The Presidential Library marking Alexander Griboyedov’s birthday

January 15 (old style - January 4), 2024 marks the 229th anniversary of the birth of Alexander Griboyedov. The Presidential Library's portal features the collection dedicated to the writer, which includes digital copies of books, articles, archival documents and visual materials.

The collection also includes texts from works of art, including the comedy Woe from Wit which made the author a classic of Russian literature, as well as correspondence, travel notes, and poems by Griboyedov. In addition, literary and critical works devoted to his activity, biographical materials that spotlight details of his diplomatic activities and tragic death, images of monuments to Griboyedov and other documents are available.

Georgian prince, playwright David Eristov talks about the life, love and career of Griboyedov as a diplomat in a Biographical Sketch (1870).

The writer has lived in Persia for three years. Here he studied Persian, and could subsequently speak it quite easily. Persia made a good impression on Griboyedov, but Alexander Sergeevich applied for a transfer to Georgia, to the city of Tiflis, to the position of a diplomatic official.

Griboyedov's wedding took place on August 22, 1828. The wedding took place in Zion Cathedral. After the wedding, the writer was completely transformed.

Unfortunately, Alexander Sergeevich did not have the opportunity to enjoy family happiness. Due to his service duties, Griboyedov needed to go to Tehran, as he himself thought, for a short period of time. I drove, burning with impatience to quickly return to my young, beloved wife. In Tehran, Griboyedov was destined to die a tragic, but at the same time heroic death.

According to literary critic Vsevolod Solovyov in the book Alexander Sergeevich Griboyedov (1900): “The grief of Griboyedov’s young wife was limitless. Following her husband's decree, she buried him in the monastery of St. David, near Tiflis. Nina Chavchavadze was a happy wife for only a few months, but she remained faithful to her deceased husband for 30 years - until her death.

At her husband’s grave, Nina Alexandrovna erected a magnificent monument - a cross on a high granite abutment; at the foot of the cross is a kneeling wife. A deeply touching inscription adorns the monument: “Your mind and deeds are immortal in Russian memory; but why did my love survive you?”