In the north of the Moscow region there is amazing place, as if straight out of a magic picture. The ancient park with centuries-old linden trees is noisy, the sky is reflected in the surface of the ponds, romantic gazebos on the high bank attract the eye, the ringing of church bells is barely audible...
The buildings - a combination of classicism and pseudo-Gothic - are revealed not gradually, but immediately: a soft pink two-story palace with snow-white elements, jagged ridges, pointed turrets, lancet windows. Instead of the usual front yard there is a pond, to which a wide white stone staircase leads, crossing three terraces. On the shore it ends with a pier with two griffins on pedestals. To the left of the manor house there is a three-part bridge with loopholes in the medieval style.
Vacationers stroll leisurely, fishermen catch fish, and the silhouette of a horse flashes behind the trees. This - Marfino estate, whose fame once thundered throughout Russia, an estate that has experienced ups and downs, periods of prosperity and decline. Representatives of the most noble families of Russia built, decorated, and changed it. It seemed that they were created for centuries, but new owners came, and everything started all over again...
History of the Marfino estate
The first mentions of the estate date back to the distant 15th century, when the hilly area on the high bank of a small river Teaching was granted for service to one of the representatives of the Shibrin family, nicknamed Shchibra. It was after his name that the previously nameless village was called Shibrino, or Shchibrino. No documentary evidence of buildings from that time has been preserved. It is only known that in those days in the Moscow principality, settlements of one to three households, less often up to ten, prevailed. Probably Shchibrino was like that too. However, in the same 15th century we find another name - Marfino. Apparently, by the name of the Gospel Martha, sister of Mary. It is known that the Shibrins were close to church circles. There is also information that even before the Shchibrins in the 14th century, these places belonged to the thousand-year-old Protasy Fedorovich Velyaminov.
In the next, 16th century, Marfino passed into the possession of Foma Buturlin, and from him to the boyar Vasily Petrovich Golovin, governor under Ivan the Terrible. Under him, the first wooden church of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker was built with the boundary of the Annunciation Holy Mother of God.
In 1585, the village changed hands again and belonged to the clerk, diplomat and statesman Vasily Yakovlevich Shchelkalov - one of those who “screamed” at the kingdom of Boris Godunov. But in 1601 he fell into disgrace, retired from government activities and died in 1610. By that time, Marfino already had twelve peasant houses and forty-one inhabitants. However, “the church stood without singing.”
Pond in Marfino
14 years after the death of Shchelkalin, Marfino again finds itself in the possession of the Golovins - the widow of Vasily Yakovlevich sold the estate to the Moscow boyar Semyon Vasilyevich Golovin. After his death, the estate was inherited as a dowry by his daughter, Pelageya Semenovna, who married A.T. Izmailov.
In 1650, Marfino was sold again - this time to the Duma clerk, head of the Discharge Order, Semyon Ivanovich Zaborovsky, who became a boyar in 1681. Zaborovsky was one of those who contributed to the reunification of Russia and Ukraine; documents on financial and military assistance to Bohdan Khmelnitsky passed through his hands. In addition, he was a food supplier for the royal court. The owner of a large number of estates, he considered Marfino exclusively as a commercial estate. Extensive construction began. Thus, a wooden church was erected in the name of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary, a dam was created that dammed the Ucha, as a result of which three ponds appeared. They built a boyar's yard, a clerk's yard, and a cattle yard. In the village itself there were nine houses with 53 inhabitants.
However, in the same 1681, Zaborovsky died, and until 1698, conflicting information remained about the owners of the estate. A number of historians believe that Marfino was assigned to the palace department and in 1698 was granted by Peter the Great to his tutor, associate Boris Alekseevich Golitsyn (1654-1714) for assistance in the fight against Princess Sophia and the suppression of the Streltsy rebellion. According to other sources, after the death of Zaborovsky, the estate was inherited by his cousin Sergei Matveevich and nephews Eremey and Ivan Vasilyev, who, in turn, sold the estate to Golitsyn.
Golitsyn began extensive construction on the estate - new mansions were erected and a park was laid out in the French style. In 1701, construction of the summer stone building began. Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, which has survived to this day. According to the church, the village and the estate are renamed Bogorodskoye.
The church was consecrated on September 5 (19), 1707. Made in the Baroque style, with elements of the Moscow Baroque, it stands on a high hill and is visible from afar. Tula craftsmen forged an openwork gilded cross, Moscow Kremlin stone cutters hand-carved intricate pilasters, capitals, cornices, platbands, and garlands with unique ornaments from white stone. It was built according to the design of the serf architect Vladimir Ivanovich Belozerov, whom Golitsyn sent to France to study architecture.
A terrible story is associated with the name of Belozerov, which, however, has no documentary evidence. When the church was almost ready, the architect dreamed horrible dream as if the temple had collapsed. Having woken up, the master immediately went to Princess Maria Feodorovna Golitsyna (the prince himself was away at that time), told her the dream and asked permission to make changes to the already implemented project - to complete the construction of four supporting pillars inside - pylons. Maria Feodorovna gave her consent. However, when the prince returned, he was dissatisfied with the innovations and ordered Belozerov to be flogged “for disobedience” - the pylons significantly reduced the internal space. The master was dragged to the stable, but under the first blows of the whip he died - his heart could not stand the shame. He was 59 years old.
Belozerov was buried at the Marfinskoye cemetery, not far from his creation. The subsequent owners of the estate, the Saltykovs, installed a gravestone in the form of a sarcophagus, on which they carved an inscription in Slavic script indicating the year of the master’s death - 1708. So, maybe the legend is just a legend? I'd like to believe it.
As for the church itself, it remained active until 1937. The last priest there was Fr. Pavel Vasilyevich Vostorgov, who died in 1937 from a heart attack. Parishioners secretly buried him at the Marfinskoye cemetery; his grave is unknown.
Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Marfino
The name of the estate is sometimes associated with the name of the Golitsyns. According to one version, it was named in honor of the princess, according to another - in honor of the prince’s beloved daughter, who drowned with her two daughters in the Volga near Astrakhan. In 1714, Prince Boris Alekseevich Golitsyn died, and Marfino was inherited by Sergei Borisovich Golitsyn, the only one of four sons to survive his father. However, in 1728, he was forced to sell the estate “for his needs and to pay off his debts” - for 3,350 rubles.
Thus begins a new, almost century-old page in the history of the estate, when it came into the possession of the Saltykovs. At first it was acquired by Vladimir Semenovich Saltykov, but the next year, 1729, he sold it to his brother, Pyotr Semenovich Saltykov (1698-1772), the future field marshal, for 7,000 rubles. After the death of the latter, Marfino was inherited by Ivan Petrovich Saltykov (1730-1805).
