secretariat horse farm tour

804.994.2800

SECRETARIAT BIRTHPLACE TOUR

Visitors are welcome to visit the historic barns Monday through Friday between 10 and 4. While visiting, use the audio tour link below to guide you!

https://www.youraudiotour.com/tours/1570/stops/7779

Tour Highlights:

The Meadow Event Park, formerly Meadow Stable, is the site where Secretariat was born, raised and first trained. Educational signage is posted at the historic barns and other points of interest.

Points of interest include:

On the north side:

• Original yearling and stallion barns built in the 1930s. This includes the stall in the yearling barn where Secretariat stayed as a colt in 1971.
• The Cove, where the Meadow mares and foals grazed
• Secretariat stride markers showing his enormous 25-foot racing stride
• Meadow Hall mansion with galleries of framed photos depicting the history of the farm and Secretariat’s Triple Crown races, along with Meadow Stable memorabilia and the riding outfits of Penny Chenery and her father Christopher Chenery
• The Meadow Stable horse cemetery where Imperatrice, Hill Prince and Sun Beau are buried
• The historic cemetery on the front lawn of the mansion, marked with a memorial plaque about the Morris family who founded The Meadow in 1805; their descendant Christopher Chenery would establish Meadow Stable in 1936 here at his ancestral homeplace.

On the south side:

• Secretariat’s foaling shed where he was born on March 30, 1970. Though it was moved from its original location on the north side, it is the same structure and is listed on the state and national historic registers.
• Secretariat’s training barn where he stayed when he was in training at the Meadow training track in the fall of 1971. A plaque marks the stall where he first wore a saddle and bridle and had a jockey on his back.

Come visit the Virginia farm that produced an American legend! A portion of proceeds go to our new non-profit, the Secretariat Heritage Center, for the restoration of the historic barns at The Meadow. See www.secretariatheritagecenter.org for more info.

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We're on an 8 year, 50 state road trip... and beyond

Touring Claiborne Farm, The Resting Place Of Secretariat In Paris, Kentucky

May 29, 2019 By Shae Pepper 8 Comments

The final stop on my horse tour of Kentucky is where the life of a race horse begins and, for some of the greats, ends – Claiborne Farm.

Claiborne Farm is about 30 minutes outside of Lexington, KY and is home to some of the greatest horses for breeding and the resting place of Secretariat, arguably the greatest race horse of all time.

Claiborne Farm covers over 3,000 acres, but it started with only 1,300 acres over 100 years ago. It now has 11 active stallions and 35 barns. This year, provided the last holdout (as of my visit on May 20, 2019) was born and stood up, Claiborne Farm will have had 151 standing foals.

Speaking of foals… let’s talk about the real action at Claiborne. The breeding shed is still original from the 1920’s. Six out of 13 Triple Crown winners were conceived in that shed. Horse racing still requires breeding to happen (mostly) the old-fashioned way. This means no artificial insemination – it’s all natural – but unless you have 4 people who help you in the bedroom and run tests on the semen for sperm count (and more), that’s about it for the old-fashioned way.

Racing stallions aren’t just fast on the race course it seems; four mares were bred the morning I toured in approximately 22 minutes.

We got to meet some of the studs at Claiborne Farm. They each had a personality as big as their… uh… faces.

First up was Runhappy – the 2015 Breeders Cup Sprint Winner. He has an estimated value of $11,000,000. Beautiful and sweet, we were able to pet him and get pictures.

When a horse stays in the same stall for their entire tenure at Claiborne Farm, their name plate remains on the stall and the newest resident’s name plate goes at the top. Runhappy has some big horse shoes to fill, having his name on the stall that housed Secretariat and Bold Ruler during their time at Claiborne.

Here is the name plate for the stable currently housing Orb, but previously housing Round Table – the World’s Largest Money Winner.

We then visited some of the other stallions in the barn. Some were just for viewing and some for feeding peppermints. Race horses, as with other horses I’ve heard, love peppermints.

It was then time for the current star of the farm – War Front. He’s the sire of War of Will who was a part of the 145th Kentucky Derby controversy and winner of the 2019 Preakness Stakes. War Front was gorgeous, sleek and soft. He was friendly enough not only for pets, but for hugs!

Everyone was smelling him. I’m not sure what we’re supposed to smell; not being a horse person, he smelled to me like… clean horse. But, when in Rome (roam!?), sniff the horse.

A side note: if you – like me – are concerned about the size of the stalls, the stallions are only in there before and after breeding. They spend 16+ hours a day out in the paddock.

At the end of the stallion portion of the tour, we came to my favorite horse of the day – Blame.

He was so cute with his peppermint routine. He LOVES peppermint. Rather than crunching it up, he savors it by biting his peppermint in half and placing part of it under his front lip. Then he slurps up some water and sloshes it around while he sucks on his treat. He then stares at you with his tongue out while he enjoys every moment of his tour time.

Our tour was finally coming to a close, but there was still one place to see, a place that’s one of the main reasons people make the trip to Claiborne Farm. To see the resting place of Secretariat who won the Triple Crown when he was 3 and won the Belmont Stakes that year by 31 lengths.

Secretariat is buried in one of the cemeteries close to the offices. Horses are normally cremated and only their head, heart and hooves (which are said to represent the body, heart and soul) are buried.

There are five horses buried whole in the cemetery that holds Secretariat which is incredibly rare, although it became a more common practice at Claiborne in the 1980s.

Secretariat, Mr. Prospector, Round Table, Nijinsky and Swale are all buried whole. Even more rare than being buried whole, Secretariat and Man O’ War were both embalmed as well.

Swale is remembered for being very young. He’d won the Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes in his third year. He had a normal training run and was being hot-walked (cooled down) to head to his bath and he sat down, laid down and died of a heart attack in just two minutes.

This was a bittersweet end to the Claiborne Farm tour. We had an excellent tour guide in Kevin. He was funny and informative. The cost for the tour was $20 per person, so I went alone keeping our budget in mind. It was costly, but if you’re a horse person – or become interested in the whole industry of horse racing like I did while in Kentucky – it’s worth the visit.

Claiborne Farm, 703 Winchester Rd, Paris, KY 40361

Reader Interactions

June 9, 2020 at 10:58 am

My friend and I are coming to Lexington end of June. Will we be able to tour Claiborne Farm and see grave of Secretariat ? We are seniors.

February 17, 2023 at 1:21 pm

My husband and I are bringing our 14 year old granddaughter, a horse lover, to Kentucky and Tennessee in June. We plan on visiting Clairborn Farms . Is the breeding tour appropriate for a 14 year old, and should we have a “discuss ” beforehand?

