The Cottages of Gagarin and Korolev
Gagarin's and Korolev's cottages are the oldest buildings at the Baikonur Cosmodrome. They are named after the world's first cosmonaut and the chief rocket designer in the USSR. Today, these small cottages look very old, and the interior of the rooms easily conveys the spirit of the 1950s. These monuments to the pioneers of space will allow you to understand the simple, ascetic living conditions they had and how limited the technology was at that time.
In the spring of 1955, construction of the Baikonur Cosmodrome commenced, marking a significant milestone in the history of the Soviet Union's space program. This construction project included the building of a launch pad for rockets, assembly workshops, observation posts, bunkers, and other facilities. Alongside these infrastructure developments, four houses were constructed 2.5 kilometers from the launch pad, which served as residences for the leading chief designers and administrators of the space program. Of the original four houses, only two have been preserved to this day, including Cottage No. 1, where Yuri Gagarin spent the night before his pioneering spaceflight, and Cottage No. 2, which served as a long-term residence and workspace for the renowned rocket designer Sergei Korolev. The entrance of each cottage features memorial plaques commemorating these historic figures, and the cottages themselves are now regarded as revered exhibits in the Baikonur Cosmodrome museum, a testament to the pioneering spirit and technical ingenuity that propelled the Soviet Union to the forefront of the global space race.
Gagarin's cottage, also known as Cottage No. 1, is famous for being the place where the first cosmonaut of Earth spent several days before his legendary flight. Gagarin calmly went to sleep, while his backup, German Titov, slept in the adjacent bed. The next morning at 7:30 am, they got up, did some morning exercises, had breakfast, and coffee. It was here that Gagarin and Titov put on their spacesuits before heading to the rocket. Right in front of the cottage, they were met by Korolev, who had spent the night in the neighboring house. The father of Soviet cosmonautics gave them some advice and wished the future astronauts good luck. A few hours later, Gagarin made history by completing the first orbital spaceflight around the Earth.
Four months later, the Vostok-2 rocket was launched, piloted by German Titov, who had previously served as Gagarin's backup. The night before the launch, he slept in Cottage No. 1 on the same "Gagarin" bed, while his backup slept in the adjacent bed. This established the tradition of all spacecraft commanders in the Vostok and Voskhod series sleeping in Gagarin's bed.
Korolev's cottage, also known as Cottage No. 2, is located just a few meters away from Gagarin's cottage. While Gagarin spent only a few days in his cottage, Korolev considered Cottage No. 2 his home for many years. The renowned rocket designer frequently visited the Baikonur Cosmodrome to personally oversee the testing of ballistic missiles and manned missions. In Cottage No. 2, Korolev sometimes held informal meetings with other designers, military personnel, and astronauts.
Today, both cottages have been transformed into exhibits in the Baikonur Cosmodrome museum. Visitors can enter and see the simple, almost Spartan living conditions that the legends of Soviet cosmonautics experienced.
