«Polenovo Estate»
Tourist trip program
«Polenovo Estate»
Polenovo is a unique memorial estate on the high bank of the Oka River, created by the great Russian artist Vasily Polenov at the end of the 19th century.
- The first place guests visit is the estate's Great House. The artist's home is unlike traditional Russian estates with columns. Polenov was inspired by Scandinavian and Western European architecture. The interior of the house retains the atmosphere of a living space. Visitors to the house will have the opportunity to see unique collections: not only paintings by Polenov and his friends (Repin, Levitan), but also antique weapons, Greek ceramics, and folk art.
- Next, tourists will visit the "Abbey"—the artist's studio. Guests will explore V.D. Polenov's workspace. This building, with its tall brick chimney and enormous window, was designed specifically to provide ideal lighting for his paintings. Visitors will be amazed by the Gothic aesthetic of this structure, combined with the Russian pine forest.
- After exploring the artist's studio, guests will see a building proudly named the "Admiralty." It's actually a small outbuilding used to store the "home flotilla" and various fishing gear, but inside lies something else of interest—a marvel of 19th-century technology: the Diorama. A 19th-century "proto-cinema," Polenov created a system of illuminated paintings to show children and peasants the world.
- After visiting the Admiralty, tourists will head on a river cruise along the Oka River. From the water, the estate looks like a fairytale castle hidden in the forest.
- After a busy excursion, guests will enjoy a delicious lunch. Homemade pies and local herbal tea are sure to impress!
- The program's final stop will be a visit to Trinity Church in Bekhovo, one of Russia's most beautiful villages. The church itself is a masterpiece of Russian Art Nouveau, also designed by Polenov, and the view of the Oka River bend is considered a defining Russian landscape. It is here that the artist's grave is located—a very modest one, beneath a wooden cross, which always impresses visitors with its simplicity.
