Volosovskiy District: Cultural Sites and Landscapes

The village of Bolshoye Zarechye is associated with a story of remembrance. The Yakov Bruce estate, built in 1820, is located in Pyataya Gora; Gubanitsy is home to the Lutheran Church of St. John the Baptist. In Izvara are the N. K. Roerich Museum Estate, with its exhibition and park grounds, and the natural monument “Muzey-usadba N.K.Rerikha.” Another natural monument, “Istoki reki Oredezh v urochishche Dontso,” is also located in Volosovskiy District.

The memorial complex in the village of Bolshoye Zarechye commemorates a traumatic event in 1943. Because of the village’s ties to the partisans, it was completely burned down by the Nazis that year; 63 residents lost their lives. The memorial site is therefore closely connected with the history of the village and the loss of its residents.

In Pyataya Gora is the Yakov Bruce estate, built in 1820. Bruce was an associate of Peter the Great. Gubanitsy is home to the Lutheran Church of St. John the Baptist. These historic sites offer different points of interest: an estate with a specific date of construction, a church that is a prominent cultural heritage site, and a memorial complex that recalls the events of 1943.

The exhibition at the Boris Vilde House Museum in Yastrebino also focuses on history: it covers Boris Vilde, the international anti-fascist movement, and the history of Yastrebino and its surroundings. The cultural themes thus range from a specific historical event to local and movement history.

The natural monument “Istoki reki Oredezh v urochishche Dontso” is located in Volosovskiy District. Springs feed the former Kyurlevsky quarry, which now forms Lake Dontso; the Oredezh flows out of the lake. Brown trout spawn in the river’s upper reaches.

The vegetation is also diverse: important plant communities include spruce forests and steppe-like meadows on limestone. Tall, tree-like junipers grow in some places. Those interested in landscapes will find both wooded areas and open meadows shaped by limestone here. The information about brown trout describes their presence in the river, not an opportunity to fish.

The exhibition at the N. K. Roerich Museum Estate comprises eight halls. They explore Roerich’s life and work, his scientific, educational, and peacebuilding activities, and his efforts to preserve the world’s cultural heritage. The number of halls and range of topics give a concrete impression of the exhibition’s breadth.

The grounds include an old park with exotic trees, spring-fed lakes, and the source of the Izvarka River. The ecological trail offers information about historic buildings and the estate’s plants and animals. Along the way, you can see Lakes Glukhoye and Izvarskoye, as well as springs. The exhibition and trail therefore offer different focuses: Roerich’s life and work in one, and the buildings and surrounding nature in the other.

The Vepsian Forest Nature Park is located in the far east of the wider destination of Leningrad Oblast. It encompasses seven nature reserves with particularly strict protection rules and numerous lakes; the largest is Lake Lerinskoye, in the reserve of the same name. Old spruce and pine forests have been preserved in the “Vepsskiy les” and “Ashchozyorskiy” reserves. They are important for numerous organisms that can survive only in forests undisturbed by economic activity.

The wider destination of Leningrad Oblast also has its own regional cultural themes: the Veps, a small people of Russia with their own culture and traditions, have traditionally lived in Vepsian Forest Nature Park. Koporye Fortress is a museum and a monument of ancient Russian stone architecture. It has survived in its present form since the 16th century, with parts of the masonry dating from the 13th century. Climbing on the walls and towers is prohibited because of their emergency condition.

Discover more destinations: Gatchinsky District, Slantsevskiy District, Podporozhskiy District, Tosnenskiy District, Kirishi District, Lomonosovsky District, Kingiseppskiy District, Lotoshinsky District.

What does the memorial complex in Bolshoye Zarechye commemorate?

It commemorates the village’s complete destruction by fire at the hands of the Nazis in 1943. Sixty-three residents lost their lives; the village was targeted because of its ties to the partisans.

How was Lake Dontso formed?

Springs feed the former Kyurlevsky quarry, which now forms Lake Dontso. The Oredezh flows out of the lake; brown trout spawn in the river’s upper reaches.

What can you learn on the ecological trail in Izvara?

The trail at the N. K. Roerich Museum Estate offers information about historic buildings, plants, and animals. Places you can see along the way include Lakes Glukhoye and Izvarskoye, as well as springs.

For the wider travel overview: Leningrad Oblast.