Village Ustyuzhna

Ustyuzhna captivates at first sight. Once the main forge of the Russian state, the city sprawls along the picturesque banks of the fast-flowing Mologa River and its tributaries, the Izhina and Vorozh. Founded in 1252, Ustyuzhna is one of the historic cities of the Russian Federation.

Sights
The district is home to 54 historical and cultural heritage sites, including:
- 28 federal landmarks (including three archaeological sites)
- 26 regional landmarks

Most of the monuments are located in the historic part of the city.
It holds the brands "Ustyuzhna – Town of Blacksmiths" and "Town of Gogol's Government Inspector."
Since 2015, Ustyuzhna has been a participant in the large-scale interregional projects "Silver Necklace of Russia" and "Russian Estates." To this day, it preserves centuries-old literary, estate, craft, theatrical, and merchant traditions.
17th-century Church of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary
17th-century Kazan Church Ensemble
Worship Cross
Cathedral of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary
Batushkov and A.I. Kuprin Estate Museum
Ya.M. Pozdeev Estate

Gastronomy - Food - Territories
Grey Shchi (Shchi) from Crumbled Soup
Meat, crumbled gray cabbage, whole peeled potatoes, and chopped onions were placed in a cast-iron pot. Covered with a lid, the soup was placed in a hot oven to simmer for 3-4 hours. The boiled potatoes were removed from the finished shchi, mashed with a pestle, and returned to the soup. The steeped shchi was then poured into bowls, whitened with sour cream or cream, and a large piece of meat was served separately. Kroshevo is a preparation made from chopped green tops of cabbage, fermented with salt and rye flour.

Oatmeal pancakes.
The starter for oatmeal pancakes should be dissolved overnight from oatmeal, water, and salt and left at room temperature to ferment. In the morning, before baking, mix the pancake batter with part of the starter, salt, water, and flour (oat and wheat). Bake in a Russian oven on a frying pan greased with melted lard. Shchi made from gray cabbage is the main dish of the Russian dinner table. In Ustyuzhna, gray shchi was served with oatmeal pancakes, for which every home had the starter.
Housewives would rise early in the morning, light the Russian stove, cook the shchi and porridge in it, and then start making the pancakes. A poor housewife is one who hasn't made sourdough and doesn't know how to bake blini. Blini should be golden brown and very thin, but slightly sour in taste. A whole stack of blini on the table is a traditional Ustyuzhna meal.
The top blini was rolled into a cone, used to scoop the soup from the plate, and then bit into the blini, filling and all.

Café "Lunch at the Mayor's"
Currently, the tourist brand "Ustyuzhna—the city of Gogol's Government Inspector" is actively developing in Ustyuzhna. N.V. Gogol's bibliographers confirm that the incident that inspired his comedy "The Government Inspector" took place in Ustyuzhna. The hotel where the Ustyuzhna "Khlestakov" stayed, the estate where the mayor's office was located, and the charitable institution all generate genuine interest among visitors to the city. To develop the brand, the "U Gorodnichy" café offers guests a specialized menu of dishes (rassolnik with giblets, "Khlestakov-style" soup, merchant-style buckwheat porridge with mushrooms, a gift from Lyapkin-Tyapkin, etc.).

Master classes in preparing traditional dishes
Master class topic: A culinary tour of the Vologda Oblast.
Location: "Obeden u Gorodnichy" café, 5 Lenina Street, Ustyuzhna, Vologda Oblast
We navigate the map of the region and prepare dishes from different cities (of our choice).
The children learn to cook with a pastry chef while listening to music. At the end, everyone drinks tea or fruit drink with the most delicious dishes or baked goods they've prepared themselves!
Each child will treat you to their own masterpiece!
Great souvenir photos.
Interactive program "In City N" with a culinary component
Venue: Ustyuzhna District Library named after the Batyushkovs
Ustyuzhna, Torgovaya Square, 14
A unique quest program based on the works of Nikolai Gogol is being held in an old merchant's mansion. Guests will visit Mrs. Korobochka and learn the secrets of seducing suitors from a local matchmaker. They will find treasure in an enchanted place, and on a farm near Dikanka, Solokha and the Devil will invite you to participate in fun competitions. At the Oryol Hotel, they will meet Mr. Khlestakov, where they will taste Russian cabbage soup with blini. Upon completion of the quest, they will write a letter to the Mayor about their impressions of the journey through city N.

