National Pirogov`s Estate Museum

All about the National Pirogov`s Estate Museum

The main tourist attractions of the City of ideas are headed by the Pirogov Museum in Vinnytsia. When asked “What to see in Vinnytsia first?” every resident of Vinnytsia will confidently name this iconic place, along with the Mykhailo Kotsiubynskyi Museum-Estate, the legendary Vinnytsia Mures, or the Vinnytsia Catacombs.

For a long time, Nikolai Pirogov was the center of the city’s life, settling in the picturesque Vyshnia estate. He was a world-renowned scientist, a brilliant surgeon, and a talented teacher whose achievements are hard to overestimate. It was here that the “Vinnytsia stage” of his life, which lasted more than 20 years, took place. To this day, grateful descendants visit the National Pirogov’s Estate Museum and the church-tomb of Pirogov, where his embalmed body lies. Tourists from all over the world come here!

The museum and estate complex, dedicated to the life and work of the prominent surgeon, is located in a picturesque place near Vyshenske Lake. Today, it is not only a cultural landmark of Vinnytsia, but also one of the most popular tourist attractions in the city. Here you can delve into the life story of an extraordinary person, learn a lot of interesting things about an outstanding doctor, enjoy a walk in a cozy park and buy souvenirs. By the way, you can also buy nice little things to remember your trip and useful things in other parts of the city.

National Pirogov`s Estate Museum: exhibitions

The museum complex includes:

• the house where Pirogov lived,
• pharmacy museum,
• a memorial park,
• a necropolis church with a glass sarcophagus.

The opening of the museum was timed to coincide with the 100th anniversary of Pirogov`s use of ether anesthesia on the battlefield, the first in the history of warfare. However, the museum continued to develop and improve, repeatedly adding to the collection with the scientist’s works, documents, and other rare materials and items.

The main exposition occupies ten halls and tells the story of the milestones of Pirogov`s life and work in chronological order.

The pharmacy recreates the interiors of the reception and operating rooms, which convey the atmosphere of Pirogov`s time as much as possible: replica figures of employees (a pharmacist, a paramedic, and the owner of the estate), medical manuals, old recipes, herbs, glassware with medicines, and other equipment.

Medicinal plants that were once used by a prominent doctor are planted nearby.

A magnificent coniferous park, an apple orchard and a linden alley stretch around it. It is a monument of garden and park art. There is even a spruce tree planted by Pirogov himself. A memorial stone stands on the site of the operating room, which has not survived to this day.

Guided tours of the Pirogov Museum in Vinnytsia are extremely popular. But many cultural attractions and popular tourist spots in Vinnytsia will be revealed to you by professional guides during their entertaining and educational walks. Choose to your liking!

If you like to travel on your own, check out our tourist maps page.

National Pirogov`s Estate Museum: brief history

In 1859, M. Pirogov liked and purchased the Vyshnya estate at an auction in Kyiv. He put it in order. He built the house and pharmacy in 1866. The surgeon lived and worked here for 20 years (1861-1881).

On January 24, 1882, the embalmed body of the surgeon was placed in the family tomb.

In 1885, the construction of the church-necropolis was completed according to the project of academician V. Sychuhov, where the sarcophagus with the body of the famous doctor is still located.

After the death of Pirogov’s wife Oleksandra, the estate and the crypt were abandoned. It suffered significant damage and looting in the first decades of Soviet rule.

In 1936, the Vinnytsia Regional Infectious Diseases Hospital was located in the estate.

In the post-war years, the estate fell into disrepair. The question of its restoration and creation of a museum was raised several times. But the official opening of the museum complex took place only on September 9, 1947. Since then, the flow of visitors has not stopped all year round.

National Pirogov`s Estate Museum: interesting facts

The site of the pharmacy museum was once home to a real pharmacy, the first in Podilia. At one time, it sold medicines, received patients and performed surgeries.

Given the museum`s outstanding role in researching and preserving national history, including medicine, the estate museum was granted the status of a national monument by a presidential decree in 1997.

The estate is not just a tourist attraction: the picturesque corner attracts residents of Vinnytsia as a cozy place for walks or a great location for wedding photo shoots.