Under the Saltykovs, in late XVII I century begins the “golden age” in the history of the estate, when Marfino actually turned into a ceremonial residence. In 1770-1780 a magnificent palace and park ensemble was created. The dilapidated Golitsyn buildings were dismantled, and construction began on a new two-story palace with outbuildings connected to the house by a colonnade. And although the name of the architect is unknown, some consider the author to be M.F. Kazakov (1738-1812).
Skillfully playing with the landscape, he erected the palace on the high bank of the pond, as if on a majestic pedestal. The front rooms housed a collection of paintings - paintings by P. Rotary (1707-1762), A. Roslin (1718-1793), J. Grez (1725-1805). On the second floor in the “armory” there was a collection of ancient weapons and armor, costumes and clothing. In 1777, the construction of the classical-style Winter Church of Peter and Paul, which has also survived to this day.
On a small area of 13 hectares it was laid out regular style park, he was looked after by a gardener specially sent from Denmark. Various places of entertainment, pavilions, terraces, and gazebos were built. A whole staff of professional gardeners created “green architecture”. Plants were trimmed in the shape of balls, pyramids, and trellises. The park gave the impression of a state hall, and the seemingly endless straight park alleys were a kind of green enfilades. Willows were planted along the park's borders to form a green wall.
The menagerie was rebuilt, in which deer, hares, peacocks, and swans lived. A greenhouse was also built in which apricots, peaches, oranges, lemons, grapes, dates, laurel and even pineapples were grown. Moreover, greenhouse pineapples near Moscow were valued more expensive than imported Ceylon ones: Moscow ones went for 19 rubles per pood, and Ceylon ones for 17.
A bridge was built across the dammed Ucha in 1770. Marfin serfs manually expanded and cleared the old ponds. Near the village of Lyskovo lies the Upper Pond, opposite the estate is the Nizhny Pond, and on the branch is the Bokovaya Pond. The wooden dam was designed to maintain the required water level. Excess water was discharged through gates into the riverbed below. The dam was washed away several times, and only in the 1950s was a reinforced concrete one finally built. Four have also survived bulk islands, which bore such romantic names as “Island of Waiting,” “Island of Meeting,” “Island of Love,” and “Island of Parting.”
In 1780, a two-tiered building was built in the park, on the high bank above the pond. pavilion "Milovida", from where they open beautiful views to the estate. Harmonious shapes, a combination of a massive base and a light top allow us to consider him the author famous architect, “Russian Leonardo,” as his contemporaries called him, Nikolai Alexandrovich Lvov.
Probably the horse yard and carriage house were also built according to his design. At the same time, a Music pavilion- semi-rotunda.
Also on the territory of the estate two houses for hounds were built - Kennels, more like ancient temples: the count idolized hunting. There were legends about Marfin hound hunts; 60 hounds served up to a thousand dogs. Once upon a time, between the buildings of the kennels there was a tower that served as a kind of museum of hunting trophies and an arsenal of military and hunting equipment.
The estate gradually became a center of spiritual and cultural life Russian noble society. Various organ concerts, literary evenings, famous European artists and musicians who came on tour to Moscow performed. Amateur theatrical performances were organized. It is known that the poet Vasily Lvovich Pushkin (1766-1830, uncle of A.S. Pushkin), historian, writer Nikolai Mikhailovich Karamzin (1766-1826), who wrote the vaudeville “Only for Marfino”, poet and fabulist I.I. .Dmitriev (1760-1837).
There were two theaters. The first, wooden one, was located in the park. The second, “airy” one, is two miles from the manor’s house, in a forest clearing. It was named Darina Grove, in honor of I.P. Saltykov’s wife, Daria Petrovna. Historian N.M. Karamzin, who often visited Marfino, dedicated the following poems to her:
How pleasant those places are
Where is nature's beauty
It shines in its simplicity,
Where love depicts
Your dear name!
Before the name of the goddesses
The darkness of the deserts was adorned.
Mother's name is more holy
The name Daryino is sweeter,
All Homeric names.
In addition, Karamzin left detailed description estates. The theaters played excerpts from ballets and short vaudevilles. Near Darina Grove there was an area called “Zavilony” (towards Lyskovo), where walks were organized. Bridges were built across ravines, gazebos, and paths were laid out.
Marfin festivities often attracted up to 300 or more guests. An orchestra of 120 serf musicians and a choir of 80 people delighted the ears. Those present enjoyed walking along the shady alleys, riding boats and carousels. Peasants from surrounding villages were often invited on festival days, and they delighted the guests with songs, dances, and games. A salute was fired from twelve cannons.
After the death of I.P. Saltykov, which happened in 1805, he was left with a huge debt - 2 million 800 thousand rubles. The estate began to gradually fade.
Patriotic War of 1812 caused enormous damage to Marfino. Napoleonic soldiers settled here, took away cultural treasures with them, and burned the rest. The graves of the French are preserved in the old Marfinsky cemetery. Only churches, kennels and two gazebos survived. During the war with Napoleon, P.I. Saltykov distinguished himself, who, at his own expense, formed a separate Moscow Hussar Regiment and, leading it, bravely fought against the French. He was seriously wounded and died in 1813.
Marfino, devastated and ruined by the war, passed to his sister, Anna Ivanovna Orlova, who lived with her husband mainly abroad. There was no money to restore the estate, so in 1822 she was forced to sell the estate to her father-in-law, Vladimir Grigorievich Orlov (1743-1831), the youngest of the five famous Orlov brothers. Vladimir Grigorievich went down in history as the director of the Academy of Sciences, a writer, the author of books on history, music, politics, and a collector of works of art and rarities.
Orlov began restoration work. To carry them out, a carpentry workshop, a small brick factory, and a forge were built. Serf craftsmen took part in the work: the architect Fyodor Tugarov, who actually built the palace from scratch, the mason of the Vyazemsky princes - Kirill Nikitin, the park was revived by the gardener F.I. Matkov. However, the dues from peasants increased 4 times: from 12 rubles 50 kopecks to 50 rubles. All buildings were designed in the Empire style. A palace was erected with two wings – a “kitchen” and a “guest” wing, a stone bridge across the pond was repaired, a fence was built around the winter Peter and Paul Church, the lawns were re-laid out, etc.
However, in 1831, when the construction of the palace was close to completion, Count Orlov died. Marfino was inherited by his daughter, Sofya Vladimirovna Panina. Sofia Vladimirovna's husband, Viktor Nikitich Panin (1801-1874), was a prominent statesman, held a number of high positions, the post of Minister of Justice, Chief Prosecutor, head of the Commission on the Peasant Issue.
