Sights of Veliky Ustyug: the birthplace of Father Frost

Veliky Ustyug is an ancient city in the Vologda region, allowing you to understand the soul of the Russian North, see its amazing flavor and feel its unique charm. The attractions of Veliky Ustyug help travelers with this.

For a long time, this city, located on the left bank of the Sukhona River, despite the abundance of ancient churches, monuments, and museums, was not very developed in the tourism sector.

However, thanks to a joint project with Moscow, operating since 1998, the creation of a brand: Veliky Ustyug - the birthplace of Father Frost, the flow of tourists has increased significantly. Especially in the winter season. Thus, the sights of Veliky Ustyug are now known to many Russians and foreigners.

A few facts about Veliky Ustyug

Monument to Erofey Khabarov in Komsomolsky Square

It was first mentioned as a guard settlement in 1207.
Previously it was called simply Ustyug.
Occupies an area of 17 square meters. km, the population in 2022 is more than 31.5 thousand people.
Located on the left bank of the river. Sukhona near the source of the Northern Dvina.
The distance to the regional city of Vologda[/anchor] is 450 km, to the largest city in the region Cherepovets - 580 km, to the capital of Russia - 914 km.

Hotels

Find hotels with discounts on Hotellook. Here are the main rules for finding hotels.

Many tourists from Russia and other countries of the world gather in Veliky Ustyug for the New Year, so the city’s tourism infrastructure is constantly developing. Most vacationers stay in guesthouses and mini-hotels. Participants of organized tours are accommodated in recreation centers, sanatoriums and large hotels.

Housing prices for New Year 2023 in Veliky Ustyug depend on the comfort and size of the rooms, the distance of the hotel from the city center and the volume of additional services. If you book in advance, you can find options with breakfast or full board.

Groups of friends and families with children love to spend their holidays in cottages. The cost of cottages in Veliky Ustyug for the New Year starts from 4,700 rubles per night. The city is small in size, so there are houses with all amenities and kitchen facilities both on its outskirts and near the center.

The highest prices for the new year 2023 in Veliky Ustyug are offered by the modern hotel complex Estate of Father Frost. It includes nine hotels of different categories and levels of comfort, free parking and a restaurant.

Cost of a room for two in hotels of different categories on New Year's Eve:

Apartment	1500
Guesthouse	2000
Hotel 1*	2200
Hotel 2*	3000
Hotel 3*	4000

The cost of cottages in Veliky Ustyug for the New Year starts from 4,700 rubles per night. Photo: kotophot / unsplash.com.

How to get to Veliky Ustyug

By car

From Moscow along the M8 highway (Moscow - Arkhangelsk) through Yaroslavl and Vologda. After Vologda turn to Totma.

By bus

From Moscow (Medvedkovo metro station) to Vologda, there transfer to a bus going to Veliky Ustyug.

By train

Trains do not go to Veliky Ustyug, you need to get to Kotlas Yuzhny or Yadrikha station. From there by bus to Veliky Ustyug. Trains from Moscow depart from Yaroslavsky station, from St. Petersburg from Ladozhsky.

By plane

There is an airport in Veliky Ustyug; air transportation is carried out by the Severstal company. Cons - there are no direct flights; you can only get from Moscow (Sheremetyevo and Domodedovo) and St. Petersburg with a transfer in Cherepovets. The transplant can take a long time.

Reviews from tourists

In winter, some tourists come to Veliky Ustyug to visit Father Frost, while others come to get acquainted with the appearance of the city itself. Some manage to combine both options. Having noticed a lot of fascinating things, guests regret the lack of time for a detailed inspection. Therefore, it is worth setting aside more than a day to get acquainted with Ustyug for those who are interested in culture, arts, and beautiful architecture.

Users of the site told about their journey:

Marina in the story “Give Children a Fairy Tale”;
Sergey Vasilets in “The Great White Ustyug and the Big Black Locomotive”;
Irina Porunova in “On the New Year Express to Visit Santa Claus.”

All tourist reviews about Veliky Ustyug on Tourister. RU

General information about the city is on its main page.

Photo: © Marina2506

Sights of Veliky Ustyug

The main attraction of Veliky Ustyug, the residence of Father Frost, is located not in the city itself, but about 12 kilometers from it. The Santa Claus project, which made the city famous, is already 20 years old. Over the years, a tourism industry has been created with hotels, cafes and a variety of entertainment.

In Veliky Ustyug there are a large number of architectural monuments - temples, monasteries, houses. There are many museums here.

What to see in the area

Veliky Ustyug is surrounded by meadows and dense forests, which are threaded by three large rivers. It is difficult to blame nature for anything; it is beautiful both in its snow-white robe and in the greenery of summer. Among the specific places where tourists visit, most often the forgotten monastery and the “Sukhonsky miracle” - an unusual-looking section of the Sukhona River.

Photo: © Sergey Vasilets

Trinity-Gledensky Monastery

On the other side of the Sukhona, on a hill near the confluence with the South, lies the village of Morozovitsa . People visit it to look at the ensemble of the Trinity-Gleden Monastery. The monastery was founded in the city of Gleden, now defunct. Unlike the city, it survived the civil strife of the Russian princes, and in the 17th-18th centuries. rebuilt in stone.

Now the Trinity Cathedral and the Tikhvin Church rise on the territory. Surprisingly, the institutions of the Soviet era did not violate their architectural integrity. The pearl of the cathedral is a carved, gilded iconostasis with icons reminiscent of European painting. You can explore the monastery from the outside on your own in winter or summer, but excursions inside are only available in the summer. The surrounding landscape of the monastery is always worthy of attention - the river expanses at the junction of large rivers.

Opoki

One of the remarkable places in the vicinity of Ustyug that you can visit in winter is Opoki, which is 63 km from the city. This is both the rapids on the Sukhona and the steep, exposed right bank of the river near the village of Porog. The slope is composed of red and white rocks, alternating horizontal layers. A small stream washed it through, dividing it in two.

The rapids on the river are long, shallow, but fast flowing. In winter it is unlikely to be seen as the river freezes. The well is of greatest interest: the jet gushing out like a fountain creates high walls of ice. It is located on the other side of the river a kilometer below the Threshold. To get to the fountain, you need to cross to the other side. After snow, you may have to pave the trail yourself. You need to be careful on the ice; there are gullies in some places.

