In the Yaroslavl region, Lake Nero is the largest in area and, at the same time, almost the smallest. His worldwide fame awaits him ahead, when archaeologists make their way through the layers of sapropel and extract unique historical artifacts from oblivion. In the meantime, Nero is a living landmark of Rostov and an important part of the life of all its inhabitants.

Location or how to get there

Lake Nero adorns the southwestern part of the Yaroslavl region. On its eastern bank are Rostov and the villages of Pesochnoye and Lviv.

On the same side runs the Yaroslavskoye Highway, connecting Rostov with Moscow. The highway between them is 220 km or about 3 hours by car. You can also get to Rostov by bus and train, and from the train stations to the lake you can use public transport. On the western bank of the Nero there are the villages of Vorzha, Ugodichi, Borisovskoye, Seltso and a little further away Sulost. The P-152 highway runs here, leading from Rostov to Ivanovo and Nizhny Novgorod. On the southern side of the reservoir is the large village of Poreche-Rybnoye. It is crossed by the Sara River, which flows into Lake Nero. There are no settlements on the northern coast. In those places, the Vyoksa River flows out of Nero.

Description

Lake Nero, having a length of 13 km, a width of 8 km, and the surface of the water surface is approximately 52 square meters. km, in area it is the largest in the region. Only Pleshcheyevo can argue with him. Its surface area is about 51 sq. km. But Nero let us down with depth. As studies have shown, once there were 25-35 meters to its bottom, but now so much sapropel has accumulated in the lake that the maximum depth does not exceed 4 meters, and the minimum is measured in centimeters. The average value was calculated and it was 1.3 meters in total. The shores of the lake, especially in the southern part and in the area of ​​the Ishnya River, are indented by deep bays of different sizes and configurations. The largest are Varus, Bateevo, Klyuchi, Makarikha. There are several islands on the water surface of the reservoir. The largest are Gorodskoy, or Rozhdestvensky, located opposite Rostov, and Lesnoy, or Lvovsky, rising out of the water approximately in the middle between the villages of Lviv and Pesochnoe. There are about a dozen other small islands without names. 17 rivers and streams flow into Nero. The largest, besides the aforementioned Sarah, are Kuchebesh, Ishnya, Sula, Varus, Mazikha. The reservoir freezes in November and opens again in April.

Flora and fauna

Lake Nero (Yaroslavl region) is distinguished by low-lying shores covered with aquatic vegetation. Cattails and reeds predominate; there are many willows on the southern outskirts. From a naturalistic point of view, it is the southern shore of the lake that is most attractive, or more precisely, the area around the mouth of the Sary. Along this river there are many grassy swamps in which lapwings, snipes, mallards, teals, terns, gulls, and warblers nest or simply fly in to feed. Beaver houses can be seen near the mouth. And in the thick reeds live herons, grebes, bitterns, and nightingale crickets. No one has seen large game in the area of ​​the island for a long time, unless a hare rushes between the bushes. But once upon a time one could meet deer, wild boars, wolves, foxes and even bears here. Nero's water world is not particularly rich in diversity. Only a few species of fish live here, for example, bream, pike, roach, ide, pike-perch, perch, rudd, and ruff. Lake Nero is a flowing lake, but somehow manages to be overgrown with “tarnava” algae. This makes the water in the reservoir unsuitable for drinking.

Sapropel - trouble and blessing

In general, sapropel (mud formed at the bottom of reservoirs from the remains of dead plants and animals) is a good thing. It is used in medicine for baths, applications, in agriculture as a fertilizer, in animal husbandry as a vitamin supplement. It was this natural viscous gold that filled Lake Nero by 20 (according to some sources, by 40) meters. The depth of the reservoir is so shallow because the bulk of its volume is occupied by this same sapropel. The problem has long been a headache for local officials, who have many times decided to pump out the mud from the lake. But so far only private entrepreneurs are doing this, selling dried sapropel to everyone. There are many of them, because this mud contains a lot of useful substances, microelements, humus, and organic matter. By fertilizing their gardens with it, people get excellent harvests. But, according to experts, Lake Nero is dying, and it is sapropel that is killing it. Now almost 80% of the reservoir has a depth of up to 2 meters, and siltation is increasing every year. To prevent the lake from becoming a swamp, it is necessary to begin removing sapropel now in order to lower its level and regulate water exchange.

Excursion into history

Lake Nero (Yaroslavl region), according to numerous sources, was born 500 thousand years ago. This happened during the Ice Age. At that time, the area of ​​the reservoir was enormous - 750 square meters. km. Years passed. The glacier either retreated or advanced again, changing everything that fell under it. Nero's outline also changed. The lake took on its current appearance approximately 5-6 thousand years ago. At the same time, the first people settled here, which was confirmed by archaeological excavations. These were the Meryan tribes, who gave names to many rivers and, as many etymologists believe, to the lake itself. In Finno-Ugric "nero" is a swampy place. It turns out that even then the reservoir was full of sapropel. Interestingly, in Greek “nero”, only with an emphasis on “o”, is water. Amazing coincidence.

Legends

There are many interesting legends about Lake Nero. One of them is closely intertwined with science and may well turn out to be true. It talks about the mysterious Kitezh, which hid under water to avoid the Tatar-Mongol conquest. Romantics believe that in certain weather, those with a pure soul can see Kitezh and its still living inhabitants, because the city did not sink, but moved to another dimension. Actually, in official circles, Kitezh is given a place in another lake - Svetloyar. But there are also some artifacts about Nero.

