Nowadays, there are many opportunities to visit any country in the world and see what your heart desires. And few people think that on the territory of our country there are a great many interesting places, the visit of which will not only bring pleasure, but will also allow us to better know our history.
Probably, such places include the unique museum-reserve "Old Sarepta" located in the Krasnoarmeysky district of Volgograd. This unique open-air museum complex consists of old stone houses that have preserved authentic household items. In the center of the village, a no less ancient church has been preserved, to which ministries are held to this day.
History of Sarepta
The museum-reserve "Old Sarepta" was created in Volgograd on the basis of an old settlement of Germans-Protestants (hernguters) who moved to Russia back in 1765. This relocation took place in response to an invitation by Empress Catherine II of foreign colonists to settle undeveloped lands. The village was named Sarepta in honor of the city mentioned in the Old Testament.
In addition to agriculture and industrial development, the migrants engaged in missionary activity, trying to convert Kalmyks to Christianity. Local residents who have long practiced Buddhism did not really want to change their faith. Therefore, the settlement lasted a little over 120 years and was abolished by the community directorate.
Some of the colonists returned to their homeland, but many wanted to stay and continued to live and work in Sarept. Over time, they joined the Russian Lutheran Church.
After the revolution, all lands and enterprises were nationalized, and the village almost ceased to exist. The small remaining population of Sarepta, former ethnic Germans, was expelled during the Great Patriotic War, and the village finally became desolate.
Museum Creation
The idea of creating the Old Sarepta Museum on the basis of the old abandoned settlement appeared in the 90s of the last century. The goal was to preserve the architectural heritage of the 18th – 19th centuries and restore the unique village.
The first inhabitants of Sarepta were deeply religious people, and this was reflected even in the layout of the settlement. The village was planned in the form of a cross, from the center where the church was located, houses were built on four perpendicular lines. The entire territory of the village and even the local cemetery were decorated in the form of a blooming garden of Eden. Residents believed that they create a paradise on earth.
It was to preserve this unusual nature that the Old Sarepta Museum was founded in Volgograd. Currently, most of the buildings have been restored, thanks to the efforts of local residents, the museum’s exposition has been replenished with many antiques, archaeological finds and even banknotes of those times.
Walk around the village
Entrance to the territory of the Old Sarepta Museum and inspection of all buildings is absolutely free. Although it’s much more interesting for a nominal fee to join the tour and find out many interesting facts about the life of settlers and local Kalmyks.
The tour lasts several hours, during this time you can inspect the restored buildings, visit the church (there are no special requirements for the appearance here, but the parishioners' feelings are better respected) and the unusual sculpture "Equilibrio" installed on Freedom Square (formerly called Church Square).
If you have time, you should go to the exhibition hall (in this building there was the Goldbach and Sons family shop). Now there is a wine cellar in the huge cellars, and temporary thematic exhibitions are held in the building itself. Here you can buy souvenirs to remember the trip.
"Equilibrium" in the square
In some photos of the Old Sarepta Museum you can see a strange stele of deliberately unprocessed blocks of light granite. This is a gift from the inhabitants of Cologne, the twin city of Volgograd. This monument is called "Equilibrium" ("Balance") and is part of a significant sculptural composition.
The German sculptor Rolf Schaffner decided to symbolically unite five cities in five different countries. The composition center is located in Cologne, another sculpture is in Norway (the city of Trondheim). Two more are installed in the city of Santalya in Spain and in Cork (Iceland). The last element was placed in the designated place after the death of the sculptor.
The grandeur of the plan is that if you connect the obelisks on the map with imaginary lines, you get a huge cross.
Wonderful music in the ancient church
A peculiar center of the village was the church building, built back in 1772. The building was located quite symbolically, behind the church there was a village cemetery, and two separate entrances to the building began from Church Square. In those days, morality was strictly monitored, and inside the church was divided into two halves: male and female.
Nowadays, everything is much easier, parishioners attend the service together. It is surprising that in this small church a real organ is installed, and it is completely mechanical, with live sound. The snow-white openwork tool, which became one of the sights of the Old Sarepta Museum, was donated by residents of the German city of Wechtersbach.
When planning a visit to this iconic building, it should be borne in mind that excursions are not available during the service. You can photograph the decoration of the church and the famous organ, but the photos are conditionally paid - one frame costs 10 rubles. The money collected is intended for a rather expensive body maintenance.
History of the settlement industry
During the tour, amazing things are discovered related to the development of the village in the distant 18th century. For example, the settlers discovered a spring and conducted the first water supply from it in the Volga region using home-made ceramic pipes.
In 1898, there began its own bakery, the bread from which was in demand also outside the settlement. Here they began to produce mustard, which was then sold in the capital of the empire.
Surprisingly, one of the first resorts of mineral waters and healing mud was opened near Sarepta. This was made possible thanks to the amazing development of Sarepta medicine.
In a low distillery building, built next to the inn, they produced many different drinks: several varieties of surprisingly pure vodka, German schnapps, and various liquors. Far abroad, the famous Sarepta balm, which had healing properties, was known.
Excursions in the old village
Despite the fact that not all buildings have been restored and even desolation reigns somewhere, an interesting impression will remain from visiting the museum.
Here you can stroll through the old buildings, look at the surviving elements of the life of immigrants. You can listen to an interesting story about the development of winemaking in the territory of Sarepta, look at the tools of the winemakers and try real Sarepta wine in a huge old cellar.
Here you can also take part in a master class on making real mustard oil, which was the pride of local industrialists. After trying to make oil from mustard seeds using an old press, a jar of already cooked oil will be a pleasant gift.
And, of course, take a photo in the museum-reserve "Old Sarepta" in Volgograd on the background of a snow-white turret of an old church.