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Sights of the region

Vacha

At the turn of the XIX and XX centuries, Vacha was known as one of the largest metalwork centers, along with Sheffield in UK or Solingen in Germany — all thanks to widespread appreciation of local knives! The Kazakovo filigree also glorified this area: Rostislav Rostropovich loved it very much; items decorated using this technique were presented to Margaret Thatcher during her visit to the Nizhny Novgorod region. Here, you can see merchant's houses and ancient shrines; you can go horseback riding as well. Here is what else you can do in Vacha.

A FEW FACTS

The First Mention

Vacha was mentioned for the first time back in 1588. «The Inventory Revision Book of the Murom Uyezd» says that there were two wooden churches in Vacha. Based on this record, we can assume that the village had already existed at this location for at least 80 to 100 years by that time.

Starodub Votsky

In the XIV—XVI centuries, there was the town of Starodub Votsky on the site of Gorodishchi settlement (now part of Vacha). It was a fortress built to protect against raids by Tatars and Mordovians. After the capture of Kazan in 1552, the fortress lost its defensive importance and at the same time the village of Vacha arose to the east of the place. Until the beginning of the XVII century, the Vacha patrimony belonged to Ivan Shuisky, the younger brother of Tsar Vasily Shuisky.

The Duck Land

The name of the settlement is most likely connected with the Finno-Ugric word «voch» — that is, a wild duck. The fact is that the valley of the Vachka river is very swampy and has been a real «duck land» since ancient times. There are other settlements in this area, the names of which remind of the languages of the ancient peoples who inhabited the surrounding area — for example, Kurmysh, Vostroma, Meshchera.

The Road to the Fair

The way to the famous Makaryevskaya fair passed through the Vacha; the road was guarded by Cossacks and this is where the name of the village Kazakovo came from. Over the years, Emperor Paul I, publicist Alexander Radishchev and the great poet Alexander Pushkin passed along this road — they all stopped at the Zyablitsky Pogost (now the village of Arefino) to rest and change horses.

Vacha Metal

One of the main crafts of the Vacha district is metalworks. The locals have been engaged in it since ancient times. Metal axes that are more than a thousand years old were found in this area. In the XVIII century, the Vacha craftsmen specialized in the production of hunting rifles that were exported to Persia and other countries.

The Capital of Handicrafts

In the XIX century, each parish of the district was famous for its handicrafts — painted felt boots, furniture, chests and soap were made here; many water and windmills worked. At the beginning of the century, the monopoly on the manufacture of firearms was handed over to Tula, and then the Vacha artisans switched to the manufacture of cutlery, which became famous throughout the country.

WHAT TO DO IN THE CITY

Visit the local history museum

The most obvious place to start exploring the area is the Museum of Local History. It is quite compact in Vacha. During the tour, you will see artifacts from ancient digs, learn about the contribution of enterprising Kondratov manufacturers and about what the writer Vladimir Korolenko did here; you will take a look at ancient knives and folk crafts.

Learn about the history of Kondratov industrialists

Along with the Kazakovo filigree, knife craft is proudly acclaimed in Vacha — and not without the reason! Local knives have been famous for a long time, and in the XIX century, Vacha became one of the main metalwork centers of Russia. A peasant serf Dmitry Kondratov who became a manufacturer played a huge role in this: his products were even awarded with a gold medal at the World Exhibition in Paris! Kondratov’s factory and several houses have been preserved. Nowadays, a cultural center, a police museum and an art school are located on these premises where you can see various historical artifacts.

Visit the «Zemstvo School»

The Zemstvo School Cultural and Craft Center is located in a pretty wooden house that previously belonged to the Kondratovs. You will definitely be surprised by the size of its windows with architraves! Exhibitions are held here; you can learn about the industrial history of Vacha and participate in creative workshops.

Buy local knives and axes

The business of the manufacturers has been preserved: the Trud-Vacha factory still produces and decorates manually forged tools — knives, axes, and sledgehammers. Take a tour and, if you are lucky, you can see the forging stage (this is very impressive!), the exhibition products and even buy a couple of knives; they are very affordable here.

Learn the peculiarities of the Kazakovo filigree

Knives are more practical items (although there are real works of art among them), but the products of Kazakovo filigree are beauty in its purest form. The manufacturing was established in the village of Kazakovo near Vacha in 1939. You can see how this craft has developed over almost a century at the Kazakovo Artistic Ware Enterprise, which has a museum and a souvenir shop — a must-visit!

See the local old mansions

In the Chulkovo settlement that is located on the high bank of the Oka river, the trunk-making business was actively developing In the XIX century. The merchant Nikolai Tulupov was considered the most famous manufacturer — he set up workshops here and was the first to armor trunks and chests with iron and tin. On the Naberezhnaya street, the merchant's wooden mansion with a tower and carvings has been preserved. Another house belonged to the Zhestkov merchants is located not far from Tulupov’s mansion. It is decorated with a corner porch with a tent-roofed tower and a balcony.

Visit the shrines

For a family vacation, it would be great to visit the equestrian center «Dachny Manege». There you can learn how to ride a horse or arrange a photo shoot with horses, as well as check into a guest house, look at a donkey and alpacas and relax in a barrel bath.

Visit the sacred spring

There are many springs in Vacha, but the spring named in honor of the Tikhvin Mother of God is considered one of the most famous and revered since the middle of the XVIII century. There is a small chapel with a well — just do not forget to protect yourself from mosquitoes, you are still in the open!

