One of the most ancient cities of the country Belozersk, the sights of which we will consider in the article, has a rich history. The first mention of Belozero Posad dates back to the end of the ninth century. Its founder is the brother of Rurik - Sineus. Oddly enough, the city was changing its location. Initially, on the initiative of Prince Vladimir, he was transferred to the area of the mouth of the Sheksna River in the eleventh century. Three centuries later, the city, devastated by military skirmishes with its Novgorod neighbors and especially the plague epidemic, was moved west.
The special economic prosperity of the city is associated with the fact that in the nineteenth century they built the Mariinsky water supply system, connecting the Belozersky navigable canal of the Sheksna River and Kovzhu. The advent of railways reduced the economic importance of the city, and it again became a quiet, sweet provincial town.
Belozersk City (Vologda Oblast): Attractions
So, the first attraction of the city is, of course, a reservoir. He gave the name to the village. The white lake is beautiful and picturesque, got its name, presumably from the fact that the clay at the bottom, mixing with water, gave a pure white color. The pond is quite large, about 46 kilometers long and 33 kilometers wide. The deepest place reaches 33 meters. The lake is very rich in various types of fish.
Talking about the main attractions of Belozersk, one can not help but mention the well-preserved Kremlin. A powerful and beautiful building was built in the fifteenth century. The Kremlin is surrounded by an earthen rampart. Its height is 30 meters, at the top it had wooden walls and towers. The Kremlin reliably protected from the enemy. The earthen rampart had wooden supporting structures inside, and then the earth poured on top. One of the entrances to the ancient settlement leads through a three-span bridge, unusually beautiful and simple, characterized by its white color against the background of an earthen rampart.
From ancient times, the Transfiguration Cathedral was preserved in the old Kremlin, the architecture of which harmoniously combines such styles as Baroque and Classicism. The building is very massive, modestly decorated, with large domes and a huge cross. Unfortunately, in Soviet times, icons and sculptures disappeared from the temple without a trace, the domes were cut off. The cathedral is gradually being restored, showing the world a unique example of Russian architecture. Cathedral address: Belozersk, st. Soviet Val, 8.
Church of the Savior the All-Merciful
Belozersk, the sights of which we are considering, is rich in ancient temples.
The Church of the Savior the All-Merciful, built at the beginning of the eighteenth century, unfortunately, has miscalculations in construction, namely, an ill-conceived drainage system, as a result of which it is often flooded by about 30 centimeters.
But this does not detract from the incomparable beauty of the Orthodox shrine, generously decorated with a pattern that covers the walls like stone lace. The address of this temple: Belozersk, st. Dzerzhinsky, 6.
The graceful Church of the Epiphany is built in the Baroque style. This is a relatively small building to make it easier to heat in the cold season. Therefore, it is called the winter church. Temple address: Belozersk, corner st. Lenin and K. Marx.
Assumption Cathedral
Describing Belozersk, its sights, one cannot but tell about the oldest temple in the city - the Assumption Cathedral. It was built two years before the beginning of the fifteenth century. Then the wooden church was rebuilt over time, because the number of parishioners increased and a larger building was needed. Unfortunately, after about fifty years, a fire broke out that completely destroyed the cathedral. The temple building, which can still be seen today, was built by decree of Tsar Ivan the Terrible himself in the second half of the sixteenth century. The strict and magnificent cathedral with five domes was erected by the best architects of that time. Cathedral address: Belozersk, st. K. Marx, d. 43.
Church of Elijah the Prophet
Tourists will be curious to visit the Church of Elijah the Prophet. This is a wooden temple, built at the end of the seventeenth century and preserved to this day, despite the desolation and lack of proper care during the Soviet era.
The wooden cathedral is unique primarily for its three-tiered main tower, the first two tiers are quadrangular, and the third is octagonal. On the last is the dome. The wooden decoration inside the church is also amazing. Unfortunately, during the years of militant atheism, a carved wooden iconostasis by seventeenth-century masters disappeared from the church without a trace. Temple address: Belozersk, st. Shukshina, 21.
Other temples
Also in Belozersk you should see the Paraskeva Fridays Church and the Church of St. John the Baptist. These temples are of artistic and architectural value.
Not far from the city is the Kirillo-Belozersky monastery. The construction is a solid fortress, which was a prison in the sixteenth century. And now it is a historical museum-reserve. There are eleven temples on the territory of the monastery, an extensive library with rare editions. One day is not enough to see all the sights of the largest Orthodox shrine.
"Russian hut" (Belozersk)
Attractions, reviews of which tourists leave, deserve special attention. The museum "Russian hut" belongs to them. This attraction is praised by many travelers. On the territory of the ancient settlement in Belozersk, immediately at the entrance, travelers meet this museum. Inside the one-story wooden house there are unique halls that completely copy the life of the Russian village. Tourists are amazed at the hospitality and warmth of the atmosphere and the unique opportunity to fully plunge into the life and life of their ancestors.
There is a beautiful and neat maid’s room, with a bed, feather pillows, covered, like a small table, with lace lace covers. Here is a patchwork rug, homespun paths and other attributes of an old way of life. Other halls are no less interesting. This museum is a branch of the Belozersky Art and History Museum. There is a Russian hut at the address: Belozersk city, Sovetskiy prospekt, 1.
Other branches are the museum of the history of the region, nature, the memorial house of the poet S. Orlov, the exhibition Kalina Krasnaya and others.
Ancient boat and monument to pike perch
By the 1112th anniversary of the foundation of Belozersk, a monument in the form of an ancient boat was erected. And next to it is an impressive stone, on which the date of the founding of the city is written.
The inhabitants of the city have long been engaged in fishing, local fish farms even supplied their catch to the royal court. In memory of this, a monument to pike perch was erected in Belozersk last year. The sculpture of a bronze fish is covered with a net. And on October 8, it was decided to celebrate in the city as Zander Day.
Russian North and Mount Maura
Those who are interested in the sights of Belozersk and the surrounding area should visit the Russian North Nature Park, where you must visit Mount Maura. It was on this mountain about six centuries ago that the Virgin Mary appeared to Saint Cyril and indicated the place of foundation of the Orthodox shrine. On one stone, as legend has it, even the imprint of the saint's foot was preserved. Tourists note that Mount Maura is extremely beautiful for its virgin nature. Many experienced a sense of peace and felt the strong energy of this quiet place.
Also part of the national park mentioned above is Lake Sivers, on the banks of which in ancient times the Kirillo-Belozersky Monastery was built. A beautiful lake has several islands that are covered with water at certain times of the year. The picturesque area is also good for fishing. According to travelers, the lake abounds with various types of fish.
Conclusion
Now you know the interesting sights of Belozersk, the addresses of the main ones are presented in the article. We hope that the information was useful to you and you can make a good trip to the glorious city.