Romain Rolland once said: “Only he can love the earth who healed it with his feet.” He believed that not a single book could give a person, especially a philologist, what travel gives. This is probably why my friends, writers and philologists this summer rushed to travel around their native land, discovering new and new cities. Gorokhovets in the Vladimir region holds a confident lead among these cities. Tourists have not yet learned about its charms en masse, but writers have. Three posts about the delights of Gorokhovets appear on my feed every week.
“This is not a folklore village,” historian Mikhail Korobko . “Everything is simple, provincial, but they don’t look at tourists as prey.”
And he turned out to be almost right.
Gorokhovets. Fragment of a postcard (reproduction).
Holy Trinity St. Nicholas Monastery
The monastery is located on the top of Puzhalovaya Mountain, where in ancient times there was a settlement, and in the 12th century a wooden fortress was built - the eastern outpost of the Vladimir principality. The very location of the monastery seems to emphasize the primacy of the divine over the earthly - the domes of the monastery soar above the white stone merchant houses of Gorokhovets.
The architectural “core” of the monastery is the five-domed Trinity Cathedral, built in 1681-1689 at the expense of the merchant Sapozhnikov.
View of the city from the walls of the monastery
Address: Gorokhovets, st. Proletarskaya, 12. GPS coordinates: 56.20462, 42.67313.
Holy Resurrection Church
This temple is located at the foot of Puzhalova Mountain, not far from the Holy Trinity St. Nicholas Monastery. The church consists of several volumes of different heights, thanks to which it looks very picturesque - previously it was not one church, but an ensemble of two churches, winter and summer.
The Church of the Resurrection was built by the Gorokhovets merchant Semyon Ershov for personal use - his house is located next door.
Address: Gorokhovets, Sovetskaya st., 20. Coordinates: 56.20546, 42.67643.
House of Ershov (Sapozhnikov)
This ancient merchant mansion now houses an exhibition of the Gorokhovets Historical and Architectural Museum, illustrating the life of a merchant family of the 17th century. The building was built in the 1680s by merchant Ershov on the slope of Puzhalovaya Mountain and is surrounded by a high wooden fence with a three-meter oak gate, which in itself is a monument of wooden architecture.
Ershov's house is considered the most luxurious of several ancient merchant houses of Gorokhovets that have survived to this day. In terms of their architectural appearance, these are classic Russian chambers of the 17th century - but the size and richness of decoration make it clear that very wealthy people lived here. Interestingly, the architects of the house even provided secret passages through which one could leave the building unnoticed.
Address: Gorokhovets, Nagornaya st. 4. Coordinates: 56.20489, 42.67826.
About excursions
There is a tourist information center in Gorokhovets where you can book a tour of the city.
“I have an hour of work - a thousand rubles,” announced the female guide and warned: “And I can talk for a long time.”
She spoke for a really long time, trying to throw out the wisdom accumulated over centuries. Useful information was drowned in streams of information that her grandfather loves frumchenye cookies, her grandson went to serve in the army, the age of the house, which amazes with its architecture, is undoubtedly very respectable, and that the guide herself is building a dacha, so she is in dire need of money. To leading questions, the woman answered “wait, don’t knock me down, I’ll get to that later.” Luckily for us, it started to rain, so the excursion took two hours.
“Oh, it’s a pity, I didn’t tell you the most interesting thing,” the guide sighed.
I found interesting things on my own, fortunately it turned out to be simple. Near each interesting object there are information boards with photographs and historical information in Russian and English. And while he was hiding from the rain in the editorial office of the newspaper “New Life”, located in a red-brick mansion, a local reporter showed a mammoth, which he had molded with his own hands, and told a lot of things. For example, that the abbess of the monastery started vegetable gardens and greenhouses. That director Nikita Mikhalkov has a cool stable and they ride horses there cheaply. And he also gave me two issues of Novaya Zhizn, telling me not to tell anyone under any circumstances. But I'll tell you because the newspaper is interesting. It has a circulation of two thousand copies and a staff of ten people. Which is a lot.
Sretensky Monastery
The monastery was founded in 1658, initially all its buildings were wooden. The entrance to the monastery territory is located under a 35-meter bell tower, which serves as an excellent landmark on the way to the monastery.
Immediately behind the bell tower is the stone Sretensky Cathedral, crowned with five domes on high drums.
The cathedral makes the most striking impression in sunny weather - thanks to its domes lined with colored tiles.
Address: Gorokhovets, st. Sovetskaya, 5. Coordinates: 56.20692, 42.67986.
