Mari El is a Volga republic adjacent to Tatarstan and Chuvashia. It also borders on Kirovskaya and Nizhny Novgorod regions... The capital of this region is the city of Yoshkar-Ola.
The republic is remarkable for the splendor of the pristine nature preserved here. Most of it is occupied by forests, in which there are ecologically clean lakes and beautiful river beds.
The culture of the local people, which has been forming for many centuries, combined with Russian culture, as well as having ancient history customs, traditions and folk crafts. Many cultural and historical monuments have been preserved in Mari El.
In this distinctive region with unique nature, there are many attractions that deserve special attention. The most famous and popular with tourists unique objects of the republic include:
The territory of the reserve is occupied by mixed forest. The nature of this object is distinguished by the richness of species of flora and fauna. Several tourist routes run through its territory.
You can fully enjoy the beauty of pristine nature here in the middle of summer. This time of year is dominated by sunny weather days, while most of the year the weather tends to be erratic with an abundance of cloudy days.
Location: Street of Soldiers-Internationalists - 26, Yoshkar-Ola.
The beauty and majesty of the local landscapes are often compared to the Alps. Against the background of untouched nature, there is an Orthodox chapel, and near it there is a cold spring with the purest water.
Translated into Russian, its name means "Mari forest". He's really busy with the forest. In it you can look at the Pugachev oak, under which Emelyan Pugachev once rested. This oak over 400 years.
They are located near the village of Gornyak. The entrance to many caves is very narrow and is located at the very ground. To get inside the caves, you have to crawl.
Inside you can see stalactites and stalagmites. In caves all year round cold, even in summer it is not warmer than + 6 ° C, and the walls are covered with frost at great depths. Previously, there were quarries in which the millstone was mined.
Perhaps this is the most beautiful lake in Mari El. Is not big lake with steep, steep banks of almost oval shape, it is located on a mountainside. Its water has a noticeable bluish-green hue.
With dimensions not exceeding 50 meters, it has a very great depthreaching 38.5 meters. It belongs to karst lakes and is connected to underground cavities. The lake has been little studied, and there are many legends about it. Many of his secrets have not been revealed; they have yet to be solved by the scientists involved in his research.
This one of the cleanest lakes in the Volga region has the shape of an almost perfect circle with a diameter of 680 meters. In origin, it is interspersed, overburdened by karst, with a dip near the central part of the basin. The depth gradually increases towards the middle of the lake, reaching 15 meters in its central part. The water is very clear, the visibility is about 8 meters. Water salinity is extremely low.
This is the deepest karst lake not only in Mari El, but in the entire Middle Volga region. Its maximum depth is 53 meters with a length of 800 and a width of 400 meters. Its food source is underwater springs. The lake is waste water, the Pizhanka river flows out of it. There is an Orthodox church on its bank.
This is the largest lake in the republic. Its area is approximately 160 hectares. It has a bizarre blade-like shape. Maximum depth in places of karst dips reaches 35 meters... The lake is great for fishing.
Location: street.
It is not only a picturesque natural object, but also a historical monument. The height of the mountain is 224 meters above sea level. The Mari called the mountains "pockets" where they found refuge during the invasion of hostile tribes.
It is also known as the Watch Mountain. On this mountain, located on the banks of the Volga, a fortified settlement was located from the eleventh to the fifteenth century. Now in that place you can see the remains of a moat and a rampart.
These mysterious stones, similar to which in the vicinity of the village are not present, have been here for many centuries. Most of them are in the ground. The locals consider the stones to be sacred. It is believed that they should not be touched.
There is a legend that one of the villagers used these stones to build the foundation of a house, and soon after the construction was finished, the house burned down. There are stones on the slope of Mount Onis Kuryk. This area is known as the anomalous zone.
Their shape resembles a kind of stone mushrooms. It is caused by the weathering process, in which sandstone is more intensely eroded and eroded faster than limestone.
The rocks are framed by curved tree roots that have taken on a bizarre shape. Near the rocks there is a small lake and a spring with a stream flowing from it, which flows into the small river Nevelichka that flows here. There is a crane well nearby.
The castle was erected in the village of Yurino on the banks of the Volga by a wealthy merchant Sheremetev in the nineteenth century. It was built in the architectural tradition of medieval castles and combines different architectural styles.
It is an ornate palace whose architecture includes ancient Russian-style turrets and Gothic battlements. Majestic columns support the glass dome of the winter garden. There is currently a hotel in the castle.
Its construction began in 1997 on the banks of the Rutka River. Now the construction of a church in the traditions of Russian wooden architecture is still going on here. Sergius of Radonezh is considered her patron.