Interregional Gastronomic Festival
"Russian Shchi"
Host since 2007, location: Ustyuzhna, Gorodishche – the historical site of the city's founding.
Every year, in the lead-up to the traditional Pozdeevskaya Fair, a large-scale GorodiShchinskoye celebration unfolds on the picturesque banks of the Mologa River. The festival program includes the traditional interregional "Russian Shchi" festival, a vibrant and unique festive program filled with games, contests, dancing, and youthful fun; a folk crafts fair; and master classes from top chefs.
Until late in the evening, the banks of the Mologa River are enveloped in the delicious aromas of beloved Russian dishes. The "Russian Shchi" festival annually attracts over 40 participants from various regions of Russia and approximately two thousand residents and visitors to the city. Over 50 varieties of traditional Russian shchi are on display. During the tasting, festival participants surprise guests with a wide selection of shchi and a variety of serving methods: shchi in pots, baked in a loaf of bread, with oatmeal pancakes, pancakes with toppings and various fillings, with pancakes and krupeniks, and with homemade beer! Every year, the festival surprises with new culinary discoveries, and the number of people eager to try and write down the recipe for this unusual Russian dish only grows!
What Russian doesn't love good food, in pleasant company, and with Russian fun? The "Russian Shchi" festival is the most delicious event of the Ustyuzhensky summer!

Interregional festival "Estate Vareniya" (Estate Vareniya).
Held since 2015, the festival is held in the Ustyuzhensky Municipal District, in the village of Danilovskoye, at the Batyushkov and A.I. Kuprin Estate Museum.
The festival takes place in the ancient park of the Batyushkov and A.I. Kuprin Estate Museum. The park houses an ancient manor house—the only Batyushkov family estate in Russia that has survived to this day.
The theme is the hospitality of northern noble estates. The estate is open to anyone who wants to learn about the history of the Batyushkov family and A.I. Kuprin. People from various regions eagerly gather to participate in the festival, celebrating a beloved delicacy: jam. The estate's summer veranda hosts salon evenings, theatrical performances, and musical ensembles. Meanwhile, in the park, tables laden with fragrant jam are set, and samovars are fired up. Participants prepare for the competition – they present jams made according to ancient recipes, not only from berries and fruits, but also such exotic preserves as those made from watermelon rinds, green tomatoes, dandelions, herbs, ginger and lemon, and the much-loved spruce cone jam. Guests are treated not only to traditional berries in syrup, but also to jellies, pastilles, and marmalade. Guests are also treated to sweet pies. In addition to tastings, festival guests can also participate in various sports and creative activities, jam-making workshops, ceremonial cookie baking, and fruit arrangement making. And, of course, they can purchase their favorite "samples."
Jam isn't the only attraction. The festival's festive atmosphere is enhanced by an exhibition and sale of souvenirs and folk art items, as well as photo zones in the estate park featuring 19th-century costumes. In the tradition of A.I. Kuprin, guests can enjoy greyhound hunting and literary and historical quests.
Mint Jam: Sprinkle mint leaves with sugar, add lemon juice, shake, and leave overnight to extract the aromatic compounds. The next day, add sugar syrup to the mint extract and simmer until the desired consistency. The jam is poured into small jars, sealed with parchment paper, and tied with twine. Because sugar was very expensive until the late 19th century, jam was made primarily in noble estates. Moreover, noblewomen were taught jam-making skills along with drawing, singing, and piano playing. Jams were made not only from fruits and berries, but also from herbs and flowers, as well as various vegetables (carrots, radishes, turnips). Many noblemen loved mint jam served with evening tea; it was considered a means of achieving longevity and exceptional health, and simply to relieve fatigue after the day's chores.

