Cyrillov and Belozersk

The history of Cyrillov city

The city appeared as a settlement attached to Kirilo-Belozersk monastery, founded in 1397 and called after the name of monk Cyril Belozersky. Cyrillov city is an administrative center of Cyrillov area of the Vologda region now. However, considerable part of its two-years-old history is connected with Novgorod government.
Novgorod government was found in January of 1727. It consisted of a number of provinces, including Belozerskaya one, consisting of major part of lands of the future Cyrillovsky uyezd. The next very large administrative reform of Novgorod government is connected with activity of governor J. Sivers. It was suggested a Novgorod general-lieutenant J. Sivers should form a Novgorod region ruled by the governor, consisting of two areas (or provinces) – Novgorodskaya and Olonetskaya – on the territory of the government. The first included 10 uyezds: Novgorodskaya, Starorusskaya, Valdaiskaya, Borovitskaya, Krestitskya, Novoladozhskaya, Tikhvinskaya, Ustyuzhno-Ustuzhno-Zheleznopolskaya, Belozerskaya, Kirillovskaya.

Declaration of the settlement a city was not only an administrative act but also gave new citizens famous benefits. Before this inhabitants of the settlement of Kirillo-Berezovsky monastery were under Authorities of economy board and were considered peasants, discharging all their obligations, falling to the lot of this lower class. By ukase of 1776 they became bourgeois and got privileges and benefits, granted to citizens.

Administrative-territorial system of Novgorod region remained stable not for a long time. The Olanetskaya area and Novoladozhsky uyezd fell away from it in 1781. In 1796 Cyrillovsky uyezd was temporarily liquidated and Cyrillov became a sleepy town. Its estates were entirely included into near by Belozersky uyezd. By ukase of April 24, 1802 Cyrillov became a uyezd town again. Large territory of Novgorod government, remoteness of uyezd centers from the government town, lack of good communications created large difficulties for management and especially for economical development of the north-eastern uyezds (Cyrillovsky, Tcherepovetsky and Belozersky). Therefore it is not by chance that in 1918 Tikhvinsky, Cyrillovsky, Tcherepovetsky, Belozersky uyezds were included into separate Tcherepovetskaya government. In 1927 uyezds and governments were liquidated and Tcherepovetsky okrug of the Leningrad region, consisting also of Cyrillovsky area, was formed. In ten years in the result of breaking up into smaller units it was included into the Vologda region.

Sights of Cyrillov

«Cyrillo-Belozersky monastery» was created in1397 year. Great architectural ensemble Cyrillo – Belozersky monastery is one of the biggest monastery in Russia. It has kept architectural monuments of XV-XIX centuries, massive walls and towers. In 1924 year monastery was closed, on its territory was placed Cyrillovsky museum local lore and later turned into historic – art. In 1968 year Cyrillovsky historic – architectural museum was announced  Cyrillo-Belozersky historic – architectural and art reserve museum. In celebration of 600 years of Cyrillo-Belozersky monastery continued monastic way of life at this monatery.
The ensembles of «Big Uspensky» and «Ivanovsky cloister» are include in the complex of  Cyrillo-Belozersky monastery. This monastery is surrounded by fortifications with monumental towers, decorated with brick design. The main building of ensemble – is Uspensky cathedral (1497). It is the first stone temple Cyrillo – Belozersky monastery.

You should obligatory look at Deaf (Boiler) tower (XVI century) from the territory of the monastery and Kuznetchnaya tower (XVII century), which is located to the left from it. Svitotchnaya tower – the only tower, which has been preserved fully of an old fence of Uspensky monastery, - is also worthy of attention. Besides, a wooden hipped roof has been preserved on this tower.

Towers of New Town are 6-7-storied, in the center of each of them there is a brick pole, bearing ceilings. These poles are coreless inside and are so large that a wooden staircase goes in them easily. It is worth to observe a cell in the lowest tire of New Town walls (prison cells) – in some of them there are workshops, access to others isn’t restrained anyhow.

Church of Transfiguration

An inventory of Cyrillo-Belozersky monastery was made up by order of Boris Godunov in 1601. It allowed to reconstitute its look at that period. It included main Uspensky and Ivanovsky monasteries, situated near to each other. Inside the stone walls with eight towers there were 9 stone churches, a belfry and various household outbuildings.
By the end of XVI century the wooden fortifications of Ivanovsky and Uspensky monasteries were changed into modern stone ones. The system of the monastery fortifications included also two gate churches: Church of Configuration and Joann Lestvichnik.