Also in the monastery there is a small house church of the Beheading of St. John the Baptist. All churches, living quarters and outbuildings on the territory of the monastery were built of wood. This is the architectural uniqueness of this monastery.
The Myrrh-Bearing Hermitage began its existence in 1649 at the place where the Miraculous Myrrh-Bearing Icon of the Mother of God appeared. It was built in the best traditions of Russian architecture of the seventeenth century and is considered an architectural monument. There is a holy spring and a font near the monastery.
Through national park Mari Chodra near the Maple Mountain flows the Ilet River. In this place, its water has a constant temperature of about 6.5 ° C throughout the year. It is caused by powerful springs at the bottom of the river and flowing into the river mineral springs, the most significant of which is called the Green Key.
Nearby is Boiling Square, which is a small lake with a sandy bottom. The bottom is as if boiling because of the multitude of springs gushing out of the ground. The spring water is mineral and has healing properties.
The group of local springs is a federal hydrogeological natural monument. One and a half kilometers from the springs there is a sanatorium "Klenovaya Gora" where you can have a good rest surrounded by untouched nature and improve your health.
This is one of the oldest villages in Mari El. Here, at the entrance to the village, you can see a stone dedicated to the local national hero - the hero Onar. A stone sign dedicated to the hero appeared in these parts in 2009. The grove near the village is considered sacred by the locals.
Museums of the republic
The story about the sights of the Republic of Mari El will be incomplete without mentioning the museums located in its capital - the city of Yoshkar-Ola.
IN Museum of Applied Arts (Chernyshevsky - 23), you can expand your understanding of the traditions of the indigenous population of the republic. This museum is located in a small one-story building with an attic.
Several years ago, construction was completed in the center of Yoshkar-Ola Tsarevokokshay Kremlin (Voznesenskaya
- 58). It was built of red brick and stylized as an old Russian fortress. There is a church behind the walls of this youngest Kremlin in Russia, archaeological Museum and a monument to Fyodor Ioannovich, the founder of Yoshkar-Ola.
The Republic of Mari El is located on the Volga River, in the very center of the Volga region. This region is famous not only for its forests, but also for its historical and cultural attractions. Let's find out about the most interesting places, which must be visited in the Republic of Mari El.
Sheremetyev Castle (Yurino village)
The castle was erected in 1880, and its construction was started by the landowner Vasily Sheremetyev - the grandson of the very Count Sheremetyev who served Peter the Great. Inside the castle, there were about a hundred rooms, some of which housed galleries with paintings by famous artists.
The architecture of the castle is dominated by neo-gothic, oriental and baroque styles. Since the beginning of the 90s and up to now, the object has been actively restored - today the outer part has been completely restored, while the inner rooms need repair and restoration.
Ethnographic Open Air Museum
The museum was opened in 1983 and is located in the city of Kozmodemyansk. There are more than 60 buildings and buildings and 7000 exhibits that tell about the life, customs and peculiarities of the life of the mountain Mari.
The museum contains monuments of architecture, tools, cultural objects of the ancient Mari. The historian was able to restore the dwellings and important architectural structures of the people from archival documents.
Lake Sea Eye
The lake is geographically located in the Volzhsky region in the village of Shariboxad. They were formed about 20 thousand years ago as a result of the failure of karst rocks. The lake has an unusual green water color and a perfect oval shape, which is surrounded by growing trees.
The lake is shrouded in many legends and mystical theories. One of the popular legends says that a girl and a boy lived in this village, who loved each other very much. On their wedding day, they learned the terrible truth - they are blood brothers and sisters. This did not stop the lovers and they decided to get married. Then the gods were angry with them - at the time of the wedding feast the earth opened up and took the newlyweds and guests of the celebration with it, and a lake was formed at the place of the failure. They say that you can still hear wedding songs from the side of the lake.
Stone adits in Sernur region
There are unique man-made caves in the village of Gornyak. At the entrance to the village, you can see an Atlantean holding a large boulder in his arms. The total length of the cave is 300 meters. Inside are stalactites, ice clusters, and bats' nests. The stone adits have been preserved as a tribute to the memory of the ancient craft of the people - the extraction of stone rocks.
Unfortunately, the adits are now closed to tourists due to the risk of collapse.
Green key
This spring is one of the attractions of the village of Klenovaya Gora and is located next to the flowing river Ilet. Green Key is one of the largest sources of the Republic. The water contains many minerals and helps to treat diseases of the stomach, liver, and genitourinary system. That is why the Klenovaya Gora sanatorium is located next to the Green Key.
