An endless ribbon of Russian roads winds under the wheels, and Russian villages stretch along it, appearing and disappearing. The villages are almost disappearing, having lost their identity and hospitality. Somewhere they look at you with empty windows, somewhere they gape like ashes, somewhere they bristle with high, hopeless fences. Like abandoned old people who have no one to help. My heart aches when I look at them. Where did the open carved shutters, the willow fence and the good-natured grandmothers on the rubble go?

For real beautiful villages in Russia There are not very many left, they are painstakingly collected and numbered by specialists from historical and conservation organizations in order to carefully preserve the remaining crumbs. Today the list of “not yet lost” includes a little more than a dozen. Each of them is interesting from the point of view of history, architecture, and traditional way of life. Each will leave a mark on the heart after visiting.

So, the most beautiful villages in Russia:

The most colorful villages

Village Desyatnikovo. Buryatia. The first mention is in 1746.


The village of Desyatnikovo consists of five streets.


Currently, 778 people live in the village of Desyatnikovo.


The village of Desyatnikovo is located near the Selenga River.


Village of Atsagat. This word translated from the Buryat language means “stone”.


There are about 100 households in the village of Atsagat.


Atsagat datsan. Founded in 1825.


The village of Tarbagatai is one of the largest Old Believer villages in Transbaikalia.


The village of Tarbagatai is located along the Kuitunka River (the right tributary of the Selenga)


The village of Tarbagatai was founded in the 1710s.


The village of Bolshoi Kunaley was founded in 1765.


The name of the village of Kunaley is “hunilla”, which translated from Buryat means “assembly” or “fold”.


The village of Kunaley preserves the identity, culture and traditions of its ancestors.

Lost among the mountains and meadows with fragrant herbs, very similar to each other and not at all similar, there are four villages in Buryatia, located approximately at the same distance to the east and south of Ulan-Ude.Desyatnikovo, Atsagat, Tarbagatai and Bolshoy Kunaley. Almost all the buildings in these villages are painted on the outside bright colors: red, orange and blue, and the interior walls, pieces of furniture and even the ceilings are painted even brighter. Such traditional decoration was very typical for wealthy peasant houses. Traditional folk costumes are no less colorful; one gets the impression that these villages are home to the most cheerful people in the world who do not want to part with their childhood. Meanwhiletraditional culture of Tarbagatai villagewas declared a "Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity" by UNESCO. And the village of Atsagat is also one of the religious centers of the region. Back in 1825, a datsan was built here, raising more than one generation of lamas. And local herbs can be found even in atlases of Tibetan medicine.

The oldest villages


The village of Staraya Ladoga was founded in 753.


Until 1703 Ladoga was a city.


According to the Novgorod Chronicle, the grave of Prophetic Oleg is located in Ladoga (according to the Kyiv version, his grave is located in Kyiv on Mount Shchekovitsa).


When the daughter of the Swedish king Olaf Shotkonung, Princess Ingigerda, married the Novgorod prince Yaroslav the Wise in 1019, she received the city of Aldeigyuborg (Old Ladoga) with adjacent lands as a dowry (veno), which has since received the name Ingermanlandia (land of Ingegerda).


Afanasyevskaya Church in Varzuga.


Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Varzuga.


Main source of income local population At all times there were sales of salmon caught in the Varzuga River.

Perhaps it was the harsh northern weather, frosts, winds and ice that contributed to the fact thatthe most ancient villages in Russialocated in the north-west, in Leningrad and Murmansk regions: Staraya Ladoga and Varzuga. Let’s not argue who is older; we’ll leave it to the experts; the history of both of them goes back more than 600 years. , which stands on the Volkhov River, is considered the starting point of the great journey “from the Varangians to the Greeks”; one of the three Varangian brothers called to Rus' ruled here. She was the biggest shopping center even before Novgorod, and the walls of its fortress were stormed by the Swedes. It absorbed the entire culture of the North Russian peoples. stands on the banks of the river of the same name, which flows into the White Sea. Her main decorations are wooden churches, of which there are as many as five built here, were built without a single nail, like many religious buildings of northern masters. Was herePatriarchal House of the Solovetsky Monastery, therefore, the lands and springs around are holy. And the main trade local residents were salmon fishing and pearl mining, which the Varzuga River gave birth to.