The first mention of Rostov is in the “Tales of Bygone Years”, and it dates back to the year 862. The chronicle says that Rostov was owned by the Rurikovichs, and inhabited by the Meryans. However, archaeological excavations tell a different story. Thus, the oldest large Meryan settlement in this region is the Sarskoye settlement, built in the 7th century. It was located on the Sarah River. Rostov was the central princely fiefdom and (according to some experts) existed already in the 8th century, that is, much earlier than indicated in the “Tale”, it was quite developed and equipped. But there is no archaeological evidence of this. So a hypothesis arose - was it not ancient Rostov that went under water when Lake Nero, for reasons that have not yet been clarified, suddenly increased in size? There is no answer yet, but many people believe in treasures of gold and silver at the bottom of the reservoir.

Relaxation on the water

Lake Nero is not only a mysterious past. Holidays here are much more interesting than dreams of unprecedented treasures. On the shore of the reservoir stands Rostov with more than 30 thousand people. The townspeople love their lake and enjoy spending their free time on the beautiful embankment or in the park located right next to the reservoir. Those interested can take advantage of the offers of many companies and take boat trips on Lake Nero. Basically, these are small ships that can accommodate up to 30 tourists. According to the latest data, the pleasure of riding on the lake costs 300 rubles per person. In the villages, local residents also engage in tourist transportation, that is, they take nature lovers around the lake on their motor boats. This business flourishes most of all in Ugodichi. Lake transportation has long been a priority there. There is especially a lot of boating on holidays. Even entire small flotillas are organized.

Entertainment on the shore

Cycling enthusiasts will undoubtedly be interested to know that there is a cycling route around Lake Nero, leading through all the nearby villages.

There are many beautiful places, especially on the eastern shore, where you can set up a tent camp and have a wonderful time. A small nuance - you need to take water supplies with you. The rest of the holiday is great.

For those who like to relax in comfort, there are tourist centers and guest houses on the banks of the reservoir: “Yaroslavna”, “Nero”, “Khors” and many others. It provides rooms with all amenities and a full range of services.

Only Lake Nero is not very suitable for swimming. There is a beach here. You can find it not far from the Kremlin. But it is unkempt and not equipped. Local residents do not swim here, they only sunbathe, pouring bottles of water on themselves. Only children and the most desperate tourists splash in the lake, replete with algae.

Fishing and hunting

Fishing on Lake Nero is good in winter and summer. There are a lot of fish here. In summer, most fishermen are on the eastern side. There, in the reed thickets, pike bite well. But they fish throughout the entire reservoir from a boat or from the shore. In winter, the best bite is at the mouth of the Sarah. They get there from Yakovlev along a path marked by the feet of fishermen on the ice. They catch it with a spinner or jig. Fish may migrate, but avid fishermen somehow determine where and when they will be abundant. That's where the holes are made. Perch, roach, pike, and less commonly pike perch and bream bite.

Hunting on the lake is not as popular as fishing. Hunters say it used to be possible to harvest a lot of duck, goose and other waterfowl. Now, due to the improvement of the shores, there is much less game in many areas of the lake.

​The largest lake in terms of water surface area (51.7 sq. km) in the Yaroslavl region. The outline of its heart-shaped shape. The lake extends to the north, where the only outlet from the lake is the Vyoksa River, which connects the reservoir with the Kotorosl River and further the Volga. The length of the lake from north to south is 13 km, width from west to east is 8 km. The lake is shallow - its average depth is just over 1 meter, the maximum does not reach 4 meters.
The northwestern shore of the lake is occupied by the city of Rostov, after which the lake is sometimes also called Rostov. Other large settlements on the lake: Ugodichi (on the eastern shore), Porechye-Rybnoye (on the southern shore). The shores of the lake, which is about 500 thousand years old, were formed by a glacier that melted here, according to some sources, 60 thousand, according to others, 20 thousand. years ago.
The modern dimensions and outlines developed about 5 thousand years ago. The lake is fed by 17 rivers and streams. The largest river flowing into the lake is Sara. Despite the fact that the lake is flowing, in summer most of it is overgrown with algae, which is called “tarnava” here. The shores of the lake are low-lying and swampy. In this regard, there is an expressive statement about the properties of the Rostov area: “The land is damp, the water is rotten. The people are like an oak.”
There are two islands on the lake - Lvovsky in the southern part and Gorodskoy (Rozhdestvensky) - in the central part, near Rostov. At the heart of the City Island is a glacial boulder, revered in ancient times by the inhabitants of the shores of the lake as a cult.
The first settlers, known from written documents, were the Finno-Ugric tribe Merya, who lived here at least from the 6th century. There are several versions regarding the origin of the name of the lake, but almost all of them agree that it has Meryan roots. According to one version, the word means swamp, marshy area; according to another, the word “ner” means water. There were also more original versions. According to one of them, the name of the lake contains an encrypted negation of the name of the city - not Rostov. Allegedly, the stranger wandered through the local forests in search of Rostov; going out to the shore of the lake and seeing the city, he wanted to say that this was “not Rostov,” but he did not have time to say the whole phrase, as an arrow from a Rostov man pierced him.
Presumably in the 9th century, the Eastern Slavs came to the shores of the lake and founded the city of Rostov on its shores. Until 1917, the Lake did not belong to Rostov. At different times it was owned by: the State Treasury, landowners, and later - peasants of the lakeside villages of Ugodichi and Poreche-Rybnoye. In Rostov itself until the end of the 17th century. There was a Fishing Settlement, the inhabitants of which were obliged to supply fish: pike, tench, carp, perch to the royal table. The rest of the residents had the right to fish only with a fishing rod. Every spring, the lake, overflowing with melt water, threw silt-sapropel onto its shores. This natural fertilization of the soil led to the fact that the peasants of the lakeside villages began to engage in commercial gardening, growing onions, peas, cabbage, and greens for sale. This became the reason for the emergence of the second fair in Central Russia in terms of trade turnover - Rostov and the wealth of local peasants, which can now be judged by interesting examples of rural architecture of lakeside villages.
Despite its shallow depth, the lake is navigable. The first steamship on it was launched in 1883 and it was called “Emelyan”. Passengers of the "Emelyan" who traveled along the lake in those years, as well as those who now go to Nero by boat or pleasure boat, have an amazing view of the main attractions of Rostov the Great - the Rostov Kremlin, the Spaso-Yakovlevsky Dmitrievsky Monastery and the Epiphany Abrahamic Monastery, the most a tall rural bell tower in Russia - the bell tower in the village of Porechye-Rybnoye.
The lake is used for industrial purposes - the extraction of silt-sapropel (for the cosmetics industry) and peat on the southern shore. Considering the medicinal properties of sapropel, there are prospects for using Lake Nero for medicinal and health purposes.
Use of the facility for tourism purposes: bus (Rostov, M8 highway) excursions; excursion and entertaining walks on the lake (from Rostov); summer and winter fishing; cycling around the lake (Rostov – Lviv – Poreche-Rybnoye – Veksitsy – Vorzha – Ugodichi – Sulos – Belogostitsy – Rostov). The popular rafting route “Nero-Veksa-Kotorosl” begins from Rostov along Lake Nero. The best viewpoint of the lake is the tower of the Spaso-Yakovlevsky Monastery. On the shore of the lake there is a tourist complex “Yaroslavna” (near the village of Pesochnoe).

