Lake Pleshcheyevo is one of the most unusual bodies of water in
Central Russia. The shallow depth did not prevent it from becoming
first a supplier of fish for the royal court, and then the homeland
of the Russian fleet. Now, along the shores of the lake, a national
park has been organized, where there is a place for museums - from
the historical boat of Peter I to the transport museum of
narrow-gauge railways or the anecdotal museum of teapots - and
ancient temples, and wonderful lake landscapes, and dense forests
turning into mushroom swamps. Lake Pleshcheyevo is firmly connected
with the ancient Russian city standing on its shore,
Pereslavl-Zalessky, which is unthinkable without the lake, and the
lake would have lost a fair part of its charm if there weren’t so
many ancient temples and monasteries along its shores.
Lake
Pleshcheyevo is one of the largest in Central Russia. The lake is of
glacial origin, formed about 30 thousand years ago. It has a smooth
oval shape (9.5×6.5 km) and a relatively small area of 51 km2:
optimal conditions for the reservoir to appear large, but at the
same time the opposite bank is visible from one bank. The banks are
low and swampy in places. The depth is up to 25 m, the average depth
is 11 m, although at the edges the lake is very shallow: the first
couple of hundred meters from the shore the depth is less than human
height, which creates considerable inconvenience for boaters and
those wishing to swim.
From the south, the Trubezh River
flows into Lake Pleshcheyevo, at the mouth of which stands
Pereslavl-Zalessky. In the northeast, the Vyoksa flows out, which
then turns into the Nerl River, a right tributary of the Volga (not
to be confused with the Nerl near Vladimir, which is a tributary of
the Klyazma). There are more than ten species of fish in Lake
Pleshcheyevo, including burbot, perch and pike. In the surrounding
forests live animals characteristic of Central Russia, although in
recent years they have been actively crowded out by summer
residents. The southern shore of the lake is built up in places and
is a swampy meadow in others. In the northern part, the forest comes
almost close to the water. The forest is mostly mixed, interspersed
with pine trees, which are especially numerous at the source of the
Veksa.
The name Pleshcheyevo has been known since ancient
times. According to the official version, it was transformed from
the toponym Kleshcheevo, which, in turn, came from the ancient city
of Kleshchina located on the northern shore (see
Pereslavl-Zalessky). There is, however, a more straightforward
version that Lake Pleshcheyevo splashes heavily, although there have
been no real storms on the lake for a long time.
Lake
Pleshcheyevo went down in history as the birthplace of the Russian
fleet. At the end of the 17th century, Peter I practiced his
shipbuilding skills here (see Boat of Peter I). Since then, the lake
has become very shallow, and a fleet can no longer be built on it,
and the construction of dachas is hampered by the national park
created in 1988. Thanks to the park, Lake Pleshcheyevo retains some
privacy, although in good weather there are usually more vacationers
here than we would like, and slowly, fenced areas of campsites,
recreation parks or even private cottages are appearing.
Through Pereslavl-Zalessky. The only road bypassing Pereslavl is the
highway from Nagorye, which is located on the Uglich highway. Along it
you will arrive exactly to the village of Kupanskoye and to the museum
of narrow-gauge railways, and then you will get to the lake itself.
There is almost no public transport in this direction: buses run very
rarely, at best 3 times a day.
Fees and passes
The cost of
staying in the national park is 200 rubles/day. In fact, no one really
controls this, but the bonus is a free visit to the Blue Stone. Payment
can be made at the Blue Stone ticket office, at the Fisherman's House
museum, on the national park website, as well as using QR codes, which
are installed in large numbers along the road around Lake Pleshcheyevo.
For a fairly wide list of beneficiaries, visiting the park remains free.
The village of Troitskaya Sloboda adjoins Pereslavl from the north.
Adjacent to the Trinity Sloboda is Nikitskaya, where the monastery of
the same name is located.
