What attracts tourists to the Volga Republic? Where do its indigenous people live and what beliefs are preserved here? Traveling to the central regions of Russia is gaining popularity, and tourists coming to Mari El get many vivid impressions from their visit to Yoshkar-Ola and other Mari cities.

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Climate, population and location

The territory of Mari El lies in the temperate continental climate zone. In summer, especially in July, it can be hot here - up to +28°C, and in winter the thermometer drops to -20°C and below. The coldest month of the year is January. This is worth considering when choosing clothes for a trip to Mari El.

Mironositsky Convent

The republic is not very densely populated; only 682 thousand people live in it. A relatively large city is Yoshkar-Ola, where about a third of the total population or 277 thousand people live.

Today, the majority of the indigenous inhabitants of Mari El are Orthodox Christians, but 10-15% of the Mari continue to adhere to traditional beliefs. The peoples of Mari El use a lunar calendar. They worship several main gods. Rituals are held in the Sacred Groves or Kyusoto, of which about five hundred remain. The main prayers or “tunya kumaltysh” occur once every five years, and Mari people from all over Russia come to it.

When traveling around Mari El, it is most convenient to rent an apartment or rent a hotel room in Yoshkar-Ola. Those who want to travel through the regions can stay at recreation centers, guest houses, boarding houses, estates and campsites that accept tourists in different regions of the republic.

Church of the Holy Trinity in Yoshkar-Ola

What to see in Yoshkar-Ola

The main Mari city was founded in 1584 and in those days was called Tsarevokokshaysk. It was an outpost of Russia in the Zavolzhsky region and served to pacify rebellious local residents. Today there are many interesting sights in Yoshkar-Ola, and since the city is small in size, they are easy to get around on foot.

In the center there is a complex of copies of monuments of the Moscow Kremlin. In the capital of Mari El you can see the Annunciation and Spasskaya towers, a copy of the famous Tsar Cannon and even the Cathedral of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, similar to St. Basil's Cathedral. It is as much as 650 km from here to the Russian capital. Therefore, the Mari decided not to waste energy on a long journey, but to admire Moscow monuments at home.

Travelers are surprised that several theaters and museums are open in the relatively small city. But perhaps Yoshkar-Ola is most famous for its original monuments. All guests of the Mari capital come to one of them, Yoshka the cat. A carefree bronze cat on a bench greets tourists on Lenin Square, not far from the building of the National Art Gallery.

Sea Eye Lake

In the central park you can see the sculptural group “Tree of Life”. It symbolizes the continuity of the traditions of the indigenous peoples of the republic. Voskresenskaya embankment is decorated with a sculpture of Alexander Pushkin, who talks with his literary hero, Evgeny Onegin. And on Sovetskaya Street in the Mari capital there is an unusual monument... to a simple hammer.

Camping

Most tourists travel to Mari El for its natural beauty. Hiking routes and horseback riding are popular throughout the republic, and in winter people come here for skiing.

The Mari rivers and lakes have long been chosen by fans of water tourism who like to spend their vacation time on kayaks and catamarans. Rafting on the Bolshaya and Malaya Kokshaga, Bolshaya and Maly Kundysh rivers is popular in the republic. Tourists do not neglect Vetluga, Ilet, Irovka, Lazh, Lunda, Nemda, Rutka, Yuronga and Yushut. The picturesque Mari lakes are very attractive - Yurinskoye, Bolshoye Stepankino, Irir-Er, Kar-Yar, Mary-Er, Bryukhan, Kichier and others.

Sheremetevsky Castle in Yurino from a bird's eye view

Near the village of Shariboksad, in the Volga region, there is a real natural pearl - the karst lake Sea Eye. It lies on the side of the mountain and reaches a depth of 38.5 m. The water in the unusual reservoir has a bright turquoise color, and its transparency reaches 5.5 m. In the summer heat, the lake water heats up to +20°C at the surface, and at depth its temperature does not exceed +4°C.

Fans of caving tourism visit the beautiful Nolkin caves. Many years ago, there were adits in this place where building stone and crushed stone were mined. Even in summer it is cool inside the Mari caves. On the walls and vaults you can see stalactites, stalagmites and sleeping bats. Nearby there are ancient millstones, the size of a man. Previously, such devices for grinding grain were used in Mari mills and sold in other provinces of Russia.

Tourists really enjoy traveling through the picturesque Mari Chodra National Park. In the Middle Volga region, the purest lakes, rivers and mighty mixed forests have been preserved. The natural park is home to bears, lynxes, moose, foxes, brown hares and squirrels. Among the birds that nest here are wood grouse, grouse, green woodpeckers, ospreys and orioles - a total of 188 species of birds, 11 of which are listed in the Red Book of Russia.