Residence of Father Frost

Website: www.dom-dm.ru. Address: Vologda region, Veliky Ustyug district, Mardengskoe village, territory of Father Frost's Estate, no. 1.

The sights of Veliky Ustyug are unthinkable without the residence of Father Frost. In the northern part of the city there is a beautiful place in a pine forest where Santa Claus lives. Usually the existence of the residence is remembered in the winter, but it welcomes guests all year round. Everything has been done here to create a festive and fabulous atmosphere.

The main object of the residence is the house of the famous fairy-tale hero. This building was built in the best traditions of Russian architecture, the main material of which has long been wood.

Next to the fairy-tale tower there is the magical post office of Father Frost. Here they accept letters for Santa Claus and answer them.

On the territory of the residence there are guest cottages for visitors who want to stay here for a while. As well as the Ded Moroz cafe and the Snezhinka restaurant, which serves traditional Russian dishes. In addition, there are playgrounds for children, souvenir shops, a zoo, a rope park, a glacier, a winter garden and much more interesting things.

To a New Year's fairy tale - with the whole family!

In winter, the homeland of Father Frost turns into a wonderful fairy tale, long remembered by his guests. The recreation and entertainment program includes many excursions to museums, exhibitions and folk craft enterprises, dances, songs and fun winter activities. And, of course, you can’t do without the most important thing - a visit to the patterned mansion of Father Frost in the pine forest, where guests will find all sorts of entertainment.

Visiting Santa Claus

The patrimony of Father Frost is the main New Year brand of Veliky Ustyug and the official residence of the winter wizard. Many people go there first, because it is here that they are completely immersed in a fairy tale, populated by sorcerers and wizards, inhabitants of an enchanted forest, mystical stories, interactive games and winter fun.

We have already talked about a trip to Veliky Ustyug to visit Father Frost, where incredible adventures can happen when visiting him. But still, let’s briefly dwell on the most remarkable. Guests of the Terem will walk along the “Trail of Fairy Tales”, visit Grandfather’s Zoo and the Winter Garden, watch the stars in the observatory through a magic telescope, get acquainted with the amazing collection of gifts in the library of Father Frost and admire his fabulous outfits woven by the hands of skilled craftswomen. Well, of course, they will meet with the keeper of New Year's miracles and the main wizard - Santa Claus.

Tour of Veliky Ustyug

The ancient northern cities are magnificent and charming in winter. The ancient architectural buildings of Veliky Ustyug look harmonious in the snow frame. The variety of cathedrals, churches, temples, museums, and merchant houses is amazing. And this is definitely a must see.

The house of the merchant Usov is a stone building of the late 18th century in the classicist style. Today it houses the main exhibition introducing the history of the city from the 12th century to the beginning of the twentieth century.

On the Cathedral Court (the oldest square and the main place in the city) rises the majestic Assumption Cathedral (by the way, this is the first city cathedral built of stone in the entire Russian North).

The Cathedral of Procopius the Righteous, erected in the 17th century on the Cathedral Courtyard, is a functioning temple with a unique iconostasis representing Ustyug painting of the 17th-18th centuries.

Also worthy of attention are the oldest St. Michael the Archangel Monastery in the city, the churches of St. Nicholas, the Ascension, the Myrrh-Bearing Women, the Epiphany, the Trinity-Gledensky Monastery with its main attraction - a gilded carved iconostasis, and the ensemble of Dymkovo snow-white churches.

The historical past and cultural heritage of the city are reflected not only in the original architecture, but also in the emergence and development of numerous unique folk crafts - bone and wood carving, making felt boots, bast shoes, products made from flax, birch bark and silver. Modern Ustyug craftsmen continue to develop original crafts, delighting residents of the North and its guests with unique souvenirs and household items.

The nature of the cold north with its clean air is also fascinating. Veliky Ustyug is a small town, and most of the time there are walking tours from one attraction to another. In winter, for comfortable walks, you should dress warmly.

Excursion to the City Residence of Father Frost

The second house of Grandfather Frost, where guests are happily welcomed, is located next to Cathedral Square in a nice mansion in the center of Veliky Ustyug. This is the city residence of the main winter wizard. Moving from hall to hall, you can see a lot of remarkable things and hear an interesting story about the magic staff of Grandfather Frost.

In the Throne Room, where the owner of this house sits on holidays, you can arrange a photo shoot, take part in a master class, and, under the guidance of an experienced mentor, make a small souvenir with your own hands.

By the way, on the ground floor of the city residence in the souvenir shop of Father Frost you can buy some original little thing made by local craftsmen as a souvenir. Yes, something that you can’t find in other places.

Near the residence there is another attraction - the post office of Santa Claus. It’s always fun and noisy here: children and adults write greeting cards, the winter wizard’s nimble assistants accept correspondence addressed to him, which comes from all over the world, and send postcards around the world on his behalf.

You yourself can write a letter or congratulate your loved ones on the New Year's holiday by sending a surprise card with a special New Year's stamp from Santa Claus's mail. Here you can get acquainted with a collection of interesting postcards, write down in the “Book of Good Deeds” what good things have been done over the past year, find out what wishes children from different countries make and dream about.

City residence of Father Frost

Address: Sovetsky Prospekt, building 85.

The city itself houses the city residence of Father Frost. Here you can walk around the house, try on suits, take pictures, make an entry in the Book of Good Deeds, buy souvenirs, and attend a master class.

There is also a greeting card museum, which houses the world’s largest postcard “Veliky Ustyug. Troika of Santa Claus. Its dimensions: 4.2 x 2.8 meters.

Across the road is the Cathedral Courtyard.

A little about the city

Veliky Ustyug is a small city with a population of about 36,000 people. Here, during the New Year holidays and beyond, silver goods, souvenirs made of birch bark and wood, as well as the famous Ustyug felt boots are sold.

There are no wooden buildings left in the city, of which there are many in ancient cities. Since 1772, stone houses have been built here. The only wooden structures there are city walls.

A famous landmark is the monument to Lapatya - the symbol of a bast wedding (3 years). Since the City is located in the taiga area, and therefore moose, martens, weasels, etc. are found in the forests.

Cathedral courtyard

The Cathedral Courtyard is the oldest part of the city, the heart and soul of the city. Here, on the high bank of the Sukhona River, there is a complex of ancient churches: the Assumption Cathedral with a bell tower, the Cathedral of Procopius of Ustyug, the Cathedral of John of Ustyug, the Bishop's Compound.