February 19, 2023 at 4:10 pm

I’m not sure about what the “breeding tour” is – if you’re taking the tour I did then I’d think it’s fine since I assume they know where babies come from. We didn’t watch anything happen on our tour just heard about it. It’s worth remembering that it’s discussed as a natural process not insemination and obviously the idea of consent isn’t something in the animal kingdom. Horses are brought in and expected to breed and people pay for the chance at getting a foal from the process. There may be a bawdy joke or two but I don’t remember it being a particularly saucy part of the tour.

March 17, 2023 at 12:44 pm

My cousin, an attorney, was with me when we went to the Breeding Stable at Ashford. He saw the price sheet for stud service and replied “And to think, I’ve been doing it for free all these years.” To which I replied, “Yeah, but nobody wants another lawyer.”

July 31, 2023 at 10:08 am

We were at Claiborne in 1985 and had the absolute privilege to meet Big Red himself. It still thrills us to see the pix of us with Secretariat and touching him and talking to him. Can anyone tell me who the handler was at that time? He was a tall man with grey hair who couldn’t have been nicer to us.

July 31, 2023 at 10:14 am

We had the absolute privilege and delight to meet Secretariat at Claiborne Farm in 1985. It still thrills us to see our photos of the two of us standing next to Big Red and touching and talking to him. Can anyone please tell us the name of his handler from that time?

January 28, 2024 at 3:21 am

Hi Lorraine. How lucky you were to get quality time with The Great One, as I think of him!!

I think you’re asking who Secretariat’s primary Groom was. The name & image I’ve seen most often in photos over the years with Secretariat is groom Bobby Anderson. But I imagine there were other grooms who also attended to Big Red during his nearly 16 years at Claiborne.

Hope the below is helpful in your identifying the groom who you’re remembering: a link to an article containing several photos of Bobby Anderson. https://www.thoroughbredracing.com/articles/5969/close-and-personal-court-king-secretariat-recalling-one-acolytes-pilgrimage/

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I toured one of Kentucky's most legendary horse farms, where horses live in immaculate barns, security teams sweep the grounds at night, and Secretariat is buried. Here's what it looks like.

• Lexington,  Kentucky , is known as the  "horse capital of the world."

The region is home to  about 450 horse farms  as well as  Keeneland , the world's largest thoroughbred auction house.

• One of the most prestigious farms in this area is Claiborne Farm , a 3,000-acre, 109-year-old farm that's been visited by Queen Elizabeth II — twice.
• Legendary racehorses Secretariat and Seabiscuit both lived at the farm, and 2013 Derby winner Orb currently resides there.
• Claiborne is home to one of the world's most expensive breeding stallions, War Front , whose stud fee — or cost to breed with him — is $250,000.
• On a tour of Claiborne, I saw just how exceptionally well-cared-for the farms' prized stallions are.
• They live in immaculate barns where each stallion has its own spacious windowed stall with a personal fan, and an automated fly spray system keeps away the biting insects.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories .

In Lexington, Kentucky, horses are a way of life.

With more than 450 horse farms in the region, Lexington is known as "the horse capital of the world." It's also home to Keeneland , the world's largest thoroughbred auction house.

Riley Kirn of Bluegrass Sotheby's International Realty described Lexington's horse farms as "kind of like English country estates" with huge, stately homes and "barns that don't look like barns."

"We call them farms, but I tell people to think of them more as estates or ranches because they're just massive," Mary Quinn Ramer, president of  VisitLex , or the Lexington Convention and Visitors Bureau, said.

And Claiborne Farm is considered to be a step above the rest.

"[Claiborne Farm] is absolutely stunning [and has a] very winning track record in terms of what they do for the thoroughbred industry," Ramer said.

I got a tour of Claiborne Farm one morning — here's what it looks like.

Lexington, Kentucky and its surroundings are known as the "horse capital of the world."

Horse farm tours have become a popular tourist attraction in Kentucky, particularly after the 2014 establishment of Horse Country , a nonprofit for promotion and ticket sales to many of the state's horse farms.

Niki Heichelbech-Goldey, the director of communications for VisitLex, the Lexington Convention and Visitors Bureau, told me that visiting a horse farm has been the No. 1 request for information from their office for the past decade.

One of the Lexington area's most prestigious horse farms is Claiborne Farm, a 109-year-old thoroughbred farm in the town of Paris, about 20 miles from Lexington.

The farm was established in 1910 by the Hancock family, who still control the farm today.

Walker Hancock has been running the farm since 2014 after taking over from his father, Seth Hancock. 

On a recent September morning, I drove out to Claiborne from Lexington. The road took me through bucolic farmland.

The morning sunlight shining through the mist hovering over the grass gave the countryside a tranquil glow. I saw horses grazing and occasionally, tucked away in the hills, a stately home with white columns.

I rolled down the car window and was struck by the smell freshly cut grass ... and manure.

I got to Claiborne Farm at about 9:45 a.m. and made my way down a long driveway lined with tall trees.

Mist was still rising off the grass, but the air was already warm.

Claiborne Farm has been home to some of the most legendary racehorses in history, including Secretariat, whose 1973 Belmont Stakes victory is often still considered one f the greatest achievements in the history of horse racing.

"Riding [Secretariat] was like flying a fighter jet compared to an ordinary airplane," Secretariat's jockey, Ron Turcotte, now 77, told Aly Vance for CNN's Winning Post.

Including Secretariat, 54 horses who called Claiborne home have been inducted into the Racing Hall of Fame.

John, our Claiborne tour guide, described the farm as "sacred ground in American Thoroughbred breeding industry."

Seabiscuit, the underdog racehorse who became a beloved champion, grew up and was trained at Claiborne Farm.

Seabiscuit, smaller than the average racehorse with chunky legs and an awkward gait, wasn't originally a promising contender. His first trainer said the horse was "lazy."

But after he came under the care of a new owner, trainer, and jockey, Seabiscuit started winning major races.

In 1938, he went on to beat the fan-favorite War Admiral , a Triple Crown winner, in what ended up being called the "Race of the Century."

Seabiscuit was inducted into the Racing Hall of Fame in 1958.

Upon arriving at the farm, I parked my rental car and followed the directions to the Visitors Center. Claiborne Farm offers guided tours that start at $20 and can cost upwards of $600.

I booked the basic $20 stallion complex tour , which includes a walk through the thoroughbred breeding area, the stallion barns, and the cemetery. The tour is conducted in small groups and takes about an hour.

Then there's the all-farm shuttle tour for $30, which lasts an hour and a half and transports guests around the 3,000-acre farm, including the foaling barn, vet barn, training track, sales prep facilities, maintenance division, and nursery. This tour does not include the stallion complex.

A separate $40 tour allows guests to meet one of the farm's star breeding mares and her foal.

And for those who want a more private experience, the farm offers a private version of the stallion tour for small groups that starts at $600. 

The farm has a small visitors center with bathrooms and a gift shop.

