An endless ribbon of Russian roads winds under the wheels, and along it, appearing and disappearing, Russian villages stretch. Villages are almost disappearing, having lost their originality and hospitality. Somewhere they look at you with empty windows, somewhere they gape with ashes, somewhere they bristle with high hopeless fences. Like abandoned old people with no one to help. My heart sank as I looked at them. Where did the open carved shutters, willow wattle and good-natured grandmothers on the mound disappear?

For real beautiful villages in Russia there are not very many left, they are painstakingly collected and numbered by specialists of historical and security organizations in order to carefully preserve the remaining crumbs. Today in the list of "not yet lost" there will be a little more than a dozen. Each of them is interesting in terms of history, architecture, traditional way of life. Each will leave a mark in the heart after visiting.

So, the most beautiful villages in Russia:

The most colorful villages

Desyatnikovo village. Buryatia. The first mention is 1746.

Desyatnikovo village consists of five streets.

Currently, 778 people live in the village of Desyatnikovo.

The village of Desyatnikovo is located near the Selenga River.

Atsagat village. 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 Kuytunka 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 "khunilla", which in 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 similar at all, there are four villages in Buryatia at once, located approximately at the same distance to the east and south of Ulan-Ude.Desyatnikovo, Atsagat, Tarbagatai and Bolshoi Kunaley. Almost all the buildings in these villages are painted on the outside with bright colors: red, orange and blue, and the interior walls, furniture and even ceilings are painted even brighter. Such traditional decoration was very typical for wealthy peasant houses. No less striking are the traditional folk costumes, it seems that the most cheerful people in the world live in these villages, who do not want to part with their childhood. Meanwhiletraditional culture of Tarbagatai villageIt has been 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 erected here, which brought up more than one generation of lamas. And local herbs can be found even in the atlases of Tibetan medicine.

The oldest villages

Village Staraya Ladoga founded in 753.

Until 1703, Ladoga was a city.

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

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

Afanasievskaya Church in Varzuga.

Temple of the Dormition Holy Mother of God in Varzuga.

The main source of income for the local population at all times was the sale of salmon caught in the Varzuga River.

Perhaps it is the harsh northern weather, frosts and winds and ice, contributed to the fact thatthe most ancient villages in Russiaare located in the northwest, in the Leningrad and Murmansk regions: Staraya Ladoga and Varzuga. Let's not argue who is older than them, let's leave it to specialists, the history of both of them has 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 Russia ruled here. She was the biggest shopping mall even before Novgorod, and the walls of its fortress were stormed by the Swedes. She 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. Its main decorations are wooden churches, of which there are as many as five built here, built without a single nail, like many religious buildings of northern masters. Here wasPatriarchal House Solovetsky Monastery therefore, the lands and springs around are holy. And the main craft of the locals was salmon fishing and pearl mining, which gave birth to the Varzuga River.

The harshest villages

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

The village got its name from the Teriberka river 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 did not have a road connection and it was possible to get there either by sea or by helicopter.

The village of Esso got its name in 1932.

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

The village of Esso is called "Kamchatka Switzerland".

Every year in March, international racing starts from the village. dog sledding"Beringia".

Harsh not because of the characters of the locals, but because they are located in such places that it is not clear how people can live here at all, and even build such beautiful villages. They are scattered on the two extreme sides of our country: on the Barents Sea and Esso on the . Teriberka appeared on Kola Peninsula back in the 16th century, but became very famous only now, after Filming "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 by nature, because most of the infrastructure is abandoned and in a very deplorable state. It is the combination of the decline of civilization against the backdrop of harsh landscapes that makes this place eerily beautiful. On the contrary, the village of Esso is full of health in the middle of the snowy Kamchatka, because it is surrounded on all sides by hot thermal springs. Happy people live here who even manage to grow grapes in such a climate. And from here starts every year the most famous dog sled race.

The very first and the very last village

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.

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

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

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

The first mention of Kinerma dates back to 1563.

In one of the books, the village is called Samson's Seat. According to the scribe books, there were four households in the village at that time.

Kinerma was ruined twice during the wars of Russia with Sweden and Poland.