The harshest villages


The first mention of Teriberka dates back to the 16th century.


The village received its name from the river Teriberka of the same name, the name of which, in turn, according to one version, goes back to the outdated name of the Kola Peninsula - Ter.


Until 1984, Teriberka had no road connections and could be reached either by sea or by helicopter.


The village of Esso received its name in 1932.


Almost the entire village of Esso is heated using natural geothermal waters.


The village of Esso is called “Kamchatka Switzerland”.


Every year in March, the international sled dog race “Beringia” starts from the village.

They are harsh not because of the characters of the local residents, but because they are located in such places that it is unclear how people can live here, and even build such beautiful villages. They are scattered on the two extreme sides of our country: on the Barents Sea and Esso on . Teriberka appeared on Kola Peninsula back in the 16th century, but became very famous only now, after filming of the film "Leviathan". Here, in the tundra zone, where the cold sky meets the cold earth and is reflected in the cold water, there was a commercial whaling village. Today this village is beautiful, perhaps, only because of its nature, because most of the infrastructure is abandoned and is in very poor condition. It is the combination of the decline of civilization against the backdrop of harsh landscapes that makes this place eeriely beautiful. On the contrary, the village of Esso is full of health in the middle snowy Kamchatka, because she is surrounded on all sides by hot thermal springs. Happy people live here who even manage to grow grapes in this climate. And every year the most famous dog sled race.

The very first and the very last villages


The ancient merchant village of Vyatskoye is located in the Nekrasovsky district - one of the most environmentally friendly and historically significant areas Yaroslavl region.


The village of Vyatskoye was first mentioned in documentary sources in 1502 as the center of the metropolitan Vyatskaya volost.


The village of Vyatskoye is a unique urban complex of the 18th – 19th centuries with more than 50 registered architectural monuments, former merchant and peasant houses, tea and tavern establishments, and almshouses.


In the museums of the village of Vyatskoye there are interactive programs, such traditional holidays as Red Hill and Harvest Day are being revived, and new ones are being created - the Russian Wreath Festival and the Birthday of Peter Telushkin.


The first mention of Kinerma dates back to 1563.


In one of the books the village is called Samsonkovo ​​Posidene. According to the scribe books, there were four farms in the village at that time.


Kinerma was bankrupt twice during the Russian wars with Sweden and Poland.


The literal translation of the name Kinerma sounds like precious land.

Not long ago, Russia joined a world association that is looking for the most beautiful villages in each country on earth. The main selection criteria: the village must be alive, and not museumized, no more than 2,000 inhabitants must live in it, and the rural way of life must be preserved. Each village found is solemnly awarded the honorary title of “Most Beautiful”, given a corresponding plaque, and a special inauguration ceremony is held. After which the village is included in the list of its own kind. There are only six officially recognized beautiful villages on Russian territory, but we must not forget that the list was opened only in 2015. The village, or rather the village, was recognized as the very first beautiful . Ancient merchant houses, almost each of which is an architectural monument, as well as ten museums of completely different types: from traditional to polytechnic. The last village to be included in the listin Karelia, whose inauguration took place on June 10, 2016. The village, which was included in the scribe books back in the 16th century, and began its history with four farms, now consists of only 16 ancient Karelian houses, the Chapel of the Smolensk Mother of God and five residents, two of whom have a family tree with local roots going back 500 years.

The other day the most beautiful Russian village. This village of Vyatskoye, Nekrasovsky district, Yaroslavl region. It was this village that became the first member of the Association of the Most Beautiful Villages of Russia. What the most beautiful village in Russia looks like is in our photo gallery.

