Polotnyanyy Zavod: Estate, Park and Paper Museum

• Shchepochkin House was built in the first half of the 18th century in the Russian Classicist style.
• The English-style landscape park belongs to the Goncharov estate and was laid out in 1802.
• “Buzeon” is an interactive museum about papermaking.
• The Transfiguration Church in Polotnyany Zavod was consecrated on November 24, 2019.

The main house of the estate displays commemorative furniture from the 18th century. It includes a massive mahogany writing desk in the “Jacobe” style, as well as chairs and armchairs made in Russia in the style of the English master Thomas Chippendale. Here, you can compare their materials, origins and designs: the desk is made of mahogany, while the chairs and armchairs are associated with an English style and were nevertheless made in Russia.

The Spassky Gates are also part of the estate’s history. Built between 1736 and 1741, they provide an entrance to the Goncharov estate. Their historical context differs from that of Shchepochkin House, whose Classicist style points to the first half of the 18th century.

The English-style landscape park was laid out in 1802. The former park has a large meadow, tall pines, oaks and lindens, as well as wet lowlands along the river. The scenery shifts between open meadows, stands of trees and wetter areas. One large oak is described as being three hundred years old; it is also known as the Pushkin Oak and the “Lira” Oak. A monument to A. S. Pushkin stands in a picturesque clearing deep in the park.

The meadows are also a habitat for the Mnemosyne butterfly, also called the clouded Apollo. This protected species is listed in the Red Data Book of Kaluga Oblast. Nature enthusiasts can find a specific example of regional biodiversity here, alongside the parkland and its large trees.

A guided tour of the old park is available for organized groups of ten or more. It visits an avenue cherished by A. S. Pushkin and his wife, a former landscape grove, a gazebo and the Pushkin monument. The tour gives a visit to the park a clear thematic focus; on an independent visit, the meadows, groves and named sites can each provide a different focus. Check the latest official information about access before visiting.

Shchepochkin House features the exhibition “The Storm of the Year Twelve Broke: The Patriotic War of 1812 in the Works of A. S. Pushkin.” Its theme connects the War of 1812 with Pushkin’s work. If you plan to visit the exhibition, check the museum’s latest visitor information.

The Polotnyanyy Zavod Museum-Reserve offers workshops for children and adults. Participants can make, among other things, a traditional motanka doll and a beeswax candle. Another activity is a workshop on the “Polonez” dance in the large Turquoise Salon of the Goncharov House. This program can be booked for groups and requires advance arrangements. The activities are quite different: one involves making things, while the other is a dance workshop in a named salon.

“Buzeon” is devoted to papermaking and is described as Russia’s only museum on this subject. Its interactive offerings include a virtual tour of the operating workshops of the Polotnyano-Zavodskaya paper mill. Visitors can also watch Soviet newsreel footage about papermaking on a large screen. The footage spans the years of the first Five-Year Plans, the Great Patriotic War and the 1960s.

Polotnyany Zavod offers several different ways to explore: historic rooms and furniture, a guided route through the park, hands-on workshops and a virtual tour of a paper mill. Discover more destinations: Kuzmishchevo, Kudinovo, Tarussa, Bebelevo, Lyudinovo, Volkovskoye, Berdy and Inino.

Which places are included in the guided tour of the old park?

The tour visits an avenue cherished by Pushkin and his wife, a former landscape grove, a gazebo and the monument to Pushkin. It is offered for organized groups of ten or more.

What periods are shown in the footage at “Buzeon”?

The newsreel footage about papermaking spans the years of the first Five-Year Plans, the Great Patriotic War and the 1960s.

What should you keep in mind when booking a group program?

The park tour is intended for organized groups of ten or more. The “Polonez” dance workshop requires advance arrangements, so confirm the date with the museum beforehand.

For the broader travel overview: Kaluga Oblast.