Three-domed two-pillared church of Transfiguration was erected above the gates, leading to a lake. In many respects, copying forms of church of Joann Lestvichnik, it has a rectangular altar and a square vaulted porch. Its zakomars are also filled with decorative ornaments. The main light drum of the church is abruptly shifted to the east with respect to two smaller drums, towering above side-altar of Nicola and Irina. Such composition makes the upper part of the church dynamic.

Church of Rispolozhenie

In XVI-XVII centuries pilgrims’ flows into the monastery caused reanimation of economic life in the surrounding settlements and villages. Crafts began to develop actively; products of Vologda carpenters found a market far beyond their area. Church of Rispolozhenie from settlement Borodava, which was brought to the territory of Cyrillo-belozersk museum-reserve in 1958, is an expressive evidence of their mastery.
It is one of the oldest wooden churches which has been preserved to our days and dates to 15 century. Its refectory is covered with a two-pitched pointed roof, which is repeated by a more pointed roof of the main capacity. The lower altar has with the church itself an extensive cubic lower part. It is decorated with a lancet tropeic roof (“barrel”), crowned with a tiny top. From three sides the refectory is surrounded with a cloister, making the whole construction comfortable.

The museum of icons (is located in the chamber attached to church of Presentation, 1519) is a really impressive collection. The iconostasis of the Cathedral of the Assumption, in its modern construction, has been preserved to our days. It is a unique fact in the history of the Russian art. Unfortunately, ancient icons of this iconostasis are separate now.

33 icons among 60 ones, which escaped destruction, are situated in Cyrillov and the rest ones – in the Russian museum, the Tretiakov gallery and the Museum of Andrew Rublev. After icons had been brought to Moscow and Petersburg for restoration, they left in the central museums of the country. After the failure workers of the museum insisted on the fact that the rest icons should be restored on the territory of the monastery. In the museum there are several icons of brush of Dionysius from Pherapontov monastery.

Besides the icons of the museum it is worth to see works of “silver” embroidery. A wooden cross, which was made by Cyril himself. The cross is strongly corroded but not at all by merciless time. It is accepted that it heals from toothache. An extensive library of the monastery has been preserved to our days. In XV-XVII centuries it was one of the largest in Ancient Russia. By data of XVII century it contained 1879 books.

The national park «North of Russia» was created in 1992 year on the territory of Kirilovsky district of Vologda region. On the territory of Kirilovsky region was found about 90 archaeological monuments, many of them are in natural placement, in unity with nature and historic surroundings
In the park are placed three large morainal -  forcing hills, gotten for their uniqueness the staus of nature monuments. They are : mounatain Maura, mountain Tsipina, mountain Sandireva (their height – 50-80 metres). There are two wildlife preserve landscape, which are being nature monuments: Sokolsky boron and Shaglo – Bodunovsky forest.

Shaglo – Bodunovsky forest massif is placed in Megersko – Andomsky (Kemsky) landscape district, it is a genetic reservation .For many centuries was formed soil cover promoting the growth of rare and protected species: lady's slipper, lungwort, hop – raspberries. Most of plants are adopted for growth in deciduous forest, but nevertheless on this territory they continue to grew.
One more nature monument is pine plants of Sokolsky boron, attracts visitors with healthy air, a lot of berries and mushrooms, wonderful conditions for fishing, rest and close distance to region center.
Rare plants – tillet and pasqueflower grow here.  On the territory of Sokolsky boron dwells fish hawk – predatory bird of owl's population, it is one of the beautiful birds in the world.
The fish hawk feeds on fresh fishes, beside this bird is a cleaner of reservoir: catch ill and weak fishes. This bird inhabits in all continents, besides the South America, but numerous of it is rare and continues to be shorten. Such kind of bird is included in the «Red Book». The fish hawk is not only the true nature adorning, if at the lake there is the fish hawk, so there are a lot of fishes at this lake and it is pure.
Among such rich and wonderful nature were created old cloisters and deserts. On the territory of this national park «the North of Russia» there are four old cloisters of the North of Russia, priceless monuments of russian architecture: Pherapontev cloister (1398), Nilo – Sorskaya desert (80th years of XV century – the first desert in Ancient Russia, Gorizky and Voskresensky convent (1544) – exile place for noble russian women, and certainly Cyrillo – Belozersky monastery (1397).
Flora of this national park is various, here are registered 60 species of rare plants. Many of them are included in the Red Book (yellow lady's slipper, quill wort, vernal anemone, etc.).