To enter the association you must meet several criteria. One of them is that the population of the village should not exceed two thousand people. It is important to preserve the landscape and create new tourist sites. It turned out that in our country so far only Vyatskoye can claim this high status

In the photo: Resurrection Church in the village of Vyatskoye, 2012

“The “Most Beautiful Villages” brand was not invented by us. Back in 1982, an association was created in France, uniting rural settlements with exceptional cultural and natural heritage. Now about two dozen such national associations around the world are united in the Federation of the Most Beautiful Villages on Earth. In 2014, our own association appeared in Russia, and now we are accepting the first participant who meets all our criteria,” the president of the association, Alexander Merzlov, explained to reporters. A. Merzlov.

He noted that currently about 20 rural villages are applying to join the association. settlements Russia. They are subject to fairly strict criteria: aesthetic, architectural, historical and cultural, presence natural monuments etc. At the same time, it is also necessary that the settlement be residential, and not occupied only by museums, that it be rural, and that all residents agree to participate in the association.

The village of Vyatskoye, Nekrasovsky district, Yaroslavl region, will officially become a member of the association on October 15, when the membership charter will be signed.

As explained CEO historical and cultural complex "Vyatskoye" Larisa Kovalenko, the revival of the village began several years ago. “The village has more than 100 stone houses, two churches of the 18th century. It was a wealthy settlement, the patrimony of Metropolitan Philaret. We wanted to restore it, preserve it in memory of those who lived here before.” Now there are 10 museums in Vyatskoye, employing about 100 local residents,” said L. Kovalenko.



The village of Vyatskoye, Nekrasovsky district, Yaroslavl region, will officially become a member of the association on October 15, when the membership charter is signed, Interfax reports.

The ancient merchant village of Vyatskoye is located in the Nekrasovsky district - one of the most environmentally friendly and historically significant areas of the Yaroslavl region, 30 km from Yaroslavl along the Lyubimskaya road and 300 km from Moscow. Interesting story these places are profitable geographical location, the richest Natural resources make this region an attractive area for tourists. Amazing beauty the nature of the Central Russian plain with a web of rivers and lakes (there are 38 of the latter), with open spaces pleasing the eye at any time of the year, with a mild climate - all this contributes to the fact that exploring these places is equally interesting in both winter and summer.

The village of Vyatskoye is an urban complex of the 18th-19th centuries with more than 50 registered architectural monuments, former merchant and peasant houses, tea and tavern establishments, and almshouses.

The basis of the historical and cultural heritage of Vyatka is primarily the planning structure of the village, which almost entirely dates back to the 18th century. To date, more than 30 monuments of cultural and historical heritage have been restored in the village, which are filled with new functional purposes. The village has three hotels, a restaurant, a cinema and concert hall and ten museums, including the Museum of Russian Entrepreneurship, the Museum of the Vyatka Trading Peasant - Gorokhov’s House, the Polytechnic Museum Amazing world mechanisms and machines,” the Museum of Kitchen Equipment, the “Black Bathhouse” museum and the Museum of Russian Amusements, according to the association’s website.

There is a village called Vyatskoye, 38 kilometers from Yaroslavl. A village that on October 15, 2015 became the first member of the Association of the most beautiful villages in Russia! Having learned about this event, I decided to go there to see the delights of the village with my own eyes.

2. This is what one of the most beautiful villages in Russia looks like. Central square with restored mansions from the 18th and 19th centuries.

3. Hills, ravines, summer "amphitheater".

5. In some places Vyatskoye looks like this.

6. And now the fun part. Why, unlike most villages and hamlets in Russia, Vyatskoye has not collapsed, but is developing. The answer, of course, lies in money.

There is a businessman in Yaroslavl, Oleg Zharov, who, according to local residents, was looking for a place for a summer residence in the vicinity of Yaroslavl. I came to Vyatskoye, fell in love with the local beauty, and decided to take on the restoration of the village. I bought an architectural monument of the 19th century - the house of honorary citizen Bogorodsky, restored it, and the dacha is ready.