House of the Shiryaevs
The Shiryaev House is perhaps the most unusual of the merchant mansions of Gorokhovets. The Shiryaevs were very well educated for their time and had an excellent understanding of European culture and architecture. The layout of their house is completely European (enfilade arrangement of rooms, etc.), but outwardly it looks like typical Russian residential chambers.
The Shiryaevs' house is located to the right of the bell tower
The location of the house is also unusual - it is built into the fence of the Sretensky Monastery.
Address: Gorokhovets, st. Sovetskaya, 5. Coordinates: 56.20691, 42.67909.
Inter-settlement House of Folk Art and Crafts
Address: st. Moskovskaya, 43 Phone: +7 (49238) 2-26-42 Website: www.gorohdntv.narod.ru Opening hours: 08.00-17.00 Mon-Sun Cost: 50 rubles
Shorin's former house is open to visitors. The organization located here is called the House of Folk Art, but also works as a museum.
Tourists who don't want to wander around the building alone can take a tour organized by local staff. The price is slightly higher than the cost of a regular ticket - 150 rubles. For this amount you can learn in detail how the Gorokhovo residents of the 17th-20th centuries lived: what they ate, how they worked and had fun. The excursions are conducted in the form of an animation program and end with a tasting of pea porridge and cranberry juice.
Sudoplatov's House
The Sudoplatov House, located opposite the Sretensky Monastery, is one of the most ancient civil buildings in Gorokhovets. Experts believe that the house was built at the same time as the Church of the Sign - this idea is suggested by the similarity of some details and architectural elements.
Address: Gorokhovets, st. Lenina, 9. Coordinates: 56.20705, 42.67824.
Blagoveshchensky cathedral
This is the main and largest temple of Gorokhovets - it was built in 1700 with the money of the merchant Ershov. According to experts in temple architecture, the Annunciation Cathedral is one of the best Russian churches of its time. Despite the fact that this is the latest temple in the city, its appearance is the most “ancient Russian”: five chapters crown a cubic main volume with three apses. Nearby is the richly decorated Church of John the Baptist, which extremely well complements the laconic Annunciation Cathedral.
Currently, the temple is operational - in addition, it houses the art gallery of the Vladimir-Suzdal Museum-Reserve.
Address: Gorokhovets, Shkolny lane, 1. Coordinates: 56.20689, 42.67616.
Where to stay
Either because the Vladimir region is still in pandemic mode, hotels turned out to be a bit tight. Booking gave three options, two of which were strongly criticized, one, but expensive, was praised. The road was called “Aquarius”, and there were only apartments left in it for five thousand rubles, but they were amazing: two rooms, a kitchen and a huge bathroom with a bidet and a jacuzzi.
— There, in the toilet, you have to press the lever twice. “It’s so cleverly designed,” the sweet aunty administrator admonished.
Unfortunately, the hotel restaurant was not open due to the pandemic, but they showed me Vysotsky’s corner set up there: Vladimir Semenovich’s guitar, a tape recorder with reels, books, cassettes. And also, approaching the hotel, I noticed jets of a fountain gushing out from under the ground, surrounding the bust of Vysotsky.
“Has Vysotsky really been here?” - I was surprised.
It turned out that no, I haven’t been, but the owner of the hotel is a big fan of Vysotsky. He made a mini-museum, a fountain and even a ski resort on Puzhalova Mountain.
Fountain "Vysotsky". Photo: Sergey SELEDKIN
Church of John the Baptist
Another exhibition of the Gorokhovets Historical and Architectural Museum is located in the Church of John the Baptist. If the collection of the Sapozhnikov House is mainly dedicated to the life of a wealthy merchant family of the 17th century, then the church branch of the museum tells about the religious life of the city of that time - icons, church utensils, priestly vestments and much more are collected here.
Address: Gorokhovets, Shkolny lane. 5. Coordinates: 56.20716, 42.67622.
Kanonnikov House
The family of the merchant Kanonnikov was not as rich as the Ershovs - so their house looks noticeably more modest. The family was quite large, so the architects placed the main emphasis on the size and functionality of the rooms, and not on the external decor of the building.
Of particular interest are the main staircase, the vestibule on the residential floor, as well as the hipped high roof with chimneys and dormer windows, recreated in its original forms.
Address: Gorokhovets, Naberezhnaya st., 44. Coordinates: 56.20741, 42.67463.
Oparin's House
The Gorokhovets registry office is now located in the former house of merchant Matvey Oparin. In addition, during the “Heroic Fun” festival, Oparin’s house becomes one of the venues for “Merchant Walking”: according to the plot, Tsar Gorokh has a daughter of marriageable age, and princes from neighboring and overseas countries woo her - but in the end, the local Gorokhovetsky is ahead of them a merchant who outshines everyone with his intelligence and daring.
