Lake Svetloyar, Nizhny Novgorod region (Nizhny Novgorod region, Russia) - detailed description, location, reviews, photos and videos.
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Lake Svetloyar, full of mysteries and secrets, has been the holy lake of Rus' since ancient times, a small Russian Atlantis, located 130 km from Nizhny Novgorod, on the edge of the village of Vladimirskoye. In ancient times, rituals were held on its banks in honor of the Slavic sun god Yarila. Hence the name - Svetly Yar.
Today, as in ancient times, hundreds of pilgrims, both Orthodox and pagans, come to Lake Svetloyar. Every year on July 6, around Svetloyar, on the feast of the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God, Christians make a religious procession. And in the evening, a pagan action begins with bonfires, wreaths on the water and a walk around Svetloyar with candles, because on the night of July 6-7 is the holiday of Ivan Kupala.
According to legend, a wish made that night will come true if you circle the lake three times.
During the Great Patriotic War, mothers here offered prayers for the survival of their husbands and sons fighting at the front.
The legend about the city of Kitezh, told by the Old Believers, also tells about Svetloyar. Once upon a time, Prince Yuri Vsevolodovich sailed along the Mother Volga on a ship. And he built Little Kitezh. It is believed that this city is today's Gorodets. Then Yuri Vsevolodovich, having passed the Uzola, Sandu and Kerzhenets rivers, saw Lake Svetloyar. Captivated by his charm, the prince gave the order to build the city of Big Kitezh on the shores of the wonderful lake. It took three years (1165-1168) to build it, and a stone city arose with many Orthodox churches.
In 1239, the troops of Khan Batu, a godless and wicked man, went to Rus'. And they captured Small Kitezh. The prince and his retinue hid in the forests near Greater Kitezh. But he was betrayed by Grishka Kuterma, who was captured by Batu and could not stand the torture, and showed the way to the wicked enemies to the great city. Batu's hordes found the refuge of Yuri's squad and killed the prince. And on the eve of Batu’s attack on Yuri Vsevolodovich in Kitezh, three heroes were on patrol, and for a long time they blocked the path of the Khan’s army. And where they stood to death for their city of Kitezh, the holy spring Kibelek still flows, next to which is the grave of three holy elders.
Three heroes warned the inhabitants of Kitezh about the attack, but they could not defend themselves from the cruel enemy, but turned with a fiery prayer to the Lord God to prevent their enslavement and terrible murder. And God heard them. As soon as Batu’s troops rushed to the offensive, suddenly numerous springs gushed out from under the ground and began to flood the city of Kitezh. And the Tatar-Mongols retreated in horror. And the city of Kitezh sank under the water, like Atlantis, only one cathedral dome was visible above the surface of the lake, but it soon disappeared.
They say that in calm, clear weather, especially righteous people can hear the ringing of bells and the drawn-out sad singing of people flying from the depths of Svetloyar.
And in the clear lake water you can see the domes of monasteries and churches.
Great amount unsolved mysteries and mysteries contains Lake Svetloyar, the water of which has healing properties. Countless pilgrims come here to be healed physically and spiritually, and to remove damage. Indeed, miraculous inexplicable cases of recovery have been recorded here. Many psychics claim that the lake is a powerful place that draws its energy from space. On the shore of the reservoir, scientists found plant species (about 29) that do not grow anywhere else in this area.
This ideal oval-shaped lake is the largest (length - 410 m, width - 315 m) and deepest (maximum depth - about 36 m) in the Nizhny Novgorod region. Its area is approximately twelve hectares. The water in Svetloyar is very clean, does not become overgrown with mud, and can be kept in vessels for years, while maintaining its purity, transparency and taste.
Svetloyar - natural monument in the reserve of the same name, protected by UNESCO, where it is strictly prohibited to set up tents (there is a special tent city nearby) and light a fire.
