Smart Moscow - guide to literary Moscow

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Sightseeing in Moscow

Literary Moscow

Many of Russia’s most famous authors have roots in Moscow. Both visitors to Moscow and fans of Russian literature will thoroughly enjoy both the museums dedicated to these authors as well as their actual homes and apartments, in their original.

1. Museum of Literature.

Telephone : 925-1226

Address : 28 ul. Petrovka

Metro : Pushkinskaya

Hours : 11am – 6PM

Closed Mondays

On display are exhibits related to the history of Russian and Soviet literature from the 18^th century to the present. Has great exhibits on Maxim Gorky, Aleksey Tolstoy and Vladimin Mayakovsky. Has rare books, original manuscripts and photographs of prominent Russian writers.

2. L.N.Tolstoy Museum-Estate "Khamovniki"

http://www.russianmuseums.info/M411

http://www.tolstoymuseum.ru/

Telephone : 246-9444

Address : 21 ul. Lva Tolstovo

Metro : Park Kulturi

Hours : 10am – 5PM

Closed Mondays

Tolstoy’s house is a country estate hidden in the bustling city. It consists of a 2-story wooden house and rather large grounds, which Tolstoy used as his Moscow residence when he was not residing at Yasnaya Polyana in the Tula region. Built in the 1820’s, Tolstoy lived there, mostly during the winters, from 1882 until his death in 1910. Tolstoy entertained many of Moscow’s artistic elite in this house including Sergei Rachmaninov who played the piano there, Fydor Shalyapin who sang there and the painter Ilya Repin, who reputedly had an affair with Tolstoy’s daughter Tatiana.

In 1921 Tolstoy’s widow, Sofia Andreyevna, realizing that the communists would shortly take away all private property, appealed directly to Lenin to have the house preserved as a national treasure. The house to this day is a treasure from the past. It’s been preserved precisely as it was during Tolystoy’s lifetime, without electricity and manuscripts opened on Tolstoy’s writing desk.

3. Gorky Museum

Telephone : 290-0535

Address : 6/2 ul. Malaya Nikitskaya

Metro : Park Kulturi

Hours : 10am – 5:30PM

Closed Mondays and Tuesdays

This two-story mansion is an architectural masterpiece of Russian Art-Nouveau designed by the legendary Fydor Shekhtel. It features sweeping marble staircases. Originally built in 1901 for Stepan Ryabushinsky, chairman of the Stock Exchange, it was handed to Gorky in 1931. Gorky lived there with his 12,000 books until his death in 1936, some suspect on poisoning on the orders of Stalin. The mansion became a museum in 1965.

4. Pushkin Memorial Apartment Museum Moscow

Address : Old Arbat, 53

Metro : Smolenskaya

http://www.pushkinmuseum.ru/fl_aspushkin.htm

Located on Old Arbat Street, this building was the home of Pushkin and his wife Natalia Goncharova, where they lived immediately following their marriage in Moscow. The original furniture is preserved and available for viewing. Visitors can also see Pushkin’s authentic manuscripts, portraits and other items from his life. Highly recommended.

5. Pushkin Museum Depository

Address : Prechistinka 12/2

Metro : Kropotkinskaya

http://www.pushkinmuseum.ru/prechistenka.htm

You may also be interested in a complete museum of Puskin’s works. Though Pushkin never lived here, the location is simply wonderful. It’s an old, restored noble palace which has been carefully converted to a depository of his works. It’s located on one of Prechistinka, one of the most beautiful and historical streets in Moscow, not a far walk from Old Arbat Street.

5. Mayakovsky Museum Moscow

Address : 3/6 Lubyansky Proyezd at Lubyanka square

Metro : Lublyanka

Telephone : 921-9560

http://www.museum.ru/Majakovskiy/

Mayakovsky, regarded as a leader of the Russian avant-garde, emerged from the 1917 revolution as one of the leading propagandists for the Bolsheviks. He wrote in his autobiography that the 1917 revolution – “ It was my revolution”. The museum itself is very entertaining, with wonderful exhibitions and a beautiful theater which is frequently used for poetry readings. You’ll find photos, collages, his clothing. You’ll see the room where he lived from 1919 until 1930.

History of Moscow

Map of Moscow (from 2008)

Map of Moscow (from 1653)

Excursions / Private Guides Moscow

Boat Tours on the Moscow River

Viewing Lenin's body in Moscow

Communism Lives in Moscow