Address: Gorokhovets, Naberezhnaya st., 42. Coordinates: 56.20757, 42.67564.
About interesting things
Although it is indecent to look into other people's windows, it is difficult to resist. A distinctive feature of the city is the incredibly beautiful wooden carvings made by Yakush carpenters living in the neighboring village of Yakushevo. The Yakushi were famous throughout the country for their ability to turn wood into the finest yarn and create, as they would say now, a 3D pattern. One of the most beautiful buildings on Lenin Street is the wooden house of the merchant Morozov in the Russian style with Art Nouveau elements and scaly turrets. Now the mansion houses the “Marfa Posadnitsa” museum, named after the oil barge, the largest at the beginning of the twentieth century, made by the Gorokhovo residents. More than a hundred years ago, the place was famous for its skilled boilermakers or metal craftsmen, whose job was to hammer in rivets. This is very hard physical work, which was performed with rough tools and led to disability. The boilermakers quickly became deaf, which is why they were called wood grouse. Our first oil pipelines, the Russian metal fleet, and railway bridges, which are still standing, were made by the forces of wood grouse.
In the museum they showed us the main beauty - a model of the Shabolovskaya tower by engineer Shukhov, wrapped in a garland like a Christmas tree. Gorokhovets boilermakers riveted the tower, hanging on cables for seven hours without the opportunity to go down for a smoke break and other needs.
Museum of Marfa Posadnitsa and a model of the Shukhov Tower. Photo: Sergey SELEDKIN
At the museum we were told a terrible story about how the local merchant Semchev went bankrupt when he once cheated and made a barge out of thin iron, taking money for thick iron. After this incident, the merchant's credibility dried up, and the business was transferred to another person.
- Look at the face of the merchant Semchev. Do you believe that he had no education? And he had no education. Look at the faces of our boilermakers. How bright and beautiful. Now there are none. It's true? — the guide exclaimed every now and then.
“True, true,” the visitors politely repeated.
The white stone chambers of Ershov's House and the flail that the brownie stole. Photo: Sergey SELEDKIN
In the white stone chambers of the Ershov (Sapozhnikov) House, a monument to pre-Petrine Rus', I flatly refused the excursion and repeated three times that I would see everything myself and was in a hurry. The staff understood everything, although they couldn’t let me go without a tour at all and told me about all the rooms, but still not in such detail and not an hour for each. They took me up the stairs, in the wall of the house, showed me an amazing folk device called “prosorushka”, told me about the secret passage leading from the house to the other side of the Klyazma, and were especially inspired when I asked if there were brownies here.
- But of course! — the museum employee was delighted. - How mischievous he is. Either he will steal a floor rag, or he will place a bucket of water right under your feet so that you can kick into it. And what happened yesterday! I go down to the underground, and everything is covered in lime and there is no flail. I told him: “Antosha, don’t play around, otherwise I won’t buy you candy...” I saw that he then put the flail at the threshold.
— Do you buy Antosha sweets? - I asked.
“It happens, it’s the owner after all,” they answered me.
White stone monastery. Photo: Sergey SELEDKIN
Holy Znamensky Convent
This is the oldest monastery of Gorokhovets, founded at the expense of the merchant P. Lopukhin in 1598. The monastery is located in a very picturesque place, in the floodplain of the Klyazma River (this place is called the Red Mane, so the monastery itself is sometimes called Krasnogrivskaya). Getting to the monastery is not so easy: in the summer you can only cross a pontoon bridge or by boat, in winter you can cross the river ice. From the walls of the monastery there is an excellent view of the old part of Gorokhovets.
Initially, the Holy Sign Monastery was a men's monastery, and all its buildings were made of wood - until in 1760 the merchant Semyon Ershov built the first stone Church of the Mother of God of the Sign. In 1723, Tsar Peter issued a decree on the abolition of the monastery due to “lack of brotherhood” and on the transfer of its buildings to the Florishcheva Hermitage.
During Soviet times, the monastery was closed and all its property was confiscated. Since 1923, its buildings were under the jurisdiction of the provincial museum, which rented them out to organizations and individuals. In the 1960s, the premises of the former monastery were transferred to the state farm - they housed a cattle yard and warehouses. Only in the mid-1990s was the monastery returned to the Russian Orthodox Church and active work began on its restoration.
Address: Vladimir region, Gorokhovetsky district, Znamenka section. Coordinates: 56.21273, 42.67508.
Sights of Gorokhovets
A tourist can visit the following groups of attractions in Gorokhovets:
- architectural;
- cultural;
- historical;
- natural.
Architectural sights of the city
The architectural sights of the city include:
- Holy Trinity St. Nicholas Monastery;
- Morozov's house;
- Sretensky Monastery;
- house of the merchant Prishletsov.
