Until 1977, this city was called Marburg on the Lahn. The prefix was not removed for a long time to distinguish it from another Marburg on the Drava. This settlement is one of the oldest cities in Europe and was founded in the 13th century. During World War II, Marburg avoided total bombings, allowing us to virtually stroll through its streets and see where our famous compatriots Lomonosov and Pasternak stayed.

Young Mikhail Vasilyevich was sent to study at Marburg University by the Academy of Sciences. Along with him, the future founder of porcelain production in Russia, Dmitry Vinogradov, also went to Germany. They arrived late, and by that time, all the more or less comfortable accommodations had already been rented by students from other cities. They had to rent a room from the wife of a local brewer (modern address Wendelsgasse, 2), but it was only a 10-minute walk from the university. However, they rarely appeared there, as most classes in physics, mechanics, and geometry took place at the apartment of their instructor Wolf. Both showed commendable results in their studies.

In their free time, they entertained themselves as if it were their last time! Their mentor, Christian Wolf, was amazed at how Lomonosov and Vinogradov spent their entire scholarship in one evening. Several times he even had to pay their rent out of his own pocket. Gradually, both adapted to life in Germany, began to dress in the local style, and Lomonosov, trying on the image of a European student, hired dance and fencing teachers. In 1739, their studies came to an end, and it was time to leave, which neither of them wanted. Moreover, during his studies, Lomonosov managed to marry the daughter of the landlady.

150 years later, Boris Pasternak stepped onto the threshold of Marburg University. He arrived here to attend courses in ethics and logic. Unlike Lomonosov, the city left a mixed impression on him. Pasternak admired it as a city of the future, yet sarcastically called Marburg a village where "feet are in the dew and frogs roar in the evenings," and then looked at it as a "medieval fairy tale." Nevertheless, the ancient German town left the brightest impressions.