One philosopher, whose name history has not preserved, said that buildings are somewhat similar to people. They, too, are born, live brightly and richly, then they age and die. These words can be fully attributed to the estate of Ostashevo (in some sources it is called Ostashevo). Once one of the most prestigious and famous in the suburbs, now it is quite suitable for filming horror films, where the shadows of forgotten ancestors silently wander among the surviving ruins and peep out from the empty eye sockets of rickety window openings. The estate of Ostashevo has a particularly gloomy look in late autumn, when a wind howls over the dying remains of buildings, tangled in the bare branches of centuries-old trees, and the legs of a traveler accidentally wandered here mingle in impassable mud.
An unsightly picture comes to life only in the spring. Trees are covered with delicate greenery, dandelions bloom in the grass, thousands of bird trills stun the area. If you do not pay attention to the ruins, and look only at the surviving tower of the horse yard, it seems that everything is here, as before.
We suggest you take a virtual tour in time and look at the estate at different periods of its existence.
Location, how to get there
The village of Ostashevo, which gave the name to the estate, is located just 21 km from Volokolamsk, located north-west from Moscow. From the capital to this beautiful old city 98 km. From Riga station in Moscow to Volokolamsk, the train takes about 2 hours. You can get there by bus, which leaves from the metro Tushinskaya. Travel time is also about two hours. A shuttle bus runs from Volokolamsk to the village. He stops near the Magnit supermarket. Then you need to walk. The landmark is a monument to the partisans.
The estate can be found at: s. Ostashevo, Microdistrict 1. It is very close (literally a couple of tens of meters) from the Ruza reservoir. Nearby is Dokuchaeva Street. On it you can reach the linden alley.
Start
The village of Ostashevo has its own interesting history. It was founded on the banks of the river Ruza (mentioned in the chronicles of hostilities of 1812, as well as in the novel "War and Peace" by Leo Tolstoy), the Tatar prince Fedor Malikdirovich. It was in 1510. And in the documents the village was first mentioned in 1636 under the name Astashevo. Then owned by Fedor Likhachev - the duma clerk and nobleman, a very famous person. He made the center of his possessions the village of Dolgie Lyady (since the beginning of the 18th century it has been called the Assumption). Ostashevo changed owners many times. It was owned by the princes Tyumen, Prozorovsky, Fedor Ivanovich Golitsyn, and then his son Peter Fedorovich. He sold his possessions to Countess Saltykova, and her son in 1777 resold these lands to Prince Alexander Urusov. It was with him that the history of the estate began.
New owner
Alexander Urusov was a representative of a noble family, but did not receive a significant inheritance. He gained his wealth by card games. There is no documentary evidence that Alexander Vasilievich cheated. But many do not believe that only thanks to blind fortune could he get a few thousand serfs, buy an excellent house on the banks of the Neva and an estate in Volokolamsk Uyezd.
Urusov made the center of his suburban possessions two villages - Ostashevo and Aleksandrovskoe, so the estate that he began to build there received the name Aleksandrovskoe - Ostashevo, but the first word was soon removed.
Construction
It is assumed that the estate was designed by Russian masters of pseudo-Gothic, which combined elements of classical Gothic, Moscow Baroque and Byzantine architecture. There is an opinion of historians that among the developers there was also the famous architect Rodion Kazakov at that time. The estate was erected on the right bank of Ruza. A wide alley lined with lindens led from the road to the house. At its beginning, two obelisks made of white stone were installed on both sides (one of them was preserved). In honor of Alexander Nevsky, the Urusov decided to erect a late-baroque church. Work began in 1776. This is the official year of the foundation of the estate, named Alexandrovskaya in honor of Nevsky (some historians believe that in honor of Alexander Urusov himself).
On its territory a two-story mansion of the prince was erected, decorated with four columns, a gazebo (superstructure) and a portico. In front of the house there was a front yard, against which the aforementioned linden avenue rested . In the courtyard Urusov built two towers in the Gothic style.
The master’s house was connected with galleries to the outbuildings, crowned with plank belvederes and spiers. In addition, a manager’s house and numerous outbuildings were erected on the estate. The Ostashevsky estate at Urusov was surrounded by a linden garden with shady alleys and several ponds. Under the canopy of trees for walks, pentagonal pavilions were installed. Miraculously preserved old photo shows what the estate looked like at that time.