Holy Trinity St. Nicholas Monastery
Holy Trinity St. Nicholas Church is a monastery built in the 17th century. Initially, the men's monastery was located in a wooden building, but after a fire that destroyed it to the ground, it was decided to re-build the monastery from stone. Under Soviet rule, it was closed again - vandals destroyed part of the main building, but they failed to completely demolish the stone temple. In the 20th century, the monastery came to life again. Now it is functioning, and its main element is the Trinity Cathedral, where pilgrims come from all over the country.
Of particular architectural value is the Trinity Cathedral of the monastery, built in 1689 with the money of the merchant Sapozhnikov.
The monastery is located at the address: Perovo village, Proletarskaya street, 12 (on the outskirts of Gorokhovets). The doors of the temple are open every day from 6.00 to 22.00.
Morozov's House
At the beginning of the 20th century, architect I. A. Shorin built a beautiful Russian house in the Art Nouveau style. The one-story wooden building was presented to the merchant I.P. Morozov, who lived in it all his life with his family. Decorations in the form of carvings and towers on the roof are well preserved. Glass in windows of different sizes is replaced annually, and the facade of the house is tinted. Now there is a children's library here.
Local historians from Gorokhovets have opened a new museum dedicated to shipbuilding. Morozov’s house was chosen for the exhibition. When local residents found out about this, they began to bring old photographs and objects to the fund of the future museum. The exhibition space was restored by the staff. In addition to the exhibition of ancient exhibits, here you can watch a documentary film about the scientist, engineer and architect V.G. Shukhov, filmed by Gorokhovets local historians and historians.
The antiquity in this house is revealed by unusually shaped windows and scaly roofs with spiers.
Morozov's house is located on Lenin Street, 83.
Sretensky Monastery
The Holy Sretensky Convent is an Orthodox church founded in 1658 with the blessing of Patriarch Nikon. Initially, the monastery buildings were made of wood (Sretenskaya and Sergius churches), and they began to be replaced with stone ones only at the end of the 17th century. When the new stone church was completed, it was named in honor of the Presentation of the Lord, which is why the entire monastery complex is called Sretensky. The monastery was closed for some time, but reopened in 2001 after restoration. Inside the Sergius Church, colored tiles and an ancient stove have been preserved.
The monastery complex includes not only churches, but also auxiliary buildings:
- Bell tower;
- cell buildings (XVII century);
- fence (XVIII century);
- gatehouse and almshouse (XVIII century);
- Shiryaev's house, etc.
A unique element of the monastery is a hexagonal bell tower 35 meters high
Sretensky Monastery is located on Sovetskaya Street, 5 (not far from the central square of the city).
Prishletsov's House
The Prishletsov House is one of the most beautiful buildings in Gorokhovets, built in 1915 in the neo-Russian style. The building was erected specifically for the chairman of the zemstvo government, merchant Fyodor Ksenofontovich Prishletsov, and after his death it passed to the mayor. The incredible two-tier house, decorated with numerous decorative elements, is called by Gorokhovo residents “the house with mermaids” - these are the fairy-tale characters carved on the wooden frames.
Currently, the art of wood carving is almost forgotten, so Prishletsov’s house is rightfully the main pearl of Gorokhovets
The house with mermaids is located on Lenina, 38.
Holy Znamensky Convent
The Holy Znamensky Convent was built in the 16th century. At first it was a small wooden church, but later a stone temple was erected in honor of the Sign of the Mother of God. The construction was carried out with the money of the merchant Lopukhin. At the end of the 20th century, the buildings of the temple were transferred to the monastery, and then it was converted into a women's monastery. The main temple of the monastery is the white stone Church of the Sign. Not far from the city beach there is a pontoon bridge, crossing which you can get to the other side of the Klyazma (to the village of Znamenka) - there the monastery is located. Entrance there is free, but the temple servants will not refuse donations.
Currently, the monastery is building a new monastic refectory with utility rooms, and it is also planned to build a 2-story cell building and a stone fence
Cathedral of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary
The Annunciation Cathedral is considered the main church of Gorokhovets. It is distinguished by its severity and lack of decorative elements. A two-story, five-domed church with a 37-meter bell tower was built in 1700 at the expense of the merchant Semyon Ershov, who donated the first shrines (crosses, silver, etc.). The temple was closed in 1992, it is now under restoration, and prayer services are held only 2 times a year (on Annunciation and Easter).
The cathedral has a rectangular shape and is topped with five blue domes
The temple is located in the city center (Shkolny Lane, 2 "A").
