Murano Estate

The Museum-Reserve “Murano Estate” is located in the north of the Pushkinsky Urban District of the Moscow Region and bears the name of the great Russian poet Fyodor Ivanovich Tyutchev. Paradoxically, the poet himself never lived in this estate, although his descendants turned the manor into a genuine memorial center dedicated to the memory of the classic.

History of the Estate’s Owners

Early Period

The history of Muranovo as a noble estate began in 1645, when Prince Shakhovskoy, who held important positions at the court of the first representatives of the Romanov dynasty, became its owner. In the following centuries, the estate passed from one aristocratic family to another.

The Era of the Engelgardts and Baratynskys

In 1816, the estate was acquired by the Engelgardt couple. Their eldest daughter Anastasia married the outstanding poet Yevgeny Abramovich Baratynsky in 1826, receiving the estate as her dowry. Yevgeny Baratynsky decided to demolish the old building and erect a new manor house, which became an architectural masterpiece of its time. Built in 1842, the house is a unique wooden structure partially faced with brick. Its architecture harmoniously combines elements of classical, romantic, and Russian styles, creating the estate’s unmistakable appearance. The Baratynsky family practically never lived in the new house — immediately after construction was completed, they set off on a journey across Europe, during which the poet died of a sudden heart attack. After that, the estate passed to Sofya Engelgardt, the younger sister of Baratynsky’s widow, who married the poet’s friend Nikolai Putyata.

The Tyutchev Period

In 1869, an event occurred that determined the estate’s future fate. The only daughter of the Putyatas, Olga, received Muranovo as dowry upon marrying Ivan Tyutchev, the eldest son of the poet Fyodor Ivanovich. From that moment, the Tyutchev family became the guardians of the estate until the revolutionary events of 1917. Ivan Tyutchev, together with his wife, children, and the poet’s mother, made enormous efforts to create a memorial collection. They gathered and brought to Muranovo personal belongings of Fyodor Ivanovich from St. Petersburg, Tsarskoye Selo, Moscow, and the family estate of Ovstug in the Oryol Governorate. Thanks to their efforts, the estate was transformed into a true treasury of memory of the great poet.

Museum Collections

Today the museum’s collection numbers over 30,000 items, including:

• One of the richest collections of antique furniture among Russian museums
• A library containing about 9,000 volumes of works from the 18th to early 20th centuries
• Rare daguerreotypes and photographs
• Paintings, including original works by Savrasov and Aivazovsky
• Engravings and lithographs on historical themes
• More than 500 porcelain and faience items from the 17th–19th centuries
• A collection of estate kitchen utensils — 177 ceramic, wooden, and glass items

Interiors of the Main House

The main exhibition is displayed in the preserved historical interiors of the manor house. Each room has its own atmosphere and unique exhibits. In the entrance hall, visitors are greeted by antique engravings and lithographs with historical subjects. The large drawing room is decorated with portraits of all the estate’s owners — from the Engelgardts to the Tyutchevs — as well as images of Russian monarchs. Particular attention is drawn to a round table with a massive black marble top decorated with colored Italian mosaic work from the late 19th century. The literary room preserves original works by outstanding Russian artists — here one can see paintings by Alexei Savrasov and Ivan Aivazovsky. Of special interest is the so-called “study of the two poets,” where the working environment of Tyutchev and Baratynsky has been recreated. It contains Baratynsky’s writing desk, made according to the poet’s own drawings, next to which stands a bureau desk with Fyodor Ivanovich’s writing accessories. The interiors are complemented by handmade carpets, decorative cushions, and window draperies, many of which are adorned with exquisite embroidery by Ernestina Tyutcheva, the poet’s widow.

The Estate’s Architectural Ensemble

The Children’s House

To the north of the main building stands a charming children’s house painted soft yellow with snow-white carved window frames. Built in 1878 by Ivan Fyodorovich for his children, it served not only as a play area but also as a kind of school of household management. Surrounded by a miniature vegetable garden and flowerbed, the little house helped the young Tyutchevs learn gardening skills and estate management.

The Wing and Kitchen

A year later, in 1879, two wooden buildings in the same style as the children’s house appeared deeper in the park. The larger building with a beautiful porch is a residential wing built for Ivan Tyutchev’s mother, Ernestina Fyodorovna. After her husband’s death, she spent summer months in Muranovo, and her caring son built her a comfortable house with stove heating, its own ice cellar, and a separate kitchen. In the kitchen wing today there is a special exhibition “Estate Kitchen,” displaying preserved early 19th-century utensils: pots, waffle irons, ice-cream makers, pancake pans, and other items, as well as antique furniture.

The Church of the Savior Not Made by Hands

At the western entrance to the park area stands the Church of the Savior Not Made by Hands, erected in 1878 on the foundation of an old stone storeroom. At the eastern wall of the church is the family cemetery where the poet’s son Ivan Fyodorovich Tyutchev, grandson Nikolai Ivanovich Tyutchev, and great-grandson Kirill Vasilyevich Pigaryov are buried.

