Ustuzhna. Part one

2007-10-16T21:10:40Z

Russia. The Vologda region. The town of Ustuzhna.
The cathedral of the Nativity of the Theotokos.
The end of XVIIth century

I'll start my blog with the description of my long, more, than two weeks jorney around Vologda region. Vologda is an old Russian town, located in the region which is known under the name The Russian North. For a long time, the Russian North was something like Wild West in America: strong and independent people came there from the southern therritories, escaping from namads, epidemies, poverty and state reglamentation. The Russian North was rich in three strategical goods: furs, solt and fish. Unlike cowboys and gold-diggers of Wild West, the people of the Russian North were rather religious. From the other hand, large wild forests and impassable bogs attracted Russian monks, looking for complete solitude and silence. Later some of them founded their own monasteries, which later became the citadels of christianity and culture in wild lands.
The Russian North had also special transport importance: since the end of the XVI century Russia was cut from the Baltic see, and the only opportunity to trade with the Western Europe was the White sea.
After the Russian victory in the Northern war this communication gradually lost its economical meaning. Many of former rich centres turned into quiet small towns. After the Soviet era and disasterous 1990's they lost everything. The only business there is timber cutting. Only selling of faked vodka. But the economical difficulties helped to save many historical objects, which were destroyed or rebuilt in other regions.
The Vologda region is rather large - about 600 km. from west to east, and the historical places are spread there rather equal, that's why I desided to cross the region by bus, and / or hitch-hiking. The first town is called Ustuzhna. It is located on the river Mologa - rather big river, which was a part of the very important waterway, which connected the Baltic sea weth the Volga river - the most famous Russian river, by the way. That's why for a long time it was a matter of struggle between different Russian territories, till it became a part of Moscow Russia. Another reason for struggle was that Ustuzhna was a huge center of iron working. The swamp ore was mined nearby. The blacksmith of Ustuzhna produced cannons and cannonballs, swords for the army, and different instruments for common people. In XVIIth century they also creathed the grilles to lock the gates of the Moscow Kremlin. After the Northern War the ore was exhausted, and Ustuzhna turned into a usual Russian small town. The railway wasn't constructed here, that's why the town retained its provincial coloryte.

The cathedral of the Nativity of the Theotokos.
The end of XVIIth century. Now used as a local museum.
Original iconostatsis survived

The house of the local mercant, Pozdeev. The end of XIXth century. Now used as a library

The ruined church of the Nativity of the Theotocos.
XVIIIth century. Beheaded during the Soviet time.
It was used as a cinema.
Now in ruins.

One of typical mercant's houses
Please, provide some feedback. Should I put more pictures? Do you need more historical information? Or, maybe, you want some my personal impressions? Or I'm too verbose? Is it interesting at all?

Travel notes

Ustuzhna. Part one