Church of All Saints
The Church of All Saints (All Saints Church) was built in 1912 in an eclectic style. The church differs from others in its combination of severity and decorative elements (kokoshniks, pilasters, double-leaf windows, etc.). The temple is crowned with a drum with a wide dome. The bell tower of this church cannot be called high, although it is three-tiered. During Soviet times (1952), the church was closed, its main building was used as a warehouse. The doors of the temple reopened to parishioners in 1994.
The church is located in the cemetery behind the St. Nicholas Trinity Monastery in the upper part of the city (Puzhalova Gora)
The Church of All Saints is located on Gorky Street. On weekdays it is open from 9.00 to 13.00, on Saturday - from 9.00 to 13.00 and from 15.30 to 20.00, on Sunday - from 7.00 to 13.00.
Cultural attractions
Among the main cultural attractions of Gorokhovets:
- Historical and Architectural Museum;
- House of Arts and Crafts;
- monument to Vladimir Vysotsky.
Historical and Architectural Museum
The Gorokhovets Historical and Architectural Museum was founded in 1972. One part of the exhibition is located in the Church of the Baptist, the other in the former house of the merchant Sapozhnikov, built at the end of the 17th century. Visitors are offered:
- 17th century interior;
- personal belongings, household items and furniture from merchant families;
- church attire, utensils, icons, etc. (in the church building);
- educational excursions;
- animated programs for children;
- “Konstantinovsky Readings” is a program dedicated to the Gorokhovo resident Konstantin Tverdislov, who was canonized;
- exhibitions of folk crafts, etc.
The former house of Sapozhnikov is a small building that consists of three floors, but the façade of the building does not stand out in any way against the background of the surrounding architecture
The museum is located on Nagornaya Street, 4. It is open daily except Mondays from 10.00 to 17.00. Entrance tickets cost from 60 rubles.
House of Arts and Crafts
The House of Arts and Crafts was opened in 1994. It once belonged to the Gorokhovets industrialist M.I. Shorin. The museum is an elegant tower with towers and wooden decorative elements in the Art Nouveau style. There are flower beds and paths around the building, and in the courtyard there is a pond and a gazebo.
Visitors are offered the following entertainment:
- animation and folklore program;
- clubs and master classes on making folk amulets, clay toys, etc.;
- a souvenir shop where you can buy wooden items, knitted items, painted rattles, etc.;
- exhibitions of folk costume and everyday life, decorative and applied arts;
- calendar and ritual holidays;
- theatrical programs: “New Year at the Gates”;
- "Christmas in the Pea Kingdom";
- “Walk, Maslenitsa!” etc.
Museum visitors can immerse themselves in the life and culture of local residents, learn the basics of some crafts and try to make a souvenir
The museum is located on Moskovskaya, 43. It is open every day from 9.00 to 17.00. Ticket price: 50–100 rubles.
Monument to Vladimir Vysotsky
The monument to Vladimir Semenovich Vysotsky was opened in 2013 in front of the Aquarius Hotel. The poet, composer and singer had no connection with Gorokhovets, but local authorities decided to perpetuate his memory. The monument is a bust of Vysotsky mounted on a pedestal with a plaque. The date of birth and death, a small poem are stamped on it, and under the bust itself is the signature of the author.
There is a fountain around the monument. Thanks to a special underground communication, multi-colored jets rise up to the rhythm of Vysotsky’s songs. You can see the light and sound show only in the warm season.
The monument to Vysotsky is one of the favorite attractions of the townspeople
The monument is located at the very beginning of Krasnoarmeyskaya Street.
Historical monuments
Among the historical attractions of Gorokhovets:
- monument to brigade commander Semyon Mikhailovich Patolichev;
- memorial to fallen soldiers;
- monument to V.I. Lenin.
Monument to brigade commander Patolichev
The monument to Patolichev was opened in the park of the same name in 1979 in honor of the centenary of the brigade commander’s birth. Semyon Mikhailovich was a hero of the Civil War, he took part in battles on several fronts, and was therefore awarded several St. George Crosses. The brigade commander died in 1920 in a battle with the Poles.
The monument project was developed by the architect Zvezdin and implemented by the sculptor Kaplun. Patolichev Square is annually used as a place for public events, and flowers are laid at the foot of the monument.
Patolichev had seven sons, the eldest of whom, Mikhail, fought with him, and his son Nikolai was the Minister of Foreign Trade of the USSR for a long time
The Patolichev monument and square are located on Lenin Street.
Memorial to fallen soldiers
The military memorial in Gorokhovets is a complex dedicated to the Gorokhovets residents who died during the Great Patriotic War. It is a composition of a monument with the figure of a soldier holding a rifle in his hand, and a stele with tablets listing the names of the dead. Previously, there was a plaque of honor behind the monument, but in 2015 the memorial was restored. Flowerbeds and the Eternal Flame appeared in front of him.