The Park and Natural Attractions

The Muranovo estate park is a magnificent example of 19th-century landscape art. Linden and rose alleys create a romantic atmosphere for walks, opening picturesque views of the old pond and the meadows and groves beyond it. The trees in the park have been growing for more than a century and a half, serving as living witnesses to several eras. At the northern façade of the manor house towers a majestic larch planted back in the Baratynsky period.

The Holy Spring

On the territory of the estate complex is the holy spring of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God, also known as the “Master’s Well.” All inhabitants of the estate in different historical periods used water exclusively from this spring. The first written mentions of the holy spring date to the second half of the 19th century. At that time, religious processions were made to it, pilgrims arrived, and water-blessing services were held. The estate owners carefully protected the spring and improved the surrounding area. After a period of neglect in Soviet times, the spring was restored in the late 1990s. A bathing font and chapel were built nearby, and in 2003 a church in honor of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God was erected. Three times a year a religious procession takes place here and the water is consecrated. Scientific studies conducted by several independent laboratories have shown that the spring water is completely free of bacteria and possesses high biological activity.

Visiting the Museum-Reserve

Excursion Programs

Separate guided tours are offered of the main house, the kitchen wing, and the park — there is no single comprehensive tour. Ticket prices vary depending on the day of the week: weekdays are cheaper than weekends and holidays. A ticket for the main house tour costs 400 rubles on weekdays and 450 rubles on weekends and holidays. Discounted categories pay 350 and 400 rubles respectively. Entry to the park territory without a guide, as well as independent viewing of the “Estate Kitchen” exhibition, is also paid.

Programs for Children

The museum-reserve regularly organizes family programs and interactive events for young visitors, timed to memorable dates and holidays. During the New Year holidays, children and parents can immerse themselves in the atmosphere of Christmas celebrations in a 19th-century noble family. Quests that complement the impressions from the exhibitions are very popular. Every weekend in the former ice-cellar building, thematic workshops on various crafts are held:

• Painting porcelain items
• Artistic embroidery
• Making wax candles
• Creating traditional dolls
• Making Christmas decorations and garlands in 19th-century style
• Creating souvenir keepsakes

The current schedule of all events is published on the official website of the museum-reserve.

Practical Information for Visitors

Opening Hours

Autumn schedule:

• Park open daily 10:00–18:00
• Museum exhibitions and guided tours Wednesday–Sunday 10:00–17:30
• Tickets can be purchased until 16:30
• Sanitary day — last Friday of each month

Summer schedule:

• Park open until 20:00
• Exhibitions open until 18:00
• Tours run until 17:00

How to Get There

To reach the “Muranovo Estate” Museum-Reserve from Moscow:

1. Take a suburban train from Yaroslavsky Railway Station to Ashukinskaya station
2. From the station take bus No. 34 to the stop “Muzei ‘Muranovo’” or use a taxi (fare approx. 200 rubles)

If traveling by car, follow the Yaroslavskoye Highway until the intersection with the Old Yaroslavskoye Highway, then continue to the village of Ashukino.

Historical Significance of the Museum-Reserve

The Tyutchev “Muranovo” Museum-Estate is a unique monument of Russian culture and literature of the 19th–20th centuries. In 1918 Olga Tyutcheva and her son Nikolai handed the estate over to the state. Initially it was registered as a museum of mid-19th-century noble life, but already in 1920, on the initiative of Vladimir Ilyich Lenin, the estate received the status of the Tyutchev Literary Memorial Museum, becoming one of the first museums of this type in the country. The first director of the museum-reserve was the poet’s grandson Nikolai Ivanovich Tyutchev, who together with his family did everything possible to preserve this cultural heritage even in the difficult years of Soviet power. In the summer of 2006 the estate suffered a disaster — during a severe thunderstorm lightning struck the main house, causing a serious fire. The building was significantly damaged, but thanks to the prompt actions of the museum staff, most exhibits were saved. Funds were allocated for restoration, and by 2009 the building was fully restored. The exhibition took longer to recreate, and only on August 1, 2015, was the museum-reserve officially reopened to visitors.

The Museum in Different Seasons

The Muranovo Estate is beautiful in any season and attracts tourists year-round. Especially many guests come in late spring and summer, when the estate is immersed in greenery. Tall century-old trees form shady alleys, and neat flowerbeds adorn the space around the main house. In autumn the park turns yellow-orange, creating an unforgettable picturesque scene. In winter the estate is no less charming — panoramic views of the architectural ensemble open through the bare branches, and the pinkish-red brick elements of the buildings stand out brightly against the snow-white background. The “Muranovo Estate” Museum-Reserve named after Fyodor Ivanovich Tyutchev is a gem of the Moscow region, a place where the memory of the great Russian poet and an entire era of national culture is carefully preserved. Every visit to this amazing place offers an opportunity to touch history and feel the atmosphere of a 19th-century noble estate.