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

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

I'm tired of something from the city. And he decided to live in the countryside. Moreover, the profession allows: a guide of ecological tours. The village was chosen immediately. Preobrazhenovka is called, and is located in the Dobrovsky district of the Lipetsk region. Surrounded by a large forest. Exactly what I need for my tours. In general, I always wanted to live in the forest. I even wrote an essay about it: http://www.proza.ru/2015/11/20/1277. Well, I thought about comfort ... And in Preobrazhenovka: asphalt on all streets, sidewalks, flower beds everywhere, a swimming pool, an artificial grass field for football and tennis, shops, a well-maintained beach on the pond, Wi-Fi ... No worse than the city ! And you don’t have to go anywhere, everything is accessible on foot. And - a little more than a hundred inhabitants in total in the village! Small, cozy. Simply heaven! By the way, for 5 consecutive years (!) in the federal competition, Preobrazhenovka was recognized as the most comfortable rural settlement in Russia. I am building a house on its forest edge. And I invite you to live in our village! Here is my photo essay about her. (Photo - the author, and some taken from the site of the village http://preobrazhenovka.rf).

Transfiguration School. It is also among the best in the country: both in terms of equipment and in terms of the quality of education. There are only 5-6 students per class. Quality and from this, perhaps! :)

Administration building of Preobrazhenovka. October, the leaves from the birches flew around, and we have flowers!

And this is a summer composition. There are many such people on the streets of Preobrazhenovka.

Local pool. I managed to pick up a good background for it. :)

Football field on the background of the school.

One of the angles of the village center. On the right - the building of the cultural and sports complex, with a hotel for tourists.

Beach near the local pond.

Church under construction.

View of the shops of Preobrazhenovka.
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8 beautiful villages in Russia

Pomor settlements in the Arkhangelsk region, Old Believer villages in Buryatia, a merchant village in the Yaroslavl region ... We selected 8 Russian villages with beautiful scenery, original museums and architectural monuments. Let's go to virtual journey and #have a restinRussia.

1. Vorzogory, Arkhangelsk region

In Vorzogory there is a wooden temple of Zosima and Savvaty of Solovetsky of 1850. There is also a unique monument here - a wooden tee, the only one that has survived, which is located right on the seashore. It consists of the Nikolskaya Church (1636), the Vvedenskaya Church (1793) and the bell tower (XVIII century). In past centuries, such architectural ensembles on the seashore they met quite often, but today all, except for Vorzogorsky, are destroyed. Monuments of wooden architecture and picturesque sea sunsets attract travelers and artists to Vorzogory.

Vorzogory village

Vorzogory village. View of the White Sea

Vorzogory village

2. Vyatskoye, Yaroslavl region *

The village of Vyatskoye in the Yaroslavl region was founded in 1502. Not only farmers, but also merchants lived here. Vyatskoye developed rapidly and by the beginning of the 19th century resembled a small town with cobbled streets, wooden and stone mansions, and churches.

Today there are 10 museums in Vyatka. In the House of Merchant Gorokhov, visitors will be offered to work in a merchant's shop and pickle vegetables according to a 19th-century recipe. The Polytechnical Museum "The Wonderful World of Mechanisms and Machines" will teach guests how to create an engraving on a special machine of the century before last, and the largest collection of children's toys in Russia will be shown in the "Children's World". The village even has its own amusement park: swings and carousels are recreated according to old drawings.

Vyatskoye village

Vyatskoe village. Museum "Children's World"

Vyatskoye village

3. Kiltz, Arkhangelsk region

"Izbyanoe kingdom" - the village of Kiltsa, Arkhangelsk region - was first mentioned in the Russian census of 1623. Each house in Kielce is decorated with carved balconies, patterned architraves or figured skates on the roofs.

Kielce is famous for its votive crosses: earlier locals installed them "as promised". Crosses could remind of a happy event - healing from a serious illness or the birth of a child. Sometimes they were installed in memory of adversity - lean years or floods. It was believed that the crosses protect the locals from harm. They brought fabric panels, scarves, towels to the crosses. The most famous cross stands at the entrance to the village.

Village of Kielce

Village of Kielce

Village of Kielce

4. Kimzha, Arkhangelsk region

Traditional rituals are still observed in Pogost. Before the wedding, salted cookies are baked: it is believed that it brings prosperity to the family. Local residents also teach tourists how to cook ritual dishes, spin on old spinning wheels and use a broom correctly in a Russian bath. Tours are offered to guests architectural monuments.

