A settlement was found on the shore of Lake Svetloyar. Orthodox traditions. Anomalous characteristics of Svetloyar

One of the most famous and mystical places in the Nizhny Novgorod region. Located near the village of Vladimirskoye, Voskresensky district. Currently, Svetloyar is a natural monument of federal significance.

The area of ​​Lake Svetloyar is about 12 hectares, length - 410 m, width - 315 m, greatest depth - about 29 m.

The Legend of the City of Kitezh

Svetloyar is one of the most mysterious and legendary Russian lakes. Even scientists have not yet reached a consensus regarding its origin. There is a famous legend about diving into the lake of a wonderful city ​​of Kitezh who did not surrender to the troops Khan Batu. The story inspired the artists Vasnetsov, Roerich, Nesterov, and also inspired the musician Rimsky-Korsakov to write the opera “The Legend of the Invisible City of Kitezh and the Maiden Fevronia.”

According to legend, in ancient times, Grand Duke Georgy Vsevolodovich first built Little Kitezh on the Volga, later renamed Gorodets, and then, having crossed several rivers and found near Lunda and Svetloyar a good place, built Kitezh Bolshoi. Kitezh-grad was very large and famous, in its center there was a six-domed church, and the inhabitants of the city prospered.

However, a tragic year came when Batu attacked Rus'. In 1238, the Vladimir-Suzdal principality was devastated, and Batu Khan set up his camp on the Sit River. The forces of Prince Yuri Vsevolodovich turned out to be unequal, and after a difficult battle he retreated to Maly Kitezh, which was soon taken by storm. The prince with the remnants of his army was able to hide in Greater Kitezh, and the Mongols, who captured Little Kitezh, tortured the prisoners and demanded to show the way to the city. One of the residents, unable to withstand the torment, agreed to lead the enemies to the city through the Trans-Volga taiga. However, Kitezh, surrounded by enemies, was not going to give up, and people prayed to God for protection. Soon the city sank down, and the hills and lake covered it with a cap, and the Mongols were afraid of such a miracle and disappeared.

Scientific research of Lake Svetloyar

Scuba divers explored Svetloyar and discovered natural anomalies there: underwater terraces like stairs, steep underwater slopes alternating with horizontal sections of the bottom. This suggests that the lake was formed in parts. At a depth of 20 meters, they found small objects made of wood and metal from the 13th century, probably remaining from some ancient settlement. No further traces of civilization were found.

The lake was also explored instrumentally. Using a hydrophone, scientists heard strange sounds like the echo of thunder during a storm. Geophysicists involved in the experiment said that these sounds come from a wave of magnetic disturbance that passes through the water and creates this effect.

In some places the lake “screamed”, in others there was silence. The hydrophone also recorded a low buzzing sound; the lake emitted it until sunrise and the full moon. According to legend, righteous people are given the opportunity to see the walls of a snow-white city with golden domes of temples at this particular time.

The mysticism of Lake Svetloyar

The modern path leading to the lake is called the Batu Path, and along this road a person who is pure in heart and thoughts can come to Kitezh. The city is invisible, although the righteous can see the lights of religious processions at the bottom and hear the bells ringing in the temples. Psychics say that the lake is a place where power comes out.

Origin of the lake

The origin of the lake is also mysterious, since it has a depth of up to 36 meters, its shape is oval and even almost round, and its bottom is funnel-shaped. There is an opinion about the karst origin of the lake, and a geological expedition was even equipped to study it. A well 300 meters deep was drilled near the lake, and it showed that up to 250 meters deep there are no karst rocks, but only sandstones, clays and loams, marls. Anhydrites, limestones and gypsum go deeper, but they are not affected by karst processes. According to researchers, Svetloyar is the remnant of the ancient bed of the Lunda River, and due to spring feeding and flow to the river, the lake is very clean, and the water in it is fresh and does not spoil for a long time. Some researchers believe that the lake was formed as a result of a meteorite.

Religious significance of the lake

The lake is a holy place, especially revered by the Orthodox, but not only pilgrims come here, but people interested in the mysteries of history and nature. On the lake there is Chapel in the name of the Kazan Mother of God, stone with the footprint of the Virgin Mary and holy spring Kibelek And tomb of three saints.

Lake Svetloyar is the center of the holiday Ivan Kupala every year from 6 to 7 July. Anyone can become a participant in ancient rituals. However, it is worth adding that the Orthodox Church does not approve of the celebration of a pagan holiday.

How to get to Lake Svetloyar from Nizhny Novgorod

Lake Svetloyar is one of the most significant attractions in the region, so excursions are offered there from Nizhny Novgorod. However, you can get there on your own.

By public transport

Take the Nizhny Novgorod - Voskresenkoye bus and before reaching the final stop, after turning to Voskresenkoye, get off at the village of Vladimirskoye. Or take the Kirovsky train to Semenov, and then take the Semenov - Voskresenskoye bus (the railway and bus station are combined). This option may be the fastest due to traffic jams leaving the city.

By car

Distance Nizhny Novgorod - Vladimir - Lake Svetloyar - 130 kilometers.

By highway Nizhny Novgorod - Kirov go towards Semenov. After Semenov, after ~30 kilometers, turn right onto Voskresenskoye and drive another 10 kilometers until the turn to Vladimirskoye (on the right).

In the village you need to leave your car in a special parking lot and then walk along a birch alley for about a kilometer. Vehicle access to the lake is prohibited.

To Svetloyar by bus or by train+bus

By bus Nizhny Novgorod - Voskresenskoye from the Kanavinskaya bus station. Before reaching Voskresensky, get off at the village of Vladimirsky. Travel time to Vladimirsky is 2-2.5 hours.

On commuter train Nizhny Novgorod - Semenov or Nizhny Novgorod - Uren to Semenov, then by bus Semenov - Voskresenskoye to the village of Vladimirskoye.