Between 1941 and 1945, 17 thousand people left Gorokhovets for the front. The city streets are named after two of them (Besedin and Krasnov), 10 were awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union, 39 defended the Brest Fortress. There are 28 plaques on the memorial stele, containing the names of more than 300 soldiers.
Search engines and local historians conduct archival research, and the names of those who went to the front are established, which is why the list of soldiers on the memorial grows every year
The memorial is located on Lenin Street - in the city center, next to Lenin Square.
Lenin monument
The monument to Vladimir Ilyich Lenin was erected in 1978. The author of the project was the architect I. A. Zvezdin, and the work was carried out by the sculptor V. L. Kaplun. The material used was red granite. There is no evidence that Lenin visited Gorokhovets, but there are such monuments in almost every city. At that time they were a symbol of communist ideology, although there was no originality in this.
Previously, there was not a single attraction on the main street of the city. The fact is that the Annunciation Cathedral was clearly visible from almost any point on the street, and the Bolsheviks, as some local historians believe, could not afford such a luxury - several beautiful views in one part of the city. Therefore, on Lenin Street (and then it was Blagoveshchenskaya) there was only Trade Square. After the erection of the bust of the leader of communism, the square and the street were named after him.
The city administration is located not far from the Lenin monument, so it is always crowded
The monumental art object is located next to house number 93 on Lenin Street.
The most interesting natural attractions
Gorokhovets is also rich in natural beauties. People come here to see:
- Bald Mountain;
- Perunya Mountain;
- Singer Lake;
- the Klyazma River.
Bald Mountain
Bald Mountain is a hill in the western part of Gorokhovets. It got its name because of a strange feature - there is practically no vegetation on it. Geologists were unable to establish the cause of this phenomenon. To some tourists, Bald Mountain seems creepy, but from its top there is a panoramic view of Klyazma.
“Bald Mountain” is not only in Gorokhovets. When I was in the Caucasus, I saw a hill covered with greenery, which was also called that. All because of the legends and beliefs about the mystical past of this place. Historians told me several myths about the mountain in the Vladimir region. One of them says that witches used to hold their Sabbaths here - supposedly the grass on the top of the mountain does not grow because of the frenzied dancing. And some believe that there used to be a temple here. However, the most plausible version belongs to biologists. They assume that all the seeds from this mountain are blown away by a strong wind.
In 1445, the Tatar Khan Amanak, who had been plundering the local lands for many years, was killed on Bald Mountain.
To get to Bald Mountain, you need to move towards the Klyazma River (area of Gorky Street).
Perunya mountain
Perunya Mountain is a hill that is considered one of the most ancient places in the city. It is mentioned in the chronicles of the 12th century.
According to one legend, ships of the Magi sailed along the Klyazma (past the mountain). They were on their way to the grave of the sun god Yarilo to make sacrifices and perform pagan rituals. From the highest point, all this was clearly visible, so the place was called Perunya Mountain (in honor of the god Perun - the son of Svarozh, the thunderer and patron of warrior princes). According to another version, the Silouan Church once stood here, and lightning during a thunderstorm struck the dome of the temple.
Nowadays the Nikolsky Monastery stands here, which is why Perunya Mountain is sometimes also called Nikolskaya. Many tourists come here to climb to the very top and view the surrounding area, which is associated with so many mystical stories.
The names of the village of Perovo and Perunya Mountain are closely related: it is believed that there were sacred places for worship and rituals
To get to Perovo and explore the mountain, you need to move west from the city center.
Singer Lake
Singer is a favorite vacation spot for Gorokhovo residents and tourists. This lake is of medium depth (26 m) and elongated in shape (its length is 1.5 km, width is 300 m). The reservoir exists due to spring waters saturated with silver ions. Therefore, Singer is considered a healing and clean lake. The water in it remains cool and clear even in summer.
Fishermen will especially enjoy this lake. The clear waters are home to a large number of fish (pike, perch, roach, etc.). On the shore of the reservoir there is a recreation center with houses, barbecues, a bathhouse and a comfortable beach. Visiting the lake is free, but you will have to pay for a vacation at the base.
Even in the hottest weather, the surface of the lake remains clean, the water does not “bloom”, so it is always crowded here
The lake is located on the territory of the village of Gashkino (Gorokhovetsky district), but it is more convenient to get to Singer from the north. First you need to drive west along the M7 highway, and then turn left near the Malaya Karpovka sign (the whole journey will take about 2 hours).
