On August 29, 1911, lightning struck Mastinovka’s wooden Alexander Nevsky Church, and the fire destroyed it. This turning point forms part of a longer building history, spanning the church’s completion in 1883 to the construction of a new wooden church in 1914.

The History of Wooden Churches in Mastinovka

The design for Alexander Nevsky Church was approved on November 24, 1881. The wooden building was completed in 1883. After the fire in 1911, a wooden house of prayer was set up at the site of the church that same year. Beside it stood a wooden bell tower, also made of wood, resting on four pillars.

Another milestone came in 1914, when a new wooden church was built in Mastinovka, but funds for its furnishings were lacking. The sequence thus runs from an approved building design through destruction by lightning and the subsequent house of prayer to a later church building. If you are interested in the history of religious architecture, this local history offers a specific focus for planning your trip.

Cultural Destinations in the Wider Destination of Penza Oblast

Penza Oblast offers a range of cultural topics to explore in different places. In Belinsky, the V. G. Belinsky State Museum-Estate includes the Belinsky family house, the former Chembarsky district school building, and the former home of merchant F. I. Antyushin. The wooden family house has seven rooms and a kitchen and is roofed with shingles. V. G. Belinsky lived there continuously from 1816 to 1825. The exhibition “The Belinsky Family” presents personal memorabilia, books from the critic’s private library, and furnishings and household items.

The State Lermontov Museum-Reserve “Tarkhany” is located in Lermontovo. The poet M. Yu. Lermontov spent half his life there. The first complex includes a protected park, three orchards, an oak grove, and ponds. The tradition of the All-Russian Lermontov Festival Days in Tarkhany was established in 1971.

A different format is offered by the Museum of One Painting, named after G. V. Myasnikov, in Penza. The presentation begins with a 45-minute film about the artist, the painting, its figures, and the culture of its time. Then the curtain opens: in a hall with 37 seats, the painting is shown with explanatory text and music. The film and subsequent presentation give the visit a set sequence.

The Penza Museum of Tatar Life “Miras” recreates the interior of a Tatar village house. On display are objects from everyday life and work, kitchen utensils, elements of Tatar national clothing and jewelry, as well as embroidered towels and tablecloths. A guided tour also includes a workshop on preparing the traditional Tatar pastry “Peremyachi” and a tea tasting.

Archaeological history takes center stage at the fortified settlement of Zolotaryovskoye. It is located in Zolotarevka in Penza District and is a site dating from the 3rd–4th and 8th–13th centuries. A major battle took place at the settlement in 1237 between the defenders of the medieval site and Mongol troops advancing westward. Outdoor art is on display at the “Legenda” Sculpture Park in Ramzay: its more than 300 works include pieces made of metal, granite, wood, and bronze. The grounds also feature a Japanese rock garden made from Karelian granite and Ural marble.

Discover more destinations: Kamenka, Penza, Ramzay, Dubasovo, Beketovka, Zarechny, Lopatino, Gorodishche.

See the wider travel overview: Penza Oblast.