The shop sells t-shirts and various horse-themed memorabilia and gifts.

Claiborne Farm, which sits on more than 3,000 acres, has about 20 miles of roads and driveways, 50 barns, and 100 miles of fences.

Self-filling water troughs are scattered throughout the pastures on the farms. 

When Secretariat lived at Claiborne, the farm reportedly had to install a wooden privacy fence along the road because fans were trying to reach over the fence to touch him, and a few even climbed over.

There are about 24 houses on the property that are mainly occupied by employees, according to John, my tour guide.

At night, a watch crew patrols the farm with a security detail to ensure the safety of the horses. 

Our first stop on the tour was the breeding shed, part of Claiborne's stallion complex.

The path leading to the breeding shed is made of rubber to prevent any slips from excited stallions.

There were 10 stallions at Claiborne at the time of my visit — all Kentucky bred — seven of which were born on the farm, John told our tour group.

It's the mares that make up most of the horse population on the farm, though. There were about 240 mares on the farm at the time of my visit in early September — and 201 of them were pregnant.

The horse breeding industry is a huge money-maker for farms like Claiborne.

To breed with a stallion, the farm charges a stud fee that can change each year. At Claiborne, the 2019 fees ranged from $2,500 to $250,000 for their most prized stallion. 

During this year's breeding season, from about the second week of February to early July, Claiborne Farm's stallions bred with 754 mares. Some stallions breed three times a day: at 8 a.m., 3 p.m., and 7 p.m.

John described it as a "very efficient process," as up to 10 mares can be bred every hour.

At least four humans are present for each breeding process: one to handle the stallion, one to hold the mare, and two others to hold the mare's tail to the side and assist in any other way they're needed. Each breeding is video recorded for liability reasons.

The floor of the breeding shed is made of a special polytrap material that prevents horses' hooves from slipping and avoids injuries during the breeding process.

"Some of our top stallions are worth tens of millions," John said. "Some mares are worth millions. So we try to keep our horses safe."

The barns where the stallions live at Claiborne are painted bright white with yellow-gold trim and shingled roofs.

While the stallions each have their own stall in the barn, they also get plenty of time out at pasture.

The stallions are taken out to pasture individually in their own pens, because otherwise they will fight, John told us. The mares and foals, however, go out to pasture in groups.

Our group headed over to the first barn, eager to meet some of Claiborne's prized stallions.

The first stallion John brought out was a 7-year-old former racehorse named Runhappy. The stallion is about 1,400 pounds and bred with 125 mares this year.

Runhappy was playful and energetic, bobbing his head around and frequently attempting to nibble on various parts of John.

He won the Breeders' Cup Sprint at Keeneland when he was 3 years old and had several other wins. Now, he makes the farm $25,000 each time he breeds with a mare.

With the 125 mares he bred with in 2019, that adds up to more than $3 million from a single breeding season. And Runhappy is far from the most expensive stallion at the farm.

Each member of the tour group got the chance to approach Runhappy and stroke his shoulder.

John warned us not to pet up near their faces because thoroughbred stallions like to bite, which made a few members of the group noticeably nervous. Since I grew up around horses and John clearly had a firm grip on the stallions' lead, I was more than happy to give the stallion a pat.

Still, almost every single person in the group ended up giving Runhappy a pet and posing for photos before John led him back into his stall.

Inside the barn, we said hello to Orb, the Kentucky Derby winner in 2013.

According to John, Orb is a troublemaker. The farm employees joke that he's the "most likely to bite his groom."

Orb was a big and burly horse, with a physique similar to Secretariat, John said. 

The inside of the stallion barns was immaculate.

I expected the barns to be smelly, but I could only detect the slightest scent of manure. 

The barns even had what can only be described as horse-specific amenities.

Each horse has its own fan circulating cool air in the stall.

And to protect the horses from biting flies, the stallion barns have an automated spray system that mists fly spray every 30 minutes.

And in addition to the grain and water buckets, each horse has its own salt block to lick in its stall.

The floors of the stalls are covered by clean straw.

Shiny golden placards on the stalls denote the name of each stallion.

The stallions had a lot of personality, and they were eager to be fed the peppermints that John pulled out of his pockets and allowed us to offer up to the horses.

Toward the end of the tour, we got to meet Claiborne's most precious and expensive stallion: War Front. Each time War Front successfully breeds with a mare, the farm makes $250,000.

As a racehorse, War Front made $425,000 in career earnings.

But as a breeding stallion, he's worth millions.

This year, War Front bred with 81 mares and brought in $10 million in revenue for the farm.

Most of Claiborne's stallions are owned by multiple shareholders. John told us that a share in War Front is worth about $2 million — and there are 40 shareholders.

Mares come from all over the world to breed with him — from France, England, Ireland, Dubai, John said.

A stallion can keep breeding as long as he's physically capable. After he retires, he lives out the rest of his life in peace on the farm.

In a small, simple cemetery behind the farm office, 22 of Claiborne's most legendary horses are buried, including five Kentucky Derby winners.

In the horse racing industry, the tradition is to bury only the hooves, heart, and head of the horse.

But for some special thoroughbreds, they make an exception.

Secretariat, considered one of the greatest racehorses to ever live, was buried at Claiborne in his entirety.

Secretariat was buried whole in a six-foot by six-foot oak casket lined with orange silk, the color used by Claiborne's racing stables, according to The Los Angeles Times.

After my tour of Claiborne, I was blown away by the attention and effort that goes into caring for thoroughbreds — and the money made from breeding them.

From the barns with fans and automated fly spray systems to the security detail that sweeps the farm at night, it was clear that horse farms go all-out to care for and protect their greatest assets.

I'd always assumed that the real money in the horse industry came from racing. But after learning that a single stallion can earn a farm $10 million in less than a five-month period, I saw just how lucrative an industry thoroughbred breeding is in itself. 

My only regret was that I didn't get to see more of the farm.

I'd only seen a tiny part of it — the stallion complex and the cemetery. I didn't get a glimpse of any mares, foals, or the farm's 48 other barns.

In hindsight, I think the best option would have been to take the all-shuttle farm tour in combination with the stallion complex tour I booked. But at a combined 2.5 hours, that would've been trickier to fit into my schedule.

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• Secretariat, America's Horse

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Join the kentucky derby museum in celebrating the 50th anniversary of secretariat’s historic triple crown win.

Secretariat: America's Horse - Exhibit Now Open!

Celebrating the 50th anniversary of Secretariat’s Triple Crown sweep, the Kentucky Derby Museum invites you to experience all aspects of Secretariat’s greatness with our brand new, immersive exhibit. The permanent exhibit is included in our General Admission ticket.

Woodford Reserve Double Oaked Personal Selection Bottle

This is Woodford’s only Double Oaked Personal Selection pick of 2022! The bottle is custom-labeled with KY Derby Museum, and Secretariat’s Kentucky Derby record-breaking time of 1:59 2/5, a record that still stands today.

