Tver in the Novel Demons

Until now, there have been no systematic attempts to analyze the topographic objects in the novel Demons and compare them with the real locations in 19th-century Tver, despite Tver having been established as the prototype for “our hitherto absolutely not remarkable city.” This research aims to fill that gap. Specifically, it demonstrates that: the estate Tryokhsvyatskoe, belonging to the archbishop of Tver, served as the prototype for the suburban mansion Skvoreshniki; the clergy house of the Spaso-Preobrazhensky Sobor inspired Varvara Petrovna’s townhouse; the Tver Imperial Palace corresponds to the house of the marshal of nobility’s wife; the Otroch Monastery became the Spaso-Efimyevsky Monastery; the Church of Simeon Stolpnik matches the Church of Rozhdestva Bogoroditsy; and Barsukov’s hotel was the model for the town hotel. The study also presents new evidence supporting the claims of S.A. Zhoglichev and V.V. Zhoglicheva that the Galiani Hotel served as the prototype for Filippov’s house. By comparing the topography of 19th-century Tver with that of Demons, we can determine the approximate real-world locations (within one street or quarter) of fictional places lacking direct prototype, such as the houses of Lebyadkin, Virginsky, and Erkel, as well as the burned-down quarters of Zarechje. Comparing the topographic objects of Demons to the realia of Tver, we can see that Dostoevsky constructs a realistic urban space in which characters follow routes typical for Tver’s 19th-century residents, with travel times corresponding to reality. Additionally, certain key locations are deliberately placed at the city’s boundaries to frame its spatial structure. The novel intentionally and thoroughly accentuates Tver’s precise traits. For this reason, the provincial city in Demons cannot be seen as a collective image.