Lipetskiy rayon: Nature Reserve and Historic Churches

The Galichya Gora State Nature Reserve covers 234.4 hectares. The two-hectare Berezki tract lies in Lipetskiy rayon, is part of the reserve, and is home to rare plants. Other natural areas in the district that attract tourist interest include the Donskoy protected area and Lake Kolovertnoye. Cultural highlights include churches in Veshalovka, Nikolskoye, and Verbilovo, as well as Romanov toy-making.

The figures for Berezki and Galichya Gora refer to different areas: the two-hectare tract and the reserve’s 234.4 hectares. The tract is part of the protected area, and rare plant species grow there. Donskoy and Lake Kolovertnoye are separate natural sites in the district: one more protected area and one lake. Comparing these natural features makes it possible to distinguish between a small section of a reserve, a protected area, and a lake.

The Lipetsk Oblast provides the broader natural context. The Galichya Gora Nature Reserve consists of six separate sections surrounded by developed and agricultural land. Its protected features include characteristic forest-steppe communities and groups of rock-dwelling plants on Devonian limestone outcrops in the valleys of the Don, the Bystraya Sosna, and their tributaries. Devonian limestone cliffs, shaped by water and wind, rise along the right bank of the Don in the center of Lipetsk Oblast. The reserve was the first nature reserve in the Central Black Earth Region and is among the smallest nature reserves in the world.

In Veshalovka, the Church of the Icon of the Mother of God “Znamenie” features pseudo-Gothic forms. It was part of the estate complex of J. A. Tatishchev and later belonged to the noble Kozhin family. It was built between 1768 and 1794; the design is believed to be by Vasily Bazhenov. This cautious attribution is part of the building’s history and should not be taken as certain authorship.

Another example is the Church of Saints Cosmas and Damian in Nikolskoye: the wooden structure was built in the mid-18th century without a single nail. Only the bell tower survives. The Church of the Nativity of Christ in Verbilovo was built between 1818 and 1827 and is classified as a cultural heritage site of regional significance. Taken together, these examples show different architectural forms and periods without merging them into a single building history.

Romanov toy-making originated in the 17th century in the village of Romanovo, later called Romanov-v-Step and now known as Lenino. Originally, the tradition was closely connected with pagan gods and symbols. Its historical background is therefore a distinct cultural strand alongside the district’s churches: it represents a regional craft tradition, not another religious building. The names Romanovo, Romanov-v-Step, and Lenino help connect the older place name with the history of the craft.

Discover more destinations: Yelets, Gryazinsky District, Stanovlyanskiy rayon, Lipetsk, Dobrovskiy rayon, Lev-Tolstovskiy rayon, Zadonsky District.

How large are Berezki and the Galichya Gora Nature Reserve?

Berezki is a two-hectare tract in Lipetskiy rayon and part of the state nature reserve. The reserve covers a total of 234.4 hectares.

What dates help put the churches in context?

The church in Nikolskoye dates from the mid-18th century, the church in Veshalovka was built between 1768 and 1794, and the Church of the Nativity of Christ in Verbilovo was built between 1818 and 1827.

Where did Romanov toy-making originate?

It originated in the 17th century in what was then Romanovo, later Romanov-v-Step, and is now Lenino. Originally, it was closely connected with pagan gods and symbols.

For the broader travel guide, see: Lipetsk Oblast.

More places in the same destination:

Zadonsky District.