Local residents tell many unusual and inexplicable stories. Those who visit these places listen and believe in them. If you want to figure out what is truth and what is fiction, come here, enjoy the beauty of the surroundings of the lake and recharge with its energy.
How to get to Lake Svetloyar
You can get to Lake Svetloyar by bus from the Kanavinskaya station ( Nizhny Novgorod) to the village of Vladimirskoye or by electric train from Nizhny Novgorod to the city of Semenov with a change to regular bus. By car you can get along the Kirov highway to the Bokovaya station, passing Semenov, then follow the sign to the right to get to the village of Vladimirskoye, and through it to the parking lot. Well, then walk along the birch alley.
The legend about the city of Kitezh, which is hidden under the waters of Lake Svetloyar, has long excited the minds of scientists and science fiction writers. This year I was able to visit the legendary lake for the second time in my life. Perhaps I'm too impressionable, but... Thoughts from two years ago about the unusualness and mystery of this place again surfaced in my head.
There is still no consensus on the history of the lake, although dozens of expeditions were sent to Svetloyar in the Nizhny Novgorod region. These were mainly “dry” scientific research - water intake, soil analysis and vegetation study. But one of the expeditions was quite interesting - scientists were looking for Kitezh-grad, which, according to legend, went under water during Batu’s attack.
The expedition did find something, but I’ll tell you about this a little later; first we need to get acquainted with the lake itself.
Lake Svetloyar (photo and description)
A beautiful birch alley leads to Svetloyar, which immediately puts you in a positive mood.
We walk along the alley and a beautiful view opens up in front of us. Lake Svetloyar is small, almost perfectly round in shape. The area of the mirror is 12 hectares, and the depth is about 30 meters.
The shore is equipped, there is a small beach. The water is not just clean….. it is clean and very soft. They say that water from the lake can be stored in a container for several years without losing its purity and taste.
Lake Svetloyar is a protected area. You are not allowed to litter, make fires or pitch tents. This is a special place. The name of the lake speaks for itself - Svetly Yar (Yarilo - Slavic sun god). True, there is another translation. Yar is a cliff, that is, a Bright cliff.
There is a trail and wooden decking around the lake. At all times, people walked around Lake Svetloyar, prayed and asked for something of their own.
The tradition has been preserved. According to legend, on the night of Ivan Kupala, you need to make a wish and walk around the lake three times with a lit candle.
It remains a mystery to me where paganism ends and Orthodoxy begins. July 6 is both a bright holiday of the icon of Our Lady of Vladimir, to which pilgrims come, and the night of Ivan Kupala, when they jump over the fire and float wreaths on the water. Truly an intricacy of faith, legends and paganism.
In ancient times, people did not swim in Lake Svetloyar, they only washed and drank the water. Now there is no ban, so we gladly swam in the cleanest lake.
Near our resting place, someone lost his pectoral cross. Good people hung him on a tree branch, maybe the owner will be found...
Kibelek Key
Not far from Lake Svetloyar there is the Kibelek spring and the grave of three saints. If you wish, you can walk to the key. “Not far” is about 2 km (40-50 minutes), so plan on your strength.
There is such a sign near the wooden church. We go around the temple and go deeper into the forest.
Two years ago, there was a gorgeous chamomile field in this place, where the girls and I thoroughly enjoyed ourselves - taking pictures and weaving chamomile wreaths. This year the field was sown with oats. There will be another sign at the edge of the field, the main thing is to stick to the path. It’s called the Pilgrim’s Path. Along the way you will come across benches for rest and wooden platforms; it is difficult to get lost.
And here is the key. You can wash your face, drink water and take some with you.
Legends of Lake Svetloyar
Since I touched on the topic of legends and tales, it’s time to try to understand all the twists and turns of fairy tales, myths and scientific research.
So... how real is the city of Kitezh?
