Veliky Ustyug - Culture and Recreation

Culture and Recreation

Veliky Ustyug preserves much of its past architectural heritage and has one of the best preserved architectural ensembles in Russia. The town contains 152 objects classified as cultural and historical heritage by the Russian Federal law, and additionally 25 objects classified as cultural and historical heritage of local importance. The town of Veliky Ustyug is classified as a historical town by the Ministry of Culture of Russian Federation, which implies certain restrictions on construction in the historical center.

Most of the architectural monuments are located on the left bank of the Sukhona, and many of these are the living houses. The exceptions are Troitsko-Gledensky monastery and the Dymkovo Sloboda, both located on the right bank of the Sukhona. Troitsko-Gledensky Monastery is located in the village of Morozovitsa, in Velikoustyugsky District.

The principal architectural ensembles of Veliky Ustyg are

• The old Sobornoye Dvorishche (Cathedral Square), with the ensemble of Assumption Cathedral (1619—1659), the St. Prokopius Cathedral (1668, Prokopius is the local saint who lived in Ustyug), the Cathedral of St. John the Righteous (1656—1663), and the Epiphany Church (1689)
• Mikhaylo-Arkhangelsky Monastery with the Cathedral of Archangel Michael (1653—1656), the Presentation Church (1653), the Gate Church of St. Vladimir (1682), and the Church of Mid-Pentacost (1710), the wall with towers and the cells
• Former Transfiguration monastery: The Transfiguration Church, the Presentation Church (1725—1739), and the St. George Church (1696—1704)
• The St. Nicholas Church with the bell-tower (17th century)
• The Ascension Church (1648)
• The Church of Women Bearing Myrrh (1714—1722)
• The Church of St. Simeon the Stylite (18th century)

The monuments of civil architecture are mostly concentrated along the Sukkhona, along Sovetsky Avenue and along Krasnaya Street.

Some of these buildings belong to Velikoustyugsky Museum of History, Art, and Architecture. The museum was open in 1909 in the premises of Mikhaylo-Arkhangelsky Monastery. In 1918 it was transformed into the Museum of the Northern Dvina Culture. Between 1924 and 1938 the museum director was Nikolay Bekryashev, an artist, who devoted his energy to extending the museum to the old buildings, mostly churches, of the town, which thus were saved from destruction. In particular, a big collection of icons and objects of applied arts survived. Despite the efforts of Bekryashev and other museum employees, some of the buildings were destroyed by the authorities. The museum currently serves as a umbrella institution which organizes permanent and temporary exhibits in the former church buildings.

Since the 1990s, Veliky Ustyug was marketed as the residence of Ded Moroz, a fictitional character somewhat similar to Santa Claus. In 1998, Moscow Mayor Yury Luzhkov proposed to officially locate the residence of Ded Moroz in Veliky Ustyug. The residence, which is a resort promoted as the Votchina (Russian: Вотчина, Estate), of Ded Moroz, is a major tourist attraction. It is actually located 16 km from the town, on the premises of Velikoustyugsky District. There is a dedicated post office there which answers children's mail to Ded Moroz and has already answered more than 1.2 million letters.