The region, which is considered agricultural, is sometimes seen as an eco-tourism center. The historical monuments of the Belgorod region are so interesting that they can attract tourists from all over Russia. Moreover, ethnotourism can be developed here to introduce travelers to the culture and customs of the region. Finally, there are also interesting natural places. In short, you just need to draw up your travel route in advance and mark on the map all the destinations you plan to visit.
general information
Although this region was officially formed only in 1954, in reality these lands have always been Russian in one way or another. The first mentions of settlements in those places of the Central Russian Upland date back to the 8th century, but practically nothing has survived from those times, since this area suffered greatly from the Mongol-Tatar invasion.
During the Great Patriotic War, the legendary Prokhorov tank battle took place here. So in every guidebook you can find many monuments dedicated to these particular events.
When considering the sights of the Belgorod region, it is worth starting from the capital of this region itself. The administrative center of the region is the city of Belgorod, 40 km from which there is the border with Ukraine. The city itself is home to about 390 thousand people. But if we also take the urban district, then the total population exceeds 500 thousand people. There are many telecom operators in the area.
The first settlement on the site of Belogorod appeared in the 8th century. It is believed that it was founded by a tribe of northerners. But it is officially believed that the city itself was founded only in the 16th century, when the Belgorod fortress was built on this site (unfortunately, it has not survived to this day). Some believe that in those days the city was called Belek. But this is just confusion with a similar name of a Turkish city. The fortress stood on a chalk hill, and it was called the White City.
If a tourist is interested in the historical places of the Belgorod region, then they need to start with Belgorod itself:
- Its temples deserve special attention. The oldest of them is the Assumption-Nicholas Cathedral. It was built in 1703 and completely restored in this century, so that today tourists can admire this beautiful temple.
- Almost the same age (by historical standards) of this building are the Church of the Intercession, St. Joasaph and Smolensk Cathedrals. But the beautiful church was built a century later.
The city has preserved many beautiful examples of secular architecture. A walking tour around Belgorod is a great way to get to know them. For example, you can inspect:
- merchant mansions;
- hotels;
- other pre-revolutionary buildings.
After exploring the sights of Belgorod, you can go to those objects that are located outside the city.
Transfiguration Cathedral
(Preobrazhenskaya st. 63-B)
The first mention of the Transfiguration Church of Belgorod can be found in the earliest source on the history of Belgorod - the Scribe books of V.A. Kerekreisky, dated 1626: “in Streletskaya Sloboda, the Church of the Transfiguration of the Lord and the chapel of Dmitry Solunsky” and according to some sources even earlier. The exact location of this church is difficult to determine. We can only say with complete certainty that it was located in Ostrog, on the “Nogai side,” that is, on the territory of the modern Old Town.
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Transfiguration Cathedral (Preobrazhenskaya St. 63-B)
The Church of the Transfiguration existed even after Belgorod was moved to the right bank of the Seversky Donets. In later sources - church books of the Belgorod Nikolaevsky Monastery, both the Transfiguration Church itself and some of its clergy are mentioned. In 1813, a two-story church was opened and consecrated, built, as is commonly believed, in honor of the victory of Russian troops over Napoleon (in the style of Russian classicism according to the projector of the architect E.A. Vasiliev). For the first two decades of its existence, it was called the Transfiguration-Ilinsko-Alexander Nevsky Church.
In August 1925, the ancient Trinity Cathedral was closed and the Transfiguration Church received the status of a cathedral. In order to save one of the main shrines of the land of Belgorod - the icon of Nicholas the Ratnoy - from destruction, believers secretly took it from the Trinity Cathedral and transferred it to the Transfiguration Cathedral.
Local authorities did not dare to close the main temple of the city. The Transfiguration Cathedral operated during the years of Soviet power for almost half a century. It preached the word of God during the difficult years of persecution of the church, and during the Great Patriotic War, and in the post-war hard times. The cathedral was closed in 1962. After a decade-long renovation and redevelopment that significantly changed its interior, according to tradition at that time, the Transfiguration Cathedral was transferred “at the request of the workers” to the regional museum of local lore.
