Tourism in Russia > Arkhangelsk region > Solvychegodsk

Solvychegodsk

The town of Solvychegodsk (Salt of Vychegda) was founded In 1492 on the river of Vychegda near the salt lake. The town got the opportunity of development thanks to the foundation of producing of salt and developing it into the salt Industry. It Is a typical for the XVI th century town church of a big size, of three apses and five heads, founded on the high foundation and surrounded by the gallery with attaches.

The imposing five-headed building of the Cathedral on the high basement with cells was built by Anica Stroganov with sons and grandchildren in the period since 1560 till 1563 years as the family church.

The unique items of decoration - applied arts of the XVI - XVII th centuries and fiesco paintings of Boris Godunov periode and a fine multy-rowed icon wall were kept in the temple.

The chaple for perished is included into the complex. It was built by the count Grigorii Stroganov in 1826. There are 28 gravestones in the chapel from the Stroganovs family members funerals.

There is saint Prince Vladimir Chapel in the south-western comer of the church fence, built in 1887 in honor of the visit this place by prince Vladimir Alexandrovich In 1885. The chapel in honor of wonderful saving of tsar Alexander III is another chapel built in the North-western corner of the fence in 1890.

The pearl Lake

The pearl Lake is situated behind the north-eastern side of the Annunciation Cathedral, According to the legend the Stroganovs cultivated the pearl-shells in this lake, The pearls were gotten on the river Iksa, situated not far from Solvychegodsk. A german doctor and chemist headed the pearl mining. The pearls were used for decorating icons, church crosses, church cloths and caps and hats.

The Dorminion church

The Dorminion cathedral was the first in the row of the most otiginal constructions on the edge of XVII-XVIII centuries. The temple represents the model of Moscow baroque style, which carries the name of Stroganov style. For those buildings some special features are typical: luxary of outdoor decorations using orders system.

No other architecture monument has such rich decorating by carved white stone and multy chrome tiles.

The temple is very effective inside as well, it is nicely lighted by three rows of wide closely situated to each other windows. It is simply full of light.
In the eastern part of the temple you can see seven-tiered icon wall in the style of Naryshkin baroque, painted by Moscow painter Grigorii Ivanov Ustinov in 1693. It is decorated with columns with curling vine, with decorating curls and cap details, sur-ounding the icons. Especially luxurious is the carving of tsar gates, having the form of wooden laces. All carvings of the Icon wall is covered with special church gold, which harmonizes with grey-blue phome of window frames and makes the whole site of architecture composition especislly solemn. The new restoration and golden covering was sponsored by the merchant Yakov Vasilyevlch Khaminov in 1895.

The icons for the icon wall were painted by Stefan Narykov in 1693. The I icon wall of Dormition temple is a unique phenomenon of Russian art of the end of the XVII th century. There is no another monument of such I grand form in Russia, which would include into itself so many new elements for Russian icon painting. Stefan Narykov promoted this new style ahead of his contemporaries some dozens years in advance.

The salty lake

The town name itself includes the direct hint on the salt mining. The history of foundation of the town is also connected with salt. For two hundred years since the same beginning of salt boiling it became the main industry for local people. It Is reflected on the Emblem of the town where two crystals of salt are placed.

The water of the Salty lake was used for boiling down salt, as there was the lack of the water from the salty source already in the XVI th century the first drilled wells were made. The depth of the well was not less than 110-120 metres down. The wells were made by handy method with the help of lots of special toils. Pipelines were made of pine trees logs. Some of those pipelines are still kept on the banks of the lake. In 1957-1959 years 63 wells were found on the bottom of a forgotten lake by the special scientific expedition members. Solvychegodsk became the main producer of salt as for Russian North so for central districts of Russia. The amount of salt was till 11200 thousand kgs a year.

The water of the old wells was often used for curing aims. The local doctors used the baths with warmed mineral water for treating rheumatism. In 1901 the doctor A.L. Metsikovsky put a problem of wide using of mineral water for treatment of sick people to the town administration.