There is a mention of the city of Kitezh in a book of the 18th century, which is called “The Kitezh Chronicler” -
“The Grand Duke of Vladimir Georgy Vsevolodovich set up the city of Maly Kitezh on the banks of the Volga, and then retreated deep into the forests... On the banks beautiful lake He ordered the construction of the city of Greater Kitezh in Svetloyar.”
(Maly Kitezh - presumably Gorodets).
“And that city, Big Kitezh, was a hundred fathoms long and wide, and this measure was small. And the noble Prince George ordered to add another hundred fathoms to the length…..And they began to build that stone city in the year 6673, the month of May on the first day…..And that city was built for three years….”
If Kitezh is just a legend, then where do such details about its construction come from? No, you shouldn’t completely abandon the idea of the existence of an ancient city.
It is known that Batu Khan ravaged Russian cities one after another, but Kitezh was not trading city and did not play any significant military or political role. Why did the Khan suddenly become interested in him? According to the description, almost the entire city consisted of churches, being the great spiritual center of the native Russian faith (not to be confused with Christianity!).
That is why Khan Batu sent his forces to Kitezh in order to destroy the shrine. Many peoples believed that with the destruction of shrines, the people themselves perish, for shrines are the soul of the people. The city's residents were not prepared for the attack; they could only pray and hope for a miracle. The Russian gods preserved the city by plunging it into the waters of Lake Svetloyar. Only a pure soul can see the city. So says the legend.
Expeditions to Lake Svetloyar. What did scientists discover?
During the expedition from Literaturnaya Gazeta, bottom silt was drilled five times. One of the zaburs brought an interesting find - pieces of hard wood with noticeable oblique cuts. It could be the mark of an ax or knife. Geologists in this place discovered another anomaly - bottom silt of a special composition. An oval anomaly was clearly visible on the echogram, and the geolocator recorded an area at the bottom that did not transmit sound.
Divers descended to the bottom of the lake. But they didn’t add any information, but there was even more idle talk. According to some sources, the divers did not see the bottom; in other words, the lake has a double bottom, i.e. there is another bottom, much lower than 30 meters. According to others, the divers generally refused to say anything about the dive.
Few? I'll add a couple more myths - stories local residents. According to another belief, Kitezh is not hidden at the bottom of Svetloyar, but under the hills next to the lake. If you lean against the ground at night and listen, you can hear a quiet bell ringing.
Relatively recently, a legend circulated in the surrounding villages about a miracle fish living in the lake - “A big fish walks around Svetloyar and scares people”. Adam Olearius, who traveled around Rus' in the 17th century, left interesting notes. Olearius encountered pagan tribes and described the sanctuary of a certain water deity, similar to a crocodile. Here's your miracle fish.
In conclusion, I can’t help but tell you about another hypothesis - the lake arose as a result of a meteorite fall. Interestingly, not far from Svetloyar there are two more lakes with similar configurations. They are also bordered by hills. The meteorite could split and fall in three pieces. Why not?
Ivan Kupala holiday in Svetloyar
Every year, from July 6 to 7, a folk festival of pagan origin is celebrated on the lake. Two years ago, we came to Svetloyar for the first time on July 6th.
During the day, in the village of Vladimirskoye, Nizhny Novgorod region, various master classes are organized, and in the evening they organize something like a folk performance-legend about the city of Kitezh. The night of Ivan Kupala is the shortest of the year, and on Lake Svetloyar it is also magical. I, succumbing to the general bacchanalia, walked around the lake with a candle, and then until the morning we swam in the holy lake. You can't put tents next to the lake, so people slept right on the ground.
It is located 130 km from Nizhny Novgorod, near the village of Vladimirskoye, in the Nizhny Novgorod Trans-Volga region, in the interfluve of the Vetluga and Kerzhenets rivers. Recognized as a natural monument of federal significance. The lake has an oval shape (a thermonuclear explosion that wiped out another city from the face of the earth?), and is small in size - about 500 meters in length and width. But at the same time it differs from neighboring lakes in its great depth, reaching 34 meters.
