A Glimpse into the Tolstoy Family Gathering

As the Leo Tolstoy House-Museum at Yasnaya Polyana neared its closing time, I found myself in the bedroom of my great-great-grandmother, Sophia Andreevna, the wife of Leo Tolstoy. Named after her, also known as Sonia, I spent the final day of my weeklong visit at the estate reflecting on her legacy.

Over the past 16 years, I had visited this room at least eight times. The walls were adorned with small paintings and black-and-white photographs of family members, many of which were taken by Sophia herself, an early enthusiast of photography. Her dressing table appeared meticulously arranged, as if she had just tidied it before a journey. Neatly placed were small decorative jars, a handheld mirror, and a bristle hairbrush, while an open suitcase nearby revealed hand-stitched fabrics.

The melodies of a Chopin duet drifted from the nearby dining hall, or salon, where portraits of ancestors adorned the walls. Here, 20 Tolstoy descendants had gathered for an intimate private concert. I stepped in to listen more attentively. Chopin, a favorite composer of Leo’s and mine, filled the room with timeless music. This salon, the centerpiece of the family home, was where they entertained guests, staged plays, played charades in costume, and made music together on the same grand piano being played that day. Leo and Sonia often performed four-handed pieces by Schumann and Brahms, among others. The family’s musical talents extended to the guitar and piano, with their eldest son, Sergei Lvovich, becoming a renowned musician and composer. They cherished folk songs and gypsy singing, and Sonia’s sister Tanya—the inspiration for Natasha Rostova in War and Peace—had a captivating voice, often singing for family and guests. In the corner stood a chess table where Leo enjoyed challenging his loved ones.

Though familiar with everything around me, this visit felt distinct. A wave of warmth and intimacy washed over me, bringing tears to my eyes. The house, once merely a museum, now felt like a cherished home. Maybe it was the music, or perhaps the sense of being enveloped by family.

Step into the Tolstoy Family Reunion.

Gathered Together

As a great-great-granddaughter of Lev (Leo) Nikolaevitch Tolstoy, I hold the 196th position on our family tree, which includes nearly 400 direct descendants of Leo, with about 300 still living. A museum-estate booklet lists Leo as number one, his eldest son Sergei Lvovich as number two, and so on, cataloging us by generation from children to great-great-great-great grandchildren.

Revolutions and wars have scattered us across the globe, with descendants now residing in Brazil, Canada, the Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Sweden, the U.S., Uruguay, and Russia, among other nations. Since 2000, we’ve gathered biannually at Yasnaya Polyana, located in the Tula region about 124 miles south of Moscow, preserved as it was when Tolstoy passed in 1910. The reunions were initiated by Vladimir Ilyich Tolstoy, then director of the Leo Tolstoy Museum-Estate Yasnaya Polyana and later a cultural advisor to President Vladimir Putin. Like many here, he is my cousin. Vladimir aimed to unite Leo’s descendants, honoring the family heritage the writer deeply cherished.

In August 2016, over 90 family members and friends from 13 countries came together at Yasnaya Polyana for a weeklong reunion filled with tours, activities, and vibrant communal meals, blending old traditions with new ones. On the first morning, I was thrilled to reunite with Georg Tolstoy, an engineer from Sweden, after 16 years. We greeted each other like long-lost friends. While some descendants stay in regular contact—like Georg and his Swedish relatives, who form the largest branch and even have a Tolstoy association—others only reconnect through social media or at these gatherings.

Each of us traces our lineage back to one of six (out of 13) Tolstoy children who had offspring. I belong to the Mikhailovich line, descending from Leo’s youngest son, Michael, my great-grandfather. During reunions, we identify our place in the family through numbers on our badges and locate our names and faces on the massive family tree displayed in the museum’s hotel lobby. We also enjoy spotting shared traits, like the Tolstoy eyes or smile, though we hope to avoid the famously prominent Tolstoy nose.

