Our numbers. Open left menu Divnogorye Accommodation and meals

9,6

“Nice cozy house in nature”

• . Rest
• . Group of friends
• . 2 bedroom house
• . 2 night stay

The beds are bad, the springs are bulging, they need to be replaced. There is only one small window in the small bedroom; the window does not open completely. There are many windows in the large room, but you need to keep in mind that only one opens, although, in principle, this is enough; it was ventilated normally in the heat. The mosquito gauze is attached in such a way that there are cracks left, but we somehow plugged them up.

Cosy. The owners managed to turn a village house into a living option with modern amenities. Everything functions perfectly. Exceptional cleanliness! Nice design. When we arrived, we turned on the water, it didn’t start right away, but don’t be scared, just wait a little, the water will appear. There were no further problems with the water and its temperature was well regulated. We called the owners in advance, agreed on the check-in time, and they met us. It should be taken into account that there is no mobile connection in the village, so either call from the mountain or in advance. Large space. The small double bedroom is separated by a curtain from the large bedroom. The kitchen has everything you need. A spacious outdoor terrace with a roof and lighting, a cozy place to sit in the evening. Very quiet! Excellent air, stars and other delights of village life combined with city amenities. Parking is on the side of the road on the opposite side of the road, but the car parked comfortably, the road is not busy, almost no one drives by at night, so everything is comfortable. About a kilometer to the museum-reserve, there is also ample parking there. Across the railway there is a beautiful clean, transparent and warm Tikhaya Sosna river. There is not a convenient entrance to the river everywhere, the bank is steep, at the descent opposite the station you have to jump from a bridge, getting out is problematic. As we were told, unfortunately, already before our departure, close to the house there is a good bridge with a convenient ladder to comfortably get in and out, be sure to ask the owners or in the village. The river is unique - you won’t regret it.

Length of stay: June 2019

Russia

Age: 25–34

9 marks “helpful review”

8,8

Amazing

• . Rest
• . Group of friends
• . 2 bedroom house

There is almost no connection, not regular, that is, even making a phone call is not easy and there is no reception everywhere, nor the Internet. There is one store near the house with a limited selection of food (beer, chips, instant noodles, sausage, bread, cookies), so you either need to bring food with you or eat what is in the store. And if you don’t have your own car, then getting there/leaving will also be problematic, since trains to Voronezh have transfers, and buses too. We found a taxi number from another city, but it was a whole quest :)

Overall we liked everything, it was quiet and peaceful. We were on holiday with three friends, it can accommodate 6 people in total. The house has 2 rooms - one has a double bed and a place on the stove and the second has 4 single beds, a kitchen, shower + toilet, veranda. An ordinary country house, very nostalgic. All basic amenities are there. There is a hammock and barbecue in the yard. 5-7 minutes walk to Divnogorye.

Length of stay: June 2019

Russia

Age: 35–44

3 marks “helpful review”

9,6

Fabulous

• . Rest
• . Group of friends
• . 2 bedroom house
• . 1 night stay

A very simple village house, but perfectly clean, all amenities - shower, toilet in the house and sterilely clean. The house is not just clean and comfortable, but also very lovingly furnished with all sorts of little cute details. The house has a beautiful terrace with a sofa, there is everything to fry meat - a wood burner, a grill, a grill, skewers. Ideal for an overnight stay after or before Divnogorye. Very caring owner and her assistant.

Length of stay: June 2019

Russia

Fabulous

• . Rest
• . Group of friends
• . 2 bedroom house
• . 1 night stay
• . Sent from phone

Uncut grass. There are not enough soft places on the summer terrace

A cozy house near the museum (3 km), a creative approach to design, an excellent summer veranda where you can eat and watch the sunset. Silence on the farm, you can hear the birds singing, a secluded place! Everything is equipped, there are towels and all the dishes, it’s clean! Very colorful, city dwellers will especially like it! 😊 There is a local store nearby with all the necessary products and delicious Voronezh beer😁

Length of stay: June 2019

Russia

16 marks “helpful review”

9,6

Fabulous

• . Rest
• . Group of friends
• . 2 bedroom house
• . 1 night stay

In the guest book at home I wrote all sorts of little things to make it perfect)))) They’ve probably already corrected it, so it’s not worth writing)))

A very colorful house, especially for those city dwellers who have never lived in a village))) There is an excellent kitchen, amenities right in the house, which is very pleasing, a wonderful terrace... A large garden and vegetable garden. The hostess is very cordial and hospitable. She gave us potatoes from the garden, offered to pick plums from the garden, watermelon and melon)))) It’s better to get to the reserve by car, but you can walk on foot if you wish. The first excursion starts at 10.00, it is better to catch it in order to free up the day for walking.