To Svetloyar by car

Along the Kirov highway. Pass Semenov, get to Bokovaya station (a busy place, there are a lot of trucks, a cafe, a motel), then turn right following the sign for Vladimirskoye and Voskresenskoye, get to the village of Vladimirskoye (turn right), drive through the village to a large parking lot. Next - along the birch alley on foot. Distance from Nizhny Novgorod - 130 km.

Driving directions Nizhny Novgorod - Lake Svetloyar

You can combine a trip to Lake Svetloyar with an excursion to the Levashov estate in Galibikhe, in the village of Troitskoye, in Yurino.

Museum of Epochs and Rusenikhinskoye Settlement

If you drive further from the village of Vladimirskoye towards the village of Voskresenskoye, you can stop by Museum of Ages. Between the village of Vladimirskoye and the village of Voskresenskoye there is a left turn with a sign to Tekun and the Museum of Epochs. The museum is located 7 km from this turn, in the village of Rusenikha (there are signs along the way).

Excursions to Svetloyar from Nizhny Novgorod

What to see in Svetloyar

History of Lake Svetloyar

Svetloyar is one of the most legendary and mysterious lakes in Russia: scientists have still not come to a consensus regarding its origin. The legend of the miraculous immersion of the city of Kitezh in its waters, which did not surrender to Batu Khan, formed the basis of Rimsky-Korsakov’s opera “The Legend of the Invisible City of Kitezh and the Maiden Fevronia” and served as material for the paintings of Vasnetsov, Nesterov, and Roerich.

The Legend of the City of Kitezh

A long time ago, even before the advent of the Tatars, Grand Duke Georgy Vsevolodovich built the city of Maly Kitezh (present-day Gorodets) on the Volga, and then, “crossing the quiet and rusty rivers Uzola, Sandu and Kerzhenets,” he went to Lunda and Svetloyar for “very beautiful "The place where the city of Kitezh Bolshoi was located. This is how the glorious Kitezh city appeared on the shore of the lake. Six domes of churches towered in the center of the city. And Greater Kitezh was great and famous.

But the black year came - Batya’s invasion swept across Rus'. In 1238, after the destruction of the Vladimir-Suzdal principality, Batu Khan set up a camp on the City River. After another unequal battle, Prince Yuri Vsevolodovich with the remnants of his troops retreated to Maly Kitezh. However, Batu took it by storm, and the prince and the remnants of his army miraculously managed to escape to Greater Kitezh. The Mongol-Tatars burned Little Kitezh, filled it with blood, and tortured the prisoners: where is Big Kitezh, in which the prince took refuge, how to find the way there? One of them could not stand the torment - he led his enemies through the Trans-Volga taiga. But Kitezh, when it was surrounded by enemies, did not surrender to them: its inhabitants prayed to God, and he protected them. The city sank down, and it was covered from above by earthen caps - hills and a lake. Horror seized the enemies, and they fled away from this miracle.

Now there is a path to the lake, which is called the Batu Trail. It can lead to the glorious city of Kitezh, but not everyone, but only those who are pure in heart and soul. Since then, the city has been invisible, but intact, and the especially righteous can see the lights of religious processions in the depths of the lake and hear the ringing of its bells.

In fact, the great depth of Lake Svetloyar (up to 36 m), its oval shape with a funnel-shaped bottom, and the purity of the water make the origin of this lake mysterious and were the basis for the widespread belief about its karst origin. However, studies carried out in the area of ​​Lake Svetloyar by the geological survey party of the Gorky geological exploration expedition did not confirm this. An almost 300-meter well drilled near the lake showed that to a depth of about 250 meters there are no rocks susceptible to karst. This quarter-kilometer thickness is represented mainly by rocks such as loams, clays, sandstones, and marls. And the deeper-lying limestones, gypsum, and anhydrites are not affected by karst processes. The expedition's research led to the conclusion that Svetloyar is a remnant of the ancient bed of the Lunda River (the right tributary of the Vetluga), half a kilometer from which it is located. The lake has a flow into Lundu and abundant spring feeding, which explains the purity and freshness of its water.

Kibelek Key and the Tomb of the Three Saints

As you go up to the church on the hill, you will see a path to the right of the church and a sign “Kibelek Key”. The path will lead to the barrier. After the barrier you need to go right along the road. The road through the field will lead to the forest. Then go into the forest along the same road. There are signs along the way. Soon the road will end and there will be a path. Walk along the path - platforms should appear on the path. Follow them all the way to the spring. The distance from Lake Svetloyar to the Kibelek spring is about 2 km. The water in the Kibelek spring is holy.

History of the Kibelek key and the tombs of the three saints

According to legend, a battle between the Kitezh squad and the Tatars took place in this place. Three Kitezh heroes died here in an unequal battle, defending the Russian land.

There is also a well here, the water from which is also considered holy, and nearby there are three crosses in memory of the fallen soldiers. A little further, in the forest, there is a clearing with three graves of warriors. From these graves, believers take earth, which helps to heal from various ailments.

Prayer on Lake Svetloyar

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Sacred Svetloyar fulfills wishes and keeps ancient secrets

“The main thing is to focus on your desire during such a round,” says eleventh-grader Polina Bredikhina. – Now we are thinking about the Unified State Exam. And when we receive our certificates, we will ask the lake to help us enter the university. To ensure your wish comes true, it is better to walk around the lake barefoot. Last year, all the graduates of our school entered, and the year before too. Yes, in Vladimirsky all our graduates study where they planned. They are getting ready, of course. But if it weren’t for the lake, we wouldn’t be so lucky.

Svetloyar is located one hundred kilometers from Nizhny Novgorod. People from all over the world come to wash their faces with water and visit it.

According to legend, the city of Kitezh once stood on the site of the lake. During the invasion of the Mongol-Tatar Khan Batu, the city went under water.