Derby Legends Experience

From Citation to Secretariat, celebrate Derby Legends while experiencing Churchill Downs on this exclusive tour. You'll even see the very barn where Big Red was stabled.

Secretariat Merch

Show your Secretariat pride! The ultimate Big Red fans can commemorate the 50th anniversary of Secretariat's historic Triple Crown win by sporting his merch!

• Catholic Boy
• Demarchelier (GB)
• First Samurai
• Silver State
• War of Will

1970 - 1989

Secretariat, bold ruler - somethingroyal, by *princequillo, lifetime race record: 21-16-3-1, $1,316,808.

Bred and owned by Meadow Stable Trained by Lucien Laurin.

1973 - 9th U.S. Triple Crown Winner

1973 - champion grass horse, champion 3-year-old male & horse of the year, 1974 - hall of fame inductee, 1992 - leading broodmare sire, 1999 - u.s. postage stamp honoree, marquee races won.

Sanford Stakes Hopeful Stakes Futurity Stakes Laurel Futurity Garden State Stakes Bay Shore Stakes Gotham Stakes Kentucky Derby Preakness Stakes Belmont Stakes Arlington Invitational Stakes Marlboro Cup Handicap Man o’ War Stakes Canadian International Championship Stakes

Accomplished Progeny

Betty's secret.

Dam of Stakes Winner in Ireland, Secreto; Dam of 3x Champion Hurdle Winner, Istabraq

Celtic Assembly

Dam of Leading Sire in New Zealand, Volksraad

General Assembly

Multiple Graded Stakes Winner; Kentucky Derby Contender; Sire

Kingston Rule

Melbourne Cup Winner; Millionaire; Sire

Lady's Secret

Champion; Breeders' Cup Winner; Horse of the Year; Hall of Fame Inductee

Belmont Stakes Winner; Preakness Stakes Winner; Champion 3YO; Sire

Multiple Graded Stakes Winner; Dam of Stakes Winner Gone West

Multiple Stakes Placed; Dam of Champion 2YO & Sire Dehere.

Graded Stakes Placed; Dam of Champion 2YO & Sire Chief's Crown.

Multiple Graded Stakes Winner; Dam of Breeders' Cup Contender Storm Cat

Tinners Way

Multiple Graded Stakes Winner; Millionaire; Sire

Weekend Surprise

Multiple Graded Stakes Winner; Broodmare of the Year; Dam of Champion A.P. Indy

The story of “Big Red” begins with a 1969 coin toss to determine who got first pick of the foals produced by sending certain Meadow Stable mares to Ogden Phipps’ important sire, Bold Ruler. Phipps “won” the toss and selected a weanling filly, thus leaving the Chenery family’s Meadow Stable with the yet-unborn 1970 foal out of Somethingroyal.

By the end of 1972, Secretariat was the first-ever, two-year-old Horse of the Year, edging out Claiborne-raised La Prevoyante in year-end balloting. In 1973, he became the darling of not just horseracing but the entire nation; he won the Triple Crown in record time for all three events; graced the covers of Time, Sports Illustrated and Newsweek; repeated as Horse of the Year; and forever raised the bar by which all Thoroughbreds are measured.

Between his two- and three-year-old seasons, Meadow Stable’s founder Christopher Chenery passed away, and daughter Penny Chenery called upon the new master of Claiborne Farm, 23-year-old Seth Hancock, to syndicate Secretariat in order to settle estate taxes without liquidating the farm’s bloodstock. Syndicating a colt who had not yet raced at three, with a record price tag of $6.08 million and contractual terms calling for him to race for Meadow Stables in 1973 was a monumental task, and in a matter of days Hancock pulled it off with established Claiborne clients as well as new investors.

Larger than life, Secretariat was more than the “Super Horse” Time magazine dubbed him when he graced its cover. The bright chestnut with three white stockings was the most celebrated racehorse of all time and the only non-human ranked among ESPN’s 50 Greatest Athletes of the 20th Century.

Taking over the premier stall at Claiborne, that of his sire Bold Ruler, Secretariat left his enduring mark on the breed first through the exploits of his own sons and daughters (such as dual Classic winner, Risen Star, and Horse-of-the-Year, Lady’s Secret). More emphatically, his impact as a champion sire of broodmares reshaped the breed through some of the most celebrated sires of the last quarter-century, chief among them Storm Cat and A.P. Indy.

In 1989, after Secretariat was euthanized to prevent further suffering from incurable laminitis, a necropsy revealed what his fans always knew – Secretariat had a huge heart. His organs were all normal in size and shape except his heart which was twice the size and a third heavier than normal. “He was the man,” said Claiborne manager John Sosby, “He was the one they wanted to see … and rightly so.”

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out of the gate... and into history

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Secretariat Thoroughbred Racing’s 1973 Triple Crown Champion and America’s Superhorse

Big changes coming to secretariat.com.

In 2002, Secretariat.com launched “out of the gate and into history” as the first website solely dedicated to a singular Thoroughbred racehorse. For more than two decades, the website has served as the definitive source for history, information and products pertaining to the famed 1973 Triple Crown winner and enjoyed the privilege of working with Secretariat’s late owner Penny Chenery and her Meadow Stable team.

As of March 31, the website's licensing term has ended and contractual obligations with Ms. Chenery's children have been fulfilled. This in turn is prompting several changes for Secretariat.com. We will no longer be designated as the official website representing the renowned champion, nor have the responsibility of creating and manufacturing officially licensed products. Please pardon the inconvenience of our temporary reconstruction as we transform and relaunch as the premier fan site celebrating Secretariat and his timeless legacy.

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The Secretariat Heritage Center

Where the legend and the legacy live on.

The Secretariat Heritage Center is a 501c3 non-profit organization dedicated to preserving Secretariat's birthplace at The Meadow Event Park, formerly known as Meadow Stable. It will strive to continue to tell the story of the legendary Triple Crown champion, the family who owned him, and the fabled farm that produced him.  The SHC operates under the auspices of the Virginia Farm Bureau Federation, which owns The Meadow Event Park.

PRESERVATION

 Our immediate goal is to preserve the original 1930s-era barns that are on the National Register of Historic Places and Virginia Landmarks Register.   This is where Secretariat was born, raised and first trained. 

The Meadow - where the legend was born and lives on! We currently have self-led tours available Monday - Friday from 10am-4pm.

Donations are welcome.

Your support and contributions will help us preserve the historic barns and protect the heritage of this legendary land. For further information, please contact Marlene Pierson-Jolliffe, president of the Secretariat Heritage Center, at [email protected]

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Secretariat (March 30, 1970 – October 4, 1989), also known as Big Red, was one of the most prolific thoroughbred race horses of all time. The 1973 Triple Crown winner smashed the Belmont by a record 31 lengths. This shining chestnut colt become a folk hero plastered on magazine covers, was voted one the top athletes of the century by ESPN, and has a critically acclaimed Disney movie about his life.

