Maloyaroslavets offers ways to explore the memory of 1812 through museums, memorial sites and collections with different focuses. The Military History Museum of 1812 was founded in the city in 1939. Its complex comprises three buildings with two exhibitions. During a visit to one exhibition, Tchaikovsky’s Overture “1812” and sound effects recreating the sounds of battle accompany the experience. Alongside historical information, the exhibition’s sound design is also a central feature.
Museum and the History of the Battle
A specific historical connection is reflected in the diorama “Maloyaroslavetskoye srazheniye”: it opened on September 12, 1987, in a chapel built in 1860 beside the mass graves of those who fell in the 1812 battle. The grounds of the Svyato-Nikolsky Chernoostrovsky Convent were also the site of a decisive battle in the war against Napoleon. The convent stands atop Mount Osobnaya, high above the banks of the Luzha, a tributary of the Protva. The museum, chapel and convent grounds offer different perspectives, spanning exhibitions and historical sites.
Since 1987, a reenactment of the battle has been held annually under the auspices of the Military History Museum. The “Den Maloyaroslavetskogo srazheniya” festival takes place on the third Sunday in October. If you would like to plan your trip around an event, check the latest event details and the program for the relevant year in advance.
Memorial Sites in the City
The 1812 Square is dedicated to the events of that year. At its center stands a monument to the commander-in-chief of the Russian army; two mass graves of soldiers who fell in the battle are also located on the square. In total, the remains of 1,300 Russian soldiers who fell at Maloyaroslavets were buried in three mass graves within the city, with the participation of the city’s clergy. The third grave is on the outskirts of the city, in the old Bessonovskoye Cemetery.
Another monument stands a few dozen meters farther along the former Nizhne-Soldatskaya Street. Concrete columns connected by a cast-iron chain stand on a plinth with stone steps. In the center is a boulder with a cross and the inscription “Geroyam 1812 goda”; a partially destroyed cannon lies at its base. A memorial plaque bears the words “Doblestnym pradedam 5-y armeyskiy korpus.” Another historic monument to glory was erected in the 19th century on the Market Square to commemorate the events of the Patriotic War of 1812.
Art and City History in the Collections
The Maloyaroslavets Art Gallery, named after Elizaveta Chernyavskaya, displays works by more than 30 artists. Since exhibitions may change, check which works are currently on view before your visit. The Museum and Exhibition Center named after I. A. Soldatenkov offers another way to explore the city’s history. Its permanent exhibition tells the story of the Savrasov family through documents, photographs and paintings. It includes items that belonged to the Savrasovs, including a 19th-century binocular stereoscope. The restorer Vyacheslav Dmitrievich Matveichev also donated more than 400 of his inlay works—wood inlaid with decorative materials—to the center.
The “20 vek ili Nazad v SSSR” Charitable Museum has eight exhibition halls and a collection of vintage cars. Before visiting, check whether the museum is currently open and which exhibitions are on display. This lets you choose the focus of your stay, from the history of the battle and its memorial sites to art, family history and other collections.
Discover more destinations: Luzhnoye, Kremyonki, Khokhlovka, Levshino, Zvizzhi, Kuzmishchevo, Ermolino, Annenki.
For the broader travel overview: Kaluga Oblast.