1 Nikitsky Monastery, village.
Nikitskaya Sloboda, st. Zaprudnaya, 20. Admission is free; if necessary,
women are given skirts and scarves. Active monastery. The only one in
Pereslavl that has preserved ancient fortifications built back in the
1560s. under Ivan the Terrible, who often visited the monastery and,
they say, even prepared it as a reserve oprichnina fortress in case
treason overtook Alexandrov. This, however, did not happen, therefore,
in architectural terms, the Nikitsky Monastery is somewhat inferior to
the Alexander Sloboda. Nikitsky Cathedral, consecrated in 1564, belongs
to the typical five-domed churches of the Moscow type; It looks more
interesting from a distance than up close. During the Time of Troubles,
the monastery suffered either from the Lithuanians or from the Poles,
and in the 1640s. underwent major reconstruction. At the same time, the
Annunciation Church was built with a refectory and a hipped bell tower:
this is another five-domed temple of the Moscow type, but now in the
style of the 17th century. In subsequent years, the monastery acquired a
large gate bell tower (1818) and a chapel on the site of the prayer feat
of Nikita the Stylite (1702). Nikita Pereyaslavsky, later nicknamed the
Stylite, lived in the 12th century, sinned a lot, and then decided to
repent, for which he imprisoned himself in a stone pillar, where he
continuously said prayers. It is this “stone pillar”, in this case a
cramped cave, that can now be seen in the chapel.
The monastery is
located on a hill above the lake, but there is no observation deck here
- the view is blocked by the monastery walls and private houses. But the
monastery itself is very photogenic and looks great both from the shore
of Lake Pleshcheevo and from the city: from the old Pereslavl cemetery,
which is on the Yaroslavl highway on the road to the monastery.
2 Trinity Church (route to Yaroslavl, half a kilometer from the turn to
the monastery). Church of the Trinity Sloboda. Built in 1855 in an
eclectic style, it is clearly visible from the road.
3 Alexandrova
Gora (Yarilina Gora). A kilometer from the monastery the road descends
to the shore of the lake and after about another kilometer steep hills
appear on the right. At the top of the nearest one, earthen ramparts can
be discerned. It is believed that the ancient Kleshchin, the predecessor
of Pereslavl, was located here, after which the lake was named
Pleshcheev, and the village located behind the hill was named
Gorodishche. A little further, Alexandrova Mountain, crowned with a
wooden cross, to which a well-trodden path leads: this is the best
viewpoint on the northern side of Lake Pleshcheyevo. Both hills are
ancient settlements, inhabited already in the 9th century, i.e. during
the birth of Ancient Rus'. The Kleshchina settlement stands, therefore,
on a par with the Truvorov settlement near Izborsk or Staraya Ladoga,
from where, as is known, “the Russian land originated.”
The early
settlements on the lake shore were apparently Meryan. Relations between
the Merya and the Slavs who came here from the south did not immediately
become friendly. According to one version, the “foundation” of Pereslavl
was in 1152, i.e. The transfer of the city from the Kleshchin settlement
to its modern location at the mouth of the Trubezh was caused by an
uprising of the local tribal nobility, which the founder of Pereslavl,
the well-known Yuri Dolgoruky, thereby tried to overcome. Add here the
mysteries of the Blue Stone lying under the hill, and Alexander Mountain
becomes an almost mystical place, which is generally typical for ancient
Russian settlements. However, in recent years, the mysticism has been
broken by the kite surfers who have filled the northern shore of the
lake, and now you can fully enjoy this unusual place only in the cold
season, when surfers sit at home. Those who are not looking for solitude
can have a picnic in specially equipped places in the meadow on the
shore of the lake (below, under the “mountain”).
4 Blue stone.
Entrance fee: 200 rub. The huge boulder of glacial origin has a clearly
visible dark blue hue. There are no other stones of this size in the
vicinity of Pereslavl, which is why mystical properties have been
attributed to the stone since ancient times. The Orthodox Church
struggled with this in every possible way, but the stone was always
stronger: for example, in the 18th century they were going to lay it in
the foundation of a church being built in Pereslavl, they took it on a
sleigh across the lake, the ice broke, the stone went under the water,
and a few years later it safely materialized on the shore . Local
residents claim that the stone regularly changes its position, so each
time it has to be looked for again. This problem seemed to be solved by
local businessmen who made a wooden platform around the stone and placed
numerous souvenir shops nearby, and at the same time began to charge a
fee of 200 rubles for access to the stone. per person Those who disagree
with this price, which is justified as an entrance fee for visiting the
national park, can go a little further along the highway, where there is
already a trodden path around the fence and there is even a hole in the
fence, but in wet weather it can be dirty there. Over time, the stone
sinks into the swampy soil and its visible part becomes smaller and
smaller.