“To this day, believers - both locals and visitors - hear the ringing of underground bells,” says resident of the village of Vladimirskoye, biologist Irina Pankratova. – Whether there was a city here or not is still unknown. 800 years have passed, and scientists still have not decided.

The study of Lake Svetloyar began at the end of the 19th century; expeditions from Kazan University came here. In the twentieth century, the lake was studied by scientists from St. Petersburg.

“The scuba divers found out that the lake consists of several steps,” says Irina. – The southern terrace is the youngest and shallowest, it appeared only 400 years ago. And the deepest, northern one, appeared 800 years ago. It was there that wood chips were found under a layer of silt. They did an analysis and found that they were processed with a chisel, which means that a person worked on them. Scientists named this place anomalous zone K - after the first letter of the name of the ancient city. So, perhaps the city of Kitezh is not only a legend.

Until now, there have been several versions of the origin of the lake. The most plausible is meteorite origin. The place where the huge meteorite fell was filled with water, and the hills along the banks were ejections of earth. Scientists also do not rule out that this is where a subcontinental fault in the earth’s crust passes. It starts in the Carpathians, crosses Kharkov, the Nizhny Novgorod region and goes to Siberia.

– Nevertheless, Svetloyar still remains one of the most mysterious places, says biologist Pankratova. “I myself didn’t hear the bells ringing.” But somehow, while in Svetloyar, I felt the scent of incense. But besides me, there were only a few people there, and no one walked around with lit candles. And recently I observed such a picture. Not far from the lake we have a stone with the foot of the Virgin Mary. Schoolchildren and teachers arrived on an excursion, and everyone went into the church. A young teacher was on the street earlier than others and decided to consecrate the cross in the mortar - there was two centimeters of water there after the rain. I myself saw how she took off the chain and lowered the cross into the water. And suddenly he disappeared! The whole class looked for it but couldn’t find it. I later told believers about this. It was assumed that someone in the group did not believe in the miraculousness of the lake, and so that people would believe, the Lord decided to perform a miracle. The second explanation was this: perhaps this woman carried a heavy cross and was freed from it in a holy place.

Now every summer the shores of Svetloyar are dotted with vacationers; people from all over Russia come here to swim.

– People are trying to kill two birds with one stone: relax to the fullest, and ask for something by the lake. But that doesn’t happen. It has long been noticed that Svetloyar helps people who come here with faith. And it doesn’t matter what religion this person belongs to. Those who believe walk around the lake in silence, asking for their loved ones. Therefore, we prohibit swimming on the lake on mattresses. It’s not good when those who consider Svetloyar a holy place see naked people sunbathing in the middle of the lake.

The clergy generally want to ban swimming in Svetloyar. It is believed that people leave their sins in the water, and it loses its healing properties.

“It used to be like it was: people would come to the lake, pray, walk around it, and then scoop up water to wash themselves,” says local priest Father Vladimir. “And they wash themselves above the ground so that not a single drop falls into the holy lake.” Now only older people and believers do this.

Especially a lot of people come to Lake Svetloyar on July 6th. Believers - on the feast of the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God. Everyone else is going to celebrate the night of Ivan Kupala.

“For both us and our lake, the invasion of people is a real disaster,” says Elena Batalova, head teacher of the rural school. – Vacationers who go to celebrate a pagan holiday weave wreaths. Flowers are being picked around the lake, and the local flora is suffering as a result. Then these wreaths are thrown into the lake. And we take them out by truck! It is imperative to collect them, otherwise they begin to rot and the lake becomes sick. These days, so many people are swimming at the same time that we, local residents, feel sick for the pond. How our poor Svetloyar can withstand all this is unclear!

By the way, environmentalists are already sounding the alarm. Three years ago Svetloyar began to bloom. The average person does not notice this bloom yet, but the water analysis is getting worse every year.

“Microscopic blue-green algae appear, which can only be seen through a microscope,” says biologist Irina Pankratova. – The water changes color, becomes greenish. And if you don’t at least reduce the number of tourists eager to swim in the waters of Svetloyar, soon the flowering will be more violent, which is detrimental to the reservoir. Previously, local water was poured into batteries and drunk without filtering. Now it's better not to do this.

While the mineralized water of Svetloyar is still considered healing. According to scientists, Svetloyar contains silver and copper, and they act as antiseptics.

“We believe that the underground Kitezh protects our lake,” local residents say. – Once the lake saved the city from the Mongol conquerors, now the time has come for the city to save the lake. It’s not for nothing that scientists still haven’t decided on the origin of our Svetloyar.

Scientists really are still at a loss. On one of the last expeditions, specialists from the St. Petersburg Institute of Lake Science could not determine the depth of the lake.

“The device shows 34 meters,” says local historian Alexey Groza. “And suddenly, unexpectedly, it’s already four meters away.” At first they thought that the equipment was broken. We checked - everything works. The scientists were shocked - it seemed to them as if they had found the domes of the churches of the ancient city. Divers searched the bottom, but found nothing.

In the old days, people crawled around Lake Svetloyar on their knees.

“During the war, all the men from the village were taken to the front,” recalls Lidia Pavlovna, a resident of the village of Vladimirskoye. “Our father also went to fight. So on holidays, women gathered and walked around the lake on their knees, praying that their husbands would return alive. And they made a vow that if this happened, they would come to Svetloyar again. Our father returned, and mother crawled around the lake again. I no longer crawl on my knees; after all, I turned 85 this year. But I go around - I go around. And I always read the popular prayer to myself: “Holy mountains, holy cathedrals, underground people, pray to God for us.” I never ask for myself - only for my children and grandchildren.

Residents of the village of Vladimirskoye constantly hear underground ringing. They don’t like to joke about this topic here. It is believed that the “underground people” may be offended.

