D.I. Mendeleev and A.A. Blok Museum-Reserve. Shakhmatovo Estate

About museum

Shakhmatovo Estate is a place Alexander Blok described as "a corner of paradise near Moscow." In 1874 it was purchased by A. N. Beketov, Alexander Blok's grandfather, a professor of botany and rector of St. Petersburg University. Here the poet spent the best years of his life, writing about 300 poems. In 2001 the main house of the estate was opened to visitors. The kitchen, wing (annex), barn, icehouse, carriage shed and other estate buildings have been restored. The main house contains an exhibition where you can see items that belonged to members of the Beketov family and to Alexander Blok. The wing houses a children's room where you can see the poet's earliest poems, as well as childhood photographs and materials about his interests. The kitchen recreates the setting where elaborate dishes were prepared for A. N. Beketov. Thus, Shakhmatovo Estate remains the spiritual homeland of Alexander Blok and a place to enjoy the history and beauty of central Russia.