In 1834, S.V. Panina moved into an unfinished house. By that time, there were 57 peasant households and 120 people in the village. The Panins themselves were one of the richest people in Russia at that time, had more than 20 thousand serfs and could raise significant funds for the restoration of the estate. A major reconstruction of the estate began, the main work was completed in 1837-1839.
Most of the buildings were reconstructed in the then fashionable Tudor style - neo-Gothic of Nicholas's time. The work was led by D. Gilardi’s student, academician Mikhail Dorimedontovich Bykovsky (1801-1885). He designed the palace and park ensemble in the form of a medieval castle. Previously built buildings - churches, gazebos, kennels, stables - organically merged into the new look of the estate. The entrance to the estate was decorated with massive arched entrance gates with round guard towers on the sides.
On the lower platform there was a cast-iron fountain in the form of a wide bowl-shell, which was supported by plump children and dolphins. Its author is presumably the Russian sculptor of Italian origin Ivan Petrovich Vitali (1794-1855).
The palace created by Bykovsky had 24 rooms. There was a large collection of paintings there, including portraits of all representatives of the Panin family. Portraits hung in the halls of the lower floor, two living rooms, two libraries, in the dining room and living rooms. The house also housed a rich library containing thousands of volumes. According to Bykovsky's plan, the visitor entered the estate from the south side, went around the lake and contemplated all the significant buildings from different angles, picturesque landscapes took turns replacing each other.
Subsequently, Bykovsky’s son recalled:
I remember how amazed I was when, from behind a birch grove, a view of a pond, a bridge with a colonnade, a gate and a house with stone terraces descending from it to the pond and a staircase with a fountain and a pier with griffins on its sides suddenly opened up. Everything in pale pink, illuminated by bright sunlight, stood out against the greenery and, newly built, was perfectly maintained. All terraces were framed with garlands of flowers. It was some kind of fabulous picture, and the impression of it was so strong that it remained for the rest of my life... and has not been erased to this day.
In January 1844, Sofya Vladimirovna died, and Marfino passed to her son, Viktor Nikitich, but work continued for another two years. While on duty in St. Petersburg, he rarely appeared on the estate, but he made sure that everything there was preserved as it was “under mother.” After the death of Viktor Nikitich in 1873, the estate was owned by his widow, Natalya Pavlovna. Despite her efforts, the estate began to decline.
In 1900, Marfino passed to her granddaughter, Sofya Vladimirovna Panina (1871-1957), who tried her best to restore the estate. Sofya Vladimirovna was an extraordinary woman. She became famous for her extensive charity work and, using her own funds, founded a school for workers in the capital, for which she received the nickname “Red Countess.” However, after the revolution she was forced to leave Russia.
By decree of the Soviet government of April 15, 1918, the estate was nationalized. After nationalization, for some time Marfino was used as a place of practice for students of the Moscow Petrine Academy (now the Timiryazev Agricultural Academy), and in 1919-1923 there was a children's colony for street children, headed by Lunacharskaya. All items of artistic value were taken to the Historical Museum, the Museum Fund and other institutions. The library, which by that time numbered 15 thousand volumes, was moved to the Moscow State Book Fund and then distributed among a number of museums and libraries.
In 1933, the Marfinsky Central Military Clinical Sanatorium was located in the estate. During the Great Patriotic War, the territory of the sanatorium was occupied by the headquarters of the 64th Separate Marine Rifle Brigade Pacific Fleet. Only after the war, in the 1950s, under the leadership of M.V. Dyakonov, the estate was restored.
The romantic appearance of the estate has repeatedly attracted the attention of filmmakers. Episodes of such films as “The Noble Nest”, “A Glass of Water”, “The Woman Who Sings”, “A Friend Among Strangers, a Stranger Among Our Own”, “Operetta Invites You”, “The Master and Margarita”, “Crusader” took place here. , “Poisons, or the world history of poisoning”, etc. Local residents often played in the crowd.
The territory of the estate is closed to the public; permission is required from the commandant's office of the sanatorium. Some of the manor buildings ended up outside the territory of the sanatorium and, unfortunately, they are currently in disrepair.
How to get to the Marfino estate
Previous photo Next photo
The Marfino estate (Mytishchi district in the Moscow region) is a palace and park ensemble and a monument of Russian architecture of the 18-19 centuries. But this place has a much longer history.
In the 16th century on the territory of the current estate were the possessions of the boyar Vasily Petrovich Golovin, who held important posts under Ivan the Terrible and during the Time of Troubles. By the end of the 16th century. Marfino (another name is Shchibrino) went to Vasily Yakovlevich Shchelkalov, a very influential member of the Boyar Duma during the reign of Ivan the Terrible, Boris Godunov and False Dmitry I. After a couple of decades, the estate again passes to the Golovins. In 1698, Marfino was acquired by Boris Alekseevich Golitsyn - it was during this period that the construction of the choir, the arrangement of the French park and later the construction of the Church of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary (1701-1707) took place - the only building of that time that has survived to this day.
Since 1728, the Marfino estate passed to the Saltykovs, who started large-scale construction here: a new stone palace was erected, park pavilions and gazebos, two kennel buildings and a winter church were built (1770s). They owned Marfin for about a hundred years, and in 1831 they sold the estate to Vladimir Grigoryevich Orlov, director of the Academy of Sciences under Catherine II. But in the same year he died, and the property passed to his daughter, who took up the reconstruction of all the estate buildings. To do this, she invited the famous Moscow architect M.D. Bykovsky, who gave the main house a Gothic look. The last mistress of Marfino was the famous Countess Sofya Vladimirovna Panina, famous for having built the People's House in St. Petersburg, where people of any class could study; It was she who provided her palace in Crimea to the family of Leo Tolstoy when the writer was seriously ill and needed a change of climate.
Soon after the revolution, the estate was nationalized, and a huge amount of valuables and a library were removed from here. From 1944 to this day, the building has housed a military sanatorium. Only in 2016 was everyone able to enter the estate.
Marfino Estate
The films “The Noble Nest”, “A Glass of Water”, “The Woman Who Sings”, “A Friend Among Strangers, a Stranger Among Our Own”, “Operetta Invites You”, “The Master and Margarita” and “The Crusader” were filmed at the Marfino estate.
Attractions Marfino
The central part of the Marfinsky ensemble is a two-story brick palace on a hill. A huge pond has been dug in front of the palace, to which a grand white-stone staircase descends, ending with a cast-iron fountain with a pier decorated with stone sculptures of griffins. The main buildings of the estate are concentrated around the pond: a bridge that serves as the main entrance, two churches, and a park with gazebos. The Church of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary was built according to the design of the architect Vladimir Ivanovich Belozerov, whose grave is located nearby. Next to the Church of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary there is the Peter and Paul (winter) Church, built under the Saltykovs.
