The Chekhov Gymnasium in

Taganrog Taganrog (, ) is a port city in Rostov Oblast, Russia, on the north shore of Taganrog Bay in the Sea of Azov, several kilometers west of the mouth of the Don (river), Don River. It is in the Black Sea region. Population: Located at the site of a ...

on Ulitsa Oktyabrskaya 9 (formerly Gymnasicheskaya Street) is the oldest gymnasium in the South of Russia. Playwright and short-story writer

Anton Chekhov Anton Pavlovich Chekhov (; ; 29 January 1860 – 15 July 1904) was a Russian playwright and short-story writer, widely considered to be one of the greatest writers of all time. His career as a playwright produced four classics, and his b ...

spent 11 years in the school, which was later named after him and transformed into a literary museum. Visitors can see Anton's desk and his classroom, the assembly hall and even the punishment cell which he sometimes visited.

History of the school

The Boys Gymnasium was founded in 1809. Students of the Boys Gymnasium benefited from various grants. In mid-1870s a school church was made in the same building, and the cross may be seen on some old postcards. After the

Russian Revolution of 1917 The Russian Revolution was a period of Political revolution (Trotskyism), political and social revolution, social change in Russian Empire, Russia, starting in 1917. This period saw Russia Dissolution of the Russian Empire, abolish its mona ...

and the following Civil War, the building housed a

cavalry Historically, cavalry (from the French word ''cavalerie'', itself derived from ''cheval'' meaning "horse") are groups of soldiers or warriors who Horses in warfare, fight mounted on horseback. Until the 20th century, cavalry were the most mob ...

school (''6th Cavalry College''). During the Occupation of Taganrog in 1941-1943 used by the

Germans Germans (, ) are the natives or inhabitants of Germany, or sometimes more broadly any people who are of German descent or native speakers of the German language. The Basic Law for the Federal Republic of Germany, constitution of Germany, imple ...

Sicherheitsdienst ' (, "Security Service"), full title ' ("Security Service of the ''Reichsführer-SS''"), or SD, was the intelligence agency of the Schutzstaffel, SS and the Nazi Party in Nazi Germany. Established in 1931, the SD was the first Nazi intelligence ...

headquarters. In 1954, the Boys Gymnasium was named after

within the framework of events dedicated to the writer's 50th death anniversary memorial year. In 1975 opened as ''The Literary Museum named after Anton Chekhov'', more commonly known under the short name Chekhov Gymnasium. January 29, 2010 President of Russian Federation

Dmitri Medvedev Dmitry Anatolyevich Medvedev (born 14 September 1965) is a Russian politician and lawyer who has served as Deputy Chairman of the Security Council of Russia since 2020. Medvedev was also President of Russia between 2008 and 2012 and Prime Mini ...

held a meeting with representatives of the Russian and foreign theatrical communities in Taganrog at the stateroom of the Chekhov Gymnasium literary museum.

School years of Anton Chekhov

attended a school for Greek boys in Taganrog (1866-1868), and at the age of eight he was sent to the local grammar school (Gymnasium) where he proved an average pupil. As an adolescent he tried his hand at writing short "anecdotes," amusing or funny stories, although he is also known to have written a serious long play at this time, "Fatherless," which he later destroyed. He received an annual grant of 300 rubles which had been introduced by the Taganrog City Council after the failed assassination attempt on the tsar

Alexander II of Russia Alexander II ( rus, Алекса́ндр II Никола́евич, Aleksándr II Nikoláyevich, p=ɐlʲɪˈksandr ftɐˈroj nʲɪkɐˈlajɪvʲɪtɕ; 29 April 181813 March 1881) was Emperor of Russia, Congress Poland, King of Poland and Grand Du ...

. After the business of Anton Chekhov's father failed, the whole family left for Moscow in 1875-1876. Anton was left in

to care for himself and finish school.In 1879, Chekhov passed his final exams and joined his family in Moscow, where he had obtained scholarship to study medicine at the

Moscow University Moscow State University (MSU), officially M. V. Lomonosov Moscow State University,. is a public research university in Moscow, Russia. The university includes 15 research institutes, 43 faculties, more than 300 departments, and six branches. Al ...

Other famous graduates

* Nikolay Chekhov, artist * Mikhail Chekhov, writer *

Alexander Chekhov Alexander Pavlovich Chekhov (; August 22, 1855 – May 29, 1913), was a Russian novelist, short story writer, essayist and memoirist, and the eldest brother of Anton Chekhov. Alexander was also the father of famed actor and progressive acting ...

, writer * Dmitry Girs, writer *

Leonid Gobyato Leonid Nikolaevich Gobyato (; 6 February 1875 – 21 May 1915) was a lieutenant-general (awarded posthumously in 1915) in the Imperial Russian Army and designer of the modern, man-portable mortar. Life and career Gobyato was born in the c ...

, Russian general, inventor of the first mortar * Nikolay Sherbina, poet * Ivan Martos, sculptor * Alexander Leonidovich Vishnevsky, Russian and Soviet actor *

Valentin Parnakh Valentin Yakovlevich Parnakh () (1891–1951) was a Soviet musician and choreographer, who was a founding father of Soviet jazz. He was also a poet, and translated many foreign works into Russian, notably Spanish poetry and plays. Early years P ...

, poet, founder of the Soviet

Jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Its roots are in blues, ragtime, European harmony, African rhythmic rituals, spirituals, h ...

music * Isaac Yakovlevich Pavlovsky, journalist and writer *

Konstantin Savitsky Konstantin Apollonovich Savitsky (; 25 May 1844 — 31 January 1905) was a Russian Realism (art movement), realist painter born in the city of Taganrog in the village Frankovka or Baronovka, named after former governor Otto Pfeilizer-Frank. Toda ...

