The city of Voronezh is the center of the Voronezh region, located on the southern tip of the central part of Russia. Today, more than one million people live in the urban agglomeration, most of which do not even have a glimpse of the great historical past that left its mark on the formation and development of the settlement.
City Formation
Excavations carried out on the territory of Voronezh showed that already in antiquity in this place there were as many as 4 ancient settlements. The northern tip of the city is known for its huge archaeological complex, called the Voronezh Vantit. More than five hundred burial mounds were discovered and investigated on its territory, evidence that settlements appeared in these places very early.
The appearance of references to the city dates back to the second half of the 16th century, when the construction of the Voronezh fortress was under the control of its first governor Saburov. Initially, the structure was wooden, because several times it was mercilessly burned completely, having killed all the locals. After another fire, the walls of the fortress were built of stone. It turned out that the construction of new elements began in 1585, of which written evidence was preserved. This date is celebrated by the residents of the city as its founding day and is widely celebrated.
A city with such a great history simply cannot but have significant historical and cultural monuments, temples, libraries and museums. Indeed, the real wealth of Voronezh is its cultural heritage, which is worth considering in more detail.
Monuments of Voronezh
There are a lot of them in this city. The entire cultural range, which are the monuments of Voronezh, can be divided into two categories. The first is the monuments to great personalities, objects and past events. The second is the animal world.
Monuments to famous personalities and objects
Among the most famous monuments of the city, with which, in fact, you need to start sightseeing, you can name the monument to Peter I, which stands at full height on a pedestal and shows with a raised hand to the city, as if pointing its inhabitants to all the greatness surrounding it. There is a monument in the square with the same name, which is popular with locals as the best place for walking.
Another equally famous monument is considered to be the full-size model of the Mercury ship. This ship took part in the defense of Cherkassk and the campaign on Kerch four centuries ago. The ship is securely moored to the concrete pier, and he will no longer be afraid of either the sea wind or its absence.
A tourist who has decided to explore the sights of Voronezh does not have the right to pass by the most famous sculpture among students, installed in the courtyard of the Architectural University and called "Student and Professor".
Looking at how serious and thoughtful the characters' faces are, we can safely assume that the sculptor captured them at the time of the exam. Everyone can attend the role of a student by sitting next to him on a bench.
Considering memorabilia and people imprinted in bronze, one should not forget about the metal pine cone, which is installed on the alley of the Scarlet Sails Park. It is created so naturally that only its large size betrays the fact that it is not real.
Voronezh is so rich in memorable places and sculptures that you can start exploring them right from the territory of the main station, where a real steam locomotive with wagons, once transporting coal, but today written off and took pride of place on a pedestal, is installed.
For a city that seemed to have nothing to do with France, Voronezh has a lot of French, for example, a small copy of the Eiffel Tower 3 meters high 24 centimeters. The construction was designed as a gift to the Nikitin Gymnasium, whose students study French. Thanks to such an unusual and beautiful present, the residents of the city and its guests can feel for a moment the presence in France, in its capital.
In such a big city, there simply cannot be a monument to the great musician, folklorist born and studying in Voronezh, Mitrofan Pyatnitsky. In 1988, on the side street of the Revolution, a monument was opened to him, which is a bust of a musician. It is mounted on a high pedestal in the form of a column and is surrounded by a large marble semicircle. This place in summer is a favorite for chess players who are located just behind the pedestal.
Having set out to explore all the sights of Voronezh, it is worth mentioning the monument of science installed on the street of Friedrich Engels. This sculpture is made in the form of a DNA molecule and has no analogues anywhere in the world, as well as a monument called "Abstract Woman", made in the style inherent only to Picasso. The location of the unusual design is Plekhanovskaya Street.
In the Dolphin Park, on the shore of the reservoir, there is a water tower painted by graffiti lovers. Now its wall is an image of a huge giant, so realistic that it seems very real, even goosebumps run on the back, especially at dusk, when the image seems to come to life.
"The Traditions of the Old Ages" are resurrected on the streets of the city along with Pushkin's poems. But the special meaning of the work of A.S. Pushkin is acquired by looking at the monument to his cousin - a politician and philosopher Dmitry Venevitinov - who serves as a decoration of the historical museum in his honor. At the entrance to the local courthouse, Themis, the goddess of justice, froze in all her punishing beauty. The peculiarity of this sculpture is considered to be that at the feet of the goddess a snake froze, on which the sculpture, in fact, stands.
Our ancestors were already famous in ancient times for their ability to create sculptures depicting people and animals. The goal they pursued was purely religious, since they worshiped these statues and performed prayers at their feet, brought gifts. But those days are a thing of the past, and now such sculptures can be seen only at the building of the museum of local lore. The stone women on display for all to see are a kind of visiting card that attracts visitors here.
