Until
1966, Mikhail Bulgakov's classic tale remained unpublished but when
it did finally arrive in bookshops, "The Master and Margarita"
caused a sensation both in Russia and around the world. This tale
about the mischief caused by the devil disguised as a 'foreign
magician' and his unlikely band of helpers in 1930's Moscow is full
of surprises and by turns hilariously funny and bitterly
ironic.
Bulgakov's comic masterpiece mixes fantasy with hard reality and
almost all of the locations in the story are easy to find today in
modern Moscow. I can clearly remember my excitement as I arrived at
Patriarch Ponds (near Maiakovskaia metro) where the action in the
story begins and I looked round to find the place little changed
from Bulgakov's description. The only thing missing was the 'Beer
and Cold Drinks' stand which only sold warm apricot juice and the
tramway which was the cause of Berlioz' accident!
Other easy to find locations include the Torgsin store which was
set on fire by Behemoth and Korovyov at the end of their spree
around Moscow situated on the Arbat just near the Smolenskaya
Square and metro which retains many features from the 30's. Sparrow
Hills to the South of Moscow is now home to the university but if
you visit at twilight and stop at one of the many cafes or bistros
there, you too can enjoy the panorama of Moscow surveyed by Woland
before he departed forever.
The real treat for any fan of the book is of course "The Evil
Apartment" itself which is of course at number 50, 302bis Sadovaya
ulitsa. Once you squeeze through the narrow gate into the courtyard
you enter a world of artwork and designs featuring scenes from the
novel before climbing the staircase into apartment 50 itself. It is
now a museum dedicated to Bulgakov, which is free to enter, and it
is the centre for all sorts of walking tours of Moscow and drama
events. The exhibition is interesting but best of all is the
atmospheric café which is small, intimate and captures the
burlesque tone of the book exactly. When you visit be sure to look
out for the museum's pet; a huge black cat called, of course,
Behemoth!
David Turner
Oct 30, 2008
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