Belozersk

The history of Belozersk city

For the first time it was mentioned in the chronicles as Beloozero town in 862. It was located in 20 km to the east from the new city. In summer marine propulsion in the Mariinskaya system was large here. Belozersk princedom (nowadays Belozersk) is one of the oldest settlements of the region. Since 1097 Belozersk volost, as a part of Suzdal princedom, belonged to Vladimir Monomakh and his descendants. Since 1238 Belozersk was a center of Belozersk princedom, trading and craft center. In 1363-1364 the city “removed” to the west for 17 km and occupied the present place. An epoch of the city prosperity began. It became rich quickly, famous in the whole Russia and included into the Moscow State. But in 1612 Polish-Lithuanian army occupied and ruined the town. Moral obsolescence of the fortifications favored to it. An earth mound and wooden walls couldn’t already stand against artillery and the enemies’ fire-arms. Since that time Belozersk is a quiet provincial town.
Nowadays Belozersk is not a tourist center. Lack of convenient roads and relative remoteness of the city from large tourist centers prevents it. For example, there is no bridge cross the Sheksna river, which has become a reservoir. Ferry crossings operate in summer, and in winter an ice route of limited carrying capacity is spanned. In the city there are several shops, a small fish-factory, a river port, a printing-plant, a flax-scutching mill and a bakery.

Sights of Belozersk city

Belozersky Kremlin is rare monument of history. This unique construction was built by order of tsar Ivan III, as a outpost of russian lands on the north – east. Including an earth shaft on itself with a large fosse around.
Spasso – preobrazhensky cathedral – is unique historical and cultural monument of XVII-XIX century, placed on the territory of Belozersky Kremlin. Five-domed Spaso-Preobrazhensky cathedral has kept a wonderful ensemble of fretted wooden works of monumental-decorative art: an iconostasis, decorated with a gilt polychromatic sculpture, icon cases, icon frames, decorated with gilding and frescos.
On the territory of the former trading quarter (outside the earth mounds) there is wooden Iliinskaya church of pillar form with refectory.

Uspensky cathedral – is the first stone temple of old Belozersk. The temple is built in 1553-1570 by order of Ivan the Terrible o the place of existed Uspensky convent. The name of russian architects, erected this temple are famous: Goryain Grigoriev Tsarev and Tretjyak Borisov Rostovka.  According to architects' plan this cathedral is a stronghold with thick walls, narrow loopholes and reserved adorning. Firstly this temple had a board covering, wooden covering on heads and ochreous covering on facade. For present time this temple is kept its look, which was reconsructed in XVIII century. At the same time appeared the vestibule in front of temple. Symbolically, that in time of Soviet Union this temple was closed on several years. Church parish of Uspenia is existed for present time.

Church of Elias prophet. Many years ago all Ancient Russia was wooden, so Belozersk was wooden too with its temples. Only one wooden church of Elias prophet was left whole in Belozersk. It was built in 1696 year from west side of Belozersky Kremlin on the place of bloody battle with pole – lithuanians. This church relates to tier type church, made without any nail. Interior decoration of the temple was beautiful. Refectory from church separated with large painted doors. Iconostasis in the church was five – tiered , more than 120 icons was included to it. Later walls and vault was covered by painted canvas.

Church of the Saviour  Merciful  - one of the most beautiful temples of the town, decorated with ornamented tiles. It was built in 1723 year on the place of before existed Andreevsky monastery.
Hipped bell tower are sided with a refectory from the west, to come up stairs using inside wall stair. Wonderful view is opened in front of the town, on the White Sea, close by one can have a good look delicate forged crosses on cupolas.

The museum of Region History is located in the building of late Peter's and Paul's temple (XVIII century). Reach history of this region are opened in three halls, it is the history from first settling to present time. In exposition are represented some collections of archaeological finds of the stone age and the Middle Age. Visitors can see annalistic data, scientific hypotheses, pre – Slavonic settling, the development of Belozersk.