Discover Dankovsky District

• The Dolgovskoye Natural Monument protects a section of the Don Valley with upland oak forest, as well as fragments of meadow and rocky steppes.
• The village of Polibino is home to a protected landscape park and the Nechayev-Maltsev Estate; the park is part of the Dolgovsky Protected Landscape Area.
• The Dankov Local History Museum is housed in the former Church of Saint Demetrius of Thessaloniki.

The Dolgovskoye Natural Monument focuses on habitats in the Don Valley: it preserves well-maintained upland oak forest and fragments of meadow and rocky steppes. The area is near the village of Dolgoye and 0.2 km from the village of Krasnaya Zarya. The Dolgovsky Protected Landscape Area protects a section of the Upper Don Valley between Verkhnyaya Pavlovka and Dolgoye. The names refer to different protected areas and should not be confused when planning your trip.

Another natural monument in the surrounding area is Balka Panika. It protects a 10 km stretch of the Panika Valley, a right-bank tributary of the Don, near the villages of Kudryavshchino and Maslovka. Siniye Kamni, a group of boulders on the high bank of the Don, is also near Dolgoye. This means you can explore nature through both protected valleys and habitats and individual geological formations.

The history of Polibino Estate began with its development toward the end of the 18th century. The Nechayev family acquired the estate in 1784, and three generations of the family shaped it. The old Nechayev-Maltsev Estate includes a palace, ponds and a garden. The Polibino dendrological natural monument park is located on its grounds. In addition, the protected landscape park in the village was laid out as a formally designed park in the 18th century. The Dolgovsky Protected Landscape Area includes the estate as a memorial site; the park in Polibino is also part of this protected area.

These connections offer several historical perspectives on Polibino: the estate’s development, the family’s role in shaping it, and the place of the estate and park within the protected landscape. So if you are comparing nature and culture when planning your trip, you can give Polibino a different emphasis from the Don riverbank formations or the protected stretches of the valley.

At Polibino Estate, you can walk around the grounds and park and climb the Shukhov Tower. The Usadba Polibino Foundation usually offers guided tours on warm weekends from April to October by prior arrangement. Please arrange a date with the foundation in advance, as tours are by arrangement.

The collections at the Dankov Local History Museum also offer insight into the history of the area. The museum displays finds from the Dolgovskaya Neolithic site and from the Novo-Nikolsk burial grounds dating to the Scythian period. The collection also includes material on Old Dankov, where the Dankov fortress stood in 1521. The museum is housed in a former church; information about the building should be distinguished from details about current visiting arrangements.

The rivers Don, Vyazovnya, Ptan, Dubok, Panika, Rykhotka, Perekhvalka, Glinka and Zashevka are mentioned for river routes. These rivers are different points of reference in the region; a single route need not include them all. Together with the natural monuments and cultural and historical sites, they offer a range of themes to help you organize your travel interests.

First, consider whether protected nature, river landscapes, the history of Polibino Estate or the museum collections will be the deciding factor for your trip. These themes provide a factual basis for comparison when planning, without promising the same kind of visit or experience. If you want to combine several interests, you can take them all into account when choosing your destination, then search for hotels in Dankovsky District.

Discover more destinations: Telepnevo, Yelets, Zadonsky District, Lipetsky District, Stanovlyansky District, Dobrovsky District, Lipetsk, Gryazinsky District.

What does the Dolgovsky Protected Landscape Area protect?

It protects a section of the Upper Don Valley between Verkhnyaya Pavlovka and Dolgoye. The Nechayev-Maltsev Estate in Polibino is included as a memorial site; the park in the village is also part of the protected area.

What can you do at Polibino Estate?

You can walk around the grounds and park and climb the Shukhov Tower. The Usadba Polibino Foundation usually offers guided tours on warm weekends from April to October, by prior arrangement. Confirm the date before your visit.

What historical topics does the Dankov Local History Museum cover?

On display are finds from the Dolgovskaya Neolithic site and from the Novo-Nikolsk burial grounds dating to the Scythian period. The collection also includes material on Old Dankov and the fortress that stood there in 1521.

Go to the broader travel overview: Lipetsk Oblast.