In the Vologda Oblast, on the banks of the beautiful Sukhona River, one of the oldest northern Russian cities, Veliky Ustyug, is located. This is an amazing and fabulous place, in the name of which blows gray antiquity. How the name "Great Ustyug" happened, you can find out by referring to the history of this small but famous town.
Ancient history of the city
The first mention of it dates back to 1207, although even then it was a large settlement. Initially, the settlement was called Gleden or Gleden, possibly due to the fact that a good view was opened from the small hill on which the town grew.
However, Gleden is not quite Ustyug, since it was located a few kilometers from the modern city, but was ravaged in internecine wars, burned and never rebuilt. But at the confluence of the river of the South into Sukhotna, a new city grew. As the name Great Veliky Ustyug happened, it is clear from its location - at the mouth of the South River. More precisely, in those days, the town was simply called Ustyug, and it will receive its title later.
The ancient history of the city is rich in events and feats of arms. From the moment of its appearance until the sixteenth century, Ustyug was one of the fortresses that defended the northern borders of Russia, and later the Moscow principality.
One of the interesting facts of the history of this city is that it never had serfdom. If you look at where Veliky Ustyug is located on a map of Russia, you will understand the reasons for this. The landowners did not want to go to such remote northern regions. Therefore, local peasants were free and paid taxes to the treasury of the city, which at that time was also considered free.
Title acquisition
The name Veliky Ustyug received in the XVI century, when, thanks to the opening of the Northern Sea Route, the city became an important center of trade. It was here that merchants from Holland and England arrived who brought overseas goods. Then their path lay in Vologda, and from there to Moscow.
Most of the goods were transported along rivers at that time, and Veliky Ustyug was located at the crossroads of waterways. No wonder the image of Neptune is placed on the city coat of arms. Pitchers with streams of water in the hands of this mythological character are symbols of the Yuga and Sukhona rivers that merge into the Northern Dvina. All enterprising merchants knew how to get to Veliky Ustyug.
The development of trade was not only a source of wealth for the city, but also contributed to the development of crafts. The city grew, many churches and temples were built in it, and the icon painters and painters of the Great Iron became famous as unsurpassed masters of special, northern writing.
Ustyuzhane played an important role in the development of Siberia. Moreover, not only peasants and artisans, but also merchants and industrialists take part in campaigns to develop new lands.
The decline of the city in the XVIII - XIX centuries
The conquests of Peter I, the discovery of access to the sea by him led to the loss by Great Ustyug of its significance as a shopping center. And the construction of railways, passing away from the city, completely deprived of its former greatness. 200 years after the name Veliky Ustyug happened, it finally turned into a small provincial town, surviving mainly due to handicrafts, for example, the famous “northern mob” - blackening in silver.
Modern Great Ustyug
Currently, the city, with just a little more than 30 thousand people, has long been popular among tourists thanks to the preserved ancient mansions and temples. The visitors are amazed by the beauty and harmony of the snow-white churches and cathedrals of the 17th century: Epiphany, Sretensko-Preobrazhenskaya, the Church of John Ustyuzhsky, Prokopyevsky Cathedral and the oldest Ascension Church in the city. Many preserved temples and churches from a later period. All of them create a special atmosphere of an ancient fairy tale in the city.
Some mansions and temples have now become museums, for example, in the house of the merchant Usov there is a local history museum, and in the Nikolsky temple you can see an exhibition of folk art.
One of the attractions of the surroundings of Veliky Ustyug is a unique natural source - a ten-meter waterfall called the Vaskin Klyuch. It is located near the village of Nizhnyaya Tozma. According to legend, to the emergence of this amazing source he put a devil named Vaska, who split a cliff, from which he scored a key.
But most importantly - in Veliky Ustyug is the estate of Santa Claus.
On a visit to Santa Claus
Nowadays, few people think about how the name Veliky Ustyug happened, believing that this city is called Great because the main wizard of Russian land lives there. Although this city was declared his homeland relatively recently - at the end of the 20th century.
The built patrimony and the house of Santa Claus, and the gray-bearded old man himself harmoniously blended with the original architecture of the old city and the fabulous landscapes of northern nature.
And in winter, tourists from all over the country come to see with their own eyes the house of Santa Claus and the real lord of the cold. For guests who are met by Snegurochka and various characters of Russian fairy tales, various entertainment programs are provided, including visits to museums, the residence of Santa Claus and the Throne Hall.
How to get to Veliky Ustyug? Very simple. From Moscow and St. Petersburg you need to take a train to Kotlas, and from there take a bus to the homeland of Santa Claus. There is another option - go to Vologda, where the bus also runs. In summer, you can take a fascinating boat trip from Vologda.