The refurbishment of the temple was not as easy as it seemed. From the very beginning, it became clear that, despite the impressive size, the usable area of the cathedral was insufficient, so the original idea of creating a planetarium in addition to the museum was abandoned. The museum was opened on October 22, 1973. Its sixteen halls, covering an area of 1,116 square meters on two floors, housed about four and a half thousand exhibits and historical documents from ancient times to the early 1970s. At the entrance to the Orthodox church, which became a museum, a stone statue of a pagan “woman” and a cannon from the time of the Battle of Poltava were installed. On the northern side of the temple, a T-34 tank and a cannon from the Great Patriotic War were placed in an “eternal” parking lot, and on the eastern side, along Popov Street, a tractor from the 1930s and a huge block of ore.
For seventeen years, the Transfiguration Cathedral housed a museum. It is unlikely that any of the Belgorod residents in those years could have imagined that time would pass and the cathedral would be returned to the believers again. After all, when in 1973 the regional museum of local history was solemnly opened in the cathedral building, everyone believed that it was moving here forever. But in the second half of the 1980s, attitudes towards the church began to change. On August 19, 1990, on the patronal feast day, a divine service was held at the walls of the temple. Since September 1990, the cathedral has been gradually transferred to the Church. By September 1991 The temple was completely liberated in connection with the Second Discovery of the relics of St. Joasaph, Bishop of Belgorod. On September 17, 1991, the relics of St. Joasaph were solemnly transferred to the Transfiguration Cathedral, with the participation of His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow and All Rus', with a procession of the cross. So Saint Joasaph, as it were, re-sanctified Belgorod with his presence - the place of his last exploits. Italic style
So, blah blah blah and so on, Sasha walked along the highway and sucked on a dryer... for clothes! HA HA HA==Main Cathedral of the city==
Transfiguration Cathedral
The Transfiguration Cathedral is the main temple of the Belgorod and Stary Oskol diocese, storing the incorruptible relics of St. Joasaph and the miraculous icon of Nicholas the Ratnoy - the most revered shrines of Belgorod. It is located on Preobrazhenskaya Street. The history of the Transfiguration Cathedral begins in 1626, according to the mention in the Scribe books. The first Transfiguration Church was located on the left bank of the Seversky Donets. Then it was moved to the right bank of the river. At the beginning of the 19th century, the unification of the wooden Preobrazhensky and stone Ilyinsky churches took place under the Archbishop of Belgorod and Kursk Feoktist (Mochulsky).
The architect of the Transfiguration Cathedral was Kharkov resident Evgeniy Alekseevich Vasiliev. But many Belgorod residents also contributed, contributing to the construction. In 1813, a new two-story church was opened and consecrated. Built in honor of the victory of Russian troops over Napoleon, it was called the Preobrazhensko-Ilinsko-Alexander Nevsky Church for 20 years. The reason for this was the presence of three altars: the Transfiguration of the Lord and the Prophet Elijah, left over from the old churches, and a new one in honor of the holy prince Alexander Nevsky. The abolition of the last throne entailed the creation of three new ones: in honor of the myrrh-bearing women, the Epiphany of the Lord and the sign of the Mother of God.
The October Revolution had an unfavorable effect on the Church of the Transfiguration. In 1922, church valuables were removed from it, but at the same time the icon of Nicholas the Ratnoy was moved here. On June 16, 1934, by decision of the city authorities, the church was closed, and the place was used as a warehouse for storing grain.
In October 1973, the cathedral housed a local history museum.
In 1994, the cathedral acquired the relics of Joasaph.
After a thorough renovation, the Transfiguration Cathedral received a rebirth and became even more beautiful than before. Monument to Saint Joasaph (Pushkin St.)
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(Pushkin St.)
Saint Joasaph was one of the most prominent figures in the history of the Russian Orthodox Church in our region. His life and work dates back to the 18th century. The name of Joasaph is associated with the most revered shrines today by the Belgorod and Stary Oskol Diocese - the icon of the Most Holy Theotokos “The Sign” and the relics of the Saint himself, canonized by the decision of the Holy Synod back in 1911.
