Discover Gostilizy: Estate, Church and Nature

• The Church of the Holy Trinity is the oldest building on the estate and was built between 1755 and 1764.
• The stable and the ruins of the cavalier buildings have their own architectural styles.
• Gostilitsky State Nature Reserve lies one kilometer southwest of Gostilizy.
• The Gostilitsky memorial is part of the Green Belt of Glory memorial complex.

With its transition from Baroque to Early Classicism, the Church of the Holy Trinity is the architectural focal point of the estate. As its oldest building, it has a clearly established historical date and a distinct stylistic development: it was built between 1755 and 1764, when Kirill Razumovsky owned the estate. This date refers to the construction of the church, not to the origins of the other buildings.

The stable presents a different architectural style: it is designed in the style of classical eclecticism, with individual Neo-Baroque elements. The estate also includes the ruins of the cavalier buildings, whose style is classified as mature Classicism. The church, stable and ruins can therefore be compared through their different stylistic descriptions, rather than assigning the entire estate to a single period. The Gostilitskiy palace and park complex is also one of Gostilizy’s attractions.

The Church of the Holy Trinity was returned to the faithful in 1994; services resumed there in 1995. These are two successive historical milestones.

The Gostilitsky memorial represents another part of the town’s historical memory. It is part of the Green Belt of Glory memorial complex and symbolizes the heroism of Soviet soldiers in the battles for Leningrad from 1941 to 1944. Thus, different historical themes coexist in Gostilizy: the history of an estate and its church, and remembrance of the battles for Leningrad.

Gostilitsky State Nature Reserve lies one kilometer southwest of Gostilizy. Its southern taiga spruce forests have a ground layer of wood sorrel and nemoral plants; stands of different ages are represented. Maple and lime grow in the undergrowth.

The wildlife is also diverse: brown bears, wolves and badgers live in the reserve. Moose and wild boar are numerous, while roe deer occasionally pass through. The forest vegetation and wildlife offer two different perspectives on this nature reserve, which is close to Gostilizy.

Leningrad Oblast provides a regional context beyond Gostilizy’s local character. Vesyegonsky Forest Nature Park lies in the far east of the oblast. It includes seven reserves with particularly strict protection measures and numerous lakes; the largest is Lake Lerinskoye, in the reserve of the same name. The park’s special features include well-preserved old spruce and pine forests in the Vepssky Les and Ashchozyorsky reserves. These forests are important for numerous organisms that can survive only in forests undisturbed by economic activity.

Brown bears are relatively abundant in the nature park; the wolverine, extremely rare in the region, has also been recorded there. The Vepsians, a small people of Russia with their own culture and traditions, have also traditionally lived there. Another regional cultural attraction is Koporye Fortress: it is a museum and a monument to ancient Russian stone architecture. Parts of its masonry date from the 13th century, and its present form has been preserved since the 16th century. Because of its emergency condition, climbing the walls and towers is prohibited.

Discover more destinations: Belichye, Tikhvin, Trubnikov Bor, Ushaki, Volkhov, Toksovo, Bugry, Sarzhenka.

What is the oldest building on the Gostilizy estate?

The oldest building is the stone Church of the Holy Trinity. It was built between 1755 and 1764 and combines Baroque and Early Classicist architecture.

Where is Gostilitsky Nature Reserve?

The state nature reserve lies one kilometer southwest of Gostilizy. Its described natural features include southern taiga spruce forests and brown bears, wolves, badgers, moose, wild boar and roe deer that occasionally pass through.

What does the Gostilitsky memorial commemorate?

The memorial is part of the Green Belt of Glory and symbolizes the heroism of Soviet soldiers in the battles for Leningrad from 1941 to 1944.

For the broader travel guide: Leningrad Oblast.