There are four holiday days ahead. Of course, I don’t want to sit at home. But the coronavirus pandemic imposes certain restrictions. I want to go somewhere, but it is important that the place is interesting and not too crowded. The “Point on the Map” project has interesting proposals for independent travel and walks with friends: all the places are picturesque and keep more than one secret.
Assumption Cathedral of the Princess Monastery in Vladimir
An ancient man's site
More than 7,000 ancient mounds were discovered in the Vladimir region. They became the source of many interesting finds. A kilometer from Bogolyubov, archaeologists discovered the site of an ancient man and named it Sungir. People lived on it 25 thousand years ago! Scientists discovered the remains of two teenagers in the parking lot. It was possible to reconstruct the details of the costume and even the faces of these ancient people. One of the legendary finds was a small figurine of a horse with a number of dots on its belly. Its true purpose and symbolism still remains a mystery.
How to get there
From Moscow to Suzdal, a 200 km journey takes three hours without traffic jams. You can also get there by public transport. High-speed trains and electric trains run from the Kursky and new Eastern stations to Vladimir. The ticket costs from 590 rubles*, the journey will take you from one and a half to two and a half hours. Buses run regularly from the Vladimir bus station, which is located across the road from the railway station, to Suzdal. The journey will take a little less than an hour and cost approximately 128 rubles*. But I recommend going by car - this way you will cover not only the city, but also its surroundings, and there is a lot to see there. Renting a car on OneTwoTrip in Moscow will cost from 2,500 rubles* per day.
Choose a rental car
Bogolyubovo
The village of Bogolyubovo, near Vladimir, is a witness to the strengthening and formation of Vladimir-Suzdal Rus' during the reign of Andrei Bogolyubsky. It was he who moved the center of Russian statehood and culture from Kyiv to the city of Vladimir. The princely city of Bogolyubov was built in 1158-1165. There is a legend associated with the appearance of the city. When Andrei walked from the south to the Rostov-Suzdal land, the horses that were carrying the miraculous icon of the Mother of God stopped in place. The prince ordered to stop for the night. The Mother of God appeared to him in a dream. She ordered the construction of a city on the site of the stop and took the Vladimir land and the prince under the protection. Since then, Andrey was given the nickname Bogolyubsky, and the new city was named Bogolyubov. Unfortunately, the prince’s rich residence also became the place of his death. A group of boyars organized a conspiracy. In the summer of 1174, they broke into the prince's bedroom and attacked him. The wounded Andrei Bogolyubsky tried to hide in the niche of the staircase tower, but was killed by the villains. The place of the prince’s death has survived to this day; people talk about it during excursions to the Holy Bogolyubsky Convent.
When to go and how to prepare
I have been to Suzdal in every season and I think that the city is good in its own way at any time of the year. My favorite period is from mid-May to early June, when bird cherry, cherry, apple and lilac bloom in turn, after sunset the nightingale trills are heard in the city, and in the mornings thick fogs form on the Kamenka River. But the second half of summer is also a great time to travel. The fields around Suzdal are decorated with round bales of hay, and hundreds, if not thousands, of birds circle over the city center at sunset. This is their annual ritual before migrating south.
Be sure to take cash on your trip - cards are not accepted everywhere yet. Choose comfortable shoes, as you will be walking a lot on paths and cobblestones.
Bald Mountain
In the Gorokhovets area there is an unusual place - Bald Mountain. There are many myths and legends associated with it. According to one of them, the mountain is a huge mound at the burial site of the Khan of the Golden Horde. However, scientists have debunked this myth: Bald Mountain was formed as a result of the movement of rock layers. There is practically no vegetation on the hill, so people believed that sorcerers and witches gathered there and trampled all living things during dances. In fact, the mountain is blown by strong winds, and the seeds do not take root on the slopes.
Gus-Khrustalny
Photo: Elena Koromyslova / Shutterstock.com
Gus-Khrustalny is included in the list of cities of the Small Golden Ring. It is primarily known for its glass production (hence the name): you should definitely bring local crystal from the town. Here you can see the St. George Cathedral of the early 20th century with preserved paintings by Vasnetsov and the picturesque lake-reservoir - a favorite vacation spot for the townspeople.
How to get there:
Direct flight from Shchelkovsky bus station (the journey takes about 4.5 hours).
Ivanova liberea
Legend has it that a unique collection of ancient books and documents first belonged to the Byzantine emperors, and then fell into the hands of Ivan the Terrible. It is believed that the king lost or safely hid the library. The search for the book collection continued for several centuries. Some researchers believe that the library died long ago or did not exist at all. More than 60 hypotheses have been put forward about its origin and location. According to one of them, Ivan the Terrible, during the oprichnina, took the liberea to Alexandrovskaya Sloboda. Numerous searches in the 1990s were unsuccessful.
Forgotten estates
Ancient estates are located throughout the Vladimir region. Many of them are abandoned and are waiting for revival. The Bezobrazov estate is located in the Kameshkovsky district. It is located in the village of Patakino. The territory passed to the Bezobrazov family at the end of the 18th century. Among the buildings of the estate, the ruins of the manor house, the water tower and the Trinity Church, built in 1824, have survived to this day. In the village of Andreevskoye, Petushinsky district, there is the Vorontsov-Dashkov estate, built in the second half of the 18th century. She saw many famous people of Russia. A.N. was here. Radishchev, A.V. Suvorov, E.R. Vorontsova-Dashkova. The village of Andreevskoye was granted to Mikhail Illarionovich Vorontsov by Empress Elizaveta Petrovna for her participation in the palace coup that brought her to the throne. The ruins of a castle are also located on the territory of our region. It was built by order of Vladimir Khrapovitsky at the end of the 19th century. Khrapovitsky's estate was equipped with all the technical innovations of that time; it was decorated with greenhouses, fountains, a stable and a boat pavilion. Now only ruins remain from its former grandeur. They are located in the village of Muromtsevo, Sudogodsky district.