His story is centered on the Bluegrass Region. Every year, hundreds of people come to the Bluegrass to visit a landmark known primarily only to horse people: Secretariat’s grave at Claiborne Farm in Paris, just outside of Lexington. Claiborne Farm is one of the most famous, oldest and most respected horse farms. Since 1910, Claiborne has bred, raised and sired some of the most important thoroughbreds in history. 

After his racing career, Secretariat stood at stud at Claiborne until he passed away at 19 years of age. Secretariat’s grave is located in an understated horse cemetery, past two brick pillars with granite roosters atop them, behind Claiborne’s main office. It’s a simple headstone that’s often surrounded by flowers, apples and peppermints left by fans. 

To visit Secretariat's home farm and grave, visit Claiborne Farm for a tour of their state-of-the-art stallion complex and beautiful landscape.

Claiborne Farm

Among the rolling hills of the Bluegrass and miles of plank board fences, Claiborne Farms is one of... Schedule a Tour

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CATEGORY EXPERIENCE LOCATION REVIEWS HELP

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A peek into Horse Country

Just some of the sights you may see while on your behind the scenes experience…

What do our guests have to say about Horse Country?

Real reviews. Straight from the horse’s mouth.

Jonabell Farm

Very insightful tour and our guide was exceptionally knowledgeable...beautiful farm with magnificent horses. We learned a lot about racing and stallions beyond what we expected. Loved it!

John - Check out the tour they attended!

Coolmore at Ashford Stud

We had a great time on the tour visiting with the stallions! Our guide was plesant and provided the group with many interesting facts about the farm. A must see for racing fans to see the stallions up close.

Doreen - Check out the tour they attended!

Gainesway Farm

Absolutely fabulous horse farm. Beauty everywhere. Great guided tour. TAPIT—need I say anymore.

Blair - Check out the tour they attended!

Hagyard Equine Medical Institute

Well organized and knowledgeable staff. The tour was excellent and the technology is top notch. Very informative especially after a 30 year absence from the horse industry.

Shawn - Check out the tour they attended!

Hallway Feeds

Excellent tour! Very informative and up close. Guides/employees are very passionate about the horse food industry.

Richard - Check out the tour they attended!

Secretariat Center

This is a great facility doing great things in providing a soft place for racehorses to land and learn a new career!! The tour is wonderful and even hands on!!

Mary - Check out the tour they attended!

Spendthrift Farm

The tour guide was very friendly and knowledgeable, and it was great to see the horses up close and learn the history of the farm. Loved seeing the breeding shed!

Autumn - Check out the tour they attended!

Spy Coast Farm

Lisa was a great guide. There was a lot of different things to see at Spy Coast, rehab, riders working horses, jumping, stallions, mares with foals, and even more.

Sandra - Check out the tour they attended!

New Vocations

It was wonderful to hear the “story” of New Vocations. The passion, mission and vision show a true dedication to these amazing horses.

Leslie - Check out the tour they attended!

Rood & Riddle Equine Hospital

The staff was so friendly! We learned a lot on the driving tour and enjoyed seeing where everything takes place. I would definitely come back!

Korrie - Check out the tour they attended!

Airdrie Stud

We got to see all the Stallions up close & personal, followed by a lovely tour of the property to see the foals & mares.

Michael - Check out the tour they attended!

Lane’s End Farm

The beauty of the farm, the fantastic tour, and of course seeing and petting the amazing animals. Our tour guide was super knowledgeable and friendly. It was a true Kentucky only experience

Diane - Check out the tour they attended!

Still need help?

Here’s a few more resources to help you make the most of your time in Horse Country.

Secretariat's Meadow

Secretariat statue.

Get the latest news about our effort to bring this Secretariat statue to Virginia!

Secretariat's Descendants

The mighty Secretariat still fires the blood of Thoroughbreds in the 21st century! Read more about Secretariat’s descendants .

Tours are suspended at the Meadow Event Park.

Secretariat Festival

Paris, ky festival celebrating 1973 triple crown winner secretariat and the local bluegrass heritage., effexor mail order australia, claiborne farm tour – saturday, september 17.

The Festival’s Horse Farm Tours start at 9:30 a.m. and continue throughout the day to offer guests an insider’s view into Kentucky’s Thoroughbred breeding industry. For those who wish to explore the roots of Secretariat, Claiborne Farm tours provide visitors a behind-the- scenes look at the prominent Thoroughbred breeding operation, now in its fourth generation of ownership by the Hancock Family, where Secretariat was conceived and rests in his hallowed grave site.

Tours will last approximately 40 minutes and depart on the hour beginning at 9:30 a.m. until 3:30 p.m. Please meet the bus at the designated Festival Farm Tour Pick-up location along Main Street in downtown Paris 10 minutes prior to departure. Each farm tour participant will receive a complimentary Secretariat gift as a keepsake of their visit.

PLEASE NOTE: TOUR TICKETS WILL NOT BE MAILED. PRESENT YOUR NAME AND PURCHASE ORDER CONFIRMATION NUMBER UPON CHECK-IN. For more information, please call (859) 351-7419.

Ticket purchasing link coming soon!

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Remember Me

Paris Bourbon County Kentucky

Tourism Commission

Dedication of Secretariat Park — November 11, 2023

On November 11, 1973 the most famous racehorse of the day was led off the van and began another stage in his career. This racehorse was the Triple Crown Winner, Secretariat. Fifty years to the exact date of his arrival in Bourbon County, the small town of Paris, Kentucky will celebrate all that was and still is Big Red!

Secretariat Park will be dedicated at Noon on November 11, 2023, in the center of historic downtown Main Street. The park is the crowning jewel for this community’s efforts in raising the $500,000 needed, and in just over a year. Not only generous donations from local private citizens, horse farms and industry, but from all over the USA, this park was built with love for a horse that seems to have transcended all time… all spearheaded by the dedicated and passionate members of the Secretariat Park Foundation. Visit here to learn more.

Secretariat Park is designed to celebrate the “life of the legend.” The largest mural of Secretariat in the world looms over the grounds. Painted by renowned equine artist, Jaime Corum, it depicts “the big red machine” breaking through the red brick wall, racing to the finish line. Storytelling pillars rise from the ground to tell the life story of Secretariat, a limestone wall of honor stands in the back of the park, benches, light posts, and pavers have been named in honor of donors… but the unforgettable attraction is a life size bronze statue of Secretariat. This statue created by the famous equine sculptor, Jocelyn Russell, depicts Big Red, as the people in Paris knew him, in his paddock at Claiborne Farm. Created from a photo taken by equine photographer, Tony Leonard.