The water in Svetloyar is crystal clear, transparent, coming from a deep fissure in its bottom. And due to the fact that the lake is fed by numerous bottom springs, the water is cold.
For several centuries now, the most incredible legends and rumors have been written about Svetloyar. After all, how many unprecedented miracles happen on its shores and how many secrets it keeps within itself!
So, let's look at what Svetloyar amazes and surprises with, what secrets and mysteries it keeps around itself:
It surprises with its unusual relief shapes: from a bird's eye view the lake looks like a round coin, and in cross section it resembles the profile of a huge diamond;
The amazing transparency of the water is amazing, and its mirror surface reflects the sky, trees and churches. The healing properties of water are also unique;
Interesting here vegetable world: about 30 plant species grow on the shores, which in turn is not typical for this high latitude. You can also find this here rare view flowers like the southern orchid;
An interesting fact is that until now scientists have not been able to come to a unanimous opinion about the history of Svetloyar. IN different time researchers have expressed various hypotheses of its origin: meteorite, karst, glacial, volcanic, oxbow, cosmic. And of all the hypotheses, the meteorite one was confirmed by a number of studies. What is most interesting is that there are thousands of such cities around the world in which a meteorite accidentally fell and formed a round and deep lake.
On old maps, the city of Kitezh stood in this place
The bottom of Lake Svetloyar. Part 1
like any strange place, then it will always be protected by the state and will turn natural Park or a reserve where any archaeological excavations will be prohibited.
To summarize, Lake Svetloyar, Nizhny Novgorod region, is one of the most beautiful places on earth, a real pearl of Russian nature. It is considered one of the most legendary and mysterious lakes in our country. And it’s not for nothing that the lake is called the little Russian Atlantis! Its mystery and extraordinary beauty attract millions of tourists!
On the Volga River, not far from the city of Nizhny Novgorod, there is one of the deepest lakes in this region - Svetloyar. The dimensions of the lake are small - half a kilometer in length and a little more in width. The depth of Svetloyar is 39 meters. Water enters the lake from a deep fissure in its bottom. It is crystal clear and cold.
Svetloyar is sometimes called the Russian Atlantis for its legendary history. People say that sometimes the barely audible ringing of bells can be heard from under its waters, and in the depths you can see the ghostly walls of monasteries and church domes.
This is the city of Kitezh, which, as legend has it, disappeared between 1236 and 1242 during the first Mongol Tatar invasion of Russia. At the border of the third and fourth decades of the 13th century, the ancient Russian state was fragmented into dozens of principalities, princes fought among themselves for power and new lands, and entered into military alliances.
The name of Lake Svetloyar comes from a combination of ancient Russian words: “bright”, also meaning pure and righteous, and “yar” - not only known to everyone as a ravine, or beam, but in this case being the root of the name of the ancient Russian solar deity Yarila, who in pre-Christian Rus' was worshiped by ancient Slavic tribes. Many legends of the pre-Christian period of Rus' are also associated with Lake Svetloyar. The city of Kitezh is also mentioned in the sacred book of the ancient Russian faith - the “Star Book of Kolyada”.
In the area of Lake Svetloyar, as an ancient Russian legend tells, Kitovras, a magical half-horse, half-man, was born. He was a powerful wizard and helped the Slavs build cities and temples. Kvasura, the ancient god of wisdom and hops, also lived there. It is believed that their names gave the name to the city of Kitezh.
In ancient times, a Slavic tribe of Berendeys lived near Lake Svetloyar. To this day, their descendants have preserved the legends about the city of Kitezh and the religious center of worship of the god Yaril located in it. In ancient times, during the pre-Christian period of Rus', Kitezh was considered a sacred place among the Slavs.
