The Romantic poet Mikhail Lermontov (1814-1841), author of A Hero of Our Time, lived from 1830 to 1832 in this charming one-storey wooden mansion. Like his idol Pushkin, the fiery Lermontov - one of the most illustrious Russian language writers - died prematurely in a duel. Pause for a moment in the quiet garden and take a respite from the nearby frantic Novy Arbat.