Where to stay at the lake svetlyar. Lake Svetloyar - a holy place in the Nizhny Novgorod region

One of the most amazing places on the planet, Lake Svetloyar, is located near Nizhny Novgorod, near the village of Vladimirskoe. It is famous for the ancient legend of the city of Kitezh, which, according to legend, was located at the bottom of the spring. The name Svetloyar is translated from Old Slavic as "light" or "righteous", and a particle "Yar" is part of the name of the ancient Slavic god Yarila. The natural monument is planned to become one of the cultural sites in the future.

Lake Svetloyar - a legend

The legend of the city of Kitezh is somewhat reminiscent of the ancient legend of Atlantis. The ancient myth about Lake Svetloyar says that under its waters still lies a mystical city built by the Grand Duke George, which sank during the invasion of Khan Batu in Russia in the 13th century. The legend says that the cruel ruler, who had already conquered many settlements, heard about the rich and beautiful ancient land, which was famous all over the world, and immediately wanted to conquer Kitezh.

For a long time the horde could not find mysterious city, but one of the prisoners of war, former resident Kitezh, let the enemies out that there is a secret path through which you can get to the settlement. When the Tatar-Mongol army finally approached Kitezh-grad, the khan and his soldiers were surprised that there were no fortifications and walls in front of him. Baty was delighted, believing that the victory would be easy, but that was not the case: as soon as the army came close to the city, many high-water springs gushed out of the ground, the Tatars were frightened, they had to retreat, and the water still continued to gush with huge fountains. Finally, its streams dried up, and it became clear that the city almost completely disappeared under water. The legend says that there was no water in Kitezh itself, and it only helped the settlement to escape from the enemy's attack, and not one of the townspeople was injured. God saved the inhabitants of Kitezh-grad for their pious life and faith, and the place where the ancient settlement was located began to be considered sacred.

Nowadays, many people still believe in this ancient legend about the lake. Every year, dozens of Orthodox tourists come to the place where they went under the water. ancient city to hear the ghostly ringing of its bells, which is said to be still sometimes heard near the lake. Locals living near this mysterious place, in all seriousness tell pilgrims and journalists who come there that they often witness all kinds of strange incidents and unexplained phenomena. Some people see people in old-fashioned clothes who shop and pay not with modern currency, but with old coins made of copper. On the lake you can also see the outlines of the walls of sunken temples and transparent walls of monasteries. All these unusual phenomena suggest that Lake Svetloyar is a kind of portal that opens the way to a parallel world.

There is an opinion that the city, which has sunk to the bottom of Lake Svetloyar, was not built on this site for nothing, because our ancestors have long built temples and settled where there was a powerful source of positive, light energy. The pilgrims who made a journey to this wonderful place claim that they have completely got rid of the headaches, high blood pressure, rheumatism and other diseases that tormented them. Local youth have a belief that if they walk around Svetloyar three times and make a wish, it has every chance of coming true in the near future.

Natural features of the lake

Lake Svetloyar - a legend , dating back to antiquity, and one of the most unique nature reserves in our country. This legendary reservoir has one extraordinary property: although the lake is very deep, its waters always remain clean, and the bottom is never overgrown with mud and algae. The water collected in the lake can be stored in any container for many years, while it remains transparent and clean.

Excursions to the lake

The reserve houses the Kitezh Historical and Art Museum, where master classes on ancient crafts are held for all comers, a ceramics museum and the ancient church of the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God, made entirely of wood. You can get to Svetloyar by bus, the lake is open for excursions every day.

One of the most beautiful reservoirs in the world is Lake Svetloyar. The Nizhny Novgorod region can rightfully be proud of this natural site. It is located in the Trans-Volga region, about one hundred and thirty kilometers from the regional center and one kilometer from the village of Vladimirskoye, Voskresensky district.

This reservoir is the seventh wonder of the Volga region, as well as a natural monument of federal significance.

Peculiarities

Lake Svetloyar is a deep depression with two encircling terraces at depths of seven and twenty meters, respectively. The upper terrace contains the remains of the once growing coniferous forest.

Lake Svetloyar of Nizhny Novgorod has an oval shape with dimensions of five hundred by three hundred meters, is located at an altitude of more than one hundred meters above sea level and has a maximum depth of forty meters. The clean and transparent water of the lake is due to the presence of bottom springs. The reservoir, which has an area of ​​twelve hectares, is never overgrown with mud.

Lake Svetloyar of Nizhny Novgorod has its counterpart, located near the village of Ozernoye. It has a similar shape, great depth and the same water level as Svetloyar due to their connection with groundwater.