The central square of Voronezh is decorated with a monument dedicated to the bird's nest. It itself is created from the remains of automotive parts, the eggs are also metal, painted yellow and white, the size of the composition is considerable. When viewing the sights of Voronezh, it is also worth paying attention to a similar object of creative thought.
Many famous writers and poets left their mark on the streets of Voronezh, for which grateful residents immortalized them in busts, statues and pedestals. So, monuments were installed to Sergei Yesenin, Alexei Koltsov, Andrey Platonov, Osip Mandelstam, Ivan Bunin and Nikitin Ivan Savich. The Voronezh people erected a monument to Vysotsky, who also made a considerable contribution to art.
Perhaps the most romantic place in the city can be considered a sculptural exhibition called "The Stranger", located in the city center. Her appearance is as follows: a beautiful girl sits on a stool, an empty chair stands next to her, on whose shoulders a jacket is thrown. It is clear that the girl is not alone, just her gentleman went out somewhere, as if giving his place for a while to all who wish to get acquainted with the beauty, crouching side by side.
Sculptural compositions dedicated to animals
All the children of the world who love animals and admire their loyalty and devotion will undoubtedly immediately recognize in the sculpture located on Revolution Square the true friend of all the children - White Bim Black Ear. The sculpture was cast in 1998 and has since become an object of worship for babies.
This monument is not the only one dedicated to animals. There is also a statue of a cat, or rather a kitten, who played the main role in the cartoon “Kitten from Lizyukova Street”.
You can see this miracle on the street, which is exactly what it is called. A monument was erected in 2005 and is a scene that took place between a kitten and a crow on a tree.
But the dog and cat are not the only friends of man who deserve to be captured in sculpture. Therefore, at the Yar Hotel, a curious tourist can see a monument to a horse. This is a very beautiful and unusual sculptural instance, since the animal holds a rail in its teeth.
Another horse monument is located in Pervomaysky Park and is called “Bathing the Black Horse”, because it depicts a scene in which a rider boy drives a horse into a river at a watering place.
It just so happened that people erect monuments not only real, but also mythical animals, such as griffins and sphinxes. You can see the sculptures of these creatures only by looking closely at the ridge of the roof of the Voronezh Philharmonic. For more than a century, the building has survived all wars and all governments, has been restored more than once, and only the sphinxes and griffins remained in their original place.
Voronezh, a city far from the exotic of rainforests, still boasts an unusual sculpture for Russia - a monument to an elephant, or rather two elephants, installed at the entrance to the Neft art gallery along Koltseva Street. Another such sculpture, but already frozen in anticipation of a panther jump, is located on the corner of Kardashov Street.
Continuing to consider the art of creating animal images in marble and stone, we should also talk about its more modern direction - graffiti, because it was with the help of it that a hummingbird was created on one of the walls of the shopping center "Search". Unlike most of the drawings made in this style, this one is a real cultural masterpiece.
Caves of the Voronezh region
Having examined city monuments, each person will undoubtedly be surprised how rich and beautiful the city itself is, how wonderful it is to be born and live here, and also think for sure that this tour cannot be completed. And he will be absolutely right, because in the vicinity there are a large number of caves, grottoes, as well as other natural and man-made beauties. But the most beautiful sights of Voronezh are caves, most of which are man-made and created as places of worship for believers and for monks to live.
The most ancient caves are those that are hollowed out in the Great Divas in the X century. No less famous is Kalach Cave, which appeared three centuries later. Many of them have direct access to the rivers Don, Tikhaya Pine and Bityuga, as they are hollowed out by hermits right on steep cliffs to make it difficult for outsiders to access them. Today there are several dozen such caves, and all of them are very interesting for study and research. But to set off on your own is not worth it, because the coast has become not strong enough, landslides and landslides are possible. The vaults of some caves can crumble at the first movement, so you should not spend much time on them. It is best to spend it on exploring other equally important places.
Temple complexes of Voronezh
The temples of Voronezh attract with its delightful beauty and antiquity. Since ancient times, they have kept sacred Orthodox relics, which pilgrims from all over Russia bow to.
The Pokrovsky Cathedral was recognized as the most revered temple of the city, the construction of which began even before the Revolution, and ended only at the end of the 20th century. The church in honor of the Intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary is consecrated and today is one of the most beautiful.
Going on a trip to the temples, you can not miss the Annunciation Cathedral, the construction of which was completed only by 2009. He is known for his height, which reaches 97 meters. This makes the Annunciation Cathedral one of the tallest Orthodox buildings.
There are temples of an older construction in the city. So, the Epiphany Cathedral, closed at the present time for restoration, was founded back in 1647. It was originally a small wooden church, and only then became a stone temple.
In addition to Orthodox churches, in Voronezh there are places of worship for believers who profess a different religion. So, in 1901, the first synagogue appeared in Voronezh, the doors of which are open for those who wish to visit it at any time of the year. Undoubtedly, all the churches of Voronezh require a more thorough study and examination, since there is nothing better than to see everything with your own eyes.
