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 Yasnaya Polyana was the home of Lev Nikolayevich Tolstoy (1828 – 1910). Brought up in a privileged family, Tolstoy eventually turned his back on materialism, the church, and urban society in general. He strove for simplicity on his estate where he quietly wrote most of his greatest works including War and Peace. He is still revered locally as a man who loved children, told great stories, and showered the local village with generosity. Tolstoy used his wealth to build and run a local school (which still stands as part of the museum) and did much to improve the local economy and culture. Today, the simple, beautiful site of his former home and present grave are sacred ground to many. Newlyweds come to lay flowers on his grave, the quiet mound's only but constant marking.
How to get there: The easiest way is via the trains from Kursky Railway Station (at the Kurskaya Metro Station). Tickets can usually be purchased from the station on the day of departure about an hour in advance but if you don’t want to be disappointed, buy in advance. We also recommend you go on Saturday or Sunday when the "Yasnaya Polyana Express" (# 145) leaves Moscow at 9:00 am and arrives at the local village at 11:50 am. Catch the return train back (same name, different number - now #146) at 16:46 pm and you'll be back in Moscow at the very comfortable time of 7:32 pm. For those wishing to travel weekdays and have a bit more time at the estate (needed only for hard-core Tolstoy fans), the express train also runs on Wednesdays and Fridays at 6:50 am (ouch, we know), and arrives at 9:43 am. The seats in first class are comfy enough to sleep in - if the surrounding passengers aren't too loud. The train back leaves at 4:36 pm.  According to Russian passengers, the original rail line to Yasnaya Polyana was built in part with an investment from the Tolstoy family. The express train is Russian government effort to encourage tourism outside of Moscow.
Once you arrive at the Yasnaya Polyana station (known as Kozlova Zaceka), you will need to walk to the front of the station and wait for the bus to take you to the actual estate. The bus costs only a few rubles (you will see why) and you pay as you board.
Entrance to the estate is about 250 RU for foreigners but bring your student ID for a sizeable discount. You can enter Tolstoy's house only after putting on special booties and by following a guide who will only speak Russian. English language guides are available from Patriarshy Dom Tours (+8-495-795-0927) if you call well in advance.
Generally speaking, understanding the guide is not needed to enjoy the surroundings. You'll see Tolstoy's bed, his servants' rooms, his clothes, and his extensive library of books in French, English, and Russian. The last time SRAS visited the estate, the Russian guide insisted that the library had been preserved exactly as Tolstoy left it. We found this interesting - and worth mentioning for humor's sake - because the library includes several books with titles like The Last Days of Tolstoy and Tolstoy in Post-Modern Interpretation.
 Disregarding these few anachronisms, the estate is well worth visiting. The surrounding countryside is pristine and its orchards produce tart apples in the summer and fall that visitors are more than welcome to pick and eat. Near the bus stop you’ll find a small café (too small for the clientele that usually crowds it) as well as several stalls selling souvenirs, antiques, and food at low prices you would not have imagined possible if you’ve only been to St. Petersburg and Moscow.
Find out more!
Yasnaya Polyana - Official Travel Site - lots of maps, history, etc.
The Lev Tolstoy Website
Tolstoy's writings in free English translation
Tolstoy in the original Russian
Tolstoy Studies Journal
Those who liked Yasnaya Polyana also liked Pushkinskiye Gory
Map Of Yasnaya Polyana
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