“When I was little, my grandmother and I came to the lake,” says another resident of the village, Anna Alekseevna. “She often asked me: “Come on, granddaughter, lean your ear against the hill.” Maybe you’ll hear the ringing of the Kitezh bells.” And I heard it. And now I’m older, my hearing is no longer the same. I haven’t heard this wonderful ringing for a long time.

Those whom the holy lake Svetloyar helps will definitely return here again to thank it.

Five kilometers on your knees. Around the lake - with prayer and faith

“Recently, a woman came with her adult son,” says biologist Irina Pankratova. – This handsome young man was born in 1988. He had serious breathing problems and doctors said he would not survive. While the mother was in the maternity hospital, the baby's grandmother disappeared from home for two days. And somewhere at this time in the hospital the incredible happened - the baby suddenly began to breathe. The doctors couldn't figure out what was wrong. And only recently the grandmother said that she then went to Svetloyar, crawled around him three times and begged for recovery for her grandson. Then the mother and son also came to worship the holy lake.

Believers collect water from the lake in bottles and bring it with them. It is believed that it does not deteriorate for decades. Those who believe in its miraculous power use it carefully - add a drop to ordinary water and drink.

Lake Svetloyar is located one hundred kilometers from Nizhny Novgorod.

The area of ​​the reservoir is 12 hectares. The lake has an oval shape.

The distance along the perimeter of Svetloyar along the edge is 1 kilometer 324 meters. Along wooden bridges – 1 kilometer 800 meters.

At different times, researchers have expressed hypotheses about the glacial, karst, oxbow, volcanic, neotectonic, salt dome and cosmic - meteorite origin of the lake. In 2009, the results of field studies were published confirming the hypothesis of the meteorite origin of the lakes.

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So come, ask, pray, may your faith be fulfilled.

There is always a place for miracles in our lives, sometimes we just don’t notice it. or we don’t want to notice. but miracles happen. My miracle is already 1.8 years old)))

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Prayer on Lake Svetloyar

In the Voskresensky district of the Nizhny Novgorod region, near the village of Vladimirskoye (in the old way - Lyundy), Lake Svetloyar is located. Once on its shore stood the city of Kitezh, the very same one. It is not entirely clear what exactly happened to the city. He either remained in place, but became invisible, or went under water, or fell into the ground. But people still see the reflection of the city in the lake and hear the bells of its churches. That's what they say.

What does this dream mean? To understand this, you first need to try to separate the local mythology of Svetloyar from those mythological pomps that have been heaped up around Kitezh-grad by generations of Russian intellectuals. Intellectual nonsense is varied and ranges from simple-minded assertions that Svetloyar is the entrance to Shambhala, to lofty theories that the hidden soul of the Russian people is hidden under the clear waters of Svetly Yar.

The original local mythology, of course, is much more interesting than these intellectual nonsense, since it grows directly from the cults that existed in Svetloyar since ancient times. And the most interesting thing about it is not the legend of Kitezh, which hid from Batu at the bottom of the lake. This is just a rather late myth, which took shape no earlier than the 17th century among the Trans-Volga schismatics and was recorded in the “Kitezh Chronicler”. A text that has practically nothing to do with any historical realities of the 13th century, but is related to the life of the schismatics themselves, whose life was a constant eluding (even to death) from the authorities. So the most interesting thing here is not the schismatic legends, but their origin. For - if we are to talk about something that has gone (underground) and become almost invisible, then - we must talk about the religion that was in Svetloyar before the advent of Christianity.

Pavel Melnikov-Pechersky, who launched the legend about the city of Kitezh into wide circulation, begins the fourth part of his Trans-Volga epic “In the Woods” with a detailed presentation of the myth about how the god Yarilo fell in love with Mother Cheese Earth. Having united, they gave birth to all life on earth. At the same time, Yarilo for Melnikov-Pechersky is an absolute synonym for Kupala. Whether this is actually true or not is a moot point, but it is known that the annual meetings of Old Believers on Lake Svetloyar took place precisely on Ivan Kupala. True, the schismatics did not at all welcome the Kupala games, especially the sexual zeal of the youth. But what could they do if they themselves were under pressure. And they themselves prayed to the birches. At Svetloyarsk gatherings there was a custom to bring icons with you and, hanging them on trees, to pray. It turned out rather ambiguous: you pray to the icon, but at the same time – to the tree. We even heard the following prayer in Svetloyar: “Oh, mother birch! She grew up on the church dome. Have mercy on us!” The church here is thought to have gone underground, and above the head of this church is a birch tree.

Actually, those invisible pagan deities to whom they prayed when praying to Orthodox icons represent the real city of Kitezh. On Svetloyar, a whole layer of Russian culture disappeared from the persecution of foreign gods. And not only Russian. Before the Slavs, the Chud lived here, the same one who, according to chronicle legends, “went underground.” Along the banks of the Lunda River stood oak idols, which were worshiped by the ancestors of the Mari, and sacred groves grew. When the Russians came with their priests and began to drive out the idolaters, they did not leave their homes, but buried themselves alive on the shore of their sacred lake.

Of course, not all local miracles went underground. And not all Mari were driven from their homes. Many remained. There are still a lot of them in the villages, especially beyond Vetluga. I traveled through those villages. Local people (both Mari and Russians) do not even fully realize how much tree worshipers they are. Whatever you talk to them about, they will definitely turn to the forest, trees or wood. The tree is like family to them. Noticing this, I began to ask the natives about the sacred groves.

In the village of Bolshaya Yuronga, men sitting near the store said that they remember how, after the war, their parents took them to Keremet (this is a grove where they worshiped Keremet, the spirit that created evil, but supports good), how they drank ritual beer and ate food there. sacrificial porridge. One of them, a Mari resident Vasily, volunteered to show the Keremet, where he had been as a child. We wandered through the forest for a long time. Vasily seemed to listen to himself. Then he spat and said: “No, I won’t find it, there’s nothing left, I don’t remember.” Well, the timber industry fought against the Mari religion more thoroughly than Christians or militant atheists. He cut down the sacred grove. No matter how much Vasily listened to himself, he found nothing. Or he didn’t want to find it (which is more accurate). And my dog, trained to search for places of power, found it: he lay all over himself while we wandered through this forest and talked about what the Finno-Ugric word “keremet” has to do with the Sheremetyev surname.

