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Peredelkino – A Writers’ Haven

Moscow is a bustling city in Russia. Even though it is a historical and architectural wonder, it is a city that never rests. It is always teeming with tourists, businessmen and visitors, and local residents often feel they need to escape the thriving jungle. Just outside of Moscow, approximately twenty kilometers away, is the picturesque settlement of Peredelkino. Many famous writers and poets walked its streets and found inspirations here. Today, rich Russian families find tranquility and peace amongst the magnificent landscapes.

The land, on which the settlement is located once belonged to the Leontyevs, who were related to the legendary Peter the Great. Ownership changed hands a number of times, until 1934, when Maxim Gorky suggested that Peredelkino be given to the Union of Soviet Writers. Soon, quaint cottages and breathtaking homes were being built amongst the sprawling forests and wildlife. Eventually great names, such as Boris Pilnyak, Arseny Tarkovsky, Alexander Fadeyev, Korney Chukovsky, Ilya Ehrenburg and Boris Pasternak, were permanent residents in Peredelkino. Nazin Hikmet, Andrei Voznesensky and Robert Rozdestvensky are also names that are connected to this inspirational part of Russia.

The most famous of all the residents of Peredelkino is probably Boris Pasternak, with his celebrated 1956 novel “Doctor Zhivago”. After being forced to decline his Literary Nobel Prize by the Russian authorities, Pasternak quietly retreated to his Dacha in Peredelkino, where he wrote and entertained until his death in 1960. His home was turned into a memorial museum where visitors are able to walk in the footsteps of this wonderful writer and view some of his personal item such as portraits, sketches, ceramics and library book collection. The home of Korney Chukovsky has also been transformed into a memorial museum and the cemetery of Peredelkino is also amongst the attractions, as many famous poets, writers and literary minds, including Chukovsky and Pasternak were laid to rest here. Other attractions include the House of Creativity, Dom Tvorchestva, and the summer home of Alexis II.

Peredelkino is a beautiful and culturally rich destination in Russia. It has many stories to share and hidden treasures to show visitors and tourists. Even though the settlement is no longer for the exclusive use of the art and literary world, it has still retained its simple lifestyle and fulfilling atmosphere.

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