The unusual nature of the lake is manifested in its hydrochemical characteristics. The water taken from it is stored for years without losing its purity and taste. Due to the transparency of the water, springs flowing from the bottom of the lake can be observed even from the shore. Unfortunately, the area of ​​the lake has recently begun to decrease, and over the past half century it has decreased by four hectares. Due to the change in the flow regime, the vegetation in the coastal zone changed: meadow plants were replaced by bog plants, which indicates a slowdown in the flow of lake waters. Swampiness caused the drying up of some tree species.

The origin of the lake

Lake Svetloyar still keeps the secret of its appearance. At the very beginning of the twentieth century, a version of its volcanic origin was put forward. Later, suggestions were made of meteorite, neotectonic, glacial, karst and other versions of the appearance of this amazing reservoir. At the beginning of the twenty-first century, the result of a study of the hypothesis of a cosmic, namely, meteoric origin of the lake was published. Convincing facts also speak in her favor:

  • geological structure;
  • the correct shape of the lake;
  • great depth due to the strong impact of the meteorite on the ground;
  • fused rock;
  • the presence of a glassy black mass as evidence of high temperatures;
  • structure of nearby hills.

Due to the complexity of the bottom relief structure, a version of the neotectonic origin of the lake was considered. According to this theory, the central basin was formed one thousand two hundred years ago. At first it was a small lake up to twenty meters deep. When the lower terrace sank into the water seven hundred years ago, the lake acquired its present form.

Story

The history of Lake Svetloyar is vague and mysterious. It was formed during the Ice Age. However, the great glaciation did not reach Svetloyar, while all the lakes that were in these parts turned into peat deposits.

The first written historical document appeared at the turn of the 17th and 18th centuries among the Old Believers. It was called the "Kitezh Chronicler". This is a book about a saint, since the founder of Kitezh, Prince Georgy Vsevolodovich, is canonized.

Legends and wonders

Full of secrets and mysteries, it was called in ancient times a little differently - the holy lake Svetloyar. This is a kind of Russian Atlantis that went under water, leaving behind a legend about the city of Kitezh.

Old Believers said that in ancient times, Prince Yuri Vsevolodovich built a city on the Volga, called Small Kitezh. Later, the prince, seeing Lake Svetloyar, ordered the construction of the city of Great Kitezh on its banks. Three years later, a stone city with many Orthodox churches grew up.

When the armada of Khan Batu captured Small Kitezh, the prince with the remnants of his squad had to hide in the forests near Big Kitezh, waging an unequal battle with the invaders. After a series of betrayals, Batu Khan entered Greater Kitezh through the city gates, which, with battles, could not defend the three Russian heroes who were on patrol, blocking the enemy's path. At the place of their death, the Kibelek spring now beats.

After the death of the prince and the impossibility of protecting the city, the inhabitants of Kitezh turned to prayer to the Lord in order to avoid enslavement and abuse. And at the time when Khan Batu went on the offensive, water springs were clogged from the bowels of the earth, flooding the city. The Mongol-Tatars retreated, and the city of Kitezh went under water.

And now, they say, in calm weather, righteous people hear bells ringing and human voices from the depths of Svetloyar. Sometimes domes of churches and monasteries were seen in the waters of the lake. The legend of the sunken city of Kitezh was a tool for paintings by artists such as Roerich, Nesterov, Vasnetsov. Prishvin, Korolenko, Rimsky-Korsakov, Melnikov-Pechersky, Korovin, Glazunov wrote about Svetoyar. Nowadays, the lake is an object of scientific research.

There were recorded inexplicable miraculous cases of cancer patients' recovery.

According to psychics, this is a place that draws energy from space.

During wars, the prayers of mothers and wives helped the sons and husbands who were fighting at the front to stay alive.

Before the baptism of Rus, a tribe of Berendeys lived in the area of ​​the lake. In those days, there were numerous islands on the island, where the center of the cult of the god Yarila was. During the adoption of Christianity, by the will of Christ, the bottom of Svetloyar opened, and the pagan temples were hidden by water.

The value of Lake Svetloyar

Home to numerous species of animals and plants, the lake has a certain scientific value. Protected plant species grow on its shore:

  • fescue reed;
  • longest pond;
  • the capsule is yellow;
  • Lesel's orchid;
  • Lapland willow;
  • tundra bush;
  • sundew English.

Planktonic organisms that cleanse the reservoir inhabit Lake Svetloyar.

