Writes about St. Petersburg, its history, sights, museums and routes.
Imagine a cozy wooden house with columns and a mezzanine, where the spirit of Russian literature still lingers in the air. This is the famous Kitaeva dacha in Tsarskoye Selo, which witnessed the happiest period in the life of the great poet.
The history of the Kitaeva house
The two-story house was built in 1827 according to the design of Vasily Gornostaev under the supervision of the great architect Vasily Stasov. Initially it belonged to Yakov Kitaev, valet of Emperor Nicholas I. It was here that from May to October 1831 Alexander Sergeyevich Pushkin and his young wife Natalya Nikolaevna spent their first family summer. The poet dreamed of solitude in the "circle of dear memories" of his lyceum youth.
Interior, private study
The museum recreates the atmosphere of the 19th century, and the interiors have been restored based on the memoirs of his contemporaries. In a letter to his friend Pyotr Pletnyov, Pushkin wrote: "I... would like to have a special study, and everything else doesn't matter to me." The study preserves a "special creative" disorder.
Interesting facts from the life of the Pushkins:
• Favorite treat: In Pushkin's study, a jar of white gooseberry jam — the poet's favorite dessert — always stood on the table.
• Creative breakthrough: It was within these walls that "The Tale of Tsar Saltan" was written and the novel "Eugene Onegin" was finally completed (the famous letter from Onegin to Tatyana).
• Famous guests: V. A. Zhukovsky and N. V. Gogol would drop by the dacha "for a visit," and it was here that Gogol read his "Evenings on a Farm Near Dikanka" to friends.
• Dacha life: At just 19, Natalya Nikolayevna ran the household herself, and guests were often treated to simple but delicious dishes: green sorrel soup and chopped cutlets.
The A. S. Pushkin Museum-Dacha and nearby attractions
The museum is located at: Pushkin, Pushkinskaya St., 2/19. This is the perfect starting point for a walk, as within walking distance you'll find:
• Catherine and Alexander Parks, where the newlyweds so loved to stroll.
• The Tsarskoye Selo Lyceum, where the poet received his education and found his first friends.
Getting here on your own is easy: by commuter train from Vitebsky Station to "Tsarskoye Selo" station, or by bus from the metro stations "Moskovskaya," "Zvezdnaya," or "Kupchino."
To the Pushkin dacha in Tsarskoye Selo!
Would you like to feel the atmosphere of Pushkin's era and see the place where great works were born?
Plan your visit to the A. S. Pushkin Museum-Dacha soon! It's the best way to touch history and make your vacation in Tsarskoye Selo truly inspiring.
Excursion to Pushkin from Saint Petersburg
Plan a trip →
