How to Visit Moscow's House of Tolstoy
Note that Leo Tolstoy’s house in Moscow is merely a shadow of his palatial estate in the Russian countryside. That said, his city home offers quite a window into the genius of Tolstoy. The upstairs ballroom includes a grand piano which surely entertained the 19th century Muscovites. A dark study accepting evening sun includes the desk where he composed ‘Ivan Ilyich'. A lounging room hosts a chaise with indentation visible. Curators insist on sock feet and provide booties that tie over shoes. No photographs are allowed. Descendants of Tolstoy cats greet each visitor. Also, the floor in the upstairs servant’s area slants rightward because of the age of the home.
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Instructions
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The Home of Russia's Greatest Writer
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Visiting Saint Basil’s Cathedral reveals a maze of rooms and not one grand house of worship as expected.
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Starting at Old Arbat Street; a colorful, cobble-stoned pedestrian avenue in southwest Moscow, one can easily catch the Metro's red line to the Park Kultury station.
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Stopping by the Novadevechiy Necropolis (City of the Dead), which is located nearby, one will visit some of the most famous historical Russians. Tolstoy is not there.
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Tips & Warnings
Don’t be intimidated by the Moscow Metro. Get a map. The Metro is color-coded using the universal standard.
Moscow has a central line that forms a circle around the city. The line is designated brown.
The place names for the stations simply need familiarization; a good starting point is the station at Arbat. Find the red line going southwest and exit the Metro at the Park Kultury station.
Again, a map of metropolitan Moscow is a must here. Directions do not translate.
The address is Ulitsa Prechistenka #11.
Moscow is an adventure, enjoy