After the baptism of Rus', the Slavic faith with its temples and wise men gave way to Christianity, but places sacred to people remained. Traditionally, Orthodox churches began to be built on the site of the temples, since it was believed that these places were special and were strong sources of positive energy. The names of the ancient Slavic gods gradually changed to the names of saints, but the places of worship of higher powers remained the same. Such places include Lake Svetloyar, which since ancient times has been shrouded in legends and mysticism.
On the shore of this lake, Grand Duke of Vladimir Yuri (George) Vsevolodovich, (November 26, 1188 - March 4, 1238), son of Vsevolod the Big Nest, built the City of Big Kitezh. In addition to him, there was also Small Kitezh (presumably modern Gorodets), built during the time of his grandfather, Yuri Dolgoruky. Big Kitezh was built of white stone with six temples in the center of the city, which at that time was a sign of wealth. It seems that legends united these two cities into the mystical and mysterious Kitezh City.
In 1238, Batu Khan defeated the Vladimir-Suzdal Principality. Prince Yuri Vsevolodovich remained at that time the only military leader with an army that could resist the Tatar-Mongol invasion. Khan camped on the City River. Prince Yuri Vsevolodovich defended himself against him in Maly Kitezh. Khan Batu took the city by storm, but the prince and the remnants of the army managed to escape from Small Kitezh and take refuge in Big Kitezh.
Batu intended to continue his campaign to Mediterranean Sea, but it was impossible to leave the Russian prince with his army in his rear. The path to the city lay among impassable swamps and forests. And then he began to torture all the captured Slavs on how to get to Kitezh. To hand over a city sacred to the Slavs meant dooming oneself and one’s family to eternal damnation. According to legend, only one was afraid of torment and death - Grishka Kuterma. He agreed to lead Batu’s army to Kitezh.
When the troops approached it, they saw that the city was not fortified and rejoiced at the upcoming easy victory. But at the sight of the enemy, fountains of water began to flow from underground and the city of Kitezh disappeared under water. According to legend, the water did not enter the city itself, it only hid it from enemies and the townspeople did not drown. So God saved the people of Kitezh for their prayers and piety.
The legend of Kitezh is still alive today. People living in this area talk about strangely dressed people suddenly appearing, and the disappearances of those who come to look for Kitezh. The lake has long been of interest to archaeologists and geologists - employees of research institutes, as well as numerous people independently investigating the mystery of Lake Svetloyar. Among them there are both those who explain everything by the laws of physics, and those who believe in the secret nature of things. They all strive to unravel the mystery of Lake Svetloyar and the city of Kitezh that has sunk into it.
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Svetloyar is one of the most mysterious lakes Russian Federation. Despite the fact that for more than 40 years researchers have been trying to understand how this body of water came into being, they have not yet come to a consensus. We can say with confidence that the Nizhny Novgorod region is famous for this source of strength and health. Lake Svetloyar causes a lot of discussions about its origin, the usefulness of the water and legends that have been passed down from generation to generation for centuries.
The Legend of the City of Kitezh
One of the most ancient legends is based on the fact that even before the Tatars came here, the city of Kitezh stood near the shore. It was a small town with six churches in the center. At this time, near the city of Maly Kitezh, a battle took place between Khan Batu and Prince Vsevolodich. In an unequal battle, the Russian heroes were forced to retreat into the depths of the forests, where Greater Kitezh stood. After the Tatars reached Svetloyar, the final battle took place, as a result of which the Russian commander died. But the enemies did not get the city; it disappeared under the overflowing waters of the lake. The Nizhny Novgorod region is known for this glorious place. Lake Svetloyar, whose history is so mysterious, still hides in its depths the city of Kitezh, which, they say, can be seen in the crystal clear waters.
Legends of the lake and reviews from tourists
The most fantastic stories about this reservoir can be heard from local residents. They claim that there is some kind of underground bottom connecting Svetloyar with Baikal. It’s hard to believe, but to date there are no refutations or confirmations. This, of course, does not take into account that quite recently a group of divers dived to explore the bottom of Svetloyar. But there is no data on this matter. Reviews from tourists indicate that the water here is crystal clear and healing. After swimming in a pond, your health improves and your mood improves.