7. Zharov did not stop there, and over the past few years, more than 30 semi-abandoned mansions have been restored, several museums have been opened, and a church has been restored with the businessman’s money.Ascension of Christ built in 1750.

8. There are also opponents of Zharov’s “policy”. They say he buys and restores mansions with only one goal: to sell them, and thereby become richer. And it develops everything around and ennobles it, only in order to build an elite cottage village. In any case, every year new jobs appear in the village, and abandoned architectural monuments are restored.

9. Zharov also received the state prize “For his contribution to the revival and development of traditional cultural and historical values.” He was invited to the Kremlin and seated next to Putin and Medvedev. Where Medvedev said: “How about we go, Vladimir Vladimirovich, to Vyatskoye? At least the roads will be repaired before our arrival.” .

Apparently they never made it, and part of the road from Yaroslavl to the village of Vyatskoye is a toa Yamutokanavu. This is where our short journey to the most beautiful village in Russia begins.

10. Here it is Vyatskoye, an open-air museum of Russian rural life.The main idea of ​​the museum is to present to tourists the life of the Russian village as it was several centuries ago.

11. The village is more than 500 years old in total. AND known in the history of Russia for its crafts, noisy fairs and bazaars, schismatics, “going to the people,” and talented people. For example, the sculptor A.M. Opekushin - the author of the monument to A.S. Pushkin in Moscow (on Pushkin Square), Pyotr Telushkin - the founder of “Russian mountaineering”, who alone, without insurance, repaired the wing of the angel that crowned the spire of the Peter and Paul Cathedral in St. Petersburg, the poet Nekrasov, who found images of his heroes in Vyatsky.

12. On central square a restored fire station, now a museum in the building.

10. The parking lot next to the depot is completely filled with tourists' cars. There are even guests with overseas numbers.

11. We park next to the tourist buses.

12. And along the Ukhtomka River, which flows through all of Vyatskoye, we go to get acquainted with local life.

14. On the right bank of the river there is a museum - black bathhouse.

15. One of the central streets.

16. A rickety hut.

17. Bathhouse with a swimming pool.

18. It’s hard to believe, but, a residential building. There are even satellite dishes hanging on the front side of the façade.

19. Almost destroyed temple.

22. The restoration work of the next mansion is carried out mainly by visitors from neighboring countries.

23. Fragment of a restored mansion.

24. The restored house of the photographer Kokoshkin, an architectural monument of the late 19th century. Perhaps one day the dangling wires will disappear and it will look really good.

25. One of the most beautiful buildings in the village of Vyatskoye. Inside Museum of Russian Entrepreneurship, or “The History of a Village That Wanted to Become a City...”.

26. On the third floor The museum has a large exhibition of household items.

27. On the second floor the most large collection musical instruments and caskets in Europe, many of which are still in use. The collection, as we were told at the museums, belongs to Zharov.

29. Organola.

30. Punched tapes for organola. And here it’s worth retelling what the museums told us.

In the old days, when a girl was married off, it was important what kind of hearing she had. And if the betrothed had problems with this, then before playing a piece of music for her future husband, a punched tape was inserted into the organola. The girl could only press the pedal and imitate playing the keys. The music sounds beautiful, the groom is happy, everyone is happy.

Maybe it's just a story, but it was told convincingly.

31. We will consider the savings bank branch to be the ugliest building in the village, if this booth can be called a building. By the way, speaking of Sberbank, 3 days ago we closed our mortgage! We accept congratulations. Maybe one day I’ll even write about what it was like to live under the yoke of Sberbank.

32. Russian Post Office.

33. Fragment of a restored architectural monument. Everything was done quite well, even the smallest elements of stucco were preserved and restored.

34. From the yard this house looks much sadder. Perhaps it means that no one will set foot in the yard.

35. Outskirts of the village.

36. A neighboring village, and a country road home.

p.s. Perhaps some information about businessman Zharov, and about the village of Vyatskoye, in some places does not correspond to reality. As they say, what you bought for is what you sold for. In general, the businessman is a great guy, he is developing his native land. After all, as practice shows, most of our rich people buy villas abroad, apartments in Dubai, and go live overseas.