Ostashevo stepson inherited
A.V. Urusov moved to a new property with his wife Anna Andreevna Muravyeva. This was her second marriage. She married the prince after the death of her first husband Muravyov. From him she already had a son, Nikolai. They say that the master did not differ in kind disposition, he often scandalized, but he helped his relatives financially, though before that they scolded them well. Alexander Vasilievich had the only natural daughter, Sofia, whom he bequeathed to the estate, but the young woman died almost immediately after the birth of her daughter. The baby survived her mother for only a few days. Thus, Urusov had no direct heirs. Therefore, he made the estate of his stepson Nikolai Muravyov.
Ostashevo - a haven for Decembrists
Nikolai Nikolaevich from a young age showed a visionary mind and craving for various sciences, which was encouraged in every way. After graduating from his native land, he was sent to the University of Strasbourg to receive additional knowledge. N. N. Muravyov chose a military career (was a naval officer).
As a lieutenant, Nikolai Nikolayevich showed courage and courage in battles with the Swedes. He rose to the rank of major general, but even such a person had financial difficulties. Because of them, and also because of the health undermined in the battles, he retired and retired to his estate, which he inherited from Urusov.
In Ostashevo, N. N. Muraviev not only built a dairy factory, but also created a school for columnar workers. Now few people can answer what it is, but at the beginning of the XIX century this educational institution was very prestigious. Junkers who planned to become officers at the General Staff were trained here. 22 of his graduates became Decembrists. They often gathered in Ostashevo, where they discussed plans for the restructuring of Russia and the overthrow of the autocracy.
Among the guests of the estate can be called Ivan Yakushkin, Matvey Muravyov-Apostol, Nikolai Fonvizin (the nephew of the same Fonvizin, who wrote "Undergrowth"). The son of the estate owner A.N. Muravyov was also a Decembrist. There is an opinion of historians that he drafted a new constitution, but was afraid of the repressions that had just begun, and buried this document in the ground on one of the hills of the estate.
Another sale
After the death of the illustrious father, Alexander Muravyov became the owner of Ostashevo . By that time, his revolutionary spirit had somewhat subsided. He was once involved in the case of the Decembrists. Recalling this in his mature years, he said that he was referring not to those who were hanged, but to those who himself hung. Alexander tried to fix the shaky affairs of the estate, even erected a horse yard here, the decoration of which was a clock tower, decorated with platbands and lancet windows. It has been preserved to this day. To many, this tower resembles London's Big Ben. The younger Muravyov tried to breed thoroughbred horses here, but things did not go well. The estate had to be sold in order to pay off debts.
The situation at Shipov
Ostashevo at the auction was acquired by Nikolai Pavlovich Shipov, who was reputed to be a landowner-innovator. He was a State Councilor, a member of the Imperial Academy of Arts. He got the new possessions in a deplorable state, but Shipov did not lose heart. He at his own expense began the modernization of the Ostashevo estate. The description of the changes that took place here literally in a year, you can start with the fact that he demolished the old bell tower, changed the appearance of the church and rebuilt the Alexander Church, arranging a family tomb in it. By the way, he and his wife were buried there.
In addition, Shipov zealously undertook to revive the horse farm, built a cheese factory, invited masters from Switzerland to work in it, drained the wetlands, organized the advanced ten-field crop rotation method in those days, built a mechanical plant and even a veterinary clinic in the village. The plant produced agricultural implements, the cheese factory worked on the milk of 200 cows of the best dairy breeds, which Shipov acquired specially for the production of cheese. Soon, an unprofitable estate became one of the exemplary in the Moscow region. For such services, the Society of Agriculture awarded Shipov a gold medal.
After the death of the glorious landowner, the estate of Ostashevo passed into the hands of his son Philip.
Romanov clan owners
Philip Nikolayevich got not only the land and the estate near Volokolamsk, but also four large plants, two of which had a metallurgical profile. Perhaps, precisely for the reason that the rich industrialist had no time to engage in both metal production and agriculture, he sold the estate. Its owners in turn became General Nepokochitsky, philanthropist Kuznetsov, millionaires Ushkova. In 1903, the estate Ostashevo liked Konstantin Konstantinovich Romanov (grandson of Nicholas I). The prince is tired of life in the capital, full of hypocrisy. Exemplary and large in size, the estate, surrounded by nature of amazing beauty, was ideally suited for its subtle creative nature. Having bought it from the Ushkovs, he moved here with the whole family. The prince wrote poetry. Here is a fragment of one of them dedicated to his new ownership:
In Ostashevo in 1906, his daughter Vera was born. She spent her childhood in this estate, about which she always wrote in her memoirs with enthusiasm, but with a slight sadness about what was lost forever. The family was engaged in horseback riding, walks around the Ruse and in the wonderful park, which gradually came to desolation. While the Romanovs owned the estate, no innovations were carried out here.