The park pavilions are represented by a semi-rotunda (former Music Pavilion), built of white stone, and a two-tier rotunda “Milovida”. The brick bridge spanning the pond, with its turrets, jagged ridges and loopholes, resembles a fortress. Originally erected in the 1770s. under the Saltykovs, the bridge was significantly rebuilt in 1837-1839. architect Bykovsky.
On the territory of the estate there is the Marfinsky Central Military Clinical Sanatorium, a casino and a service center are located in the former kennels, and the Peter and Paul Church is functioning.
Practical information
How to get there: by train from Savelovsky station to Katuar station (travel time 50 minutes), then by bus No. 37. By car along Dmitrovskoye Highway - at 39 kilometers there will be a turn with a sign “Marfino”, after the turn you need to drive about another 3 km .
Entrance: quite recently, to get into the estate, you had to order a pass in advance; Now it is enough to show your passport at the entrance.
The ancient noble estate of Marfino is located in the village of the same name in the Mytishchi district, which is 20 km from Moscow. For its construction at one time it was chosen most beautiful place on the high bank of the Ucha River. At the highest point of the bank, a luxurious palace was erected, around it, taking into account the existing hilly terrain, a magnificent park was laid out, and in the park, the most magnificent ponds were created from the river bed, adorning the entire estate with a silver necklace.
You may have seen this estate in the movies, it was filmed in many Soviet films: “The Master and Margarita” by Yuri Kara, “The Nest of Nobles”, “A Glass of Water”, “The Woman Who Sings”, “A Friend Among Strangers, a Stranger Among Our Own” , “Operetta invites you,” “Crusader,” “Poisons, or the world history of poisoning.” The ancient interiors of the palace and the landscapes of the park perfectly convey the atmosphere of that time from the screen, but all this can be seen in reality. The estate is perfectly preserved, is located not far from Moscow, and it’s just a short drive to get there.
The first mention of the Marfino estate dates back to 1585. The estate belonged in turn to the Golitsyns, Saltykovs, Orlovs and Panins, was rebuilt under almost every owner, and acquired its final pseudo-Gothic style only in the middle of the 19th century under Countess S.V. Panina.
It is not known what kind of mansions stood in the estate under Prince B.A. Golitsyn and then under his heirs, it is only known that his youngest son sold the estate to the future Field Marshal Pyotr Semenovich Saltykov in order to pay off his debts. And the military commander in the middle of the 18th century, on the site of the Golitsin mansions, erected a stone palace in the Baroque style, with two floors and two side wings. The field marshal is laying out a park around the palace. His business is continued by his son Ivan Petrovich Saltykov. He installed gazebos, two summer theaters in the park, built a winter church, a horse yard and a completely unusual-looking kennel building. Greenhouses with southern fruits and a museum of animals and birds appear in the estate. These were the heydays of Marfino; many famous writers and composers visited the estate. The organ sounded here and performances were staged, boat rides and various games were held here. In honor of the guests, fireworks were lit, an orchestra played and an 80-voice choir sang.
After Saltykov’s death, social life in Marfino died down, the estate began to fall into disrepair, and this continued until in 1820 the estate passed to Countess Sofya Panina. The new owner undertook a large-scale reconstruction of the estate, inviting the famous Moscow architect M.D. Bykovsky to do the work. According to his project, the Marfino estate acquires pseudo-Gothic features and its final appearance.
This is the southern facade of the palace. It is particularly expressive: multifaceted turrets protruding in the center of the facade, a loggia with an openwork fence, pointed white stone arches and the same pointed windows and doors in the central part of the facade. Once upon a time they were decorated with stained glass windows, but they have not survived to this day.
The northern facade of the palace, despite the fact that it is the main one, looks a little more modest compared to the southern one. Previously, on both sides of the facade there were two entrances, to which white stone steps led, and above them on the second floor there were loggias. In the 1940s, the entrances were closed, the steps were dismantled, and a single central entrance was made instead. The loggias were turned into continuous glazed galleries, which, of course, did not benefit the appearance of the facade, depriving it of some grace and lightness.
There is a front yard in front of the main façade. An access road leads to it, going around the outbuilding, which passes through a pretty white stone entrance gate decorated with neo-Gothic elements.
Attached to the gate is the same nice watchtower, also with neo-Gothic elements. And then the road leads to a charming bridge over ponds, which we will see a little later.
The large lower pond - this is the view from the southern windows of the palace.
In front of the southern facade, according to the design of the same M.D. Bykovsky, three terraces were created, the terraces are connected by a grand staircase, and the staircase descends with ledges directly to the pier of the Big Lower Pond.
On the lower terrace in front of the pier there is a “Roman” fountain, perfectly preserved to this day from 1840! Pay attention to the cast iron gratings, the letter “S” woven into their pattern is the personal monogram of Countess Panina.
From the pier to the water there is another staircase made of white stone; it is decorated with sculptures of griffins sitting on wide abutments on the sides of the descent. And then you can already see the same charming bridge that once served as the entrance road to the estate.
Closer view.
And here it is - the bridge.
Unfortunately, the bridge is collapsing and there is no sign of any work to save it yet. And the bridge is gorgeous.
Look how intricately decorated its loopholes are.
The bridge over the pond was built in the 1770s under the Saltykovs and radically rebuilt in the 1830s, when the entire estate was being rebuilt. It was then that it acquired its pseudo-Gothic appearance and a very unusual architectural form. The bridge consists of three parts that stand at an angle to each other: two side parts with arches and a gorgeous central part in the form of a covered gallery with two rows of white stone columns and nice loopholes on both sides.
And all this beauty is now in such a deplorable state.
It is clear that the bridge is closed, there is no passage across it, and in order to get from one bank to the other, an “architectural masterpiece” of our time was thrown across the pond.
But he won’t take you to the estate either. It is generally impossible to get into the estate from this side, unless you climb over the fence. The bridge leads to two churches of the Marfino estate, which are located on the other side of the pond from the estate.
One of them, the Church of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary, is oldest building in Marfino. It was built according to the design of the talented serf architect V.I. Belozerov during the reign of Prince Golitsyn in 1701-1707. Near the temple there is a tombstone of the architect.
Second - small sizes Church of Peter and Paul - appeared in Marfino already under Saltykov, in the 1770s.
Under Saltykov, these two two-story residential buildings for hounds appeared on the estate, more like a theater than utility buildings. Between them there used to be a tower for storing hunting trophies and equipment. The field marshal loved hunting, kept about a thousand dogs, which were served by 60 hounds.
Other outbuildings from the same time - a horse yard and a carriage house - are poorly preserved and stand almost destroyed. They were also built on a grand scale, in the same style as the palace, only in more restrained forms and, of course, it’s a pity that there is nothing to see there anymore.