Cathedral of the Smolensk Icon of the Mother of God in Kozmodemyansk (1698)

What to see in different parts of the republic

People come to the ancient town of Kozmodemyansk to visit the wonderful ethnographic museum, where examples of peasant buildings, wells, barns and a mill are displayed in the open air. Lovers of antiquity are sure to check out the majestic Cathedral of the Smolensk Icon of the Mother of God and the ancient Streletskaya Chapel.

In the Volga region of the republic stands the huge oak of Pugachev, steeped in legends. It rises on Maple Mountain - one of the places of pilgrimage for tourists. According to legend, it was near this tree that one of Pugachev’s detachments stopped, and the rebels buried their treasures near a noticeable oak tree. Today the tree rises 26 m from the ground, and the diameter of its trunk exceeds 1.6 m. According to recent biologist researchers, the age of the Mari oak exceeds 400 years.

Connoisseurs of Russian architecture lay out routes through ancient Mari estates. One of the most noticeable is. The former count's estate was built in the late Neo-Gothic style at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries.

Chapel of the Savior of the Image Not Made by Hands (Streletskaya Chapel) in Kozmodemyansk

Fishing

It’s very good to come to Mari El for fishing! Fish is caught here on rivers and lakes, and fishermen are never left without a catch. True, the volume of trophies depends on luck, experience and skill.

Most often they fish on the Volga and Vetluga. These rivers are rich in pike, pike perch, perch, carp and bream, and are especially popular with those who want to catch a big catch. The shores near the city of Zvenigovo, near the village of Dubovsky and near the city of Volzhsk are considered fishing spots. In the Mari River Ilet you can catch pike, perch, crucian carp and roach, and on the lakes pike, crucian carp, tench, catfish and chub catch well.

Mari souvenirs

No one leaves Mari El without memorable gifts. What souvenirs do tourists most often buy? Many people like to take home images of Yoshka the cat. One of the main symbols of Yoshkar-Ola can be seen on souvenir mugs, magnets, keychains, T-shirts and even bottles of vodka.

Church of the Archangel Michael in the village of Yurino

Vodka is readily brought from the Mari capital. Local stores sell different varieties, including bottles with the label “Yoshkin Kot”. This vodka is not supplied outside the republic, so it can become an original souvenir from Mari El.

Those who like strong alcohol do not ignore the “Ogni Mari El” balm infused with local herbs. It is sold in bottles and clay containers with national ornaments.

The Republic of Mari El is located in the east of the East European Plain, in the middle reaches of the Volga, and is part of the Volga Federal District. The name Mari Republic - Mari El was legalized on January 12, 1993. It is named after the ethnic name of the indigenous population: Mari means “man”, “husband”. Mari -Mari, Mari, Mari"; el - “country, region.” Let's get to know the Republic of Mari El better.

The population of the republic as of 2015 is 687,435 people. In the cities of Yoshkar-Ola, Volzhsk, in the west of the republic, the population is multinational: Russians, Maris, Tatars, Chuvashs, Ukrainians, and Udmurts live. In rural areas the population is mainly Mari. The Mountain Mari region is home to the Mountain Mari, whose language and culture differ from the Meadow Mari.

The official language of the Republic of Mari El is Mari (mountain and meadow), Russian. The Mari language belongs to the Finno-Ugric language group - Finns, Karelians, Estonians, Mari.

Currently, the republic is being renewed, transformed, and the well-being of the people is improving. Industry and agriculture of the republic are developing, roads, schools, socially important facilities are being built, new industrial enterprises are opening.

The capital of Mari El is the city of Yoshkar-Ola - the Red City (Yoshkar - red, Ola - city). The city was founded on the Kokshayka River - now Malaya Kokshaga - in 1584 by decree of Tsar Fyodor Ioannovich, after the annexation of the Mari lands to the Russian state in 1551. It received its name Yoshkar-Ola - Red City in 1928.

Mari El photo

Modern Yoshkar-Ola is a beautiful, rapidly developing, constantly changing city.

New center of Yoshkar-Ola - Obolensky-Nogotkov Square:

The National Gallery of Art, an Italian-style building, administrative buildings and a shopping complex are located here. In the center of the square is a monument to voivode Ivan Obolensky-Nogotkov, the founder of Yoshkar-Ola

The Tsarevokokshay Kremlin has been restored and rebuilt, Cathedrals, monuments, beautiful embankments are decorated with new buildings, the city has landscaped pedestrian areas, boulevards, squares with fountains, a lot of greenery, wonderful places to relax. The city has many museums - history, fine arts, folk and applied arts; theaters: Mari State Opera and Ballet Theater named after. Erika Salaeva, Mari Republican Puppet Theater, Academic Russian Drama Theater of Georgy Konstantinov.

