Voloshin House-Museum in Koktebel

Maximilian Voloshin House-Museum is located on the Koktebel Embankment. The famous poet, artist and literary critic Maximilian Voloshin lived here permanently from 1917 to 1932. He was a very hospitable person and dozens of poets and writers came to visit him every summer. So, thanks to Voloshin, Koktebel became a bohemian resort and continues to be one today.

Maximilian Voloshin was born in Kiev in 1877. Soon his mother left her husband, and in 1893 moved with her son to live in Koktebel. Maximilian entered the Feodosian Gymnasium here. From 1897 to 1899, he studied at Moscow University at the Faculty of Law, but he was expelled because of his participation in student riots. At the beginning of the 20th century, he became a famous poet and artist, lived for a long time in Paris. 

Maximilian Voloshin built a house in Koktebel with his mother in the period from 1903 to 1913. However, already in 1911 he invited his friends from the bohemian circles of Moscow and St. Petersburg here for the first time. They founded a commune, which they called the "The Order of the Blockheads ". Voloshin proclaimed the charter of the order: "The requirement for residents: love for people and making a share in the intellectual life of the house." 

Vera, Lilya and Sergey Efron, Marina and Asya Tsvetaeva, Manya Gehtman, Bela and Lenya Feinberg and many other people whose names are not known gathered here during the first summer season of the Order of the Blockheads. This summer Sergey Efron and Marina Tsvetaeva met in Koktebel, the story of their love and family life began here. 

Gradually, the fame of the Koktebel`s the Order of the Blockheads became widely known in narrow bohemian circles. Many famous people wanted to come here for the summer. Voloshin`s legendary hospitality knew no bounds, new shacks were built next to his house, which were filled with numerous guests during the summer months. Up to 600 people sometimes came here a year. Voloshin received all the guests free of charge.  

Maximilian Voloshin was not only a famous poet and artist, but also a very respected literary critic, so in addition to the "Blockheads", very famous poets and writers came to visit Voloshin in Koktebel. In Koktebel, Bulgakov dictated his play "The Days of the Turbins" to his wife. Walking around Karadag inspired him to write the novel Fatal Eggs. 

In different years O.Mandelstam, M.Gorky, A.Tolstoy, M.Gumilev, I.Ehrenburg, M.Zoshchenko, N.Gumilev, V.Bryusov and many others visited Voloshin`s House. Marina Tsvetaeva and Sergey Efron visited Voloshin every summer. Sofia Parnok also spent her holidays here, with whom Marina Tsvetaeva was also in a close relationship. 

There are many memories of the direct participants of those events about the free mores of the bohemian party of the guests of the Voloshin house. They constantly held playful parties, exchanged creative ideas, in accordance with the rules established by Voloshin: "... making a share in the intellectual life of the house."  

In those years, there was a tradition to swim on the beach without swimsuits. For the mores of those years when women were not allowed to wear men`s trousers, it was very defiant. Disgruntled neighbors even created an Decency Society. They were unhappy that the men and women from the "order of the Blockheads" were bathing together naked, but they could not do anything about it. Since then, the famous Nudist Beach has been located on the northern outskirts of Koktebel. There are always a lot of people there in the summer.  

Voloshin died in 1932, but his wife lived in this house until 1976. She continued to keep the traditions of Voloshin and received guests every summer. During the WWII and the German occupation, she kept the house intact. The museum in the Voloshin house was established in 1984. The interiors of the rooms are preserved the same as they were during Voloshin`s lifetime. There are many artistic and graphic works by Voloshin. Also, many of Voloshin`s personal belongings have been preserved in the house.