The village of Kirzhach was first mentioned in 1328. Before the reforms of Catherine II, the village belonged to monasteries. In 1778 it became a city. At the end of the 19th century. About 4,000 people lived here. At that time, paper and copper-brass factories, weaving and dyeing factories operated in Kirzhach.
In the city center, shopping arcades built in the 1850s and several residential half-stone two-story houses have been preserved.
A kilometer from the city center rises above the Kirzhach River, a hill called in ancient times Selivanova Mountain. Once upon a time the village of Selivanova Gora belonged to the Annunciation Monastery. This area is very beautiful.
At the top of the mountain stands the current St. Nicholas Church, built in 1764 at the expense of the Moscow merchant Tit Petrov.
Along with Aleksandrovsky and Petushinsky, the Kirzhachsky district is one of the most promising in our region in terms of tourism development. The reason is obvious - it borders on the capital region, from where most tourists and excursionists come to us.
Monuments of Kirzhach
Memorial at the site of Yuri Gagarin's death
Memorial at the site of Gagarin's death in the village of Novoselovo
Memorial to Hero of the Soviet Union test pilot Vladimir Seregin
The population of the region increases seven times in summer due to Moscow summer residents. And they are consumers of various services, including tourism.
Almost all guests of the area visit the memorial at the site of the death of the planet's first cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin and Hero of the Soviet Union test pilot Vladimir Seregin. These are both individual tourists and organized groups traveling along the “They Conquer the Sky” route. The district administration maintains the road to the memorial in good condition and maintains order in the area where, in place of the 5-meter crater formed by the fall of the MIG-15, a 16-meter monument made of red Ukrainian granite in the shape of an airplane wing stands. Along the edges of the funnel there is a ring of black labrodarite. The memorial is on the balance sheet of the district administration, and the authorities are now trying to give the monument federal status. This will expand the exhibition and develop tourism infrastructure.
Airplane UTI Mig 15
Airplane UTI Mig 15
The history of the UTI Mig 15 aircraft is closely connected with the name of Yuri Gagarin. The mystery of the death of the Earth's first cosmonaut remains unsolved for almost half a century. The UTI MIG-15 fighter, on which Yuri Gagarin and the commander of the aviation regiment Vladimir Seregin made a training flight, crashed near the city of Kirzhach on March 27, 1968. Both pilots were killed. The fourth episode of the documentary about Yuri Gagarin's last flight talks about the first days of the investigation into the tragedy. The mystery of the death of the Earth's first cosmonaut remains unsolved for almost half a century. The UTI MIG-15 fighter, on which Yuri Gagarin and the commander of the aviation regiment Vladimir Seregin made a training flight, crashed near the city of Kirzhach on March 27, 1968. Both pilots were killed. The fourth episode of the documentary about Yuri Gagarin's last flight talks about the first days of the investigation into the tragedy. Experts note that after the tragedy, it was possible to collect up to 95% of the “dry weight” of the aircraft - an unprecedented fact at that time. “The crashed plane was put together like a mosaic,” says one of the experts. As a result, specialists claim that before hitting the ground, Gagarin’s plane was in good order and the cockpit was intact. This means that the cause of the tragedy is not a technical failure: something happened in the sky. One of the versions is that the plane collided with another flying object, and the cause of death simply defies logic.
What to see in 1 day
Walking is especially romantic. In a small town with a compact location in the center of all interesting cultural sites, it is not difficult to build a convenient tourist route. Buses run from the station towards Gagarin Street: 104, 106, 108, 4, 7. The bus ride takes no more than 5 minutes.
You should start the tour by visiting the main city attraction - the ensemble of the Annunciation Convent. Near the monastery there is a House of Culture, Shopping Rows, and Smirnov's House. Further up the street are the Museum of Platbands, the Museum of the Vladimir Militia and the Museum of Local Lore.
Kirzhach. Museum of Platbands.
In the area of houses numbered 30 to 34, the asphalt has been replaced with red paving stones and old cobblestones, on which the ancestors of modern townspeople walked. Stylized cast iron lanterns and decorative benches line the atmospheric walkway.
