History · Büyükada
Leon Trotsky's Exile on Büyükada
From 1929 to 1933 the exiled revolutionary lived on Büyükada, where he wrote some of his most important books.
Key facts
- Who
- Leon Trotsky
- Where
- Büyükada
- When
- 1929–1933
- Why here
- First stop after expulsion from the USSR
- Wrote here
- Autobiography & History of the Russian Revolution
In an echo of the islands' ancient role as a place of exile for fallen royals, the Princes' Islands sheltered one of the 20th century's most consequential exiles: Leon Trotsky.
From the Kremlin to the Marmara
Having lost the power struggle with Stalin after Lenin's death, Trotsky was expelled from the Soviet Union in 1929. Büyükada — the largest of the Princes' Islands — became his first stop in exile, and his home for about four years.
The island years
On Büyükada Trotsky threw himself into writing, producing his autobiography (My Life) and his monumental History of the Russian Revolution. He also fished in the Marmara and received a stream of visitors — all under the watchful eye of Soviet intelligence, which monitored him throughout his stay.
The house
Trotsky is most associated with the Yanaros Mansion, a three-storey late-19th-century house with a large garden — a fine example of Büyükada's timber architecture. Today it stands in ruins. (He stayed in more than one residence during 1929–1933; the exact villa and its current condition are best verified before visiting — the site is on private land.)
Why it matters
The island exile is a poignant chapter in Büyükada's story — proof that this quiet holiday archipelago has, again and again, been where history sends those it has finished with. Explore Büyükada →
Good to know
Büyükada FAQs
Yes — Leon Trotsky spent his first years of exile on Büyükada from 1929 to 1933, his first stop after being expelled from the Soviet Union.
He completed his autobiography, My Life, and his major work The History of the Russian Revolution while living on the island.
Not inside — the Yanaros Mansion associated with him is ruined and high-fenced, on private land. You can see it from the outside as a curiosity; it was even put up for sale in 2015.
After losing the power struggle with Stalin following Lenin's death, he was expelled from the USSR in 1929, and he settled on Büyükada — echoing the island's ancient role as a place of exile.
Ready for the islands?
Book a guided day trip with a boat cruise, free time on Büyükada and lunch.