Description of the attraction
Among the numerous sights of St. Petersburg, a special place is occupied by the only memorial apartment in the city (more precisely, a museum apartment) of the great Russian poet Alexandra Pushkin … She is in a mansion that once belonged to to the princes Volkonsky … It was here, in the rooms on the ground floor, that the poet spent the last few months of his life. In this apartment, he died, having received a mortal wound in a duel.
Museum history
At the end of the 19th century, in the year of the centenary of the classic of Russian literature, the city authorities planned to buy out the old house where the poet lived in the 30s of the 19th century. According to these plans, free reading rooms and a school were to be accommodated in the house - in memory of the poet. But this project was never realized. Centenary of the great poet was commemorated by the fact that a memorial funeral service was served in the apartment he once occupied.
In the post-revolutionary period, cultural figures have repeatedly appealed to the city administration and other authorities with a request to evict residents from the Pushkin apartment and to open a museum. The day before one hundred and twenty-fifth birthday of the poet this plan began to be implemented: those who lived in Pushkin's apartment were gradually resettled at other addresses. An estimate was drawn up for the renovation of the apartment, and the search for funds began. The renovation work was carried out in the mid-1920s.
V 1925 year in the apartment, in the place where the infamous sofa used to stand (on it he spent the last hours and the poet died), was installed bust of Pushkintopped with a laurel wreath. In those rooms that during the poet's life were a dining room and a pantry, weekly scientific (art) meetings began to take place.
Two years later it was opened first museum exposition … It includes more than two hundred paintings and graphic works. There were portraits of the poet and his relatives, as well as some of his other contemporaries; the views of Petersburg of the Pushkin times were also exhibited. On the old clock, which was one of the exhibits, time stood still: it showed the hour when the poet died. Visitors stayed for a long time near the writing table: there was a death mask on it, it was framed with a laurel wreath.
The beginning of the 30s became a black page in the history of the museum: its the director was arrested and expelled from the city. Admirers of the great poet's work continued to fight for the complete reconstruction of the interior of the memorial apartment. But during that period of time, a detailed restoration of its situation was impossible for a number of reasons; moreover, a bust of Joseph Stalin was installed in the museum (of course, it has nothing to do with the rest of the exposition). Almost all of the rooms were impersonal, there was practically nothing left of the atmosphere of Pushkin's time, although exhibits of the museum's historical and literary collection were located there.
However, the interior of the apartment was partially restored. In the poet's office, bookshelves were installed, placed in accordance with the drawings of one of Pushkin's friends: he often visited here and schematically captured the arrangement of rooms and objects. In the second half of the 30s, the museum was transferred the same sofa, where the poet spent the last hours of his life.
In the 60s of the XX century, the reconstruction of the apartment was resumed. But funds were still not enough, so no really large-scale work was carried out. In the 1980s, the premises of the apartment that had not previously belonged to it were transferred to the museum. Reconstruction continued; now it was more detailed, more successful.
In the 90s of the XX century the exposition has been updated … It was during that period of time that the museum acquired its final appearance - the one that today's visitors see.
Museum exposition
The furnishings of the apartment have been recreated based on a number of historical documents. In the museum, you will see a mahogany table, at which the poet worked, and an unusual chair in his study. It is stored here under the glass curl, it was cut off the poet's head on the day of his death (at the request of one of the admirers of his work) and is kept in a silver medallion. Decorations are part of the exhibition. Natalia Pushkina and portraits of children. One of the most impressive exhibits in the museum is death mask of the poet … Also in the museum you can see many other things that belonged to both the poet himself and his relatives.
In other rooms of the building, you can see an exposition telling about the history of the house, about the last, tragic period in the life of the great poet and about the events that led to his death.
Let's tell you more about some of the relics in the museum:
- Crafted in mahogany and upholstered in fabric desk the poet, according to the recollections of his contemporaries, stood in the middle of the room and was littered with books, various papers and writing utensils. The table entered the museum in the 50s of the XX century.
- Armchair poet is also made of mahogany (with metal inserts), upholstered in morocco. It was quite rare for the 19th century: from under the seat you could pull out the foot cushion, which was unusual. According to contemporaries, the poet was very fond of this chair: he preferred to work, sitting in it at his desk. After the death of the owner, the chair was transported by his widow to Mikhailovskoye. In the 80s of the XIX century, it was sketched by one of the visitors to the estate. The drawing has survived to this day.