Assumption Cathedral

The Assumption Cathedral is the main temple of the city; the most revered Orthodox icons were located here. The stone church was built in the middle of the 16th century on the site of a wooden one - it was the first stone building in the Russian north.

Bell tower of the Assumption Cathedral

Adjacent to the Assumption Cathedral is an unusual bell tower of two parts: one is a tower with a spire and a clock, the other has a cubic end. It was added in the 18th century.

Observation deck of the Assumption Cathedral

On the bell tower of the Assumption Cathedral there is an observation deck where you can look at the city from above.

View from the Assumption Cathedral

To fully see the temple ensemble located in the Cathedral Courtyard, you need to move to the other bank of the Sukhona River - to the Dymkovo churchyard. There are beautiful views of ancient churches here.

Cathedral of Procopius the Righteous

This religious building is named after the local holy fool, considered the patron saint of the city. In 1668, a temple was erected in his honor, with the money of the local merchant A. Guselnikov, and the grave where the relics of the holy elder rested was chosen as the location. Now the sarcophagus with the relics of Procopius the Righteous is installed inside the temple.

The church is a white stone structure with blackened domes. It was rebuilt several times, but managed to maintain its original attractiveness. Among the most valuable objects of the religious institution is a five-tiered iconostasis from the 18th century. In the eighties and nineties of the last century, the cathedral was restored, after which its original attractiveness returned.

Monument to Dezhnev

Semyon Dezhnev - traveler and pioneer, was born in Veliky Ustyug. The monument to him is located on Cathedral Square next to the Memorial Wall to the Ustyuzhan Explorers.

Attractions with children

Since 1999, Veliky Ustyug has been considered the home of Father Frost, which is why thousands of children are brought here, reinforcing their belief in the New Year’s miracle. Many exciting excursions and interactive activities aimed at young tourists are held in the city's museums.

Residence of Father Frost

The place of attraction of winter Veliky Ustyug is the Estate of Father Frost. It is located in the middle of a pine forest in the outskirts of the city. Guests are greeted by fairy-tale characters whose huts are located on the “Trail of Fairy Tales” on the way to the wizard. Moroz himself occupies a carved two-story tower. In it you will see an office where all the miracles happen, a bedroom, a dressing room and a wizard’s library. At the end of the excursion there is a long-awaited meeting with Santa Claus in the Throne Hall of the tower.

Main Russian Frost Photo: © Marina2506

The farm of Father Frost is not limited to this and also includes: a post office, a glacier - a gallery of ice sculptures and an ice throne, a forge and a carpentry workshop, a zoo and a winter garden, a forest pharmacy. In each, educational and creative programs are organized for visitors. In addition, there is a cafe and restaurant, a hotel, souvenir shops on the territory, and for entertainment there are attractions and slides.

Museum of New Year and Christmas toys

The theme of the holiday fairy tale in Veliky Ustyug will be continued by the Museum of New Year and Christmas Toys. A significant part of it is occupied by Russian Christmas tree decorations made of glass, wood, felt, birch bark, pumpkins, and cotton wool. Among them are original ones and those published in thousands of copies throughout the country.

With Christmas trees decorated according to decades, adults will be able to remember their childhood, and children will be able to get acquainted with school supplies and learning traditions in past years. This is the subject of the interactive lesson “Lessons in the Old Russian School”. A separate hall expands the geography and reveals the canons of New Year celebrations in other countries.

In the Museum of New Year's Toys Photo: © vladkonst

The museum occupies the Church of the Myrrh-Bearing Women . This is a common practice in the city, preserving architectural monuments where services are not currently held. The temple was erected in the first quarter of the 18th century. Its appearance has original details: scrolls above the window casings, a high porch and tiles in the design of the facades.

Read more: Museum of New Year and Christmas Toys

Children's Museum Center

The Children's Museum Center is an exhibition and leisure area for children and their parents. It occupies another architectural monument in the city center - the house of the Alenev icon painters, later sold to the merchant Chebaevsky. The building has a corner in the form of a covered rotunda with a balcony; one of the facades is decorated with antique columns and porticos.

Guests of winter Veliky Ustyug have access to exhibitions dedicated to the New Year and its attributes. Thus, the exhibition “Let the Christmas Tree Not Go Out” takes you back to the times of the pre-revolutionary and Soviet holiday, presenting the decor, fancy dress costumes, decorated Christmas trees, traditional and unusual Christmas tree decorations. The exhibition “Our Soviet Childhood. Toys from the 40s to the 80s. XX century." It surprises young people and immerses adult visitors in the best moments of childhood.

Usov House - Children's Museum Center Photo: © Sergey Vasilets

At the center's master classes, children independently decorate a New Year's toy in the style of Veliky Ustyug painting or create a souvenir from foil using the filigree technique. The most tireless are offered a game in which participants will learn about the significance and price of the achievements of the Ustyug explorers S. Dezhnev and E. Khabarov.

Sukhona embankment

Veliky Ustyug is located on the banks of the Sukhona at the confluence of the Yug River, which later gives birth to the Northern Dvina. To look at the wide, beautiful Sukhona hidden under the ice, go to the embankment. It starts from Krasnoarmeyskaya and stretches 3 km downstream of the Sukhona. The most interesting part for a walk is the part adjacent to the city center. There are activities for both children and adults here.

Veliky Ustyug embankment Photo: © Marina2506

While parents are looking at the line of city blocks with the domes of churches, children can swim in the snow to their hearts' content or ride down the slides going down to the river. It’s worth walking to Lenin Square : from November onwards there is a New Year’s tree , because on November 18th the birthday of Father Frost is celebrated. Closer to the river there is a sundial dedicated to the residents - famous travelers of past years.

“Aquarius” Photo: © Sergey Vasilets

The embankment runs past the Church of St. Nicholas , now the Museum of Ethnography , past the Cathedral Courtyard - a temple complex, the heart of ancient Ustyug. It also houses the Museum of History and Culture of the City and the Museum of Nature . In front of them on a bench sits E. P. Shilnikovsky - a monument to the artist and head of the Ustyug silver factory "Northern Chern". Another street sculpture is “Aquarius” , the coat of arms symbol of the city, personifying the unity of Sukhona and the South.

