Veliky Ustyug



Veliky Ustyug

Name: Yuly Lyubeznikov and Alexandra Ivanova

Age: 23 and 19

Professions: Programmer and psychologist

City: Veliky Ustyug

How long have you been doing photography? What style or genre most interests you? 

Four years. Yuly is totally interested in photojournalism, Alexandra in social problems and everyday life.

Can you give us a short description of your city? Where is it located? What is it famous for?

Veliky Ustyug, in Vologodskaya oblast, is one of the oldest cities in the Russian North. It lies on the left bank of the Sukhona River, and was a important stop on the old Great Tea Road. Veliky Ustyug is the birthplace of oceanfarers and land explorers who played a key role in the acquisition of Siberia and Russian America. In 1999 it was declared the hometown of Father Frost. Many buildings in the city are designated as cultural heritage sites of the Russian Federation.

What is something about your city that only locals would know?

Some state institutions are located in cultural-historical buildings – not just museums, but the tax inspectorate, library, archives and technical colleges. For example, the Automobile Technical College is located in the cells of the former Mikhailo-Arkhangelsky Monastery.

In the center of the city you can find old merchants' homes still heated with a Russian stove, though they have been divided up into multi-room buildings where ordinary people live. In the city's older sections, many homes do not have internal plumbing. There are outdoor wellheads near such homes where people get their water even when it is -30 Celcius.

It is forbidden to construct a building higher than five stories in the city, thus if you visit the bell tower (in the summer) or rent a forklift, you can enjoy a wonderful panorama of the city.

There is normally snow on the ground in Veliky Ustyug from November to March. Some children have special winter scooters that they use to get around in the snow. Also, in the center of the city, along Sovietsky Prospekt, both children and adults get about on cross-country skis.

Which places or sites are a must for someone to see if they visit your city?

Actually, the most famous view of Veliky Ustyug is typically captured from the neighboring village of Dymkovo, which is located on the other side of the Sukhona River. You can get there by crossing the bridge, or, if the ice is still solid, by walking across the river. It is really a wonderful view of Veliky Ustyug and its ensemble of church buildings.

There is the miracle stone in the Church of St. Prokopia. If you sit on it and make a wish, it will surely come true.

For those interested in old religious art, we recommend the Church of the Ascension, which houses the Museum of Ancient Russian Art. They have several ikonstases as well as various important historical items from the town.

There are many souvenir stores related to Father Frost. The most interesting, in our opinion, is the Father Frost Post Office, where they read letters written to Father Frost and also answer them.

Not far from the river school is an interesting courtyard with an outdoor summer cafe. It has many hanging mirrors, paintings, posters, portraits, etc., and in the evening it is beautifully lit.

Anything else you would like to add?

A taxi in the city is far cheaper than in Petersburg. You can get from one end of the city to the other for just 100R.

Where can we see more of your images?

On our websites: http://ylyubeznikov.wix.com/photo and https://vk.com/albums109510148

Or follow us on Instagram at: @lyubeznikov and @alexandra_ivanova

 



Like this post? Get a weekly email digest + member-only deals

Some of Our Books

A Taste of Chekhov

A Taste of Chekhov

This compact volume is an introduction to the works of Chekhov the master storyteller, via nine stories spanning the last twenty years of his life.
The Moscow Eccentric

The Moscow Eccentric

Advance reviewers are calling this new translation "a coup" and "a remarkable achievement." This rediscovered gem of a novel by one of Russia's finest writers explores some of the thorniest issues of the early twentieth century.
Moscow and Muscovites

Moscow and Muscovites

Vladimir Gilyarovsky's classic portrait of the Russian capital is one of Russians’ most beloved books. Yet it has never before been translated into English. Until now! It is a spectactular verbal pastiche: conversation, from gutter gibberish to the drawing room; oratory, from illiterates to aristocrats; prose, from boilerplate to Tolstoy; poetry, from earthy humor to Pushkin. 
Okudzhava Bilingual

Okudzhava Bilingual

Poems, songs and autobiographical sketches by Bulat Okudzhava, the king of the Russian bards. 
Fish: A History of One Migration

Fish: A History of One Migration

This mesmerizing novel from one of Russia’s most important modern authors traces the life journey of a selfless Russian everywoman. In the wake of the Soviet breakup, inexorable forces drag Vera across the breadth of the Russian empire. Facing a relentless onslaught of human and social trials, she swims against the current of life, countering adversity and pain with compassion and hope, in many ways personifying Mother Russia’s torment and resilience amid the Soviet disintegration.
Survival Russian

Survival Russian

Survival Russian is an intensely practical guide to conversational, colloquial and culture-rich Russian. It uses humor, current events and thematically-driven essays to deepen readers’ understanding of Russian language and culture. This enlarged Second Edition of Survival Russian includes over 90 essays and illuminates over 2000 invaluable Russian phrases and words.
The Little Humpbacked Horse (bilingual)

The Little Humpbacked Horse (bilingual)

A beloved Russian classic about a resourceful Russian peasant, Vanya, and his miracle-working horse, who together undergo various trials, exploits and adventures at the whim of a laughable tsar, told in rich, narrative poetry.
Steppe / Степь (bilingual)

Steppe / Степь (bilingual)

This is the work that made Chekhov, launching his career as a writer and playwright of national and international renown. Retranslated and updated, this new bilingual edition is a super way to improve your Russian.
Murder and the Muse

Murder and the Muse

KGB Chief Andropov has tapped Matyushkin to solve a brazen jewel heist from Picasso’s wife at the posh Metropole Hotel. But when the case bleeds over into murder, machinations, and international intrigue, not everyone is eager to see where the clues might lead.
Bears in the Caviar

Bears in the Caviar

Bears in the Caviar is a hilarious and insightful memoir by a diplomat who was “present at the creation” of US-Soviet relations. Charles Thayer headed off to Russia in 1933, calculating that if he could just learn Russian and be on the spot when the US and USSR established relations, he could make himself indispensable and start a career in the foreign service. Remarkably, he pulled it of.
Murder at the Dacha

Murder at the Dacha

Senior Lieutenant Pavel Matyushkin has a problem. Several, actually. Not the least of them is the fact that a powerful Soviet boss has been murdered, and Matyushkin's surly commander has given him an unreasonably short time frame to close the case.
The Little Golden Calf

The Little Golden Calf

Our edition of The Little Golden Calf, one of the greatest Russian satires ever, is the first new translation of this classic novel in nearly fifty years. It is also the first unabridged, uncensored English translation ever, and is 100% true to the original 1931 serial publication in the Russian journal 30 Dnei. Anne O. Fisher’s translation is copiously annotated, and includes an introduction by Alexandra Ilf, the daughter of one of the book’s two co-authors.

About Us

Russian Life is a publication of a 30-year-young, award-winning publishing house that creates a bimonthly magazine, books, maps, and other products for Russophiles the world over.

Latest Posts

Our Contacts

Russian Life
73 Main Street, Suite 402
Montpelier VT 05602

802-223-4955