Next comes the park area. You can turn onto Vladimirskaya Street, go around the park and exit onto Leningradskaya Street. A walk along this road will lead to an old house built at the beginning of the 20th century by the widow of a local manufacturer for an orphanage. If time permits, it is worth visiting the memorial complex at the site of Gagarin’s death. A taxi ride costs about 450 rubles. will take 25 minutes.
The provincial, quiet town of Kirzhach is a pleasant place for a tourist holiday. It can become a memorable intermediate point of a trip to Sergiev Posad or Vladimir, or it can be the final goal of a weekend trip. The city does not have famous sights, but there is a lot to see.
Article design: Ilchenko Oksana
Museums in Kirzhach
District History, Local Lore and Art Museum of Kirzhach
District History, Local Lore and Art Museum of Kirzhach
The regional center itself also has many objects of interest to tourists. They offer hotels and guest houses, cafes and restaurants. Kirzhach is a hydronym. It comes from the Finno-Ugric word “kerzh” - left (the Kirzhach River is the left tributary of the Klyazma). Tourists can visit the regional museum of history and local lore, where numerous household items typical of this area, which has long been developed by man, are exhibited. Widely represented in the museum is the so-called. “Argunov” carving depicting epic fairy tale dragons, beregins, brownies, mermaids and strange birds. The Slavs who settled along the banks of the Kirzhach River considered Argunov’s patterns to be purely Russian decor. And today, summer residents building in the area often decorate the facades of their houses with Argunov carvings, preserving local traditions.
Museum of the Vladimir Militia of the Patriotic War of 1812.
Museum of the Vladimir Militia of the Patriotic War of 1812.
In 2013, a private museum of the people's militia of the Patriotic War of 1812 appeared in the city of Kirzhach.
Among the old-timers of Kirzhach, a legend persists that the hero of the Patriotic War of 1812, Pyotr Ivanovich Bagration, who was seriously wounded, was taken from the site of the Battle of Borodino through Moscow, Stromyn, Filippovskoye, Kirzhach, to the Yuryev-Polish village of Sima. And that in an inn located on the central street of the city of Kirzhach, where the printing house is currently located, he was given a bandage and given the opportunity to sleep for several hours. Of the many documents and publications dating back to 1812 preserved in the regional branch of the State Archive, in the local history department of the regional scientific library, it was not possible to find documentary evidence of this legend. But based on the example of studying other long-lived folk legends, it can be argued that this one did not arise from fiction, but is connected with reality. There are reasons to believe in the authenticity of the legend, and they are very convincing. The first of them is that the wounded hero was sent to the village of Sima by his friend and relative, Lieutenant General Prince Boris Andreevich Golitsyn, who commanded the Vladimir people's militia. Prince Golitsyn's wife was Bagration's own aunt, loving her restless, talented nephew and therefore infinitely attentive and hospitable to him.
Ethnographic Museum-Estate of Galina Maslennikova (Zarechye)
House of manufacturer Dumnov in Zarechye
In the village of Zarechye, thanks to the enthusiasm of the owner of one of the Moscow studios, Galina Maslennikova, an ethnographic museum was created in the house of her great-grandfather S. Dumnov, one of the textile magnates of the district before the revolution.
Galina Davydovna herself conducts tours of the two-story, good-quality house, the rooms of which can accommodate up to 20 guests at a time. Tourists who prefer to relax in a rural hotel are offered a real village bathhouse, fragrant herbal tea with pies freshly baked in a Russian oven. And in the little room, hidden in the greenery of a well-kept garden, there is an exhibition of weaving tools and looms that have been preserved from the 19th century. Here the owner keeps her unique collection of dolls, which last year was exhibited in Italy at an exhibition of Russian folk art, organized on the initiative of Svetlana Medvedeva.
Natural attractions of Kirzhachi
- Selivanova Gora , once located in the village of the same name, is now part of the city.
This is a popular walking spot for locals. The small hill is located just 1 km from the city center. Climbing up to enjoy the local natural beauty, you will have a view of the bridge and the river.