The traditional agricultural Bogoroditskaya Fair.
Held since 2004, the fair is held at the Market Square in Ustyuzhna.
Traditionally held under the banner "A Real Vologda Product."
The fair is held under the brand name "Ustyuzhna Potatoes." The highlight of the fair is a competition for the best potato dish, "Miracle Potato." Here you'll find potato pies, potato pancakes, dried potatoes, potato mushrooms, Lenten potato pancakes with mushrooms, potatoes with honey, and potato accordions. Participants submit dishes to the "Vologda Fair" competition venue for tasting by a selection committee. The competition will evaluate taste and artistic presentation.
A bountiful autumn harvest festival with the hospitable shopping arcades of the "City of Craftsmen." A festive theatrical program, performances by soloists and groups from the city and district. The "Autumn Podium" competition. Festivities, games, and fun. An exhibition and sale of seed potatoes, "Ustyuzhna Potatoes."

Accommodation.
Ustyuzhna Hotel The Ustyuzhna Hotel is located in the heart of Ustyuzhna. All administrative buildings, institutions, and the attractions of our small, yet historically rich town are within walking distance. A 24-hour front desk is available. Breakfast is included in the room rate. Our hotel offers 10 rooms of various categories:
- Suite
- Junior Suite
- Double rooms with two separate beds
- Triple rooms with three separate beds
- Single rooms
https://vk.com/hotelustuzhna

Aleksandrovskaya Hotel
The Aleksandrovskaya Hotel is located in the center of Ustyuzhna. It offers 8 rooms of various price ranges, with and without private bathrooms, for 35 beds. The hotel also has a café.
Green Pearl
Vacationers are provided with all the necessary amenities and a high level of service. The cozy rooms are decorated in bright colors, ensuring a comfortable stay. All rooms are furnished with necessary furniture and appliances. The bathrooms are equipped with standard fixtures. The modern kitchen is fully equipped with all cooking utensils. Food and beverage delivery is available through specialized services. Grocery stores, restaurants, and cafes are nearby.
https://vk.com/ust_zel

Revisor Hotel
In the historic city center, in a restored old hotel building where the visiting official Platon Volkov, the prototype for Gogol's "Revisor," once stayed.
9 well-appointed rooms, Wi-Fi, parking.

How to get there
Ustyuzhna is an ancient Russian town in the southwest of the Vologda Oblast, part of the Ustyuzhensky Municipal Okrug of the Vologda Oblast. It is located 250 km southwest of Vologda, 130 km from Cherepovets (16 km from the busy A114 highway), on the border of three regions: Novgorod, Tver, and Vologda. Ustyuzhna is located on the Mologa River, which flows into the Rybinsk Reservoir, 54 km northeast of the nearest railway station, Pestovo, in the Novgorod Oblast.
By car
By car from Vologda. Take the A-114 Vologda-Novaya Ladoga highway, turn off at km 235 to Ustyuzhna.
By bus
By bus: Vologda-Ustyuzhna, Cherepovets-Ustyuzhna