Russia

Age: 25–34

8,8

Amazing

• . Rest
• . Family with small children
• . 2 bedroom house
• . 1 night stay
• . Sent from phone

A bit expensive

Clean, comfortable, hot water, everything you need in the kitchen

Length of stay: September 2018

Russia

3,8

• . Traveling with a pet
• . Rest
• . Group of friends
• . 2 bedroom house
• . 1 night stay

The price/quality ratio is so-so. The house is located on a very steep slope, so there is no need to talk about the territory on which you can walk. The rooms are very small, the space in the bedroom is used to the maximum - more people can only be accommodated if bunk beds are installed. The mattresses are "dead", you can still survive one night, but it will be difficult to live in this house on a permanent basis. A children's corner and a bookcase are combined with the dining room and kitchen. Essentially, the house has an entrance hall, a bathroom, two bedrooms filled with beds and a room in which everything else that you see in the photo is located. Cars have to be parked on the dimly lit side of the road. The road is narrow, no more than 5 meters wide, so you have to worry about cars. Well, a separate song about accommodation with animals. Upon arrival, we were forced to listen to lamentations for half an hour about how difficult it was to clean up after the dog.

Clean. Perhaps for urban lovers of eco-tourism this place will seem wonderful, a country house with a crookedly integrated shower and toilet.

Length of stay: August 2018

Russia

7 marks “helpful review”

9,6

“Good location, good value for money.”

• . Rest
• . Group of friends
• . 2 bedroom house
• . 4 nights stay

We didn't like the lack of car parking directly next to the guest house. I had to park the car on the side of the road in front of the house. However, the car was not damaged from this.

We enjoyed the very beautiful surroundings. The guest house itself is quite good: clean and keeps you cool on a hot day.

Length of stay: August 2018

Russia

23 marks “helpful review”

9,2

“cute, cozy, colorful”

• . Rest
• . Family with small children
• . 2 bedroom house
• . 1 night stay

no Wi-Fi, no car parking, not very good mattresses

a very colorful place, a charming house with a stove and a veranda, everything was done with soul. Walk to Divnogorye.

Length of stay: July 2018

Russia

4 marks “helpful review”

“A soulful place that you want to return to.”

• . Rest
• . Group of friends
• . 2 bedroom house
• . 1 night stay

All! First of all, people whose attention and talent are felt in every detail. Evgeniy and Vera Nikolaevna create and maintain an atmosphere of home comfort, combining them with everyday comfort. I would also like to note the excellent location: within walking distance of a nature reserve, railway platform, bus stop, shops. I will definitely recommend it to friends and acquaintances!

Length of stay: July 2018

Russia

8 marks “helpful review”

"Perfect place"

• . Rest
• . Pair
• . 2 bedroom house
• . 1 night stay
• . Sent from phone

Cozy house with a beautiful terrace. Great place to relax. Welcoming and friendly hostess. All conditions for a comfortable country holiday have been created. Thank you very much!

Length of stay: July 2018

Russia

3 marks “helpful review”

Recently, Divnogorye (Voronezh region) has become more and more popular both among local residents and guests from near and far abroad. What is the reason for such fame? Why does the flow of vacationers, who in principle can afford to visit exotic places in any corner of the globe, rush here? Let's try to figure it out.

This article will not only tell you in detail about such a truly amazing place as Divnogorye (the Voronezh region is fraught with many secrets and mysteries, but this reserve actually deserves special attention). The reader will receive valuable information about how to get to your destination, what to see first when you find yourself in these parts, and what features you should pay attention to.

general description

In general, in the Russian Federation there are two interesting objects with the same name - the natural archaeological and architectural museum-reserve and the Divnogorye plateau. The Voronezh region, which cannot be ignored, is, in principle, famous for names that sound euphonious for any Russian person.

The reserve is located 10 km from the nearest regional center, on the right bank. In order to get there from Voronezh itself, you need to travel 80 km in a southerly direction.

It is unlikely that anyone will dispute the fact that at the moment the favorite place of local residents, who for some reason cannot go far from home, is Divnogorye (Voronezh region). Holidays here will appeal to both lovers of active and passive pastime. There are not many guests yet, but statistics show that their number is only increasing from year to year.

In general, the plateau is visited by more than 60 thousand people annually from May to October, and these months are considered the most favorable for excursions.

How did the name come about

How did the area called Divnogorye arise? For many years now, the Voronezh region has been the object of close attention of various types of scientists, mainly ethnographers and cultural scientists. It was possible to establish that the territory received such a name for a reason. This happened thanks to the chalk pillars, which the locals called “div” (miracle). The name was first recorded in writing in 1389. Ignatius of Smolyanin, who accompanied Metropolitan Pimen, made detailed notes about the path traveled.

Object characteristics

The Divnogorye Museum (Voronezh region) has an area of ​​more than 11 km 2. From a purely geological point of view, it is considered unique due to the chalk deposits that have been found throughout its territory. The highest point of the plateau is 181 m above sea level. At this place the modest river flows into the huge Don.

In summer, the surface of the earth in this place heats up quite strongly, and this factor, whatever one may say, prevents precipitation. This is precisely why it is so dry here in the summer. There are voids inside the chalk layers that can be easily detected even by the sound of a person walking on the surface. As scientists say, the result of drought can safely be considered the inhibition of water erosion and a decrease in the likelihood of occurrence

It has been established that the composition of chalk in the upper layer of the plateau is approximately 15 - 20%, in the lower layer, which is 80 m thick, it is 100%.