Lake Tabashinskoe (Zryv)
The lake is located in the village of Tabashino and is the deepest body of water in the Volga region - its depth reaches 170 meters. Until recently, it was believed that the depth is about 60 meters, but new studies have refuted this information.
The Pizhanka River flows out of the reservoir, and on the shore is the Floro-Lavra Church, which was built in 1898.
Lake Mushan-Er
Mushan-Er is a system of lakes located on the territory of the reserve "MariyChodra". The system consists of three lakes, which stretch one after another in a chain. The largest of the reservoirs has a length of 1,116 meters.
On the shore of one of the lakes, Kyusoto is located - this is a sacred grove where the Mari worship their gods.
The city of Yoshkar-Ola is the second stop in our May autotrip "Nizhny Novgorod - Yoshkar-Ola - Kazan". It was an amazing and memorable meeting! The well-known Yoshkin cat and the picturesque embankment of Bruges are still in the memory. And photos with multi-colored gingerbread houses, like foreign postcards. This city has remained a bright spot in our memory. But like many russian cities, Yoshkar-Ola has its own face and its own inside out. Let's start in order ...
The city of Yoshkar-Ola is the capital of the Republic of Mari El and the only Russian city whose name begins with the letter "y". It is located on the banks of the Malaya Kokshaga River. On one side there is the Bruges embankment, on the other side there is the Voznesenskaya embankment.
Road out Nizhny Novgorod was quite tiring (we were out of luck with traffic jams). But after passing the sign with the inscription "Republic of Mari El" we immediately felt local flavor and cheered up. There are even stops here public transport decorated with traditional Mari ornament.
We arrived in Yoshkar-Ola much later than planned. We checked into the Virginia hotel, refreshed ourselves in a cafe, right here, and, having rested a little, set off. Time passed in the evening, it was decided to walk to the city center according to the program at least.
Day one: evening walk along Yoshkar-Ola
According to the plan, our path lay from the hotel to the city Park of Culture and Leisure. Further, along Chavaina boulevard, towards the embankment.
Alley of military glory
The avenue of military glory begins from the Victory Boulevard. The eponymous monument also rises here.
On the eve of the Victory Day, the atmosphere was special, the city breathed an approaching holiday. Yunarmeytsy solemnly carried the watch at the "Eternal Flame".
Memorial of Glory is located in the central part of the city Park of Culture and Leisure.
Central City Park of Culture and Leisure
Park of Culture, or rather, Central park culture and recreation them. XXX anniversary of the Komsomol, created for residents and guests of the city. The park has rides, fountains, sculptural compositions. Walking along the Walk of Fame, we noticed a Ferris wheel from afar. And we decided to take a look at Yoshkar-Ola from a height of forty meters.
Ferris wheel in Yoshkar-Ola
Despite the fact that I am not very friendly with the height, the attraction pleased me. Modern comfortable closed booths. You can heartily enjoy the views of the city without fear of wind or rain.
Operating mode of the Ferris wheel:
from 1.10 to 31.03 (in winter) Sat, Sun - from 10.00 to 21.00
from 1.04 to 31.09 (in summer) Daily - from 10.00 to 21.00
Ticket price: 100 rubles. - adult; RUB 60 - for children.
Sculpture "Tree of Life"
The sculptural composition entitled "The Tree of Life" is located in the central part of the city park and is a group of three people with musical instruments: a young man with a drum, an old man with a harp, and a middle-aged man with a pipe, of an unusual shape. In the center we see that very symbolic tree of life. The Mari often depict such a tree in their traditional ornaments.
We leave the Park of Culture and Leisure, find ourselves on Chavaina Boulevard and move on, towards the embankment. It's pretty lively here. There are numerous shops on both sides of the boulevard.
Well, where is it without fountains. There are many of them in Yoshkar-Ola. This one adorns Chavaina boulevard, located closer to the Park of Culture. In the evening, turn on the backlight. Handsomely.
And this fountain is in front of Nikonov Square. Please note that there are small kiosks on both sides where you can buy all kinds of souvenir products at a low price.
And here she is - , which can be seen from the Park of Culture itself. Located on the Virgin Mary Square, next to the Annunciation Cathedral, the 55-meter tower appeared before the townspeople in all its glory in 2007. In general, almost all buildings in the city center are new. And many are still under construction. This beauty is one of the main modern symbols of Yoshkar-Ola. Every hour the chimes are chimed, which, by the way, are a miniature copy of the Moscow ones.
Cathedral of the Annunciation and fountain Archangel Gabriel
After passing under the arch of the Annunciation Tower, we found ourselves on the Republic Square and the Virgin Mary. This square houses the stunning Cathedral of the Annunciation and the largest fountain in the city. The height of the bronze figure of the Archangel Gabriel in the center of the fountain is 6 meters.
