Mastinovka: History of Wooden Churches

• The wooden Alexander Nevsky Church was completed in 1883.
• It burned down on August 29, 1911, after being struck by lightning.
• A wooden prayer house was established on its site later in 1911.
• A wooden bell tower on four pillars stood beside the prayer house.
• A new wooden church was built in Mastinovka in 1914; funds for its furnishings were lacking.

The design for the wooden Alexander Nevsky Church was approved on November 24, 1881, and the church was completed in 1883. On August 29, 1911, a lightning strike caused a fire that destroyed the building. This clearly dates the first phase of church construction.

Later that same year, a wooden prayer house was established on the site of the burned church. It was a separate place of worship, with a wooden bell tower on four pillars standing beside it. These architectural details are part of the prayer house’s history and give the chronology a concrete form beyond the dates alone.

A new wooden church was built in Mastinovka in 1914. Funds for its furnishings were lacking. The account of this construction marks another stage in the town’s history, distinct from the prayer house established in 1911.

The following examples are in the broader destination of Penza Oblast and showcase distinct cultural themes alongside Mastinovka’s church history.

Tarkhany: Literary history and landscape

The State Lermontov Museum-Reserve “Tarkhany” is located in the village of Lermontovo in Belinsky District. The poet M. Yu. Lermontov spent half his life in Tarkhany. The estate’s first complex includes a landscaped park, three orchards, an oak grove, and ponds. Literary history is combined here with a clearly defined ensemble of gardens, trees, and bodies of water. All-Russian Lermontov Festivals have been held there since 1971. Local crafts such as weaving, willow weaving, pottery, and knitting are also being revived in Tarkhany.

Belinsky and the presentation of a painting

The State V. G. Belinsky Museum-Estate in Belinsky includes the Belinsky family home, the building of the former Chembarsky District School, and the former home of merchant F. I. Antyushin. The family home stands on a stone foundation, has seven rooms and a kitchen, and is roofed with shingles. V. G. Belinsky lived there continuously from 1816 to 1825. The memorial and everyday-life exhibition “The Belinsky Family” features personal mementos, books from the critic’s private library, and furnishings and household items.

In the city of Penza, the Museum of One Painting is named after G. V. Myasnikov. Before the painting is presented, a 45-minute film about the artist, the painting, its figures, and the culture of its time is shown. The curtain then opens, and the painting is presented with explanatory text and music. The hall has 37 seats. This clearly structured experience places a single painting at its center, while the Belinsky family home’s exhibition offers insights into domestic life and everyday history.

Sculpture and archaeology

The “Legenda” Sculpture Park is located in Ramzay and displays more than 300 works made from materials such as metal, granite, wood, and bronze. The grounds also feature a Japanese rock garden made of Karelian granite and Ural marble. A fortified settlement at Zolotaryovskoye in Zolotarevka offers a very different historical focus: the archaeological site is dated to the 3rd–4th and 8th–13th centuries. A major battle took place there in 1237 between the settlement’s medieval defenders and Mongol troops advancing westward.

Discover more destinations: Beketovka, Ramzay, Penza, Dubasovo, Lopatino, Gorodishche, Kamenka, Zarechny.

When was the Alexander Nevsky Church built and destroyed?

The design was approved in 1881, and the wooden church was completed in 1883. It burned down on August 29, 1911, after being struck by lightning.

What is known about the prayer house in Mastinovka?

It was established in 1911 on the site of the burned church. A wooden bell tower on four pillars stood beside the wooden prayer house.

What different cultural themes can be found in Penza Oblast?

Tarkhany combines Lermontov’s history with gardens and ponds; the Belinsky family home features a memorial and everyday-life exhibition. In Penza, a film is central to the presentation of a painting, while “Legenda” features sculptures and a rock garden.

View the broader travel guide: Penza Oblast.