Rostov is home to one of the mysterious attractions of Russia - Lake Nero. It is already more than 500 thousand years old, but it is never forgotten by people. Tourists and local fishermen often come there for new adventures and experiences. The area of ​​Lake Nero is 50 square km. It is shallow, muddy, the bottom is covered with algae, and because of this the water is undrinkable. Despite this, the fish here feels excellent. There are two islands on it: Lvovsky and Rozhdestvensky, they are also called Lesnoy and Zimny. Nero means "swampy, muddy area."

In Russia, many people strive to visit Lake Nero. Rostovites are proud of this enviable place. Fishing is allowed there, and anglers often leave satisfied with their catch. Despite the fact that the water depth does not exceed four meters, the lake is navigable. Recently, people have been sailing along it in boats - this is one of the entertainments for tourists.

Lake Nero is classified as pre-glacial, it is well preserved and is considered a rare body of water. On one of the banks is the monastery of ancient Rostov the Great. Along the rest of the perimeter there are floodplains - solid reeds that create the illusion of a dry shore. Often, inexperienced fishermen who fish near floodplains mistakenly believe that they are close to the shore. In fact, it could be kilometers away. It is worth visiting the lake once, and it becomes a favorite place to spend time. Unfortunately, the number of fish is decreasing more and more every season due to the growing number of anglerfish. Fishing is guaranteed for a man who visits Lake Nero. Even a beginner will be pleased with his first catch.

Fishing on the lake is popular in winter. Since the depth is shallow, the water freezes quickly, walking on the ice is quite safe. The depth of the lake and its vegetation are almost ideal for good growth and reproduction of fish. People here can catch perch and roach, which can be said to be the most permanent residents of Lake Nero, which is rich in fish such as pike, crucian carp, rudd, silver bream and white bream. A small number of pike perch and ruffe are observed. In winter, of course, fishing is more interesting, and it is more realistic to leave with a good catch. In summer it is much more difficult to do this. As already mentioned, this is due to the growing number of fishermen.

Lake Nero has a second name - Kaovo. There are many settlements on its banks, the largest being the Sarskoe settlement. Previously, there were many attractions here, but, unfortunately, now there are almost none left. Tourists are provided with such entertainment as sailing on private boats and walking on the Most importantly, the best aspects of the city and views of nature are best viewed from the water. From the middle of the lake you can see the Spaso-Yakovlevsky Dimitriev and Avraamiev monasteries. In addition, two excursion ships sail on the water - “Rodina” and “Zarya”.

Traveling through your native land is an indescribable pleasure that is difficult to compare with any other!

Lake Nero

There is a magnificent lake Nero in the Yaroslavl region, the air above which is filled with the spirit of old Russian history. This is one of the few pre-glacial lakes in Central Russia, whose age, according to experts, is almost 500 thousand years. It is difficult to imagine what a huge area the lake occupied half a million years ago - 750 square kilometers. This is the entire lakeside basin of today! And even now Lake Nero is the largest lake in the Yaroslavl region. Its water surface is 54 square kilometers. And in this mirror, like the fairy-tale city of Kitezh, for more than 11 centuries, the ancient Russian city of Rostov the Great has been reflected, with ancient monasteries flaunting - monuments of historical heritage of world significance.

Lake Nero is surrounded by many fairy tales, legends and traditions. There are several legends explaining its name. One of them is associated with the name of Ivan the Terrible. Allegedly, the tsar, angry with the Rostov residents, decided to take the lake away from them and assign it to the village of Ugodichi, his patrimony. But when he dictated the decree to the clerk, he only had time to say: “And from now on, consider the lake not Ro...”, when he suddenly became speechless. According to another legend, these were enemy warriors who came to Russian soil. They did not know that Rostov, which they had destroyed to the ground, had risen from the ashes. And when the old warrior saw a beautiful city above the surface of the lake, he exclaimed in amazement: “This is not Ro...”, and fell into the lake, struck by an arrow. This is how the lake came to be called Nero.

Although scientists give a more pragmatic justification for the name of the lake. Translated from Finno-Ugric, namely these peoples were the first to settle on its shores, “nero” means muddy, swampy. Indeed, the lake has muddy, swampy shores and a muddy bottom. Deposits of bottom silt – sapropel – go almost 20 meters deep. The once deep lake with depths of up to 36 meters has completely become shallow. Its average depth is slightly more than a meter. And only in some places it reaches 4 meters. And at the mouth of the Sary River, which flows into the lake from the south, the depth of wintering pits is about 7 meters. Sarah is the largest tributary of the lake. In total, 17 rivers and streams flow into it. Only one river originates from the lake - Vyoksa.