The sculpture, made in the workshop of the famous Belgorod sculptor Anatoly Shishkov, was originally installed on Litvinov Street near the Theological Seminary. This happened on November 2, 2001. Subsequently, the monument to St. Joasaph, Bishop of Belgorod the Wonderworker, was moved from the theological seminary to the site of the former Rodina cinema, where there is now a landscaped public garden. The location for the monument was not chosen by chance, also because the St. Nicholas Assumption Cathedral is located nearby and this place is considered historical.
And in the same place, near the seminary, there is a monument to Metropolitan Macarius (Bulgakov), the famous historian of the Russian Orthodox Church, a graduate of the seminary.
Diorama Museum
This object is definitely a must see. Belgorod is one of the first cities to receive the title of city of military glory. In the vicinity of the city in 1943, a tank battle took place, which many historians consider a turning point for the legendary Battle of Kursk. This is the Battle of Prokhorov, which everyone read about in school. And if we consider the sights of Belgorod and the region, then we need to start with those objects that are dedicated to those events:
- Memorial "Eternal Flame".
- Various monuments and memorials that guidebooks write about.
- The Battle of Kursk Diorama Museum, which is located in Belgorod itself. It was opened in the mid-1980s. You should definitely come there with your children, because visiting such museums is an important part of patriotic education. In addition, unlike dry lectures, the diorama will be interesting even for primary schoolchildren. And the old military equipment, which is installed on the site in front of the museum, will be of interest to both adult tourists and the youngest travelers.
The diorama itself is an artistic canvas (by the way, the largest in the world - its length is 67 m and a height of 15 m), telling about the legendary battle of Prokhorovka . This is not a small reproduction picture in a school textbook that will quickly be forgotten. The diorama makes a strong impression.
In addition, the museum displays an interesting collection of artifacts found on the battlefields. Good thematic exhibitions are also regularly held here, exhibits for which are brought from other cities. You can see the museum’s exhibition on your own, but, of course, it’s better to come here with a tour to learn something new for yourself.
Belgorod State Literary Museum.
The Literary Museum, another attraction of the city of Belgorod, is quite young, it was opened in the spring of 1999, but it is already loved by guests and residents of the city. The exhibits on display are located in a house that belonged to the merchant Selivanov. The building, built in the 18th century, is itself an architectural monument. Visitors are introduced to the interior decoration of the merchant's house, as well as the life that existed in those days. In addition, the guides talk about the development of literature in the region, and also introduce letters, manuscripts and archives of Russian and modern writers. The Literary Museum often hosts literary readings and presentations of newly published books.
Prokhorovskoe field and monastery
It is worth going to the Prokhorovskoe Field Museum-Reserve, whose territory covers several thousand hectares. These are two districts of the region at once - Prokhorovsky and Yakovlevsky, and it is best to travel here by car. The command post of General Rotmistrov has been preserved here, and museums have also been organized in the villages of Yakovlevo and Prokhorovka. It is worth visiting the Church of the Apostles Peter and Paul. On the walls of the building you can read thousands of names of soldiers who died in the great battle.
The Holy Trinity Kholkovsky Cave Monastery is located in the Chernyansky district, about 120 km from Belgorod, near the village of Ezdotskoye. The monastery was carved out of a chalk mountain about 400 years ago, but under Catherine the Great it was abolished and restored only in 1999. Archaeologists have found ancient monastic cells and an underground temple, where services are still held today. Although, of course, the modern monastery is located on the surface of the earth.
History of Belgorod.
There are discussions among historians about the exact time of the emergence of the city of Belgorod. Some believe that in ancient times there stood the Seversky settlement, founded in the 10th century by order of Prince Vladimir and which served to protect the borders of Rus' from nomadic peoples. Therefore, in 1995, the 1000th anniversary of the White City was solemnly celebrated. But most archaeological finds confirm another hypothesis, according to which Belgorod arose much later - in 1596, when the fortress was built. This means that the city is a little over 400 years old.