A special role in the composition of the estate was given to water, and in particular to ponds. In addition to the large picturesque ponds, which give the entire appearance of the estate a unique look, small charming ponds were also created here, connected to each other and to the large ponds by channels. The ponds were dug here by hand by the Saltykov serfs; the bed of the Ucha River was used to create them, and a special dam was built to maintain the water level in the ponds on the river.
Man-made islands were created on large ponds, where guests were offered boat trips. Nowadays, you can also stroll along the Marfinsky ponds on boats. There is a boat launch on the lower pond where you can rent a boat. Near the base - sand beach, on the beach there is a cafe. All conditions for a good summer holiday.
A staircase descends from the manor park to the boat station and the beach, and here above the beach you can see the preserved monument to Countess Panina’s beloved dog.
And this is a manor park, with pretty lawns and shady linden alleys.
The park preserves two ancient gazebos built in the 18th century under the Saltykovs.
A semi-rotunda gazebo that served as a music pavilion. And a two-tier rotunda for relaxation with a statue of Apollo Belvedere on the second tier - it can be seen in the background of the photo.
And, of course, there is water everywhere in the park - babbling streams and waterfalls and a whole system of flowing channels and dams. They are quite well maintained and appear to have been recently renovated.
Can you imagine how cool and fresh it is here on a hot summer day?!
After the revolution, the Marfino estate was nationalized, the Panins’ valuables and extensive library were taken to the Historical Museum, and the estate was given first to the Timiryazev Agricultural Academy (students lived here during their practical training), then to street children, who after a few years gave way to cooperators who were improving their health here, and finally, since 1930, a rest home for pilots was organized in Marfino.
Since then, moving from one department to another, the Marfino estate has been used as a sanatorium for the military. And already in Soviet times, on the territory of the estate made of concrete, in some places lined with granite tiles, a new palace complex grew up, slightly repeating the composition of the main buildings of the ancient estate, but in a purely Soviet style. The same side buildings (outbuildings) adjacent to the main building; the same main building in the center (palace), and the same alley leading to the palace with islands for relaxation, vaguely reminiscent of the palace alley to the pond. There is clearly an attempt to connect these two complexes from different centuries into a single ensemble, but the construction of Soviet times against the backdrop of an ancient palace somehow looks painfully dull and boring here...
(Russia, Moscow region, Mytishchi district, Marfino), 25 km from Moscow along Dmitrovskoe highway
If you present your passport (or other identification document) at the checkpoint, you can get a pass to visit the estate
A magnificent ensemble and an unusual architectural and planning solution by the great master M.D. Bykovsky fascinates you at first sight.
The first mention of Marfin dates back to 1585, when the estate was called Shchibrino and belonged to the Duma clerk, head of the embassy department V.Ya. Shchelkalov. In the first half of the 17th century, the estate was owned by the Golovins, and from 1650 by the clerk S.I. Zaborsky. In 1698, Shchibrino was acquired by the tutor of Tsar Peter I, B.A. Golitsyn, who named her after his wife Marfa - Marfino.
From the Golitsyn construction period to the present day, only the miniature Nativity Church, built in 1707 by serf architect Vasily Belozerov, has survived.
Since 1728, Marfino passed to the Saltykovs and from the middle of the 18th century. under Pyotr Semyonovich Saltykov, a major Russian military leader, extensive construction began on the estate. The round two-tier Milovid pavilion, a semi-rotunda gazebo and two kennel buildings are what have survived from that time to the present day.
Countess A.I. Saltykova, the granddaughter of a field marshal, married Count G.V. in 1805. Orlova, and Marfino went to him as a dowry. He sold the estate to his father, Vladimir Grigorievich Orlov, one of the famous Orlov brothers. In 1831 Count V.G. Orlov died, and according to his will, the estate passed to his daughter Sofya Vladimirovna Panina. Under her, the estate buildings, restored by her father after the invasion of Napoleonic soldiers, were reconstructed in the style of “Nicholas” Gothic. A prominent Moscow architect, a student of Domenico Gilardi, Mikhail Dormidontovich Bykovsky, was invited to furnish Marfino.
The steep slope of the shore of the pond forms a majestic pedestal on which the palace stands. Two-story, built of brick and plastered, it has a low base. Designed in classical forms characteristic of the first quarter of the 19th century, the palace is an elongated rectangle in plan, with a clearly defined center. Rebuilding it, Bykovsky made changes to the appearance of the building, endowing the palace with pseudo-Gothic decorative elements. Two wings standing perpendicular to the palace, built in the 1820s. serf architect Orlov Tugarov and rebuilt in 1832 by Bykovsky.
The house is flanked by massive arched entrance gates with round guard towers. From the palace to the pond, through two terraces with retaining walls, a grand white stone staircase ran, compositionally completed on the lower tier with a fountain and a pier. This skillfully organized part of the park is the most beautiful. A striking artistic accent here is the stone sculptures of griffins, installed on wide abutments on the sides of the descent to the water.
According to experts, the most unique and beautiful structure in Marfino is the bridge over the pond. Erected in the 1770s. under the Saltykovs, it was radically rebuilt by M.D. Bykovsky in 1837-1839.
Marfino Park was magnificent. The prospects of the alleys stretching into its depths resembled palace enfilades. Marble sculpture and pavilions, skillfully placed in the landscape environment, gave the alleys a special sophistication and poetry.
Nowadays the estate is the Central Military Clinical Sanatorium. You can get into the territory if you show some ingenuity, but the guards are not asleep...
Archival photographs of the Marfino estate
Personalities
Count I.P. SALTYKOV, 1730-1805, son of Field Marshal Count Pyotr Semenovich Saltykov and gr. Praskovya Yuryevna, born. Princess Trubetskoy, in 1745 he enlisted in the guard, served for some time at court with the rank of chamber cadet, and in 1760 he was released into the army as a brigadier. Participating in the Seven Years' War, he was promoted to major general, received the Order of St. Anne, 2nd class, from Peter III in 1762, and at the coronation of Catherine the Alexander Ribbon. In the first Turkish war, with the rank of lieutenant general, under the banners of Rumyantsev, he took part in the capture of Khotin and in the battle of Kagul, commanding heavy cavalry, attracted attention for his bravery and was awarded George 2 tbsp. and a golden sword with diamonds. At the end of the war, he commanded a corps in the Polish provinces, and in 1784 he was appointed adjutant general and governor general of the Vladimir and Kostroma governorships. In 1788, the renewed war with Turkey again called him into the ranks of the troops, and he marked himself with the second capture of Khotin. In 1790, Catherine entrusted him with the command of the Finnish Army and, at the conclusion of the Peace of Verel, awarded him the rank of lieutenant colonel of the Horse Regiment Guards and the diamond badges of the hordes. St. Andrew. Misunderstandings with Count Rumyantsev-Zadunaisky forced Count Saltykov to resign in 1795, but the next year Paul I again called him to serve, renamed him general-from-cavalry and appointed chief of the Cuirassier regiment, Kyiv governor-general, general-general. field marshal and inspector general over all cavalry. At the end of 1797, Count I.P. Saltykov was appointed Moscow military governor-general, remained in this position until 1804, then left the service and moved to St. Petersburg, where he soon died, on November 14, 1805. He was buried next to his father in the family estate of the Yaroslavl province.