The Tolstoy family home, now the main museum, is modest and unassuming, with a surprisingly simple design. Rooms flow into one another, and the walls are covered with photographs and artwork. The house frequently changed to accommodate the growing family, making it hard to imagine where everyone slept during full gatherings. After the success of War and Peace, Tolstoy added a more formal salon with parquet floors. The kitchen, located behind the main house near an orchard, and the flower and herb garden, lovingly maintained by Sonia, add to the estate’s charm.

The estate features several buildings, including the Volkonsky House, a more formal structure where Sonia’s sisters often stayed. Today, it serves as offices and a reception center. Nearby, a rustic stable houses horses and a riding school, surrounded by forests and meadows. We explore these areas on foot, horseback, or bicycle, with a small horse-drawn wagon available for elderly relatives.

A Living Family Tree

These reunions are lively affairs, filled with laughter and chatter around large outdoor tables set for al fresco dining. We bond over shared meals, stories, and plenty of wine, singing birthday songs in five languages. During the day, we engage in activities like flower weaving, pottery with “live” black clay, and Russian lessons. Traditional games, such as gorodki—a favorite of Leo Tolstoy’s children—are played near the Yasnaya Polyana Cultural Center. Soccer is a daily highlight, though my team, The Lazy Sportsmen, lived up to its name, much to the frustration of the more competitive Caviar & Champagne team.

While the reunion is undeniably enjoyable, it holds deeper significance. “The first reunion completely transformed my perspective, as Russians would say,” recalls Anastasia Tolstoy, Vladimir’s daughter. “Before that, I only knew a small group of family members and a few Tolstoys living abroad. The rest were merely names and numbers in our family tree. In 2000, that tree came alive, and the vibrant personalities of Tolstoy’s descendants were reignited. We became a powerful legacy, not just tied to the famous writer but rooted in centuries of remarkable ancestors who shaped history with their bold actions.”

I can’t detail centuries of history here, but in short: the Tolstoys are known for their boldness, intellect, and creativity, with a rich legacy in Russian high society spanning politics, literature, and the arts. Our lineage traces back to Indris, a Lithuanian nobleman who arrived in Russia in the 1300s. The name Tolstoy means ‘the fat one,’ suggesting he might have had a robust build.

Lena Alekhina, the museum’s press manager, emphasizes that the reunions are vital to Yasnaya Polyana’s culture. “A Russian estate loses its meaning without the family. It becomes just a place. But here, the estate fulfills its purpose: a grand home for a large, multi-generational family.”

The Museum-Estate, situated on protected land, welcomes over 200,000 visitors annually, including tourists and Tolstoy enthusiasts. It offers a wide range of cultural programs, such as folklore workshops, local craft classes, Russian language lessons for all ages, arts scholarships for children, environmental initiatives, and international writers’ conferences.

This emphasis on education reflects Leo’s legacy. He established an informal school for local children, taught by his own family. His daughter Alexandra later founded a formal school at the museum in the 1920s. Today, Yasnaya Polyana, with over 400 staff members, continues this commitment to education, community, and the environment, embodying Tolstoy’s ideals. Visitors often express excitement about the family reunion, even requesting autographs as we tour the grounds. As my aunt Masha jokes, “I didn’t write the books!”

The Green Stick

You might have planned to dedicate a year (or more) to finally tackle War and Peace or marveled at the costumes in the 2012 adaptation of Anna Karenina, but how well do you truly know the author behind these masterpieces?

Count Lev Nikolaevitch Tolstoy is celebrated as one of history’s greatest novelists. His prolific output includes numerous novels, plays, essays, and hundreds of letters, all of which continue to inspire globally. His extensive journals, which meticulously recorded every aspect of his life—both good and bad—served as a foundation for his works. Tolstoy held strong opinions on religion (he believed in God but was excommunicated in 1901 for his progressive views), politics (he opposed the monarchy and renounced his noble status), human rights (he corresponded with activists like Mahatma Gandhi and Jane Addams, who hosted his daughter Alexandra in Chicago), and family (starting with his own children).

Tolstoy was born on September 9, 1828 (August 28 by the Julian calendar, used in Russia until 1918), on a well-worn leather couch still located in his study. This couch also witnessed the births of his siblings and many of his children. Yet, when asked about his birthplace, Tolstoy would humorously point to a spot three meters up a tree in the garden, saying, “Oh, right about there.”