Mari National Drama Theater named after M. Shketan:

In the capital Yoshkar-Ola, much attention is paid to sports. For sports, holding large sporting events in the capital of the republic there are two Ice Palaces, two Water Palaces, and a large tennis court.

Mari El nature photo

The nature of the Republic of Mari El is very beautiful and diverse. There are many corners of untouched nature in the republic. The high-water Volga flows through the territory of the republic for 155 km; there are hundreds of springs and springs that feed the lakes and rivers of the region.

Spring region - that’s what Mari El is called, there are about 500 rivers and streams in the region, 14 rivers flow into the Volga, and there are more than 500 lakes on the territory.

There are many horse and hiking routes, and kayak trips are organized along the Bolshaya Kokshaga River and lakes. On lakes Tair and Yalchik, on the banks of rivers, sanatoriums, recreation centers, and children's summer camps were built.

The most beautiful and famous lake is the karst lake Sea Eye Mushyl, according to legend it was part of the sea. Located near the village of Shariboksad, the lake with emerald green water is the most visited by tourists at any time of the year.

Lake Tabashino is the deepest, most beautiful lake in the Middle Volga region, its depth is up to 56 meters. The dimensions of the lake are 800 × 400 meters, located in the northern part of the Mari El Republic.

In the south of the Mari El Republic there is Lake Yalchik, the largest lake with an area of ​​about 160 hectares, with absolutely clear water. There are many wonderful places, rivers and lakes where you can visit in the summer, where you can relax, fish, the rivers and lakes of the republic are rich in fish, which promises an unforgettable vacation!

Sacred mysterious Mari groves, sacred Mari mountains with mysterious anomalous phenomena and places revered by the people, are located in the Morkinsky district. Residents of surrounding villages come here, celebrate holidays, gather for prayers, and turn to their ancestors and spirits.

Mount Alamner is a sentry mountain on the banks of the Volga near the village of Kuznetsovo. From the 11th to the 15th centuries there was a settlement here, then a fortified settlement. There is a beautiful view of the Volga from the mountain

The Mari region is rich in national traditions, folk dances, songs, fairy tales, and legends. The Mari carefully preserve the customs and traditions of their people. People love and know how to have fun, sing and dance with all their hearts. They love jokes, and whole families go out on national holidays.

The Flower Festival is celebrated in national costumes, fun for one and all!

Mari El Gornomarisky district

The Gornomarisky district of Mari El is one of 14 districts, located in the southwestern part of the republic on the right and left banks of the Volga, occupies the northern outskirts of the Volga Upland. The Sura, Sumka, Yunga, Malaya Yunga, and Sundyr rivers flow through the Gornomariysky region, flowing into the Volga.

The meadow side of the area on the left bank of the Volga is the flat part of the area. There are many forests, lakes and rivers that carry their waters to the Volga.

The mountainous side of the region is located on the right bank of the Volga - this is a vast hill. There is a hilly area, cut by rivers and ravines.

The population of the Gornomarisky district is 23,027 people, the area of ​​the district is 1,716.2 square meters. km. The administrative center of the district is the city of Kozmodemyansk of republican subordination, which was founded in 1583 as a fortified city.

In Kozmodemyansk there is the most beautiful Cathedral of the Smolensk Icon of the Mother of God:

In the Gornomarisky district there is a monument to Akpars, the Gornomari national hero:

Not far from the monument lies a large stone on which the words are carved:

“For every person, the place where he was born, his father’s house, seems to be the center of the entire universe. And the whole world revolves around him. For the Mountain Mari, this is a mountainous region, the land of Akpars. This crossroads is the geographical center of the Mountain Mari region...

When setting off on a long journey, touch this stone and wish yourself good luck on your journey to distant lands. And the gravity of the mountainous land will help you return to your native land.”

The sundial shows true local time:

You can learn about the purpose and structure of a sundial from the sign with the inscription installed on the watch dial:

Mari El nature photo of Gornomarisky district

Nature has always been sacred to the Mari. Therefore, the local population is careful about the surrounding nature. Many lakes, groves, forests and fields have been preserved in their original form.

The magnificent landscapes of the Mari El Republic open to tourists and local residents from the banks of the Volga, a beautiful view of the Volga.

Bag village Mari El

The name of the village of Bags was given by the river that flows into the Volga near the village.