By the way, the word “yar” in the name of Svetloyar has nothing to do with Yarila and rage. According to Vasmer's etymological dictionary, this is “a steep steep bank.” And the Mari explained to me that the word “yar” in their language means lake. Indeed, there are many lakes containing such an ending in their names. One of them is Nestiar. It is not far from Svetloyar. I can testify: it is also a powerful lake of power.

But, of course, Svetloyar will be stronger, it’s not for nothing that there is such a stir around it. This is perhaps the most powerful place on the Russian Plain. Even the dumbest person, after walking here a little, begins to feel something. I observed one who looked like a boss. Walking around the lake, he was imbued with the lofty idea of ​​its purity, approached a local peasant and began to speak edifyingly: “What irresponsible people we have - they drink right in a holy place.” In response, the man, who, apparently, constantly grazes on the shore and never completely dries out, said: “Here I don’t agree with you. A man may be traveling 120 kilometers away, from Nizhny Novgorod itself. Why doesn’t he sit down?” on the grass and not have a cultural rest. He may not gain holiness, but he will add to his health.”

The coastal philosopher is right. In Svetloyar, somehow your shoulders straighten by themselves, your breathing becomes measured and deep, as a result of hyperventilation of your lungs, you run out of oxygen and become a little drunk. The colors are brighter, there are no problems, the mood couldn’t be better.

And one more thing: you seem to be there all the time on the verge of sleep and reality, in a state where you still see a dream, but you already understand that this is precisely a dream, a different reality. At the same time, you can monitor this reality and analyze it almost consciously. Non-trivial thoughts come into my head. At least that's what it seems like. But if it seems, it means it is so. After all, the problem of appearance and reality consists only in whether you manage (or not) to maintain a sense of unusualness at that moment of the thinkable. And extract something from it that will not disappear in the next second. Can you preserve this and somehow embody it: explain it to another, use it to create a solid mental structure. Or this thing seen and felt will disappear in the next moment, like an obsession, forgotten like a dream, dissolved in the banality of everyday life. Usually dissolves. And now you can’t even remember why this thought seemed so interesting and important to you. However, this does not mean that it was originally empty. A wild thought cannot be empty.

For example, it seemed to me that I needed to make a mark in Svetloyar somehow. How? After all, don't tie a ribbon to a tree. I decided that somewhere here I definitely had to take a shit. Firstly, because this action is filled with deep magic (read at least Bakhtin). And secondly, as soon as this thought, not conditioned by any physiology, entered my head, I immediately felt: this must be done right now, without delay, so to speak, on the back burner.

He headed to the spruce forest by the lake, crouched under his green dense paws, disappeared completely, but could see people walking along the wooden flooring laid along the shore along the entire circumference of the lake. In Svetloyar there is such a ritual: you need to walk three times (or better yet, crawl on all fours) around the lake, reading a prayer. I had not yet finished when a procession appeared: two women in front, and behind them a man. They walked in single file, muttering prayers. Having caught up with me, the man incidentally, between words of prayer, remarked: “Someone has already taken a shit.” This was an assessment of the act. Frankly, it became a little awkward. My ritual urge was pure improvisation, prompted, so to speak, by my heart, and here they are walking in circles with knowledge of the matter.

Cut off from the whirlwind of the masses, I thought that any ritual somehow begins. Who knows, maybe someday the contact that I have just established with this place will bear fruit and become a general necessity for those who come. In the end, those legends and rituals that developed around Svetloyar were also extracted from the states of consciousness of those who wandered along the shores of Svetloyar, altered by the place of power. People had bright thoughts. And now the theory about Trans-Volga Shambhala is ready. Or - about the last real Russian Tsar, Mikhail Alekseevich Romanov (brother of Peter the Great), who went into schism so secretly that historians know nothing at all about this character. And rumors about him keep going.

Well-wishers advised me to go to the source that gushes at the place where this schismatic king burned himself and his sons when government troops overtook them. It is three kilometers from the lake. The source is called Kibelek. According to another version - Georgievsky, in honor of the defender of Kitezh, Prince Georgy Vsevolodovich, who, according to legend, died at the hands of the Tatars in this place.

In fact, of course, Prince George did not build or defend Kitezh. And he died not here and at another time. But this is only important for history, but not for mythology. By and large, even the name of the hero does not matter to her. Georgy, Mikhail, someone else - what's the difference, really? The discrepancies only add credibility to the myth, the essence of which is that someone escaped persecution. Like Kolobok from my grandparents. You won't catch us. Because we change shape when we are pursued, we become a tree, a stone, a source, what else - a flower. In Ovid's Metamorphoses there are a lot of such transformations. Someone has become a spring here. There is now a canopy above it, the frame of a well. And not far from it is a clearing. And there are three crosses on it. Under the crosses are graves, in them lie three heroes who were the first to meet their pursuers and died. This is a particularly revered place. The soil from the graves has wonderful properties. Everything is perfectly maintained - no empty bottles, no ribbons on the trees.

Coming out into this clearing, I suddenly shuddered. For he clearly understood that this is the keremet, the place of power of the pagan miracle. And it’s okay that it’s marked with crosses. Keremet has long been accustomed to Christian symbolism; it does not bother him. This is a spirit of open-mindedness and outstanding philanthropy. When I returned to the lake, a local philosopher (the one who said that you can’t get holiness in Svetloyar, but perhaps health), came up to me and asked: “Well, have you seen it?” I shrugged. “You’re lying,” he said, and then, turning to my black dog, he concluded: “I saw it.”

