Vel'skiy District: Horse Breeding, House Painting and Landscapes

• The landscape includes pine forests and floodplain meadows.
• Old churches stand on the hilly banks of the Vaga and its tributaries.
• The Khoroshevsky Horse Breeding Complex offers tours; its racetrack hosts trotting races and show jumping competitions from June to September.
• Among other attractions, Velsk has a center for traditional culture, an art gallery and a local history museum.
• Velsk was first mentioned in chronicles in 1137.

The Khoroshevsky Horse Breeding Complex offers tours during which visitors can see the stables and feed the horses. From June to September, its racetrack hosts trotting races with trials for breeding horses, as well as show jumping competitions. This brings together different aspects of the equestrian theme: visiting the horses and attending a seasonal program of events.

If you want to plan your trip around a race or competition, check the specific dates in advance. The events are seasonal, and dates and schedules may vary. The specific date of a tour is also important for planning.

At the Berendey Center for Traditional Culture in Velsk, visitors can take part in around twenty workshops. This offers a different way to engage with regional culture than viewing collections and historic buildings. Check the specific workshop dates before your trip.

Traditional Powazhye paintings are among the district's cultural highlights. The Museum of Powazhye House Painting is located in Velsk. The official tourism information describes it as the first and only house-painting museum in Arkhangelsk Oblast. It is housed in M. M. Kichev's traditional northern Russian homestead, dating from 1884, painted by the well-known Vaga painters from the Petrovsky family in the village of Churkovskaya.

The Velsk Art Gallery features paintings by emerging and professional artists. One of its exhibition rooms also houses Vladimir Grigoryev's unusual “Camera Museum” collection. The gallery therefore brings together painting and a collection focused on cameras as distinct cultural themes.

The local history museum in Velsk has three permanent exhibitions. One focuses on the nature and natural resources of Velsk District; another covers the history of Powazhye from ancient times to the beginning of the 20th century. The third is devoted to Velsk County, or District, from 1917 to 1964. The time periods differ significantly: the account of Powazhye's history extends to the early 20th century, while the third exhibition covers a clearly defined period of the 20th century.

As of January 1, 2025, the collection includes fragments of house paintings and naive art. The local history museum is in Velsk's historic center, in five buildings dating from the late 19th and early 20th centuries; two are regional cultural heritage monuments. The town's history can also be placed in context: Velsk was first mentioned in chronicles in 1137. Velsk District is also considered the birthplace of G. D. Karpchenko, the developer of chromosome engineering.

Velsk District is characterized by pine forests and floodplain meadows. Old churches stand on the hilly banks of the Vaga and its tributaries. The landscape thus includes both forests and meadows, as well as a cultural feature tied to the riverbanks. When comparing destinations, you can consider these features alongside the attractions in Velsk and the equestrian activities.

Discover more destinations: Konoshskiy rayon, Plesetskiy rayon, Zapolyarnyy rayon, Mezenskiy rayon, Mezenskiy rayon, Primorskiy District, Nyandomskiy rayon and Gorod Severodvinsk.

When do the equestrian events take place?

Trotting races with trials for breeding horses and show jumping competitions take place from June to September. Specific dates and schedules may vary.

What is there to see related to Powazhye house painting?

A museum dedicated to Powazhye house painting is located in Velsk. The local history museum's collection also includes fragments of house paintings and naive art.

What kind of landscape characterizes Vel'skiy District?

The district is characterized by pine forests and floodplain meadows. Old churches stand on the hilly banks of the Vaga and its tributaries.

For the broader travel overview: Arkhangelsk Oblast.