Sviblovo Estate

The Sviblovo Estate is a unique architectural and historical complex located on the picturesque high bank of the Yauza River in the northeastern part of Moscow. It is a place where the destinies of prominent Russian noble families intertwined, where the great historian Nikolai Karamzin worked, and where today the Patriarchal Metochion of the Russian Orthodox Church is situated. The estate’s territory is a protected natural area and represents significant cultural value for the capital.

History of the Estate: From the Boyar Sviblo to the Present Day

Ancient Roots and the Origin of the Name

The first documented references to the village of Sviblovo date back to 1423, when it was mentioned as “the village of Fedorovskoye on the Yauza with a mill.” The name of the estate is associated with the legendary boyar Fyodor Sviblo, who lived in the 14th century and was a loyal associate of the Moscow prince Dmitry Donskoy. The nickname “Sviblo” comes from the Old Russian word “sviblyy” or “shviblyy,” which was used to describe a person with speech peculiarities, such as a lisp. After the disgrace of Fyodor Sviblo, his land holdings were confiscated by Grand Prince Vasily Dmitrievich, marking the beginning of a series of changes in ownership of the estate.

The Pleshcheyev Era

In 1620, representatives of the Pleshcheyev family received this patrimony as a reward for their valiant defense of Moscow during the “siege sitting.” Voivode Lev Afanasyevich Pleshcheyev became the owner of the village and the surrounding lands. The Pleshcheyevs owned the estate until the end of the 17th century, passing it down by inheritance: first to his son Andrey in 1623–24, and then to his grandson Mikhail.

Prosperity under the Naryshkins

In 1692, the estate passed to Lev Pleshcheyev’s granddaughter Maria, and after her untimely death in 1704 at the age of fifteen, the village was inherited by her guardian Kirill Andreevich Naryshkin. It was under Naryshkin that the estate experienced a period of active construction and was transformed into a luxurious country residence. Naryshkin organized a large-scale reconstruction of the old Pleshcheyev chambers, founded a malt factory, and built a stone Trinity Church with a bell tower in 1708–1709. An orangery, a kitchen building, and servants’ quarters were also erected. After the Battle of Poltava, Swedish prisoners of war and craftsmen were housed in Sviblovo.

The Period of the Dacha Aristocracy

After the estate was returned to the Pleshcheyev family by a court decision in 1721 and subsequently sold to Catherine II’s flügel-adjutant Nikolai Vysotsky, the estate acquired a new function. Under Vysotsky, a guest wing that has survived to this day was built, and a dacha settlement was established. Connection with Nikolai Karamzin: From the beginning of the 19th century, dachas in Sviblovo were rented out to wealthy Muscovites. From 1801 to 1803, the great Russian historian and writer Nikolai Mikhailovich Karamzin rented a dacha here. The estate became a place filled for him with both joy and sorrow: here he spent his honeymoon with his young wife Elizaveta Protasova, and a year later experienced her tragic death. Returning to Sviblovo in 1803, Karamzin began work on his fundamental opus, “History of the Russian State.”

The Industrial Era of the Kozhevnikovs

In 1821, the estate was acquired by the Kasimov merchant I. P. Kozhevnikov, who transformed the estate into an industrial center. He built a large cloth factory with 15 buildings, including sorting, fulling, machine-building, weaving, drying, dyeing, and pressing workshops. The total construction costs amounted to about three million rubles—an enormous sum for that time. A workers’ settlement grew up around the factory; however, industrial activity had a negative impact on the environment: the Yauza River became shallow and polluted. The estate was visited by Emperor Alexander I and his mother Maria Feodorovna. Kozhevnikov even prepared for the tsar a “Project for Improving the Health of the Yauza River by Connecting It with the Klyazma.”

The Last Owners and the Soviet Period

After Kozhevnikov’s bankruptcy, the estate passed to the merchant family of the Khalatovs. The first owner was the Tiflis merchant of the second guild Bakshi Khalatov, followed by his son Arshak Bakshiyevich (Alexander Borisovich). The last owner before the revolution was mining engineer Georgy Bakhtiyarovich Khalatov. After the October Revolution of 1917, the estate was devastated and fell into neglect. The main house housed the Revolutionary Committee, and later communal apartments for military personnel were created, which existed until the 1980s. In 1938, the Trinity Church was closed, its interior decoration destroyed, and the building was given over to industrial workshops. Construction debris was dumped on the estate’s grounds.

Revival

In 1994, a devastating fire destroyed the wooden second floor of the main house and four historic buildings of the estate complex. In the same year, His Holiness Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus’ Alexy II decided to establish the Sviblovo Patriarchal Metochion, for which the territory of the former estate was allocated. In the 1980s–1990s, a comprehensive restoration of the estate was carried out. The wooden wings that stood on either side of the main building were recreated in brick. The Russian Orthodox Church restored the Trinity Church. In 1995, the church was returned to the ROC and received the status of a patriarchal metochion.