In 1860, part of this territory was blown up. This was done in order to build the railway necessary for the region. Since then, vandalism and sheep farming have caused irreparable harm to the reserve.

Divnogorye, Voronezh region. How to get to your destination

From Voronezh to the famous nature reserve you need to drive about 100 km, following the M4 Don highway. A little later you will need to turn right near the direction sign for Liski. Further, drivers are already guided by the Ostrogorsk signs, passing the large bridge over the Don River and moving along the main road. Before reaching you you need to turn to the right. This is where the direct sign is located.

Throughout the rest of the journey, no one will have to stop and ask ordinary passers-by: “Do you know where Divnogorye (Voronezh region) is? How can I get to my destination as quickly as possible? There are markers for the road to the reserve everywhere.

In addition, it is possible to travel by train from Moscow to the reserve. True, after that you will have to transfer to the train.

If necessary, you can spend the night in a hotel in the Divnogorye farm or in the town of Liski.

Famous architectural monument

It can be argued that in general our country is famous for its cathedrals, temples and simply majestic buildings known throughout the planet. Divnogorye (Voronezh region) is no exception. The monastery called Uspensky is another confirmation of this statement.

The structure is located 18 km from the city of Ostrogozhsk and 7 km from the city of Korotoyak, exactly in the place where the unusual pillars are located. Historians managed to find out that the monastery was founded around 1640 by hieromonks Joasaph and Xenophon. In 1826, the building had to be almost completely restored, and a little later it was decided to replenish it with icons and property from the Ascension Korotoyak Monastery.

Today, the main shrine of the Assumption Cathedral Church is the Sicilian miraculous icon of the Mother of God, which is depicted on a throne with a baby. Experts say that it was once made in the Greco-Byzantine style. Ordinary residents saw the shrine for the first time only in 1092. According to legend, after the capture of Constantinople, the icon was transported to Russia, and the Divnogorsk Monastery received it from its founders.

In addition, inside the chalk pillar, on the upper slope of the mountain, there is a carved church of St. I. Forerunners. An altar rises above the building at a height of several steps. The throne is carved from stone. There is a cave on the right side of the entrance. Here everyone can see the remains of the founders of the monastery.

Those who follow south from this place, holy for every Orthodox person, will be able to look at another church, or rather, at what remains of it. Now there is only a chapel there.

Natural monuments

The reserve still preserves the necropolis and ruins of a medieval fortress - the Mayatskoye fortification and the Mayatskoye pottery complex. These ancient monuments date back to the 9th-10th centuries.

Unfortunately, most of the chalk pillars were destroyed during the construction of the railway, but today there are 5 more such unusual natural monuments in Divnogorye; you can approach them using a special wooden staircase.

Visitors enjoy climbing Mount Shatrishche, located 7 km from the railway platform. The Kazan Church was once located in this place. Now it is abandoned, there are no organized excursions here, so only the most desperate travelers can visit such a, one might say, mysterious place.

In addition, not everyone knows that the museum also includes the Cretaceous Canyon - a deep and winding ravine with steep walls. Walking around it, you can clearly see the restored settlement from the times of the Saltovo-Mayak culture.

Flora and fauna of Divnogorye

Geographically, the reserve is located on the edge of the northern steppe zone. For a long time on its territory, people were engaged in farming, mainly related to sheep breeding. That is why the vegetation of the reserve was destroyed. However, due to the fact that livestock grazing is prohibited here today, and the number of people has significantly decreased, the grass cover has already been partially restored.

More than 250 species of petrophytic and xerophytic plants grow here. Botanists classify 40% of the vegetation of Divnogorye as calcephytes (chalk-loving plants). On the surface of the plateau, the Kozo-Polyansky lichen and gelatinous lichen-algae are often found - plants that are considered quite rare on the territory of the Russian Federation. In 1956, a forest protection belt of ash and maple was planted in the center of the plateau.

Occasionally on the territory of the reserve you can meet golden eagles and bustards listed in the Red Book. There are also a lot of bee-eaters and eagle owls, hares and foxes. Bats live in the crevices.

Local features

Many travelers claim that it is best to visit Divnogorye in the warm season, when the heat is not yet felt so strongly. For example, in May, June or early autumn. In summer the reserve is stuffy, in winter it is cold and windy, so walks in the fresh air are unlikely to bring the expected pleasure.

Both the administration of the museum-reserve and many regular guests claim: the April flood of the Don is a truly mesmerizing spectacle. Floodplain meadows are filled with melt water, and relict trees and grasses begin to bloom wildly.

In winter, local residents and guests of the Voronezh region enjoy sledding down the mountains and organizing real folk festivals.

It is worth noting that during the tourist season, various kinds of exhibitions, festivals and concerts are held in Divnogorye.