Museums and libraries of Voronezh
When viewing the sights of Voronezh and the region, special attention should be paid to a large number of museums and libraries. This allows us to rank the city as one of the cultural capitals of Russia. Arriving to inspect Voronezh and its memorable places, each traveler will find what exactly he will like, since the themes of museums and their contents, architecture and history are completely different. For convenience, they are best divided into the following categories:
- Local history.
- History museums dedicated to memorable events of Russian history.
- Museum houses.
- Buildings of historical value.
Let's consider each of the listed categories in more detail.
Local History Museums
The Regional Museum of Local Lore is considered to be the only one of its kind, opened for visiting back in 1894 in the building of the City Duma. By the beginning of the 40s of the last century, there were more than 100 thousand exhibits in the museum funds, which, unfortunately, were badly damaged during the Great Patriotic War. After the victory, the museum was evacuated for some time, and then returned to Voronezh, where in 1959 it was opened for visiting in a new building along Plekhanovskaya Street, where it is located today. Employees of the institution are ready to tell the tourist and everyone who wants about the entire history of the region, from antiquity to the current situation of the city.
History museums dedicated to memorable events of Russian history
The objects that cover historical events in Voronezh include the Arsenal Museum, dedicated to the history of the Great Patriotic War. It presents weapons, clothing, documents and other commemorative evidence of the past. It is a branch of the Regional Museum of Local Lore. In the city itself there are also many monuments dedicated to the heroes of the Second World War.
House museums
Many famous personalities lived and worked in Voronezh, which is confirmed by the number of museum houses created here. So, the most notable is the building where Samuel Yakovlevich Marshak, the favorite children's writer, lived in 1915-1916. Here are collected some of his works, personal items and everything that he loved so much during his lifetime.
The Venevitinovs manor has also become a museum house, which contains memorabilia belonging to the prince and his family, as well as many beautiful works of art.
Fans of creativity, of course, will want to visit the house-museum of the artist Nikolai Ge, who lived in Voronezh, but after the revolution he emigrated to France.
It was turned into a museum and a house, where in 1870 the writer and poet Ivan Bunin was born.
Buildings of historical value
The buildings of historical value include the building of the agricultural institute, the old “red” building of the University, the old building of the distillery, the premises of the former Central Hotel, the house of the mayor, the barracks of the Smolensk Regiment, the houses of Vartanov, Romensky, Zemskov, Stempel, Kligman as well as the building of the Bristol hotel. All these buildings have a fairly long history, and only a surprisingly well-chosen location has preserved them to this day.
The literary museum named after I.S. Nikitin, located in the already mentioned house-museum of this man. It was founded in 1922. We should also mention the Regional Art Museum named after I.N. Kramskoy. This building itself is also ranked as a historical value, since it was built in the Baroque style at the end of the XVIII century.
Libraries
The most significant place in Voronezh from the point of view of science and culture is considered to be the Voronezh Scientific Library named after I.S. Nikitina, open to readers in 1864. During the war, the invaders destroyed the entire library fund, which by then totaled 600 thousand books. The opening of a new library occurred only in the 60s, after the necessary number of publications was collected. Currently, there are thousands of handwritten, electronic, and audiovisual sources in the collections. Visitors will receive any information they need.
Places for walking
Having enjoyed the study of monuments and museums, visiting the library, the theater building and other significant objects, you can go to the garden or take a walk along the picturesque bridges. Voronezh gardens are not as numerous as parks and squares, but, for example, the Botanical Garden, founded by Peter the Great, currently pleases visitors with countless rare and beautiful plants. Pervomaysky is also beautiful, the trees of which have a centuries-old history.
The city is divided into several parts, because the constructions that unite them play a large role. The bridges of Voronezh are very vast and picturesque. The most important are three such structures: Chernavsky, Vogresovsky and Northern. But they do not attract the attention of travelers, but the stone bridge located at the intersection of Karl Marx and Chernyshevsky Streets, perfectly complementing the surrounding architectural ensemble.
Vacation with children
Surprisingly, among all this bulky and harsh story, there was a place for children, which can be reduced to hundreds of interesting places. It’s worth starting, of course, from Baba Yaga’s house, then offering to inspect the harmonica house and also visit the children's theater. Near the building of the latter is a fountain, in the center of which is a small fairy figure. Kids will be thrilled. Also with children you can visit the Voronezh Aquarium, which will undoubtedly amaze with its size and abundance of aquatic inhabitants. During the holidays you can get to the magnificent fair. Voronezh fairs are famous for a variety of both products and all kinds of entertainments that will not leave indifferent any, even the most capricious child.
So, Voronezh is one of the most amazing cities in Russia, which has become famous for a large number of memorable and historical places. It is simply impossible to list them right away, as well as to visit in one day. Arriving at this is not enough even a week. Therefore, you need to prepare in advance and choose the most interesting sights of the city of Voronezh, photos of which will decorate your family photo album.