5 mysterious places in Russia. Routes for intrepid tourists

There are various ways of traveling around Russia. We will not list the traditional ones, but we will tell you about another, no less fascinating one. You can open a map, choose any unusual point and go to unravel the mystery of this place. Meet a selection of mysterious places in our country – for those who are bored with the usual routes.

Traveler, actor, host of the project “Mystery on the map” on the TV channel “My Planet”.

I tell you about mystical places in Russia, where I managed to visit.

Lake Svetloyar in the Nizhny Novgorod region.

It is noteworthy because, according to legend, it is in its waters that the famous town of Kitezh is hidden. According to the legend, the Virgin Mary sheltered Kitezh from the invasion of the Tatar-Mongols, and for many centuries this Russian “Atlantis” remains invisible to those who visit the lake.

In the fall or spring in this place is as beautiful as in the summer, but it is also calm – disposes to plunge into the unraveling of the mystery. And the lake keeps many secrets. Some believe that it was formed because of the fall of a meteorite, while others adhere to the glacial version of the origin. And this is not all assumptions.

The locals have a custom: to ask the lake for something by going around it three times. It used to be customary for the Old Believers to crawl around it on their knees with a prayer. But over time the tradition has changed a bit. If you are lucky, you can meet the Old Believers themselves. They are interesting people, they know a lot of folklore stories.

Compared to other places on the list, it is relatively easy to get there. You can get there by train or plane to Nizhny Novgorod, and then about an hour and a half or two hours by car on a smooth, asphalt road.

Lake Svetloyar

Caucasian dolmens in Krasnodar Krai

Many people have been to the Black Sea coast of Krasnodar region and lounged there in the sun under the sound of waves. But for adventurers, megalithic monuments of antiquity – dolmens – lurk nearby in the mountains. These stone structures are about 5 thousand years old. And it is still unknown exactly who built them.

According to some versions, it was aliens, according to others – the structure was erected by ancient people with the help of simple tools (in the head can not fit, how much effort had to spend on it!). There is an opinion that it was also ancient people, but they built with the power of thought. Choose who likes it better.

Also researchers disagree about their purpose. Bonus will be the most beautiful views from the mountain peaks. In general, puzzles and impressions will definitely be in abundance. You can get there by plane to Sochi. Or by train to Tuapse or Gelendzhik. Further by car and on your own.

Caucasian dolmens

Solovetsky labyrinths in the Arkhangelsk region

People usually go to Solovki to visit the monastery. But few people know that not far from its walls lurk stone labyrinths. The exact answer about who, when and for what purpose they were built, has not been found yet. All the more interesting to explore them.

There is an opinion that they are a creation of the Saami culture and served as a kind of a symbol of transition to the world of the dead. Other researchers are inclined to believe that they were peculiar fish traps. Especially to check this version, I built a labyrinth on the surf line, but I did not catch any fish in this way. And there is also a version that labyrinths were built by soldiers of the Peter the Great era for training.

In general, such an abundance of hypotheses makes my head spin. And not just hypotheses. When you walk through the labyrinth, plunged into an unusual and meditative state, time seems to shrink. There is only you and a narrow path between relatively small stones.

On this journey you can enjoy all the charms of the Russian north. If you take a boat out to sea, you can meet seals and compete with them in herring fishing. The White Sea itself is very peaceful. From this trip you will definitely come back a different person.

The road is not easy, but interesting. You can go by ship from Murmansk. At the service of flight lovers – a small airplane from Arkhangelsk. It takes about an hour to fly. The views from the porthole are breathtaking.

Solovetsky labyrinths

Khakassian menhirs

Khakassia is a land of steppes, shamans and spirits with whom all locals seem to be able to communicate. Here and there there are oval stones about two meters long. These are menhirs. They were set by ancient people in the Stone Age. Each stone represents its own deity. On some of them human features are clearly visible. And they are still worshipped today.

To ask something from a menhir, you need to go around it three times, touch the stone and do not forget to treat the spirits of this place. Spirits feed on odors. So it will be enough to put some food near the idol and light incense. They say that requests come true.

Proof of this is one of the main stones in the region – Ulug Khurtuyakh tas. People from all over the country go to the “goddess of Khakasses” with a request to conceive a child. And the huge number of soft toys around her – the gratitude of those whom she has helped, proves that she copes with her work. Mysticism in its purest form. You’ll get goosebumps.

You need to fly to Abakan. And then drive in all directions from the city. There are a lot of these mysterious stones here.

Menhirs

Mount Vottovaara in Karelia

The most inaccessible place of all listed above – the mysterious Vottovaara Mountain – completes my review. It is said that this was the place where ancient Saami came to perform their rites. Sorcerers and shamans of all sorts can still be found on its slopes in large numbers.

The top of the mountain is completely bald, with rarely seen gnarled trees. This is the aftermath of a fire that took place here about 20 years ago. It feels as if witches on broomsticks are about to descend from different directions and start their sabbath.

But the main advantage of this place is mystical stone seids. These are huge stones, which stand on three or four smaller stones, like on legs. They are located all over the mountain, often in defiance of the laws of gravity. Mystics believe they are the spirits of ancient shamans. Scientists adhere to the glacial origin of these stone giants.

The view from the top is breathtaking! You can admire it for hours. But it should be noted that the road is not easy. It takes five hours from Petrozavodsk by car to the nearest settlements Sukkozero or Gimoly, most of the way is on unpaved roads.

But it is not all adventures. From the settlements to the mountain is a short distance. But there is almost no road. So you will have to go with locals on special transport, and this part of the way will take another hour or two. There are a lot of lakes, mosquitoes, bears and other charms of wild nature around.