Nikolai Vasilyevich Gogol from 1829 to 1831 lived in the so-called Zverkov house. This period in the life of Nikolai Vasilyevich was very difficult - the young and still completely unknown writer had to combine his literary activity with the work of a minor official at the Ministry internal affairs.

Since 1830, Gogol has been gradually assimilating himself in the literary circles of the capital, and as a young talent, his Ukrainian countrymen have given him every support. In 1831, one of the most important events in the life of Nikolai Vasilyevich took place — his acquaintance with representatives of the elite of Russian poetry, Alexander Pushkin and Vasily Zhukovsky.

The period when Gogol lived in the “highest house in St. Petersburg” Zverkov was also associated with his first victories in his creative career. So, in 1830, Nikolai Vasilyevich's first story was published under the title “Evening on the Eve of Ivan Kupala”, and a year later the famous story “Sorochinsky Fair” was published.