Despite the fact that Nero is a flowing lake, in summer it is almost completely overgrown with algae - “tarnava”. But it still remains attractive for fishermen and lovers of water trips on a boat or small motor ship. Amazing landscapes open up from the water. Numerous domes of temples, churches and monasteries seem to float above the water, forming a fabulous necklace. Those interested can use the services of the ultralight aviation sports club “Polyara” and fly over the outskirts of Rostov the Great and Lake Nero on a hang glider.

For tourists traveling along the Golden Ring route and wishing to relax comfortably on the shores of Lake Rostov, numerous tourist centers, holiday homes, sanatoriums and hotels are open. Excellent places for hunting and fishing, sports and children's playgrounds, a Russian bathhouse and restaurants with Russian home cooking await you. At your service are the restaurant and tourist complex "Yaroslavna" on the very shore of the lake, the hotel complex "Russian Compound", located in a historical building of the 18th century in the very center of Rostov, the hotel "Pleshanova Estate", the guest house "Tsarevna Frog", the hotel "Ivan Tsarevich" ", hotel "Moskovsky Trakt". Here you will get excellent conditions for relaxation at any time of the year.

Nero (Rostov Lake) is a freshwater lake in the southwest of the Yaroslavl region of Russia.
Area - about 51.7 km². Length 13 km, width 8 km, depth - up to 3.6 m.

The lake is shallow. The banks are low.
The bottom is covered with a thick layer of sapropel. The lake freezes in November and opens in April.
The diet is mixed, with a predominance of snow.

In ancient times, the shores of the lake were inhabited.

legendary lake Nero near the walls

The lake is estimated to be approximately 500 thousand years old. It is one of the few lakes from the pre-glacial period in central Russia. The etymology of the name Nero goes back to the ancient lake-river term ner-, from the same root the Nerl River is called.

The first people settled on the lake about 6 thousand years ago. According to a number of researchers, it had a capital in the Sarsky settlement on the southern shore of the lake. There were also Merya settlements on small rivers in the vicinity of Lake Nero.
In the 9th century, Eastern Slavs settled near the lake. They named the lake Rostov.

There are several islands on Nero: Lvovsky (“Forest Island”), Rozhdestvensky (City Island, this island formed into a monolith during the pre-glacial period), as well as several unnamed islands at the source of the Vyoksa River. Eight tributaries flow into Lake Nero: Sara, Ishnya, Kuchebesh, Mazikha, Varus, Chucherka, Unita, Sula. The Vyoksa River flows out.
Fishing: bream, perch, pike, etc.
On Lake Nero there is the city of Rostov (on the western shore), the urban-type settlement of Porechye-Rybnoye, the villages of Ugodichi, Vorzha, and Lviv.
The first steamship "Emelyan" appeared on the lake in 1883.

view of the lake from the Kremlin Water Tower Lake Nero

INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT LAKE NERO
This reservoir is already 500,000 years old. It was finally formed 60,000 years ago under the influence of a receding glacier. Then its area was about 25 times larger.
Now this is the largest lake in the Yaroslavl region, measuring 12 by 8 km, with an area of ​​54 square meters. km and with a 48-kilometer coastline.
The average depth is 1 meter, the greatest is 4m; at its bottom there are deposits of silt up to 20m thick.
Lake Nero in Rostov is flowing, fed by 8 rivers with names in the language: Sara, Ishnya, Varus... The powerful Vexa River flows out, which then merges with the river mouth in Kotorosl and flows into the Volga.
There are four large bays (Makarikha, Bateevo, Klyuchi, Varus) and two large islands - Lesnoy and Gorodskoy. The city island lies on a 20m high stone monolith, once brought by a glacier.
The city has legends that Rostov Lake stores at its bottom rich treasures left by local residents during the Tatar-Mongol invasion.
They still fish on the lake - bream, perch, pike, pike perch, ide, rudd, roach.
Lake Nero is a quiet and ecologically clean place, since industry here has never been particularly developed, and in recent years has almost disappeared, which has had a very good effect on the number of fish. It is not for nothing that these places are included in the Golden Ring of Russia.
The Avraamiev and Dimitriev monasteries open from the lake. One of the most popular Soviet films, “Ivan Vasilyevich Changes His Profession,” was filmed in the Rostov Kremlin.

view of the lake from the walls

ARTICLE ABOUT LAKE NERO
An ancient Greek saying says: “You cannot step into the same river twice.” But why only in the river? Into the lake too. After all, it is also constantly changing in its endless movement and carries its waters, filled with life, through time.
Rostov residents cannot imagine either themselves or their city without a lake. And even though several of its names have changed over the last thousand years, for the residents of Rostov and coastal villages it was and is the Lake, the beginning of beginnings, the source of everything that exists around.
The shores of the Lake, whose age is about 500 thousand years, were formed by a glacier that melted here, according to some sources, 60, according to others, 20 thousand years ago. Oh, how huge and deep it was in those days! The lake filled the entire present-day lake basin and occupied 750 square meters. km. Its modern dimensions and outlines took shape about 5 thousand years ago.
And today it is the largest lake in the Yaroslavl region. The length of its coastline is about 48 km, the greatest width is 8 km, the greatest length is 12 km, and the area is 54 sq. km. But the greatest depth is only 4 m, with an average of slightly more than 1 m. The bottom of the Lake is multi-meter (up to 20 m) silty deposits.
The lake shores are marshy and low, abundantly overgrown with cattail, susak, telores, reeds, reeds, and willows.