Let's say a few words about Vera Konstantinovna. She lived a very long life, died at 95 years old. It was she who was the last representative of the Romanov clan.
Her childhood, cloudless and happy, was short-lived. In 1914, her brother Oleg Konstantinovich died in the war. The funeral took place in the estate. The body of a 21-year-old youth was buried on a hill called Vasyutkina Gorka. The church of Oleg Bryansky was erected over the grave. Now it is called the church of Seraphim of Sarov. It is located in the Volokolamsk district of the Moscow region in the village of Ostashevo. Unfortunately, there were rumors that relatives put jewelry (in particular, a golden sword) in the coffin of Oleg Konstantinovich. Therefore, greedy people turned the grave, and desecrated the body, leaving it right on the road. Vandals raided the unfortunate grave continued until in 1969 it was transferred to a rural cemetery. Of course, there were no jewels in it anymore.
The heroic death of the young officer did not end the troubles at the Ostashevo estate. In 1915, right before the eyes of little Vera, her father Konstantin Konstantinovich died of asthma. After that, the family left their beloved estate and moved to St. Petersburg, where before the revolution they lived in the Marble Palace.
After the revolution
It so happened that the Ostashevo estate in Volokolamsk district was not interested in local authorities. Therefore, it was not converted either to a sanatorium, or to a children's camp, or to another organization significant in Soviet times, which would help preserve the buildings. Therefore, immediately after the revolution, it was plundered by local residents. However, in 1922, a museum was created within its walls, which lasted until 1925.
The new era of change has also affected the Ruza River, on which hydroelectric power stations and the Ruzskoe reservoir were built. Its shores have significantly changed. Now they are located not only the village of Ostashevo, but also pioneer camps, rest houses, walking areas. When the reservoir was filled, it was necessary to flood part of the park with ponds.
The Alexander Church was demolished in 1930, the two-story house built by Urusov was demolished in 1940. In the same year, a forged fence and four pavilion arbors were dismantled. WWII did not spare other buildings. In the Volokolamsk direction fierce battles were fought, shelling was constantly conducted, as a result of which large-scale destruction occurred in the estate.
Nowadays
For a long time (until 1957), the village of Ostashevo in the Volokolamsk district was the district center. They even organized a teacher training school. In 1950, a new building in the style of Stalinist neoclassicism was erected on the foundation of a demolished manor house. Today it is destroyed.
Some excursions in the Moscow region include a visit to this dilapidated estate. If you visit here, you will see the tower of the horse yard, the one that was built by Alexander Muravyov. The watch dial is drawn on it, and nobody knows where the real one, installed in the year of construction, has gone. You can also climb Vasyutkina Gorka, where the church-tomb of Oleg Bryansk is still preserved. It was built according to the project of M. M. Peryatkovich and S. M. Deshevov. These people were once famous architects. The belfry adjoins the church, built in the style of Pskov architecture.
All other buildings are in very poor condition. However, there are hopes for the restoration of the estate. They are mainly related to the increased interest of the current generation in the fate of the Romanov family. The history of the Ostashevo estate also has a relation to their ancient family, so it is likely that there will be a philanthropist who agrees to invest in restoring this once wonderful corner.
Museum
Now in one of the surviving buildings of the estate there is a branch of Sberbank, as well as a museum of local lore. It has several rooms. The expositions tell about the history of the region from ancient times to the modern era. Among the exhibits there are even mammoth bones. A large place in the exposition is occupied by photos and personal belongings of the former owners of the estate - the Muravyevs, Romanovs, Shipovs. Among the exhibits there are Russian samovars, clothes of peasants of the XVII-XIX centuries, tools, dishes, chests, other household utensils. The museum is open to visitors from Wednesday to Sunday inclusive. Opening hours from 10:00 to 17:00. You can get here on your own. To do this, you need to travel from Moscow to Volokolamsk by train, and then take the shuttle bus going to the village. Ostashevo. Where the museum is located, every resident knows. Alternatively, you can visit the estate with an excursion group.