Imagine seagulls crying overhead. These birds might hold the secret to Martyshkino’s very name. We are now standing in Martyshkino. It is a historical part of Lomonosov, near St. Petersburg.
Martyshkino’s story stretches back a millennium. People settled here as early as the 11th century. Proof lies in a buried treasure found nearby in 1923. It contained 107 West European coins.
Back then, this place was known as Turya. Finno-Ugric peasants lived here. They paid taxes to Novgorod and later to Muscovy. The area changed hands in the 17th century. Sweden took control and renamed it Turis. Turis even became the spiritual center of Swedish rule. It boasted a pastorate and the Saint John Lutheran church. That church still stands today, with its old Swedish foundation.
Peter the Great’s reign brought another transformation. Turis became Martyshkino. One theory says the name comes from “martysh”. These were the local seagulls. Another suggests “martysh” referred to boatmen. They ferried people and goods across the water. Martyshkino could be seen as a predecessor to St. Petersburg itself.
By the 1860s, Martyshkino was a popular village. Famous people rented dachas here. The Russian artist Shishkin found inspiration in its century-old oaks. You can see them in his paintings. Savrasov, another painter, lived nearby. He captured Martyshkino’s seaside in two paintings.
Ilya Repin also spent summers in Martyshkino. He worked on his famous painting “They Did Not Expect Him” here. Repin loved the bay’s southern coast. He compared it to the azure Mediterranean on sunny days.
The arrival of the railway in 1864 boosted Martyshkino’s popularity. A special train called “Kukushka” served the dacha-dwellers. It stopped near Martyshkino. Students and dacha-dwellers ran the “Kukushka”. The driver would whip the steam locomotive and shout “Cuckoo”. This amused the passengers. It also gave the train its quirky name.
Martyshkino has a rich history. From ancient settlements to artists’ retreats. It has played many roles. Today, Martyshkino offers a glimpse into the past.