House-museum of Yesenin in Konstantinovo
Konstantinovo is a small picturesque village in the Ryazan region, where the Russian poet Sergei Yesenin was born and lived. When he died, those who loved Sergei Alexandrovich’s poetry began to visit his mother and sisters in Konstantinovo. In the book of reviews of that time, thousands of thoughts have accumulated about the need to open a Yesenin museum in his small homeland. In 1965, it was decided to create a museum-reserve in this house, where they tried to preserve everything in the same form as it was during the poet’s life.
In the house-museum you can see how little Seryozha lived. His parents got married in a nearby church, and he himself was baptized right there. The Temple of the Icon of the Kazan Mother of God is itself a historical and architectural monument. In recent years, at the request of local residents, the church of the museum complex has become operational. Having visited the village, an attentive reader of Russian poetry will understand the origins of love for the Russian land. In 1984, a church and several nearby objects were added to the house-museum, among them the Kashina estate. This woman acted as the prototype of the main character of the poem “Anna Snegina”, so an exhibition was opened at the Kashina estate. The poet dedicated his lyrical lines to Kashina and her house with a mezzanine.
Arriving at the house-museum in Konstantinovo, you can visit the building of the school where the future poet studied. Yesenin went to school quite late - at the age of nine. Here they will tell you everything that is known about the childhood of the great poet. This school is also amazing because it is the only Zemstvo school that was completely reconstructed; there is no other one like it in all of Russia.
In the Yesenin house-museum itself, you can understand how a simple family of a Russian peasant lived at the beginning of the 20th century. Authentic things of that time are on display here: a chest in which Yesenin kept his favorite books, a real Russian stove, a samovar, a letter of commendation from school, an oak table and a then fashionable Gabu watch. Near the window there is a bed with a patchwork blanket - Sergei slept on it. The whole atmosphere of Yesenin’s life was entirely recreated thanks to his sisters. You can see many family photographs on the walls.
The Yesenin family had very difficult times; once their house burned down, and they had to live in a temporary shelter in the garden. Now this temporary hut has also been reconstructed, and you can visit it. The garden is very beautiful, especially in the autumn months, when the trees change their green dress to a brighter and more colorful robe.
In recent years, the exhibition complex in Konstantinovo has begun to organize exhibitions of artists, souvenirs and books, works by craftsmen from some famous art workshops. The Yesenin House-Museum in Konstantinovo is one of the most revered places in Russia. The protected place and the house-museum will be of interest to those who love the work of this poet, as well as to all those interested in rural life of the last century and simply lovers of picturesque Russian nature.