Despite the fact that the lake is flowing, in summer most of it is overgrown with algae, which is called “tarnava” here. This may be why the water from the Lake is tasteless and not suitable for drinking. Although until the end of the 19th century. most residents of Rostov were forced to use it. There is an extremely expressive statement about the properties of the Rostov area: “The land is damp, the water is rotten. The people are like an oak.”
The lake is fed by 17 rivers and rivulets, the names of which are reminiscent of the Meri people who once lived here: Ishnya, Kuchibosh, Varus, Mazikha, Chucherka, Unita, Suda... The largest of the rivers flowing into it is the Sara, in its lower reaches the name Gda . Its powerful stream (local name is “sastruga”) passes through the entire Lake and flows out of it by the Veksa River, which, connecting with the Ustye River, forms the Kotorosl River (formerly Kotorost). In Yaroslavl it flows into the Volga.
In its southwestern part, the Lake forms several bays - Varus, Klyuchi, Makarikha, Bateevo. Levski Island is located near Varus. The second island is located opposite Rostov and is called Gorodskaya. They are both low, swampy, and flooded during the spring flood. At the base of City Island lies a huge stone monolith brought here by glacier, its height is 20 m.

The first people appeared in the Lake Basin 6 thousand years ago. This is evidenced by numerous archaeological finds - Neolithic stone and bone tools, fragments of ceramics.
The first local inhabitants, whose name was conveyed to our time by ancient Russian chronicles, were the Finno-Ugric tribe Meri (VII-XI centuries). Obviously, it was they who gave him the first two names of the Lake - Kaovo and Nero. Modern linguistics gives the following interpretations to these names: Kaovo - “the place where seagulls live” (and indeed, they still live here), Nero - “a muddy, swampy place,” which is also true.

Later (and for a very long time!) the Lake was officially called simply “Rostov” - after the name that arose on its northern shore and was first mentioned in the chronicle in 862. And from that time on, the City and the Lake are united and inseparable.
Paradoxically, until 1917 the Lake did not belong to Rostov. At different times it was owned by: the State Treasury, landowners, and later - peasants of the lakeside villages of Ugodichi and Poreche-Rybnoye.

The lake abounded in fish. An old song says this:
“Oh, you goy, muddy sea,
The sea is muddy, you are alien,
Why are you called lake?
That's why they call me lake
That there is no sand at the bottom of me,
And that there are no foreign fish in me,
Only the ruff and pike live in me,
Small raft with crucian carp,
Redfin perch with burbot,
Another catfish when it complains,
From the fast Volga River,
With ide fish and bream.”

Note that fishing on the Lake was clearly distributed and regulated by decrees.
Until the end of the 17th century. in Rostov there was a Fishing Settlement, the inhabitants of which were obliged to supply fish: pike, tench, carp, perch to the royal table. The rest of the residents had the right to fish only with a fishing rod.
Peasants of the village had the exclusive right to transport goods and people. Please. For a fee, they delivered passengers from one shore to another on large rowing and sailing boats - “catfish”.
Steamship traffic on the Lake opened on April 23, 1883. The owner of the first steamship was the Rybinsk merchant Emelyanov, who paid peasants from the village for the right to transport. Give a certain amount.

But Rostov residents were never forbidden to ride around the Lake in their boats; boat trips were their favorite pastime. From the Lake, Rostov is amazingly beautiful.
Its numerous domes float above the water, forming a fabulous necklace: in the east one can see the oldest Epiphany Abraham Monastery in Russia (XVI - XIX centuries), in the center - the Nativity Maiden Monastery (XVII - XIX centuries), and the majestic ensemble of the Kremlin (XVI - XVIII centuries), in the west - the most famous of the Rostov monasteries - Spaso-Yakovlevsky Dimitriev Monastery (XVII - XIX centuries).
In addition to Rostov, on the shores of the Lake there are ancient villages: Vorzha, Ugodichi, Porechye-Rybnoye, Lviv, etc.
From the Rostov coast in clear weather, the village of Ugodichi (in ancient times Ugozh) is clearly visible - one of the oldest villages, equal in age to Rostov, the traditional center of Rostov gardening. The bell tower of the Church of the Epiphany and St. Nicholas Church (18th century) have been preserved here to this day.
To the right, on the same bank, rises the famous “Poretsk Tower” - the bell tower of the Church of St. Nikita the Martyr p. Porechye. The five-tiered structure easily soared into the air, and its expressive silhouette is visible for many kilometers. The bell tower was built in 1772-79. local self-taught architect A.S. Kozlov. Its height is 94 m, which is 6 m higher than the famous Ivan the Great Bell Tower in the Moscow Kremlin.

“And the bell tower is like a royal bride!
Will the Almighty not hear her bells?
I won't say that there is no better place in the world,
But no slimmer. And she is not higher
Throughout Holy Rus'. Well, how can you not marvel?!
And, one must assume that this takeoff was necessary,
Not to belittle the dignity of the capital,
But to show that, supposedly, we are no worse!”

Both of these villages - Ugodichi and Porechye - have long been arguing for the right to be called “the birthplace of Rostov gardening.” Growing (or, as they said here, “raising”) vegetables was the main occupation of the peasants of the entire lake basin, the lands of which are distinguished by high fertility and in the old days were even called “Rostov scrofula.”
The “arrogant Rostovites” did not disdain gardening either. There is a well-known expression that came to us from the Census Books of the 17th century. And it became winged - “... plows the onion and garlic, and that’s what it feeds on.” That is, the cultivation of vegetables here had a truly commercial character. It’s not for nothing that local gardeners still call all the vegetables they grow for sale simply “commodity.” But the famous Rostov onion brought special fame to local gardening. The technology of its cultivation has been developed for centuries. And only in Rostov onion seeds are called “chernushka”, the onion of the first field (year) is called “senchik”, and subsequent years are called “selection”. Rostov onion is still considered one of the best varieties for central Russia, since its main advantage is “multi-family”, i.e. You can get up to eight from one sample bulb. It’s funny that in the old days, a rich bride here was called the “Rostov onion.” The people’s ability to poeticize the most ordinary things and phenomena is amazing! The Lake itself is covered with many fairy tales, legends and traditions.