Divnogorye is an amazingly beautiful place, enchanting with its unique landscape, unique for the European part of Russia! Here the plains, along which the picturesque Tikhaya Sosna and Don rivers flow, coexist with chalk hills and slopes. Here you can see with your own eyes the physical-geographical border - at the top of the slope the Central Russian Upland begins, and below the Oka-Don lowland stretches. Here, on the slopes and plateaus, flowers and grasses of several types of steppes grow, grasses of alpine meadows and plants “migrants” from the Mediterranean, as well as relict plants, grow. And there is a very rich fauna here; there are no large mammals here, but the class of insects amazes scientists with their diversity; more than 25 species of insects living in Divnogorye are listed in the Red Book.

But, of course, the hallmark of Divnogorye are the chalk pillars-remnants - Divas, as well as several temples carved into the chalk rocks - the temple of the Sicilian Icon of the Mother of God and the temple of John the Baptist (there is another rock church - in Mount Shatrishche, but it is closed , and even just getting close to it without rock climbing skills and special equipment is impossible). And also here are the remains of the Mayatskaya fortress, built from snow-white chalk blocks in the middle of the 9th-10th centuries, a reconstructed settlement of the Saltovo-Mayatskaya culture, ancient burial mounds of the Bronze Age, and the Assumption Monastery.

The Natural Architectural and Archaeological Museum-Reserve "Divnogorye" (http://www.divnogor.ru/) is located in the Liskinsky district of the Voronezh region, 150 kilometers south of the city of Voronezh.

How can I get to. Along the M4 Don highway, having driven 100 km from Voronezh, you need to turn right - to the city of Liski. There will be two roundabouts ahead - you need to follow the Ostrogozhsk signs. If you are not sure about the correctness of the chosen turn, then it is better to stop and clarify (otherwise, like us, you will “drive” through the steppes in search of the right road :). As it turns out, not everyone knows about Divnogorye, so ask about how to get to the Ostrogozhskaya highway, or how to get to the big bridge across the Don. When you find this bridge and cross the Don, then everything is simple - you need to go straight along the main road. Then there will be a right turn and a railway crossing - many cars will turn towards the crossing, but you don’t “fit in” behind them :), because they are going to the Ostrogozhskaya highway. And you need to turn right, you will see a small sign “Divnogorye, 12 km”, you pass one village, then another railway crossing, and then you can’t go wrong - there are several signs on the road for Divnogorye. By the way, if you want to go here by train, then the Moscow-Liski train runs from Paveletsky station, it leaves in the evening and in the morning you will be in Liski, here you need to take the train and get to the Divnogorskaya platform (this is in Malye Divy) or to the next “143 km” (this is to Bolshie Diva and the Divnogorie farm). In the village of Divnogorye there is a hotel - two very nice wooden houses (information about the hotel here http://www.divnogor.ru/root/posesh). Or you can stay in the town of Liski (it’s not far, about 40 km).

Nearby objects. In Liski you can visit a park and a children's railway.
And not far from Divnogorye there are two more interesting objects -
1) Museum "Kostenki" - here is a museum, inside of which there is a dwelling built by man almost 20 thousand years ago;
2) Kostomarovo - here is one of the oldest monasteries in Russia, founded even before the adoption of Christianity; and here is the Holy Savior Cathedral, carved into the chalk rock; on the walls of the cathedral there are amazingly beautiful snow-white bas-relief icons.
And if you are traveling by car, then on the way to Moscow, about 180 km from Divnogorye and 8 km from the M4 highway, in the village of Ramon, there is the Princess of Oldenburg Castle.

This summer we traveled quite a lot around the Voronezh, Lipetsk, and Tula regions, saw many beautiful places, each of which was interesting in its own way, but it was Divnogorye that impressed us most with its extraordinary beauty and uniqueness of nature and landscape. This year we have already come to Divnogorye twice - in May and June; and when this 30-degree heat subsides, we want to come here again (although it is quite far, 230 km, from our summer vacation spot).

On our first visit, we didn’t see many of the objects - due to the fact that, having gotten lost, we “roamed” around the steppes for too long :) (you can skip this paragraph further - here is the story about how we searched for Divnogorye :). And we lost our way because I didn’t have an exact description of the route - I simply didn’t read it or print it out, because... Last year, when we were driving to the sea, I saw a sign “Divnogorye” on the M4 highway, about 100 km from Voronezh. I hoped that it was still there, but... the sign was removed :(. As a result, we passed the turn we needed and drove 30-40 kilometers ahead; and when we stopped at a gas station to ask “where we are and how to get there , where we need to", then it turned out that not every resident of the Voronezh region knows about Divnogorye, and even more so they don’t know how to get there :). But, fortunately, there was still that one person who could show us the way - he said that we could return along the M4 until the turn to Liski, but advised us to go along local roads, through the villages. But what is “good” for a local resident…:). He said that everything is simple there and you need to drive along the main road, but they are there... all the main ones :). Our main one is wide, and the secondary one is slightly narrower, but “in the steppe” they are all about the same :). As a result, a couple of times we turned in the wrong direction, and when we taxied out, we weren’t sure that we were going right :(. And, most importantly, there’s no one to ask - there’s not a soul on the streets in the villages, and many either don’t know about Divnogorye in general, or they don’t know the exact route... In general, after 50 minutes of wandering around the steppes, I wanted to hopelessly sing - “The steppe and the steppe are all around, the path is long...":).

