The suburban village of Peredelkino forever linked with the name of the poet Boris Pasternak (1890 – 1960). Here he has been living from 1936, at first he is occupying a large house, and then, in 1939, he moved to a smaller house, where he remained until the end of his life.
Once,this house was a poet in soul. Unlike the previous villas – large, dark, uncomfortable, with a plot where there was flora – ness, he was covered in bright sunlight and stood surrounded by pine trees. He, like the ship ,has sailed out of the forest towards the future.
The merger of the poet's personality and his dwelling place was so full that allowed Century. Kaverina to say, Pasternak lived in Peredelkino "as if he created in his own image and likeness."Another witness Viktor Bokov recalled: "I saw him in the garden with a shovel, with the sleeves rolled up, enthusiastically digging ridge, praising the pagan fertility".
But perhaps most importantly, given the nature of Peredelkino poet is "the End of a painfully long (10 years) intermission", according to Anna Andreevna Akhmatova, when he really couldn't write a single line. She recalled: "I wrote nine poems," he tells me on the phone, "I'll come to read," and came. "This is only the beginning – I will sign off". Created in the spring of 1941 the cycle of poems "Peredelkino", parsnips believed then its "best ever written". Here he finished his novel "Doctor Zhivago", included in his "Poems of Yuri Zhivago, translated Shakespeare and Goethe, worked on the last cycle of poems, "When you loose".
The mistress of the house was Zinaida Nikolaevna, her first husband was G. G. Neuhaus, Professor of the Conservatory and a wonderful pianist, Pasternak will remain friendly until the end of life. For the poet's affair with the wife of a friend was painful and beautiful, it was "Second birth", it was a book of poems written at that time.
Zinaida Nikolaevna – terse and economical, provide reliable back to her husband. In the house at different times were A. Akhmatova, A. Efron, K. Chukovsky, B. Livanov, Nina Tabidze, Sun – Ivanov, A. Voznesensky, E. Yevtushenko. On the beautiful piano company "Bechstein" played a prominent pianists: Henry and Stanislav Neigauz, Sviatoslav Richter and Maria Yudina.
It was in this house Pasternak learned that on October 23, 1958, he was awarded the Nobel prize for literature "For his important achievement both in contemporary lyrical poetry and in the traditional field of the great Russian prose." World fame turned severe persecution at home. He was forced to abandon the prize.
Recent work – play "Blind beauty" was left unfinished…
Boris Pasternak died 30 may 1960 in this house, in a little room, "piano", as it was called, and was buried on June 2, Peredelkino cemetery, which is now a memorial.
After Pasternak's death the house became an unofficial Museum. Relatives living here – Zinaida Nikolaevna, Leonid Borisovich, the son of the poet and Natalia Zhuravkova, son's wife,is arranged on the testimony of tours, which was not to the liking of the authorities. The confrontation was growing and, in 1984, the mansion that belonged to the Union of writers, the family decided to select. Things were thrown out on the street and with great difficulty managed to keep family and friends. After overcoming numerous obstacles put by the literature Foundation and thanks to the intercession of academician Likhachev, poets Voznesensky and Yevtushenko, 10 February 1990, the 100th anniversary since the birth of Pasternak, the Museum finally opened. 1990 was declared a UNESCO year of Pasternak.
All things returned to their seats. Now everything here is exactly as it was during the life of the poet – the austere simplicity, asceticism. On the walls hang paintings, prints and drawings by Leonid Osipovich Pasternak, the poet's father was a talented artist, academician of painting, which was appreciated by Leo Tolstoy, trusting him to illustrate their works. Moreover, all the works hanging on the places and in the same order as it was defined by Boris Leonidovich. He admired the work of the father.
The Museum staff are caring for a vegetable garden and flowers in front of the house.
Permanent Director of the Museum since its Foundation, Natalia Zhuravkova Pasternak, the wife of the younger son of the poet, set foot in this house in 1962, during the life of Zinaida Nikolaevna and took from her the torch Keeper. More than 20 years of her life she devoted to this Ministry. In 2012 she passed away.
And now the baton to the guardian picked up her daughter – granddaughter, Boris Leonidovich – Elena Leonidovna Pasternak.
The house alive. There are the verses of the poet and the music he so loved. You will learn a lot about the life of Boris Leonidovich and inhabitants of this house, feel its atmosphere. Sometimes it seems that the owner just went somewhere for a while…
Working hours:
Tue – Sun: 10.00 – 17.00
Box office: 10.00 – 16.30
Closed: Monday
The last Tuesday of each month – sanitary day
Dear friends, pay your attention, to the fact that the working time and days of "The house-Museum of B. L. Pasternak" may change, so before visiting it we recommend you to call +7 (495) 934 – 51 – 75.