Mikhail Glushetsky’s adventurous and visionary story “The Sacred Joke” is doomed to (not) become an event in the literary world. If only for the reason that in its beautiful recklessness, lightness and freedom it is too close to life and too far from what is commonly considered literature today. See for yourself.

Lake Svetloyar (Nizhny Novgorod region) is one of the most fantastic corners of the Voskresensky district, located in the village of Vladimirskoye. This natural monument with federal status attracts tourists from all over the world. The area is 12 hectares, and the depth reaches 36 meters. It's mysterious and mysterious place, about which there are many controversial stories. Scientists also cannot determine the exact origin of the object. One of the legends is the mysterious sinking of the city of Kitezh, which stubbornly resisted the khan’s troops. By the way, this story served as inspiration for large quantity artists. Among them were Vasnetsov, Nesterov, Roerich.

How to get there?

The Family Suitcase company conducts excursions to the lake in the summer.

You can make an exciting tourist trip here, turning to professionals for help, or get there on your own. A bus runs regularly from Nizhny Novgorod to the village of Voskresenskoye. You can also come on the excursion by train, which goes in the Kirov direction.


It is also convenient to arrive by private car. From the city to the village, your travel time will be 130 kilometers. There are special parking spaces for vehicles on the birch alley. Address - Nizhny Novgorod region, Voskresensky district, village. Vladimirskoe. The highways are of high quality.

General information and legends

If you believe the legend, then Prince Georgy Vsevolodovich established Little Kitezh on the lake. Later it received another name Gorodets. Soon the prince crossed to the other side and found more appropriate place. Greater Kitezh was created near Londa and Svetloyar. This hail was the largest. It was in high demand; in its center there was a six-domed temple. The city's prosperity in Rus' lasted until Batogo's attack. The conqueror set up his camp on the Sit River. Unfortunately, the forces turned out to be unequal. Maly Kitezh was taken, and it was hard for the prisoners. One of the prisoners, under the burden of torture, nevertheless agreed to lead enemy troops through the taiga. Residents defended the settlement for a long time and tried to save it. And when my strength was running out, a miracle happened. The city seemed to go downhill. On top, like a huge cap, hills and a lake formed. The Mongols retreated, frightened by the unusual phenomenon.


The reservoir was systematically subjected to research by scuba divers. Various anomalies were periodically discovered in it. There are all kinds of terraces under the flow, similar to stairs. Gentle slopes are combined with excessively steep ones. This fact suggests that the formation of the reservoir occurred in parts. From time to time, objects made of wood or metal from the 18th century are discovered at the bottom. So far, no other traces of civilization have been identified.


From time to time, various sounds emanated from the recess. During the full moon and before sunrise, a strange, gurgling sound was sometimes heard. Believers say that it is during this period that they can see snow-white churches with golden domes of incredible beauty.


The path that goes to the lake is called the Batu Trail. There is such a legend about him that only a person who has pure thoughts can walk along such a road. The hail is invisible. And only the righteous have the opportunity to see the lights at the very bottom. Psychics believe that this is the place where spirits come from.

Features of origin

There are many hypotheses about how the lake appeared. Most of them are just legends. The depth of the pit is 36 meters. The bottom has a funnel-shaped structure. The shape of the recess is an oval, as close as possible to a circle. Expeditions of geologists indicate that the lake is of karst origin. Researchers also believe that the reservoir is a former element of the ancient Lunda River. It is fed by a spring. In this regard, the water is characterized by extraordinary purity.


There is religious information about the appearance. They believe that this is a holy place. Believers from all over the world come here, as well as people who are not indifferent to the mysteries of nature. A chapel in the name of the Kazan Mother of God was organized here. There is also a grave of three saints, a spring with healing water and a monument with the footprint of the Virgin Mary.


The territory is used for the celebration of Ivan Kupala. The event takes place on July 6-7. You can also take part in this event if you wish. The pagan holiday is filled with a variety of ancient rituals.

Protected area

Arriving here, you will immediately see a well-groomed alley in front of you, which offers a delightful view of the reservoir. The small oval-shaped formation has a well-equipped shore. There is even a small beach. The water is clean and soft. Locals they say that it can be stored in a container for a long time and not deteriorate. Its taste is excellent.


If you come here, then take into account the fact that this area is a protected area. Therefore, try not to litter and clean up after yourself after a picnic. It is prohibited to make fires or pitch tents. The place is special and is protected. Therefore, it is necessary to follow the established rules.


If you rise a little higher, you can see the Church of the Kazan Mother of God. The shrine is made of wood and is small in size. Nearby there is a stone with a trace of the Virgin Mary's foot. If you like to take walks in the forest, then you have the opportunity to walk to the Kibilek spring. The source is located nearby. The water in it is holy. Therefore, when you go, do not forget to take a container with you to collect. According to the legend, heroes who were defenders of the lands from Batu Khan were buried in the spring.

You can see wooden decking around the pond. It was not by chance that he appeared here. In past times, religious people walked around the tank, praying for help. Everyone asked for something different.

By the way, this tradition still exists today. On the holiday of Ivan Kupala, to fulfill a wish, the circle must be completed three times, while holding a lit candle in your hand. During the festival, young men and women jump over bonfires and lower wreaths into the water.


In ancient times the water was not used for bathing. It was used only for washing and cooking. Today such a ban does not exist. Anyone can take a dip or dive.
This is a cozy, beautiful and especially picturesque place. If you are tired of the city bustle or beach holiday, then you need to come here.


Walking through the local area, you will see a gorgeous chamomile field. There is a sign at the edge of the plantings. You need to rely on it in order not to go astray. This is the Pilgrim's Path. Also, during your travel you may come across a variety of estates and rest shops. The chance of getting lost is low.

Mysterious facts

An expedition of the Literary Gazette was carried out. During its implementation, drilling of natural silt was carried out. This procedure made it possible to discover one amazing find - pieces of hard wood with oblique cuts. The cut was probably the result of an ax or knife.