When we finally got to Divnogorye, I didn’t regret getting lost at all. Firstly, we didn’t have time to see everything we wanted - so we had a reason to come here again :). Secondly, we saw almost endless steppes and farmsteads. Well, later I finally bought myself a road map of Russia and the Voronezh region :). And along the way, in the village of Maslovka, we saw a very beautiful temple of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker. It was very unusual to see such a majestic temple in the middle of the steppe, in a small village. We stopped only to take photos; Unfortunately, we didn’t have time to stop by, otherwise we wouldn’t have made it to Divnogorye. We will try to come here on one of our next trips.

And after the “travel” through the deserted steppe, seeing Divnogorye, it seemed to us not just beautiful and amazing, but... an absolutely heavenly place! :). In addition, we saw how different the landscape is - if we drove for 1.5 hours through the steppe, along an almost bare plain with sparse forests, then approaching Divnogorye, suddenly, a completely unusual landscape for central Russia appeared before us - chalk hills and slopes , and the snow-white roads lying between them. The feeling is as if you are not in central Russia at all, but driving along the Caucasian mountain roads and ending up in a mountain village:

Of course, the “mountains” here are much lower, but they are so picturesque that this area truly lives up to its name – Marvelous Mountains!

Although most of them, following precise geographical definitions, are not mountains - most of them are slopes and vast plateaus; some of which rise 50-70 meters above the valley below.

Approaching closer to the farm, majestic snow-white chalk outcrops – Divas – appear before our eyes, piercing the blue sky.

Apparently, it was they who gave the name to this area. Here, in the village of Divnogorye, there is a group of chalk outcrops called Big Divas (in the photographs above). And about five kilometers from here, where the Assumption Monastery is located, are the Small Divas:

At the beginning of the 20th century there were much more Divas here. But, unfortunately, many of them were destroyed at the beginning of the last century during the construction of the railway (it literally runs at the foot of the slopes), and others were destroyed during the Great Patriotic War.

Having driven through the village, we immediately saw a house in which there is a ticket office, a tour desk and a souvenir shop. If you came here for the first time and don’t know the history of this area, then it’s better to go to the store not before, but after the tour - then it will be clearer what these items are and what you really want to buy :). In addition, the store is open until 20:00, so you still have time to come here. There are also reconstructed clay products (for example, mugs of an unusual shape - the same mugs were found at the site and later you will see their reconstruction in a pottery workshop), and various clay tablets with runic writing, symbols and drawings that were discovered on the walls of the Mayak fortress, and various amulets - Alan, Bulgarian, Slavic (the seller will tell you about the meaning of each of them), and reconstructed toys and household tools, and many other quite interesting and quite high-quality products. By the way, you can collect real chalk on the slopes as souvenirs.

You can also pay for the excursion here. Excursions around the reserve are held every two hours - at 10, 12, 14, 16 hours. The topics of the excursions can be found at the stand located on the building of the excursion bureau, as well as on the website of the museum-reserve. The cost for each is about 150 rubles, but the minimum group size is 7 people. So, if there are no other visitors, you will have to pay more than a thousand rubles. The morning sessions are quite busy and there are opportunities to join a group. But, in any case, it is better to call in advance, clarify and warn about your arrival and desire to attend an excursion (which we did not do on our second visit; we were leaving at 14:00 and hoped that there should be at least two excursion, but it turned out that the guide had already left, because it was a weekday and they apparently decided that there would be no more excursionists; fortunately, then an employee was found who gave us a tour). A tour of the reconstructed Mayatsky settlement is paid for on the spot, there is no schedule and there is a different payment procedure - the cost per person is about 60 rubles, and excursions are conducted for any number of visitors; In addition, you need to pay for photography (I don’t remember exactly, but it’s not expensive, about 30 rubles) (since it’s about 1.5 km to walk to the reconstructed settlement under the scorching sun, only the most persistent get here:)

On our first trip, after wandering around the steppes, we were no longer able to go on an excursion :). Of course, I really wanted to enter the temple, carved into the rock (you can’t visit it without a tour, the temple is closed), but the group had already left for 14 o’clock, and at 16 o’clock there were no other visitors who wanted to go on the excursion (there were several people who independently inspected the objects). In addition, the reconstructed Mayatskoye settlement was closed because for visitors it began its work only on May 15 (the first time we were in early May; but perhaps in the future the work schedule will change and excursions around the reconstructed settlement will be conducted in the same way as other excursions - from the beginning of May, because there are many visitors on May holidays). In general, we decided that we would definitely come here again (which we did exactly a month later), but for now we set off on an independent journey through the reserve.

Opposite the tour desk is the Miracle Barn. Here you can see objects telling about the history of Divnogorye, try on armor, and shoot with a bow.

But we never got here. Firstly, we have already measured armor many times, shot with a bow, but we wanted to quickly see something else, something unfamiliar - chalk hills, Divas, a temple, a fortress. And, besides this, after a long journey and a “trip” through the steppes, we, hungry and a little tired, first of all headed to a cafe. Well, later, this “Miracle Shed” was already closed. Moreover, on our second visit, the employee working there apparently left ahead of time, so we again did not get into this shed.

