Each of us knows that there are a huge number of estates in Russia. Many of them are abandoned, but do not forget that each of them has a centuries-old history. If you are fond of history and mysticism, love extreme and terrible places, then a trip to the abandoned estates of the Leningrad region will charge you with this energy.
During the day of our trip we will visit several estates, which, although unsecured, but have a certain value and significance in history. We will visit Gostylitsy, Lopukhinka Manor, Koporskaya Fortress and Demidovs' Manor. It's worth dressing in comfortable clothes and bringing food with you.
The first stop of our journey is the ruins of the church of St. Nicholas, located in the village of Russkoe-Vysotskoye. Construction of the temple began in the second half of the XVIII century by decree of the favorite of Empress Catherine II Gregory Orlov. According to local residents, in Soviet times the temple was repeatedly tried to blow up, but nobody managed to do that, and its ancient walls, even if in semi-destroyed condition, have been preserved to this day. Today the church is a place of attraction for photographers and amateurs of the ancient times, and services are held in the chapel located nearby.
Hotels are a popular estate, one of the first to have electricity. This is the place where all the light of St. Petersburg flocked to the balls. In spite of the fact that now there are only ruins here, the history and atmosphere of this place attracts many people.
The history of the manor begins in the XVIII century, passing from hand to hand to different owners. In the 1830s the manor was rented by the famous Russian navigator Bellingshausen, who soon organized here one of the best water treatment facilities of that time. This place also attracts attention by the fact that Lopukha Radon Lake, which is a hydro-geological natural monument, is located nearby. Let's take a walk around the territory, look at what's left of the manor and go down to the lake.
We'll go to the store to buy food for the road, and take a break before the next place.
We will visit the ancient fortress of Koporje, a medieval defensive complex built in 1237 by the Knights of the Livonian Order. It is a place imbued with centuries-old history, offering stunning views around. During the excursion we will be able to see such parts of the ensemble as: fortress walls, towers, bridge, Church of the Transfiguration of the Lord and many other components, as well as learn about the history and interesting facts of this place. * Due to the epidemiological situation, visiting the fortress is limited, but this will not prevent us from assessing the scale of the ancient structure while walking around.
Another interesting estate, built during the reign of Peter the Great. In the 1770s, the territory was taken over by the miner A. Vasilyevich. G. Demidov. With him there was built a large mansion with a park area. Nowadays the most part of the manor is not preserved, and the territory is fenced for restoration. However, this does not prevent us from seeing the building from afar and walking along the territory that has its own stories and secrets.
For dinner we will stop by the restaurant "Nordic", which is popular for its gastronomic delights of northern countries. In addition to the tastiest dishes, we will have a stylish interior and friendly staff.