Village Zadonsk

The history of Zadonsk is linked to the names of two monks from the Moscow Sretensky Monastery, Kirill and Gerasim, who came to our area with the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God. The monks founded a small monastery at the foot of the Teshevka River, giving rise to the Teshevskaya Sloboda around 1605-1610. In 1779, Catherine II elevated Teshevskaya Sloboda to the status of a district town. On September 21, 1781, Zadonsk received its coat of arms: "a tower built beyond the Don River on a silver field, signifying the true location of this city." On March 19, 1782, the general development plan for Zadonsk was approved by the Emperor. The city's modern streets are laid out according to this plan from Catherine's time.
The Tsar's Road, the Caucasus-Tiflis Highway, passed through Zadonsk. In 1799, a seasonal bridge "on ships" was built in the town, using barges moored at anchor. Thus, Zadonsk became a postal station, and coachmanship and blacksmithing became popular.
Later, the town was glorified by Bishop Tikhon of Zadonsk of Voronezh, who retired to the monastery. In 1861, he was canonized.

Sights
Zadonsk is one of the spiritual centers of Orthodox Russia, renowned as the "Russian Jerusalem." There are three active monasteries here. The Nativity of the Theotokos Monastery, containing the relics of St. Tikhon of Zadonsk, is located at https://zadonsk-monastyr.ru. 2024 marks the 300th anniversary of St. Tikhon's birth. August 26th is the feast day of Saint Tikhon of Zadonsk, a major patronal feast day commemorating the glorification (1783) and second uncovering of the relics (1991) of Saint Tikhon, Bishop of Voronezh, the miracle worker of Zadonsk. The center of the celebrations is the Nativity of the Theotokos Monastery, where the Saint's relics rest in the Vladimir Cathedral. Every year, during these days, the Zadonsk Nativity of the Theotokos Monastery receives a particularly large number of pilgrims. Believers from Lipetsk, Voronezh, and Yelets participate in the prayerful celebration.
Two convents are located 5 and 10 km from the city: the Bogoroditse-Tikhonovsky (Tyunin) Monastery https://tunino.ru and the St. Tikhon Transfiguration Convent https://www.zadonsk-skit.ru. The oldest stone building, the Dormition Cathedral of the Blessed Virgin Mary (1800), is located in the southern part of the city. http://zadonsk-sobor.ru Trinity Cathedral is a parish church in the northern part of the city (formerly the Zadonsk Tikhonovsky Convent in the name of the Holy Trinity (Skorbyashchensky Monastery of All Who Sorrow), founded by the decision of the Holy Synod on May 3, 1888). It was built according to the design of the architect A.A. Cui. https://mitropolia-lip.ru/journal/istoriya-odnogo-hrama/troickiy-hram-zadonska.

According to legend, the city is home to a "singing oak." The ancient tree (approximately 300 years old) sings akathists and heals people. The oak's mysterious history is associated with the name of Varvara Polyakova: it was her family who helped uncover the tree's amazing powers. https://zadonsk-monastir.ru/poushiy-dub-zadonsk/

Learn more about the city's significant architectural landmarks by listening to the Lipetsk Region overview audio guide. Zadonsk https://www.izi.travel/ru/c721-lipeckaya-oblast-zadonsk-obzornyy-audiogid/ru
The houses of wealthy merchants have been preserved – I.V. Pakhomov, N.I. Pakhomov, P.A. Malikov, F.G. Kudinov, and others.
The pedestrian street, "Kamennaya Gora," runs across the Teshevka River and connects the "bourgeois" and "noble" parts of the city.
The city is surrounded by greenery and has several parks. Victory Square is a memorial complex in honor of the heroic soldiers who died during the Great Patriotic War. At the initiative of the public and the district military commissariat, in 1965 it was decided to perpetuate the memory of the residents of Zadonsk and the surrounding area who fell on the fronts of the Great Patriotic War. The obelisk was officially unveiled on May 9, 1966. Exactly one year later, in May 1967, lists of fallen soldiers from Zadonsk were sealed at the foot of the monument, and the "Eternal Flame of Glory" was lit. In 1989, the "Alley of Heroes" was erected in front of the obelisk—steles with bronze bas-reliefs of 15 Heroes of the Soviet Union and six full Cavaliers of the Order of Glory. Steles bearing the names of Zadonsk residents who died during the war were also erected near the obelisk. In September 2005, Victory Square was adorned with another monument – ​​the Mother Monument, erected in honor of the maternal heroism of Zadonsk resident Maria Matveyevna Frolova, who lost eight sons during the Great Patriotic War. In 2021, the square was reconstructed under the "Comfortable Urban Environment" project at a cost of 20 million rubles. The central city park has been a favorite recreation spot for city residents since the 19th century. During the summer, on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, the park hosts recreational evenings. Visitors call it the "sculpture park" because of the sculptures of fairy tale and cartoon characters. The park includes a children's playground, a summer stage, a complex of outdoor exercise equipment, running and walking paths, a parkour area, and a stadium. The city beach is located behind the park. The park includes a children's playground, a summer stage, an outdoor exercise equipment complex, running and walking paths, a parkour area, and a stadium. The city beach is located behind the park. The park also includes the Zadonsk Cinema, built by the Vorobyovsky nobles in the early 20th century (https://mck-elegiya.ru/item/1039088), the Youth Sports School (https://vk.com/public187866295), and the Iceberg Ice Palace (https://aisberg-sport.ru). Severny Park, with a stadium and children's play areas, is located in the northern part of the city.
In 2024, a new recreational space, Teshev Park, was created along the Teshevka River. The city won a competition from the Russian Ministry of Construction. Approximately 120 million rubles were spent on the Teshevka River embankment improvement project. There are cycling and walking routes, art installations titled "Zadonsk – the Capital of Philanthropy," playgrounds for Russian folk games, and a landscape installation called "Rock Garden." The project was developed with input from local residents in mind.

Residents and visitors can enjoy the Zadonsk Cultural and Leisure Center (https://vk.com/dk_zadonsk), the Nikolay Zadonsky Library (https://vk.com/id244533738), and the Yantar Swimming Pool (https://vk.com/public217536750).

Food
Residents of Zadonsk are traditionally called "cucumber farmers"—the very first cucumbers in the Lipetsk region appeared here. Grown on family farms, these cucumbers are renowned far beyond the Lipetsk region. All types of soil in Russia are represented in the Zadonsk District, forming the basis for the agricultural specialization of the villages. The villages of Skornyakovo, Gagarino, Gnilusha, Bolkhovsky, and Mirolyubovka grow potatoes "for sale." Utkino (where the "Cucumber Festival" takes place in July), Verkhniy Kazachye, and Tyunino grow cucumbers and tomatoes. N. Kazachye grows strawberries (where the "Strawberry Festival" takes place every two years in June). Kamenka, Panikovets, Repets, and Kamyshevka grow onions and garlic. Olshanets, Degtevoy, and Stsepnoye grow cabbage. The village of Yuryevo is known for its orchards of apples, pears, and blackcurrants. At the local market, you can buy all the seasonal fruits and vegetables, including wild berries and mushrooms, as well as traditional Russian delicacies such as sauerkraut, pickles, pickled and dried mushrooms, dried medicinal herbs, and much more.

BIRYUK FISH SOUP
The biryuk is a fish native to the upper reaches of the Don River in the Zadonsk region. A legendary story is connected with A.S. Pushkin's journey south through pre-revolutionary Zadonsk. Alexander Sergeevich stayed at the Tagintsev tavern on Yamskaya Street (now Lenin Street) and sampled a previously unknown biryuk fish soup. Nowadays, you can try biryuk fish soup at the wonderful Balmont restaurant https://usadba-nadonu.ru/gastronomiya.

The medieval-style "Zamok Roz" restaurant https://vk.com/castlerose is located right in the city center and delights guests not only with its culinary delights but also with its architectural style and decor.
The "Dorognoye" cafe is the oldest restaurant in the city and can be described in three words: "affordable, well-made, and dignified." The Oasis Café and Hotel will delight visitors with an oriental welcome and generous cuisine https://vk.com/oazis48?erid=Y1jgkD79Vt9MFk5WJoMeSko4TNEL .
In total, there are about 26 establishments operating in the Zadonsk District food service industry http://zadonsk.land/index/kukhnja/0-10 .
Zadonsky Gingerbread. Zadonsky Krai Bakery. The Novozadonskoye Consumer Society has launched its own line of bakery products, including Zadonsky Gingerbread, which has already become a strong competitor to its Tula counterpart https://chr.rbc.ru/chr/freenews/64ef13c49a79472564c0bd74 .
The Zadonskie Ugoshcheniya Museum and Shop features delicacies made in a merchant's house. The wonderful properties of spring water, the gifts of nature, and the local landscape are reflected in our products (marshmallows, pastilles, jam) https://vk.com/z_treats.
Donskoy Standard Sturgeon Farm - https://донской-стант.рф You can take a tour and buy the "royal fish" here.
The "Oil History" project - https://vk.com/oil_bio invites you to the production of cold-pressed sunflower oil, and other oils, preserving all their beneficial properties.
Syrnaya Marka Cheese Factory - https://vk.com/syrnaya_marka Unique artisan cheeses produced far from the city and highways.
Zadonskaya Yagoda - a family-run strawberry farm https://vk.com/klubnika.zadonsk48

Accommodation
Many private houses and apartments are available for rent in Zadonsk and the surrounding area. There are a large number of suburban recreation centers: http://zadonsk.land/index/razmeshhenie/0-9
The Zadonsk Hotel (https://www.zadonsk.su) is located opposite the monastery. The Zadonsk Hotel offers 34 rooms of varying comfort levels and price points. The restaurant's menu features the most popular Russian and European dishes, including meat, poultry, and seafood.
The "Russian Fairytale" guesthouse and museum is designed in a Russian fairytale style. Each room is decorated to evoke a specific fairytale and its characters. A welcoming hostess will welcome you to this wonderful family-run guesthouse. https://yandex.ru/maps/org/gostevoy_dom_muzey_russkaya_skazka/177838934409/reviews/?ll=38.918830%2C5...
A manor house with an arch – stylized rooms in a merchant style https://vk.com/kupech_usadba

How to get there
Zadonsk is located near the M4 (Don) highway, a key transport artery in southern Russia. An alternative (toll-free) section of the Moscow-South highway passes through the city. It is 51 km from the regional capital, Lipetsk. It is 431 km from Moscow, 90 km from Voronezh, and 36 km from Yelets.

By car:
From Moscow, head south along the M4 "DON" highway. Route length: 431 km. Route time: 4 hours 58 minutes.
From Voronezh – 90 km, travel time is approximately 1 hour.
From Lipetsk – 51 km, via the villages of Kashary or Kamyshevka – there are two routes. Travel time is approximately 40-45 minutes.
From Yelets – 36 km, travel time is approximately 30 minutes.

By bus:
Zadonsk can be reached by direct bus from the following cities: Yelets, Lipetsk, Voronezh, Moscow (Moscow-Voronezh route), and Oryol (Oryol-Voronezh route).

By train:
There is no direct train service to Zadonsk. The closest train stations to Zadonsk are Yelets Railway Station, Lipetsk Railway Station, and Voronezh Railway Station. From here, you can arrive by bus or taxi.

Museums
The Zadonsk Museum of Local History introduces us to the distant past of the Upper Don, the history of Zadonsk and its monasteries, traditional peasant life, and remarkable people. https://www.muzeizadonsk.ucoz.net In the summer, you can visit the apothecary Ulrich, who specializes in herbal medicine. Interactive programs and master classes are available. The museum also houses the Yuryevskaya Ceramics pottery workshop. https://vk.com/club145496226 . The Zadonsk district was the center of the pottery industry and was famous in Voronezh, the provincial capital. The exact date of the origin of the pottery in the village of Yuryevo is unknown, but its heyday is noted in the 18th and 19th centuries. https://vk.com/video/@id526119052?z=video-191682668_456239461%2Fpl_526119052_-2 Interactive programs and master classes.

Museum "Once Upon a Time in Zadonye" https://vk.com/kupech_usadba. The "Manor House with an Arch" is a regional cultural heritage site – a 19th-century merchant estate. The House-Museum's exhibits reveal the lives of the Zadonsk district's social classes in the 19th century through everyday traditions, crafts, and holidays. Interactive programs and master classes.
Private project of the "Antresol" Press Museum https://музейпрессы.рф. Serious topics and humorous pieces often coexist here, and hard-hitting journalism complements the collection of rarities.
The Zadonsk Soap Shop and Museum, which also reflects the city's "soap" past, https://vk.com/natur_milo_zadonsk. Interactive programs and workshops.
The Zadonsk Treats Museum and Shop, https://vk.com/z_treats, offers interactive programs and workshops.
The Russian Fantasy Museum of Folk Crafts, https://vk.com/wall-222753408_26, offers a program introducing traditional Russian folk crafts on the following topics: "Pavlovo Posad Shawls"; "Semenovskaya Matryoshka Doll"; "Khokhloma"; "Rostov Enamel"; and "Gus-Khrustalny Porcelain." A wide selection of souvenirs from traditional Russian crafts is also available for purchase. The Galichya Gora Nature Reserve and Museum https://www.museums-48.ru/index.php/muzei/muzej-prirody tells the story of the smallest nature reserve in the world.
Skornyakovo-Arkhangelskoye Estate https://usadba-nadonu.ru In the ancient village of Skornyakovo in the Zadonsky District, stands an estate complex built in the first half of the 19th century. The estate complex is located in a beautiful spot on the banks of the Don River.
Kudykina Gora Family Park https://kudikina-gora.org Forget everything you knew! Kudykina Gora reveals its secrets. Set out with the Mistress of the Mountain's assistant, Kudy-vod, who will lead you along secret paths, help you discover the history and meaning of the Mountain, and share all the secrets of a place where miracles are found at every turn!
"Post Adventures in the Zadonsk Land"
https://www.yandex.ru/video/preview/8833893142933676432. The augmented reality philological guide "Post Adventures in the Zadonsk Land" was developed and created by order of the administration of the Zadonsk Municipal District of the Lipetsk Region. Tourists will be able to complete quest routes in two directions (a small urban route – "Zadonsk, the Capital of Philatourism" and a grand district route – "Zadonsk Around the World") to discover the sights of the Zadonsk District and build their own stamp collection from the "Zadonsk Land" series. There is no time limit for completing the postal quest routes. The route starts at the "Zadonsk Land" Tourist Information Center (TIC) http://zadonsk.land .

Calendar of Events
Various festivals are held in Zadonsk and the surrounding area. By attending the fishing festival "We Stand on the Don, Famous for Our Fish" https://vk.com/dk_zadonsk?z=video-198760720_456243882%2F91e675d69c7524bde5%2Fpl_wall_-194512745 https://vk.com/dk_zadonsk?z=album-194512745_301433471 , which takes place in early February, you can try a wide variety of fish dishes and, of course, a rich, aromatic fish soup made from the Don fish.
In the village of Utkino, the "Cucumber Festival" is held in July, and in the village of Nizhneye Kazachye hosts the "Strawberry Festival" every two years in June. https://rutube.ru/video/a9884484be6937435c0daecdaf4e924a https://lipetskmedia.ru/news/society/53359-_Klubnichka .
Sugar beets are grown and processed in the Zadonsky District, and the oldest sugar factory in the Lipetsk Region operates in the village of Khmelinets. It is here that the annual "Sveklushka-Sakharushka" (Sweet Beet-Sakharushka) tourist festival of the sweet life is held annually in August. https://www.yandex.ru/video/preview/1957173233010097345 https://lipetskmedia.ru/news/society/88256-Odin_dyen_sladkoii_zhizni/ , where you can have a great time and buy the sweetest Khmelinets sugar. The location within the Galichya Gora nature reserve has become an important factor in the development of beekeeping in the village of Donskoye and its surrounding areas. You can buy the best honey in August at the "Golden Bee" honey festival: https://www.yandex.ru/video/preview/9832888615546640160 https://ok.ru/group/60756114342112/topic/154141511400928
The Skornyakovo-Arkhangelskoye estate hosts the folk festivals "Wide Maslenitsa," the "Soviet Legends" festival, "Jazz on the Pond," "Rock Festival," "Air," "Usadba KIDS," and "Russian Noble Hunting" https://usadba-nadonu.ru/tpost/xs5rl9et51-festivali-2024-goda
The events at the Kudykina Gora Family Park: https://kudikina-gora.org are filled with a special atmosphere.
Every year, a big event for all residents of Zadonsk is the city and district's birthday, which is celebrated on the first weekend of September https://vk.com/id531010923?z=video-153075292_456240943%2F521a5c9d9b7f2fce1b%2Fpl_wall_531010923 .
More information at http://zadonsk.land/index/0-2

Useful Links
Zadonskaya Land Tourism Information Center website: http://zadonsk.land
Tourist excursions http://zadonsk.land/index/ehkskursii/0-4
Tourist maps http://zadonsk.land/index/turisticheskie_karty/0-18
Media tourism http://zadonsk.land/index/media_turizm/0-22
Tourist passport of the Zadonsk district http://zadonsk.land/load/turisticheskij_pasport_zadonskogo_municipalnogo_rajona/1-1-0-3
Film "Zadonsk district's 95th anniversary" https://disk.yandex.ru/d/z6kg_VYM1hn6dQ