sights, which are historical monuments of the Middle Ages, have not survived to this day. Fires in the mid-sixteenth century destroyed most of the buildings.
Population
The heyday of the city came at the beginning of the XIX century. After World War II, the state of Hesse was organized. Its capital was Wiesbaden. The sights of the center of Russian intelligentsia of the 19th century are of considerable interest from a historical point of view. But before proceeding with their description, a few words should be said about the population of this ancient German city.
In the sixteenth century, no more than two hundred people lived here. The number of inhabitants gradually increased. By the middle of the XIX century. the population was 11 thousand people. According to 2005 data, the number of Wiesbaden residents in recent years exceeds 250 thousand.
Dostoevsky Casino
Wiesbaden is the most Russian of German cities. Famous artists, writers and musicians rested here. The resort town has been visited by Dostoevsky more than once. They say that it’s not worth starting novels here - they need to be written. Such peacefulness is filled with picturesque landscapes of Wiesbaden. The sights of this city are Palace Square, Marktkirche Church, Neroberg Mountain. However, Fedor Dostoevsky did not write novels here. In Wiesbaden, the great classic indulged in addiction, namely he played.
In fairness, it is worth recalling that it was thanks to the famous Wiesbaden casino that Fyodor Mikhailovich wrote a wonderful piece called The Player. It should also be said that it was here that the writer got rid of his dependence. In 1866, the novel was completed. Five years later, its author made the last bid. This happened in one of the halls of the Wiesbaden casino, which was later named after a Russian writer.
Church of St. Elizabeth
How do Russian tourists start exploring Wiesbaden? The sights of the German city are amazing. The German spirit here is strangely intertwined with Russian culture. After all, the most outstanding monument of architecture and architecture in the Protestant center is the Russian temple. His story is shrouded in legends.
The Church of St. Elizabeth was founded in honor of Elizabeth Mikhailovna - the wife of the Duke of Nausa. Of course, it is better to personally see the sights of Wiesbaden. Reviews of tourists from Russia about this city are restrained and cold. It is so pleasant to visit a city far from the homeland and to hear from the guides a fascinating story directly related to the history of the Russian Empire. Below is one of the romantic stories that are so interesting to hear from the lips of storytellers and guides.
Duchess of Nausa
The wedding of the Duke and niece of the Russian Emperor Nicholas I took place in 1844. But they met much earlier. Elizabeth and her future husband loved each other since childhood. The young duchess lived in Wiesbaden for only a year. But during this time, local residents fell in love with the Russian aristocrat.
It was a love marriage. But to live happily ever after Elizabeth and the Duke did not happen. A year after the wedding, the young wife died during childbirth. The daughter of the duke did not survive. The death of Elizabeth was a heavy blow for both St. Petersburg and Wiesbaden (Germany).
Photos of the sights are posted in the article, but you should pay special attention to the image of the temple. It is located on Mount Neroberg. Tourists visiting the temple, built in honor of the deceased young duchess, have an amazing view of Wiesbaden. Gogol himself once left reviews of the sights of this city. And especially the author of “Dead Souls” conquered the church of St. Elizabeth. True, the writer only watched the construction process, which lasted eight years. But nevertheless, in one of his letters to friends, he called the future temple "a star that will light up on the horizon of Christianity."
The hot springs
As already mentioned, even the ancient Romans knew about the existence of the thermal springs on which Wiesbaden stands. Sightseeing in 1 day is impossible to see here. The medieval streets along which Bismarck, Dostoevsky, Tchaikovsky and Turgenev once walked are worthy of special attention. Indeed, one of them has a hot spring. Right on the street. Water temperature - 70 degrees.
The healing properties of local sources in the nineteenth century were known throughout Europe. In vain, about 250 thousand tourists came here annually, most of which were holidaymakers from Russia. Here it was possible to recover from tuberculosis and rheumatism, from diseases of the nervous system or commonplace depression, from which representatives of the nobility so often suffered.
The Second World War
The fate of Dresden and Hamburg did not overtake this town. Picturesque Wiesbaden, fortunately, survived during the Second World War. The fact is that the Americans settled here. And they liked the small cozy city so much that they stayed here. It was Eisenhower who organized the state of Hesse, the capital of which is Wiesbaden.
Villa Pushkin
Wiesbaden is a cozy green city. There are many parks, lakes and ponds. Each tree is numbered and is strictly registered. Villas give a unique chic to the city. One of them is named after the Russian writer and poet A.S. Pushkin. Here is another romantic story of those who bring enthusiastic tourists from Russia home.
It turns out that Wiesbaden is closely connected with the Pushkin family. When the poet’s youngest daughter turned sixteen, she passionately fell in love with the young Count Orlov. But the father - the head of the Third Division - was against the marriage of his son to the poet's daughter with a dubious reputation. In addition, by this time Pushkin had already been killed by Dantes in a duel, which, according to the mores prevailing in Russian society of the 19th century, also did not speak in favor of the relatives of the deceased. Orlov Sr. sent his offspring abroad. Natalie Pushkina, being a quick-tempered nature, gave the vow to marry the first who will make her an offer. They became an elderly nobleman.
There was no happiness in the family. And therefore, when Natalie met Nikolai Wilhelm of Nausky and fell in love with him, she left her disgusted husband. The duke married a divorced woman, moreover, with three children. An unprecedented event for those times! Natalie Pushkina gave birth to her second husband two daughters and a son. She lived in Wiesbaden for a happy forty years.
Having been in Wiesbaden, according to tourists' reviews, you should also visit the Eberbach Monastery, located in the romantic Rhine Valley, and, of course, the Palace Square and the Lechtweiss Cave.