What is a homestead? This is the building in which the landowners once lived. Now it is a historical and architectural monument. However, such a definition does not provide an exhaustive answer to the question of what a manor is. About when this word arose, what is hidden behind it, is described in today's article.
Origin
In the Russian language there were once such words as "usad", "usadish". Later the noun "estate" appeared. What does this word mean? Does it have something in common with a "manor" or "manor"? There is an assumption that all these words came from a single root - "garden". After all, what is a manor? This is not just a manor house. This is a whole complex of buildings and, in addition, the land on which fruit trees grow. The inhabitants of medieval Russia also knew what a manor is. True, they called the boyar estate a manor. The Dahl dictionary says "homestead" is a word that originated in the western regions of the country. "Manor" is characteristic of the central Russian lands. In order to understand the meaning of the word "homestead", a brief digression into history should be made.
Origin
A lot of books have been written about Russian estate culture. Indeed, this is a rather interesting topic. The first estates appeared in the fifteenth century, then they rather resembled ordinary peasant households. And on the layout, and on the materials that were used in construction. In those days, the estate looked like this: a small manor house, and around the peasant buildings. On the territory there were sometimes modest fruit stands. Huge orchards possessed only large feudal lords.
Peter's times
At the beginning of the XVIII century, the architectural appearance of the territory on which today there are large and small settlements of the Moscow region, was significantly transformed. The influence of Western cultures was observed. What is the reason? Of course, in the politics of the great reformer. In 1703, Peter founded the city, which later became the capital. This event was reflected, oddly enough, in the architecture of Moscow. Most of the estates that have survived to this day are located in the vicinity of the capital.
In the XVIII century, famous architects took part in the construction and planning of the main buildings located on the territory of the estate belonging to one or another noble family. During this period, magnificent buildings were erected, which were adjoined by numerous outbuildings, stables, cherry, apple, and pear orchards. And quite often on the estate there was also a small church.
At sunset manor culture
In the second half of the XIX century, after the reform that abolished peasant dependence, it became quite difficult to maintain a huge estate. Sometimes nobles sold real estate to more enterprising people. This is what Chekhov talks about in the play "The Cherry Orchard." And the next shock in the History of Russian estate culture occurred in the XX century. Namely, after the revolution of 1917. Most of the estates were defeated, burned. Those that survived underwent reconstruction only after decades.
Famous estates
The importance of homestead culture in the history of Russia is important. Those that have survived to this day have become valuable architectural monuments. These attractions are visited not only by residents of Russia, but also tourists from Europe. Most of the estates, as already mentioned, are concentrated in the suburbs. They were partially restored back in Soviet times, but large-scale work on the restoration of buildings began only in the late nineties of the last century. For 70 years, the manor houses, for the destruction of which the Bolsheviks apparently did not have enough time and effort, served as sanatoriums, hospitals, rest homes, summer camps and other institutions.
We will name the most famous estates near Moscow :
- Abramtsevo.
- Arkhangelsk.
- Bogorodskoe.
- Nikitsky.
- Fedorovskoe.
- Chess.
In fact, this list is quite extensive. It includes more than one hundred and twenty former noble estates. And each of them is mentioned in the biography of this or that famous person. Above is the name of the Shakhmatovo estate. More than 100 years ago, Alexander Blok lived here. Today it is part of the museum reserve, founded in the early eighties of the last century. Nearby is the village of Tarakanovo, where the church is located, in which Alexander Blok once married with his daughter Mendeleev. At the end of the XIX century, the estate was acquired by the grandfather of the future poet. Previously, it belonged to the scientist and teacher Alexander Beketov. In 1918 the estate was looted. By the way, the poet himself received this tragic event with special humility.