While we were walking, it finally got dark. A stunning view of the Bruges embankment opened from the theater bridge. For a minute it seemed that we teleported to some Belgian town. Here it is, the face of modern Yoshkar-Ola. Beauty!
But we'll come back here in the morning. And now I wanted to quickly find a place where you could spend the rest of the evening and have dinner. Google suggested that there is a good beer restaurant “Zhiguli” within walking distance.
Beer restaurant "Zhiguli" on Voskresenskaya embankment
It didn't take long to search. The glowing sign can be seen from afar. Here is the address:
Anisimovskaya St., 38, Yoshkar-Ola, Rep. Mari El, 424010
A very cozy establishment in a retro style with excellent beer and quite affordable prices. On the second floor there is a beer bar, karaoke, a wonderful view from the window of the Annunciation tower. We returned to the hotel by taxi.
Cancers there are excellent, I had to ask for more.
Unfortunately, today this institution no longer works, if there are pleasant places where you can while away the evening, please write in the comments (note 05.09.2018).
Second day: walking along Yoshkar-Ola
The main goal of the next day was to find the well-known Yoshkin cat. I'm even afraid to imagine how many kilometers we walked that day along Yoshkar-Ola. History Center the city is not compact; to see a lot in one day, you need to walk a lot.
So, from the hotel we move towards Leninsky Prospekt. There is a prospectus with this name in almost every russian city, but we met such a bright and memorable one only in Yoshkar-Ola.
Here is the Obolensky-Nogotkov square. On the square there are monuments directly related to the history of the Republic of Mari El, and the National Art Gallery with a unique tower clock.
Monument to Obolensky-Nogotkov - the first governor of Tsarevokokshaisk
Tsar Cannon
Monument to Hieromartyr Leonid, Bishop of Mari
We pass along the Obolensky-Nogotkov square, look around the corner. And here tourists are already crowding who have discovered one of the main attractions of Yoshkar-Ola.
Here he is - famous, with all the details! We take a photo at a fast pace, there are a lot of people interested.
Not everyone knows, but the Yoshkin cat has a girlfriend who was built by the enterprising owners of the cafe of the same name. This place is located not far from the Yoshkin cat. You need to go to the opposite side of Leninsky Prospekt and walk another hundred meters forward.
Returning back, we were surprised to find that in front of the National Art Gallery, there was nowhere for an apple to fall. Every minute there were more and more people, everyone was clearly waiting for something. We joined the onlookers and learned the following. It turns out that, carried away by the search for the famous cat, we almost passed by the unique urban Orthodox chimes. This is how they look.
This clock adorns the main tower of the city's National Art Gallery. Nothing remarkable in appearance. But, they are called Orthodox for a reason. Every hour a wonderful performance takes place here, which tells, or rather, shows us the legend of the icon of the Mother of God "Three-handed". This icon is of particular importance for Yoshkar-Ola. It was with this icon that the independent Yoshkar-Ola and Mari diocese was founded 14 years ago. And it is precisely this image that is close and dear to all Orthodox people, and not only in Yoshkar Ola.
According to legend, the icon with the image of the Mother of God "Three-handed" in the 13th century was in Serbia. To save her from the Turks invading Serbia, the locals attached her to a donkey and sent her to Kosovo. But the donkey miraculously reached Greece and came to the gate of the monastery of Helendar. The icon was saved from destruction, and the image of the "Three-handed" then spread throughout the Orthodox land.
This legend is described in more detail on a slab in the arch under the clock.
When the chimes rang out, everyone in the square, like children, was fascinated by what was happening. We, too. From the gate, on the left side of the dial, a donkey appeared with an icon on its back, and, having described a semicircle, disappeared into the gate again, but on the right. All this happened to the accompaniment of church chants. And, to be honest, goosebumps ran down the back, so it looked beautiful, touching and unusual. This is a must see if you are lucky enough to visit Yoshkar-Ola.
Clock with a donkey in Yoshkar-Ola video
Then we went along Voznesenskaya Street to the Tsarevokokshaisky Kremlin. There are also many interesting things along the way.
Trinity Church
The cathedral is located across the street from the Tsarevokokshai Kremlin.
Tsarevokokshay Kremlin
Tsarevokokshay Kremlin - this is also one of the modern buildings of Yoshkar-Ola. Built in 2009. At this place, during excavations, fragments of ancient defensive fortifications were discovered.
Today the Kremlin is not only a landmark of the city. On its territory there is a tourist historical and cultural complex, several permanent exhibitions and museums. Various events, holidays, exhibitions, fairs are held. Sometimes held theatrical performances in the open air. Here you can buy honey and souvenirs.
