Verkhoturye-"Gates to Siberia"

The town of Verkhoturye is located in 306 kilometers from Ekaterinburg on the bank of the River Tours. This is the largest spiritual center of the Ural, famous for its architectural ensembles. The town was founded in 1598 during the state expedition by Vasiliy Golovin and Ivan Voyeykov. At first, it was a stockaded town, built on the site of ancient settlement of Mansi people. Verkhoturye became an important administrative and customs post on a new path “Babinovska”, linking the European part of Russia with Siberia and protecting the most important waterways. Building of other roads was prohibited. In the town a custom house was established and later, in XVII century, state post service appeared. That is why Verkhoturye is often called “Gates to Siberia”.

Holy Trinity Cathedral

According to the town status, construction began on the Kremlin in 1598. The initial plan provided that the Kremlin supposed to be built with wood, but in 1699 Tsar Peter the Great ordered to build it with stone. The Kremlin was erected on a rock. Kremlin includes the Holy Trinity Cathedral (1703—1712), the provincial houses, barns, public institutions. By decision of UNESCO Holy Trinity Cathedral has become an outstanding architectural monument of peace. The most important buildings are five-domed Holy Trinity Cathedral with a many-tier bell tower (1703-04) and the Savior-Resurrection Church (1786). On the square the grand eight-domed Cathedral of Exaltation of the Holy Cross of St. Nicolas monastery (1905-1913) with the north side-chapel of Saint Simeon was erected. Uspenskaya Church with a bell tower is situated near the cemetery on the eastern part of Verkhoturye. In XIXth century most of the buildings were made on wood. Only few stone houses were build on the square near the Holy Trinity Cathedral. These are a Governor of province house and a Governor’s office, a salesmen office, state warehouses (XVIII century) and a prison. Only few of them are left intact. Other places of interest include the hospital building and the Ushkov estate (XVIII-XIX century). The wooden Noble Guest House was built on the order of Gregory Rasputin in 1916. It’s situated near the west side of the wall of Nicolas monastery. Later it was turned to a regional museum.

Being the oldest Russian settlement in east of the Ural, Verkhoturye is considered to be one of the centers of Russian Orthodox Christianity. With the beginning of the industrial development of the Ural in the XVIIIth century, Verkhoturye became the spiritual center of the Ural though placed rather far from main ways.

Merkushino Village

Near the village Merkushino lived the holy monk Simeon. Born of a noble family in the early XVIIth century, Simeon abandoned his life of ease for a life of self-denial and charity to the needy in the village of Merkushino. He learnt the skills of a tailor and would repair the clothes of the peasants in return for food and shelter. Most at home in the solitude of the forests of Perm, St. Simon was a keen angler in the waters of the Tula River sharing his catch with all.

He died around 1642. By tradition, 50 years after his death, the coffin with Simeon’s remains was excavated and the next spring in this place scored the miracle source. Then came thousands of pilgrims and followed one another to remarkable healing. The relics of monk Simeon in 1704 were transferred to the monastery of St. Nicholas which became a place of worship for pilgrims throughout Russia. They are confident that the relics of monk Simeon have power to cure physical and mental illnesses.

The image of Simeon became a guiding light in the life of Gregory Rasputin, the spiritual mentor to the family of the Tsar Nicholas the IInd. In the monastery of St. Nicholas Rasputin spent two years, learning to read and write and had the first spiritual experience. In the commemoration of 300th anniversary of the Romanov, the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, which is the third largest cross in Russia, was erected in the monastery.

The so-called “Poklonny Cross” (Bowing cross) was built in memory of the holy monk Simeon. Down by the river Tura there is a nunnery (female monastery) that was established in 1621. The oldest temple monastery is Pokrovskaya Church. The main shrine is an icon of the Lady “Umilenie” (Affection).

Near the village of Kostilevo, one may see the Bogorodsky spring and a waterfall. Some believe that these are the tears of the Mother of God.

The first Russian bicycle with pedals and a handle bar was designed and created in Verkhoturye by the serf blacksmith Efim Artamonov. The bicycle became of the exhibit of the Tsar’s collection. Copy of the first bicycle may be seen in the regional museum of Nizhny Tagil.

How to get to Verkhoturye:

By train: train №№ 627 and 645 to “Verkhoturye” station. There is also "Perm-Pryobye" train that goes to Verkhoturye. Approximate time: seven hours.
By suburban train: suburban train to “Privokzalny” station from the Ekaterinburg railway station.
By car: Serovsky highway (300 km from Ekaterinburg to Verkhoturye) till you see the road sign “Verkhoturye” (Верхотурье).
By bus: bus №601 goes daily to Verkhoturye. Schedule: 13:37; 16:12; 19:22 (local time). Approximate time: five and the half hours.

Content www.Ekaterinburg.com

Photos: Andrey Basov @ E1.RU Damas @ E1.RU