According to contemporaries, Count Ivan Petrovich was a man of a gentle and good-natured character, extremely simple and accessible in his manners, in which, however, the habit of ruling and commanding was noticeable. Although not gifted with an outstanding mind, he was not without a certain dose of ingenuity and even cunning; as a military leader, he was distinguished more by courage than by art; Suvorov did not highly value his military abilities, and Catherine herself was sometimes dissatisfied with his military actions. When he was Governor-General of Moscow, Count Saltykov enjoyed universal love and respect and did a lot of good. However, in fact, the main power in Moscow belonged to Pavel’s favorite, the all-powerful Moscow Police Chief Ertel, to whom Saltykov transferred almost all management affairs, leaving behind only the command of the troops and the splendor of the representative office. In this regard, thanks to his enormous fortune, Count Ivan Petrovich had every opportunity to satisfy his inclination towards a magnificent and luxurious lifestyle. Count Saltykov was a great sybarite, he loved carousing and women, and his main passion was hunting, to which he devoted all his free time, to which he had up to a hundred of his own huntsmen.
Count I.P. Saltykov was married to the daughter of Count Pyotr Grigorievich Chernyshev, Countess Daria Petrovna. From his marriage to her he had one son and three daughters. The death of his wife in 1802 was a heavy blow for Count Ivan Petrovich and, having completely upset his health, prompted him to retire. He moved to St. Petersburg and settled with his eldest daughter, P.I. Myatleva, who outlived the rest of his children and became the heiress of the enormous Saltykov fortune.
(From a miniature belonging to the Imperial Hermitage)
Countess D.P. SALTYKOVA, 1759-1802, daughter of Count Pyotr Grigorievich Chernyshev (1712-1775), considered by many to be the son of Peter the Great. Her mother, Countess Ekaterina Andreevna, born Ushakova, was the daughter of the famous head of the Secret Chancellery under Biron, later Count, Andrei Ivanovich Ushakov. Countess Daria Petrovna spent her youth abroad, where her father was an envoy to the Danish, Berlin and English courts and ambassador to Paris for many years. There she received that brilliant upbringing that placed her, as well as her sister, Princess Natalya Petrovna Golitsyna, known as “Princesse Moustache,” among the most educated Russian women of the late 18th century. Having married Count Ivan Petrovich Saltykov, she occupied a prominent position in the world, which was greatly facilitated by her extremely original personality. Being a woman of the strictest virtue and standing immeasurably higher than her husband in intelligence and moral qualities, she treated his numerous love affairs condescendingly, with a tinge of contempt, never humiliating herself to the point of jealousy. Her husband paid her with deep affection and respect and was inconsolable at her death. She herself was involved in raising her daughters, of whom the eldest, Praskovya, married a senator, P.V. Myatlev, and the youngest, Anna, for Count G.V. Orlova; her second daughter, Elizabeth, died a virgin. Her favorite was the youngest of her children, her only son, Count Pyotr Ivanovich, who in 1812 donated a significant part of his fortune to arm an entire regiment, called Saltykovsky. Countess Saltykova died of an upset stomach in 1802, on the way to Moscow at the Khotilovo station, returning with her husband from St. Petersburg.
Tall, personable, with masculine manners, she somewhat resembled Catherine with her majestic appearance. Many reproached her for arrogance, which is partly explained by her silence in society due to insufficient, thanks to her foreign education, acquaintance with the Russian language, which had not yet been supplanted by French from the living rooms of the big world. “She combined in herself,” according to Vigel, “all the importance of the Russian noblewomen of pre-Petrine times, with the refined politeness and ease of address of the court ladies of the Versailles court.” Countess Saltykova enjoyed great importance in society and at court, and was known for her independence and sometimes the harshness of her judgments. On September 2, 1795, on the day of the celebration on the occasion of the conclusion of peace with the Porte, Saltykova was made a lady of state, and at the coronation of Paul I she received the Order of St. Catherine, 1st class.
When Count I.P. Saltykov, Moscow Governor-General, the Saltykov house was like a small courtyard. Countess Daria Petrovna was very sympathetic to the talented French portrait painter Madame Vigée-Lebrun, who came to Moscow, delivered many orders to her and was interested in her work, visiting her studio. Countess Saltykova spent the summer on her husband Marfina's estate near Moscow; The festivities she organized there, which lasted several days, were not inferior in luxury to her Moscow balls. Amateur performances in Marfin were especially famous; They performed French comedies by Marivaux, as well as operas, Russian and French. At one of these performances, a play called “Only for Marfin” was given, and its author, Karamzin, was among the guests.
(From a miniature that belonged to the Imperial Hermitage)
Countess S.V. PANINA, 1774-1844, wife of Vice-Chancellor Count Panin, daughter of Count Vladimir Grigorievich Orlov, born November 6, 1774; in 1790 she married Count Nikita Petrovich Panin; She was known for her charitable activities, especially for her concerns about improving the life of the serfs who belonged to her. By character she was the complete opposite of her husband, a dry and stubborn man; according to contemporaries, sa femme etait une personne douce, aimable, d’un coeur bienveillantcc. Sharing the disgraced fate of her husband, she spent most of her life in Moscow and in the village of Dugin, Smolensk province. Died, 70 years old, January 7, 1844.
She had two sons: gr. Alexandra (b. 1791, - February 15, 1850) and gr. Victor (b. April 18, 1801, - April 12, 1874; famous Minister of Justice), and 3 daughters who died unmarried: gr. Sofia (b. 1797, - December 26, 1833), gr. Adelaide (b. 1798 - April 17, 1829) and gr. Vera (b. 1808 - April 9, 1841).
(From the portrait of Veil, 1791; property of Countess S.V. Panina, village of Marfino, Moscow province.)