In 1923 a small hospital for 50 persons was opened and 5 baths with sulphur hydrogen water of the Salty lake began functioning. Since that time the Solvychegodsk Balneological Resort has been functioning, at the moment also. The Salty lake is the only sulfur-hydrogen lake In the north and north-west of Russia. It is really unique phenomenon of nature.

In 1923 a small hospital for 50 persons was opened and 5 baths with sulphur hydrogen water of the Salty lake began functioning. Since that time the Solvychegodsk Balneological Resort has been functioning, at the moment also.

The Salty lake is the only sulfur-hydrogen lake in the north and north-west of Russia. It is really unique phenomenon of nature.

Spasoobyvennaya church

This church carries its name as the building made (erected) for 1 day. It appeared here in 1571 at the same beginning of development of the town It was put up to get rid of plague. In 1634 the church was moved to the place where it stands now, It was higher and uifloi tiom floods. In 1691-1697 a new stony one-floored warm church appeared here. The second floor was built on the church above the ground floor with a cold chapel. In 1892 a new bell tower appeared to change the old circled bell-tower with high entrance porch over the northern part of the church door and in 7 years the spacious two-storeyed attach building was built and almost shut the northern side of the church.

This temple, being one of the first made of stone churches of Solvychegodsk became the prototype of many other, religious buildings of the town.

The museum of political exile

Bin the XIX-XX th century Solvychegodsk become the place of political exile. The participants and leaders of many revolutionary rebellions were sent there for settling, losif Stalin was exiled here twice.

The first exile of Stalin (I.V. Dzhugashvily) continued since February, 27 till June, 11, in 1909. It was over after escape. The second exile began in October, 29, 1910 and finished in June, 26, 1911. During the second exile I.V. Dzhugashvily used to live in Krestovozdv-izhenskaya street in houses 13 and 20 (in our days Lenin street, 31 and 28). The house 13 belonged to N.A. Grigorov, at whose house regularly political convicts used to live. After leaving the Grigorovs family Stalin had to change the house. He chose the house across the road the house number 20, which belonged to the widow of S.M. Vuzakov, a Solvichegodsk Philistine, Mariya Prokopyevna Kuzakova, A wooden, one-storeyed house with a mezzanine was built in 1905, The hostess with her six children occupied the back part of the house, and the front part used to be rented by the convicts. This part had a separate entrance door, which was rather comfortable. In 1933 in this [ .lit of the house was organized a museum-flat of political convicts, in 1935 M.P. Kuzakova sold the whole house for the museum. Since that time till 1963 the museum was carried the name of I.V. Stalin. Now it is incheded into the complex of history and arts museum of Solvichegodsk. In the Kuzakovs house the interior of that period is kept totally.

The house of merchants Pyankovs

Among small wooden houses, which make the general sight of the streets of Solvychegodsk one building is really extraordinary, it is a big stony house of estate type - the house of Pyankovs merchant family, . Most of the offices of the town ruling departments, the hall of the gentry assembly and the flat of the head of the town occupied both floors of the house. The architecture of the Pyankovs house represents the typical for later classicism character.

The school shop of folk handicrafts

The school shop of folk handicrafts was organized In Solvychegbc history-arts museum in 1991. The school specializes on traditional women's handicrafts: weaving and embroidering. The most important principle of the school work is deep studying of folk traditions of basin of the river Lower Vychegda and the river head of the North Dvina river, the territory of the former Solvychegodsk uyezd. The process of studying carries complex character. It includes both mastering traditional trades and local customs, traditions, folk songs, folk games and dancing, learn to live on traditional festivals, autumn parties, maslenitsa public holidays, " There are some traditional technologies in the school program: so called "bran" and "multiremis" weaving, embroidesing "stitch on writing" and "Laying on interwedve", veaving the belts "on the chock", "on the circle", braiding and twisting (weaving). There are 15 weaving Lathes, found during the expeditions for the villages. At weaving lessons the girls study to prepare foundation for weaving Lathe, to weave covers on the floor, to weve linen, canvas, towels, the details for women's shirts and underwear dresses and pieces for sarafans. At their lessons the pupils make belts, decorate the ends of the towels by embroidering, knit beautiful laces for towels, Especial-kind of their work on the program became making of folk costumes. Much is done in searching and collecting of samples of folk costume. Also the students study the technical ways of cutting, ornamentism.

