Velegozh: Summer Hiking and Cultural Heritage

• The route from Behovo to Velegozh is designated as a one-day summer hike and is 16 km long.
• The Church of the Nativity of the Mother of God was built in the early 18th century. It is considered a cultural heritage site of national importance and is under state protection.
• The house museum of artist V. D. Polenov is 8 km from Velegozh and was founded in the late 19th century.

The designated route begins in Behovo and crosses the Oka to the V. D. Polenov State Memorial Historical, Art and Natural Museum-Reserve, where an excursion is part of the route. It then follows the Sknižka River, crosses the Oka again, and passes the Ulay Caves before ending in Velegozh. This makes both the time frame and the sequence of named stops clear: a 16-kilometer hike specifically designated for summer.

Set aside a day for the hike and check the route’s current availability before setting out. The described route combines stretches along the river with an excursion at the museum-reserve and continues to the Ulay Caves. These stops are part of the route; the church in Velegozh is a separate cultural point of interest in the village.

The Church of the Nativity of the Mother of God was built in the early 18th century. Its status as a cultural heritage site of national importance and its state protection are set out in Decree No. 176 of the President of the Russian Federation, dated February 20, 1995. The church is therefore a clearly identified historical landmark in Velegozh.

Another point of interest lies nearby: the house museum of Russian artist V. D. Polenov is 8 km from Velegozh, and its origins date back to the late 19th century. The village church and the nearby museum therefore differ both in their histories and in their locations. For clarity, it is useful to consider these two details separately: the church is in Velegozh, while the museum is located in the surrounding area.

As a broader regional context, Tula Oblast offers other distinct topics. In Tula, the exhibition “Skazanie o Mamaevom poboishche” at the “Tulskie drevnosti” Museum explores the Battle of Kulikovo. In interactive areas, visitors can weave a piece of chain mail, try on armor, and learn to read chronicle miniatures. The exhibition “Sekrety tulskikh masterov” at the same museum features a pottery workshop, a blacksmith’s workshop, and household items from the 17th to 19th centuries. The two exhibitions focus on different subjects: one centers on interactive activities related to the history of the battle, while the other focuses on crafts and historical everyday objects.

At the Yasnaya Polyana Museum-Reserve, a guided walk through the central part of the estate is scheduled from May to October. It covers Tolstoy’s favorite places for daily walks, the local flora and fauna, the history of the Tula defensive lines, and Tolstoy’s plantings. Also in Tula Oblast is Leo Tolstoy’s personal library, which has been included in UNESCO’s Memory of the World Register. At the Polenovo estate, the artist Vasily Polenov designed all the buildings himself—another regional connection to architectural history.

The places around Kulikovo Field can also be clearly located geographically: the village of Monastyrshchino in Kimovsk District, Tula Oblast, is home to the museum and monument to the heroes of the Battle of Kulikovo, as well as the Kulikovo Field Horse Yard. The Romantsevskiye Mountains, also known as Konduki, are a former open-pit coal mine in Tula Oblast. Thus, alongside museums and cultural heritage, the region’s former uses of its landscape form a topic in their own right.

Discover more destinations: Balevo, Kireyevsk, Skuratovskiy, Borodinskiy, Goryachkino, Tsarevo, Yefremov, Lukino.

How long is the hike to Velegozh?

The route is designated as a one-day summer hike covering 16 km. It leads from Behovo across the Oka and past other named stops to Velegozh; check its current availability before setting out.

What is the significance of the Church of the Nativity of the Mother of God?

It was built in the early 18th century, is considered a cultural heritage site of national importance, and is under state protection in accordance with Decree No. 176 of February 20, 1995.

What does the guided walk at Yasnaya Polyana cover?

The walk through the central part of the estate is scheduled from May to October. Its topics include Tolstoy’s daily walking routes, the local flora and fauna, the Tula defensive lines, and his plantings.

For the broader travel overview: Tula Oblast.