At the bottom of the embankment stands the stone church of Simeon the Stylite . It was built in 1765 and is distinguished by its rich architecture. Round windows, unusual frames, pilasters and a high main staircase refer the architecture of the temple and bell tower to Western European Baroque. The temple is open to visitors and services are held.

Church of Simeon the Stylite Photo: © vladkonst

Museum of Nature

The Regional Nature Museum is located on the city embankment and occupies an outbuilding of the house of the merchant Usov. Panoramic landscapes and animal figures show the local living world. They are complemented by the rustling of the inhabitants, the murmur of water and other sounds of the forest, thanks to which the stories become complete. In another part of the museum, an interactive exhibition has been organized, revealing the Vologda nature through the works of Russian painters.

The paleontological hall is also interactive. He talks about the times when dinosaurs and mammoths walked across the Vologda land. It will be interesting for children to take part in excavations and build a model of a whole lizard. A separate area is dedicated to the modern owner of forests - the bear. Here is everything about its structure, habits and nutrition. Guests will also be able to visit an impromptu den, light up the constellations Ursa Major and Ursa Minor, and remember the bears - the heroes of fairy tales.

Church of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker

Address: Naberezhnaya st., building 66.

This temple has a long and complicated history. Its construction began back in 1682 and lasted about 40 years. However, such a long construction stage gave birth to a real masterpiece of Russian church architecture. The structure, which has several tiers, completely lacks supporting pillars. The architectural ensemble is completed by a three-tier bell tower.

At the end of the Soviet Union, the church building was restored, after which a branch of the museum with an exhibition hall was opened in it. Now this place is used for regular excursion and educational events about the traditional crafts of this region.

The best establishments according to Bebeshka.info visitors

Embankment st., 64
+7 (81738). Show phone
Tue-Sun 10:00–17:30
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: Museums

Sovetsky Ave., 50
+7 (81738). Show phone
Mon-Fri 8:00–17:00, break 12:00–13:00
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: Parks of culture and recreation

Krasnaya street, 108A
+7 (81738). Show phone
Mon-Fri 9:00–18:00; Sat 11:00–14:00
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: Travel agencies, Children's excursions

Naberezhnaya street, 55
+7 (81738). Show phone
Tue-Sat 10:00–17:30
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: Museums

Sovetsky Avenue, 60
+7 (81738). Show phone
Tue-Sat 10:00–17:30
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: Museums, Children's excursions

Krasnaya street, 53
+7 (921) 2. Show phone
daily, 17:00–2:00
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: Concert halls, philharmonic societies and conservatories

Revolutionary Lane, 8
+7 (81738). Show phone
Mon-Fri 8:00–17:00, break 12:00–13:00
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: Houses of culture, Museums, Parks of culture and recreation

Sovetsky Avenue, 84
+7 (81738). Show phone
Tue-Sat 10:00–17:00
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: Museums, Children's excursions

Communy Square, 7
+7 (81738). Show phone
Tue-Sat 10:00–18:00, break 12:00–13:00
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: Museums, Children's excursions

Embankment street, 65
+7 (81738). Show phone
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: Museums, Children's excursions

st. Kirova, 62
+7 (81738). Show phone
Mon-Fri 9:00–17:00, break 12:00–13:00
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: Travel agencies, Children's excursions

Vinogradova street, 37
+7 (900) 5. Show phone
Mon-Fri 12:00–21:00; Sat, Sun 10:00–21:00
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: Organization and holding of children's parties, Entertainment centers

Where to go with a child in Veliky Ustyug: a review of interesting ideas and places. Parks, entertainment complexes, attractions and much more - in the form of a rating and on a city map. Detailed description with opening hours of establishments, addresses, telephone numbers and links to their official websites.

Here you can choose where to go with your child on the weekend and not only: how interesting and useful the children will be able to spend their time, run around, have a lot of fun and communicate with their peers.

The rating of the best and most popular establishments is compiled by our users. Take part in creating a rating of entertainment for children in Veliky Ustyug, write reviews, share your opinion.

Spaso-Preobrazhensky Monastery

The monastery has almost 600 years of history. Its foundation dates back to 1422, when the Russian lands were part of the Golden Horde. Unfortunately, the original wooden buildings of that period have not survived to this day.

Nowadays you can see stone structures from the 17th-18th centuries. Chief among them is the Transfiguration Church, which was built over the course of 7 years (from 1689 to 1696) with an original carved gilded iconostasis made in 1697.

Holiday calendar of Veliky Ustyug and Vologda

Veliky Ustyug

November 18th. The main fairytale event of the year is the birthday of the country's main storyteller. Santa Claus celebrated his birthday in an unusual way; he declared this day “Multimber 18th.” On this day, special guests came to the Winter Wizard - favorite characters from fairy tales and cartoons. All those present were immersed in a festive animated fairy tale, where incredible events took place - prize draws, numerous amusements, a puppet show "The Adventures of New Year's Toys", fabulous excursion and game programs, the lighting of the main Christmas tree of the Estate and fireworks. On the same day, Santa Claus Post celebrated its 20th anniversary.

31th of December. It’s a magical holiday and you need to celebrate it in a magical place - in the homeland of Santa Claus. A few hours before the New Year, here you can arrange a pre-New Year's adventure on the Alley of Miracles and Magic, have plenty of fun at the holiday venues and make your cherished wish in the real “Place of Gathering of Cherished Wishes”. And at exactly midnight you will be the first to hear congratulations from Santa Claus and take part in the “New Year's Tale 2022”.

January 9. Children's New Year is a New Year for the little ones, the most playful and the most fastidious, as well as their mothers and fathers, aunties and uncles, grandparents. Participants in this kind and family holiday will be treated to the lighting of the Christmas tree, fireworks, gifts, edible snow and other miracles.

The center of Vologda in winter decoration. In the foreground is the red water tower from 1898.

Church of the Ascension

Address: Sovetsky Prospekt, building 84.

The money for the construction of this temple was given by the city merchant Nikifor Revyakin, who set the condition to create a unique structure that has no analogues in the area. In 1648, an 11-domed white stone temple with a brick facade and rich decoration was built.

True, over time the church was rebuilt, and has survived to this day only in its 5-domed form, but it has retained its main features. Some time ago, restoration work began here, which continues to this day.