In the arches along the entire perimeter of the Kremlin there are stands with information about the history of the city. Reconstructed cannons are also presented.
Fyodor I Ioannovich is rightfully considered the founder of the city. It was he who, in 1584, issued a decree on the creation of the city of Tsarevokokshaisk (now Yoshkar-Ola). He also sent Ivan Obolensky-Nogotkov here, who became the first voivode in Tsarevokokshaisk. The only monument to Fyodor Ioannovich in Russia is installed on the Resurrection Embankment near the Resurrection Cathedral.
Open Air Fairy Tales Museum in Yoshkar-Ola
Outside the walls of the Kremlin, another remarkable place unexpectedly turned out - a kind of open-air museum of fairy-tale heroes. At the walls of the most ordinary shopping center funny fairy-tale heroesmade from wood. There are a lot of characters, it is interesting to see, take pictures, and, best of all, completely free. Here are just a few of them.
Then we continue along Voznesenskaya Street towards the Voznesensky Bridge, along which we will cross to the other side of the Malaya Kokshaga River and find ourselves right on the embankment of Bruges. On the way we go to the Ascension Cathedral.
The weather did not spoil us. The sky was dark all day, threatening with rain. And it was windy and cold on the embankment, keep this in mind when planning your walk.
Finally, the opportunity presented itself to take a closer look business card Yoshkar-Ola - the embankment of Bruges. By the way, the name of this embankment was given by the President of the Republic of Mari El - Leonid Markelov.
All these buildings, despite their fabulous appearance, are occupied by various state institutions, departments, etc.
Bruges waterfront - an ideal place for photo shoots in any weather. All houses are built in the same Flemish style. At first glance, you won't think that this is our Russian Yoshkar Ola.
Here, as well as on Obolensky-Nogotkov Square, daily performances on the biblical story for tourists and local residents... Every 3 hours, from 9 am to 9 pm, on the balcony of the third floor of the "12 Apostles" complex, accompanied by church chants and bells on the left, Jesus and the twelve apostles appear from the gate and, moving smoothly, leave at the gate on the right. It is noteworthy that the arms and legs of the figures move, this makes an incredible impression on the audience.
Chapel of Peter and Fevronia of Murom on Patriarch Square
Monument to Empress Elizaveta Petrovna
This young horsewoman is Empress Elizaveta Petrovna. She is not here by chance either. It was she who, many centuries ago, when Yoshkar-Ola was Tsarekokshaisk, helped open the first schools in the city. Behind the sculpture is the building of a boarding school for talented children.
They returned to the hotel on foot, with their last strength, but pleased with themselves and what they saw. On the way, we went to a small shop to buy sweet Mari souvenirs before leaving. Once again, we rejoiced at the openness and good nature of local residents.
The sweetest woman who was saddened at the counter was delighted at the opportunity to communicate and told us not only about national sweets. She long and colorfully told how life in Yoshkar-Ola "ordinary local residents". We, tourists, see the face of the city, but the other side is not like that). It was a monologue that can be heard from a person who lives in absolutely any town of Mother Russia. People's problems are the same everywhere.
“Officials are pouring funds from the city budget into the construction of gingerbread houses for show and tourists, and, as a consequence, the resulting problems of local residents (with a detailed listing): lack of roads, wages, social conditions, etc.…” This is the main idea of \u200b\u200bthe story. In general, nothing new. Subjectively, but from the heart).
Probably, it is, but for two days we sincerely admired Yoshkar-Ola. After all, we travel in order to receive exclusively positive emotions. We wish you the same. Happy trip to Yoshkar-Ola and vivid impressions! I suggest you share them in the comments.
By tradition, a small video about our stay in Yoshkar-Ola.
How to get to Yoshkar-Ola?
There are railway and bus stations in Yoshkar-Ola. You can get to or.
State Natural National Park "Mari Chodra" was created in 1985 in the southeastern part of the Republic of Mari El, where the border with Tatarstan passes. Its main features are the cleanest rivers and lakes, which have become favorite places for recreation not only among the local population, but also among tourists from all over the country.
To preserve a diverse animal and vegetable world the park, its employees annually carry out various educational programs and improvement actions. There are also school forestries in the park, where children are given the opportunity to study natural world, spend research work and help to look after the park territory and its inhabitants.
Also, the park publishes its own newspaper "Mariy Chodra", booklets with information and various souvenirs.
Coordinates: 56.15000000,48.36666700
The most popular attractions in Mari El with descriptions and photos for every taste. Choose the best places for visiting famous places Mari Ela on our website.
