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Divnogorye or Divnogorie is located in the
Voronezh region, 130 km from the regional center and 12 km from
Liski. Divnogorye - Cretaceous plateau, towering tens of meters
above the surrounding forest-steppe. The name of the area received
from the "divs" - chalk
pillars and remnants of geologic formations that formed on the
bottom of ancient seas that once covered this area. In 1991, the territory of the plateau received the
status of a museum-reserve.
Unusual chalk formation,
magnificent views of the Don and Silent Pine that flow down below,
rare for Russia monasteries and churches make Divnogorye one of the
most interesting sights of the region. The best time to visit is
from May to September, in dry weather.
1 Reserve
administration, Divnogorye farm. ☎ +7 (47391) 2-12-17, 5-91-11.
Opening hours: 10: 00—18: 00 from April 25 to November 10,
excursions every two hours from 10:00 to 16:00. Mondays and Tuesdays
are weekends; the cave church and the entire infrastructure are
closed.
The area of the museum-reserve is more than 11 km². From a geological point of view, the reserve is an outcrop of Cretaceous deposits on the surface of the earth. The maximum height of the plateau above sea level reaches 181 meters, relative - 103 meters (the mouth of the Quiet Pine River, which flows at the foot of the plateau, at the confluence with the Don is located at an altitude of 78 m above sea level). Due to a rather significant difference in height between the plateau and the floodplain of the Don and Tikhaya Sosna rivers, its microclimate differs significantly from the surrounding floodplain lowland. The elevated, dry surface of the plateau heats up quickly. Rising hot air streams drive away the emerging thunderclouds towards low floodplain lands. As a result, the already small average annual precipitation in the region (on average 480 mm per year) over the plateau is reduced by 1.5-2 times. The summer period is especially dry. This slows down the process of water erosion, and also reduces the likelihood of karst failures. There are voids inside the chalk layer and are detected in the following way: when passing over its surface, human steps emit a kind of rumble. The top layer consists of 15-20% chalk. Below 80 centimeters there is a layer of pure chalk. The top layer is exposed to wind erosion (weathering). Despite the rather steep slopes, the plateau has undergone anthropogenic changes: in 1860 part of it was blown up with dynamite to build a railway. In addition, the activity of sheep farms and vandalism caused great harm to the reserve.
The territory of the reserve is located on the outskirts of the northern steppe zone and differs from the forest-steppe region of Voronezh. For a long time, the plateau and its slopes were used by sheep farms, due to which a significant part of the steppe vegetation underwent severe degradation. In 2013, thanks to the cessation of grazing and the regulation of human presence, the steppe vegetation on most of the plateau has been restored to its original form. More than 250 species of xerophytic and petrophytic plants grow on the plateau, such as: feather grass, drooping sage, cretaceous thyme, multi-colored elm, oriental cornflower, two-spike ephedra, siverekia podolskaya, whole-leaved clematis, meadow lumbago, protozoan osma, dwarf iris and leafless iris, anemone forest, adonis spring. Almost 40% of the plant species of Divnogorye are classified by botanists as calcephytes (that is, "melolyubov"). Cretaceous outcrops in the south of the Russian Plain are endemic to the Kozo-Polyansky bulrush and some other species. On the surface of the plateau, there is also a peculiar gelatinous lichen from the genus collema, which dries up in dry weather and swells in wet weather. Occasionally on the territory of the reserve there are bustards and golden eagles listed in the Red Book. Bee-eaters and eagle owls are more widespread. Of the mammals, hares and foxes are common. Bats live in crevices. The entomological fauna is rich, among which the most common are: bumblebees, dragonflies, wasps, dybki, stag beetles, redheads, swallowtails. In 1956, on the initiative of I.V. Stalin, but after his death, a forest protection strip of maple and ash trees was created in the central part of the plateau. Due to the characteristics of the chalky soil and the lack of moisture, many trees still appear young even after almost six decades since planting.