The church houses the Museum of Ancient Russian Art. The most valuable products created using the techniques of blackened silver, enamel, and filigree are collected here. There are also examples of artistic sewing and beautiful icon painting. Those interested can attend master classes on creating icons with their own hands. The main value of the museum is the white stone Cross of St. Procopius.

What to watch for adults

Adult tourists coming to Veliky Ustyug also often visit the Estate of Father Frost. However, in most cases, the impressive discovery for them is the city itself. In the center of Ustyug, entire streets lined with merchant houses and slender white churches have been preserved.

Cathedral courtyard

One of the dominant features of Veliky Ustyug and its main attractions is the Cathedral Courtyard. This is a temple ensemble that occupies part of the Sukhona embankment.

The main thing in it is the Ustyug Assumption Cathedral . Its history begins in 1290. In the middle of the 16th century. it was rebuilt in stone, receiving the features of the Assumption Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin and becoming the first stone church in the Russian North. The interior is rich in carvings and stucco, but is currently undergoing restoration. Inspection is only available from outside.

Cathedral courtyard Photo: © Sergey Vasilets

The Cathedral of Procopius the Righteous is a couple of centuries younger. It is open to parishioners and those wishing to see the elaborate iconostasis of the early 18th century, decorated with carvings and gold. Two centuries younger than it is the Cathedral of St. John of Ustyug , a summer one, erected on the site of a small wooden church. Recently opened after restoration.

Next to them in Pionersky Park there is a monument to Semyon Dezhnev , an outstanding native of the Russian North, explorer and discoverer of the strait between Chukotka and Kamchatka.

Sights of Veliky Ustyug

Cathedral of Procopius of Ustyug Photo: © vladkonst

Church of the Epiphany – Exhibition Hall

The Epiphany (Vlasyevskaya) Church on the Cathedral Courtyard is a small temple of the late 17th century, which served the daily needs of the Cathedral of John of Ustyug. It is unpretentious in appearance, but more than others it has retained its original image.

Today it houses the Exhibition Hall of the City Museum-Reserve. Temporary exhibitions present the works of local and Russian artists - artists, embroiderers, puppeteers. There are both personal exhibitions and events dedicated to certain events. The exhibition “Creation of Soul and Hands” has become traditional, inspiring with the creative works of veterans of Veliky Ustyug and the Veliky Ustyug region in embroidery, lace, and model making.

Museum of History and Culture

Studying the Museum of History and Culture of the city will help you delve deeper into the architectural heritage of Veliky Ustyug. The museum occupies the historical estate of the merchant Usov on the embankment. This is a two-story mansion in the classicist style. It was built at the end of the 18th century. and even before the Revolution it was sold to the city government.

The permanent exhibitions highlight the history of the city, its main crafts - carving and painting on birch bark, silver blackening, as well as the fine arts of local painters. With archaeological finds, coins, jewelry - piece by piece, the first tells about the early centuries of the last millennium, about the peoples who lived here, their way of life and significance in the history of the Russian state. A separate part is dedicated to the merchant Ustyug, the craft center of the Russian North. The museum is holding a master class on weaving Vologda bobbin lace.

Read more: Museum of History and Culture of Veliky Ustyug

Museum of History and Culture of Veliky Ustyug Photo: © Sergey Vasilets

St. Nicholas Church – Museum of Ethnography

One of the temples on the banks of the Sukhona is the Nikolo-Gostinskaya Church with a bell tower. The temple was an initiative of visitors who traded in Veliky Ustyug, and was built at the turn of the 17th-18th centuries. The combination of summer and winter churches in one was an innovation for the city. Today the church is adjacent to the New Year tree and the figure of V.I. Lenin.

The architectural monument, like other valuable churches, belongs to the Veliky Ustyug Museum-Reserve. Within its walls it hosts exhibitions of the Museum of Ethnography. “Folk Art of the Ustyug Land” is a permanent exhibition that conveys the diversity of the culture of the region in the period of the 17th - early 20th centuries. She introduces the objects of the peasant hut and urban life of the Ustyuzhans - wooden, forged, pottery, and besides them - women's costume and home textiles. Each of them is decorated with original carvings, designs or embroidery depicting plants, birds, animals, people or geometric designs.

Church of the Ascension – Museum of Ancient Russian Art

The Ascension Church stands at the intersection of the central arteries of Veliky Ustyug - Sovetsky Avenue and Krasnaya Street. The lavishly decorated snow-white temple built in 1648 is hard to miss. It is decorated with three rows of kokoshniks, black faceted domes, openwork crosses and various three-dimensional elements. Inside you can find an ancient gilded iconostasis with icons by Stefan Sokolov.

The temple is also a branch of the historical and architectural reserve - the Museum of Ancient Russian Art. It continues to reveal the cultural splendor of Veliky Ustyug. In addition to the unique iconostasis, within the walls of the church there are genuine relics: handwritten and early printed books, wooden sculpture, blackened silver, embroidery, icons created by Ustyug residents in their own manner. Among them, for example, is the 1496 icon of “The Dormition of the Mother of God” from the Assumption Cathedral and “Our Lady Hodegetria of Smolensk” from the mid-16th century.

Read more: Museum of Ancient Russian Art

Church of the Ascension Photo: © Marina2506

Blackening is the application of a pattern to metal products, based on creating small depressions and filling them with contrasting metal. Such processing has existed in Rus' since ancient times, but the masters of Veliky Ustyug made it an art. Veliky Ustyug blackening on silver - elegant and richly plotted designs. In the 19th century there was a decline in its demand, but in 1933 its revival was initiated by a hereditary master in the form of the Northern Mob artel. Developing successfully, in 1960 it became a factory that is still operating today.

The factory's products include jewelry, cutlery, crosses, icons, trays and souvenirs. You can not only purchase them, but also get acquainted with the process in the factory’s showroom upon prior request. On display are products from different years and authors, including exhibition winners. Guests can see first-hand the painstaking handwork and then decorate the silver coin themselves.

More details:

Exhibits of the showroom Photo: © vladkonst

Komsomolsky Square

Komsomolsky Square is located between Krasnaya and Pavel Pokrovsky streets. It hides a couple of pearls of old Russian architecture. The Church of the Transfiguration of the Savior, built in 1669, is a snow-white, elegantly decorated five-domed church with a bell tower. The facades are decorated with colorful tiles with drawings of plants, birds, and animals. Very close by stands the Sretenskaya Church , rebuilt later. Until 1920-1930 Both were part of the Spaso-Preobrazhensky Monastery; today they are occupied by the city archives.

