Anton Pavlovich Chekhov is one of the most famous classics of Russian literature. His biography is as interesting as the works. Therefore, many admirers of the talent of the famous writer go to Melikhovo to visit his house-museum.
The history of the estate
Melikhovo, Chekhov's estate, became the first real house of the writer. Before the acquisition of this land, he and his family had to rent houses and huddle in strangers. Only in 1892 the Chekhovs got their own corner.
Anton Pavlovich always wanted to live outside the city, closer to nature. For him, the opportunity to enjoy the beauty of Russian nature was important, without being distracted by the bustle inherent in the city.
Before Anton Pavlovich Chekhov, the Melikhovo estate belonged to the artist Sarokhtan. The beauty of these places also attracted him. But, having lived in Melikhovo for a certain period, the artist decided to go live in Germany. He advertised in a newspaper.
At this time, Anton Pavlovich returned from Sakhalin, a journey along which was reflected in his writings. It is believed that then he wrote the most accurate description of Sakhalin, which until then had not been compiled by any writer or scholar. After a long and tiring trip, which was full of work, Anton Pavlovich with renewed vigor set about searching for a manor outside the city. And he found Melikhovo.
As Chekhov himself said, the estate was huge. The buyer received in the property a lot of land, as well as forest. In the year of purchase, he was not handsome and did not give others coolness on a hot summer day. The trees were still very young. But Anton Pavlovich said that it takes only twenty years for these young trees to turn into a stunningly beautiful forest.
Gen. Chekhov in Melikhovo
Melikhovo, in which Chekhov’s museum will appear many years later, quickly became Chekhov’s home. He did not sit still for a minute. Thanks to his tireless work, a plot next to the estate decorated a wonderful garden. Chekhov personally took care of the trees. And also worked in their shadow.
The sister of Anton Pavlovich, Maria, also did not remain aloof from worries about the estate. She gave her time to the garden. There she grew not only those vegetables that were familiar to almost everyone, but also watermelons, artichokes, asparagus and much more.
It is not surprising that the Chekhov family did not need to constantly travel to the city. In their house there were always fresh products obtained from the garden. There was no shortage of milk and meat. In addition, you could go for mushrooms.
Hospital
Despite active literary activity, Anton Pavlovich still considered himself a doctor. Therefore, he was sure that he needed to be closer to the people, because the condition of hospitals in the villages was deplorable, and the education of doctors left much to be desired. Chekhov believed that everyone deserves to receive quality treatment.
Thanks to his efforts, two medical stations and several cholera barracks were opened. Anton Pavlovich personally took an active part in the work of these institutions. He received peasants and their children, helped everyone he could.
Anton Pavlovich’s work schedule was busy. To work in a medical center, he had to get up very early, and already at five in the morning to go to work. The work of the station lasted until nine in the morning. Only at this time the peasants could afford to go to the doctor, all the other hours were busy with them. Even before five in the morning, the first patients appeared at the door of the medical center patiently waiting for the doctor to arrive.
Locals managed to fall in love with Anton Pavlovich. Thanks to his work, there were no outbreaks of cholera in Melikhovo.
Charity
Caring for the welfare of local residents was not limited to the creation of medical centers. Thanks to Anton Pavlovich, many places necessary for life appeared in the local regions. For example, through his efforts, mail was opened in Lopasna. Now the post office is no longer valid, in its place the Museum of Letters is open, which is just as famous as Chekhov’s estate in Melikhovo.
Also at this time, schools were opened for local children. Build them was not easy. Anton Pavlovich took a personal part in creating projects, chose workers. He had to invest his own money in order for the idea to be implemented.
All the efforts of Chekhov paid off. Schools gave children a good education for those times and were even considered the best in the entire Moscow province.
Now everyone can find out how the students of those years studied. Visiting the Melikhovo Museum, it is worth stopping by one of the schools, which has become a museum. They will also be happy to talk about Anton Pavlovich.
Guests of Chekhov
Of course, such a wonderful corner, as well as its talented owner, could not attract attention. Chekhov always had a lot of guests. He even joked that he could not work due to the fact that he had to spend all the time in the outhouse, having lunch or dinner with one of the arrivals.
Among the guests of Anton Pavlovich there were a lot of famous personalities. For example, the legendary Nemirovich-Danchenko often stayed here. He was a good friend of Anton Pavlovich. Admiring the beauty of Melikhov’s nature, they discussed the theater, the conditions for its development in Russia, and much more.
The artists loved to visit Chekhov. They were inspired by local views. Among the guests of Anton Pavlovich can be identified Levitan. He loved to retire and enjoy the beauty. Now people who arrived at the Chekhov Museum in Melikhovo can see the very “Levitan hill” on which the artist liked to rest. From this place, however, a marvelous view opens up. No wonder he inspired Levitan so much.
Museum-Estate of Chekhov
The house of such a famous person must have been preserved for posterity. Now everyone can go to Melikhovo. Chekhov's estate is a place that is capable of telling a lot about its ingenious master. Thanks to the efforts of Anton Pavlovich, the estate became beautiful and cozy. Even many years after the death of the writer, one can feel the atmosphere in which the famous writer lived and worked.
On the territory there are a large number of museums that tell about the life of Anton Pavlovich, as well as about the life of people of that time. Be sure to take a walk around the territory, admire the pond, which from Chekhov was called the Aquarium.
Of course, you definitely need to get acquainted with Hina Markovna and Brom Isaevich. That was the name of Anton Pavlovich’s favorite dogs. Now on the estate there is a sculpture dedicated to them.
Dispensary
Anton Pavlovich Chekhov devoted a lot of time to medicine. Doctor by education, he tried to do everything in order to help people. He continued his active work in Melikhovo. Chekhov's estate became the place where sick people went for help. And today, visitors to the museum in Melikhovo can find out how the doctors of those years worked, how they treated patients, what diseases were considered the most terrible.
Visitors will also be told how they provided first aid. Much of what is presented in the Ambulatory will seem terrible to a modern person. However, it will be interesting for everyone to get to know the story closer. The guides will talk about what herbs used in their work by Anton Pavlovich Chekhov, how to grow them. Such an excursion will be especially interesting for children, because museum workers do everything to make little tourists have fun and usefully.
Outhouse
Chekhov spent a lot of time here. Melikhovo became his home, where he created most of his works. A large layer of the writer’s work is associated with the outbuilding in the estate. It was here that Anton Pavlovich worked very often. Having visited the museum, you can find out in what atmosphere the ingenious writer created his works, which inspired him.
In the outbuilding there is a separate room, which allows you to get to know the life of the peasants of that time. Once upon a time, girls who worked in the kitchen lived in this room. Now there is also a museum. Visitors will be able to learn about how the local inhabitants of Melikhovo lived, how they lived and worked in the Chekhov estate. Also, visitors will be able to see a real Russian stove.
The Chekhov Museum-Estate is one of the best places to understand how Anton Pavlovich's contemporaries lived. Having visited the outbuilding, you can learn not only about the writer, but also about his famous guests, who often appeared here. The guides will be happy to tell a couple of funny stories about the legendary personalities who visited Melikhovo. Chekhov's estate is rich in them.
Festivals and Holidays
Everything is being done so that the Chekhov Museum-Estate attracts as many visitors as possible. Whenever tourists come here, they can become participants in an unforgettable colorful holiday. This may be the performance of children's ensembles, open-air plays by Anton Pavlovich or a Russian celebration. Even dachshund shows are held here, because this breed of dog was Chekhov's favorite.
Melikhovo will surely appeal to both adults and children.
