Dvoryaninovo (Museum-Estate of A.T. Bolotov)

Dvoryaninovo is situated in the place of the scientist, the agronomist, the encyclopedist, enlightener Andrey Bolotov's ex homestead. The house museum was found in 1988 on the 250 years anniversary of the scientist. The museum opened for visiting in December 1993. The building is situated on the high steep hill. The owner of the homestead called the hill the mountain Aveniser "the mountain of help". He found in its subsoil useful minerals and with the help of it he treated urolithiasis. There is the Andrey Bolotov monument on the flank of hill near the south-west fecade of the house. There is an exposition of gentry's everyday life which social estate Andrey Timofeyevich refered to. The museum consists of several halls. The girl's one introduces a visitor to Andrey Timofeyevich and his epoch. There is the «Pugachyov's» stand, the Bolotovs' family tree and family crest: in the azure shield, crowned with nobiliary helm and crown with rich floral ornamentation, a golden cross and silver crescent. In the hall a visitor can see a figure of a peasant girl... At that time such figures were popular in Russia. The aim was to create an effect of presence and they were places in the most unexpected places such as parks, houses. The scientist's office is the heart of Dvoryaninovo museum. "The most enjoyable room for me was my office", wrote Bolotov. There are a lot of books in different languages in the bookcase. Andrey Timofeyevich was one of the most prolific novelists of the18th century. According to Vengerov who published "The short dictionary of Russian writers and scientists" he left 350 volumes of scientific and literary works. The autobiographical sketch "Andrey Bolotov's life and adventures, described by him for his descendants" is a real encyclopedia of Russian society's life of the 18th century and a treasure-house of the language. Leo Tolstoy called it the most valuable. One more value of the office is an electric machine of 18th century producing electric current. Bolotov treated sick people with the help of electrophoresis session. There are things which he used such as an inkstand with an anserous feather, Alexandria paper, etc. There are portraits of Andrey Bolotov and his wife Alexandra Kaverina on the wall of the living room. Before the marriage Bolotov saw a beautiful girl in a dream and he fell in love. Before the viewing he wanted his hypothetical betrothed at least to be like the girl from the dream. When they met, Alexandra turned up the girl from the dream. They had been together for 70 years and they had 9 children. The hall with a buffet transfers us to the age of Enlightenment. There were evenings of literature and music, guests were entertained and home plays were done in the owner's life. There were a fortepiano and a baby grand because Andrey Tomofeyevich was interested in music. The museum continues the tradition: in summer there is a free concert of classical music where visitors can listen to the masterpieces of classical music. After excursions guests go to the "desire oak" in the Bolotov park. In Bolotov's lifetime the lightning struck an oak and one piece of the trunk fell to the ground, another fell on the young elm. They soldered whimsically and formed an arch. Andrey Bolotov offered his relatives to make a wish under the arch. This "arched" oak is still alive. The wishes come true which were made here - a lot of visitors' notes say about it in the comments book.