Museum of the History of Russian Merchant in Epifan Kulikovo Field

The estate of the burghers of the Baybakovs in the village of Epifan (built in 1912) is typical for the county city of Russia con. It includes a residential house with a living room, bedroom and study (built in 1913), a shopping shop with a basement, a courtyard, a vegetable garden and a bath. The estate shows the peculiarities of life of the petty bourgeois of old Russia, family relations, spiritual and material needs, characterized, on the one hand, by deep patriarchy and craving for the "capital" culture - on the other. An important role in the museum exposition is given to trade, which occupied the main place in the life of the owners of the estate. The Baybakov shop allows us to feel the special flavor of the trade process of that era, the requests of local residents, fashion. The village of Epifan (former county town) has more than 400 years of history. The city was founded as an outpost on the southern border of the Moscow state. For more than a hundred years here, on the Don, Epiphane Streltsy and Cossacks valiantly repulsed the rapid raids of treacherous Crimean khans, covering the forge of Russian weapons - Tula - and the capital of Russia - Moscow. It is from here that the roots of the Don Cossacks, who became famous in the centuries for their military glory, originate. The beginning of the history of the city founded by Prince Ivan Mstislavsky was turbulent. The raids of the Krymchaks, the campaigns of the detachments of False Dmitry II, Ivan Zarutsky and other adventurers of the Time of Troubles, as in a kaleidoscope, replaced each other in the period of the XVI - XVII centuries. The city was repeatedly stormed, burned, remained residents, but was reborn again. In the era of Peter I, Epiphany was the center of construction of the Ivanovo Canal, which was to become one of the links connecting the Don and the Volga. For this purpose, the Admiralty was created in Epiphani. During the XVIII century. the city, located at the crossroads, gradually acquires a commercial appearance. In 1777, by decree of Catherine II, Epiphany became the center of the county with its coat of arms. XIX century - the beginning of the XX century. became the heyday of Epiphani. The city grew rapidly and became rich in grain trade, opened factories, held trade fairs. The latter, as a rule, were held between Honey and Apple Saviors. The names of Epiphany merchants Brezhnev, Rastorguev, Puchkov, Ovodov had all-Russian fame. The unique appearance of Epiphani was given by the majestic Nicholas Cathedral, built in 1810-1850, possibly according to the project of Montferrand or one of his students. Despite the destruction during the German occupation in 1941. (Epiphany was one of the first to be liberated during the battle for Moscow), the city’s landscapes and layout of the seventeenth century have largely survived to this day. No wonder in Soviet times, the Ministry of Culture of the RSFSR included Epiphany in the list of historical places of Russia.