The Nizhny Novgorod region is the habitat of the water desman. You can find this rare animal in the vicinity of the reservoir.

Modern status

Since 1965, Lake Svetloyar, whose photos do not leave the pages of newspapers and magazines, has become a natural monument. It received federal status in 1997. V Nizhny Novgorod region it is the only monument of this status.

The protected area of ​​the lake is an associative type of landscape that preserves the memory of world historical events and personalities with whom history is associated. The body of water is an object and cultural landscape... Lake Svetloyar keeps legends, myths, living traditions of the people.

Concept

As a project, the authorities of the Nizhny Novgorod region adopted the concept of socio-economic development of the territory of the Vladimir administration, where natural monument- Lake Svetloyar, reviews of which have spread throughout Russia. The very same ideology of the concept is that Svetloyar is the holy place of the Russian Land. But the fundamental goal is to revive the Russian countryside as a spiritual and social hotbed of self-development and self-preservation.

In 1998, a bridge was built across an asphalt road for the natural flow of the lake's waters. Previously, a dam with a pipe blocked the flow from the lake into the Lundu River.

Role in public life

Each hill of the lake has its own purpose and name, for example:

  • Annunciation Hill is a dais on which there is a church in honor of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God.
  • Dormition Hill, where the Church of the Dormition of the Most Holy Theotokos is located.

In 2004, the conciliar prayers of the Old Believers resumed on the Assumption Hill. At different times, people came to the lake, different in their religious beliefs: Baptists, warlocks, Old Believers, Orthodox Christians, Tolstoyans. They were united by one goal: striving for Kitezh. Reviews of believers about this holy place are impressive in their sincerity. Many people note the healing properties of consecrated water, coupled with fervent prayer.

How to get to Lake Svetloyar

So, you have decided to visit Lake Svetloyar. How to get from Nizhny Novgorod?

  • By car: we drive about 120 kilometers along the Novgorod-Kirov highway to the village of Bokovaya, where, turning right, we reach the village of Vladimirskoye. After driving through the whole village to the parking lot, we walk 700 meters to the lake.
  • By train: going by train " Nizhny Novgorod- Semyonov "to Semyonov, after which by bus" Semenov - Voskresenskoe "we get to Vladimirsky.
  • By bus: we go from the bus station "Kanavinskaya" by the route "Novgorod - Voskresenskoe". We leave at Vladimirsky. The driving time is 2 hours.

The route "Svetloyar (lake) - Nizhny Novgorod" is similar.

I love to visit mysterious places, rich in legends, with a strong energy. Therefore, at the first opportunity to visit Svetloyar and take a walk at the Ivan Kupala holiday, I went there, taking a couple of faithful friends.

How to get to Svetloyar

This fabulous lake is located in the usual village of Vladimirskoye, in the Voskresensky district of the Nizhny Novgorod region. We got there for several hours. First, we traveled for 1.5 hours by train from Nizhny Novgorod to Semyonov station. Then - by bus to Vladimirsky. The bus station is located near railway station... Buses run on schedule, but we didn't have to wait long. It takes about an hour to drive from the bus station to the village.

How is the holiday

During the holidays, Vladimirskoe turns into a tourist center. Hotels are overcrowded, crowds of people on the streets, cars with numbers from different regions of the country rush to the reserve.

We were sheltered by acquaintances of my friend. Without wasting time, we changed our clothes and hurried to the holiday. The wardrobe was thought out in advance and corresponded to the ethnic style: long skirts, blouses with embroidery. Our image fueled the feeling of a coming fairy tale.

A birch alley leads from the village to the lake. On it on holidays, they sell pottery, national costumes, jewelry, honey, toys, and also teach those who wish to minting coins and pottery. Ahead we saw people who, gathered in a small group, were looking at something with interest. Strange singing and music came from the crowd. It turned out that they were looking at the Hare Krishnas dancing in a circle, who were distributing sweets to onlookers to their songs. It is still a mystery to me what purpose the representatives of this religion pursue on Svetloyar on the holiday of Kupala. It is interesting that on this night Orthodoxy, paganism and even Hare Krishnas are intertwined here.

The fact is that according to legend, a long time ago on the site of the lake was the city of Kitezh, whose inhabitants were very bright people. They worshiped the sun god Yarila. Khan Batu from the Tatar horde, having heard about the rich decoration of the churches of Kitezh, decided to plunder the city. The townspeople had no weapons except prayer. When the Tatar khan approached the gates of the city, the inhabitants, who had no weapons except prayer, began to fervently pray for salvation. And at the moment when Batu decided to storm the fortress, Kitezh disappeared, leaving a round lake in its place ...

