Peredelkino

It will take you only 25 minutes on a commuter train to get from Kiyevsky railway station to the home of a veritable constellation of Soviet intellectuals. This is where Boris Pasternak created Doctor Zhivago, Konstantin Simonov wrote the cult poem Wait For Me, and Korney Chukovsky worked on his translations and held shows for the children living nearby.

The littérateurs' settlement appeared in the 1930s. They say Maxim Gorky gave Stalin the idea when he told him about the suburban residences of various European writers. All the writers were given their own houses in Peredelkino. Some of these old-fashioned mansions now function as museums. You will find a 'Miracle Tree' outside Chukovsky's house. You can visit Pasternak's study and admire his extensive library. You can even drop by Bulat Okudzhava's and listen to his unique "singing collection" of bells, which started with a gift from the poetess Bella Akhmadulina.

You should definitely visit the Cultural Center in Peredelkino. It is housed in a former health resort — a modernist building with an elegant spiral staircase. You'll find an impressive soviet-period library and a pool table, at which musician Vladimir Vysotsky liked to play. In 2020, the Сenter began a new life of hosting exhibitions, performances, and other events. On the ground floor, you can grab a cup of coffee and listen to the voices of the settlement's residents in the audio rooms.