, artist *

Vladimir Bogoraz Vladimir Germanovich Bogoraz (), born Natan Mendelevich Bogoraz () and used the literary pseudonym N. A. Tan (; – May 10, 1936), was a Russian revolutionary, writer and anthropologist, especially known for his studies of the Chukchi people in ...

, anthropologist and writer * Samuel Maykapar, composer * Nikolay Apollonovich Belelyubski, scientist, famous designer of bridges *

Osip Notovich Osip Notovich was a Russian author, journalist, and publisher. He was born into a Jewish family in the city of Taganrog, studied at the Chekhov Gymnasium, Taganrog Boys' Gymnasium, and graduated from the law faculty of the Saint Petersburg Univers ...

, writer *

Andrei Grechko Andrei Antonovich Grechko (; ; – 26 April 1976) was a Soviet military commander and Marshal of the Soviet Union during the Cold War. He served as the Soviet minister of defence from 1967 to 1976. Born to a Ukrainian peasant family near Rosto ...

, Soviet general,

Marshal of the Soviet Union Marshal of the Soviet Union (, ) was the second-highest military rank of the Soviet Union. Joseph Stalin wore the uniform and insignia of Marshal after World War II. The rank of Marshal of the Soviet Union was created in 1935 and abolished in ...

(graduate of the Cavalry College) * Ivan Golubets, the first

Hero of the Soviet Union The title Hero of the Soviet Union () was the highest distinction in the Soviet Union, awarded together with the Order of Lenin personally or collectively for heroic feats in service to the Soviet state and society. The title was awarded both ...

in the

Black Sea Fleet The Black Sea Fleet () is the Naval fleet, fleet of the Russian Navy in the Black Sea, the Sea of Azov and the Mediterranean Sea. The Black Sea Fleet, along with other Russian ground and air forces on the Crimea, Crimean Peninsula, are subordin ...

* Zinoviy Vysokovskiy, actor * Sergey Zvantsev, writer * Victor Dyomin, Soviet cinema critic, editor, writer * Mikhail Basov, Russian media artist, documentary filmmaker. * Kuzma Galitsky, Soviet army general * Vladimir Grigoryevich Zakharov, Soviet composer,

People's Artist of the USSR People's Artist of the USSR, also sometimes translated as National Artist of the USSR, was an honorary title granted to artists of the Soviet Union. The term is confusingly used to translate two Russian language titles: Народный арти ...

, art director of Pyatnitsky Choir * Yakov Rubanchik, Soviet architect

Museum

Today the Gymnasium is open to public as The Literary Museum named after Anton Chekhov (Литературный музей А.П.Чехова). After the

Pushkin House The Pushkin House (), formally the Institute of Russian Literature (), is a research institute in St. Petersburg. It is part of a network of institutions affiliated with the Russian Academy of Sciences. History Establishment The Russian Lite ...

museum in

Saint Petersburg Saint Petersburg, formerly known as Petrograd and later Leningrad, is the List of cities and towns in Russia by population, second-largest city in Russia after Moscow. It is situated on the Neva, River Neva, at the head of the Gulf of Finland ...

, this is the second-largest literary museum in Russia both in terms of space and unique funds. The exhibition includes the library that consists of the antique books of the time and books later sent by Anton Chekhov, his personal belongings, photographs, documents, autographs by Chekhov and other famous people - friends of the writer.

Gallery

Exterior

Image:Taganrog gymnasium boys.jpg, The Boys Gymnasium on an old postcard, late 19th century. Image:ChekhovGymnasium2.jpg, The Boys Gymnasium on an old postcard, late 19th century. File:Chekhov Gymnasium (Taganrog).jpg, The Literary Museum Chekhov Gymnasium in 2008. File:Anton Tschechow in Taganrog.JPG, ''Anton Chekhov'' statue at the entrance of the gymnasium. File:Monument to Taganrog resistance.jpg, The Gymnasium as seen from the Spartakovsky Pereulok, with the Monument ''Oath of the Youth'' in front in 2007.

Inside the museum

File:Chekhov gymnasium stateroom.jpg, The stateroom at the Gymnasium on Jan.30, 2010 during the Chekhov's 150th birth anniversary celebrations. File:Chekhov Gymnasium Desk.jpg, Chekhov's seat in the boys gymnasium. On the left is an original maths test checked by

's mathematics teacher Edmund Dzerzhinsky. File:Chekhov Gymnasium Punishment cell.jpg, Punishment cell in the former Taganrog Boys Gymnasium, 2010 File:Cherry Orchard Chekhov Gymnasium.jpg, Memorabilia related to ''

The Cherry Orchard ''The Cherry Orchard'' () is the last play by Russian playwright Anton Chekhov. Written in 1903, it was first published by '' Znaniye'' (Book Two, 1904), and came out as a separate edition later that year in Saint Petersburg, via A.F. Marks Pu ...

'' play File:The Wedding Chekhov Gymnasium.jpg, Memorabilia related to

's play '' The Wedding'' File:3 sisters Chekhov gymnasium.jpg, Memorabilia for Chekhov's play '' Three Sisters''

References

* ''Taganrog Encyclopedia'' (Энциклопедия Таганрога), 2nd edition, Taganrog, 2003 * История города Таганрога, П.П.Филевский, Москва, 1898 * По старой Греческой, Н.Гаврюшкин, Таганрог, 2003 {{authority control Educational institutions established in 1809 Museums in Taganrog Schools in Russia School buildings completed in 1843 Gymnasiums in Russia Anton Chekhov Literary museums in Russia 1809 establishments in the Russian Empire Cultural heritage monuments of regional significance in Rostov Oblast Cultural heritage monuments in Taganrog