Kirillovskiy rayon: Monastic heritage, hills and nature

• Russky Sever National Park is located in Kirillovskiy rayon, in the northwest of Vologda Oblast.
• Maura, Sandireva and Tsipina are among the rayon’s great hills. Tsipina is also a natural monument of Vologda Oblast.
• Sokolsky Bor is a forest area on the shore of the Sheksna Reservoir in Russky Sever National Park.
• The Church of the Nativity of the Virgin in Ferapontovo contains frescoes painted by Moscow artist Dionysius in 1502.
• Cruise ships on the Volga–Baltic Waterway reach piers in Goritsy or Kuzino, from where visitors can enter the national park area.

The Church of the Nativity of the Virgin is the main church of the former Ferapontov Monastery for men. Its frescoes were painted by Moscow artist Dionysius in 1502 and have survived to this day without being painted over. The ensemble of Ferapontov Monastery, including these frescoes, was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List at the end of 2000. Both the surviving paintings and the recognition of the monastery ensemble are therefore central to the area’s cultural heritage.

Ferapontovo is also home to the Church of the Annunciation with Refectory. It is an architectural monument dating from the first third of the 16th century. Together with the church, it offers another specific point of interest for travelers interested in church architecture and the history of the buildings. The year 1502 refers to the frescoes; the Church of the Annunciation, by contrast, is dated to a broader period of the 16th century.

Maura, Sandireva and Tsipina are listed as great hills in Kirillovskiy rayon. Tsipina also has regional natural monument status in Vologda Oblast. Together, these give you two different points of reference: the rayon’s striking hills and the special designation Tsipina holds at the oblast level.

Sokolsky Bor offers a different kind of landscape: this forest area lies on the shore of the Sheksna Reservoir in Russky Sever National Park. The hills and the forest area are distinct natural features. When planning your stay, you can first consider whether you are more interested in the great hills, the forest by the reservoir or the cultural sites.

One access option listed by the national park is traveling by cruise ship on the Volga–Baltic Waterway. Ships reach a pier in the village of Goritsy or in the village of Kuzino; from there, visitors can enter the national park area. The two piers mentioned give you specific place names to use in your planning. Since schedules and connections may vary, check the latest information before your trip.

This selection can help you tailor your trip planning to your own interests. You can then search for hotels in Kirillovskiy rayon and connect your plans with your personal goals.

In the broader destination of Vologda Oblast, the Northern Dvina Water System also runs through Russky Sever National Park. It was built between 1825 and 1828 and comprises five artificial canals and seven locks. For travel planning, it is helpful to distinguish between the waterways: cruise ships use the Volga–Baltic Waterway to reach the piers mentioned above; the Northern Dvina Water System is the historic canal system with its locks. These two details offer different perspectives on the waterways in the wider destination.

Discover more destinations: Vologodskiy rayon, Cherepovetskiy rayon, Vashkinskiy rayon, Sokolskiy rayon, Vologodsky Rajon, Vytegorskiy rayon and Kichmengsko-Gorodetskiy rayon.

What frescoes are in the Church of the Nativity of the Virgin?

The church, which is the main church of the former Ferapontov Monastery for men, contains frescoes painted by Moscow artist Dionysius in 1502. They have survived to this day without being painted over.

Which great hills are in Kirillovskiy rayon?

Maura, Sandireva and Tsipina are among the rayon’s great hills. Tsipina is also a natural monument of Vologda Oblast.

How do cruise ships reach the national park area?

Cruise ships on the Volga–Baltic Waterway reach a pier in Goritsy or Kuzino. From there, visitors can enter the national park area; check the latest schedule information before your trip.

See the broader travel overview: Vologda Oblast.