Doors in the Arctic

Extreme north – places where everything is felt different. It is impossible to stay indifferent to nature of this edge. It is only possible to remember the cherry in May, sleepy bog swamps, a carpet from moss, sweet cloudberry and light twilight, covering all around ..

The purpose of our journey is the old Pomeranian city of Mezen, the path in which lies through Arkhangelsk. Doors open here in the Arctic.

Arkhangelsk. Soon midnight. White Nights. Before me – Northern Dvina. A few kilometers she flows into the White Sea. I’m on the waterfront. Here the river reaches several kilometers wide. Majestically and Surovo. On the street is cool, it is raining and blows a strong wind. I’m already in the extreme north. And tomorrow early in the morning, after long hours of the road on the car, we finally see the Arctic landscapes.

Arkhangelsk was founded by the decree of Ivan the Terrible back in the XVI century. Peter first visited the city in 1694, and in 1696 for the first time in the history of Russia, built here sea port on the island of Solombala. He studied Delta Dvina, coastal districts and, unfortunately, decided to establish the northern capital in favor of places where St. Petersburg is now located. In 1702, Peter began construction on the Neva. However, Arkhangelsk at all times kept his leading position in the economic life of the Russian north and has a richest history. He is named after Archangel Mikhail – the leader of the heavenly military, which is the patron saint of the city.

To this day, a lot of wooden buildings are preserved in the city typical of northern architecture. As for the prosperous citizens, their homes – without fail with the Erker on the second floor, which here is called "Lanight". In winter, the snow removes the snow, so for the maintenance of heat, small first floor windows are located very high.

At the place of intersection of the oldest street of the city – Prospekt Chumbarova-Lucinsky – and Pomorskaya Street worth a good-natured old man in a long coat, cast from bronze. The name is the old man Stepan Pisakhov, this is a writer and a native of these places, glorified first of all with his fairy tales. Some even compare it with Pavel Bazhov. The most famous literary hero of the works of Pisakov – Nalim. His sculpture is installed in the same place, nearby.

Opposite the School of Crafts, not far from the monument to Stepan Pisakhov, you can find the statue of the writer Boris Shergin – this is a folk favorite, famous for the stories from the life of Pomorro. The tales and fairy tales of Pisakov and Shergin are created on the basis of the folk tradition of the Russian north, its legends and visa. The author of these sculptures – Sergey Nikandrovich Syukhin.

Near the embankment and the Assumption Church, a monument to Saint Peter and Fevronia was established – Orthodox patrovers of lovers. He laid the beginning of a local tradition – on the day of marriage or weddings, newlyweds come here to worship the saint and appeal to them with a request for well-being in family life.

During the Great Patriotic War, when the Germans bombed Arkhangelsk, women came out with icons to the streets and with prayers went at home. This is dedicated to the sculpture in the Park Victory. And on the embankment next to the Military Glory Memorial Grateful citizens set a monument to seal. This animal saved the population from hunger. For 1941-1944, about 38 thousand people died in Arkhangelsk from hunger and disease. Fishing expeditions were organized for improving food supply. Hunt for seal was carried out in the White and Barents seas. Extracted meat, fat and skins were removed from hungry death thousands of need not only in Arkhangelsk, but also in Leningrad.

And here is the famous monument to Peter the first on the Embankment of Arkhangelsk. We see him on a familiar whole bill of 500 rubles against the background of the Silhouette of the Seaport. It turns out that he is very small, and on a banknote it looks so impressive! The monument was created on the project M. M. Anticoline and installed in 1914.

The final item of our journey – the city of Mezen. It was founded in 1780 by order of Catherine II on the shore of the river of the same name, through which we moved to ferry. Most months a year here "to run". So the locals call the time when the roads are not at all. Imagine, you can only get here on the local aircraft!

Mezen – City of Pomeranian Glory. On the square installed memorial plates with more than six thousand names of the fallen warriors – Mezentians – participants of the Second World War. On the anniversary of the beginning of the war, June 22, Mezeni was held a memory rally. We took part in this action. It is so important to remember the defenders of the motherland and never forget about their feat!

Mezzan is a tiny town stretching along the river. He fully retained pre-revolutionary development. A little northern cities boast of this. There are still wooden sidewalks, and something – even bridges.

Wooden embankment offers a beautiful view of the juicy pastures – the filler meadows of the river Mezen. In the spring it raves rapidly, and the landscape is replaced by the river. On the shores – ferrous deposits, so the stones are terracotta here, and the earth is red.

Famous Traditional Mezen Painting, Famous Ornament at Home Utensils – Scarlet Toncong Horses. They were decorated with cobes, brothers, strands and buckets at the end of the XIX – early XX centuries. Mezenki – Northern Aboriginal Breed, celebrating this year the 400th anniversary. The first mention of it was made in 1618. These horses are well tolerated cold, unpretentious, hardy and perfectly oriented in bad weather. And thanks to the peculiar structure of the limbs, they can freely move around deep snow and viscous turning.

Everything in this journey was unusual. Incredible beauty! Thick emerald forests, malachite meadows, full-flow rivers and fast streams. We moved them by romantic wooden bridges. Large rivers crossed on pontoon crossings, as well as on rusty ferries following the old boat.

But the most important thing is the northern villages of fishermen with their unique wooden architecture. Here, everything is how it was in the time of Mikhail Lomonosov (the village of Kholmogor is located near Arkhangelsk) and for many centuries to him. The peasant life-organized in the harsh natural conditions is as reasonable, and fascinating architecture!

So, the dirt road ends, on which we traveled to mesen. Further – only the endless swampy tundra along the shore of the White Sea. At this time of year, it seems to snow, covers white moss. Cherry, rowan and strawberries bloom here only in June. We, in the middle lane of Russia, this happens much earlier – in May. And what mosquitoes are here – real monsters!

On the way from Arkhangelsk to the Mezen – the village of Kimzha, which arose in the XVI century due to the medial tower. Made by local masters of bells decorated cattle and postal horses. Copper products also walked on horseback. Kimja is one of the most beautiful villages of Russia. On many houses here you can see red wooden stars, sometimes two or three. This is the memory of the Great Patriotic War. It means that from home went to the front and, perhaps, the husband did not return, father, son ..

Today wandered around the gorge and saw wild forest orchids and white clematis. Nothing confused – I am an experienced flower! Local local historians confirmed. Orchid they call the "Venus shoe". In our delegation was Botanic. Admired together. What happiness – see all this with your own eyes and be able to capture. Photos will remain with me forever.

On the Arctic coast, white nights are much lighter than in Arkhangelsk. This is the most beautiful time of day, because the picturesque sunset with the riot of the setting of the setting sun lasts a few hours, and then, not fading, transformed into the dawn – already with a new palette. What admires us in the middle lane for a few minutes, here is going throughout the night. The sun lowers low to the horizon, but it does not leave the sky. Silence, watch the beauty, catch every moment, every sun glare. It seems that this is just for us.

On the clock three. In the morning? Night? I almost sleep for several days from the abundance of impressions. And it’s hard to sleep in the white nights. North Krai captivates beauty and raises a desire to share joy.