In front of them is a monument to Erofei Khabarov , a pioneer and explorer of Siberia. The bas-reliefs depict scenes of his wanderings. The monument really surprises guests, because Khabarovsk, a city at the other end of the country, is named after the hero. It’s just that Erofey Pavlovich comes from these places. His figure, standing under the stele with a double-headed eagle, harmoniously fit into the temple ensemble.

Transfiguration and Sretenskaya churches, monument to E. Khabarov Photo: © Irina Porunova

Michael the Archangel Monastery

Next to Komsomolsky Square is the St. Michael the Archangel Monastery. According to the chronicles, it has existed since the beginning of the 13th century, but all the buildings in stone were made in the 17th-18th centuries, which in no way detracts from the attention to it. First of all, passers-by are attracted by the figured Holy Gates with spiers. Afterwards there is the Vladimir Gate Church, decorated with voluminous decor. It is followed by the one-story small Church of Mid-Pentecost.

The main one here is the St. Michael the Archangel Cathedral , connected by a passage with the Church of the Presentation . The four-pillar cathedral with five chapters, two chapels, galleries and a bell tower became the first of its kind in Veliky Ustyug. It has preserved paintings and an iconostasis with features of Baroque and Classicism. There are no services there, and access inside is limited: possible in the summer and only with a guided tour from the museum-reserve. One of the ancient shrines of the cathedral, an icon from the period XIII-XIV centuries. “The Cathedral of the Archangel Michael” can be seen in the Russian Museum of St. Petersburg.

Read more: St. Michael the Archangel Monastery

St. Michael the Archangel Cathedral Photo: © Sergey Vasilets

Depository

The depository of the Veliky Ustyug Historical and Architectural Museum-Reserve is a repository of museum exhibits. It is located next to the Children's Museum Center. In the halls accessible to the visitor, samples of tiles, objects made of carved birch bark and porcelain, furniture, and spinning wheels are stored.

Temporary exhibitions bring to light part of the collections related to a single theme. For example, exhibitions showed the works of the Ustyug photographer G. K. Lokhtin, who lived at the turn of the 19th-20th centuries, and a collection of skillful partner gifts for the anniversary of the service of S. M. Pryanishnikov, a man who devoted half a century to the work of the Lal paper mill (second half of the 19th - early XX centuries).

Urban architecture

Despite the presence of modern signs, traffic lights and other details, a walk through Veliky Ustyug is a journey into the past of a once rich city. Take a closer look: some of the shops, offices, kindergartens and other establishments are located in merchant mansions. These are one- or two-story houses made of stone or wood. Among them there are both simple and more complex in shape and beauty.

Some of the most prominent representatives of antiquity:

Shilov's house on the street. Shilova, 8 - a tall, two-story house with a mezzanine and a figured pediment above it. The façade is decorated with decorative platbands and divided by cornices. Construction began, presumably, at the end of the 17th century. It belonged to the Ustyug explorer V.I. Shilov.

Zakharov's house on the street. Shilova, 9/2 - merchant mansion of the late 18th century. on one floor with a mezzanine. Decorated more modestly than the first, but still consistent with the success of the owner.

Neledinykh's house on the street. Krasnaya, 76 - a strong merchant mansion of a later construction and in some ways repeating the features of Shilov's house.

House of the Zhigalovs on the street. Vodnikov, 38 - corner house from the street. Engels. The corner of the wooden two-story building is decorated with a tent, and the entire decor of the building’s facades is made of wood.

Churches in Dymkovo

Opposite the Cathedral Courtyard on the other bank of the Sukhona lies the Dymkovskaya Settlement, now part of the borders of Ustyug. The area is famous for two ancient churches - Sergievskaya and Dmitrievskaya. They were first mentioned at the end of the 14th century, but have existed in stone form since the 1700s. The best panorama of the Cathedral Courtyard opens from the shore nearby. In winter, you can walk to Dymkovo on ice or drive across a bridge.

The five-domed temple of Demetrius of Thessalonica was used in the summer. Its architecture is simple, but at the same time majestic and entertaining. The main part is occupied by a quadrangle connected to the refectory and the bell tower. There are a lot of decorations on the outside, among which the five-meter-tall Image of the Almighty Savior on the eastern façade stands out. The main value of the decoration is the gilded carved iconostasis of the 18th century, however, at present the temple is not in use and inspections are not carried out inside.

The single-domed Church of St. Sergius of Radonezh is extended due to extensions. The temple was open even in winter; tiled stoves were preserved in it.

Veliky Ustyug Museum-Reserve

Website: ustyug-museum.ru Address: Veliky Ustyug st. Embankment 64.

The founding date of this institution is considered to be 1910. The exhibition halls display a variety of examples of church utensils, ancient icons, and many artifacts found during archaeological expeditions. The museum also contains a number of paintings by Russian Itinerant artists.

During the Civil War, atheistic Red Army soldiers tried to ruin it, and museum staff had to make a lot of efforts to preserve the collection. Now the institution has the status of a museum-reserve and has over 90 thousand items in its collections.

Where to go with children in Veliky Ustyug?

The charming town will delight young travelers with wonderful surprises. Immersion in the world of fairy tales and miracles will bring the child many vivid, memorable impressions.

Museum of New Year's Toys

Opening hours: from Tuesday to Saturday inclusive, from 10:00 to 18:00. Lunch break from 12:00 to 13:00.
Ticket price: adult 100 rubles, children 50 rubles.
Telephone.
Website: https://www.ustyug-museum.ru
Address: Communy Square, 7. Transport stop "River School".

The unique museum is housed in the building of the now defunct Church of the Myrrh-Bearing Women, an architectural monument of the 18th century. Its exhibits include various New Year's decorations: from Bethlehem stars and porcelain angels, which our grandparents decorated Christmas trees with, to glass and plastic holiday accessories that are common today. Colorful toys made of cotton wool, wood or clay, chic garlands, figures of the Snow Maiden and Santa Claus, elegant tips are incredibly colorful. Inspecting the exhibition will delight your beloved child.