Count N.P. PANIN , 1771-1837, son of gr. Peter Ivanovich and his second wife Maria Rodionovna, born. Vedel, was first brought up in St. Petersburg by his uncle, gr. N.I. Panin, who was entrusted to him by his father after the death of his mother; when gr. Nikita Ivanovich died in 1785, Nikita Petrovich returned to his father, who lived in Moscow, and studied military sciences at home. Known as the “first liar” and “personal insult” of Empress Catherine, Count Peter Ivanovich instilled in his son affection for the heir to the throne, and when the Grand Duke went to Finland to participate in military operations against the Swedes, Panin sent his son to him as a volunteer; here he received the rank of brigadier. Upon returning from the campaign, Panin married Count Sofia Vladimirovna Orlova. The lack of female influence in raising Nikita Petrovich, the constant stay with his disgraced, and therefore irritable and stubborn, father and uncle had a harmful effect on his character - this was a man. cool, straightforward, with excessively developed ambition, with an icy appearance; at one glance at his tall, dry figure, with a motionless face and a sharp, cold look, many felt antipathy towards him, therefore, there is nothing surprising in the fact that, having entered in 1791, many felt antipathy towards him. ., after the death of his father, to serve at the court of Grand Duke Pavel Petrovich, Panin did not stay with him for long; the reason was his quarrel with the Grand Duke, who was not inferior to him in his stern disposition. Obviously, Catherine did not like Panin either: having appointed him chamberlain in 1795, she did not want to give him the diplomatic service that he sought, and in 1795 she appointed him governor and brigade commander in Grodno. Emperor Paul, upon his accession to the throne, appointed him a member of the College of Foreign Affairs, and then, in August 1797, minister plenipotentiary to Berlin. He was tasked mainly with promoting rapprochement between France and Russia. Panin discovered remarkable abilities in Berlin, but, hostile against France, he pursued his own policy: he himself contributed to the failure of the non-negotiations and, on the contrary, tried in every possible way to promote the rapprochement of Austria with Prussia. Panin’s “mediation,” however, was not successful, and he was recalled to St. Petersburg, where in 1799 he was appointed vice-chancellor, at the time of Russia’s break with France. The further course of affairs, however, was not to Panin’s liking: the treachery of Austria and England prompted Emperor Paul to withdraw from the coalition against France and even threaten his former allies with war; Moreover, under the influence of Rostopchin, a rapprochement between Russia and France began. An ardent supporter of an alliance with Austria and England, Panin, at the beginning of 1800 granted action, secrets, advisor, remained outside of any influence on affairs. It was then that the agitation activities of Panin began, who established relations with the English Ambassador Whitworth and, acting in concert with him and Vice Admiral de Ribas, thought to take advantage of the displeasure of society to force the Emperor to abdicate the throne in favor of Grand Duke Alexander Pavlovich. In the fall of 1800, the head of the conspiracy conceived by Panin became Count. Palen. In mid-November 1800, Panin was dismissed from the post of vice-chancellor, with an appointment to the Senate, and in December he was exiled to his estate in Dugino, Smolensk province, but then he was soon allowed to live in the vicinity of Moscow. Emperor Alexander, who reigned on March 12, 1801, summoned Panin to St. Petersburg and appointed him a member of the Collegium of Foreign Affairs. But the people surrounding the young Sovereign did not see eye to eye with Panin, and Empress Maria Feodorovna loudly condemned Panin’s behavior in the year preceding the death of Emperor Paul. On September 30, 1801, Panin, upon request, was dismissed from service and went abroad. Upon returning to Russia, he was prohibited from living in the capitals, and when, at the end of 1806, the Smolensk nobility elected him head of the zemstvo police, the government did not approve this choice. Panin's disgrace continued during the reign of Emperor Nicholas I.
Prone to everything supernatural and miraculous, he studied various mysterious sciences and magnetism in the wilderness of the village, and dictated the results of his research to his son Viktor Nikitich, who wrote entire volumes.
Count N.P. Panin died on March 1, 1837 in Dugin, where he was buried.”
(From the portrait of Veil, owned by Countess S.V. Panina, village of Marfino, Moscow province)
Manor Park
Marfino. The territory of the Marfino holiday home occupies approximately 20 hectares. The terrain is leveled, the landscape is picturesque. In the past, part of this territory belonged to a 16th-century estate. Marfino. Currently there are many new buildings, plantings, and ponds. The layout is made in a regular style, with many alleys and group plantings. The park is full of introductions. There are 20 species, of which three are coniferous: single specimens of old Siberian larches (height 21 m, trunk diameter 90 cm), magnificent alleys of prickly spruce with blue needles (height 15 m, trunk diameter 24 cm), alleys and groups of western thuja (height 6 m, trunk diameter 10 cm). Of the old deciduous trees, the most notable is the white poplar, which forms alleys (height 20 m, trunk diameter 35 cm). The avenues of white poplar deserve protection. In the plantings there are more than ten types of ornamental shrubs, among them, hedges of brilliant cotoneaster, Tatarian honeysuckle, crown and virginian mock orange. Maples were planted in groups: silver and Tatarian; Maak bird cherry (height 14 m, trunk diameter 24 cm) and hybrid rowan (height 5 m, crown diameter 480 cm) are found in individual specimens. There are a lot of lilacs and meadowsweet everywhere. The condition of the plantings and their care are satisfactory. Plants of the local flora are quite successfully involved in landscaping. In total, 11 species have been recorded: two types of conifers and nine types of deciduous trees. There are many small-leaved linden in the alleys (height 20 m, trunk diameter 60 cm), in group plantings there is weeping birch (height 14 m, trunk diameter 30 cm), in alleys and groups - common spruce (height 25 m, trunk diameter 60 cm) , there is one specimen of the weeping form of common spruce (height 12 m, trunk diameter 25 cm). The condition of the plants is satisfactory. They all bear fruit. Some of them have good seed regeneration and can be used as queen cells.
The area of the Marfino sanatorium is approximately 50 hectares. The terrain is uneven. The landscape is picturesque; the river flows here Ucha, there is a system of ponds. The regular style of the park layout has been preserved from previous years, a two-story palace, a round two-tier pavilion “Milovida” with columns, a Gothic bridge, griffins hanging over the pier of a pond, a fountain bowl, and sculptures. The Marfino estate has been known since 1585, founded by a prominent figure of the 16th century. V. Ya. Shchelkalov. The estate received its name at the end of the 17th century. under Prince B. A. Golitsyn. A number of structures created by the architect academician have survived to this day. M. D. Bykovsky in the 18th century. Very old trees grow in the park, the assortment of plants is varied, among them: Siberian fir (height 35 m, trunk diameter 54 cm), an alley of Siberian larch (height 34 m, trunk diameter 108 cm), single specimens of Siberian pine pine (height 23 m, trunk diameter 51 cm) and Weymouth pine (height 30 m, trunk diameter 105 cm), western thuja alley (height 8 m, trunk diameter 14 cm). A total of 18 introduced species were noted, including six coniferous species and 12 deciduous species. Black hawthorn (height 3 m) is used in the hedge. There are many maples in young plantings: ash-leaved and Tatarian. Representatives of the local flora - 14 species: two types of conifers and 12 deciduous ones. Most of all are Scots pine (height 30 m, trunk diameter 65 cm), pedunculate oak (height 20 m, trunk diameter 102 cm) and small-leaved linden (height 23 m, trunk diameter 104 cm). The latter formed a linden grove, which in some places alternates with groups of birch trees. The condition of all plantings and their care are satisfactory. Restoration of the old park and planting of young plants should be recommended.