He wasn’t joking. The house where he was born once stood in that exact location but had been dismantled years earlier, leaving only the wings, which were repurposed into the current structure. Legend has it that he lost the grand original house in a card game, reflecting his wild youth.

Yasnaya Polyana, meaning 'bright meadow,' was initially a 3700-acre estate owned by Prince Nikolai Volkonsky, Leo’s maternal grandfather. Tolstoy inherited it in 1847 and later sold part of the land, reducing it to 1186 acres. He settled there in 1856 after his military service and spent the rest of his life on the property. Though he owned a house in Moscow, he favored the countryside and the company of the local peasants.

Tolstoy adored the outdoors and often engaged in physical labor, working side by side with the peasants in the fields. Over their 48 years at Yasnaya Polyana, Leo and Sophia transformed the landscape, planting apple orchards with over 60 varieties, evergreen forests, and flower gardens. They designed the walking paths to stimulate creativity and reflection during their daily strolls.

Every corner of Yasnaya Polyana holds significance and a story. Near the house, an orangerie—originally constructed by his parents—provided exotic fruits and a warm retreat during harsh winters. Sonia cherished this escape, but Leo disliked the upkeep of this aristocratic pastime (though he found it meditative) and wasn’t upset when it was destroyed by fire.

For both Catarina Hjort Tolstoy, a Swedish PE teacher and painter, and Kristina Johlige Tolstoy, a German sculptor, their favorite family tale is 'The Green Stick,' deeply tied to the estate and Leo’s philosophy. As a child, Leo’s older brother Nicholas told him that the key to solving the world’s problems was inscribed on a green stick, hidden near the Zakaz Forest. This story inspired Leo’s lifelong quest for love and peace. He was eventually buried at the supposed site of the stick, symbolically uncovering its secrets.

Exploring Further

Tolstoy’s curiosity knew no bounds, encompassing countless subjects. At Yasnaya Polyana, he hosted musicians, writers, and artists like Maxim Gorky, Anton Chekhov, Ivan Turgenev, and composer A.G. Rubenstein. He posed for portraits by renowned artists such as Ilya Repin and corresponded with figures like George Bernard Shaw and Thomas Edison, who gifted him a phonograph used to record Leo’s voice.

Yasnaya Polyana attracted visitors and pilgrims, some staying for months, much to Sonia’s annoyance. The study is filled with photographs, letters, and mementos reflecting his diverse interests. The library, a centerpiece of the house, holds nearly 10,500 books in 27 languages. Tolstoy, fluent in German and French, taught himself 13 languages, including English, Hebrew, and ancient Greek, to read texts in their original forms. Many books bear his notes and reflections in the margins.

During her time at Yasnaya Polyana, Sonia meticulously cataloged every item in the house, even the smallest objects tucked away in drawers or under beds. She believed the estate held a significant future. At reunions, my cousin Fekla Tolstaya, a Russian broadcast host and journalist, entertains children by encouraging them to explore under the beds for hidden treasures. My grandfather, Vladimir Mikhailovich Tolstoy, recalls staying in a room with arched ceilings, once used as a meat pantry, where hams hung from hooks. He and his brothers would climb up, tie ropes to the hooks, and swing across the room, gleefully shouting, 'I’m a ham, I’m a ham!'

It’s astonishing how well-preserved the museum remains. During World War II, the Nazis occupied the house for 45 days, vandalizing it and setting it ablaze as they left. Fortunately, villagers spotted the smoke and saved the home. All the belongings Sonia had meticulously documented were evacuated to Tomsk in Siberia before the Germans arrived, ensuring their survival. After the war, these items were returned, helping restore the estate to its former splendor.

I asked Grégoire Tolstoï, an event producer from Belgium and fellow member of Team Lazy Sportsmen, for his thoughts on the reunion. As a first-time attendee from an older branch of the Tolstoy family, Grégoire was struck by the artistic passions and occupations of many attendees, a trait he recognized in his own family. 'It’s a characteristic of the Tolstoys,' he remarked. 'What a delightful surprise.'