The village of Sumki already existed in 1713; its other name, Rozhdestvenskoye, was given after the temple built in honor of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

One of the oldest clergymen of the Republic of Mari El, Archimandrite Father John, has been serving in the Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary for more than 48 years. People from all over Russia come here to Elder John for advice.

Holy springs of Mari El

Not far from the temple there is a holy spring in honor of the Pochaev Icon of the Blessed Virgin Mary, which is one of the most revered shrines.

A chapel was erected at this place

A font for ablution was built, where water flows from the source

People come to the holy spring for healing. Many people who believed in the power of holy healing water with prayers received healing from various diseases, and many miracles were performed.

A person, no matter where he is, is connected with his native land, his native places are always dear to him, they are forever preserved in his memory.

Huge wide open spaces, ringing morning silence, endless fields...

A land of untouched white birches, pine trees, peace and quiet

The Volga flows calmly, the other bank is almost invisible

The Mountain Mari region is a land of rich nature. Strawberry meadows, mushrooms and wild berries

Wildflowers, elegant colorful meadows

And how incredibly tasty, real milk here, your own cottage cheese, cream, sour cream - everything is made with your own hands. People in villages live mainly on subsistence farming. Many people have cows, geese, rabbits, chickens on their farm - meat, butter, milk - everything is their own, village, local

True, all this is a lot of work, mostly old people do it, less often young people. Young people have scattered around the country in search of a better life, many are moving closer to the center of Russia, to big cities where they can make money.

After the noise of the city, you still need to get used to this silence...

And here are wonderful poems about the nature of Mari El:

How beautiful it sounds - Mari El...

Like a magical land of elves...

If you haven't been there yet,

You can just imagine: she

I walked through the shady forests,

Through meadows of primeval flowers...

I need to go urgently, and

You will see everything, you will know everything, without words...

There's probably a blue sky there,

And the lakes are transparent to the bottom;

A string of rainbow days

She hugs and consoles...

Anastasia Voskresenskaya, Mari El

I suggest you watch a short video:

Secrets of the Mari El lakes

You will visit the cleanest lake of the Volga region - Nuzhyar, the Green Key spring, Lake Tabashino, Lake Konan Er with an anomalous zone, at the Sheremetev castle...

By going to the You Tube page, you can visit the Choral singing festival Peledysh Ayo in the Gornomariysky district - “The Native Village Sings”, in the House of Wishes and the Mari Chodra National Park, watch a video from Lake Sea Eye, go fishing on rivers and lakes Mari El and see much more...

It is interesting to see new, unusually beautiful places, to travel around our vast country of Russia, of which the Gornomariysky district of the Mari El Republic is an unusually beautiful and hospitable part!

In the article, some of the photos and videos are from the Internet, the other part of the photos was brought by my friends from a short trip to the Gornomarisky district of Mari El.

If the article Mari El attractions Gornomariysky district nature photo was interesting to you, share with your friends by clicking on the social buttons. networks.

Enjoy your travels and new experiences!

Posted Sat, 02/24/2018 - 09:17 by Cap

I would like to tell you separately about the most beautiful places in the Mari Republic.
This article will present the most beautiful natural places of Mari El, and separately we have already shown the Sights of Mari El, which includes historical, architectural and cultural monuments of the republic.
As a rule, natural monuments of the RME will be presented here, but some beautiful places are still waiting to be discovered and registered.

Let us note that the most beautiful natural monuments of the RME are located on the banks of the Volga and other large rivers of the Mari El, as well as on the slopes and mountains of the Vyatka shaft.
We also note the many beautiful lakes of Mari El.

The second cleanest lake in Mari El is Lake Karasyar; it is also one of the picturesque and remote lakes.
Lake Karasyar is similar in many characteristics to Nuzhyar, which is explained by their close location. It is interdune in origin, with a secondary karst failure. The increase in depth from the southeastern coast occurs noticeably more sharply. Already a few tens of meters from the shore, the depth is 6-9 meters. The northwestern section of the basin is flatter. The maximum depth is 14.7 m. The area of ​​the lake is 25.5 hectares. Transparency is high - 5.5 m. The bottom is sandy. The banks are low, but mostly dry. Swamping was noted only in the western and partially northern sections of the coastline.

Convenient travel to Yurdur Mountain (Yortur Kuryk) through Shereganovo, in the area of ​​which we have already been. We were not disappointed; this mountain offered stunning views in almost all directions. The best view opened towards the villages of Kurykyumal and Nylkudo, as well as the valley of the Ilet River. In the distance one could see the Kerebelyak Highlands, Sotnur Highlands and.