* Member of the Association of the most beautiful villages in Russia

Village Oshevensky Pogost

Village Oshevensky Pogost

Village Oshevensky Pogost

The post-Soviet years of our country had a negative impact on the development of the Russian hinterland: most of the population of the villages moved to the city, the infrastructure did not develop, as a result of which many rural districts gradually faded, and some completely ceased to exist and be mapped. But others have found a way out of a difficult situation and today they delight the eye with their close-knit teams of local residents and picturesque nature.

In 2014, a special association was even formed, the main activity of which was the most beautiful villages in Russia. Any settlement, the number of inhabitants of which does not exceed two thousand people, can take part in the competition held by the association. They are evaluated according to the level of significance, external aesthetic appearance, preservation of natural attractions, landscape features. On the this moment more than 10 villages meet the requirements of the association and are ready to receive the coveted status.

The village of Vyatskoe, located in the Yaroslavl region, was officially recognized on October 15 as the owner of the title of the most beautiful village. Now installed here commemorative sign, notifying all guests of such a high rank. So far, this is the only village that has been awarded this status, although 20 villages are already on the waiting list to join the Association.

Visitors are greeted here by barrels that form a pyramid. Such a greeting, apparently, immediately wants to draw the attention of the tourist to the fact that during the existence of the Soviet Union, Vyatskoye was famous for its cucumbers, which it supplied to many cities of our country. The cucumber shop is now being restored, however, not to resume production, but to turn it into a tourist attraction.

The collapse of the USSR turned the village from a millionaire collective farm into an ordinary village, the economy of which fell sharply into decline. For decades, there was nothing attractive here, until entrepreneur Oleg Zharov bought an old 19th-century mansion and brought it into proper condition. Then he restored other houses, which marked the beginning of the revival of the village.

The number of inhabitants of the modern locality Vyatskoye does not exceed 500 people, however, about 100 thousand guests visit it every year. The infrastructure of the village corresponds to the title of the most beautiful village: in the very center there is a large comfortable parking lot, next to which there is a map of the area and attractions. Numerous original museums also attract tourists, including the Russian Black Sauna, the Museum of Russian Fun and many others. In the near future, it is planned to open museums of needlework and brewing, as well as a zoo.

But the main highlight of Vyatsky is the Church of the Ascension of Christ, renovated and of special religious value. Since the destruction of churches by atheists, the remains of the Cathedral of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary have been buried here, for the restoration of which money is collected everywhere. According to the residents themselves, the collection is progressing very quickly and restoration will begin soon.

The village of Desyatnikovo was once the family nest of the Chistyakov family, who, according to legend, did not allow the settlers to live in it, and they had to stay by the rock on the Selenga River. On those slopes they sowed wheat, maintained a subsidiary farm, and even built a chapel. The village itself is located in the southeast of the Tarbagatai district of the Buryat Autonomous Okrug.

The population of Desyatnikovo is 778 people, there are only five streets, but the federal highway Moscow - Vladivostok passes through them. Absolutely all the houses in the village are painted in the same style: they are very bright, lively, and create an atmosphere of an exotic place. The nature of the village is also pleasing to the eye, which combines hills blooming with greenery, crystal clear blue skies and endless expanses. Local residents do their best to take care of the environment, while not forgetting their own customs and traditions, so Desyatnikovo is one of the contenders for joining the Association of the most beautiful villages in Russia.

Big Kunaley was founded at the beginning of the 18th century and since then has become famous among the people for the scale of the holidays celebrated by its population. The village is located on the banks of the Kunaleyka River in Buryatia, the number of its inhabitants is slightly more than a thousand. All the yards here are decorated in the traditional style: the houses are painted with patterns, decorated with carved platbands, colorful elements on the gates, well-groomed trees, shrubs, flowers everywhere. All this instantly plunges visitors into a warm, friendly atmosphere in which people live in harmony with nature. Kunalei people carefully keep order on the streets, which always remain clean and pleasant to look at.

The village of Zhukovka is located on the right bank of the Moskva River near the Barvikha district and is considered one of the most popular places for summer cottages. It was formed in the 1920s on the basis of the ancient settlement of Lutsk, which was constantly flooded during the flood.

At the time of the 1989 census, 527 people lived in Zhukovka in 219 households. Today, these are not just courtyards, but real fashionable quarters with exclusive clothing boutiques and mansions worth hundreds of millions of rubles. Appearance The village was worked out to the smallest detail by the designer-architect Grigoryan, who turned it into a favorite corner of very wealthy Muscovites.

