Stroganov Estate (Volyshevo)

The Stroganov Estate in Volyshovo is a 19th-century manor complex in the village of Volyshovo, Porkhov District, Pskov Region, not far from Porkhov. Owned first by the Vasilchikovs and then by the Counts Stroganov, it was known for its stud farm, its hunts and a large landscape park. The ensemble is a cultural heritage site of federal significance: of more than forty surviving buildings, over thirty are listed monuments.

History

Volyshovo appears in the Novgorod cadastral books under 1539; in 1584 it belonged to Tikhon and Ignat Korsakov, and in the 18th century to Tatyana Danilovna Ovtsyna. In the early 19th century the estate passed to the Vasilchikov family, and in 1833 to Dmitry Vasilyevich Vasilchikov. From 1836 the manor house was rebuilt under the Porkhov architect Iosif Yezhov.

In 1856 the owner's daughter, Tatyana Dmitrievna Vasilchikova, married Count Alexander Sergeyevich Stroganov, and the estate became a Stroganov property. In the 1860s the architect Mikhail Alekseyevich Makarov renewed the ensemble: a new wooden count's house, residential wings with attic storeys and farm buildings known as the "English houses". An Arab stable and kennels followed in 1868–1880. The last owner, Count Sergei Alexandrovich Stroganov, founded a stud farm here in 1889, one of the oldest in Russia, and the Volyshovo hunts were described by many contemporaries.

After the revolution, from 1919, the estate housed an agricultural institute, and until the 1970s the main building was a secondary school. A state breeding stud farm continued on the old horse-breeding base. The park was damaged during the war, and in the 1980s a hurricane destroyed most of its trees.

What to see

The manor house, residential wings, stables, kennels, the "English" farm buildings and other structures survive, though many are in poor condition. Some are still in use: the local administration occupies a side wing, the kennels have been turned into housing, and a working stud farm uses part of the main stables. The park, about 70 hectares with an arboretum, still keeps rare tree species. Restoration work has begun in recent years.

Legends and accounts

According to the servants' recollections, Count Sergei Stroganov cared not only about the fame of his horses but also about order on the estate, keeping a close eye on the buildings and the whole village.

Getting there

Volyshovo lies about 20 km south-east of Porkhov. Regular buses run to the village from Porkhov, Pskov and Saint Petersburg; by car the easiest route is through Porkhov.