On the way to the cafe we ​​saw the Divnogorskoye Compound. The area was empty, so we walked past. And then they forgot to ask if there were any programs or excursions here; we'll ask next time :).

In general, we missed this object and headed to the cafe. Here you can order a full lunch, buy ice cream, water, etc. We really liked the herbal tea.

And along the way we saw this inscription:

True, at first I didn’t attach much importance to this. I thought that this was written so that visitors would not climb the slopes and spoil the unique natural monument. And they wrote about snakes for those who are “especially incomprehensible” - for whom the simple phrase “no entry” is not enough :). Well, for people like us :) Because, not believing the warning, we nevertheless climbed the slope; Besides, there are steps there - that means it’s possible :). And the words of the cafe employees who said that there were snakes here were almost immediately forgotten. And I didn’t remember this at all when, on our second visit, I carelessly took off the sneakers I was wearing in the car and put on lighter shoes - sandals. And only from the look of the guide I realized that I had done it in vain, and only then did I believe that there were snakes here after all:). At the foot and on the slopes live quite harmless snakes (they feed on frogs and live closer to the water), but on the slopes and at the top there are more “serious” snakes, poisonous ones - the steppe viper lives here. She eats lizards and mice, which is why she lives on the peaks - in the same place as her “food” :). To my question “What to do if...?”, the guide somehow calmly answered: “Go to Liski, to the hospital - they know what to do there.” He also advised me to watch my step, walk only on paths (although snakes crawl onto paths), don’t go into the grass (it’s a very, very pity! - I really wanted to walk through the meadows, lie in the thick grass, smell the flowers, touch the soft flowering feather grass ...). And he also advised not to catch lizards - because at the same moment someone else might be hunting for it :). And then I remembered how I tried to “catch” a very beautiful emerald lizard:

This time I was lucky :). Although, apparently, there is no great danger (since large groups of schoolchildren come here); and, probably, you just need to be careful (but, just in case... wear closed shoes :).

When we arrived at the tour desk, the car was parked next to it, but there is parking only for employees. And for visitors there is a guarded parking lot (you need to drive a little forward) - so you can absolutely safely leave your car and walk around the territory as much as you like.

There is a toilet next to the parking lot (paid, 5 rubles:). After a long journey, it wouldn’t hurt to look here, besides, there’s a long climb ahead and a long walk through the reserve, and there, at the top, there are no such establishments :). True, there are green spaces, but you shouldn’t count on it - after all, this is a nature reserve :).

But the main thing is not even this, but the fact that you need to stock up on water for the trip! It should be taken into account that the temperature here, between the slopes and at the top, is a couple of degrees higher than on the plain. In addition, the chalk rocks heat up, creating additional heat, and therefore it is a little harder to breathe here and you become thirsty more often. There is a cafe next to the parking lot where you can buy almost ice-cold water. But, unfortunately, you won’t be able to take much with you (considering that there is a mountain to climb). On our first trip we never climbed to the top (we only reached the temple) and therefore there were no problems with water. But the second time, when we visited the temple, the fortress, and then walked another 1.5 km under the scorching sun to the reconstructed settlement, the 1.5-liter bottle of water we took with us was not enough - it ran out before reaching the settlement . Unfortunately, there is nowhere to get water at the top or in the reconstructed settlement (although, knowing about this problem, the employees could organize the sale of water there; I wouldn’t regret paying triple for that water :)). So, on the way back we had to enjoy nature and fight thirst at the same time :).

By the way, the staff advises coming here for a 10-hour excursion, because, according to them, it’s not so hot here. In fact, I think that arriving early will not relieve the heat - if the day is going to be hot, it will be hot even at 10 o’clock in the morning. In addition, while you climb, inspect the temple, fortress, etc., you will be there at the top at noon. So, for your trip it is better to choose not an earlier time, but a cooler day :). Although, if you are planning to visit Malye Divy and the Assumption Monastery and the Church of John the Baptist located there, then you need to arrive early, at 10 o’clock.

And so, after having lunch in a cafe and replenishing our water supplies, we are finally approaching the goal of our journey - the chalk temple. But to see all this, you need to climb up a fairly steep staircase. And, I must say, after “hibernation”, without training (with excess weight and bad habits :), and even in the summer heat, this is not an easy task :). Moreover, in the photo this is not the whole staircase. From the temple to the top of the slope you need to walk almost the same distance (well, a little less:).

There are benches on the site near the temple, so you can rest. And admire the amazing view!!!

Directly in front of us is a group of Divas with a common base, standing close to each other, and the Church of the Sicilian Icon of the Mother of God carved into the rock:

And these are the same Divas, but from different shooting points:

Being on this site, on the left you can see the river with the beautiful name Quiet Pine running into the distance, whirling fancifully, like a snake, and on the right – the picturesque banks of the Don River:

But, of course, climbing to the very top reveals an even more amazing landscape. The photo shows the Don River, which with its sharp bend seems to embrace a “peninsula” overgrown with dense forest:

But we were able to see this landscape only on our second trip, because... On our first visit, we did not rise higher than the platform near the temple.