The village of Srostki is the small homeland of Vasily Shukshin, an outstanding cultural figure of our country, which is located on the coast of the Katun River Altai Territory. It was founded in 1840, although according to some written sources the settlement has existed since 1753. Splices got their name because of the river flowing nearby, which breaks into small branches, connecting into one stream only near the village.

Much attention is paid to the famous native of the village, Vasily Shukshin. Monuments of a famous person, located both in the village itself and on the nearby Mount Becket, constitute the main local attraction. Mount Becket is also called Piket, and it offers incredibly picturesque views of the village, the Katun River and the surrounding nature. Tourists are invited to visit the Church of the Great Martyr Catherine, erected on the remains of an old prayer house in 2009, or visit the monuments to the heroes of the Great Patriotic War and partisan soldiers.

The village of Srostki is also of historical value: a 295-meter hill, located in its vicinity, was recognized as a protected monument of archeology, since burials from the 8th-9th centuries were found on its territory, as well as a site of ancient people from the Paleolithic era. The collected treasures in the form of weapons, money and all kinds of jewelry were transferred to the most visited museums in our country.

On July 25, every year Mount Becket hosts guests of the Shukshin Readings festival, dedicated to the great cultural figure. Participation is accepted by creative works related to those industries in which he became famous, and not only: literary works, acting, art etc. The best works are awarded the Shukshin Prize. The festival is necessarily visited by famous artists, writers and poets, artists.

Residents of Kinerma village, recognized in 2016 the most beautiful village in Russia, came out with a demand to limit the number of tourists due to the inability to receive everyone, said the head of the Ministry of Culture of Karelia, Alexei Lesonen.

Residents of a Karelian village have requested that the road sign be periodically covered to limit the number of incoming tourists, which exceeds its recreational capacity.

Created in 2016 Association of the most beautiful villages Russian Federation , wishing to popularize rural tourism, at the beginning of the summer replenished with a 3rd participant. Following the Yaroslavl village of Vyatskoye and the Arkhangelsk Pogost, the Karelian Kinerma entered it.

A small village, where only 5 people live permanently, is located 105 kilometers from the city of Petrozavodsk and 1000 kilometers from the capital of Russia.

The first mention of the village of Kinerme dates back to 1563. Today, 16 houses have been preserved there, 6 of which are considered architectural monuments.

5 people live permanently in the village: the Kalmykov family and their neighbor Ivan Alekseevich Ershov, who exchanged his 9th decade.

In summer, the population of Kinerma increases to 22 people: those who prefer life in the city to rural silence and regularity come.

Today Kinerma lives off tourism. The revival of the village began in the 2000s after the creation of the Friends of Kinnerma Foundation (Kinnermäen ystävät). The founders are neighbors from Finland, they also helped with the restoration of houses, the creation of a museum and taught the Kalmykovs the tricks of the tourism business.

Now the village can simultaneously receive several dozen tourists. The cost of living is 2,500 rubles per person, including three meals a day. It is prepared by Kinerma's keeper Nadezhda Kalmykova.

Despite the fact that locals try to preserve the authenticity of the village, for tourists here create all possible conditions. AT guest house, where the museum of the village is located, there is a modern bathroom, as well as a shower. Those wishing to feel the village life can spend the evening in the "black" bathhouse.

Nadezhda Kalmykova with her husband and two sons moved to the village from Petrozavodsk ten years ago. An ordinary city dweller, a culturologist - as Nadezhda herself says, "a representative of a generation torn from the village," she realized that children are better raised in the countryside. Today, her 13-year-old son Ivan from Kinerma does not want to leave, he prefers fishing trips to the Internet, but he admits that he still sometimes likes to play with his brother on a computer console.

During excursions around the village, son Ivan - winner of the republic in the Karelian language- Attentive to details, happy to talk about village life, show how a Russian stove works, and help mom prepare delicious Ivan-tea.

Located in the heart of Kinerma. She is over 250 years old. Services here are held only once a year - on August 10, the day of the celebration of the Smolensk Icon of the Mother of God.

On other days, you can get here, as well as other non-residential buildings, only with a guide - someone from the Kalmykov family.

The lack of benefits of civilization is compensated by ingenuity.

In addition to receiving tourists, the Kalmykov family is engaged in agriculture. Living in the village and eating food from the store is not serious.

There are several living rooms in the Kalmykovs' hut. There is also a large dining room for tourists, where everyone gathers for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

The name of the oldest Karelian village consists of two words: "kiner" - a gentle slope, and "myaki" - a mountain, which clearly describe the location.