In the parterre part of the museum-reserve, under gusts of hurricane winds reaching 30 m / s, several old spruces, ash trees and birches died, there were also many losses in the old linden alley, and “the fall of the Turgenev oak was a real tragedy,” the museum said.
They clarified that a gust of wind "literally tore a 30-meter tree out of the ground."
“For everyone who loves Spasskoye, for the museum staff, for me personally, this is an irreparable loss, which is still difficult to comprehend.
The oak planted by Ivan Sergeevich Turgenev was not just the main natural attraction of the estate, it was a living symbol of love for the homeland.
According to Turgenev's behest, people came from the farthest corners of Russia and the world to stand under his crown and bow to him, ”said Sergei Stupin, director of the museum-reserve.
The 198-year-old Turgenev oak was included in the Register of old-growth trees, in 2021 it was recognized as the main tree of the country.
In February 2022, the oak was supposed to participate in the European Tree of the Year competition.