Architectural Gems of the Estate Complex

The Church of the Life-Giving Trinity

The main architectural dominant of the estate is the Church of the Life-Giving Trinity, built in 1708–1709. The building is an outstanding example of Moscow Baroque with elements of Petrine-era order architecture. The cruciform plan of the church, decorative window frames, and portico details combine 17th-century traditions with innovative techniques of the era of Peter the Great. The church is complemented by an elegant bell tower from the late 18th century. After its closure in 1938 and a long period of neglect, the church was fully restored and is now active.

The Manor House with Wings

The main two-story house is a unique combination of different architectural eras. The first floor dates back to the early 18th century and represents the Naryshkin chambers, dating approximately to 1709–1714. These chambers are executed in the Petrine Baroque style with a characteristic parapet featuring figured balusters. In the 1780s, under the owner Vysotsky, the chambers were rebuilt into a wooden-and-stone manor house in the style of Russian classicism. In the 1820s, under Kozhevnikov, an elegant Empire-style mezzanine was added. The house is painted in a characteristic yellow color and adorned with white columns. Two symmetrical wings—right and left—adjoin the main house and are connected to the central building by underground passages. Originally wooden, they were recreated in brick during the restoration of the 1980s.

The Servants’ Wing

The servants’ wing was rebuilt several times, but at its core lie historic chambers from the Naryshkin era. The building is of significant interest as a monument of estate architecture.

The Park and Natural Area

The estate territory includes a small linden park with trees more than 200 years old. In the floodplain of the Yauza River there are two picturesque man-made ponds. Unfortunately, the original landscape park was almost completely eliminated, and residential quarters of Botanichesky Proyezd appeared in its place; however, the preserved part of the estate park is a protected natural area.

What to See at the Estate Today

Museum Exhibitions in the Underground Chambers

Unique exhibitions have been organized in the ancient underground chambers of the estate, attracting numerous visitors: “The Bell Museum” presents a collection of bells from different eras and of various sizes, introducing visitors to the traditions of Russian bell casting. “The Biblical Museum” houses rare church documents, ancient books, and a collection of crosses. Of particular interest is a life-size copy of the Shroud of Turin with preserved traces, as well as artifacts related to the period of Christ’s crucifixion. “The Corridor of Time” allows visitors to travel through the centuries of the estate’s history. “The Museum of the Defense of the Fatherland” is dedicated to the military history of Russia and acquaints visitors with the feats of the defenders of the Fatherland.

Park Area and Natural Beauty

The estate park offers visitors excellent conditions for peaceful walks. Paved paths lead through well-kept flowerbeds, past centuries-old trees to the bank of the Yauza River. Here one can stroll along the old ponds, watch ducks, and enjoy the silence and tranquility of a historic place.

Cultural Events

A variety of events are regularly held on the estate grounds: festivals, classical music concerts, literary readings, holiday celebrations, and educational programs. Special educational tours are organized for schoolchildren, introducing them to the history of the estate and noble culture.

The Surroundings of the Estate

Not far from Sviblovo, on Sedova Street, there is another interesting landmark—a courtyard where, in 1965, scenes from Leonid Gaidai’s legendary comedy “Operation ‘Y’ and Shurik’s Other Adventures” were filmed. Fans of Soviet cinema can combine a visit to the estate with a walk through the filming locations of this cult movie.

Practical Information for Visitors

Address and Opening Hours

Address: Moscow, Lazorevy Proyezd, building 15, structure 1 (church), building 19 Opening hours: daily from 09:00 to 18:00 Official website: www.usadba.troitsasviblovo.ru

How to Get There

From “Botanichesky Sad” metro station: take bus No. 61 to the “1st Botanichesky Proyezd” stop, then walk about 350 meters. On foot from “Botanichesky Sad” metro station: exit from the first car from the center, walk 150–200 meters west to the last turn north before the Yauza River, then follow First Botanichesky Proyezd to the intersection, turn left and proceed between the floodplain forest on the left and residential buildings on the right along the northern near-bank curve of Lazorevy Proyezd to the central gates of the estate. From “Sviblovo” metro station: a pedestrian route is also possible.

Guided Tours

Organized guided tours are available for visitors, including the bus-and-walking route “The Estate Trio: Altufyevo — Sviblovo — Khovrino” lasting 6 hours, allowing visitors to explore several historic Moscow estates.

Conclusion

The Sviblovo Estate is a unique monument of Russian estate culture, where architectural masterpieces of different eras, picturesque nature, and deep historical memory are harmoniously combined. It is a place where the great Karamzin worked, where representatives of the most noble Russian families lived for centuries, and where the destinies of tsars and merchants, warriors and industrialists intersected. Today, the Sviblovo Estate is not only a protected monument of history and architecture, but also a living spiritual center, a patriarchal metochion where centuries-old traditions of Russian Orthodoxy continue. Visiting this remarkable place allows one to touch upon the centuries-old history of Russia, enjoy the beauty of classical architecture, and find inner peace among ancient lindens and quiet ponds on the bank of the Yauza River.