On the eve of the Kupala night, the village honors the icon of the Vladimir Mother of God. Most likely, that is why pagan rituals are harmoniously interwoven into the Christian festival, creating a unique atmosphere of a fairy tale. Perhaps this unity and feeling of goodness attracts representatives of other religions here. Everyone wants to join the miracle.

Hello, Svetloyar!

For these reflections, we reached the lake itself. The tents covered the banks tightly. Someone sat right on the grass under umbrellas. Swimming is prohibited here, but it didn't stop anyone. Some played ball in the water, dived, swam. Others, according to the Orthodox custom, went into the water, were baptized and dipped three times. To be honest, the totality of it all looked ridiculous.

As soon as we went to the lake, I caught my eye wooden church on a hill. Someone told me that it was made without a single nail. Services are held in it to this day. The legs went there by themselves. Near it there are two stones surrounded by candles. On the first stone, a depression is clearly visible, like the trace of a heel. It is believed that the Mother of God stepped on this stone. Now he fulfills any desires. And the second stone is able to heal.

From the hill we had a stunning view: the glare of the evening dawn was reflected in the lake, round like a saucer. A thick fog descended on the water, assuming bizarre shapes. It seemed as if human figures were walking on the water surface. I involuntarily recalled the inhabitants of Kitezh. Aren't they watching us, joining the common holiday?

Before the onset of the Kupala night, each unmarried girl weaves a wreath for herself. Here, not only girls, but also girls, grandmothers and even some men adorned themselves with them. There was a huge chamomile field not far away, so it was these flowers that adorned most of the heads. My friends and I also decided to keep up with tradition.

In addition, at the end of the holiday, the wreath was important in the ritual for a happy marriage. Taking pity on the daisies, we made wreaths of various weed vegetation. It turned out shaggy and funny!

Religious procession - the culmination of the holiday

All day long folklore groups performed on the bank of Svetloyar. Towards evening, a gate decorated with ribbons and flowers was installed. When it got completely dark, preparations began for the culmination of the holiday - a procession of the cross around the lake. The priest served a small service and everyone lined up behind him with candles in their hands. Exactly at midnight, accompanied by the ringing of bells, the procession began around the lake.

They say that if you go around the lake with prayer and ask for something good, then it will definitely come true. Local residents said that during the war, those women who crawled around the lake on their knees three times met their husbands and sons alive. And now people in complete silence bypassed Svetloyar. Everyone was thinking about their dream. From the heights of the hills, the lake seemed to be surrounded by a chain of fireflies. A beautiful and unforgettable sight - an endless string of lights! We bought thick wax homemade candles from a local grandmother. Burning, they exuded the sweet smell of honey.

During the detour, only candles lit the road. It was a little scary to walk, sometimes it seemed that I was treading along a narrow path, and around a dark abyss. I glared at the back of the neighbor in front, so as not to stumble. We walked around the lake for about an hour. After that we decided to go in search of a fern. They say that on this night he blooms and having found him, a person acquires unique abilities: he understands the speech of animals and birds, and all the treasures themselves open before him. But all evil spirits will interfere with finding the cherished flower.

Having moved a short distance from each other, so as not to get lost, we went through the forest with candles. It was scary. Our search was completed quickly, because ahead from the bushes there was a noise and some strange ringing. We quickly huddled together and wanted to run away, when suddenly several Hare Krishnas came out at us, jingling sagats. Were they also looking for a flower?

Laughing, we returned to the lake and let our wreaths sail, hoping that they would not moor back to the shore. Otherwise, you will not see marriage as your ears. Now it was possible to return home.

Dear Batu Khan to the city of Kitezh

At dawn we went to the Kibelku spring, and on the way we looked at the lake. The promenade had long ceased, pleasant dawn freshness and silence reigned around. Here is grace! We went up to the church. Each of us made a wish at the stone of the Mother of God.

First they walked to the key in a huge chamomile field, and then through the forest. According to the legend, it was along this road that Khan Batu led his army to Kitezh. The path to Kibelka is lined with boards. A fern grows around the carpet. The feeling was that we were in a fairy tale. Just look, Baba Yaga's hut will appear. To go to the key for more than 2 km, but fatigue was not felt, the morning freshness invigorated.