With the loss of its significance as a defensive structure, Belgorod turned into a county town. After a big fire occurred in the 18th century, it had to be rebuilt. St. Petersburg architect Alexey Kvasov brilliantly coped with the task, introducing into the appearance of the city features characteristic of the rectangular layout of the capital. Today Belgorod is a bright and spacious city, which gets its name from the color of the mountain on the slope of which it stands. Numerous buildings and houses built from almost white stone reinforce Belgorod's trueness to its name.
Bohdan Khmelnitsky Oak
This is a natural monument of its own, and at the same time it can be considered a historical landmark. Dendrologists estimate that the oak was planted more than 300 years ago. Legend claims that he was landed by Prince Gregory Romodanovsky and Ukrainian Hetman Bohdan Khmelnytsky to commemorate the reunification of the two countries. Today, this relict spreading tree still symbolizes the unity of the two Slavic peoples.
This oak is located on the territory of the village of Dubovoe, near the temple of the icon of the Mother of God “Control of the Loaves”. It is popular with newlyweds, who arrange photo sessions here and hang locks on a chain entwined around a mighty oak tree (its trunk diameter is more than 5 meters). The relict tree is protected by the state.
However, this is not the only long-liver in the region. Between the villages of Yablochkovo and Dmitrievka, in the Shebekinsky district, there grows a unique Pansky oak, whose age is 550 years old, according to dendrologists. They say that Peter the Great himself stayed here when returning from the Battle of Poltava. The height of the tree is 35 m, and the girth of the trunk exceeds 5 m.
Krapivenskoe settlement
Those who are interested in ancient history will be interested in the Krapivensky settlement. This is a whole complex of archaeological monuments , which is located near the village of Krapivnoye on the banks of the Koren River, which was navigable a thousand years ago. Scythian tribes once lived here, but then they were forced out by the northerners - one of the Slavic tribes that created Kievan Rus.
The settlement is a multi-layered archaeological site; its lower layers date back to the 5th century BC. e., that is, directly to the Scythian period. But archaeologists also found artifacts dating back to the northerners and ancient Russian culture, that is, people lived here for a thousand years or even more.
All found jewelry, tools, and weapons can be viewed in the local local history museum. And it’s worth taking a walk around the site for the very atmosphere of such an ancient place. Scientists believe that there was a fairly large city of Busara here, but there is no mention of it in Russian chronicles.
Belgorod State Art Museum.
The exhibition of the Belgorod Art Museum includes more than 4 thousand exhibits, represented by paintings, icons, graphics and sculptures. In addition, as a result of collaboration with other museums, temporary exhibitions are organized where you can see exhibitions of the Russian, Tula or Kharkov museums. In the salon, located on the first floor of the Art Museum, you can buy some modern work of art as a souvenir.
Barkov's Mill
This is a very unusual wooden mill building. It is six stories high, which is rare for wood construction. Moreover, all six floors are made of larch logs, perfectly calibrated in diameter, and all this was done without a single nail, instead, wood veneer was used. The foundation of the building is made of lime, but there is no consensus; some researchers believe that it is made of egg white.
It is unknown how this mill worked before the revolution. Most likely - with the help of a water wheel, and downstream there was a chalk-brush dam. Legend has it that the mill was originally located in a different location. But then the merchant Barkov won it at cards, and the building was transported to the village of Novoivanovka, where it still stands today, on the banks of the Oskol River.
It is believed that this happened in 1914. But the mill operated for many years after that. Of course, the production itself has undergone modernization. After World War II, the mill was equipped with a diesel engine and electric motors, which also operated for many years. The machines that have been preserved in the building have signs stating that they were manufactured in the 1950s at the Voronezh Mechanical Plant.
A major overhaul of the mill was carried out in 1990. After that, it worked until 2004, when production was stopped and the mill itself was recognized as an architectural and historical monument, which is protected by the state. You can get inside the building as part of a guided tour. In addition, since rural tourism is developed in this area, and kayaking is organized on the Oskol River, the mill has become part of this popular tourist route.
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