After admiring the scenery and resting, we began to descend back. Having descended, we headed to the spring. To get to the spring, you need to cross the railway tracks near the “143km” platform, walk along the platform to the right and go down to the Tikhaya Sosna River. True, we were not able to drink water from this spring and swim in the font - the water here is stagnant, blooming, and it seems that there is no water in the font at all :)

Then we went to Malye Divy - here is the Assumption Monastery, the Church of John the Baptist, and right there you can walk along the chalk canyons (if you still have the strength :). There are several ways to get from Big Divas to Small Divas. You can walk along the railway tracks, along the way for 3-4 km, admiring the picturesque landscapes. You can walk along the top of the slope (it’s better to ask the staff which way to go). There is access from the Divnogorye village, but only with passes. Or you can leave the farmstead, go onto the highway, but turn not to the right (this is the road back to the house :), but to the left; then drive through the village of Selyavnoye and turn left (if I’m not mistaken, there will be a sign there).

By the way, near the village of Selyavnoye there is a chalk quarry. If you have time (and energy:), you can drive closer and see how chalk is mined. And along the way, you can tell your child that chalk is needed not only for drawing on a school board or on the asphalt :). Chalk is used for the production of coated paper and for painting houses, fences, walls, borders, tree trunks; chalk is used in medicine (as a food additive for calcium deficiency) and in industry (paint and varnish, paper, glass, etc., and even in food - for purifying beet juice in the production of sugar). And chalk is also used in the production of building materials and in construction. Here we saw basements and other outbuildings made of chalk blocks cut into large bricks (were these blocks from the walls of the Mayatsky fortress?... the height of the wall was 6 meters, but only 1.5 remained :))

There is a parking lot 500 meters before the monastery territory, but we drove straight up to the territory. But when they saw a prohibitory sign, they left the car here and walked along the snow-white chalk path down to the monastery and the Small Divas.

True, I wanted to walk along another road to see the monastery and Small Divas from the opposite slope (this slope is slightly visible in the photo above). From its top you can see the picturesque canyon. But, unfortunately, we simply didn’t have enough strength to go around the canyon to get to this opposite slope (maybe next time we will :). But the road we walked along also turned out to be quite picturesque. It reminded me of the roads running in the Caucasus mountains - in the same way, trees towered on the slopes, and the bare roots of the trees were visible. And for some reason, as soon as I stepped onto the territory of the monastery, I didn’t want to speak loudly; we walked and talked almost in a whisper. Literally a few meters away, in front of the monastery buildings, the Don River flows, and in the distance you can see picturesque dense forests - a very beautiful and fertile place. And the only thing that breaks the silence is the sound of the wheels of passing trains.

And next to the monastery there are Small Divas and the Church of John the Baptist.

Excursions are conducted around the territory of the monastery and church. But we didn’t go on this excursion, since we were here quite late. But even if we had arrived early, we most likely would not have gone. Just like in Moscow, we don’t go on excursions to churches and to various programs held there dedicated to Maslenitsa, Easter, etc. Still, temples are meant for something else; in my opinion. We visited the Intercession Cathedral, but it seems that it has ceased to be a temple, but rather has become a museum. As when visiting the Church of the Sicilian Icon of the Mother of God in Divnogorye - finding ourselves in front of closed doors, we really wanted to go inside, but when on our second visit we were able to visit this temple, the guide’s story, our questions and conversations seemed to violate the sanctity of this place . So, in the future I will try to avoid such visits to temples.

Returning to the car left at the top of the slope, I thought that I would never be able to reach it :). Besides the fact that the day was quite eventful, and we were already climbing high up the mountain, towards the Big Divas, here, at the Small Divas, the air also seemed a little heavier to me. Probably because the road is covered with treetops, and therefore there is not the slightest breeze, and the air, additionally heated by the chalk rocks, seems to “stand still.” While climbing, we stopped about fifteen times :). So, it’s good that I parked the car not in the parking lot, but at the very entrance to the territory - I simply wouldn’t have crawled to the parking lot :)). In general, we plopped into the car and, tired but happy, drove home :).

And on our next trip, with an excursion, we were able to visit the Temple of the Sicilian Icon of the Mother of God. The temple was carved into a 20-meter-high rock by Ukrainian monks in the 17th century. It took on its final form by the beginning of the 20th century; but in the 20s of the last century it was closed. With the formation of the museum-reserve, in 1988, a reconstruction plan was drawn up, and from 1989 to 1992, Estonian specialists carried out restoration work to strengthen the vaults, and in 1995, the Voronezh company "Restorer" carried out the final work on the interior decoration of the temple.

By the way, the sign says that climbing the rocks is prohibited, however, every time we saw people who wanted to climb higher to take pictures. And, unfortunately, there are quite a few inscriptions like “You were here.”

During the excursion we were told about the history of the temple, about the stages of restoration, about the structure of the temple, about the monks, about the miraculous icon of the Sicilian Mother of God.