Literature estate

Solvychegodsk is a town of literary heritage. According to creative fantasy of brothers Zhemchuzhnikovs and A. Tolstoy the favorite writer Kozma Petrovich Prutkov was born just hear Solvychegodsk. He is a man of deep sence of humor, philosophy, a man of sensible soul. In 2006 was the celebration of his 205 th birthday. His aphorisms are alive today and loved by our contemporaries.

The Literature estate appeared in 2004 in the complex of town library thanks to the efforts of fans of talent of this gifted poet. Those were the people, who attracted the attention of the people to the fact that on the will of brothers Zhemchuznikovs and A. Tolstoy Solvycheg homeplace of the poet.

Kozma Prutkov festival of humor and Prokopii fair regularly takeplace in July. The slogan of the festival is "If you want to be happy-be happy". Different guests from many cities and towns come here.

The museum of Kozma Prutkov

In 2007 the museum of Kozma Prutkov was opened. Its collection includes creativity works by folk masters, and also the works ' he works are very unique and especial, Items of K. Prutkov began to appear in carefully kept by local population.

Holidays in Solvychegodsk

Prokopii fair and the regional festival of humor in honor and in the name of Kozma Prutkov.

Every year in the middle of July a small ancient town Solvychegodsk bejcomes a holiday town. Many guests, participants and visitors hurry there fro n the whole Russia and from foreign countries to take part in the humor festival after Kozma Prutkov and in the Prokopii fair. The number of participants is growing every year. People can not only rest here, enjoy fun tirre and spend their money, take part In funny and sports competitions, see the only carnival-parade in honor of Kozma Prutkov but be acquainted with the - history of the town Its sightseeing’s and biographies of the people who played a remarkable role in the fate of the country. Festival-fair becomes the place of professionals of different museum workeu. the masters of folk crafts, local poets, conferences oh the problems of small towns, meetings with journalists take place on the same days.
This festival is joy, happiness of communication, luxurious rows with samples of folk handicrafts and trade organizations of our region.

In 1993 the traditional Prokopii fair was restored in honor of especially honored in the North Saint Prokopii of Ustyug. This fair takes place every year on the third Saturday of July.

During the festival fair many competitions take place; on literature, on historical costume, on handicrafts, on the most original work on the topic "Solvychegodsk and festival of Kozma Prutkov", on the cups "The golden salt cup", "The bow of Kozma Prutkov".

On the 7 th of July of 2001 the Agreement on mutual cooperation between the town of Gabrovo (Bulgaria) and Solvychegodsk (Kotlas district, Arkhangelsk region, Russia) on the foundation of festival traditions.

The festival became a visit card of the south of Archangelsk region!

Some days, spent in this ancient town in the holiday, atmosphere of Russian province on the phone of wonderful Russian nature of the Russian North make unforgettable impressions on visitors and participants.

The excursions in Solvychegodsk

Solvychegodsk in the frames of intellectual program «The town of five centuries»

1. The excursion "The church art of XVI-XVIII th centuries" with survey visit of the Annunciation Cathedral and the bell tower and the exposition complex of the temple"
2. The survey excursion about the town Solvychegodsk with visiting the Salt lake and the Dormition Cathedral and information story about the town history.
3. The excursion to the museum of I.V. Stalin, the museum of political exile In Solvychegodsk.
4. The excursion to the Folk handicrafts school with acquaintance with traditional technologies of weaving; embroidering and ethnography collection.
5. The excursion «Literature estate of Kozma Prutkov»