ZADONSK: DON'T DRIVE PAST INTERESTING PLACES!

We drove south and from the south by car many times and, passing through the Lipetsk region, saw a city with very beautiful church domes, not inferior to those in Sergiev Posad, for example. And so it happened this summer: it was 35 degrees hot, but we had a plan, and we followed it.

Zadonsk is located just a 5-hour drive from Moscow. Zadonsk turned out to be a truly picturesque city on the Don, a city with centuries-old traditions and a glorious history. Founded in 1301, it has not only survived epochs, but has also become an integral part of Russia's cultural heritage.

Once an important trading and defensive point, Zadonsk played a key role in protecting the southern borders. Its fortress walls, built in the XIV century, became a reliable barrier for enemies. Today, Zadonsk is a city where history is felt in every corner.

We made our first stop at the main attraction of the city - the Holy Dormition Zadonsky Monastery. This monastery houses the miraculous icon of the Zadonsky Assumption Monastery - the image of the Mother of God, called “Zadonskaya” - an icon with a rich history and miracles.

The story of her appearance in the monastery is shrouded in legends. It is believed that the icon was found in 1682 on the site of the future monastery. It was damaged, but after prayer and purification it showed its miraculous properties.

I must say that only during our short visit to the monastery, despite the heat and the weekday, the monastery was visited by 3 large tourist groups.

After visiting this monastery, we could not walk because of the heat and traveled around the area a little. It turned out that around onthere are many other ancient churches and manors. We went to one of the churches, but there was no time for a long walk, because we had a long way to go home.

Our next stop was the monument to Matrona Ivanovna Filippova, a woman who gave birth and raised 13 children, many of whom died in the Great Patriotic War. She bowed her head and grieved for her lost children. This monument is a symbol of all mothers with many children who raise their children with love and dedication and make this world a better place.

Further on the map there was another interesting place outside of Zadonsk. After some doubts, we decided to go there, and we were not mistaken. The entire parking lot was full on a weekday, many people came here on purpose. Kudykina Gora: a legendary place near Zadonsk. This is not just a hill, but a place shrouded in legends and myths. It is believed that Kudykina, a powerful sorceress who possessed extraordinary power, lived here.

Now a large building has been built on Kudykina Mountain – a restaurant – cafe. There was a fair with farm products nearby in the summer.

There is an entertainment center on the mountain, where various programs take place. There is also a big Snake Gorynych, who had folk songs sung at the time of our visit. A link to one of the videos is here. There are slides nearby, which are probably used for their intended purpose in winter, and glamping a little further away. In general, the place is very interesting. If I had the opportunity, I would have spent the whole day there, butOh, I hope to return there in the future. Spending a couple of days in a nearby glamping and coming here for events seems like a tempting idea.

In general, not only Zadonsk is interesting, but also its surroundings. So you will be in those places – do not drive by, or go there on purpose, this city is worth it!