Chalk pillars divas. Cretaceous remains, which gave the name of the
area, are located in different parts of the reserve:
1 Big divas.
located in the administration area and about. settlement Divnogorskaya,
hanging over the valley of Quiet Pine;
2 Small divas. are located on
the territory of the Divnogorsky monastery in the northern part of the
reserve. The chalk plateau rises above the monastery: a steep path leads
to the top, and from above there is a magnificent view of the mouth of
the Silent Pine. More relics have been preserved here than in Bolshiye
Divy, including the ring rock, and the chalk mountain as a whole looks
more preserved.
3 Lonely diva. in the dry ravine, in the eastern
part of the reserve. There is no road to it, not even a path, you have
to go straight across the steppe. If you go strictly to the south from
the archaeological park, you can pass by the diva and go to the dirt
road to the village of Divnogorie.
It is forbidden to climb the
Big Divas; A steep path leads to the Small Divas.
4 Church of the
Sicilian Icon of the Mother of God (XVII century). adults - 250 rubles,
schoolchildren and students - 125 rubles. (July 2017). A steep staircase
leads up to the plateau from the train platform, ending at the entrance
to the cave church - the main attraction of the reserve. Entrance to the
church is allowed only as part of excursion groups departing from the
foot of the stairs every two hours. The church belongs to the reserve,
and divine services are held only twice a year. The two-story church and
utility rooms were hollowed out in the chalk according to the traditions
of Athos monks in the middle of the 17th century, approximately at the
same time as the Divnogorsky monastery was founded. The temple was
consecrated in honor of the Sicilian icon of the Mother of God,
according to legend, belonged to Sophia Paleolog. In the temple there is
a list made about 100 years ago from the original icon (it was restored
in 2010), the location of the original is unknown. A feature of the cave
temple is a narrow corridor of almost a hundred meters in length around
the main hall, which was previously used for religious procession, and
now is a habitat for butterflies. There is no artificial lighting in the
temple, but you will be given a church candle. In front of the entrance
there is an observation deck with an excellent view of Quiet Pine.
5 Mayatskoe settlement. From the church to the north stretches a small
area of the recreated steppe, along which footpaths are laid. They lead
to the remains of a settlement (VIII-X centuries), an outpost of the
Khazar Khaganate in the north. The rectangular settlement was a chalk
fortress surrounded by 6-meter ramparts. The fortress has not yet been
excavated, but the ramparts are clearly visible around the perimeter.
The archaeological culture of the settlement is called Mayatskaya, as it
is believed that the white-stone fortress on the highest point of the
plateau was an excellent landmark (beacon) for the entire region. If you
carefully look under your feet, it is easy to find fragments of ceramics
on the territory of the ancient settlement. Near the settlement there is
one of the best viewing platforms overlooking the Pine, Don and Zadonye.
6 Chalk Canyon. From the Mayatsky settlement, past the forest
plantation, the path leads to a deep chalk ravine of a bizarre shape.
The picturesque canyon is a popular spot for photography, especially at
sunset when the setting sun gives the chalk a pinkish tint. There are
many nests of burrowing birds on the walls of the ravine.
7 Archaeological park "From camps to cities". Tourist groups do not
lead to the central part of the protected area, and paved paths are
replaced by unpaved ones. Behind the chalk canyon is a recreated
settlement of the Mayak culture: dugouts and adobe huts resembling
yurts.
8 Geological exposition. In a forest plantation next to the
archaeological park, there are stone slabs illustrating different
geological periods. There are no signs and pointers here, and in
general, the exposition looks neglected.
9th Divnogorsky Holy
Dormition Monastery (next to the Divnogorskaya platform). In the
northern part of the reserve there is a monastery with another cave
temple and a second group of remains - small Divas. The territory of the
monastery is no less picturesque than Big Divas, and is included in the
“obligatory program” of visiting the reserve.
From the administration
of the reserve, you can walk to the monastery along the railway (about 3
km) - the shortest, but the most uninteresting path, or along the top,
past the archaeological park (a dirt road starts from the park,
connecting the Divnogorie farm and the monastery directly). The
monastery can also be reached by car on an asphalt road around the chalk
plateau.