5 Nativity Church in the village of Gorodishche. The
five-domed church with a cheerful blue and white bell tower was built in
1791-95. Experts call it an example of archaism in church architecture
of the late 18th century. Unlike surfers, she fits perfectly into the
mystical and hilly landscape of the northern shore of Lake Pleshcheyevo.
The area between the road and the lake shore belongs to the national
park. In some places there are information boards informing about the
recreational fee of 50 rubles per person, but in fact they take it only
from the Blue Stone. In some places you can get to the shore of the lake
directly through the meadow, although more often it is swampy, and in
several places there are special wooden decks for this purpose. The best
excursion trail of this kind is located farthest from the city, 2 km
behind the Blue Stone near the Blue Stone recreation center.
6 Ecological trail “Visiting the Gray Heron”. The trail, equipped with
a wooden platform, runs along the marshy shore of the lake and is
equipped with information boards telling about the local nature. There
are no herons here, as you can verify by climbing a small observation
tower, from which you have an excellent view of the lake itself and the
surrounding forests. If you get off the boardwalk and walk along the
usual paths, you will find a couple of small, wild and relatively rarely
visited beaches - tiny strips of sand that allow you to get close to the
water and even swim.
The village of Veskovo is located on the southern shore of Lake
Pleshcheevo, 3 km from the highway and 5 km from the center of
Pereslavl. The permanent population of the village is less than 100
people; most of the houses belong to Pereslavl and Moscow summer
residents.
It is well known that Peter I was partial to the army
and navy from childhood. He found his first ship in 1688 on the
outskirts of the Izmailovsky Palace - it was an English boat, later the
boat "St. Nicholas", which is now kept in the military history museum of
St. Petersburg. The Izmailovsky pond quickly became too small for the
king, and he ordered the construction of an amusing flotilla on Lake
Pleshcheyevo, for which a shipyard was created near the village of
Veskovo, and a palace was built on the hill above the lake. The amusing
flotilla, launched in 1692, entertained the tsar for some time, and then
he began to become interested in a larger fleet and at the end of his
life, in 1722, he ordered the remains of the ships built for Lake
Pereyaslav to be “preserved forever.” The descendants did not live up to
the emperor's hopes: in 1783 the entire amusing flotilla burned down.
Miraculously, a single boat, the Fortuna, was preserved, stored
separately from the other ships. In 1803, it was placed in a museum -
one of the first museums of the Russian Empire, where some Russian
emperors later came “on official visits”. Soviet rulers paid much less
attention to the boat, and until the early 2000s it remained an ordinary
provincial museum on the side of the Golden Ring. Then, finally, the
interests of the regional authorities reached here: the estate was
restored, surrounded by a high fence and an entrance fee was introduced.
Botik has become a full-fledged Pereslavl brand.
It is also
interesting that the botik.ru domain was one of the first in the .ru
zone and appeared already in 1994 on the initiative of employees of the
Pereslavl Institute of Software Systems (IPS RAS).
7 Museum-estate “Botik of Peter I” (on the hill behind the village,
entrance to the territory opposite the cafe “Botik”). ✉ ☎ +7 (48535)
6-21-16. 10:00–17:00 except Mon, from May to September until 18:00.
Entrance to the territory: 30 rubles; 40-100 rubles for each exhibition,
single ticket: 200 rubles. Branch of the Pereslavl Museum-Reserve. The
architecture of the estate is the standard of provincial classicism and
has nothing to do with Peter I. The Boat House (1803) resembles a
primitivist version of the St. Petersburg Admiralty, the remaining
buildings date back to the mid-19th century. Among them, the impressive
triumphal arch (1852), located on the side of the manor park opposite
the lake, attracts attention. On the hill above the lake you will see
the granite obelisk “Peter the Great” (1852), which the writer Mikhail
Prishvin, who lived in the estate in 1925, called a pathetic “marble
paperweight”, considering this monument disproportionate to the scale of
the emperor’s personality. Another monument - now in human form, but
still dwarf - was placed next to the entrance to the estate in 1992. The
museum has 4 expositions: the boat “Fortune”, a rotunda with recreated
interiors of the 18th century, the White Palace with a moderately
interesting historical exhibition and the Gatehouse, where they tell
about the life of Pereslavl fishermen. If you don’t have much time, you
can safely ignore all the expositions except the boat itself.
