The house is in a gorgeous park surrounded by birch trees. There is a beautiful lake and a smaller pond with a 19th-century bathing machine. An avenue of trees leads to the main house and its attractive flower gardens. You need to walk 4 or 5 kilometres from the bus stop to see everything - we hailed a taxi on the way back, which saved a bit of time. It's a lovely place to stroll and have a picnic on a warm summer day. The most evocative sight is Tolstoy's grave, which is marked by a simple raised mound of earth.
Clearly anybody who is interested in Tolstoy should make the trek out here. It's also simply a beautiful part of the world so even if you are not a massive fan it is interesting simply as the pleasant estate of a Russian aristocrat. As people said you can only visit the interiors as part of a group, but even if you don't speak Russian just join a group - there's enough to look at as you go through each room. Make sure to visit his grave in the forest though beware it is further into the woods than you may think - around 10-15 minutes at a decent pace. Some of the groups have too many people however which restricts the pleasure you get of going around the rooms. Also very little info for non-Russian speakers hence give 4/5.One thing worth noting however is that you should not miss Tolstoy's Moscow residence which is also a museum with mostly/all? original artifacts. Yasnaya Polyana was preserved as it was when Tolstoy died, by which stage he was living a very frugal life. The Moscow home feels far less austere and probably gives a better picture of his family life that made up the larger portion of his time than the final years. Plus you can wander freely without a tour and there are English description boards for every room.
We had a great experience walking through the entire property.The guide was Russian ,but two fellow tourists knew English also so we had their great company as translaters.Grave of Tolstoy is so simple that is unimaginable.
I have been here twice in my visits to this area and had a great reception both times and on both visits, an English tour was arranged for me although sadly on the first occasion through no fault of my own and the museum the other part of the party I was joining had arrived early.
Приехали рано утром, попали на первую экскурсию в дом-музей Л.Н. Толстого и флигель Кузьминских. Обстановка в доме сохранена как и при жизни писателя. Мебель, книги, покрывало на кровати Льва Николаевича, связанное Софьей Андреевной, его рубашка, скамеечка под ноги, фото и т.д. все это создает ощущение, что он в нем до сих пор живет. Могила Л.Н. Толстого без памятников и крестов, просто холмик на краю живописного оврага. Отдельное спасибо гиду Людмиле Михайловне, которая с такой любовью к Льву Николаевичу провела нашу экскурсию.
8 марта были семьей. впервые. прекрасная природа и умиротворенная атмосфера. замечательный экскурсовод Марина.
Explored the grounds of the estate only, not the house, and found it so beautiful. It was like stepping back in time. Though there are English and Korean signs, no one spoke English, which is a shame because you could only go in the house as part of a (Russian) guided tour.Although there were a million Mosquitos and other insects, I still enjoyed the tranquility and beauty of the estate. It feels like another planet compared to Moscow. Highly recommend the visit, even if you haven't quite finished War and Peace!
Leo Tolstoy's estate is located relatively far from Tula (12 km), and the easiest is to take a taxi there or get someone to drive you. From Moscow it is 300 km away. It is a state memorial and museum since 1921. From the parking lot it is a few hundred meters walk along a nice path with a small lake and greenhouses. The house itself is well kept and full of furniture and items that Tolstoy used. There is a very nice and romantic forest walk on the premises leading to the grave of Tolstoy. See picture. The estate is a typical Russian estate of the 19th and 20th century, giving us a fascinating insight into the lives of the well-to-do of Tsar Russia. Tolstoy wrote "War and peace" and "Anna Karenina" here, and the museum i currently run by his descendant Vladimir.
The walk from the mashrucka was icy and a bit long but well worth it. Tolstoy's house was preserved as if he would be back any minute. The grounds were beautiful. It is a wonderful place to wander, although spring and summer would probably a better time to spend time exploring the grounds. The cold made the hot borscht and tea at they cafe across the street taste even better.
В Музее усадьбе Л.Н. Толстого душа отдыхает! Красоту этого места не передать словами! Природа здесь необыкновенная!