Later, another anomaly was discovered - naturally formed silt of a special composition. A section was found at the bottom that did not have the ability to transmit sound.

Divers carried out diagnostics of the bottom. Regarding the results of the examination, two opinions were obtained - the presence of a double bottom or its complete absence. Both assumptions have not been precisely confirmed.


Local residents also tell many interesting stories. They say that Svetloyara lives under the hills. If you put your ear to the ground at night, you can hear the ringing of a bell.

There is also a legend about a magic fish. It is incredibly large and scares people at night. In addition, they say that Adam Olearius, traveling throughout Rus', compiled chronicles. During his adventures, he encountered unusual tribes and once came across a deity similar in appearance to a crocodile.


The most modern hypothesis for the appearance of water accumulation is a meteorite fall. No scientific evidence found. But this thought, like others, has an equal right to exist. After all, there are two other lakes in the area, which are similar in configuration to this one. After all, a huge meteorite could break into several pieces, forming huge holes in the ground.

Today, research work has stopped, as many attempts have not been successful. Moreover, all sorts of troubles periodically happened to those who tried to solve the mystery. Thus, a hydrobiologist who was descending to depth suddenly had a sharp rise in temperature. He turned to doctors for treatment, but they were unable to make an accurate diagnosis. Soon the disease went away on its own without treatment.


Once a villager was picking mushrooms in the local plantings. The mushroom picker did not return home. Relatives began an active search, but to no avail. The police got to work. A few days later, the lost man himself returned back, explaining the incident by saying that he simply accidentally got lost and suddenly lost his memory. But after some period of time, the wanderer admitted in a conversation with a friend that the elders gave him the drug. The mushroom picker took out a small piece of bread that the old people had treated him to. This piece instantly turned into stone in the palm of my hand.


There is also a letter in Old Church Slavonic. It is kept in one of the museums. It contains information from son to father. Its content is that the young man came to Kitezh in a strange way, he is alive, healthy and asks not to bury him ahead of time.

Where to stay for the night?

When it comes to organizing an overnight stay, there are many interesting options. A suitable solution can be found for any budget. You will not be allowed to spend the night in tents on the shore, as this is a protected area. It is recommended to book a hotel in Nizhny Novgorod or Vladimirsky in advance. The prices are quite affordable.
There are many obvious and incredible facts about this amazing place. There is a legend that a pioneer camp was once organized here. A wide variety of people could freely travel here. ground transport. Almost everyone wanted to visit this unusual site and no expense stopped them from achieving this goal. During the Great Patriotic War, various pilgrimages were held for those who went bravely to fight for their homeland.

Nature

The area is quite picturesque. Lots of plants and animals. Reed, water lily, egg capsule, Lezel's elk orchid, shrubs, sundew, etc. grow. The reservoir contains worms and plankton. Previously, you could see the muskrat. Today there are hedgehogs, cranes, owls, kites, hawks, owls, erils, wolves, foxes, hares, lynxes, bears, moles and others. Among the reptiles there are viper, toad, lizard, frog. Fish also swim - pike, catfish, ruffe, crucian carp, roach. Recreational fishing is permitted. Hunting is also in demand. But you can't light fires.


There are practically no meadows here, mainly forests, wetlands and taiga. Coniferous trees predominate. The forest is mixed - birch, spruce, pine, larch.
The air is incredibly clean. It is especially comfortable to relax in summer and spring, when the vegetation comes to life. The reservoir serves as entertainment for those who love swimming, diving, and picnics in nature. You will be able to take photos with high artistic value against the backdrop of amazing landscapes. If you plan to hike the trails, take a map with you just in case. There are signs around, but there is a risk of getting lost.


When coming to Nizhny Novgorod, be sure to visit this holy and mysterious place. Perhaps you will be able to discover something new or find confirmation of existing guesses.

Video

One of the most beautiful bodies of water in the world is Lake Svetloyar. The Nizhny Novgorod region can rightfully be proud of this natural object. It is located in the Volga region, approximately one hundred and thirty kilometers from the regional center and a kilometer from the village of Vladimirskoye, Voskresensky district.

This reservoir is the seventh miracle of the Volga region, as well as a natural monument of federal significance.

Peculiarities

Lake Svetloyar is deep depression, which has two encircling terraces at depths of seven and twenty meters, respectively. The upper terrace preserves the remains of a once-growing coniferous forest.

Nizhny Novgorod Lake Svetloyar has an oval shape with dimensions of five hundred by three hundred meters, is located at an altitude of more than one hundred meters above sea level and has the highest greater depth forty meters. The clean and transparent water of the lake is determined by the presence of bottom springs. The reservoir, which has an area of ​​twelve hectares, is never overgrown with mud.

Nizhny Novgorod Lake Svetloyar has its twin, located near the village of Ozernoye. It has a similar shape, greater depth and the same water level as Svetloyar due to their connection with groundwater.

The unusualness of the lake is also manifested in its hydrochemical features. The water taken from it is stored for years without losing its purity and taste. Due to the transparency of the water, the springs gushing from the bottom of the lake can be observed even from the shore. Unfortunately, recently the area of ​​the lake has begun to decrease, and over the past half century it has decreased by four hectares. Due to a change in the flow regime, there was a change in vegetation in the coastal zone: meadow plants were replaced by marsh plants, which indicates a slowdown in the flow of lake waters. Swampiness has caused some tree species to dry out.

Origin of the lake

Lake Svetloyar still keeps the secret of its appearance. At the very beginning of the twentieth century, a version of its volcanic origin was put forward. Later, assumptions were made about meteorite, neotectonic, glacial, karst and other versions of the appearance of this amazing reservoir. At the beginning of the twenty-first century, the result of a study of the hypothesis of a cosmic, namely, meteorite origin of the lake was published. There are convincing facts in its favor:

• geological structure;
• correct shape of the lake;
• great depth due to the strong impact of the meteorite on the ground;
• melted rock;
• the presence of a glassy black mass as evidence of high temperatures;
• structure of nearby hills.