Epiphany Abraham Monastery Lake Nero

TRADES AND LEGENDS OF THE LAKE
Even before the scientific interpretation of the name "Nero" appeared, explaining it. According to one of them, during an enemy raid Rostov was destroyed to the ground, and its inhabitants fled.
Time passed, the city rose from the ashes, but the enemies did not know about it. And when they again moved to Russian soil under the leadership of an old warrior and came out of the forest thicket to the shore of the lake, they unexpectedly saw a beautiful city above its surface.
The old warrior was so amazed that the words involuntarily escaped him: “This is not Ro...” - he wanted to say “this is not Rostov.” But he didn’t have time: an arrow shot from the fortress wall pierced his throat, and he collapsed on the shore of the lake. So it became known as Nero.

Another legend tells that Tsar Ivan the Terrible, angry with the Rostovites, decided to take the Lake from them and assign it to the village. Please your patrimony. He called the clerk and began to dictate to him a decree: “From now on, consider the lake not Rostov, but Ugodic.” But suddenly he was struck by muteness, and he only managed to say “And from now on, consider the lake not Ro...”.

And there is a belief in Rostov: his owner Vodyanoy lives at the bottom of the Lake in the thickets of the Garnava. He collects tribute from fishermen: he will not “close” or “open” lakes without human casualties.
And indeed, every year in late autumn and early spring, people still drown in the lake, despite its insignificant depth. Lake Nero

In an 18th century manuscript. The fairy tale about Ersha Shchetinnikov has come down to us, composed in the same way that ancient court papers were written.
“Boyar son, Bream of the Rostov Lake with his comrades hits the judges with his forehead: Sturgeon, Beluga and White fish on Ruff Shchetinnikov, who impudently took possession of the Rostov Lake, that he, Ruff, stabs them with bristles and drives them out of the hereditary Rostov Lake.
Ruff is a whistleblower (defendant), a lot of witnesses are called in his case, some of them in their testimony give an excellent description of the accused. The judges interrogate Ruff. Ruff replies that Lake Rostov was still behind his grandfathers, and that he himself is known as a good man in Moscow and in other great cities by princes and boyars, stewards and nobles, clerks and clerks:
“They buy me,” he says, “at a high price and cook me with pepper and saffron and put me before them honestly.”
Bream puts forward Whitefish on the Narva River and Loduga in the Volkhov River as witnesses to his case.
And Ruff takes these witnesses away: they, he says, are the same rich people as Bream, and will take his side. Then Bream points out another witness - Herring from Lake Pereyaslavl.
Ruff tried to take this witness away too:
“And Whitefish, and Loduga, and Herring are related and live in the same neighborhood, eat and drink together,” but the judges still sent the bailiff-Okun with witnesses - Burbot, Golovl and Yazem - for Herring to Lake Pereyaslavl.
And Herring showed at the trial:
“Bream and his comrades know. Bream is a good man and a Christian of God, he lives by his own, and not someone else’s, power, but Ruff, gentlemen, is an evil man, Bristle.” Judge Sturgeon said: he himself heard about Ruff, “that they boil him in the ear, but don’t eat him as much as they spit him out,” and he told how Ruff offended him: he deliberately led him into a net, and then laughed at him. And all the judges judged:
“Give the plaintiff Bream that Ruff with his head and order him to be executed by trade execution. At the court case there were: Catfish with a large mustache and the closer Karas, and the list of the court case was written by Vyun, and Rak printed it with his back claw, and Snyatok (Vandysh) of Pereyaslavl sat at the seal. Ersh listened to the court's decision and said:
“Gentlemen judges! You did not judge according to the truth, you judged according to bribes. Bream and his comrades were cleared, but I was accused.” Ruff spat in the judges' eyes and jumped into the brushwood; only that Ruff was seen.”

TREASURES OF THE LAKE
From generation to generation in Rostov, stories are passed on about supposedly countless treasures lying at the bottom of the lake - golden gates, rich church utensils, jewelry, weapons, etc. True, no one has yet found even the smallest fraction of them.
But the Rostovites were and still are attracted to the lake not by its ghostly treasures. There is something inexplicably attractive about him. Like the ancient pagans, it appears to us as a living being, with which everything around us is connected by invisible, but quite tangible threads. Capable of somehow incomprehensibly influencing the climate, nature, city, people, animals...

Spaso-Yakovlevsky Monastery on the shore of Lake Nero

THE SECRET OF LAKE NERO
The Great Mystery of Lake Nero
In 1999, Mikhail Sudarushkin’s local history book “Journey to the Origins” was published, in which he expressed his view on the initial history of Rostov. In the chapter “Where to look for ancient Rostov,” he drew attention to the fact that the date of the first mention of the city in the chronicle - 862 - does not find archaeological confirmation because the oldest part of Rostov is flooded by Lake Nero, which for some reason expanded its shores.
After Mikhail’s death, his book “Stories about Rostov History” was published, which included essays from the book “Journey to the Origins”. A very kind review of it was written by journalist, local historian and ecologist G. S. Zaletaev. Having highly appreciated the content and nature of the presentation of Mikhail’s local history essays, Georgy Sergeevich, however, did not agree with the assumption that the lake could have increased in size due to a geological fault, making the following remark: “The fact is that the very structure of the Russian platform on which Rostov is located, does not allow the hypothesis of a fault, since the platform is covered here by a huge thickness of sedimentary rocks in which faults simply do not exist. It’s interesting that a similar mistake was made by A. A. Titov, who wrote that a volcano formed in the vicinity of Petrovsk about 5 thousand years ago.”
But Mikhail did not insist specifically on a “geological fault,” but wrote about the possibility of “some other catastrophe.” In addition, he considered it possible that the increase in the size of the lake could occur gradually, and accordingly, the city moved further and further to the west over time. This option at least explained why there were no oral or written sources about the transfer of the city.
At the conclusion of the chapter “Where to look for ancient Rostov,” Mikhail wrote: “The version about the absorption of the original Rostov by Lake Nero sounds unexpected, it seems to be not mentioned anywhere, but at least it explains at least one mystery of Rostov: why the first chronicle evidence about it does not find archaeological confirmation." Lake Nero