Zoo in the estate of Father Frost

Opening hours: daily, opening hours should be clarified by calling the contact phone number.
Phone: +7 817 385‑21-10.
Website: https://votchina-deda-moroza.ru
Address: Mardengskoe settlement, territory of the estate of Father Frost.

One of the main attractions of the Estate of Father Frost is a small zoo, founded in 2009. The spacious enclosures built on an area of 7 hectares contain about 50 species of animals and birds. Here you will see moose, deer, foxes, wolves, brown bears, eagle owls, owls, and other representatives of the fauna of the Russian North. Children will be able to play with some animals. Those interested are offered a ride on a sled pulled by huskies.

Residence of Father Frost

Opening hours: daily, on weekdays from 9:00 to 18:00, on weekends from 10:00 to 18:00.
Phone: +.
Website: https://www.pochta-dm.ru
Address: Oktyabrsky Lane, 1A. Transport stop “Lunacharskogo Street”.

In addition to the delightful country estate in a fabulous forest, Father Frost also has a residence in Veliky Ustyug itself. The elegant historic mansion houses a post office, which receives millions of letters from young Russians every year. During the excursion, children will be told about how magic mail works, taught how to correctly format messages to Santa Claus, and shown a magnificent collection of New Year's postcards, including rarities from the beginning of the last century.

Buldakov's estate

Address: Naberezhnaya street, 45, 46, 47

The Buldakov estate consists of 2 outbuildings and the main house, built at the dawn of the 19th century. The customer of the complex was a local merchant and head of a Russian-American company, Mikhail Buldakov. He bought the land for the estate in 1804, and 2 years later a large original house was erected on it, to which 2 outbuildings were later added, which served as office premises.

There is a park complex near the estate. Since 1995, the Buldakov estate has been a historical monument of federal significance.

Transport

Public transport in Veliky Ustyug is buses and minibuses. There are 13 routes, including those that lead from the city to neighboring settlements. There are daily flights to Kotlas, Vologda, Cherepovets and a number of other cities. The cost of travel within the city is 18 RUB; prices for suburban services vary. Some city buses (routes No. 4, 6, 7) do not operate on Sundays.

The taxi fleet of Veliky Ustyug is extensive; there are more than a dozen taxi services. The price of the trip starts from 50 RUB, each kilometer costs 10-15 RUB. You can immediately request a cost estimate or “wind up” the meter on the way. If required, a child car seat or restraint system is provided free of charge. After a taxi ride to the estate of Father Frost, your wallet will be empty by about 200 RUB (if you go directly from Veliky Ustyug); prices may increase during the New Year holidays.

Museum of New Year and Christmas toys

Address: Communy Square, 7

This establishment, attractive to people of all ages, continues the main tourist theme of the city. The homeland of the main winter character is unthinkable without wonderful New Year and Christmas toys that allow you to touch the true magic.

The museum was opened in 1998 in the now defunct Church of the Myrrh-Bearing Women, which is an architectural monument of the 18th century. Within its walls there are numerous Christmas tree decorations from different times, made from various materials (clay, wood, cotton wool, glass, plastic), fabulous figurines of angels, Santa Claus and his granddaughters, beautiful garlands, Bethlehem stars, etc.

One of the halls houses unique exhibits that tell about New Year and Christmas traditions from different parts of the world.

Master classes and thematic excursions

In the homeland of Father Frost there are excursions that you are unlikely to see anywhere else. They are unusual in form and in essence. These are thematic excursions that introduce various types of folk crafts developed in this city by masters. Each of them is described in detail and informatively, accompanying the excursions with practical exercises and games.

Viewing the exhibition is often combined with master classes in which everyone can actively participate.

Master class “Flax, my flax”

Flax occupies a special place in the folk crafts of Veliky Ustyug. Linen napkins and tablecloths, bed linen and towels, linen clothing - all this variety is presented in large quantities in the northern town.

At the thematic exhibition “Flax, my flax”, opened in the St. Nicholas Church (a monument of the 17th-18th centuries), everyone can work on processing flax themselves, work on a flax mill, fray it with ruffles, scratch it with brushes and even try spinning on an old spinning wheel or weaving on a loom. The tour is accompanied by interactive exhibits, folk games and folklore.

"Birch bark miracle"

Carved painted birch bark is the leading trade in Veliky Ustyug. A thematic excursion dedicated to this original folk craft, and master classes where you can learn the basics of making small birch bark souvenirs together with craftsmen, are always interesting to guests and residents of the city.

You can take a souvenir made from birch bark with your own hands as a souvenir.

Excursion to the Toy Museum

The wonderful Museum of New Year and Christmas toys with elegant decorated trees, regardless of the time of year, is located in the white stone Church of the Myrrh-Bearing Women (built in the 18th century). The museum contains Christmas tree decorations that were produced in our country from the beginning of the twentieth century to the present day. Here you can get acquainted with the history of Christmas tree decorations and the Christmas tree, learn a lot about Christmas and New Year souvenirs and gifts, and how these winter holidays are celebrated in different countries.

"Lace Tale"

Many people have heard about Vologda lace. But excursions dedicated to this famous craft are unlikely to leave anyone indifferent. Ustyuzhan craftswomen, who know the secrets of the famous lace craft, which has made Vologda land famous throughout the world, will help everyone who wants to weave their first braid on bobbins or at a loom during the master class.

Master class “Magic thread”

The thematic excursion “Magic Thread” is dedicated to Ustyug artistic embroidery. At the master class, having mastered the simplest methods of embroidery under the guidance of an experienced embroiderer, you can create your first “masterpiece”, decorating it with local ornaments.

Excursion to the icon-painting workshop

The white-stone carved Church of the Ascension (itself a 17th-century landmark) houses the Museum of Ancient Russian Art with exhibitions on Veliky Ustyug iconostases and wooden architecture.

Excursions and master classes on icon painting are held here, where the basics of creating an ancient Russian icon are learned. Young painters are taught to pound clay, prepare paints and apply them, paint drawings on icons, and assemble mosaics, as ancient masters once did.

Master class “What the samovar is ringing about”

During the interactive lesson, the children will get acquainted with the collection of ancient samovars of the 17th-20th centuries, which is collected in the Veliky Ustyug Museum-Reserve, and with items accompanying the tea ceremony.