Klyazma River
The Klyazma is a left tributary of the Oka, which flows through four large regions of Russia. Just 100 years ago there was active shipping here; steamships went to Nizhny Novgorod and Vyazniki. Now on the banks of the calm river there are places for recreation and camp sites. The most popular of them are “Puzhalova Izba” (not far from Puzhalova Mountain) and the sandy beach (Embankment Street).
To get to a convenient place for swimming on the river, you need to drive along Gagarin Street and turn north at the Omlevsky Yar sign. If you find yourself in the beach season and want to swim, then find the most convenient access to the shore - near house number 19 on Naberezhnaya Street.
The lower reaches of the river are located in Gorokhovets, so the beaches and shores of this city are considered quiet and beautiful
Prishletsov's House
This unique monument of Gorokhovets wooden architecture was built in 1915 for the merchant Prishletsov, who at one time was the chairman of the zemstvo government. The main entrance to the house is decorated with a square tower, and the second (residential) floor has an unusual barrel-shaped projection, which is given special grace by windows with colored carvings. The roof of the house is also unusual - thanks to the triangular dormer windows, which rise in steps to the ridge of the roof.
Address: Gorokhovets, st. Lenina, 38. Coordinates: 56.2043, 42.68356.
Puzhalova Mountain
This is the highest place in the city - as usual, it was chosen for the city’s detinets (Kremlin). The height of its defensive ramparts reached 5 meters - some of them have survived to this day. The first Gorokhovets Kremlin was burned to the ground by the Tatar-Mongols during their devastating campaign against Rus' in 1238.
Another siege of the city occurred three centuries later, when the Kazan Tatars approached its walls. According to legend, the doomed city was saved by a miracle - the image of a huge Russian warrior with a sword in his hand appeared above the mountain in the rays of the setting sun. The enemies considered this a bad sign and hastily retreated, and from then on the mountain began to be called Puzhalova or Pugalova.
Currently, the Puzhalova Gora ski resort operates on one of its slopes - a favorite place for both local skiers and snowboarders, and for guests from Nizhny Novgorod, Vladimir and Moscow .
Address: Gorokhovets, st. Komsomolskaya, 31. Coordinates: 56.1998, 42.68378.
Brief description of Gorokhovets
Gorokhovets is a small ancient town in the Vladimir region (157 km from Vladimir). It is the center and only populated area of the municipality. The total area of the city is 14.75 km², the population is about 13 thousand people. The settlement is located on the right bank of the Klyazma, on the very border of the Vladimir and Nizhny Novgorod regions.
Gorokhovets is located in the eastern part and borders the Nizhny Novgorod region
A little history of the city
The first settlement on the site of modern Gorokhovets arose in the 6th century. At that time, Finno-Ugric people lived here, and after the 10th century - Slavs. At the end of the 12th century, the village turned into a fortress led by Prince Andrei Bogolyubsky. Gorokhovets was considered the city of the Holy Mother of God; this name was mentioned in the Laurentian Chronicle (1239). The report says that the city was burned by the Golden Horde invaders. At the turn of the 14th and 15th centuries, Gorokhovets became part of the Moscow Principality.
In the 15th century, the city moved to the Nizhny Novgorod district and became its center. In the 16th century, Gorokhovets suffered two raids by the Kazan Tatars, and only the last one was repelled.
There is a legend according to which the second attack took place in the evening. Against the background of sunset, the invaders saw the silhouette of a huge warrior with a sword and retreated - from then on, the mountain on which the Gorokhovets fortress was located began to be called Puzhalova.
After these events, Ivan the Terrible gave the destroyed city to the Kabardian prince Mikhail, and already at the end of the 16th century Gorokhovets became the center of the district of the same name. Subsequently, the settlement passed to the Poles and Ukrainian Cossacks, and Russian princes also clashed over it in different years. Due to its location, the small town was of strategic importance: the fortress was located on the slope of a mountain, the road to Vladimir and Nizhny Novgorod passed through it, and nearby there was a crossing over the Klyazma.
In 1970, the settlement was included in the list of historical cities with monuments of particular value. Gorokhovets is part of the famous “Golden Ring of Russia”, and in 2017 it was included in the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites. But tourists visit this provincial town not because of its high-profile titles, but to get acquainted with the historical and architectural monuments, of which there are many.
Gorokhovets began to develop in all directions in the 16th-17th centuries (then production began to open)
Video: the story of Gorokhovets
How to get to Gorokhovets
From Moscow you can get to Gorokhovets by car along the M-7 Volga highway (travel time is about 4–5 hours). But for those who do not have their own transport, other options are suitable:
- by plane (you can fly to Moscow or St. Petersburg, and from there go by train or bus);
- by train from Moscow from Kursky Station (travel time - 3 hours 15 minutes);
- by train from St. Petersburg (train No. 253B, travel time - just over 17 hours);
- by train "Volga" (St. Petersburg - Nizhny Novgorod, travel time - about 14 hours);
- by bus Moscow - Gorokhovets from the Central (Shchelkovsky) bus station (travel time - 5 hours).