By chance, I had a conversation with a man who, as a child, lived in one of the villages on the shores of Lake Nero. He remembered the stories of old-timers, how during the Great Patriotic War, when private owners were prohibited from cutting down forests for firewood, the residents of their village walked far into the lake in shallow water and uprooted huge roots of centuries-old trees from the water. This means that indeed, as Mikhail assumed, in ancient times, for some reason, Lake Nero expanded its shores.
I tried to find confirmation of this story in a book published by employees of the Rostov Kremlin museum-reserve, “There was a war...” with the subtitle “Collection of documents and memories of Rostov during the Great Patriotic War of 1941 - 1945.” Procurement of firewood for the railway, local enterprises and institutions was mentioned several times in the book, information was given on how severely they were punished for shirking this labor duty, but, unfortunately, it was not mentioned how ordinary residents of the Rostov region solved the “fuel problem”.
And only in the memoirs of a native of the village of Porechye, Anna Dmitrievna Marinina, did I find indirect evidence that this problem was indeed very acute during the war. She wrote: “The streets of Porechye were clean during the war years. In the summer, houses have flower beds and beds with flowers. Why was there no garbage? But every twig was selected to heat the stove.”
I found an unexpected ally to Mikhail’s version that Lake Nero in ancient times was smaller than it is now in the person of a fisherman who knew the lake and its surroundings well. Firstly, he talked about the existence of so-called gutters at the bottom of the lake, which are very deep, and local fishermen even have such an expression - fishing in the gutters. Secondly, the same fisherman suggested that in ancient times the Sara River flowing into the lake and the Vyoksa flowing out of it formed a single whole, and the gutters were the remains of the bed of that ancient river. He even showed me on a map how this river roughly flowed.
As for the location of ancient Rostov, my fisherman acquaintance, like Mikhail, assumed that the city was not where it is now, but to the east, somewhere near Rozhdestvensky Island. This position of the city, in his opinion, explains why in ancient times the road to Rostov passed to the east: through Porechye, Ugodichi, Nikolo-Perevoz, Belogostitsky Monastery, Priimkovo. Most likely, somewhere between Porechye and Ugodichi (or a little further than Ugodichi) the road led to Rostov.
It seems that this assumption is quite logical, but let’s not forget that this is only a version, there is no direct evidence. To find them, it is necessary to carry out archaeological excavations at the bottom of the lake, however, due to the large layer of silt deposits - sapropel - this is almost impossible.
By the way, I wonder what exactly provoked the formation of such a huge amount of sapropel in Lake Nero and why it is not present in such quantities, for example, in Lake Pleshcheyevo? Is the formation of sapropel associated with an increase in the area of ​​the lake?

Lake Nero, Rostov Veliky

Why the lake overflowed is another question that geologists (or biologists?) should answer. The reasons may be very different, but the fact remains - for some reason Rostov was forced to move to a new place; as archaeologist A.E. Leontyev wrote, “on an inconvenient low section of the coast.”
Thus, Michael’s version is completely reasonable, and perhaps the only one that explains the discrepancy between the chronicle evidence and archaeological data. In any case, I think that when it comes to times and events that did not leave written sources, versions have a right to exist, even if someone doesn’t like them.
In connection with Mikhail’s version, one involuntarily recalls the legend of Kitezh City, here is its shortest retelling:
“There is a lake in the Vetluga forests. It is located in the forest thicket. The blue waters of the lake lie motionless day and night. Only occasionally a light swell runs over them. There are days when drawn-out singing can be heard from the quiet shores and the distant ringing of bells can be heard.
A long time ago, even before the advent of the Tatars, Grand Duke Georgy Vsevolodovich built the city of Maly Kitezh (present-day Gorodets) on the Volga, and then, “crossing the quiet and rusty rivers Uzola, Sandu and Kerzhenets,” he went to Lunda and Svetloyar for “very beautiful "The place where the city of Kitezh Bolshoi was located. This is how the glorious Kitezh city appeared on the shore of the lake. Six domes of churches towered in the center of the city.
Having come to Rus' and conquered many of our lands, Batu heard about the glorious Kitezh-grad and rushed to it with his hordes... When the “evil Tatars” approached Little Kitezh and killed the prince’s brother in a great battle, he himself hid in the newly built forest city . Batu's prisoner, Grishka Kuterma, could not stand the torture and revealed secret paths to Svetloyar.
The Tatars surrounded the city with a thundercloud and wanted to take it by force, but when they broke through to its walls, they were amazed. Residents of the city not only did not build any fortifications, but did not even intend to defend themselves. Residents prayed for salvation, since they could not expect anything good from the Tatars. And as soon as the Tatars rushed to the city, abundant springs suddenly gushed out from under the ground, and the Tatars retreated in fear. And the water kept running and running...
When the sound of the springs died down, in place of the city there were only waves. In the distance shimmered the lonely dome of the cathedral with a cross shining in the middle. She slowly sank into the water. Soon the cross disappeared too. Now there is a path to the lake, which is called the Batu Trail. It can lead to the glorious city of Kitezh, but not everyone, but only those who are pure in heart and soul. Since then, the city has been invisible, but intact, and the especially righteous can see the lights of religious processions in the depths of the lake and hear the sweet ringing of its bells...”
The basis for the legend about Kitezh-grad was the so-called “Kitezh Chronicler”, created among the Old Believers-runners in the 80s - 90s of the 18th century. Another important monument is “The Tale and Request for the Hidden City of Kitezh.” Was it not the story of ancient Rostov, which sank to the bottom of Lake Nero, that served as the basis for the legend of Kitezh-grad? Its fate is associated with Lake Svetloyar near Nizhny Novgorod, but there is no evidence of its formation as a result of some kind of natural disaster or the presence of an ancient settlement at the bottom. In this regard, the “Rostov” version looks more convincing.
Of interest is also the mention in the legend of Kitezh-grad of springs that broke through. It is known that many Old Believers lived on Rostov land, where they were persecuted. Was it not with them that the legend about the city flooded by springs migrated from the shore of Nero to the shore of Lake Svetloyar?
However, a version is just a version. On the other hand, how many correct answers to the mysteries of history were preceded by just versions? The most striking example is the discovery of ancient Troy by amateur archaeologist Heinrich Schliemann thanks to Homer's Iliad. And it all started with an assumption...