I noticed something remarkable about the Tolstoys: for centuries, generations have pursued similar paths in the arts, music, human rights, politics, international affairs, and literature. It’s fascinating to see so many descendants excelling as visual artists, actors, politicians, philanthropists, peacemakers, journalists, writers, TV personalities, and linguists. Speaking with attendees, I found their enthusiasm for the lively reunion was always rooted in a profound connection to each other and our shared heritage.

'During my first visit to Yasnaya Polyana, I gathered daisies to create an artwork,' Kristina, the sculptor, told me in the meadow near the stables. 'I later discovered that Sophia made art from pressed flowers and plants. Reading her diaries and learning this deepened my connection to her. Inspired, I dedicated a piece to her titled Seeing More.'

My mother, Tanya Tolstoy Penkrat, was deeply moved when she saw Sophia’s small mushroom paintings in her bedroom. Mushroom collecting has been a lifelong passion for my mother, who also enjoys painting tiny mushroom illustrations as gifts for friends and family.

A Legacy That Endures

Leo Tolstoy’s influence didn’t cease with his death from pneumonia in 1910. Many of his children upheld the family legacy, writing books about their remarkable lives, such as Alexandra Tolstaya’s Tolstoy, A Life of My Father. Alexandra, his youngest daughter, played a key role in transforming Yasnaya Polyana into a museum, which opened on June 10, 1921. When Stalin’s regime hindered her efforts, she moved to the United States in 1929, founding the Tolstoy Foundation. This organization aided thousands of Russian refugees, including Vladimir Nabokov, Sergei Rachmaninoff, and my mother, during and after World War II.

Today, some of Tolstoy’s descendants are driven by his ideals to steer Russia toward a new future. 'One of the first conditions of happiness is that the link between Man and Nature shall not be broken,' Leo once wrote. Inspired by this, Daniil Tolstoy, his great-grandson, is launching Russia’s first organic farm near Yasnaya Polyana. Named 'Nasledie Tolstogo' (Tolstoy’s Heritage), the idea emerged during a family reunion when Daniil visited Nikolskoye-Vyazemskoye, an estate once owned by Tolstoy’s great-grandfather. Discovering fertile, unused fields there, he plans to begin planting using sustainable farming techniques this spring. His vision includes creating a unique brand and eventually establishing an organic agriculture school to educate young Russians.

Others are dedicated to preserving and modernizing Leo’s legacy. Fekla Tolstaya, his great-great granddaughter, has been instrumental in bringing Tolstoy into the 21st century. She emphasizes that Tolstoy wished to make his work freely accessible to the public. Initiatives like All of Tolstoy in One Click have digitized his 90-plus volume collection, making it available on digital devices. This project relied on crowdsourcing, with thousands of volunteers from 49 countries proofreading 46,800 pages in just 14 days in 2013.

In December 2015, Fekla orchestrated a four-day marathon reading of all four volumes of War and Peace, written by Tolstoy at Yasnaya Polyana and published in 1869. Over 1300 participants from 30 cities worldwide, including actors, athletes, politicians, and cosmonaut Sergei Volkov from the International Space Station, took part. The event was live-streamed online and broadcast on Russian TV.

Fekla partnered with academic institutions like Moscow State University and Harvard University to develop the 'Tolstoy Digital Universe,' an online encyclopedia offering access to Tolstoy’s works, quotes, and correspondence. She also aims to digitize over 5000 manuscript pages of War and Peace, providing insight into the creation of this literary masterpiece.

After the Chopin concert, I joined my cousins in the yard for a family photo, reminiscent of Leo and Sonia’s gatherings with their children. I love studying old photos of them enjoying tea in the garden, spotting my great-grandfather among the siblings. I believe Sonia would have cherished these reunions for their warmth and sense of connection. Personally, I feel inspired to explore my family history further and finally write the book I’ve long planned.

Special thanks to my mother, Tanya Tolstoy Penkrat, an exceptional oral historian and storyteller for our extended family. Unless noted otherwise, all images are courtesy of the author and her relatives.