Church history in Starozhivotinnoye
The history of the Predtechenskaya Church in Starozhivotinnoye includes a second wooden church and a third, brick church. The second wooden church was built between 1696 and 1709 and consecrated on September 11, the feast day of the Beheading of John the Baptist. The third church, made of brick, was built in 1789 at the expense of the landowner Nikanor Mikhailovich Olenin. Late Baroque and early Classicism are cited as its architectural styles. Thus, the two building records reflect different dates and construction methods in the local church history.
Nature and trails in Voronezh Oblast
In Voronezh Oblast, the territory of the Khopyor Nature Reserve extends across the Novokhopersky, Povorinsky, and Gribanovsky administrative districts. Visitors can choose from different excursions: the “Legendy Khopra” hiking excursion is five kilometers long and takes three hours. This route is closed during the spring flood. The “Tur de Khopyor” cycling tour covers 26 kilometers and takes four hours. The comparison makes the difference between distance and duration clear: the routes differ in length by 21 kilometers, while their stated durations differ by one hour. When planning your hike, take the closure during the spring flood into account.
The nature museum at the Khopyor Reserve displays the wildlife of the protected area and its habitats in two halls. Exhibits cover beavers, Russian desman, aquatic and predatory birds, as well as wild boar, elk, fallow deer, and red deer. A large relief map of the reserve is also on display. Visitors primarily interested in animals and their habitats will find a different focus here than on the routes through the reserve. Check the museum’s visitor arrangements before your trip.
Chalk landscapes and early history
Another natural and cultural heritage site in Voronezh Oblast is the “Divnogorye” Museum-Reserve. Its chalk landscapes are characterized by cliffs on steep slopes and large, ridge-like chalk ravines. Divnogorskiy Canyon is about one kilometer long and up to 200 meters wide. The chalk massif on the right bank of the Tikhaya Sosna and Don rivers contains six cult caves and cave complexes, extending for about 8.5 kilometers. The reserve’s heritage also includes Stone Age settlement sites and the ruins of the medieval Mayatskaya Fortress. The “Paleoliticheskiye masterskiye” recreates the Stone Age and hosts workshops on making stone tools.
The “Kostenki” Museum-Reserve adds archaeological sites from the Upper Paleolithic to these themes. It covers nine hectares and includes 25 protected zones with about 60 sites. The Archaeological Museum building completely covers a Stone Age settlement site. This makes a visit here different from the landscape-focused chalk formations at “Divnogorye”: settlement remains and archaeological sites are the main focus.
Horse breeding and regional history
The Khrenovskoye Stud Farm lies in the southeast of Voronezh Oblast and is considered the birthplace of the Orlov Trotter and Russia’s oldest stud farm. Count Alexei Grigoryevich Orlov-Chesmensky founded it on October 24, 1776. During a visit, guests can see Orlov Trotters and tour old stables and modern horse boxes. The Horse Breeding Museum displays old breeding books and the pedigree of the Orlov Trotter breed. Exhibits also include horse blankets and trophies and medals won by the stud’s horses at racetracks in Russia and abroad. Daily tours must be arranged in advance; confirm visiting arrangements with the operator before your trip.
Discover more destinations: Kordon Plotovskiy, Ramon.
For the overview of the wider area: Ramonskiy rayon.