Secretariat lived the remainder of his life standing stud at Claiborne, and to this day over 10,000 visitors a year still come to visit his grave. Now they have a place to make memories with their family and friends, in a small park, on an historic Main Street in a small town that loves Secretariat.

In addition to the opening of Secretariat Park, several community events are planned around this historic event, including the Legends of Bourbon County Festival! LEARN MORE

Make your plans today to visit us for this incredible event!

Contact the Paris Bourbon County Tourism office if you have any questions.

Paris Bourbon County Tourism Commission 806 Main Street Paris, Kentucky 40361 859-987-8744 [email protected]

Great Maslenitsa (Moscow region)

Off season 2024.

12 Mar – 18 Mar 2024

7 days / 6 nights

Gastronomic fixed tour, shrovetide (pancake week) is one of the most ancient and cheerful russian folk holidays. this holiday means seeing off a cold and long winter and meeting spring. as for the christian meaning, this week is dedicated to the most important goal - reconciliation with others and forgiveness of all insults. we decided to invite your clients to meet the russian maslenitsa as part of the gastronomic program in the moscow region. this is a great opportunity to find out about the history of the holiday, the traditions of the russian maslenitsa week, about signs and fortune-telling at maslenitsa. you will have the opportunity to appreciate the hospitality of small russian cities and celebrate the most interesting even on the last day of russian maslenitsa – saying goodbye to maslenitsa – a solemn burning of the stuffed figure of winter in kolomna with russian blinis (pancakes) with us during fun city festivities., the program is preliminary. the excursion blocks can be replaced with the similar ones, without changing main waypoints..

Pick-up from the airport and transfer to the hotel.

Check in the hotel.

Optional: Dinner in the hotel.

Moscow region

Breakfast in the hotel.

Depart for the eco-farm by bus. Tour of the eco-farm.

You will go to one of the eco-farms of the Moscow region, where you can break away from the bustle of the city, plunge into the serene rustic comfort, see and learn with your own eyes how agricultural crops and animals are grown in the household, how farm food is made by hand, which you will definitely try at the great master's table.

Lunch of original farm produce.

Farmer’s cheese tasting.

Return to Moscow by bus.

Ukrainian dinner in a local restaurant.

NIGHT WALKING TOUR OF MOSCOW “MYSTERY OF THE CAPITAL”

Mystical unexplained phenomena, ghosts and stories associated with them – all this can be found on a night tour of Moscow. Night is a mysterious time. A time when darkness reigns. You will take a trip to the special places of Moscow, which are shrouded in centuries-old secrets and legends. Take a walk near the famous temples that keep the secrets of the past. You will see old mansions where strange, inexplicable phenomena occur and ghosts live.

Moscow – Tula – Moscow

Transfer to the Kursky railway station.

Depart for Tula by the train “Lastochka” (places in cars with seating arrangement will be provided).

Tour of the Kremlin of Tula.

The Tula Kremlin is the oldest building in Tula. It is called an ancient citadel on the border of the “wild field”, which defended the southern borders of the Moscow principality from the Crimean horde. In 2020, the Tula Kremlin celebrated its 500th anniversary. Today the Tula Kremlin is one of the most visited museums in the country. The architectural ensemble of the Kremlin, in addition to the ancient walls and towers, includes the Assumption Cathedral of the 18th century with a unique monumental painting by Yaroslavl masters, the cathedral bell tower, the Epiphany Cathedral and the 19th century shopping arcade.

Lunch in a local restaurant.

Visit to the Museum of the Tula confectionary and gingerbread-producing factory:

• visit to the exhibition of the museum, talk on the appearance and development of the gingerbread manufacture in Russia and abroad
• getting to know the technicalities of the confectionary production process
• visit to the production shop at work
• tasting of the produce from the conveyor belt
• master class in baking traditional Tula gingerbread

Depart for Moscow by train (places in cars with seating arrangement will be provided).

Russian dinner in a local restaurant.

VISIT TO THE VIEWING PLATFORM IN THE MOSCOW-CITY COMPLEX.

MIBC “Moscow city” has become a symbol of the new Moscow, the new Russia. No one believed that this was possible, but the outstanding Moscow architect B. Thor managed to build the city of the future on the banks of the Moscow river, just 4 km from the Kremlin walls. You will see the brainchild of B. Thor, designed and built by him from the beginning to the end – “Tower 2000” and the shopping and pedestrian bridge “Bagration”, you will admire Moscow from the height of the observation deck of the upper.

Moscow – Yarolslavl

Check out of the hotel, transfer to the Yaroslavsky railway station.

Depart for Yaroslavl by train (places in cars with seating arrangement will be provided).

Visit to the Yaroslavl Museum-Reserve with an exposition “Repast in Yaroslavl style”.

The Yaroslavl Museum-Reserve, located on the territory of the Spaso-Preobrazhensky Monastery, often called the Yaroslavl Kremlin, is one of the oldest museums in Russia. The architectural dominant of the monastery is the Transfiguration Cathedral built in 1516, one of the best monuments of Russian architecture. “Repast in Yaroslavl style” is not just an exhibition of ancient dishes, but a fascinating story about the history and culture of food, gastronomic peculiarities of the Yaroslavl land. The exhibits will tell you what the Yaroslavl province was famous for a hundred years ago throughout Russia: about Rostov and Borisoglebsk onions, green peas from Porechye, the famous Rostov pike and Vyatka cucumbers. You will also learn how our great-great-grandmothers prepared food, what utensils they used in the kitchen, what dishes they preferred, how the tables were served and what kind of dishes they used.

Russian cuisine lunch.

Visit to the residence of the Empress of the Main Maslenitsa of the country.

Pancake baking master class.

The residence of the Empress of the Main Maslenitsa of the country is the only interactive museum of this subject in Russia, it is a unique chopped city, recreated according to drawings and preserved film materials of 1913, which was built in honor of the last visit of the imperial family and Tsar Nicholas II to Yaroslavl. You will learn everything about the customs and traditions of the Maslenitsa celebration, visit the Empress's study, see with your own eyes her Dressing Room with luxurious outfits for all seasons, the Pantry with gifts from other cities and states, as well as the Throne Room with a unique working tiled Russian stove. Also, you will have a master class on making real Pancakes, after which you can taste them at a festive tea party!

Dinner in the hotel.

NIGHT TOUR OF YAROSLAVL BY BUS

Traveling through the old part of Yaroslavl, you will visit the embankment of the Volga river, which is considered to be almost the most beautiful of all the embankments of Russian cities. Get acquainted with the rich temple architecture, in the rays of night illumination. Volga embankment-Keeper of secrets and legends. You will learn about the prisoners who built this embankment in the XVIII century, and about the Ghost of Biron: this is where he lived during his exile in Yaroslavl. And on the arrow of the two rivers-the Kotorosli and the Volga — you will learn about the first princes, burial sites of the Mongol-Tatars and the four Dormition cathedrals.