8 Church of St. George the Victorious in Veskovo. The parish church of
the village of Veskovo was built at the beginning of the 19th century at
the junction of Baroque and Classicism. With its fresh red and white
paint job, the church looks bright and festive.
Museum of the History
of Money, st. Peter I, 2B. ☎ +7 (910) 812-83-88. Wed–Sun 11:00–19:00,
from October to April - only on weekends. 100 rub. Private numismatic
collection with a considerable number of medieval coins. All exhibits
fit into one room and are touchingly signed by hand.
Teapot House,
st. Peter I, 17. ☎ +7 (48535) 3-25-83. 10:00–18:00, daily in summer, in
winter - only on weekends. 100 rubles, a little more expensive on
weekends. The successor to the Pereslavl Iron Museum offers visitors an
equally rich collection, in this case of old teapots, with no less
creative design and fun excursions.
After the revolution, active extraction of peat began in the
Pereslavl swamps, the removal of which was impossible without
narrow-gauge railways. In the best years, the total length of Pereslavl
narrow-gauge railways exceeded 100 km. In 1989, part of the road was
purchased by a private cooperative with the aim of creating a museum. At
first, business went well, and until 2002 passenger traffic continued on
the road. “Cuckoo,” as local residents affectionately called the
narrow-gauge railway, became one of Pereslavl’s attractions, but in 2003
the road was dismantled, and now only a tiny two-kilometer section in
the museum area remains. It is located in the middle of a beautiful pine
forest 20 km from Pereslavl. The village of Talitsy, once focused on
peat mining, has now turned into an elite conglomerate of dachas by
local standards, where high-quality cottages stand behind high fences.
Pereslavl Railway Museum (museum of steam locomotives) , village.
Talitsa. ☎ +7 (48535) 4-94-79. Wed–Sun 10:00–18:00, in winter until
17:00. Entrance ticket: 150 rubles; ride on a handcar: 150
rubles/person. In its best years, the locomotive museum managed to
collect a considerable collection of narrow-gauge rolling stock, both
from the Pereslavl railway and from other narrow-gauge railways of the
former USSR, by Russian standards. Contrary to the name, there are
relatively few steam locomotives here, but there are diesel locomotives,
carriages, railcars, snow plows and other special equipment. Its
condition ranges from decent to quite rusty, and at times it seems that
by using locomotives as a brand, the museum is paying more attention to
the collection of old cars collected next door. However, the museum is
engaged in marketing very effectively: it fits perfectly into the galaxy
of irons, kettles, unnecessary things, although you will not find its
exhibits at any flea market. As entertainment, visitors are offered a
ride on a manual handcar along the preserved section of the narrow-gauge
railway.
At the turn to Talitsy there is the Transfiguration Church
in the village of Kupanskoye (1810) - an ordinary Baroque monument, and
in Talitsy itself there is a wooden Trinity Church (2000).
In the summer months, Lake Pleshcheyevo offers all types of outdoor
recreation: swimming, fishing, walks in the forest to pick mushrooms and
berries, boating, kite surfing and the like. The shore of the lake is
swampy in places, but there are plenty of places where you can get close
to the water. In some places there are narrow sandy beaches. Some of
them have recently become paid, but you need to look for free ones
further away from Pereslavl, in the area of the source of the Vyoksa
River and the village of Kupanskoye or on the northern bank behind the
Blue Stone.
Boat station of the National Park (opposite the
village of Gorodishche). Also from the station further north there are
paid camping sites, and even further, under Alexander Mountain there are
picnic areas (theoretically also paid).
Recreation Park "Veslevo"
(behind Botik, turn left after 2.5 km). 9:00–19:00, on weekends until
20:00. Horseback riding and camel riding(!), paintball, bathhouse and
sauna, as well as a mini-zoo. The café is open during the daytime.
urf point, village Veskovo. ☎ +7 (915) 985-64-34. All possible types of
surfing, including snow and ice.