Due to the complexity of the structure of the bottom topography, a version of the neotectonic origin of the lake was considered. According to this theory, the central basin was formed one thousand two hundred years ago. At first it was a small lake up to twenty meters deep. When the lower terrace sank into the water seven hundred years ago, the lake acquired its current appearance.

Story

The history of Lake Svetloyar is foggy and mysterious. It was formed during the Ice Age. However, the great glaciation did not reach Svetloyar, while all the lakes that were in these parts turned into peat deposits.

The first written historical document appeared at the turn of the 17th-18th centuries among the Old Believers. It was called "Kitezh Chronicler". This is a book about a saint, since the founder of Kitezh, Prince Georgy Vsevolodovich, is canonized.

Legends and miracles

Full of secrets and mysteries, in ancient times it was called a little differently - the holy lake Svetloyar. This is a kind of Russian Atlantis that went under water, leaving behind the legend of the city of Kitezh.

Old Believers said that in ancient times, Prince Yuri Vsevolodovich built a city on the Volga, called Small Kitezh. Later, the prince, seeing Lake Svetloyar, ordered the construction of the city of Big Kitezh on its shores. Three years later, a stone city with many Orthodox churches grew up.

When the armada of Khan Batu captured Small Kitezh, the prince and the remnants of his squad had to hide in the forests near Big Kitezh, fighting an unequal battle with the invaders. After a series of betrayals, Khan Batu entered Greater Kitezh through the city gates, which three Russian heroes, who were on patrol, could not defend with battles, blocking the enemy’s path. At the site of their death, the Kibelek spring now flows.

After the death of the prince and the impossibility of defending the city, the residents of Kitezh turned to the Lord in prayer to avoid enslavement and abuse. And at the time when Batu Khan went on the offensive, water springs gushed from the bowels of the earth, flooding the city. The Mongol-Tatars retreated, and the city of Kitezh went under water.

And now, they say, in calm weather, righteous people hear the ringing of bells and human voices from the depths of Svetloyar. Sometimes the domes of churches and monasteries were seen in the waters of the lake. The legend of the sunken city of Kitezh became a tool for the paintings of such artists as Roerich, Nesterov, Vasnetsov. Prishvin, Korolenko, Rimsky-Korsakov, Melnikov-Pechersky, Korovin, Glazunov wrote about Svetoyar. Nowadays, the lake is an object of scientific research.

Inexplicable miraculous cases of recovery of cancer patients were recorded here.

According to psychics, this is a place that draws energy from space.

During wars, the prayers of mothers and wives helped their sons and husbands fighting at the front to stay alive.

Before the baptism of Rus', the Berendey tribe lived in the area of ​​the lake. In those days, there were numerous islands on the island, where the center of the cult of the god Yarila was located. During the adoption of Christianity, by the will of Christ, the bottom of Svetloyar opened up, and the pagan temple was hidden by water.

The value of Lake Svetloyar

As a habitat for numerous species of animals and plants, the lake is of certain scientific value. Protected plant species grow on its banks:

• fescue reed;
• long pondweed;
• yellow egg capsule;
• Lezel's orchid;
• Lapland willow;
• tundra shrub;
• English sundew.

Planktonic organisms that cleanse the reservoir inhabit Lake Svetloyar.

The Nizhny Novgorod region is the habitat of the water muskrat. You can find this rare animal in the vicinity of the reservoir.

Current status

Since 1965, Lake Svetloyar, photos of which never leave the pages of newspapers and magazines, has become a natural monument. It received federal status in 1997. In the Nizhny Novgorod region this is the only monument of this status.

The protected area of ​​the lake is an associative type of landscape that preserves the memory of world historical events and personalities with whom history is connected. The reservoir is also an object of cultural landscape. Lake Svetloyar preserves legends, myths, and living traditions of the people.

Concept

As a project, the authorities of the Nizhny Novgorod region adopted the concept of socio-economic development of the territory of the Vladimir administration, where the natural monument- Lake Svetloyar, reviews of which have spread throughout Russia. The very ideology of the concept is that Svetloyar is a holy place of the Russian Land. But the fundamental goal is to revive the Russian village as a spiritual and social center of self-development and self-preservation.

In 1998, a bridge was built across an asphalt road to allow natural drainage of the lake waters. Previously, a dam with a pipe blocked the flow from the lake to the Lunda River.

Role in public life

Each hill of the lake has its own purpose and name, for example:

• Annunciation Hill is a hill on which stands a church in honor of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God.
• Assumption Hill, where the Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary is located.

In 2004, cathedral prayers of the Old Believers resumed on Assumption Hill. At different times, people came to the lake, different in their religious beliefs: Baptists, warlocks, Old Believers, Orthodox, Tolstoyans. They were united by one goal: the desire for Kitezh. Reviews from believers about this holy place are impressive in their sincerity. Many note the healing properties of consecrated water coupled with fervent prayer.

How to get to Lake Svetloyar

So, you have decided to visit Lake Svetloyar. How to get there from Nizhny Novgorod?

• By car: we drive about 120 kilometers along the Novgorod-Kirov highway to the village of Bokovaya, where, turning right, we reach the village of Vladimirskoye. Having passed through the entire village to the parking lot, we walk 700 meters to the lake.
• By train: we go by train "Nizhny Novgorod - Semenov" to Semenov, after which we take the bus "Semyonov - Voskresenskoye" to Vladimirsky.
• By bus: we go from the Kanavinskaya bus station along the route Novgorod - Voskresenskoye. We leave at Vladimirsky. Driving time - 2 hours.

The route "Svetloyar (lake) - Nizhny Novgorod" is similar.