Basic moments
The history of the palace and estate complex goes back more than three centuries. The external appearance of the estate reflected the capabilities and tastes of its eminent owners and talented architects. In earlier times, Marfino was known for its brilliant receptions and spectacular theatrical performances. Many celebrities and prominent government figures have visited here. The estate went through several periods of prosperity and forever entered the history of Russian architecture. The building acquired a pseudo-Gothic appearance in the 19th century, when the affairs of the estate were managed by Countess Sofya Vladimirovna Panina.
The Marfino Palace and Park can be seen in the frames of many domestic films. The picturesque buildings were filmed in the feature film based on Turgenev’s novel “The Noble Nest”, the popular TV series “The Master and Margarita”, the action movie “Crusader”, as well as in the films “The Woman Who Sings”, “A Glass of Water” and others.
Nowadays, the popularity of the Marfino estate is growing. It is located near the capital, so it is not difficult for Muscovites and guests of the city to come here. A trip to the estate allows you to get acquainted with the colorful pages Russian history and relax in a wonderful park on the shore of a large reservoir. To get to Marfino, you must have a passport or identity card and apply for a pass at the entrance to the Central Military Clinical Sanatorium, which today occupies the territory of an ancient estate.
How the estate was built and developed
In the middle of the 16th century, the lands where Marfino was later built belonged to the boyar and associate of Tsar Ivan IV the Terrible - Vasily Petrovich Golovin. After him, the estate changed owners, and at the end of the 17th century it was bought by the statesman Boris Alekseevich Golitsyn.
The old buildings did not suit the prince’s tastes, so he ordered that a park be laid out in the estate in the French style, and also built new house and utility buildings. In 1701, a temple appeared here, which was consecrated in honor of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary, and the estate began to be called Bogorodsky.
After the death of the prince, his son Sergei, in order to repay his debts, sold his possessions to Field Marshal General Pyotr Semenovich Saltykov. Golitsyn's buildings were dismantled and a majestic two-story building with two spacious outbuildings was erected instead. In the Saltykov estate there was a place for gazebos and kennels. The Peter and Paul Church for worship in the cold season, a carriage house, a horse yard and a menagerie were built. In Marfino’s greenhouse, laurel trees, exotic for Central Russia, grew. Peaches, oranges and other exotic fruits were also harvested here.
Gradually, the estate became one of the centers of cultural life of the Moscow nobility. Domestic and foreign artists performed there, organ music concerts took place, and the famous Marfinsky theater was known far beyond the capital.
During Patriotic War In 1812, the estate suffered great destruction. The French soldiers who were quartered here burned some buildings and took away many objects of art from Marfino.
In the 20s of the 19th century, Lieutenant General Vladimir Grigorievich Orlov became the owner of the estate. The Count made a lot of efforts to revive the former greatness of Marfino. However, in 1831 he died, and the estate was inherited by his daughter Sophia, who in her marriage bore the surname Panina.
The old buildings were completely transformed thanks to the talented architect Mikhail Dormedontovich Bykovsky, who was a student of the famous Domenico Gilardi and learned a lot from the master. The architect reconstructed the buildings in the traditions of the fashionable “Nikolaev” Gothic style. Bykovsky managed to transform the Marfino estate into a beautiful ensemble that delighted everyone who saw it.
In 1844, after the death of the mistress, the estate passed to the Countess's youngest son, Viktor Nikitich. He managed his estates from St. Petersburg and did not particularly care about their development.
With the advent of Soviet power, the old estate was nationalized. Before the Great Patriotic War, there was a colony for juvenile offenders and a rest home for the military “Red Pilot”. Then a hospital was placed in the buildings, and since 1944, on the territory of Marfino there has been a sanatorium where military personnel and members of their families recover or undergo rehabilitation.
Marfino estate today
The main entrance to the old estate is considered to be an unusual bridge, decorated with a red brick wall with turrets and loopholes. It leads to a palace, a beautiful green park and two temples.
The main building or palace stands on a hill and dominates the other buildings. In former times, spacious squares were arranged in front of the palaces, but the owners of the Marfino estate did not follow this tradition. Directly in front of the main building there is a large pond, around which all the other buildings of the estate are located. From the center of the palace you can go down a wide staircase to the pier decorated with stone griffins. The surface of the water visually increases the scale of the estate; it seems larger than it actually is, and opens not in parts, but as a whole.
The palace building was recently restored, and now it houses one of the buildings of a military sanatorium. There are two beautiful churches on the territory of Marfino. The Nativity Church was erected by the serf architect of the Golitsyns - Vladimir Ivanovich Belozerov. The building is made of large bricks and faced with limestone blocks. It is completed by a tall drum with a small head. The second temple, consecrated in honor of Peter and Paul, is operational. Regular services are held there. It is topped with an octagonal drum and looks rather ascetic.
Elegant gazebos from the Saltykovs have been preserved in the Marfino estate. One of them is called the “Music Pavilion”. The open semicircular structure has a strict Tuscan colonnade, which is completed by a semi-dome vault. Another gazebo, Milovida, is located on the hillside leading down to the pond. It was built in the form of a two-tier rotunda. The first tier of the picturesque building is made as an octagon with arches, and the second is made in the form of an eight-column pavilion with a dome.
A park
The Marfino estate has preserved a regular park with alleys and group plantings. Here you can see several old Siberian larches, the diameter of which reaches 1 m, as well as magnificent alleys of spruce and thuja. White poplars, maples, mock orange, hawthorn, bird cherry, rowan and honeysuckle grow in the park. It is especially beautiful in Marfinsky Park in the fall, when the trees and shrubs turn yellow and the plantings become almost transparent.
How to get there
The old estate is located in the village of Marfino, not far from 39 km of Dmitrovskoye Highway. By car from Moscow, you need to drive 20 km along Dmitrovskoe Highway (Route A-104), then turn right and drive another 3 km to the Marfino estate.
Those who travel on their own travel from the Savyolovsky station to the Catuar station (50 minutes), and from there to Marfino they travel by bus number 37. Buses run every half hour. Second option: go to the estate from the Altufevskaya metro station by minibus No. 419 or No. 420.