Tea drinking in merchant Veliky Ustyug is a whole ritual with its indispensable attribute - a samovar. How this happens in practice, how to drink tea “biting”, “snatching”, “closely”, what a “sugar loaf” is and what its weight is, how to chop sugar and quickly assemble a samovar - you can learn about all this by competing and playing at the master class.

“Classes at the Old Russian School”

If you want to find out how children studied in the old days, what they wrote in and with, what the lessons of writing, reading and mathematics consisted of, how disobedient students were punished and what an Old Russian class looked like, you need to go on an interactive thematic excursion “Lessons in an Old Russian School”.

Such master classes are held in the Church of the Myrrh-Bearing Women, where the interior of the old school with all the ancient paraphernalia has been recreated.

“City of Merchants and Craftsmen” – excursion for schoolchildren

The exhibition, which tells about the most significant events from the life and history of Veliky Ustyug, about folk arts and crafts that glorified the city of craftsmen and merchants, is located in the former house of the merchant G.V. Usova on the city embankment. Excursions for children are conducted in an educational and playful way. For example, children learn about trade at fairs from a funny, cheerful scene performed at a puppet show by the merchant and Petrushka.

Children themselves can become participants in ancient games and receive a souvenir from the cheerful puppet characters.

"The Walled City and Its Defenders"

This master class is a joint project developed by the museum-reserve and the Gleden historical reconstruction club. During the excursion with a story about the history of the city, there is a demonstration of the weapons and armor of the ancient Ustyug warrior and a reconstruction of the battle.

Glass Bottle Museum

Address: Sovetsky Prospekt, building 121 (opposite Lenin Square).

This small but unique museum for Russia appeared thanks to the efforts of Alexander Kokovin. Now there are 600 exhibits on display, most of which are dishes from the times of the Russian Empire.

Here are bottles into which alcoholic drinks were poured, as well as utensils used in perfume production and pharmaceuticals. There are also containers for milk and lemonade.

The sights of Veliky Ustyug are interesting for both children and adults and are of great historical and cultural value. They are objects of Russian cultural heritage.

Amazing temples and churches

Connoisseurs of elegant architecture will receive great pleasure from visiting the stunning churches of Veliky Ustyug. Most of the churches built several centuries ago are in good condition, although they are not currently operational.

Assumption Cathedral

Address: Sovetsky Prospekt, 62. Transport stop “Lunacharskogo Street”.

The Assumption Cathedral, consecrated in 1658, is one of the main attractions of Veliky Ustyug. The masterpiece of Russian architects has the traditional design for churches of the 17th century. cubic shape. The octagon of the main dome, like the graceful corner turrets, is topped with a gilded onion with crosses. The architecture of the two-part bell tower, which has a classic dome and a pointed hipped dome with a spire, is very interesting. The ashes of the high priests of the diocese rested in the crypt of the cathedral, and its walls were decorated with excellent frescoes, some of which have survived to this day. Currently, the temple, where restoration work is ongoing, can only be viewed from the outside.

Cathedral of Procopius the Righteous

Opening hours: daily, from 8:00 to 19:00.
Website: https://difo1975.cerkov.ru
Address: st. Embankment, 57. Transport stop “Lunacharskogo Street”.

An excellent white-stone church with blackened domes, consecrated in 1668, was erected on the resting place of Procopius the Righteous, who lived in Veliky Ustyug and canonized by the Orthodox Church in the mid-16th century. Several miracles are attributed to the saint, whose sarcophagus with relics is kept in the temple. Today the cathedral is both a museum and a functioning church. Be sure to visit here and see the delightful carved iconostasis, again sparkling with gilding after restoration carried out in the last decade of the last century.

Ascension Church

Address: Sovetsky Prospekt, 86. Transport stop “Lunacharskogo Street”.

The amazingly beautiful Church of the Ascension of the Lord, consecrated in 1648, is considered a true pearl of the city’s architecture. Once upon a time, the magnificent building, the exterior of which intricately intertwined the traditions of Byzantine and Old Russian architects, was decorated with 11 domes. The temple amazed contemporaries with the originality of its forms, the abundance of decorative elements, kokoshniks, carved rosettes, and the grace of figured drums. After a series of reconstructions, the church became five-domed, but by no means lost its originality and charm. Currently, restoration work is ongoing in the temple.

St. Nicholas Church

Address: st. Embankment, 66. Transport stop “Lunacharskogo Street”.

An amazing temple in honor of St. Nicholas of Gostunsky, the patron saint of sailors, appeared in the city at the beginning of the 18th century, when the Sukhona River was still navigable, and Veliky Ustyug was considered a major port, as evidenced by Neptune, depicted on its coat of arms. The multi-tiered single-domed church, like the slender bell tower topped with a high spire, is a remarkable example of the unique Ustyug architecture of the Middle Ages. At the end of the last century, the temple was carefully restored and converted into an exhibition hall of the ethnography museum.

Trinity-Gledensky Monastery

Address: Morozovitsa village, st. Central, 122.

To see this architectural miracle, which even in its current state never ceases to amaze, it is undoubtedly worth making the four-kilometer journey from the city to the village of Morozovitsa. Built in the 18th-19th centuries, the monastery complex impresses with the splendor of the Trinity and Tikhvin churches. The Holy and Northern Gates and the watchtower have survived to this day. Be sure to see the delightful four-tiered iconostasis of the Trinity Cathedral, which amazes with its exquisite carvings and unique wooden sculptures.

Cafes and restaurants in Veliky Ustyug

Veliky Ustyug lives a modest gastronomic life. As in any Russian province, there are mainly cafes and restaurants serving Russian and European cuisine. There are few establishments and they are concentrated in the center - on Krasnaya Street, Sovetsky Prospekt, in Krasny Lane. Most are more like canteens; the average check for lunch is 200-300 RUB per person. Dinner for three with drinks in a more expensive cafe will not exceed 1,500 RUB. Be prepared for leisurely service and simple but tasty food. Bank cards are not held in high esteem - cash is the only option almost everywhere.

In the Estate of Father Frost there are difficulties with food. If you decide to visit the house of a fairy-tale old man in winter, you should stock up on sandwiches and tea in a thermos. There are several cafes on site, but they are usually reserved for tourist groups or are crowded. If you still want Russian flavor, you can take a sip of honey sbiten. Just take a sip, because they pour little, but it costs a lot.