It is believed that the monastery was founded in 1640 by
the monks Xenophon and Joasaph from the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra, who carved
cells and a temple in chalk. The monastery has been closed several times
and its artificial structures are of no interest, although it is
possible that it was this lack of development that allowed the
preservation of the chalk mountains surrounding the monastery.
10
Cave Church of John the Baptist (XVII-XIX centuries). In the chalk
column at a height of about 80 meters is the entrance to the cave
church. It is very similar to the Church of the Sicilian Icon, but is
not a museum object, but part of a monastery, and therefore looks a bit
run down. From the lowland, where the monastery buildings are located, a
staircase leads to the entrance to the temple. Entrance is allowed only
as part of organized groups: excursions can be arranged in the
monastery, but there are no regular excursions with a fixed start time.
Divine services in the church are also conducted irregularly.
11
Casemate and Ear Caves. In the extreme north-eastern corner of the
protected area, between the monastery and the village of Selyavnoye, two
narrow caves were carved in the chalk plateau: they gave an excellent
overview of the Don valley and the opportunity to monitor the enemy. A
hermit monk once lived here, carving niches for icons and lamps in the
chalk walls.
12 Reconstruction of the Ukrainian courtyard. A
stylized Ukrainian estate (many Ukrainians have always lived in the
Voronezh region), which houses the ethnographic collection of the
museum-reserve. The exposition is extremely meager - spinning wheels,
towels, rural utensils - and only children may like it.
13 C the
holy spring. The spring from which the ministers of the Church of the
Sicilian Icon took water. The water is very hard, and its compliance
with sanitary standards is unknown.
In Vladimir Sorokin's story "The Day of the Oprichnik", the estate of Prince Urusov is located in Divnogorie.
How to get there
Most ways to get to Divnogorye involve transit
through the city of Liski, a major railway junction in the immediate
vicinity of the M4 highway. Ostrogozhsk is also relatively close, the
city is somewhat more interesting than Liski, but much less accessible
by transport.
By train
Divnogorie is served by two train
stations on the Liski-Ostrogozhsk-Valuiki line.
1 o. settlement
Divnogorskaya. near the monastery.
2 o. n. 143 km. near the
administration of the reserve.
From Liski, three electric trains
a day (direction to Ostrogozhsk or Alekseevka) allow you to leave in the
morning and return not late in the evening. The same electric trains run
from Ostrogozhsk, but their schedule is not very convenient. Travel time
from both Liski and Ostrogozhsk is about half an hour. On some summer
weekends, direct express trains from Voronezh are scheduled in
Divnogorye, the journey takes a little more than two hours.
Both
stations are half-stations with no infrastructure other than a shelter
the size of a bus stop. Tickets must be taken from the traveling cashier
on the train (but in Liski or Ostrogozhsk, in turn, at the box office at
the station).
The railway itself goes right at the foot of the
chalk hills and is very picturesque, although the floodplain of the
rivers is often blocked by trees.
By bus
There is a bus from
Liski twice a day (in the middle of the day). It is not very convenient,
as it takes 1 hour 15 minutes (in the opposite direction a little
faster), and its stop is located about 2 km from the reserve. However,
if the seven-hour interval between trains is inconvenient for you, you
can come to Divnogorie by train and leave by bus, or vice versa.
By car
A dead-end local road leads to Divnogorye (however, of good
quality): the distance from Liski is about 40 km, from Ostrogozhsk -
about 50 km. From Liski, in the village of Pukhovo, without crossing the
railway crossing, turn towards Kovalev; however, it is difficult to get
lost, as there are signs to Divnogorye at all the forks. A little
further from the administration of the reserve is free parking.
A
separate road leads to the monastery (and the northern part of the
reserve) through the village of Selyavnoe. The car will have to be left
on the paved parking lot at the top of the hill, from which the
monastery is still about 800 meters away.
From the direction of
Voronezh and Ostrogozhsk, navigators often show a shorter route to
Divnogorye, but roads of unclear quality, among which there are unpaved
ones. It is better to choose the path described above, and if you are
still attracted to others, you should find out in advance about their
condition.