Ostafyevo: Manor House, Literary History and Park in the Moscow Region

Ostafyevo Manor, together with Arkhangelskoye Manor, is one of the most beautiful places in the Moscow Region. The estate is also known as one of the centers of 19th-century Russian culture. Literary greats were frequent guests at Ostafyevo: Pushkin, Gogol, Griboyedov and Mickiewicz. Pushkin called this place the “Russian Parnassus.”

The history of Ostafyevo is closely tied to the name of the Russian nobleman and poet Pyotr Vyazemsky. It was he who came up with the idea of inviting famous artists and poets to the manor. Vyazemsky himself also holds an important place in the canon of Russian classical poetry.

Pyotr’s son Pavel became the next owner of the manor. An enthusiastic collector, he managed to build one of the finest collections of paintings, manuscripts and icons of his time at Ostafyevo. Pavel’s passion for collecting nearly bankrupted the estate. Ostafyevo was saved by Vyazemsky’s daughter Ekaterina, who married Prince Sheremetev in time. He belonged to one of Russia’s oldest aristocratic families.

From the late 19th century to the early 20th century, the manor’s halls were opened to the public. Visitors could view the art collection assembled over the course of a century. Memorial rooms dedicated to Pushkin and Karamzin were also opened at Ostafyevo.

Later, Ostafyevo Manor endured tragic events. After the Revolution, a museum of aristocratic life operated here for a time. But the museum did not last long: it was brazenly looted, and its custodian, a member of the Sheremetev family, was exiled. During the Soviet era, the manor housed a sanatorium.

Today, Ostafyevo Manor is gradually reclaiming its lost past. A museum has reopened in the manor house under the name “Russian Parnassus.”

Over the past century, many of Ostafyevo’s buildings have suffered considerable damage. Most of the main house’s interiors have fallen into disrepair or have been altered beyond recognition. The Church of the Holy Trinity, located on the estate grounds, has not been spared by time either.

However, the exterior of the manor house has retained its former appearance, and some halls have also “survived,” including the central oval hall with its choir gallery for musicians. Services are still held at the Church of the Holy Trinity. The manor’s park, once laid out in a geometric design, has since spread out and merged with the nearby woodland. Yet traces of its former splendor remain: the large pond, the avenues and the monuments to Russian poets.

The manor park is open to visitors from 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.

The small Ostafyevo Airport belonging to Gazprom is located near Ostafyevo. It mainly operates charter flights to and from Moscow.