Open spaces opened up that are not inferior in beauty to the landscapes at the Sea Eye, on Kamennaya Mountain and on Shungaltan!!! Due to backlight and blue haze, it was not possible to take good pictures, or rather, the pictures turned out, but they show about 20-25% of the impression that a person actually sees! LET'S SPEAK HONESTLY! AND WE CONFIRM THAT THIS VIEW SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN THE TOP 10 BEST MARI LANDSCAPES!!!

I have never seen anything like this in Mari El before!

To the right, running down the hill, shaggy, almost fabulous spruce trees were piled up, and behind them stretched a chain of forested mountains stretching beyond the horizon...

It seemed as if I had been transported from our Mari plains to a mountainous region! Behind the wall of fir trees a cliff could be discerned. Further on there is an abyss, with a shaggy forest below. A little before reaching the edge of the cliff, I looked down - my head was spinning. Running into the abyss, huge spruce trees stood like a wall, here and there at random, as if they had lost their balance. Pristine, virgin nature! At some point it even seemed to me that there was no smell of the human spirit here.

There were people, of course. Soon, closer to the source, we saw about a dozen cars, some of which formed a wedding cortege: exotic lovers came here to celebrate the occasion.

Food lay on set tables under the hot summer sun, guests celebrated the newlyweds, and very close by stood a cheerful gazebo with a domed roof topped with a spire. On the gazebo there is the inscription “Natural Monument Stone Mountain”. Nearby, at the top, is a small Orthodox chapel with an onion roof. Breaking out of underground captivity, an icy stream hits

The Republic of Mari El is located on the Volga River, in the very center of the Volga region. This region is famous not only for its forests, but also for its historical and cultural attractions. Let's find out about the most interesting places that you definitely need to visit in the Republic of Mari El.

Sheremetyev Castle (Yurino village)

The castle was erected in 1880, and its construction was started by the landowner Vasily Sheremetyev, the grandson of the same Count Sheremetyev who served Peter the Great. Inside the castle there were about a hundred rooms, some of which contained galleries with paintings by famous artists.

The architecture of the castle is dominated by neo-Gothic, oriental and baroque styles. From the beginning of the 90s to this day, the object has been actively restored - today the external part has been completely restored, while the internal rooms are in need of repair and restoration.

Ethnographic Open Air Museum

The museum was opened in 1983 and is located in the city of Kozmodemyansk. There are more than 60 structures and buildings and 7,000 exhibits telling about the life, customs and peculiarities of life of the mountain Mari.

The museum contains architectural monuments, tools, and cultural objects of the ancient Mari. The historian managed to reconstruct the dwellings and important architectural structures of the people from archival documents.

Sea Eye Lake

The lake is geographically located in the Volga region in the village of Shariboksad. They were formed about 20 thousand years ago as a result of the failure of karst rocks. The lake has an unusual green color of water and a perfect oval shape, which is surrounded by growing trees.

The lake is shrouded in many legends and mystical theories. One of the popular legends says that in this village lived a girl and a boy who loved each other very much. On their wedding day, they learned the terrible truth - they are blood brother and sister. This did not stop the lovers and they still decided to get married. Then the gods became angry with them - at the moment of the wedding feast, the earth opened up and took the newlyweds and guests of the celebration with it, and a lake formed in the place of the collapse. They say that wedding songs can still be heard from the side of the lake.

Stone adits in Sernur district

In the village of Gornyak there are unique man-made caves. When approaching the village, you can see an Atlantean holding a large boulder in his arms. The total length of the cave is 300 meters. Inside there are stalactites, ice accumulations and bat nests. The stone adits were preserved as a tribute to the memory of the ancient craft of the people - the extraction of stones.

Unfortunately, the adits are now closed to tourists due to the risk of collapse.

Green key

This source is one of the attractions of the village of Klenovaya Gora and is located next to the flowing Ilet River. The Green Key is one of the largest sources in the Republic. Water contains many minerals and helps treat diseases of the stomach, liver, and genitourinary system. That is why the Klenovaya Gora sanatorium is located next to the Green Key.

Lake Tabashinskoye (Zryv)

The lake is located in the village of Tabashino and is the deepest reservoir in the Volga region - its depth reaches 170 meters. Until recently, it was believed that the depth was about 60 meters, but new research has refuted this information.

The Pizhanka River flows from the reservoir, and on the shore is the Floro-Lavra Church, which was built in 1898.

Lake Mushan-Er

Mushan-Er is a system of lakes located on the territory of the Mari Chodra Nature Reserve. The system consists of three lakes, which stretch one after another in a chain. The largest of the reservoirs has a length of 1116 meters.

On the shore of one of the lakes there is a kyusoto - a sacred grove where the Mari worship their gods.