Filthy tub
Not far from the town of Karabanov, Aleksandrovsky district, there is a deep depression-funnel of almost perfectly round shape. It is noteworthy that it is located in the middle of a plain. The depression is filled with water and is a swamp. The place is called Nasty Tub. Its origin is covered in legends. For a long time it was believed that the crater was formed by the fall of a meteorite. Not far from it, historians discovered a burial ground of ancient pagans. According to one legend, Ivan the Terrible dealt with his enemies at this place. Scientists have proven that Poganaya Lokhan is a rare phenomenon for the middle zone - a karst sinkhole.
Dukinsky quarries
There are no mountain trails and canyons in the Vladimir region, but there is one picturesque place that local climbers have chosen. It's called the Dukinsky quarries. They were formed due to the extraction of limestone. Currently there is no development going on there. In 2003, a nature reserve was established there. The bottom of the quarry is overgrown with greenery, small pine trees grow around. On the territory of the reserve you can find rare species of plants listed in the Red Book, including several species of local orchids.
Two crowns of the city of Vyazniki
Anyone who says that November is a dull time has simply not been to Vyazniki at this time and has not admired the curves of the autumn Klyazma from the “Venets” observation deck, the highest point of the city. Local historians believe that initially the city stood on seven crowns. Today there are fewer of them. We invite you to take a walk along two of the most beautiful and picturesque: Tolmachevsky and Soldatskoye, or Portyanochny.
Tolmachevsky Crown is the highest point of the city. From the semicircular hill you can clearly see the relief of the Klyazma riverbed, which winds very ornately here.
View of Klyazma from Tolmachevsky Crown
The majestic memorial complex of the Walk of Fame is located on another Vyaznikovsky crown - Soldatsky, or Portyanochny. The choice of place was not accidental: it was here in the old days that recruits going to military service made their first stop. And from this high hill they cast their last glance at their native places. The view of the city center from here is still very picturesque today.
Walk of Fame on the Soldier's Crown in Vyazniki
On the Soldier’s Crown, which turned into the Walk of Fame (here on the stars are inscribed the names of heroes who glorified their hometown with military and labor exploits) only in the last century, you especially acutely feel the connection between the past and the future: somewhere below the city lives its ordinary life, and It’s quiet and calm here, as if time had stopped running. And the city itself is not particularly bustling. Life here is leisurely. Come to Vyazniki to count the crowns and admire the picturesque views.
Homeland of the hero
The famous Ilya Muromets, winner of Nightingale the Robber and Idlishch Pogany, was born, according to legend, in the village of Karacharovo, Murom region. Residents willingly show the house where, according to legend, the hero lived. The Spaso-Preobrazhensky Monastery in Murom houses a piece of the relics of the famous warrior. The hero appeared in the ancient Kiev cycle of epics. One of the epics tells how the hero Svyatogor blew on Ilya Muromets while dying and transferred all his strength to the young man, and also handed him his famous treasure sword. Ilya Muromets was considered the standard of a hero and defender of Rus'.
Island Monastery
4 kilometers from Intercession there is the Holy Vvedenskaya Women's Hermitage. The monastery is located on an island in the middle of Lake Vvedenskoye and is surrounded on all sides by water. In the 18th century, the monks of the abolished Anthony Hermitage, Timothy and Sergius, retired to the island and built a wooden chapel there. This is how the Holy Vvedensky Island Monastery was founded. Soon novices began to come to the new hermitage. The spiritual flourishing of the monastery is associated with the arrival of the Athonite elder Cleopas. In 1760, the brethren elected him rector of the desert. The elder was distinguished by the gift of healing and foresaw the future. In 1918 the monastery was closed. In 1994, the Holy Vvedenskaya island hermitage was revived as a nunnery.
House with the ghosts
On Bolshaya Moskovskaya Street in Vladimir there is an unusual building at number 24. Citizens often call it the Governor’s House or the “Haunted House”. Now the Center for Promotion of Fine Arts is located there. The first civil governor, Pyotr Gavrilovich Lazarev, the father of the famous navigator Mikhail Petrovich Lazarev, built the building in 1798. The house housed a hospital and a pharmacy. The next governor placed his home in the building. One of the governors, Ivan Mikhailovich Dolgorukov, was a wonderful musician, poet and artist. He and his family lived in the house from 1802 to 1807. According to one legend, the spirit of the governor’s wife, who died early, appears in the building, for which the house received its strange additional nickname.
Author: Margarita Makhrova Date of publication: 07/17/2016
Where to stay
In order to feel the atmosphere of Suzdal, I recommend staying in a guest house with carved platbands and a cat on the premises. This option is suitable even for a large family or group of friends. If you require daily room cleaning and breakfast included in the price of your stay, then there are such options in the city. Here are the ones I personally like:
State Customs Committee Suzdal - from 3900 rubles* per night for two; Dacha Bely Bereg - from 6,600 rubles* per night for two. Manor of coppersmith Chicherin - from 10,000 rubles* per night for two.