- Upholstered in leather mahogany sofa occupies a special place among the exhibits of the museum: the poet died there, having received a mortal wound. The last hours of his life passed here. In the 21st century, a study was carried out on the surface of this piece of furniture. Traces of blood were found - scanty, even microscopic, but sufficient for analysis. Modern expertise has confirmed that the sofa really belonged to the classics of Russian literature.
- In the museum you can see black vest, which was on the poet on the day of the duel. The mortally wounded duelist lost more than two liters of blood on his way home, she soaked his vest and shirt. For a long time this cloth vest was kept in the estate of one of the poet's friends. He placed the relic in a special tabletop display case. Next to the vest there was a church candle from the poet's funeral service and the glove of the owner of the estate himself (he threw the second into Pushkin's coffin, saying goodbye to his friend). The vest was donated to the museum in the late 1930s.
- The museum contains an unusual inkwell Pushkin. It is decorated with a figurine of a black man leaning on an anchor.
- Paper cutter on both sides it is covered with black ink: the inscriptions were made by the nephew of the poet, to whom Pushkin presented this item. The case for the knife has also survived: on the outside it is covered with leather, inside - a lining of silk and velvet.
- According to legend, black box, which today is part of the museum exposition, stood on the table in the poet's last apartment. He kept rings in it. Before his death, he took out one of the rings and presented it to his friend, who was with the poet in the last hours of his life. It was a turquoise ring.
- Preserved saber, presented to the poet in Arzrum, where he was, in his own words, as either a soldier or a traveler. The general gave him a saber Ivan Paskevich, under whose command the classic of Russian literature took part in the operation against the Turkish troops. The saber is forged from Damascus steel and decorated with silver.
- In the museum you can see a few canes of the poet … One of them is decorated with amethyst, the head of the other has a button with the monogram of the first Russian emperor (according to legend, this piece of clothing of Peter I was kept by Abram Hannibal, the poet's ancestor). The third cane is decorated with ivory.
- The museum exhibits beaded wallet of Natalia Pushkina … There you can also see Pushkin's own wallet, which his wife, according to legend, embroidered with beads with her own hand.
- Walletmade of silk and morocco, the poet gave to one of his friends. Pushkin believed that this object brought his friend good luck while playing cards. The wallet served its purpose superbly: a friend did win a large sum of money. After that, it was decided that the wallet would remain with him. At the end of the 30s of the XX century, this item entered the museum.
- Preserved a small tray, where, according to legend, champagne was brought out on the day of the poet's wedding to congratulate the young.
- Another interesting exhibit of the museum - travel device (decanter, glass and tray). It is made of ruby glass and covered with gilding. Brought by the poet from Chisinau in the early 20s of the XIX century.
On a note
- Location: Moika, house 12 (the museum is located on the river embankment).
- Nearest metro stations: can be reached from Nevsky Prospekt, although the closest museum is to Admiralteyskaya.
- Official website:
- Opening hours: opening at 10:30, ending at 18:00. Ticket sales end at 17:00. Day off is the second day of the week. Also, the museum is closed on the last Friday of every month.
- Tickets: 380 rubles. For schoolchildren (under eighteen years old), students (over sixteen years old) and pensioners, the ticket price is 210 rubles, for foreign citizens - 500 rubles. There is no charge for photography and video filming. Pay attention to the following information: you can visit the museum only as part of an excursion group or with an audio guide (the cost of its rental is 210 rubles).
Description added:
Gnat Poltavsky 2016-03-07
The release of Shevchenko almost coincided with the death of Pushkin. Pushkin had died only a year before. Only a year ago, Taras timidly entered, together with the quieted crowd, into the poet's poor apartment. Pushkin was lying in a coffin in the hallway …
Taras brought with him a sheet of paper and a stub of a pencil. He hid in a corner and
Show full text The release of Shevchenko almost coincided with the death of Pushkin. Pushkin had died only a year before. Only a year ago, Taras timidly entered, together with the quieted crowd, into the poet's poor apartment. Pushkin was lying in a coffin in the hallway …
Taras brought with him a sheet of paper and a stub of a pencil. He hid in a corner and began to sketch the lifeless head of the poet. He was embarrassed, shuddered when someone touched his hollow heavy fur coat. (From Paustovsky's book “Taras Shevchenko
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