Traveling through Bulgakov's Moscow: organizing corporate excursions for Faberlic

We are telling you about a unique series of author's excursions for the Faberlic company. This fascinating story began in July, when the guide Anastasia conducted an individual excursion called "The Soul of Moscow" for a man and his daughter. This extraordinary trip made such a vivid impression that, to his surprise, the man, who turned out to be the director of Faberlic, decided to organize a series of corporate tours for employees.

And off we go! At the end of July, the first excursion around the city started — “By the Ways”, under the sensitive guidance of the guide Anton. The impressions of the participants exceeded all expectations. It was followed by a walk “The Master and Margarita”, already in the company of our guide Anastasia.

The adventure began at the Mayakovsky monument, which raises many questions among the excursionists, since the theme of the excursion is Bulgakov. It turned out that this was not accidental!

Bulgakov and Mayakovsky are two antipodes in Soviet literature. A writer and a poet, they created works that reflect different aspects of the era.

The tour amazes with its deep content and historical parallels, linking life and work Bulgakov with the places and people surrounding him. They discussed not only iconic places, but also personal aspects of Bulgakov's life, his relationship with Mayakovsky - two antipodes of the literary world. Bulgakov, the anti-Soviet writer, and Mayakovsky, the pro-Soviet poet, advertiser and enthusiast. Both of these masters of words shared a passion for billiards and often met in the alleys of Tverskaya to enjoy the game and exchange witty remarks.

One story, full of unexpected twists and battles for attention, was especially memorable. Charming Marika was met at the station by two persistent admirers, each of whom was trying to win her affection. These fun and exciting events always attract visitors.

We continued our excursion, moving to the Aquarium Garden and the Satire Theatre. According to Mikhail Bulgakov, this is where the Variety Theatre was located, where the famous black magic session took place. Our guests imagined the commotion that took place inside the building when they were looking for the missing Stepa Likhodeev, whom Woland and his comrade had thrown out to Yalta.

Still from Vladimir Bortko's 2005 TV series "The Master and Margarita". Styopa Likhodeyev woke up in Yalta

Various versions were discussed about where the ideas for the numbers "Black Magic Session" could have come from. There is a version that the writer got this plot from real life, watching what was happening from his windows overlooking the Aquarium Garden, near today's Satire Theater. Once, the famous illusionist of Greek origin Kostano Kasfiki performed in a Moscow music hall with a number where a machine printed real money. The audience was showered with these bills, causing delight.

They also discussed an interesting theory that the number with the French store, when Moscow ladies exchanged their clothes for luxurious outfits from Chanel, Guerlain and Dior, and ended up completely naked on the streets, could have been a reference to the youth movement of the 1920s, “Down with Shame.”

Soviet women present outfits from foreign fashion houses during a black magic session. Scene from the film "The Master and Margarita", 2024.

After visiting the old buildings on Bolshaya Sadovaya, our group headed to house 10, where Mikhail Bulgakov once lived in a communal apartment from 1921 to 1924. The guests were amazed by the appearance of the entrance, its walls decorated with drawings, quotes and paintings. Particular attention was drawn to Bulgakov's large graffiti on the top floor. The guide vividly told about the beginning of the writer's career in Vladikavkaz, his move to Moscow and the difficult relationship with the apartment, which he nicknamed "the vile apartment of the vile house." This house would later become the setting for the novel "The Master and Margarita," where the writer settled evil spirits.

The guests also visited two museums in this house: the museum of communal life in apartment number 50 and the Bulgakov House, dedicated to mysticism and riddles. The story of how the writer and his wife initially did not have permission to live in a communal apartment, and how he, even turning to Krupskaya, received permission, evoked a lively response. It is noteworthy that this story was reflected in the work "Heart of a Dog".

The next stage of the excursion is Patriarch's Ponds, where our group learned about Bulgakov's meeting with his third wife. It turned out that before meeting Elena Sergeyevna, there was no love line at all in the novel "The Master and Margarita". The participants were amazed by this unexpected detail.

The tour guide led the group along the narrow, historical streets leading to Spiridonovka. There were many photos, for which a special person was responsible. It was nice that the participants not only actively took photos, but also shared pictures from each excursion. I would like to note how warmly and inspiredly the excursionists responded to every detail of this amazing trip, immersing themselves in the atmosphere of the past.

On Spiridonovka, guests saw a mansion that probably became the prototype for Margarita's house in Bulgakov's novel. Although this is debatable, since several buildings lay claim to this title, Savva Morozov's mansion on Spiridonovka seems the most suitable.

The mansion as an example of Gothic art. Savva Morozov lived here

The house is built in the Gothic style, is located near Arbat, as Bulgakov mentions, and is one of the most famous haunted buildings in Moscow - now it is the reception house of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Various videos on YouTube claim that the ghost of Savva Morozov still lives here. The tour guide told the story of the appearance of this ghost, his competition with Gorky for the heart of the popular actress Maria Andreeva, which probably led to a sad end and the appearance of a ghost in the mansion.

Then the group reached the Ryabushinsky mansion and the outbuilding where Alexei Tolstoy lived and where Bulgakov met his second wife. The story that always amazes and captivates all the participants of the excursion is the story of the conversation between Bulgakov and Stalin. When Bulgakov's plays were banned, he was fired from the Moscow Art Theatre and even wanted to commit suicide. But after he learned of Mayakovsky's suicide, he abandoned this idea. And soon after that, Joseph Vissarionovich called him. The guide also shared a unique story heard from an employee of the Stanislavsky Museum, who deeply studies Stanislavsky's biography. She told how Stalin came to the Moscow Art Theatre to return Bulgakov's play after this conversation.

The tour then continued on Tverskoy Boulevard, where the participants looked at Griboyedov's house, which Bulgakov described as a massolit. Along the way, they discussed why Bulgakov depicted his beloved woman, his third wife Elena Sergeyevna, as a witch. Although this image carries certain negative connotations, it is also fascinating and suits a femme fatale.

Elena Sergeevna Bulgakova. The prototype of Margarita in the immortal work

This fact usually excites and shocks everyone: Elena Sergeyevna, among other things, was also an agent of the OGPU (NKVD). It is not without reason that before this she, apparently, lived with General Shilovsky, and earlier she also had Tukhachevsky, and now... Bulgakov. And everyone usually says at this point that how is this possible, it turns out there was no love, it was all just for the sake of calculation. But here we should not jump to conclusions, because, yes, indeed, she apparently reported some information about Bulgakov, including, but under such a necessary sauce that, probably, it protected him from some big troubles, which then, in the 30s, the repressions raged, and he, meanwhile, felt tolerably well in Moscow. Especially in comparison with what was happening to other people then, creativity is a very, very good life. Therefore, yes, he knows evil spirits, communicates, but everything is for the sake of his Master, both in life and in the novel.

At the very end, our guide showed us a house on Bolshoy Gnezdikovsky Lane and told us about a mystical story, in the spirit of Mikhail Afanasyevich, after Bulgakov's death. Today, it so happens, he is buried under the stone under which one of his favorite writers, Gogol, once lay.

Mikhail Bulgakov's resting place at Novodevichy Cemetery. The Master, covered by the teacher's stone

At the end, the guests applauded. It was a surprise for the Faberlic employees that the management had planned a whole series of educational walks. As a result, throughout August and September, our bureau organized excursions for the employees of the famous cosmetics company, shedding some light on the bizarre history and culture of the capital.