Before getting some water, we visited the last attraction - the graves of the three elders. According to the legend, they tried to stop Batu, but were killed by him. It is surprising that the gravestone mounds are very long, as if these elders were extremely tall. A man was sitting at the graves. As if having read my thoughts, he said that there used to be people here whose height was about 2 m. Hence the epic heroes. He talked for a long time about the energy of this place, how to feel it and gain strength.

Having collected water on the road, we went home. In the village, they asked a local woman for the bus schedule. The woman also turned out to be talkative and, in addition to the flight schedule, told about the planet where dolphins live. On Svetloyar on the days of the holiday you constantly meet such strange people. But this is not annoying, on the contrary, it gives mystery. At parting, the woman wished us great happiness.

In conclusion, I want to say that when planning a trip to Svetloyar for the holiday of Ivan Kupala, accommodation should be booked six months in advance, otherwise there will be no places. The village has a hotel and a guest house. The price of the room ranges from 700 to 1500 rubles per day. There is a shared kitchen where you can cook. Better to go to a holiday, when it falls on weekdays, there will be fewer people.

This sight is worth seeing once in a lifetime. For those who are more interested in the energy of the place, who want to relax their souls and put their thoughts in order, it is better to visit the lake on ordinary days, calmly enjoying the beauty, be alone with yourself. You can visit the local museum, where the legends of the lake and many more interesting things will be told in detail. By the way, my wish came true. Arriving at Svetloyar and going around it, listen to the sound of the bells of the city of Kitezh from the bottom of the lake.

Have you read the story? Now you can play. We bet you won't win!


Discussion: 4 comments left.

It is located 130 km from Nizhny Novgorod, not far from the village of Vladimirskoe, in the Nizhny Novgorod Trans-Volga region, in the interfluve of the Vetluga and Kerzhenets rivers. It is recognized as a natural monument of federal significance. The lake has an oval shape (a thermonuclear explosion that wiped out another city from the face of the earth?), Small in size - about 500 meters in length and width. But at the same time it differs from neighboring lakes in its great depth, reaching 34 meters.

The water in Svetloyar is crystal clear, transparent, coming from a deep rift in its bottom. And due to the fact that the lake is fed by numerous bottom springs, the water is cold.

For several centuries, the most incredible legends and rumors have been compiled about Svetloyar. After all, how many unprecedented miracles take place on its shores and how many secrets it keeps in itself!

So, let's look at what amazes and surprises Svetloyar, what secrets and mysteries it keeps around it:

It surprises with its unusual relief forms: from a bird's eye view of the lake it looks like a round coin, and in cross section it resembles the profile of a huge diamond;

The amazing transparency of the water is striking, and the sky, trees and churches are reflected in its mirror surface. The healing properties of water are also unique;

Interesting here vegetable world: about 30 plant species grow on the shores, which in turn is not typical for this high latitude. Also here you can find such a rare type of flowers as the southern orchid;

An interesting fact is that until now, scientists have not been able to come to a unanimous opinion about the history of the emergence of Svetloyar. At different times, researchers have expressed various hypotheses of its origin: meteorite, karst, glacial, volcanic, old, cosmic. And of all the hypotheses, meteorite has been confirmed by a number of studies. Most interestingly, there are thousands of such cities around the world, in which a meteorite accidentally fell and formed a round and deep lake.

On old maps, this place was the city of Kitezh


The bottom of the Svetloyar lake. Part 1

like any strange place, then it will always be protected by the state and will turn nature Park or a nature reserve where any archaeological excavation will be prohibited.

To summarize, Lake Svetloyar Nizhny Novgorod region is one of the most beautiful places on earth, a real pearl of Russian nature. It is considered one of the most legendary and mysterious lakes in our country. And it's not for nothing that the lake is called a small Russian Atlantis! Its mystery and extraordinary beauty attract millions of tourists!

One of the most famous and mystical places in the Nizhny Novgorod region. It is located near the village of Vladimirskoe, Voskresensky district. At present, Svetloyar is a natural monument of federal significance.

The area of ​​Lake Svetloyar is about 12 hectares, length - 410 m, width - 315 m, maximum depth - about 29 m.

Legend of the city of Kitezh

Svetloyar is one of the most mysterious and legendary Russian lakes. Even scientists still have not come to a consensus on its origin. There is a famous legend about diving into a wonderful lake city ​​of Kitezh who did not surrender to the troops Khan Batu... The story inspired the artists Vasnetsov, Roerich, Nesterov, and also inspired the musician Rimsky-Korsakov to write the opera "The Legend of the Invisible City of Kitezh and the Maiden Fevronia."

