The most beautiful Russian villages. The most beautiful village in Russia
An endless ribbon winds under the wheels Russian roads, and along it, appearing and disappearing, Russian villages stretch. 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 there are a little more than a dozen on the list of “not yet lost” ones. Each of them is interesting from the point of view of history, architecture, traditional way of life 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 was 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 is translated from 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 with bright colors: red, orange and blue, and the interior walls, furniture and even ceilings are painted even more brightly. 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.
Temple of the Assumption 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 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 the Leningrad and Murmansk regions: Staraya Ladoga and Varzuga. Let’s not argue about 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 the 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 a 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 of the 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, like Red Hill and Harvest Day, 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 most beautiful village Russia is located in Buryatia. This is the village of Bolshoy Kunaley. The descendants of Old Believers resettled to Siberia in the 18th century live here. The All-Russian Association “The Most Beautiful Villages of Russia” held a ceremony and installed a corresponding sign at the entrance.
1. The Buryat village of Bolshoi Kunaley was settled by Semeysky Old Believers in 1765. 
2. The peculiarity of the village is its houses. Made of timber, they are all painted in bright colors, with carved shutters and painted fences, and are somewhat reminiscent of a children's fairy tale. 
3. Now the population of Bolshoi Kunaley is about 1 thousand people, who are mainly engaged in agriculture.
4. It is interesting that most of the houses in Kunaleya do not have front gardens. But they always have huge vegetable gardens - the Old Believers are always distinguished by their great diligence and thriftiness. 
5. Unfortunately, many houses on the streets of Kunaleya stand with closed shutters - the Old Believer villages, although they are not completely dying, like most villages in the country, people are still leaving. 
6. Family houses always have high windows because most The house is occupied by a cellar, where supplies from the garden and vegetable garden are stored. 
7. The name of the most beautiful village in Russia comes from the name of the Kunaley river, which is translated from Buryat as “fold, assembly” - because there are many falls in the middle of the taiga. The first settlers arrived here in the 1730s. 
8. Semeyskie recreate folk costumes and preserve ritual folklore. Bolshekunaleysky folk choir is the oldest song group in Siberia and Far East, he is almost 90 years old. The famous Semey chant of Russian folk songs of the Kunalei singing school is studied in many music institutes, schools and colleges. The choir has toured abroad more than once, including in the USA, Europe, and Japan. 
9. How do you choose the most beautiful village in Russia? “Applicants” are assessed according to several criteria. Experts pay attention to how often locality fairs and festivals are held, people get acquainted with its history, and evaluate how harmoniously it fits into the surrounding landscape. An important role is played by photogenicity, road condition, ecology and accessibility for tourists, etc. 
Residents of the village of Kinerma, recognized in 2016 the most beautiful village in Russia, made a demand to limit the number of tourists due to the lack of opportunity to receive everyone, said the head of the Ministry of Culture of Karelia Alexey Lesonen.
Residents of a Karelian village asked to periodically cover the road sign to limit the number of incoming tourists, which exceeds its recreational capacity.
Created in 2016 Association of the most beautiful villages Russian Federation , which wants to popularize rural tourism, added a third participant at the beginning of summer. Following the Yaroslavl village of Vyatskoye and Arkhangelsk Pogost it included the Karelian Kinerma.
A small village, where only 5 people permanently live, 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 there are 16 houses preserved there, 6 of which are considered architectural monuments.
Five people live permanently in the village: the Kalmykov family and their neighbor Ivan Alekseevich Ershov, who is in his 90s.
In the summer, the population of Kinerma increases to 22 people: those who prefer city life 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 Kinerma Foundation (Kinnermäen ystävät). The founders are neighbors from Finland, they helped with the restoration of houses, the creation of a museum and taught the Kalmykovs the intricacies of the tourism business.
Now the village can accommodate several dozen tourists at a time. The cost of living is 2,500 rubles per person, including three meals a day. It is prepared by the keeper of Kinerma Nadezhda Kalmykova.
Although local residents try to preserve the authenticity of the village, all possible conditions are created here for tourists. IN guest house, where the village museum is located, there is a modern bathroom and a shower. Those who want to experience village life can spend the evening in a 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 cut off from the village” - she realized that It is better to raise children in the village. Today, her 13-year-old son Ivan does not want to leave Kinerma; he prefers fishing trips to the Internet, but admits that he still sometimes likes to play on the computer console with his brother.
During excursions around the village, son Ivan - winner of the republic in the Karelian language- is attentive to details, happily talks about village life, shows how a Russian stove works, and helps his mother prepare delicious Ivan tea.
Located in the very center of Kinerma. She is more than 250 years old. Services are held here 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 here is compensated by ingenuity.
In addition to receiving tourists, the Kalmykov family is engaged in agriculture. Living in a village and eating food from a store is not serious.
The Kalmykovs' hut has several living rooms. 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.
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 half-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 Peter and Paul Cathedral in St. Petersburg, by the poet Nekrasov, who found images of his heroes in Vyatskoye.
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 is the largest collection of musical instruments and boxes 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 Sberbank 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 is implied 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 the 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.
