This route is for those who love wooden architecture. Even if you saw a lot of open-air museums, you will certainly like the Park Complex "Theologian Manor". It is located on the border of St. Petersburg and the Leningrad region, in the Vsevolzhsky district. There is an opinion: a well-preserved ethnographic ensemble in the Nevsky Forest Park evokes thoughts of the Kizhi graveyard on Lake Onega. However, this is a very distinctive place, upon seeing which you cannot forget, it is possible to return!
Little Kizhi
The twenty-five-headed church of the Intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary is something without which the orphan the Manor of the Theologian is without. In the Leningrad region, wooden architecture has more than three centuries of history? For many, this is a discovery. The stone city of St. Petersburg was erected in 1703, in the middle of the swamps. It would seem that tesu and logs in such conditions can not last long. But no!
Previously, the temple stood in the village of Ankhimovo, Vytegorsky churchyard. Strengthened, did not surrender to the vagaries of nature for more than two and a half centuries (1708-1963). Until one day, no, it did not rot - it burned down. There is information: shortly before the fire accident, the architect A. Opoolnikov managed to take measurements and describe the structure in detail (1956), since the reconstruction was already “asking for”. The fire broke plans.
They say that they built the church according to the project of the bold conqueror of the inhospitable northern spaces of Peter the Great. As if he loved to be in the creation of his mind. And also, that Pokrovskaya (1708) and Preobrazhenskaya (1714, Kizhi) were cut by one artel.
Valuable historical and cultural heritage
In fairness, it is worth noting: “The Theologian Manor” is a high-quality remake built with the closest possible approach to ancient technologies. Previously, its place was called the ethnopark of fallen monuments of wooden architecture. The current copies are based on samples of Russian architecture. The founders set out to show how varied the types and forms of houses, how the evolution of building craft was going on.
For the park, we chose the most picturesque place with a bright past and filled it with copies and reconstructions, erected according to scientific research. Here you can learn how residential buildings and outbuildings, castle walls and religious buildings traditional for this region looked like (we are talking about the north-west of the European part of the Russian North).
Recall that the Russian North occupies the entire Leningrad region, the Mezolezerye (the territory between Ladoga, Onega, White Lakes), Zaonezhye (the region of Karelia famous for the traditions of folk culture), the south-west of Arkhangelsk (Kargopol) and the north-west of the Vologda (Vytegorye) regions.
Do not slip past
On the right bank of the Neva River, where the Black River flows into it, the Manor of the Theologian flaunts. How to get there by car? Three kilometers from the place where there is a ramp to the Oktyabrskaya Embankment on the ring road - and you are there. Turning the steering wheel towards the exit from St. Petersburg, continue driving without turning.
The church is visible from afar, it will not go unnoticed. Nearby there is a fairly extensive parking lot. Having reached the cherished goal, travelers leave the car on it or right on the road. On weekends and holidays, it is possible that you will have to look for a place for a long time - a lot of people flock to the excursion, almost all are on wheels.
The habitable territory of the park is not too large (distant remote corners - for everybody). The location of the survey objects is compact. Those who do not like to stay in the church shop for too long, do not intend to defend the service from beginning to end, an hour is enough to review.
With blessing and support
The main objects, which are famous for the “Manor of the Theologian” (photo in the article), are, as mentioned above, the church in the name of the Intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the reconstructed house of the merchant Kostin from Zaonezhye (some stubbornly argue that the peasant: they say, working representatives of the estate always had decent ownership). The structure of the sample in 1871 is characterized by perfect proportions, an abundance of carved decor.
During the tour, they say that the temple in the new place was restored with the blessing of Alexy II (Bishop of the Russian Orthodox Church, Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia from 1990 to 2008), with the support of Vladimir Putin (at that time the Prime Minister of the Russian Federation).
The worship cross was established in 2003. The first pile in the foundation of the future temple was hammered in October 2004. The stones from the foundation of the church, which burned down in 1963 on Vytiegorsky churchyard, were laid in the foundation of a new church, from which the construction of the complex "Theological Estate" began. The address is simple: Leningrad Region, Pokrovsky Pogost (the last word does not mean a cemetery, as many believe, it came from the word "guest" - to stay).
By public transport
An interesting fact: according to the guides, the tree is not saturated with a fire-fighting compound, since the breathable base can stand for three hundred years. This causes excitement in most visitors: around the open fire of candles. The church is warm, services are conducted year-round. People come here to get married, take the kids to baptism. All takes into its penalties "Manor of the Theologian." How to get there, not only experienced motorists want to know, but also the "horseless" people.
Minibus No. 476 departs from the Lomonosovskaya metro station. Twenty minutes of the journey - and you are in an unusual temple, listen to the ringing of bells, walk around the chapel. Many families believe that this is a great weekend itinerary. Informative, exciting. You can sit in a very small but cozy cafe, look into the souvenir shop.
Good at heart! Lepota!
The Manor of the Theologian is not only a functioning Orthodox church. You can consider the Solovetsky worship cross. This memorial sign immortalized the times when the restoration of the church in the image and likeness of the original began. The Chapel of the Savior Not Made by Hands was built just a few years ago (2009).
The background is as follows: someone found twisted birch bark, turned and saw the face of the Savior created by nature (not by the hands of the artist!). An amazing find had to be placed in a worthy place. And Patriarch Alexy II blessed the construction of a small religious building. There the birch bark icon is cozy, good. The lamp is on, it seems that with all your heart you perceive the elusive connection of times.
The wonderful chapel repeats the appearance of the “sister” that stood in Kirillovo (Kargopol district) in the late XVIII - early XIX centuries. Gable roof, galleries - it’s like you’ve returned to the past, you don’t want to leave it.
Winter trip
To the right of the church is a bell. This one stood on the Lower Uftyugsky churchyard in the distant 1670. They also managed to “record” it (make measurements) after the belfry stood for more than two hundred years. Thanks to this, "The Theologian Manor" in our time received another valuable exhibit of ancient Russian wooden architecture.
There is a building in the courtyard courtyard resembling a refectory, decorated with a consignment note and other types of carvings. Beauty! It is worth remembering that the places sprout roots in such depths of history that it is breathtaking (as when skiing - the residents of St. Petersburg visit the district for this too).
But these rides are behind a wooden fence (an old reconstruction, reminiscent of those that stood on Lyadinsky and Spassky graveyards in the 18th century in Kargopol). And if you enter the Holy Gates, there is a different life, without noise and fuss. It seems that many of this is not enough. Visitors come to a historical place at any time of the year. They are deeply religious and simply interested in the rich cultural heritage of the region.
Thought this was the end? Start!
Many events survived the "Manor of the Theologian" (St. Petersburg). How to get to her, you now know. This means that free time will only appear, you hurry to the place where you once gratefully accepted the gift of the spiritual daughter of Tsarina Elizabeth Fyodor Dubyansky, where the Theological Manor was built in 1747 ... In terms of knowledge, everything is just beginning!
The park complex itself will expand. Kargopol fortress with courtyards, new (old) churches, Zinovievs estate, marina. You can hear more and more often that today more than ever it is important to preserve and protect the heritage of past times. Our country has something to be proud of, to whom the memory of centuries will be passed.