By train
By rail to Vologda, Cherepovets, then by scheduled bus.
By plane

By light helicopter

Museums
Ustyuzhna Museum of Local History
The Ustyuzhna Museum of Local History is one of the oldest (opened in 1921) and one of the leading museums in the Vologda Oblast. As of January 1, 2023, the museum's main collection consists of 57,116 items, including works by I.K. Aivazovsky, B.M. Kustodiev, K.A. Korovin, T.Ya. Kryzhitsky, and Yu.Yu. Klivera, Old Russian paintings by K.I. Ulanov, and works by artisans from the Moscow Armory Chamber.
In 2016, the main building of the Ustyuzhna Museum of Local History, the Cathedral of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, located at 5 Sobornaya Square, Ustyuzhna, a federal cultural heritage site, was transferred to the Cherepovets Diocese of the Russian Orthodox Church.
The Batyushkov and A.I. Kuprin Estate Museum
is located fifteen kilometers from Ustyuzhna in the village of Danilovskoye. The village of Danilovskoye was granted to the Batyushkov nobles in the 17th century. At the end of the 18th century, a manor house with a six-column portico and an open gallery was built in Danilovskoye. In 1813, a park was laid out near the house, and along the road to the estate from Ustyuzhna, a pine alley was created, partially preserved to this day.
Museum of Military and Labor Glory of the Ustyuzhna Residents "Dugout Museum"
Replicas of weapons from the Great Patriotic War, personal belongings of front-line soldiers, and unique photographs from the 1940s form the core of the exhibition at the Museum of Military and Labor Glory of the Ustyuzhna Residents.
Rooster Museum on Pere.
The author of the "Rooster Museum on Pere" tourist project, which is run by the Perskaya Rural Library, a branch of the Ustyuzhna Centralized Library System, is library employee Elena Udaltsova. The establishment of a thematic museum in Pere is no coincidence: the name of the village is associated with the rooster. Legend has it that the name of this area, located 24 kilometers from Ustyuzhna, comes from the pagan god of Truth, whose name was Perun – Perya, or rooster. The ancient Ustyug people believed that he lived in heaven, observed the deeds of people, and could punish those who were undesirable. When he descended to earth, he transformed into a rooster and, with his thunderous crowing, announced another victory over demonic forces. It is no wonder that the belief persists to this day that with the first crow of the rooster, all evil spirits that wield power at night flee. The museum is a folk museum. The local population actively participates in the development of the museum's collection, adding children's toys, Christmas tree decorations, embroidery, towels, and lace items depicting a rooster to the village museum's collection.

Calendar
Kuprinsky Christmas Trees
Winter Veterans' Spartakiad "Winter Revelry"
All-Russian Mass Ski Race "Ski Track of Russia"
Festive events dedicated to Remembrance Day of Russians who performed their official duties abroad.
Festive concert dedicated to Defender of the Fatherland Day
Maslenitsa festivities
Annual interregional creative works festival "Spring Mood"
Annual cultural and sports festival "Frost and Sun - What a Wonderful Day!"
Festive concert dedicated to International Women's Day.
Annual district festival "Easter Bells"
Festive demonstration, rally, and concert program on Spring and Labor Day.
Events dedicated to the celebration of the Great Victory.
Interregional Recitation Competition "Father's Penates"
Children's Festival "Planet of Childhood!"
Street Games Championship dedicated to Russia Day.
Religious Procession and Prayer Service in Memory of St. Euphrosynus of Sinoezersk with the annual Orthodox Tradition and Culture Festival "Cathedral Field"
Summer District Veterans' Spartakiad "Always in the Line!"
Rural Sports Games "Ustyuzhenskie Zori"
Annual Interregional Blacksmithing Festival "Iron Field"
Annual "Gorodishchinskie festivities" with the "Russian Shchi" festival
Annual Interregional Pozdeevskaya Fair
Tourist Gathering of Veterans (Pensioners) "BELYE ROSY"
Annual Interregional Festival "Usadebnye Vareniya"
All-Russian Running Day "Cross of the Nation"
Annual Traditional "Bogoroditskaya Fair"
District Veteran Creativity Festival "Rodniki Rossiyskikh Derevnykh"
Sports and Cultural Festival "With Dad, We Are Strong!", dedicated to Father's Day
"Winter Kaleidoscope"
Theatrical New Year's performances with a handicraft fair

Useful Links
Ustyuzhensky Museum of Local History https://vk.com/ustmuseum35
Ustyuzhensky Local historian: https://vk.com/public157850017
Ustyuzhna tourism: https://vk.com/club154898829
Ustyuzhna organizational and methodological center for culture and tourism: https://vk.com/public168471357