The federal highway M-7 (Volga) leads from Moscow to Gorokhovets.
Shorin's House
One of the most striking sights of Gorokhovets was built at the beginning of the 20th century by architect Yu.F. Bruni for shipowner M.I. Shorina. The architect managed to masterfully combine the modern fashionable at that time with the pseudo-Russian architectural style. The main feature of the house is the graceful turrets in the corners and the smooth lines of window frames with fancy glazing.
Currently, Shorin’s “fairytale” house houses the Gorokhovets House of Arts and Crafts, and also hosts children’s performances “Visiting Tsar Gorokh”.
Address: Gorokhovets, st. Moskovskaya, 43. Coordinates: 56.19616, 42.69837.
Why go
The city bears the unofficial name of the capital of the stone chambers. It preserves a record number of white stone structures from the 17th century: as many as seven out of two dozen scattered throughout Russia.
However, I was more interested in wooden towers. I was used to the fact that houses of the Art Nouveau era were predominantly brick, and already at the entrance I was immediately struck by a wooden mansion, one of the turrets of which was made of bent logs!
On the main street of the city there are a considerable number of gingerbread houses, one more beautiful than the other: with fancy windows, wooden mermaids, colorful facades and long windows. Some have been turned into museums, and people still live in simpler houses.
Shorin's house. Photo: commons.wikimedia.org
Bald Mountain
This hill got its name due to the almost complete absence of any vegetation. Naturally, this feature could not but give rise to myths and legends - for example, in the old days, local residents believed that witches held their coven on the top of the hill, and after their wild dances, not even grass grew there. Some explain the lack of grass by the pagan past of the local population - in ancient times, sacrifices to the Slavic gods were often made on the mountain, after which all living things died there.
Science explains this phenomenon much simpler and more prosaically - very strong winds blow over the mountain, which simply blow away the seeds and do not allow them to germinate. Another legend says that the Horde Khan Anamak died in this place in 1545, and the mountain is his huge burial mound.
Views of Klyazma from Lysa Mountain
Address: Gorokhovetsky district, Gorodishchi village. Coordinates: 56.19189, 42.65513.
Sights of Gorokhovets on the map:
What kind of people are Gorokhovo residents?
There are not many people in Gorokhovets, only 13 thousand, but it compares favorably with the bulk of Russians with its smiling nature. People answer questions smiling. They swore at me only once (and then only slightly) - one woman, when, while photographing a beautiful frame, I came very close to the window, behind which, it seemed, she was changing clothes.
People with nostalgia and the hidden warmth of patriotism remember the events of eight years ago, when director Nikita Mikhalkov filmed his film “Sunstroke” here, and the entire population acted as extras and walked the streets in ancient dresses. For each shooting day they were paid as much as five hundred rubles.
View of Blagoveshchenskaya Square, where the film “Sunstroke” was filmed. Fragment of a postcard (reproduction).
Still from Nikita Mikhalkov’s film “Sunstroke.”
Gorokhovets was recently included in the tentative list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites for its ancient houses. A couple of years ago, a global restoration was completed here in honor of the 850th anniversary. The city was allocated 2.5 billion rubles. The restoration was completed recently, so everything here is beautiful and good. Numerous churches and chambers shine with whiteness, the facades of wooden houses have been repaired, the streets are clean, without flying packages and drunken shops. There are lanterns shining on the embankment at night (though the lanterns are not very beautiful, but I won’t find fault). It’s worth a look, but the locals are not very happy: due to inclusion in the World Heritage List, they now have huge problems with repairs. They cannot replace windows, replace roofs, or even repair a broken picket fence without special permission.
When, immersed in the old days, I decided to settle here forever and called the phone number written on the gate of the house, the hostess sighed and admitted that she was selling the hut “because of fucking Yuneska.”
Prishletsov's house. Photo: Sergey SELEDKIN
Where to stay in Gorokhovets
In addition to the well-known Booking.com service, new interesting online resources have recently appeared that make the life of a traveler much easier and pleasantly protect the thickness of his wallet. One of them – Hotellook – I constantly use myself and recommend to all my friends and acquaintances. This service compares prices for an object in all available booking systems and offers you the most interesting options. In addition, it tracks discounts and special offers.
Hotels in Gorokhovets with discounts from Hotellook:
