Village Zaozerye

A Brief History
Ancient Roots and Literary Connections The first documented mention of Zaozerye dates back to 1483, in a charter issued by Prince Mikhail Borisovich of Tver. It described the boundaries of land to be given to the Trinity-Kalyazin Monastery and mentioned a road to Zaozerye. The settlement presumably received its name from a small glacial lake located to the east of the village of Terpenka. In the 17th and 18th centuries, Zaozerye was owned by noble families, including the Volkonskys, Odoevskys, and Khvorostinins. In the 1830s, the estate was acquired by the Saltykov family. The prominent Russian satirist Mikhail Evgrafovich Saltykov-Shchedrin spent his childhood here (1832–1836) and later returned in 1860, 1861, and 1866. The village appears in his famous work "Poshekhonskaya Starina" under the fictitious name "Zabolotye." The writer adopted the pseudonym "Shchedrin" from the surname of a local resident, Pavel Shchedrin.

Golden Age and Decline: In the second half of the 19th and early 20th centuries, Zaozerye became a major trading center of the Yaroslavl region. The population reached 2,500. Fairs were regularly held in the main square, and there were about 50 shops and stores, two churches, and four schools. At the turn of the century, the village was close to achieving city status. During the Soviet era (1920s–1930s), the Church of the Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary (only the bell tower partially survived) was destroyed, and the Kazan Church began to be used by a collective farm (the farm's forge). A critical moment came in 2006, when the local collective farm went bankrupt, and the historic buildings, including the "House with Pikes," began to deteriorate. A Modern Revival Since 2017, the village has been experiencing a revival thanks to the initiatives of local history teacher Alena Petukhova. She purchased and is restoring the 160-year-old "House with Pike" to open a boutique hotel. In December 2021, Zaozerye was awarded the title of "Most Beautiful Village in Russia" and joined the relevant Association, attracting national attention. In 2025, Zaozerye received the status of a historical settlement of regional significance.

Attractions
Zaozerye has preserved its historical architecture, including merchant houses, wooden houses with window frames, and churches. The village boasts seven unique historical architectural monuments, including:

The House with Pike is the main tourist and cultural symbol of modern Zaozerye. This is an old merchant's mansion in the Russian Art Nouveau style, built in 1860 for the merchant Ustinya Raskova (Roskova), who was a bagel maker. The house got its name from the water drains on the veranda, shaped like tin pikes, created by local craftsman Nikolai Borodulin in the 1970s. While the building is being restored, it can be visited on a tour.

The Kazan Church is the symbol of Zaozerye, the oldest stone building in the village (1730), with a bell tower (1812–1813) and a refectory (1860–1865). It forms the central feature of the historic square and is visible from afar.

The bell tower of the Church of the Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary is an architectural landmark (1837), partially surviving after the church itself was destroyed in the 1920s and 1930s.

Historic Buildings: About 20 pre-revolutionary merchant buildings remain, including the Orekhov merchant house and the buildings of the Popovskaya Sloboda. All 15 village streets retain their historical names, such as Volkhonka, Kuznechnaya, and Butyrskie, which are reminiscent of Moscow toponyms.

Zaozerye is located on hilly terrain, creating picturesque landscapes with varying elevations.

Water Features: The picturesque Ustya River flows through the village, a major natural attraction. The village's name is associated with the small glacial lake Terpenskoye.

Flora and Seasons: Coniferous and broadleaf forests (birch, oak, and maple) predominate in the surrounding area. Autumn in Zaozerye is described as exceptionally picturesque, with landscapes reminiscent of V.E. Borisov-Musatov's painting "Autumn Landscape." At this time of year, the air is filled with the scent of apples and rowan berries.

Outdoor Activities: The village is ideal for leisurely strolls along the historic streets and the Ustya River. The ecological purity of the place is emphasized by the opportunity to greet the morning with birdsong and see the stars at night.

Food
Local cuisine is based on old Russian and merchant traditions, as well as fish dishes.

Fish Cuisine: The Ustya River has historically served as a source of valuable fish such as pike, pike perch, and catfish. These fish are used to make fish soup, jellied meat, fish cakes, and casseroles.

Baked Goods: Zaozerye was famous for its baranki (roasted bagels), a traditional baked good. Ustinya Raskova, the owner of the "House with Pike," was a baranki maker.

Traditional Recipes: These include vegetable and grain soups, porridges, pancakes, pies, as well as traditional dishes such as kurnik (a stewed chicken soup), kissel (a fermented pudding), and kvass (a drink made from kurnik). Drinks and seasonal treats: You can try traditional Russian drinks (kvass and kisel) and herbal tea (including at the museum). In the fall, seasonal specialties such as jam, honey, apple and rowan berry compotes, and pies with seasonal fillings are available.

The village of Zaozerye is experiencing a severe shortage of catering establishments; as of 2025, there are no full-fledged restaurants or cafes.

Current Facilities: Two grocery stores are located in the central square, where you can purchase basic groceries for self-catering. Bringing your own groceries is recommended.

Local Products: Local residents produce products such as milk, meat, sour cream, cottage cheese, and honey, which they can sell to visitors as organic products.

Special Experience: At the Zaozerye Lighthouses Museum of Merchant Entrepreneurship, you can try herbal teas reinterpreted in the 19th century as part of the museum experience.

Development Plans: The possibility of opening cafes and bars is currently under discussion. Alena Petukhova dreams of opening establishments with unique names, such as "Kartuz" or "Zaozersky Tselovalnik." A mini-bakery and hotel are also planned for the near future in the house of the merchant Orekhov. The "Tropy Zalesya" association is actively reviving tourist trails that follow old transport routes.

Accommodation
Accommodation options in Zaozerye are currently extremely limited.

The only available option is accommodation in local residents' homes, which requires advance booking and approval (contact information can be obtained through the organizers of museum projects).

Future project: The boutique hotel "Dom so Shkum" (1 Revolyutsionnaya Street) is the main project to address the tourist accommodation problem. After restoration is completed (expected by 2030), the mansion is planned to have only six rooms. The most expensive room will have a balcony and a view of the church.

Getting there
• From Moscow, there are daily buses from the Severnye Vorota train station (Khovrino metro station);
• By car, take the highway from Moscow via Sergiev Posad – Nagorye. A map with the marked driving route from Moscow is available at: https://yandex.ru/maps/-/CDaPrKIQ

Museums
The Zaozersky Lighthouses Museum of Merchant Entrepreneurship opened in 2017 at the initiative of Alena Petukhova, Marina Korvyakova, and Tatyana Volkova. The museum is dedicated to "mayak" (lighthouses) – small merchants and resellers who bought goods using their own slang (for example, 20 kopecks – "ekimary"). The exhibition (temporarily closed for renovations and relocation in 2025–2026) includes reconstructions of a merchant's daily life and a "mayak," as well as a teahouse.

The "Unread Letters Museum" project is based on the discovery of 500 letters from 1928–1929 in the attic of a post office. The project received a grant, and the museum is planned to open in time for the centennial of the letters (2028–2029).

The "Blacksmith Museum" project is in development and is planned for construction on Kuznechnaya Street by local historian Sergei Antipaev.

Events Calendar
Children's Festival "Friendship" (annually from late June to late July)
Zaozerye Village Day (annually from late June to late July)

Useful Links and Information
• Zaozersky Rural Library https://vk.com/bibliotekazao
• Zaozersky Community Center https://vk.com/club156926778
• Zaozersky Secondary Comprehensive School https://vk.com/zaozerskayaschool

The village has:
• 2 general merchandise stores;
• First Aid Station (paramedic and nurse);
• post office (Russian Post);
• Sberbank branch;
• village library;
• community center;
• working church;
• workout area;
• museum of merchant enterprise;
• fire station;
• school;
• children's playground;
• OZON goods pick-up point;