WHERE TO GO AND WHAT TO SEE

Vacha Museum of Local History

Vacha village, 13 Sovetskaya str.

The permanent exhibition of the museum contains artifacts from digs dating back to the first millennium BC, Kondratov’s knives, and models of local churches for those interested in temple architecture.

Police Museum

Vacha village, 19 Sportivnaya str.

The former Kondratov factory owners' house, built in the 1860s, now hosts an exposition dedicated to the work of the police in different eras. For example, you can see uniforms, weapons, documents and money from the pre-revolutionary period, as well as knives and sapper blades made by Vacha factory during the Soviet era.

Children's Art School

Vacha village, 19 Sovetskaya str.

One of the houses formerly owned by Kondratov industrialists, nowadays hosts an art school. There, you can see various historical artifacts, for example, an ancient porch or a wooden staircase.

Vasily Kondratov's House

Vacha village, 21 Sportivnaya str.

One of the houses that were owned by the knife manufacturers Kondratovs was built in 1889. Now the mansion is not occupied, but there are plans to establish a hotel compound here.

Kondratovs’ Zemstvo School

Vacha village, 5 Sovetsky lane

The cultural and craft center in the Kondratov’s factory building, where exhibitions are held. Here, you can learn about the industrial history of Vacha and take part in creative workshops, for example, you can learn how to create jewelry using the Kazakovo filigree technique.

Trud Vacha Trading House

Vacha village, 18 Bolnichnaya str.

The leading industrial enterprise in the area that is functional for almost two centuries, since the founding by the Kondratov brothers. During a tour at the factory, you can visit the workshops where cutlery is manually made; you can visit a small exhibition with products and even buy some of them as a souvenir.

Kazakov Artistic Ware Enterprise

Kazakovo settlement, 1 Zavodskaya str.

The items decorated using the technique of Kazakovo filigree are created here. The production of metal «lace» was established in 1939. There is a museum at the factory where you can see thousands of items — jewelry, caskets, paintings and tableware — each exhibit was created by craftsmen manually.

Monument to the cup holder

Kazakovo settlement, 1 Zavodskaya str.

At the entrance to the Kazakovo Filigree, there is an unordinary monument dedicated to the most famous item created using this unique technique.

Church of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker

Kazakovo settlement, 2A Zavodskaya str.

It is being said that the functional church was built by the famous French architect Auguste Montferrand.

The house of Zhestkov merchants

Chulkovo settlement, 63 Kolkhoznaya str.

Built in the 1880s, this elegant mansion belonged to the Zhestkov merchants; it stands out with a corner porch decorated with a large tent tower. Now there are a library and the «Russian Gornitsa» museum, where you can see exhibits of peasant life and the history of the village.

Candlemas Church

Chulkovo settlement, 4 Tsentralnaya str.

The restored five-domed church in the Russian style was erected on the initiative of local merchants, the Tulupovs, at the end of the XIX century.

The house of the Tulupov merchants

Chulkovo settlement, 24 Naberezhnaya str.

A three-storey wooden house built by Tulupovs, local merchants and trunk-makers. The house is decorated with a beautiful tower and magnificent carvings.

The Dachny Manege center

Chulkovo settlement, 1B Sadovaya str.

A contemporary equestrian complex with guest houses, where horse riding training, stable tours and photo shoots with pets are conducted; besides horses, you can see alpacas and donkeys.

Trinity Church

Arefino settlement, 30 Pestryakova str.

Built at the beginning of the XVIII century, the church is considered one of the main religious buildings in the Vacha district. Inside the church, there is an ornate iconostasis and murals on the walls; the domes are decorated with exceptional carved crosses.

Church of the Life-Giving Trinity

Yakovtsevo settlement, 42 Sovetskaya str.

Built in the 1820s on the site of a wooden one, the Yakovtsevo Church functioned until the beginning of the revolution, and then it was closed. Now the church is being restored, and its proximity offers a beautiful view of the Vacha landscapes.

The Temple in Honor of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God

Novoselki settlement, 1 Tolstogo str.

A functional stone-made church of the early XIX century, now restored. Its architecture shows the influence of early classicism.

Trinity Church

Krasno settlement

The majestic, now abandoned, Russian-Byzantine-style church is located on the territory that once belonged to the famous Prince Lev Golitsyn.

Spring in Honor of the Tikhvin Mother of God

Yepifanovo settlement

A small wooden chapel with a spring near the village of Yepifanovo. The water in the spring has been considered healing since the middle of the XVIII century.

Where to eat

Kolizey Cafe

45A Lenina str., Vacha

How to get there

By car

Heading along M-12 highway through Murom, take the exit to 22K-0125 highway and pass through Novoselki before arriving in Vacha. The distance is 370km.

Travel time

~ 3,5 hours

By train

Go to Nizhny Novgorod by Lastochka high-speed train, then make a transfer to the bus «Nizhny Novgorod-Vacha» at the Shcherbinki bus station.

Travel time

~ 7 hours

Cost

₽2400

By car

Leaving Nizhny Novgorod, take the highway 22K-0125 and pass through Doskino, Bogorodsk, and Pavlovo. The distance to Vacha is 113km.

Travel time

~ 2 hours

By bus

To get to Vacha by bus, reach the Shcherbinki bus station; buses start from there to the bus station in Vacha.

Travel time

2,5 hours

Departure time

09:35, 16:00

Cost

₽400