Over the past 100 years, an incredible number of abandoned buildings built in different eras and functioning in different directions have appeared on the territory of present-day Russia. Especially popular are the old abandoned temples and churches. And if in the 90s vandals hunted inside their walls, the echoes of which can be seen in the form of graffiti, today people are mostly interested in their history.
Abandoned temples are especially popular among fans of extraordinary photo shoots. Many territories are protected, but no restoration takes place with them: most die, in particular, wooden buildings, from torrential rains, the scorching sun or harsh winter days. But among the so-called stalkers there are still advocates of authenticity who want to see this destroy for as long as possible.
All abandoned
The Soviet Union left a big imprint on the modern look of all abandoned churches. The communists who came to power did not stand on ceremony with the legacy of Christianity and got rid of some objects, undermining them, others turned them into warehouses, and others flooded them to create another reservoir. There are a lot of abandoned churches throughout Russia, but there are especially attractive and interesting ones.
Previously, each seedy town or village had its own temple, sometimes it was so small that only a couple of people could fit in there, but neither the townspeople nor the villagers imagined living without a house of God near it. Sometimes you can find abandoned wooden churches, as the tree was much cheaper and easier to build than stone. Temples were built mainly with donations from the local population. Some are no longer left, in particular due to the atheistic influence of the Bolsheviks on the development of the country. Now more and more people are arranging unique tours to historical places with abandoned churches. Below will be presented the five most interesting and picturesque abandoned temples in Russia.
The Drowned Woman
Most architectural monuments during the USSR were flooded to create artificial reservoirs and hydroelectric power stations. So the chapel "drowned" at the tract Arkhangelsk-Chashnikovo peeks timidly with its bell tower from under the surface of the water. There are no exact historical data on the beginning of the construction of this abandoned church, but it is known that services were already held there in 1795. Today, ruins can be periodically seen when the water level in the Vazuz reservoir falls.
The most popular version of the appearance of an old abandoned church is that the creator was a local landowner, who mourned his drowned son. But according to historical records, no church was ever mentioned in these places. Some believe that this is not a chapel at all, but a real family tomb.
The easiest way to get to the ruins is in the winter months, when there is practically no water left in the reservoir. And to get to the area itself, you need to get to the village of Mozharino and drive along the dam, and then across the bridge through the waters of the reservoir. The road will lead to an abandoned village, and there to the ruins of an abandoned church.
The mysterious church of Paraskeva
Another abandoned church in Russia is located in the Kaluga region. It is called so in honor of Pyatnitskaya Mountain. According to legend, it is man-made and earlier on it was an ancient settlement, which was founded in the 6th century. According to rumors, inside this giant mound there are still underground passages and tunnels, as well as burials.
The construction of the church began at the end of the 18th century right on the bend of the Mozhaika river. By the way, she acted until 1936, when the Bolshevik authorities did not undermine the bell tower and dragged her to building materials. The originally abandoned church had two altars, one of which was dedicated to St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, and the second to the Virgin Mary.
Unfortunately, the wall murals have hardly survived to this day, but the architectural ensemble of the House of God deserves attention. The view from the mountain is also beautiful, it is not surprising that they decided to erect the temple here. After the cessation of activity, the church building was turned into a warehouse. But the chicly painted walls can be seen in another place - the church of Ignatius the God-bearer, built in 1899. It is nearby, and the frescoes in it are preserved even better than the frame of the building itself.
Treasure church
The village of Boykovo has a real religious treasure - the ruins of the Tolgskaya church, the talk of which has not abated since the 18th century. But here lies the whole story associated with its creator. Once a wealthy landowner, who had a thousand serfs in his courtyard, was blind, and not one healer could help him, they all shrugged their hands and sent them home. Then he decided that somewhere he had sinned a lot and hit religion, having left for the Tolgsky monastery, near Yaroslavl. There he received a vision in which it was said that if he built a church in his village, he would be able to see again.
Of course, as soon as the landowner began to build the temple, his sight immediately returned to it. Then, believing in God's miracle, he himself joined the construction of the church: he dug trenches, wore bricks, and so on. Near the church, the landowner also built a house for himself, and there he was buried after many years. However, with the advent of Soviet power, the treasures left by the first landowner and the next owner of the house were buried in the territory of the church, but so far no one has been able to find them.
Ruined by war
At Nikolsky Pogost, which must be reached via Rzhev, there is a temple that stores its history of the war. Once, in 1914, this five-domed Grieving Church hosted up to two and a half thousand parishioners, but now itβs even difficult to determine where the village houses stood.
The former greatness and beauty turned into ruins in 1942 when the Fritz fired at the church. Later, fights were also fought for the temple during the offensive of the Soviet troops. The Germans then hid behind its walls and, when leaving, left a Finn who fought on their side for cover. And for reliability, so that he did not run away, the Germans also chained him to the wall. As a result, he was able to lay a lot of Red Army soldiers until he blew himself up with a grenade. Mostly locals know about this story. Inside the church building you can still find traces of bullets.
After the war, they did not begin to rebuild the village and the house of God, and after more than half a century the church was left alone on the churchyard without the residential buildings surrounding it. Only one nature takes its toll.
Tomb for Count Chernyshev
In the village of Yaropolets, near Volokolamsk, there is a dilapidated abandoned wooden church with stone decoration of the Icon of the Kazan Mother of God, built in the 18th century. It is located opposite the same abandoned estate of the Chernyshevs and is the tomb of the count's family. He himself developed her project, and the style of construction is really unique.
The church consists of two parts: one was intended for the tomb, the other for the service. Now many pillars have decayed and fallen to the floor, inside - complete devastation, although the overall picture looks very impressive. The church survived the fall of the bell tower on the roof, the fire of the iconostasis, the hurricane that tore off the crosses, and even the bombing during the Second World War, but it is still difficult for people to care about history.