Pereslavl-Zalessky

Yarolslavl – Pereslavl-Zalessky – Moscow

Check-out of the hotel, depart for Pereslavl-Zalessky by bus.

City tour of Pereslavl-Zalessky.

Pereslavl-Zalessky is the home city of Alexander Nevsky and the cradle of the Russian fleet. During the tour, you will learn how the history of this amazing place was formed, what famous people left their mark on it, what the city lives today and what is the secret of its special charm. You will visit the heart of the ancient city – red square, walk along the earthen walls of the XII century and see one of the oldest churches in North-Eastern Russia – the Transfiguration Cathedral. In addition, take a walk along the picturesque shore of Pleshcheyev lake and visit one of the ancient Pereslavl monasteries.

Lunch with tasting of vendor specialties.

Vendace, an incredibly delicious fish, is a true gastronomic brand of the city of Pereslavl-Zalessky. After tasting this fish you will understand why it was so favored by Russian tsars.

Excursion to the museum of tea with tasting three kinds of willow-herb tea.

You will learn what kind of tea the Russians drank before the 19th century which saw the speed popularization of the Chinese and Indian teas. The tea expert will tell you about the willow-herb tea, about the teas that were made in Siberia and Far East and when Russian tea makers learnt to obtain fermented tea.

Depart for Moscow by bus.

Accommodation in the hotel.

Optional: Dinner with wine tasting (instead of the dinner included in the tour).

Moscow – Kolomna – Moscow

Depart for Kolomna by bus.

City tour with a visit to the Kremlin of Kolomna.

On the picturesque bank of the confluence of two rivers, the Moskva River and the Kolomenka, the ancient Kremlin of Kolomna rises. From the height of the walls of the Kremlin, beautiful landscapes of the city and its suburbs open up. The Kremlin harmoniously combines antiquity and modernity. The Kolomna Kremlin is “alive”: on its territory there are cozy one-story houses in which local residents live. This is the only Kremlin in Russia where life has not stopped for many centuries. In the Kolomna Kremlin you can see the architectural styles of different eras: “Kazak” Gothic, Moscow Baroque, provincial Empire style – harmoniously coexist here.

Lunch in a local restaurant (menu inspired by dishes favored by Old Russia’s merchants).

Visit to the fruit pastille producing factory. Theatrical performance, visit to the production shops “Great Maslenitsa” festivities outside with pancake tasting and Maslenitsa burning.

Late lunch at a local cafe.

Caucasian dinner in a local restaurant.

BAS TOUR “MOSCOW BY NIGHT WITH A VISIT TO THE MOSCOW UNDERGROUND STATIONS”

Moscow by night is another city. With all its illumination, parks and monuments, Moscow by night is a splendid view to see. Our excursion is a door to the world of mysteries and adventures. Explore the Red Square, the heart of Moscow, the lively Tverskaya Street with its numerous shops, cafes, bars and restaurants, Victory Park – a huge park-memorial to the Russian glorious victory in the war against the Nazi Germany, decorated with the endless chain of fountains, which are colored at night in bright red. Enjoy the picturesque view on the whole of the city lying below with its peacefully twinkling lights from an observation platform at Sparrow Hills, an area where one of the seven so-called Stalin sky-scrapers or “wedding cakes” is located housing the best and the most prestigious Moscow State University named after Lomonosov. Besides you will peek into the Moscow underground life visiting the subway of the capital. The stations of Moscow’s subway system have often been called «the people’s palaces», for their elegant designs and lavish and profuse use of marble, mosaics, sculptures and chandeliers. Built during Stalin’s rule, these metro stations were supposed to display the best of Soviet architecture and design and show how privileged the lifestyle of the Russian people was.

Check out of the hotel.

Transfer to the airport.

End of the tour.

Our prices includes:

• Double accommodation in Moscow in 4* hotel (Holiday Inn Tagansky or Novotel Center or similiar)
• Double accommodation in Yaroslavl 4* (Park Inn by Raidisson or similar)
• Breakfast in hotels
• Luggage handling in hotels
• Catering per program (including all mentioned degustations)
• Transport and transfer service per program
• Train tickets according to the program (Moscow – Tula – Moscow, Moscow – Yaroslavl)
• Excursion program
• Local English, French, German speaking guides or assistants for translation from Russian per program *Service in Italian and Spanish languages will be provided for a supplement
• Accommodation, tickets and catering for guides when necessary
• Visa support letter

Supplementary:

• Accommodation and program in Moscow or Saint-Peterburg before or after the tour
• OPTIONAL visits (can be prebooked only)
• Single supplement. Please always consider a single supplement when the number of pax is odd
• Service in Italian and Spanish languages with a supplement
• Non obligatory insurance of medical, medical transport and other expenses
• Non obligatory accident insurance

*Should any evens of International or Federal importance coincide with the dates of the tours (such as Economic and Legal forums in Saint-Petersburg etc.), we reserve the right to review the rates and /or offer a non-central hotel as a substitute.

**if restrictions are imposed on the entrance to museums for a certain number of people, we can serve group requests with the division of groups into smaller ones, with the predominant use of the same transport (or with a different number and capacity of transport), but with a large number of guides., ***some museums or excursions can be excluded from the program if circumstances beyond the control of the tour operator require it (time constraints due to covid-19 / bans on the operation of facilities). at the same time, as far as possible, we will offer an alternative replacement., please contact us at [email protected] for price list..

* If restrictions are imposed on the entrance to museums for a certain number of people, we can serve group requests with the division of groups into smaller ones, with the predominant use of the same transport (or with a different number and capacity of transport), but with a large number of guides.

** Some museums or excursions can be excluded from the program if circumstances beyond the control of the tour operator require it (time constraints due to covid-19 / bans on the operation of facilities). At the same time, as far as possible, we will offer an alternative replacement.

THE 10 BEST Moscow Oblast Farms

Farms in moscow oblast.

• Churches & Cathedrals
• Points of Interest & Landmarks
• Monuments & Statues
• Architectural Buildings
• 5.0 of 5 bubbles
• 4.0 of 5 bubbles & up
• 3.0 of 5 bubbles & up
• Good for Kids
• Good for Big Groups
• Budget-friendly
• Good for Couples
• Good for Adrenaline Seekers
• Adventurous
• Good for a Rainy Day
• Hidden Gems
• Honeymoon spot
• Things to do ranked using Tripadvisor data including reviews, ratings, photos, and popularity.