In fact, you are not allowed to take photographs inside the temple. It is possible only with the blessing of the priest, but there was none. With the permission of the guide, I took several pictures at the entrance, and then, seeing these snow-white arches of the temple and passages, I could not stop (in general, I took it upon my soul :).

We were given candles and, unaccompanied by a guide, we walked through the corridors, cells and service rooms of the temple. Along the entire circular passage on the left and right there are many small recesses where the monks prayed, and in the walls there are small niches for icons:

On the top floor of the temple there are cells and service rooms:

By the way, what you see in the photo are not made of stone, but halls, passages, and vaults carved into the chalk rock.

The humidity in the temple is almost 100%. The temperature is +15 degrees, even in the heat (about +10 in winter). The tour and inspection of the temple lasts about 30-40 minutes, so it is better for children to wear a jacket or windbreaker.

At the end of the tour of the temple, we, together with the guide, headed further - we climbed the stairs to the very top of the slope...

... the review has already turned out to be quite long, so I’ll end the story here for now. And in the second part of the review I will write about what is located at the top of the slope - there, on the top, rising above the plain by about 50-70 meters, there is the Mayatskoe settlement with the remains of the Mayatskaya fortress, and 1.5 km from the fortress there is a reconstructed settlement of Saltovo- Mayak culture. And yet - from the top of the slope there is an absolutely stunning view of the picturesque plain, rivers, chalk canyons, snow-white feather grass fields, and meadows, intoxicating with the aromas of flowering herbs!...

Accommodation and meals

There is a small hotel in Divnogorye that welcomes guests all year round. It is also possible to rent an ordinary village house. But the majority of tourists who come to these parts still prefer to relax in “savages” - with tents, of which there are several dozen along the banks of Tikhaya Sosna in the summer.

You can have a snack in Divnogorye at a local cafe, which is open from 10 o’clock until the evening in the summer. There are several shops in the village where you can buy the necessary products.

Divnogorye Museum-Reserve

Under the name Divnogorye there are three entities hidden at once: the farm itself, the museum-reserve and the space surrounding them, which tourists are accustomed to calling “Divas”. This name was assigned to the chalk remains, or chalk pillars, of which there were several dozen here a hundred years ago. Then, during the construction of the railway and during the war, most of them were blown up. Only religious buildings remained - the Church of the Sicilian Icon of the Mother of God, the temples of the Divnogorsk Holy Dormition Monastery and several other individual divas.

The Divnogorye Museum-Reserve, which is at the same time natural, architectural, and archaeological, has existed for more than 20 years. Various animals, birds and insects, including those listed in the Red Book, also live here.

Few would argue that the main attraction and main value of Divnogorye is its nature. As for historical and architectural values, they also exist, and what kind of ones:

• Mayatskoye archaeological complex of the 9th-10th centuries, which includes the Mayatskoye settlement with a white-stone fortress and necropolis, as well as pottery workshops. Currently, the excavation at the site of the Saltovo-Mayatsk archaeological culture is mothballed. But you can get acquainted with the life of the peoples who lived in this territory in the archaeological park located in the reserve.
• The chalk cave church of the Sicilian Icon of the Mother of God, a unique structure of the 17th century, an architectural monument of federal significance.
• Cave chalk church of John the Baptist on the territory of the Divnogorsk monastery.

Divnogorye

Farmers, historically from Ukraine, speak a sometimes incomprehensible language - a mixture of Russian and Ukrainian, characteristic of the southwestern and southern regions of the Voronezh region. In memory of the settlers, an additional museum object was even created in Divnogorye - a Ukrainian farmstead with a whitewashed hut and a shed, which reflect the life of the inhabitants of these places. Every year, Divnogorye participates in the Night of Museums; the annual event “Night in Divnogorye” also takes place here, during which its territory turns into a theatrical and musical venue where Voronezh theater troupes show their productions.

7 things to do in Divnogorye

1. Count the steps leading from the beginning of the excursion route to the cave church and the top of the hill. Before going on a tour of the Divnogorsk expanses, you need to make a wish. If the number of steps counted on the way up coincides with the result of the count on the way down, then, as experienced tourists say, the wish will come true.
2. Go around the cave church along a narrow underground corridor with five turns. At this time, piercing music sounds, you hold a candle in your hands - an atmosphere indescribable in words is created.
3. Take a photo against the backdrop of the chalk remains and the Church of the Sicilian Icon of the Mother of God - the calling card of Divnogorye
4. Hear the echo. If you climb the steps (don't forget to count them!) to the top of the mountain and jump a little on the spot, you can hear the echo, since there are many voids in the chalk mountain.
5. Do a trick with algae. On the chalk slopes in Divnogorye you can see small dry brown particles - algae. If you put several of these particles on your palm, pour water on them and hold them for a while, they will swell, open and turn green. This is proof that thousands of years ago there was an ocean on the modern territory of Divnogorye.
6. Try tea from the collection of Divnogorsk herbs in a local cafe - a very tasty and healthy drink.
7. Plunge into the waters of Tikhaya Sosna, a river that flows into the Don a few kilometers downstream.