Brewery “Zalesskaya Pinka”, village.
New. Excursions: Sat 12:00–18:00, also on holidays. Few people are
surprised by microbreweries these days, but more often they appear in
the vicinity of large cities, and this one, although it sells its
products in the Moscow region (where it runs its own bar, for example),
is located on Lake Pleshcheyevo and uses water from local artesian
wells, simultaneously entertaining tourists excursions and tastings.
Usually organized groups come here. If you want to come on your own,
please check before going.
By car you can easily reach all the interesting places on the shores
of Lake Pleshcheyevo and in its environs, but there is practically
nothing for pedestrian travelers to do here: a walk from Pereslavl to
any attractions will take at least half a day, and you will have to walk
not along the shore of the lake (increasingly swampy ), and on roads.
The minimum program for a hiker could be to explore the Trinity
Settlement (Nikitsky Monastery), from where you can walk to Alexandrova
Mountain and the Blue Stone. Another option is to visit Veskovo (the
Boat of Peter I museum-estate), which can also be reached on foot or by
taxi. Good views of Pereslavl and Lake Pleshcheyevo are guaranteed in
any case.
There is no regular water transport on the lake. The
shallow depth allows you to navigate it only on motorboats, which are
most numerous at the mouth of the Trubezh. Unlike neighboring Rostov the
Great, boat trips on Lake Pleshcheevo are not included in the usual
tourist program, but local residents will take you for a ride if they
wish.
In the Veskovo area, there is almost always something for sale on the
road: mushrooms, berries, or, at worst, onions and zucchini from local
gardens. There is a lot of fish in Lake Pleshcheyevo that you can try to
catch or buy. Shops with smoked fish are located in Pereslavl and next
to the Botik cafe. Sometimes they sell live fish, and usually not far
from the place where they were caught. The most promising area is near
the store in Kupanskoye. They can also sell other “gifts of the forest”
there, and at lower prices compared to Pereslavl, since not every Moscow
tourist or summer resident makes it to Kupansky.
Farm and cheese
factory of Maria Koval, village. Housewarming, st. Monastyrskaya, 4 (via
Veskovo, turn to Veslevo to the south). ☎ +7 (963) 601-22-61. Excursion
and tasting: 750 rubles/person, with lunch: 1000 rubles/person. An
example of import substitution on Pereslavl soil is a private farm that
began with the production of cheeses using Italian technology, and now
produces almost everything: its own dairy products, meat delicacies,
dumplings and even French pastries, the production of which is managed
by a foreign confectioner. Everything is decorated in a very European
way, but the prices are appropriate: cheeses cost 1500-4000 rubles/kg,
bread and pastries - from 100 rubles apiece, but the quality is
apparently at the same level: visitors praise it. You can come here
either to the store or on a tour: then you will be shown cheese
production for half an hour, and then given a taste of several options.
There are not many organized catering places on the shores of Lake
Pleshcheevo. They are usually combined with hotels.
1 Tavern
“Botik”, village. Veskovo. 11:00–23:00, Fri and Sat: until 1:00. Hot
dishes: 200-300 rub. The “cultural center” of the village of Veskovo
includes a hotel, a campsite, a billiards club and a counter with local
fish, and it is all dominated by a cafe in a wooden building shaped like
a ship. From the back of the hall there is a good view of Lake
Pleshcheyevo. Don't expect much comfort from this place: there are, for
example, problems with water supply and sewerage, but the food is good
and relatively inexpensive. You might even be able to try vendace, the
fishing of which is now completely prohibited.
2 Grocery store in
Kupanskoye. In an ordinary village store at the turn to the locomotive
museum they sell very tasty pies from the local bakery.
1 Recreation center “Pleshcheyevo” (northern shore of the lake, 3 km
from Alexandrova Mountain). ☎ +7 (903) 820-33-93, +7 (915) 963-06-40.
Cottages: from 6000 rub. Cottages for 6-14 people, with private
amenities. Additional services - sauna and fishing organization.