1. Horse Farm Dutkovo

2. Russian Alpaca Farm

3. Severny Olen

4. Zoo Farm Shihovo

5. Mini Farm Pronino

6. Ostrich Farm Russian Ostrich

7. Creamery Russkiy Parmezan

8. Deer farm Bambi Land

9. Bunin Ruchey Family Club

10. Ecofarm Teterin

11. Ekoderevushka

12. Farm Koza Nostra

13. Greenside Organic Farm

14. Laskovaya Ferma

15. House of Folk Art

16. Strausland

17. Ella Farm

18. Inclusive Bio Snail Farm

19. Mishnevo Farm

20. equestrian club levada.

21. Straus Mini Farm

22. Mamontovskaya Cheese Factory

23. market our farm.

24. Eco Farm Aleksandrovskiy Spas

25. Khutor Metel

26. Remeslennaya Sloboda Glushenkovykh

27. Artkolkhoz

28. Kalachevo

29. ostrich farm mnk-agro.

30. Aleksey Burkov's Farm

• Market Our Farm
• Horse Farm Dutkovo
• Russian Alpaca Farm
• Creamery Russkiy Parmezan
• Ostrich Farm Russian Ostrich
• Severny Olen
• Mini Farm Pronino
• Zoo Farm Shihovo

https://www.high-endrolex.com/11

Kidding Herself

Moscow and Beyond

A sweet treat at the Kolomna Pastila Factory Museum in Russia

One of the things everyone recommends when you say you are about to visit Kolomna in Russia is a look around the Kolomna Pastila Factory Museum. Which does not initially seem like and incentive to get on a train and travel for two hours out of Moscow.

But then you find out that pastila is a type of sweet.

Pastila is, in fact, the same sort of sweet as a (Rowntrees) fruit pastille. Name a bit of a give away there. Except pastila is a lot softer, a bit more gourmet, with more variation in the different types. And originally at least, a lot less mass produced.

In French, they call it Pate de Fruit. Immediately makes it sound even more enticing, non?

Essentially, for those who have never considered how their fruit pastilles are made, to get pastila you concoct a fruit puree and then allow it to turn into something jellylike.

Apples are involved, partly because Kolomna seems to have been particularly abundant in apple orchards, and partly because they are a good source of the setting agent pectin. But other berries and soft fruits can be used too. Mama particularly likes the blackcurrant flavoured ones.

But then the makers of Kolomna pastila started to get fancy. And not just because pastila was often made with honey in Kolomna. Honey was cheap. Sugar was not. That’s it. Honeyed pastila is tasty though.

No, classic Kolomna pastila was different from the French and English versions because the addition of eggwhites to the puree and a long drying process in the traditional Russian clay oven added a certain marshmallowy quality to the sweet. Which became beloved of the Imperial court on down.

Shame the original historical recipe got lost somewhere between the revolution upending everything, including, for some reason, the apple orchards. And the attempt to produce pastila as an fully industrial process did not go as well as hoped either. Still, they seem to have got it mostly worked out again now.

This doesn’t quite explain the popularity of the Kolomna Pastila Factory Museum, however.

Even though everyone is careful to tell you they will serve you tea and conduct a tasting session, Mama was bemused by the extreme enthusiasm she encountered from tourists and locals alike.

I mean, every cafe in Kolmna serves tea and pastila, and the museum itself has a particularly fabulous one next door to the main building. What could possibly be so gripping about a few glass cases and some explanatory placards?

But it turns out that the Kolomna Pastila Factory Museum tour is much more than an exhibit-ridden succession of rooms enhanced by fifteen minutes of a guide droning in front of each one.

No, it is an interactive, immersive experience in which the history of pastila making in Kolomna, the cooking process, and all the different types of pastila are demonstrated by costumed actors playing out various roles of 19 th century cottage industry workers.

And also the factory owner and his wife.

Even the embedded advertisement for all the related products sold by the Pastila Factory Museum shop (fruit syrup, herbal tea, jam, and preserved fruit, in case you are wondering) is exuberantly done. And Baba Yaga herself has a cameo appearance.

You get to make your own pastila, from washing and coring the apples, through stirring the puree, to sticking the pastille on a hook to allow it to be dipped in syrup and hardened.

You also get to visit the cellar full of apples. The smell alone was worth the price of admission.

Mama and Papa seriously considered locking my Appleloving Big Brother in there and coming back in a few hours to see who had won. Particularly as he was having a bit of a sulk at the beginning of the tour over a clash between Mama’s desire to photograph all the very attractive Kolomna buildings, churches and houses, and his desire to go and slide around in the record amounts of snow that had fallen that weekend.

He had thoroughly cheered up by the end though.

We did both also score an apple to munch as we went round the rest of the tour of the Kolomna Pastila Museum though and I must say that every museum tour should consider this method of keeping their young visitors happy, as well as ending with a sweet tasting.

If you are dithering about which Kolomna pastila museum to choose (there are two, and I daresay therein lies a story), or whether to go to a pastila museum at all, we heartily recommend this one. One word of warning – the tours are all run in Russian. But you can find yourself a guide to translate without too much difficulty, if you are not able to nudge your children sharply at significant moments and demand key words. Like Mama. Ow.

If you cannot make it out of Moscow to Kolomna yourself, then the Kolomna Pastila Factory Museum has a shop actually in Moscow, near Smolenskaya, and is available to order goodies from online.

And if you are not planning to visit Russia at all (really???) here are two recipes Mama is planning to follow to make her own – one for the denser fruit pastille-esque stuff , which will probably be most familiar to Mama’s UK readers, and a more Russian version involving 10 hours in an oven .

My family spent two days in Kolomna, so if you want to visit Kolomna, here is a fairly comprehensive guide to what you can do .

More information

The Kolomna Pastila Factory Museum website .

The Kolomna sweet shop in Moscow.

This is what the Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy has to say about apple bobbing.

Address: 4 Ulitsa Polyanskaya, Kolomna, Russia, 140415

Opening: 10am to 8pm (on a tour).

Admission: Different tour packages at different times of the year cost different prices, which start at around 400 roubles for adults and 200 roubles for kids.

Getting there: Kolomna is about a tour hour journey from Moscow by train from the Komsomolskaya station. You can drive too. Kolomna is dead south from Moscow.

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Kidding Herself is (nominally) written by Herself, a seven-year-old girl, and describes an AngloRusski family's local travel adventures in Moscow, Russia (and the UK). View all posts by Herself

6 thoughts on “A sweet treat at the Kolomna Pastila Factory Museum in Russia”

goodness I really really must come to Russia. And I really must visit this museum.

There’s another reason why you’ll want to come to Kolomna. But you’ll have to wait until the next Kolomna post to see why… *waggles eyebrows mysteriously*

This is so cool! I have a post of my own about pastila cos my mom loooooves it and always sends it to me as a souvenir from Russia 🙂

I found your pastila post! Now I will have to compare the two towns’ offerings. A pastila-off. Who would have thought!

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