In many countries, there are rivers that have become not just transport routes or sources of water, but a kind of spiritual aorta that nourish folk art and national culture. The Rhine, Mississippi, Danube, Amazon, Nile, Ganges, Yangtze - the same characters in fairy tales and legends, like their other characters. Songs are being written about these rivers, and those who were lucky enough to be born and grow up on their banks return, at least for a short while, wherever their fate takes them. Such is the main river of our country - the Volga.
The great river crosses our country, carrying huge masses of water from north to south, absorbing numerous tributaries. Perhaps we have yet to assess the significance of the impact of such energy on humans, but the fact remains that the cities on the Volga have become the birthplace of many prominent people.
Kostroma, Yaroslavl, Saratov, Nizhny Novgorod, Syzran, Samara - these names sound like a song for lovers of Russian history, some of these places are included in the Golden Ring of Russia.
The cities on the Volga River are very beautiful and surrounded by beautiful nature. The islands on the left bank are so numerous that some of them are sometimes not visited by people for decades, nature remains pristine.
If you make a cruise on a ship that stops only in large river ports, you can miss a lot. The special charm of small county centers in this case becomes inaccessible. Small cities on the Volga, such as Syzran, Kamyshin, Volsk, are very beautiful, rich in architectural and cultural monuments, as a rule, they have excellent theaters and art galleries, rich in historical exhibits, local history and archaeological museums.
In recent years, a new type of cruise has spread - sailing on the Volga on yachts. Travelers stop on the islands, set up camp, go fishing, visit the nearest city and go further along the river. Such a vacation is affordable for non-poor people, but among them there are many who want to enjoy the nature and culture of their native country, and, apparently, they like it no less than a trip to the notorious Canaries.
Cities on the Volga have more than once become the set for famous filmmakers; just remember the “Cruel Romance” by Eldar Ryazanov, which was filmed in Kostroma. In the city of Gorokhovets, Vladimir Region, Nikita Mikhalkov shot most of his new film “Sunstroke”. The main thing that attracts creative people in these places is the preserved atmosphere of old Russia, its unique atmosphere.
Probably, every Russian needs to visit at least once in his life a hero city on the Volga - Volgograd, the site of the Battle of Stalingrad. The memorial on the Mamaev Kurgan dedicated to the defenders of this stronghold leaves no one indifferent. It was created by sculptor E.V. Vuchetich and engineer N.V. Nikitin in 1967.
The city was almost destroyed during the fighting. In memory of those dramatic and heroic events, one of the houses was left in the form in which it was after the battle. To get to this city on the Volga is best along the river, passing through the locks of the Volga-Don canal.