Bolkonsky House

This is perhaps the most famous "literary" mansion in Yaroslavl. It is believed that the last meeting of Natasha Rostova and the dying Andrei Bolkonsky, the heroes of Leo Tolstoy's novel "War and Peace", took place here.In the story, the prince, wounded in the Borodino field, is sent to the Yaroslavl hospital, where Natasha finds him, having left burning Moscow. Tolstoy in his work even designates the mansion where the hospital was located, the Bronnikov merchant's house with windows overlooking the Volga River. Yaroslavl residents are sure that the writer had this particular house in mind.

The mansion was built at the end of the XVIII century. Its appearance combines the tastes of two periods: the outgoing Baroque and the classicism that replaced it – there are elements of both architectural styles.

The owners built it two-storeyed, but then added three mezzanines to the complex four-pitched roof. The house was considered one of the most immaculate buildings in the city. And during the war of 1812, a hospital was located here. It is known that Yaroslavl residents repaired the house at their own expense, and then brought candles and firewood for soldiers and officers. It was in this hospital that Leo Tolstoy "placed" the wounded Bolkonsky.

It is curious that the writer himself has never been to Yaroslavl. But he knew that during the war, the city was overflowing with refugees and the wounded. Moreover, according to family legend, it was here that one of Tolstoy's distant relatives, General Nikolai Tuchkov, died. He was also sent to the Yaroslavl hospital for treatment after the Battle of Borodino, but the general failed to recover: he died and was buried in the Tolga monastery. It is believed that Tuchkov is one of Bolkonsky's prototypes: Tolstoy reproduced the story of his life and death in his novel.

Already at the beginning of the 20th century, the mansion began to be called the Bolkonsky House (by the way, there are no other places associated with Tolstoy in Yaroslavl). By the end of the century, the building was almost destroyed, but then it was restored according to historical descriptions, and now this "literary" place is one of the most interesting sights of the city.