2 Guest house “Obereg” , Kupanskoye, st. Pleshcheevskaya, 60. ☎ +7
(920) 121-30-91. from 2500 rub. Wooden house with 6 guest rooms, most of
them with private facilities.
✦ Hotel “Inn” (tourist complex
“Botik”), village. Veskovo. ☎ +7 (48535) 9-80-85. Double room without
amenities / with amenities: from 1100/2100 rub. Hotel rooms, as well as
individual houses. Nearby is the Botik cafe and evening entertainment
like billiards. In summer it is very hot and noisy. The entire complex
was built 20 years ago, and the furnishings in it are appropriate.
3 Recreation center “Sin Kamen”, village. Kriushkino (northern shore of
the lake, a kilometer from Alexandrova Mountain and Blue Stone). ☎ +7
(985) 975-33-33. Guest houses: from 3000 rub. The wooden houses
surrounded by a high fence openly violate the local landscape, and the
closeness to nature is imitated by bizarre figures of animals, birds and
even a Chinese dragon. This is, in fact, an analogue of the Botik
tourist complex mentioned above, but on the other side of the lake and
20 years later. There is a restaurant offering set lunches.
4 Camping “Popov Meadow” (on the road, between Veskovo and Kupansky). ☎
+7 (920) 659-06-82. Guest house: 6500 rub. Stylish but expensive wooden
houses with sharp triangular roofs. Each has a bathroom and shower.
✦ Veslevo Park, village. Veslevo. ☎ +7 (901) 195-72-71. Double room:
from 2300 rub. Hotel at the recreation park of the same name. The
cheapest accommodation option is double rooms with private facilities.
If desired, you can rent a separate house. In winter there are problems
with heating.
A good selection of hotels in Pereslavl itself.
There is nothing dangerous on Lake Pleshcheyevo, but if you are careless you can run into trouble. When walking through the forest or even relaxing on the shore, remember that there are many snakes in this area, half of which are harmless snakes, but the rest are real vipers. Swimming in the lake is completely safe as long as you are not very far from the shore, where it is shallow anyway. There may be treacherous whirlpools closer to the center of the lake; swimming near them is not recommended.
It was founded on September 26, 1988 as the Pereslavl
Natural Historical National Park by the Resolution of the Council of
Ministers of the RSFSR dated September 26, 1988, No. 400, which was
under the jurisdiction of the Yaroslavl Region Administration and
functioned as its structural unit. In 1998, by Decree of the
Government of the Russian Federation on July 17, 1998, No. 777, the
Pereslavl Natural and Historical National Park was renamed into the
Pleshcheyevo Lake National Park and declared a specially protected
natural area.
Since 2000, the park has been under the
jurisdiction of the Ministry of Natural Resources of the Russian
Federation. Currently subordinate to the Ministry of Natural
Resources and Ecology of the Russian Federation. The park includes
Lake Pleshcheyevo and adjacent territories.
The total area of the park is 23 790 hectares,
including 15 271 hectares of forest land, 5963 hectares of water
fund lands, 554 hectares of agricultural land, as well as 2002
hectares of lands of other land users. The park has one natural
monument (Kriushkinsky spring), 26 archaeological monuments, two
historical and two architectural monuments.
The main types of
vegetation in the national park are forest and swamp (forests occupy
about 48% of the total area). The main forest-forming species are
small-leaved (aspen, birch) and dark coniferous (spruce, pine).
Small areas are occupied by oak, linden, maple, ash, alder. Oak
forests occupy about 1% of the area. Here lies the northern border
of the pedunculate oak range. In total, the flora of the park
includes 790 plant species belonging to 98 families; nine of them
are included in the Red Book of Russia. A special group of 19
species is included in the regional list of rare and endangered
species for the center of the European part of Russia.
About
300 species of vertebrates live on the territory of the park: 60
species of mammals, among which deer-maral, roe deer, flying
squirrel, baby shrew, 210 species of birds, among which there are
rare - gray heron, gray goose, whooper swan are protected and the
gray crane, ten species of reptiles and amphibians, 109 species of
insects. There are 19 species of fish in the reservoirs of the
national park, of which 16 species are in Lake Pleshcheyevo,
including the endemic form of the European vendace - the Pereslavl
vendace. More than 20 species of animals, protected in the Yaroslavl
region, have been recorded. Among them are animals listed in the Red
Book of Russia: white-tailed eagle, peregrine falcon, osprey, black
stork, Central Russian ptarmigan, desman, mnemosyne.
