Votkinsk

Tchaikovsky Research


Votkinsk (Воткинск) is Tchaikovsky's birthplace, and a town and municipal district in the republic of Udmurtia (Удмуртская Республика), in the Ural region of the Russian Federation.

During Tchaikovsky's lifetime it was part of the Sarapulsk district (Сарапульский уезд) in the Vyatka province (Вятская губерния) of the Russian Empire.


Tchaikovsky in Votkinsk

The composer's father, Ilya Tchaikovsky, became manager of the Votkinsk ironworks in the late 1830s, and he moved here with his wife Aleksandra. On 9/21 May 1838, their son Nikolay was born at Votkinsk, followed on 25 April/7 May 1840 by their son Pyotr (the future composer), a daughter Aleksandra (28 December 1841/9 January 1842), and another son Ippolit (10/22 April 1845). From November 1844 until September 1848 the composer was looked after by his young governess Fanny Dürbach.

The family remained here until 26 September/8 October 1848, when they moved briefly to Moscow and Saint Petersburg, before settling at Alapayevsk in May 1849.

A commemorative museum was opened at Votkinsk on 30 April 1940, in the composer's birth centenary year.

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