All about the church-tomb of Pirogov

An integral part of the National Pirogov`s Estate Museum is his mausoleum, the Pirogov Church-Necropolis, where the embalmed body of the scientist rests. Later, according to her will, Oleksandra, the widow of the famous surgeon, was buried there, and then her eldest son.

On holidays and on special dates, to honor the memory of the famous doctor, religious services are held here, various musical pieces are played, bells ring, and each strike symbolizes the countdown of the years of Pirogov`s life. But the doors of the church complex are open every day to all those who deeply appreciate Pirogov`s contribution to the development of science and medicine and respect him as a person.

How did it happen? In 1881, Pirogov died of an incurable disease. The scientist`s body was embalmed by a doctor from St. Petersburg, D. Vyvodtsev. To preserve it, Pirogov`s widow built a family crypt at the cemetery, where Pirogov`s body was moved from the village church.

In 1885, a church was built on the site of a temporary chapel above the tomb and consecrated in honor of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, according to the design of architect V. Sychuhov.

After the surgeon`s wife died, the shrine was abandoned, and Pirogov`s burial place was robbed (a sword and a cross were stolen).

Re-embalming in May 1945 saved the body of the brilliant doctor. Subsequently, this procedure was carried out regularly, most recently in 2018. After a long period of destruction of the body, the re-embalming specialists did the impossible: they restored Nikolai Pirogov`s appearance and significantly slowed down the decomposition process. The body brightened and acquired more natural features. It is claimed that this is the only case in the world where a body that did not know proper care was restored to the maximum extent possible 65 years after death. This work was unique in terms of its novelty, scale, and results.

In 1980-1985, repair and restoration work were carried out on the church complex, and in 1992-1997 the interior was reconstructed: monumental paintings, iconostasis, etc.

Nikolai Pirogov: interesting facts

“To be a human being is what education should lead to!” – this is the principle by which the outstanding surgeon lived and acted, and to which he remained faithful until his last breath.

Nikolai Pirogov is a world-famous person, no exaggeration! He was almost a century ahead of his time in his thoughts and deeds. His contribution is not just significant – it is revolutionary! In addition, Pirogov personally saved hundreds of lives with his own hands. The soldiers believed in him as a God who performed miracles. He also loved flowers, wrote poetry and philosophical treatises.

Remembering the prominent Vinnytsia resident, here are the top 12 interesting facts about Pirogov:

1. He was a brilliant surgeon and anatomist, medical revolutionary, talented scientist, humanist, and teacher.
2. Doctor of Science at 22, professor at 26.
3. Creator of the first atlas of topographic anatomy.
4. Founder of military field surgery and the Institute of Sisters of Mercy.
5. Father of the national school of anesthesia.
6. He first tested ether anesthesia on himself.
7. He invented a stationary plaster cast for fractures.
8. He was the first to introduce primary triage of the wounded.
9. He was the first to use an artificial compound to lengthen a limb.
10. His fastest operation lasted 1.5 minutes.
11. After the operation, he always hid his hands in his pockets so that poor patients could not give him money.
12. He once healed a seriously ill patient, the famous chemist Dmitri Mendeleev.

It is not for nothing that Nikolai Pirogov heads the interesting section “Vinnytsia’s Prominent Figures” on the official tourist page on Visit Vinnytsia’s social media.

National Pirogov`s Estate Museum and church-tomb: opening hours and prices

Summer period (from May 1 to October 31):
Tuesday-Sunday – from 10:00 to 17:00, cash desk is open until 16:00 (tombs – until 16:30)
Monday is a day off.

Find prices here: http://www.pirogov.com.ua/info_ua.htm

National Pirogov`s Estate Museum and church-tomb: address and contacts

Pirogov’s Estate Museum: 155 Pirogova St., Vinnytsia, tel.: +380 432 46-69-37, +380 432 43-71-49, e-mail: [email protected], http://pirogov.com.ua

Pirogov’s Necropolis Church: 16, 2nd Vyshnevskoho Lane, Vinnytsia, Ukraine.