At the very top of the hill there is St. Nicholas Church, which you can also visit.
- Lake Krutoe or Lake Kizovskoe is located near the city center. Here, among the trees and picturesque nature, local residents founded a beach where you can relax in summer and winter.
- The Vakhchilka River is a tributary of the Kirzhach River; a small shallow river runs through the entire city.
Here, framed by pine trees, locals love to arrange photo sessions. The river is popular for walking and fishing, both among locals and city guests.
- The lousy hill is a hill above the Kirzhach River, which received its name during the First World War in 1812. A lice quarantine camp was located here.
Now local residents like to walk and relax here, and many memorial complexes have grown up on the hill, including: a stone and a memorial cross to the heroes of the War of 1812, a marble rotunda, a bonfire of astronauts, and a beach of astronauts.
On the hill there is a sculpture in the form of wedding rings, on which couples hang locks, and there is a ski slope, popular in winter.
Monasteries and churches in Kirzhach and the Kirzhach region.
Holy Annunciation Convent in Kirzhach
Holy Annunciation Kirzhach Convent - Orthodox convent in Kirzhach
Pilgrims and lovers will not be left out either. They are attracted primarily by the Holy Annunciation Convent, located in the center of the city. In its cathedral rest the relics of the Venerable Roman of Kirzhach, a student and associate of Sergius of Radonezh. Nearby is a holy spring. Tourists can also buy chicken and quail eggs from the monastery farm.
Kazan Church in Zarechye, Kirzhach district
Kazan Church in Zarechye, Kirzhach district
In 1881, the Vladimir Spiritual Consistory gave permission to build a church under the supervision of the diocesan architect N.A. Artleben, and in 1887, through the diligence of the parishioners, the current stone church of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God was built and a separate parish was opened. There are three altars in the church: the main one in honor of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God, in the chapels - St. Alexis, Metropolitan of Moscow and St. Sergius, Abbot of Radonezh. During Soviet times it was closed and ruined. In the 1990s it was returned to believers and restored.
Source: O. Penezhko “The city of Kirzhach, churches of the Kirzhach and Kolchuginsky districts of the Vladimir region.” 2008
Church of St. George the Victorious (Ilyinskoe village)
Church of St. George the Victorious. Village Ilyinskoye
According to the census books of 1678, the parish of the Elias Church consisted of 57 households. Further information about the church in the village. Ilyinsky did not exist until the end of the 18th century; It is unknown whether there were any reconstructions during these two centuries. In 1799, as can be seen from the affairs of the Pereslavl spiritual board, the local priest showed that the wooden church was built by the zeal of the parishioners, that it was ancient. In 1810, instead of this church, construction began on a stone temple, in 1821 a meal was consecrated, and in 1823 the main altar. In 1853-55 the meal was expanded, and since that time there have been no new temple buildings.
St. Andrew's Church
The temple was built in 1825 on St. Andrew's churchyard. 2 wooden shrines stood here already at the beginning of the 17th century, connected by a bell tower. Later a stone temple was built here. It has remained almost unchanged since 1825. After the fire of 1888, the interior of the church was slightly changed. The building is made in the style of classicism.
The exterior decoration of this landmark of the city of Kirzhach is represented by pilasters along the edges and window frames in the form of a fan. In the USSR, the church was forgotten and it was also looted. In 1990, restoration of the temple began, but progress is slow. In 2000, the building was returned to believers. There is a cemetery around the church.
Architectural monuments of Kirzhach
House of Culture in Kirzhach
House of Culture in Kirzhach
The idyll of rural provincial life is well complemented by the performance of artists from the rural House of Culture with interactive programs for tourists. Now the House of Culture in Kirzhach is a business house.