What is impossible to complain about in Russia, even if one wants to, is the lack of beautiful settlements. In this regard, the space is limitless: here and historical monuments, and wonderful landscapes, and extreme naturalness, and even modern architectural finds. Let's talk about ten most picturesque villages in Russia(we present them in conditional order, since we would not like to distribute them by place, compiling the top 10).

Vyatskoe


This village, which invariably appears on all lists and ratings, hardly needs any introduction; it is enough to point out the fact that there are ten museums in the settlement, a colossal number of pre-revolutionary buildings. Nature is also conducive to relaxation and study: Vyatskoye is “framed” on all sides by rivers and valleys. This is an ideal option for those travelers who do not like to give up comfort: there are three hotels, a restaurant, and a cinema.

Kinerma



Getting here is not easy: the village is located in Karelia. Structure - seventeen structures, ten of which belong to architectural monuments. In the center you can see the cemetery from Catherine's times; there is also a restored chapel. There is a black bath, a well, a barn; not without a small and already quite modern hotel.

Kosmozero



The wonderful location of the lake, which has a unique shape (similar to a river), determines the popularity of the settlement. Hayfields, ancient huts, courtyards and, of course, the mesmerizing tented Assumption Church (built in 1720) - this is what appears before the eyes of those who arrive in the village.

Staraya Ladoga



Speaking about the oldest villages in Russia, it is impossible to omit old Ladoga- a settlement whose history began more than a thousand years ago. Although not many people live here today, once upon a time the path “from the Varangians to the Greeks” began in this place (it was one of largest settlements in Ancient Rus').

Yasnaya Polyana



A trip to Yasnaya Polyana is recommended not only for those who are partial to the classics of critical realism and connoisseurs of Leo Tolstoy’s novels, but also for everyone who appreciates the combination of natural naturalness and architectural grace. Being discreet, the village amazes the imagination precisely with its laconicism. Among the attractions: the writer's house, the remains of a greenhouse, the Middle Pond, and a park.

Nikolo-Lenivets



Initially, the settlement did not stand out in any way: it seemed that Nikolo-Lenivets was another of the gradually desolate villages in Russia. However, through the efforts of Vasily Shchetinin, a famous architect-enthusiast, who appeared here, it turned into a real creative gallery of folk art. What is most striking is the fact that absolutely everything here is made by hand.

Tarbagatai



There are many wonderful villages in Buryatia (among the famous ones: Desyatnikovo, Bolshoi Kunaley, Atsagat); the most famous of them is Varbagatai, which is located fifty-two kilometers from Ulan-Ude. Founded in the 18th century, the settlement at one time served as the home of the Old Believers; You can still see the buildings they erected here, distinguished by their colorful colors, wonderful fences and unusual shutters.

Chamerevo



The village boasts rich history: Once upon a time the family of the writer Griboyedov lived here (and Alexander Sergeevich himself as a child), Ivan the Terrible also came here. Also in the village there is the holy spring of Alexander Nevsky. The panoramic landscapes around and the well-groomed village itself make this place one of the most interesting for Russian travelers.

Vorzogory



The village is located right on the shore White Sea and traces its history back to the 16th century. It was already known then: wooden ships were built here for the monks of the Solovetsky Monastery. In the village itself you can see the wooden temple of Zosima and Savvaty Solovetsky (erected in the mid-19th century) and the “wooden tee”, consisting of St. Nicholas Church (17th century), Vvedenskaya Church (late 18th century) and a bell tower (18th century) .

Oshevensky Pogost



You shouldn’t be afraid of the name: the village of Pogost, which is also called Oshevensky Pogost, has been a wonderful place and one of the most beautiful villages in Russia for several centuries. Here is the monastery of St. Alexander Oshevensky, the Church of the Epiphany (18th century), a bell tower, and Popov’s house-yard.