According to legend, in ancient times, Grand Duke Georgy Vsevolodovich first erected Small Kitezh on the Volga, later renamed Gorodets, and then, crossing several rivers and finding near Lyunda and Svetloyar a good place, also built Kitezh Bolshoi. Kitezh-grad was very large and famous, in its center there was a six-domed church, and the inhabitants of the city flourished.

However, a tragic year came when Batu attacked Russia. In 1238, the Vladimir-Suzdal principality was ruined, and Batu Khan set up his camp on the Sit River. The forces of Prince Yuri Vsevolodovich turned out to be unequal, and after a difficult battle he retreated to Small Kitezh, which was soon taken by assault. The prince with the remnants of his army was able to hide in Bolshoy Kitezh, and the Mongols, who had captured Small Kitezh, tortured prisoners and demanded to show the way to the city. One of the residents, who could not stand the torment, agreed to lead the enemies to the city through the Volga taiga. However, Kitezh, surrounded by enemies, was not going to surrender, and people prayed to God for protection. Soon the city sank down, and the hills and lake were covered with a cap on top of it, and the Mongols were frightened of such a miracle and disappeared.

Scientific research of Lake Svetloyar

Scuba divers explored Svetloyar and discovered natural anomalies there: underwater terraces are like stairs, steep underwater slopes alternate with horizontal sections of the bottom. This suggests that the lake was formed in parts. At a depth of 20 meters, they found small objects made of wood and metal from the period of the 13th century, probably left over from some ancient settlement... No more traces of civilization were found.

The lake was also explored instrumental. Using a hydrophone, scientists heard strange sounds like the echo of thunder during a storm. The geophysicists involved in the experiment said that these sounds come from a wave of magnetic disturbance that travels through the water and creates this effect.

In some places the lake "screamed", in others there was silence. Also, a low buzzing sound was recorded with a hydrophone, the lake made it before sunrise and the full moon. According to legend, righteous people were given to see the walls of the snow-white city with golden domes of temples at this time.

Mysticism of Lake Svetloyar

The modern path leading to the lake is called the Batu path, and along this road a person who is pure in heart and thoughts can come to Kitezh. The city is invisible, although the righteous can see the lights of the processions at the bottom and hear the bells ringing in the temples. Psychics say that the lake is the outlet for power.

The origin of the lake

The origin of the lake is also mysterious, since it has a depth of up to 36 meters, its shape is oval and even almost round, and the bottom is funnel-shaped. There is an opinion about the karst origin of the lake, and a geological expedition was even equipped to study it. A well 300 meters deep was drilled near the lake, and it showed that up to 250 meters deep there are no karst rocks, but only sandstones, clays and loams, marls. Anhydrite, limestone and gypsum go deeper, however, they are not affected by karst processes. According to researchers, Svetloyar is a remnant of the ancient channel of the Lunda River, and due to the spring supply and flow to the river, the lake is very clean, and the water in it is fresh and does not deteriorate for a long time. Some researchers believe that the lake was formed as a result of a meteorite hit.

The religious significance of the lake

The lake is a holy place, especially revered by the Orthodox, but not only pilgrims come here, but people interested in the mysteries of history and nature. On the lake there is chapel in the name of the Kazan Mother of God, stone with the footprint of the Virgin and holy spring Kibelek and grave of three saints.

Lake Svetloyar is the center of the holiday Ivan Kupala every year from 6 to 7 July. Anyone can become a participant in ancient rituals. However, it should be added that Orthodox Church does not approve of the celebration of a pagan holiday.

How to get to Lake Svetloyar from Nizhny Novgorod

Lake Svetloyar is one of the most significant sights of the region, so excursions from Nizhny Novgorod are held there. However, you can get there on your own.

By public transport

By bus Nizhny Novgorod - Voskresenskoye and before reaching the final stop after turning to Voskresenskoye, get off at the village of Vladimirskoye. Or take the Kirovskoye electric train to Semyonov, and then take the Semyonov-Voskresenskoye bus (the railway and the bus station are combined). This option may be the fastest due to traffic jams at the exit from the city.

By car

Distance Nizhniy Novgorod - Vladimirskoe - Lake Svetloyar - 130 kilometers.

By road Nizhny Novgorod - Kirov go towards Semyonov. After Semyonov, after ~ 30 kilometers, turn right onto Voskresenskoye and drive another 10 kilometers before turning to Vladimirskoye (on the right).

In the village, you need to leave your car in a special parking lot and then walk through the birch alley for about a kilometer. Vehicle access to the lake is prohibited.