Pulkovo Observatory - the prototype of NIICHAVO

On July 3, 1835, the main building of the Pulkovo Observatory was laid. This structure is iconic for Russian astronomy – it houses the Main Astronomical Observatory of the Russian Academy of Sciences. The elder brother, Arkady, became a military translator (specializing in Japanese and English), served in the Far East, was demobilized in 1955, lived in Moscow, and worked as an editor at Detgiz and Goslitizdat. The younger Strugatsky, Boris, stayed in Leningrad and enrolled at Leningrad State University in the Faculty of Mathematics and Mechanics. In 1955, he became a “star astronomer.” Then he entered graduate school at the Pulkovo Observatory. He never defended his dissertation but continued working there as a maintenance engineer for computing and analytical machines for about ten more years until he completely devoted himself to literary creativity. A good half of the titles, as well as the books of the Strugatsky brothers themselves, were conceived here, on the grounds of the Pulkovo Observatory. The Pulkovo Observatory also served as the prototype for the Institute of Sorcery and Wizardry “NIICHAVO” from the story “Monday Begins on Saturday.” Boris Strugatsky was so attached to this place that in his will he requested that his ashes be scattered over the Pulkovo Heights, which was done in April 2014.

Sources:

https://vk.com/@50ottenkovpitera-fenomen-bratev-strugackih