The history of Astapovo village, now a part of Lipetsk Oblast, has always been associated with the development of railway service. The village itself was formed around the station. However, what really made both the station and the village truly famous was quite a sad event.
The station project was approved on 15 December 1889. The first stage of construction was completed over 1889-1990. Then a wooden railway station and houses for railway workers were built. The second construction stage began in early XXth century. It was connected with construction of new – and quite remote – routes of Ryazan-Urals railway. From 1900 to 1910 a new (brick) station building was attached to the old one. Over that period the area near the station was also improved.
In 1912 an architectural drawing of Astapovo station was made. According to it, there were two rows of private houses with a central square between them. From both sides the square was enclosed with architectural dominants – a church and a water tower.
In 1910 the station became well-known all over the world. Here Leo Tolstoy spent his last days. He didn’t find himself there by choice, however, what happened in his own life correlated very well with Tolstoy’s philosophy, and namely his belief in the great power of natural forces and futility of planning, that he had written about in his novel War and Peace.
Tolstoy’s spiritual quest led to a serious breach in relations with most people around him. The eighty-two-year-old writer decided to leave his home to live the rest of his life according to his views. He left secretly without even a route of his journey. He was accompanied only by his daughter Alexandra and Dushan Makovitsky, an old friend and their family doctor. Tolstoy departed from Yasnaya Polyana in the early hours of October, 28, 1910 (by Julian Calendar). He took the train number 12 on Ryazan-Urals railway at Kozelsk station. However, late autumn’s cold weather frustrated his plans. Tolstoy caught a severe cold. His condition was growing steadily worse, and the cold developed into pneumonia.
At Astapovo station (then belonging to Ryazan province), Leo Tolstoy had to get off the train. Station workers, like most people in Russia, easily recognised the brilliant writer and did their best to help him. Ivan Ozolin, the station master, offered the sick man to stay in his house. The news of Tolstoy’s illness was wired to Moscow. There was no proper bed in Ozolin’s house, so a big and comfortable bed was sent from Moscow. Six doctors came to see Tolstoy. However, the writer refused to receive their help. “God will settle this”, he said. He didn’t want to see his wife either, and his last wish was, “I don’t want anybody to bother me”.
Another visitor came from Optina Monastery – elder Varsonofy, who wanted to give Tolstoy a chance to be reconciled with the Church. But by this time the writer had already lost consciousness. Alexandra Tolstaya didn’t let the priest see her father. Finally, Sophia Tolstaya was allowed to enter the room where her husband was dying, but she was asked to be quiet and unobtrusive, so that nothing would betray her presence. Leo could hardly make out anything around him, had trouble breathing, and couldn’t talk.
Over these days the attention of the whole country was locked on Astapovo station. Railway telegraph constantly delivered the news of Tolstoy’s state.
Leo Tolstoy died at 6:05 a.m. on 7 November 1910 (by the Julian Calendar; 20 November by the Gregorian Calendar). Three days later he was buried in Yasnaya Polyana. The place was chosen according to the writer’s will.
Everything in the room where Tolstoy was dying was preserved to these days. The station clock was also stopped. Now it always shows the time of Tolstoy’s death. In November 1918 the station and the village were renamed to Lev Tolstoy.
