Shakhmatovo, Literary museum in Solnechnogorsky District, Russia.
Shakhmatovo is a literary museum in a restored wooden manor house featuring personal belongings and memorabilia of poet Alexander Blok in period rooms. The estate spreads across extensive grounds with gardens, landscaped areas, and the nearby Church of Michael the Archangel.
The estate passed to the Bekelov family in 1874 and served as Alexander Blok's summer residence until 1916. After destruction in 1921, the property was eventually reconstructed and opened as a museum.
The site preserves connections between the Mendeleev and Bekelov-Blok families through exhibitions and photographs documenting the Silver Age period. Visitors experience how these artistic circles lived and gathered during this time through objects and documents on display.
The museum offers guided tours through the manor house, gardens, and the nearby church on the grounds. Wear comfortable shoes since the estate has large outdoor areas to explore.
A large glacial boulder on the grounds called the Babiy Stone marks a spot where the poet wrote several of his poems. Many visitors overlook this natural stone, even though it was a quiet source of inspiration for his literary work.
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