旅人る - Tabibito

 

Solvychegodsk

 

One of the most interesting and hard-to-reach historical Russian towns in Arkhangelsk oblast. It used to be a major salt-producing center. It is separated from Veliky Ustyug and nearby city, Kotlas, by Vychegda river.

 

There used to be more temples, but during Soviet times a lot of them were demolished.

 

The town welcomes you with a garbage dump and the Annunciation cathedral (1560-1584), which now is a local history museum.

 

Inside, paintings from the late 16th century have been preserved.

 

The iconostasis is not as interesting as in the Trinity-Gledensky monastery, since it was damaged in the city fire of 1810, but few elements remained from the original one.

 

You can climb the bell tower.

 

The fence gates.

 

Vehicles.

 

The very elegant Cathedral of Presentation of Mary (1688-1712), previously part of the monastery of the same name. It is well restored, but filming inside is prohibited.

 

A soviet relic near the Cathedral of Presentation of Mary says "Glory to the Communist party of the USSR".

 

Signs on wooden posts.

 

Typical housing in Solvychegodsk (and in the Arkhangelsk region in general).

 

Less typical houses.

 

A rich estate that belonged to the Pyankov merchants.

 

House of merchant Tsirennikova (now a musical school).

 

Former prison.

 

Speaking of prisons. Joseph Stalin was twice in exile in Solvychegodsk in 1909-1911. But since he escaped from there twice, in 1912 he was exiled further east to Siberia. In Solvychegodsk, two houses have been preserved in which the future leader lived, one of them is occupied by a museum, the second is a mini hotel.

 

Unlike most towns in Russia Solvychegodsk still doesn't have a gas power supply. A gas pipeline is being pulled towards it; the pipe for the underwater section is stretched through the town center. It has been lying there long enough that wooden walkways have been thrown across it. In the fall of 2023, builders once again tried to stretch it along the bottom of the Vychegda, but once again their drill broke.

 

Getting in (as of August 2023): 1 hour ride from Veliky Ustyug. In winter there is an ice crossing to Kotlas, and in summer you are welcome to board the ferry in Solvychegodsk itself. It is not at all necessary to drag the car with you; you can leave it on the shore. If you match the ferry route, which runs every hour, and get on it at the same time as the arriving bus, the crossing will be free for pedestrians.

 

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