FISHING ON LAKE NERO
Lake Nero is located in the city of Rostov, in the Yaroslavl region. The shores of this lake have been around for many years. The estimated age of this reservoir is about 4 thousand years. fishing on Lake Nero Lake Nero is the oldest body of water not only in the Yaroslavl region, but throughout Russia as a whole.
The lake feeds about seventeen small rivers, which in turn maintains a constant water level. The lake is a large basin, which means that the depth in Nero is very deep. The length of the lake is also large and is 48 kilometers, and the width is approximately 8 kilometers. There are a lot of fish in this lake and it pleases anglers with its size. Yaroslavl residents almost always visit lakes and catch good fish. The species composition of fish is not too large; the lake is mainly inhabited by roach, pike perch, pike, bream, rudd and perch.
The fish here grows very quickly, since there is a lot of food and there is no species struggle between the fish.
The bottom of Lake Nero is even, there is no strong difference in depth, the shallows gradually go deeper. There are a lot of eyebrows, there are also braids and pits. The average depth is 4 meters, but often these are areas with a meter depth. The bottom is rich in sediments that do not cause any harm to the fish.
There are many roads around the lake. There is an asphalt road, and local residents roll dirt roads in the summer, so getting to the lakes is not difficult, the main thing is desire. Since all rivers and lakes are different from each other, and fishing always has its own specific character, then on Nero everything is the same. It is necessary to note a characteristic feature of this lake: in summer, aquatic vegetation covers the entire water surface, but relatively all of it. For this reason, local residents do not use water from the lake as drinking water.
It is for this reason that there are a lot of fish in the lake; the grass is not aggressive towards the fish. Pike have proliferated in this lake very much, and the grass cover protects the predator and other fish from extreme heat and harmful sun rays. There is also a lot of vegetation along the bank of Nero, as well as on the water surface itself, mainly cattails and reeds, with arrowhead present. There is no current on the lake, so the local fish always have a lot of energy. The fishing features are also interesting.

Fishing with a rod.
You can take many sets of rods and equipment with you to Lake Nero. Basically these are rods of various lengths and action. For example, a three-meter soft rod is useful for catching bleak. But to catch roach you need to be a little rougher. Various equipment options are also used. Basically, there are two options for gear: with a running rig and with a dead rig, when the main line is tied directly to the tulip of the rod. The option with dead rigging is used when fishing is developing dynamically and every second is precious, but running rigging means calmer fishing conditions.

Spinning fishing.
There is a wonderful saying: the mouth rejoices at a large piece, this saying certainly applies to Lake Nero. The use of large baits always attracts large pike, and there are a lot of them here. Basically, it is excellently caught on wobblers and large wobblers of the minou class. Don’t miss the shore either; it’s near the shore where a lot of grass lives. In deep water, fishing is done with a jig. Jigs also use large baits that attract the attention of predators.
In autumn and summer, fishing on Nero is very interesting, spinning fishing from a boat is especially attractive. In autumn and summer, namely at the end of August and beginning of September, the toothy one actively feeds and gains fat for the long winter. Also during this period of time, pike perch become active. The fanged one loves rubber and is almost always caught with it. The fanged sites vary depending on the time of year. In the fall, for example, it goes to deep places, and in the summer it is content with a few holes and edges.

Finding a fishing spot.
Since fishing can be carried out not only from the shore, but also from a boat, the places will be arranged in a certain order. It is necessary to take into account that if you are aimed at catching a certain fish, then the place must be independent. Each fish has its own spot, but fish are often caught mixed together. Both white fish and predatory fish can be caught in one place. This apotheosis is incomprehensible, but fish of different species somehow coexist in one area. Don’t miss the edges, there are very few of them and therefore there is a large concentration of fish on them. Quiet backwaters also carry a lot of meaning; lovers of quiet fishing will rightfully appreciate such places.
The best time to visit Lake Nero is when many species of fish are feeding. In spring, white bream is caught well here. Bream and roach. In autumn, pike and pike perch become quite active. In winter, there is also a great prospect of visiting the banks of Nero. Thanks to the fact that the water surface freezes, you can explore the lake up and down, and in the summer, already having some idea, you will certainly catch the fish you are interested in!

view of the lake from the Spaso-Yakovlevsky Monastery

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SOURCE OF INFORMATION AND PHOTO
Team Nomads
http://www.vidania.ru/ozero_nero.html
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Tyunina M. N. Rostov Yaroslavsky. (Guide to the city and surrounding areas). - Yaroslavl, Verkhne-Volzhskoe book publishing house, 1979. 240 p.
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Krestyaninova E.I., Nikitina G.A. Rostov the Great. Guide. - M., 2008.