Literature

Forbidden monument to the heroes of Bulgakov

A fragment of the monument to Mikhail Bulgakov and the heroes of his book The Master and Margarita. Moscow
A fragment of the monument to Mikhail Bulgakov and the heroes of his book The Master and Margarita. Moscow

If you drive along the outer side of the Garden Ring from Taganka towards the Kursk railway station, then almost reaching Yauza you can see an unusual Monument to the heroes of Bulgakov.

Lovers, a strange car, a rook driver. These are fragments of a monument to the writer Mikhail Bulgakov and the heroes of his book The Master and Margarita. In the late 90s, they wanted to put it on the Patriarch’s Ponds, but they never did it because of public protests. The Master and Margarita as a separate monument also did not take root.

Sculptor Alexander Rukavishnikov made an unusual monument dedicated to Mikhail Bulgakov and the heroes of his famous book for the Patriarch’s Ponds.

By the way, the faces of the Master and Margarita are not visible
By the way, the faces of the Master and Margarita are not visible

According to the author’s idea, a 12-meter bronze primus fountain, statues of the Master, Margarita, the cat Behemoth, Levi Matthew, Pontius Pilate and Yeshua were to be placed on the bank of the pond. The latter had to, as it were, walk on water from the writer himself, looking at his heroes.

Car in the back
Car in the back
dune open car
dune open car

However, the idea remained in the project – the public did not accept the idea. Many scolded the primus, sculptures and the idea itself, calling the project “devilish”.

According to another idea, the monument was to be erected on Sparrow Hills, and it was planned to replace the primus stove with a car. On it, the Master and Margarita, as it were, leave Moscow.

Headlight in the form of a hand with bulbs
Headlight in the form of a hand with bulbs

True, here nothing went further than the plan: the Orthodox Church did not like that such a monument would be adjacent to the St. Andrew’s Monastery, and the public was seething again. On ideas, everything went quiet.

Since not so long ago, parts of the failed monument stand near Rukavishnikov’s art space “Sleeve” on Zemlyanoy Val. Before that, the Master and Margarita had to wander – before this place they changed several locations.

Monument to the heroes of the book The Master and Margarita. The inscription on the stone
Monument to the heroes of the book The Master and Margarita. The inscription on the stone
In the driver's seat sat not an ordinary-looking driver, but a long-nosed black rook in an oilcloth cap and bell-shaped gloves.
In the driver’s seat sat not an ordinary-looking driver, but a long-nosed black rook in an oilcloth cap and bell-shaped gloves.
Monument to Mikhail Bulgakov and the heroes of his book The Master and Margarita. Moscow
Monument to Mikhail Bulgakov and the heroes of his book The Master and Margarita. Moscow