There was a lot of talk about the fact that the scuba divers never reached the bottom, which scared them very much. There is another ancient belief, according to which the depths of the lake are guarded by a miracle fish, which protects Kitezh from uninvited guests. Local residents claim that Svetloyar, a lake whose legends are simply amazing, has miraculous powers, but whether you believe it or not is up to you to decide. However, today there are rumors about cases of incredible healing from various diseases at this reservoir. For example, tourists have repeatedly said that after visiting the lake, all their ailments disappeared.
When and under what circumstances did Svetloyar appear?
According to many researchers, the reservoir appeared approximately 14 thousand years ago. This time can be attributed to the end of the Ice Age. But in practice it turns out that in this area everything glacial lakes have long disappeared. This confirms the version that Svetloyar, the lake whose legends attract tourists, is of karst origin. As an argument, facts are cited, if you can call them that, from as far back as 1903. One of the local newspapers wrote that the residents of the nearest village called Shary, not far from Svetloyar, were very alarmed. One day in the middle of the night there was a loud noise and crash. But it was not thunder, since the sounds came from underground. All the residents of the village ran towards the sounds and, to their surprise, saw a huge failure, on which Svetloyar was formed. The lake, a photo of which you can see in this article, according to eyewitnesses, appeared in an instant. It was so deep that not a single tree that had grown in this place before was visible.
Expert opinions on anomalous phenomena
But many researchers and scientists reject the version of karst origin. This is due to several factors. Firstly, there are no easily soluble rocks on the shore that are washed away by the waters of Svetloyar. Secondly, according to research data, the center of the European part of the Russian Federation lies on very strong rocks. In some places, cracks form under the influence of shear. According to Nikishin, it is at the intersection of two similar faults that the lake is located today. This is quite logical, especially considering that failure in such a place can happen very quickly. As for healing waters, experts do not deny this. The fact is that high energy coming from the depths of planet Earth can have a variety of effects on the human body. Hence the mirages, the sounds of bells, and periodically appearing UFOs. But the most interesting thing is that if you take some water from this reservoir home with you, it will stand for several years and will not deteriorate at all.
Are there pagan temples at the bottom of the lake?
About 50 years ago, a complex scientific expedition visited Svetloyar. It was found that undersea world The reservoir was not created all at once, but in stages. This is due to the fact that the lake has a large number of ledges, which are located at a depth of 9 to 20 meters. The latter is only 700 years old. Around this time, Khan Batu came to these lands. Based on this, experts concluded that the monastery must be located almost at the very bottom, which is practically unexplored. In their opinion, there used to be a pagan temple here, which sank to the bottom when the waters flooded. In the center of the lake, a small island was formed, to which Christians came for the purpose of solitude. They created the temple, which also went into the abyss of the reservoir. It is these amazing legends that attract tourists that Lake Svetloyar always finds itself in the center of attention of visitors. Especially after a wooden fragment was found there, indicating that it was a building from ancient times, which was miraculously preserved.
Conclusion
Currently, recreation on Lake Svetloyar is very popular. Mostly tourists come here from all over Russia, but sometimes from other countries. Many people believe that the waters of the reservoir are healing and give vitality. In addition, almost everyone is not averse to taking “living” water from Svetloyar with them. A huge number of hypotheses that exist today suggest that there is something alluring about this place. Legends don't just happen. They may not always be reliable, but there is definitely some truth in them. In the end, faith matters a lot. According to local residents, only those who believe in the miracle of the reservoir will be able to discover all its secrets. By the way, ufologists say that Svetloyar) is the fourth dimension, or an energy column that is not visible to the naked eye. And only believers can see it. Despite the fact that this place is not a resort, those who have been here want to see Svetloyar again and advise others to visit this magical place.