Near the
town of Kuhmar in the park there is an ecological trail "Gray
Heron". The ornithological trail is about one kilometer long and
covers the habitats of almost 50 bird species. You can watch them by
climbing a six-meter observation tower or from an open observation
deck, and you can get useful information about bird species using
colorful information boards that are installed along the entire
route.
The winding and rather broken road along the southern shore of Lake
Pleshcheevo continues beyond Kupanskoye to the village of Nagorye, 50 km
from Pereslavl. There it meets the road to Uglich, but not with the main
highway running through the Tver region through Kalyazin, but with its
branch, covering the western edge of Yaroslavl. These are remote and
quite picturesque places, hiding several little-known attractions.
The Highlands have been known since ancient times. In 1770, the
village was given to Admiral Grigory Andreevich Spiridov as a reward for
victory in the Battle of Chesma. Soon after this, an elegant, although
quite typical, Church of the Transfiguration of the Savior was built in
the village (1785-87). The most unusual attraction of the Highlands is
the monument to Admiral Spiridov erected in the courtyard of the
kindergarten, on the site of the former estate. Trade has flourished in
the Highlands since ancient times. It still exists: in the central
square of the village, near the church, they sell all kinds of local
products, and they also sell non-local products.
Church of the
Ascension in Elpatyevo (8 km northwest of Nagorye). An extraordinary
monument of classicism in the remote Yaroslavl province. The church in
Elpatyevo was built in 1814-29. at the expense of the village
patrimonial owner - Pavel Petrovich Naryshkin, a descendant of the boyar
family of the Naryshkins, from which the mother of Peter I came. The
village once had an estate, of which not a trace remains now, but a
literary memory has been preserved: the author of “The Three Musketeers”
Alexander Dumas stayed here, who made a rather colorful description of
the estate itself and especially the road to it. Now the Church of the
Ascension most resembles the churches in the north of the Lipetsk region
- architecturally perfect, but in complete desolation.
Nikolo-Solbinsky Monastery (15 km north of Nagorye). An example of
modern temple architecture. The monastery on the Solbe River has been
known since the 15th century. At the beginning of the 18th century it
was moved to its current location, after the revolution it was closed
and destroyed almost to the ground. Restoration work has been going on
since the late 1990s and is still far from complete, although the
monastery has already acquired a solid form. Its walls and towers were
restored, the only old church was put in order - the Assumption Church
(mid-18th century) - and several new ones were built at once, including
the Church of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker in the form of ancient
Russian cathedrals and the Church of St. Spyridon of Trimifuntsky, where
the characteristic silhouette of Yaroslavl Posad churches complemented
by a tower porch and other elements of pseudo-Russian style. Also
unusual are the Church of Xenia of St. Petersburg, built into the
administrative building, and the wooden Church of Sergius of Radonezh,
the prototype of which was the church in the painting by M.V. Nesterov
“Vision to the Youth Bartholomew.” Inside the temples, note the abundant
and quite exquisite wood carvings. There is a refectory and a shop at
the monastery, and a bathhouse with a holy spring near the river.
Church of the Transfiguration in Brynchaga (20 km east of the Solbinsky
Monastery). The name Brynchaga has probably been encountered by everyone
who drove along the highway north of Pereslavl. 12 km from the city on
the road there is a T-34 tank with a large sign “Brynchagi. Homeland of
M.I. Koshkin, designer of the T-34 tank.” It is difficult to say who
this sign is intended for, since it is 34 km from the highway to the
village, and there is nothing thematic except for the bust of M.I. There
is no Koshkin in the village, but there is an architectural monument not
marked with any signs. The Transfiguration Church was built in 1830 in
the spirit of classicism, but with a fancy five-domed structure,
borrowed from Pereslavl churches of the late 18th century. You can go to
Brynchaghi either from the already mentioned turn, marked by a tank, or
from the west, through Nagorje and Solba.