Boarding school in Kirzhach
Architectural monument – Boarding school
The architectural style of the monument is reminiscent of noble mansions of the 18th and 19th centuries. Tall columns decorate the façade of the building. The second floor is crowned by a spacious stone balcony. At the beginning of the 20th century, the widow of the manufacturer Arsentyev used part of her inheritance to build an orphanage, investing in it not only money, but also her soul. She finishes building a house on the eve of the revolution. The building was expropriated and remained empty for several years. Until 1943, the building housed both a school and a technical school, and during the war the building was a military field hospital. The wounded were treated here. After the war, the building housed an orphanage. His first pupils were children taken from besieged Leningrad, whose parents died during the war. In 1976, the orphanage was disbanded and a special correctional boarding school for children of type 8 began to operate in the building. The school has a certificate of protection as an architectural monument. At the moment, 50 children live at the school, they are there 24 hours a day (most of them are elementary school students) and they study here according to a very simplified program. All emphasis is placed on labor education, since knowledge of school subjects is difficult for children. In two workshops, children undergo labor training: metalworking and carpentry for boys and sewing for girls.
Shopping arcades in Kirzhach
The shopping arcade building was built in the 1850s, Gagarin St. 29-4 Kirzhach
The architectural structure was built in the 19th century. In Kirzhach there were two separate shopping rows (now they are called stone rows). At the back of the rows there were separate exits from the basements. One shopping row was demolished in 1950. In their place, the Kirzhach House of Culture was built.
House of Smirnovs
Civil architecture of the 2nd half of the 19th century, a monument to urban planning. Currently, it houses the Department of Culture, Youth Policy, Tourism, Work with Children and Families of the Kirzhach District Administration.
Former Arsentiev house
Arsenyev's house on Gagarin street 37
The Arsentiev House is a monument to urban planning. XIX century and architecture of regional significance.
Where to go with children
One of the interesting offers of the city for young travelers is small productions of the original children's theater "Owlet", telling about the adventures of an owlet traveling through the Kirzhach land. The performances are based on the books of Evgeny Fedorov, the initiator of the opening of many city cultural sites and monuments.
The theater building occupies building 30 on Gagarin Street, and is open from 9:00 to 17:00 on weekdays. The ticket price is 100 rubles. In the city, on Selivanova Mountain, there is an observation deck “Zaichushka”, from which you can simultaneously admire the beautiful landscapes of the river floodplain and the ancient buildings of the central part of the city.
Children love to take pictures next to the bronze sculpture of a kind fairy-tale character named Zaya. 30 km from the city there is a place that not only conquers children's hearts, but also evokes strong emotions in adults. This is the first domestic airfield for airships.
There are currently two aircraft in the hangar. A project to build several more flying machines is currently underway. An airship hovering in the air is an amazing picture, similar to the animated footage of a science-fiction film.
Nature of Kirzhach
On the Kirzhach River (strannik-sergey.ru)
At the service of lovers of ecological, “green” tourism, there are more and more farms that are ready to receive residents of the capital’s metropolis who want to relax in the lap of nature. And the unforgettable taste of natural products: sour cream, milk and cottage cheese will make adherents of “green” tourism simply happy.
Bridge over the Kirzhach River and dams
Bridge over the Kirzhach River
Dam across the Kirzhach River in the village of Gorodishchi
Directly in the city of Kirzhach there is a destroyed dam. Photo by: https://www.zundercom.narod.ru/
In Red October there is a bridge over the Kirzhach River. There is a dam downstream of the river, in the village of Gorodishchi. There were plans to turn it into a mini-hydroelectric power station. Directly in Kirzhach itself there is another dam, but it’s not worth going into it - it’s reinforcement, and that’s all!
Active recreation in Kirzhach
Horse riding arena in Kirzhach
Indoor horse riding arena. Kirzhach
Interest in various types of active tourism is also growing. In Kirzhach there is an indoor riding arena for dressage. You can rent equipment and raft on the Kirzhach River. Bicycles, ATVs, a restaurant, Russian and Turkish baths, a solarium, a hotel - everything you need for both sports and recreation.
Aviation sports and technical club "Strizh" at the Kirzhach airfield
Paratroopers in Kirzhach
For extreme sports enthusiasts, there is the aviation sports and technical club “Strizh” at the Kirzhach airfield, where the first group of cosmonauts conducted training. Here you can go skydiving - with an instructor, of course.
