Vyatskoye village

The large old village of Vyatskoye has been known since the 16th century. At that time, it belonged to Metropolitan Filaret (Fyodor Nikitich Romanov, the father of Mikhail Romanov, the first tsar of the Romanovs from the House of Romanov) and was a large retail outlet with two wooden churches and the capital's court.

Later, during the 17th century, wooden churches were replaced by monumental structures, and at the end of the 19th century stone houses, shopping malls and pavements were built. The village of Vyatskoye has been an example of tolerance for Old Believers and traditional Orthodox Churches for centuries. Vyatskoye village is an outstanding example of a consciously preserved traditional settlement, a representative of a culture that has become vulnerable under the influence of irreversible changes. This village, which developed mainly in the 18th century, represents traditional forms of rural life that were largely abolished by the agricultural revolution in the 20th century.

Vyatskoye village is a unique urban-planning complex of the XVI–XIX centuries with more than 50 registered architectural monuments - former merchant and peasant houses, tea houses and taverns, almshouses. The historical and cultural heritage of Vyatka is based primarily on the village's planning structure, which dates back almost entirely to the 18th century.

Vyatskoye village has become a modern historical and cultural complex with twelve museums and an appropriate tourist infrastructure. Each object reflects the unique features of the region, the identity and richness of the local culture.

Vyatskoye is a laureate of the National Prize "Cultural Heritage 2008", a laureate of the All–Russian Prize "Keeper of Heritage – 2011". Vyatskoye village is also the first member to be included in the Association of the Most Beautiful Villages and Towns in Russia in 2015.

The most important historical events that took place here:

• The first mention in the documents was in 1502.

• In the 17th century, the village of Vyatskoye was the patrimony of Patriarch Filaret (Fyodor Nikitich Romanov).

• In 1764, Vyatskoye was transferred to the jurisdiction of the state.

In 1778, the village became part of the Danilovsky district of the Yaroslavl province.

• Since the end of the 18th century, there have been mentions of Vyatka bazaars, held weekly on Thursdays, and annual fairs.

• In 1911, a bust of Alexander II by sculptor A.M. Opekushin was installed in the village of Vyatskoye, near the building of the volost government.

• In 1918, the bust of the emperor was removed, and a bust of Karl Marx was later installed in its place.

In the 1950s, the village of Vyatskoye became widely known in the Yaroslavl region due to the formation of a mechanization school here.

• In the 1970s, according to the state program for the development of the Non-Chernozem region, warm production workshops and a canteen for collective farmers were built at the Krasny Luch collective farm, and a reservoir was created.

• In 2006, Oleg Zharov, a Yaroslavl businessman, scientist and philanthropist, bought a house in Vyatskoye. The restoration of this mansion marked the beginning of the restoration of other cultural monuments of the village.

• In 2008, the historical, cultural and museum complex began its activities: the first Vyatsky Museum, the Museum of Russian Entrepreneurship, was opened. They were also restored and opened:

– Memorial to the countrymen who died in the war;

– Monument to Alexander II;

– Baptismal font chapel in honor of the icon of the Mother of God "Life‑giving Spring" (located in an old forge).

Architecture and cultural heritage of Vyatskoye village

General characteristics
Vyatskoye is a village on the Ukhtanka River in the left–bank part of the Nekrasovsky Municipal District of the Yaroslavl Region. It is located in the Kostroma lowland in the east of the region: 30 km northeast of Yaroslavl and 18 km from the Volga River.
One of the significant natural elements of the historical and urban environment is the Ukhtanka River. It flows from west to east, forms a double bend within the village and forms an active relief with elevation differences from 93.5 to 103.1 m.

Planning structure
The compositional and planning core of the southern part of the village is the central shopping plaza and the temple complex in its northwestern part. This is an identified cultural heritage site, the Ensemble of the Church of the Resurrection (1750).

The complex is limited to:
- straight lines of one-way development of Pervomaiskaya Street (former Urlov Posad – west side);
- parts of Davydkovskaya and Sovetskaya streets (south and east sides);
- the bank of the Ukhtanki River (north side).
The planning structure of the village was formed in the XVIII – XIX centuries. Its features are due to:
- the relief formed by the Ukhtanki riverbed;
- the location of the central shopping area;
- the placement of the main architectural dominants.

Historical heritage
The basis of the historical heritage is the layout scheme of the village. Characteristic features of the building:
- buildings were built from front to front (linear construction);
- the arch as an element of the urban environment was used to decorate the gates.

Buildings gradually appeared in the village that reflected the attributes of the volost government: a village council, a court, a tea house, wine shops, a school, a hospital, and almshouses.

The main cultural and historical monuments (churches, farmsteads, mills, etc.)

• "The Ensemble of the Church of the Resurrection" (1750).

• "The Church of the Dormition of the Most Holy Theotokos" (1780).

• "Residential merchant's house with shops" (the end of the XVIII century, the second half of the XIX century).

• Urlov Posad (the second half of the XVIII century – the beginning of the XX century).

• "The complex of buildings of the Vyatka Higher Primary School" (1907-1910).

• "The building of the Zemstvo College" (1910s).

• "The Sorokins' House on Urlovo Posad" (mid-19th century, late 19th century).

• "The estate of the merchant S.I. Savelyev" (the second half of the 19th century).

• "Poorhouse" (the second half of the 19th century).

• "Merchant Kukin's Almshouse" (the second half of the 19th century).

• "Residential merchant's house with shops (Lysanovs, Khomutovs, Gurievs)" (the first half of the 19th century).

• "Tea room" (early XX century).

• "The Forge" (19th century).

Peculiarities of folk art and traditions (rituals, crafts, folklore)

In the village of Vyatskoye, Yaroslavl region, the peculiarities of folk art and traditions related to calendar rituals, crafts and folklore have been preserved. These traditions reflect the history of the village, its economic and household structure and the ideas of the people.

• Cucumber industry – in the 19th century, the first cucumber artel in Russia was organized in the village, the inhabitants skillfully grew and salted cucumbers. Almost every man in the country knew the taste of strong, crispy pickles: from St. Petersburg to the Urals. Cucumber products were supplied by local merchants to the royal table and even exported to Switzerland.

• Lace–making - in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, there was peasant lace, which was woven from homemade yarn without splinters in a simple pattern. It was painted most often in blue (cubic) color, hence the name "cubic".

• Latrine fishing. People left for temporary jobs in other places, most often in St. Petersburg.

• Specialties of stoves and roofers. The craft was inherited.

• Manufacture of products by local artisans. Sledges, carts, wheels, baskets, threshing machines, spinning wheels, rakes, blacksmithing products, pottery and wooden utensils were sold at bazaars and fairs.

• Production of bricks. There were several brick factories owned by local residents in the vicinity of Vyatka. The Vyatskoye Museum complex has about 1,000 branded bricks in its collection.

Current status

Today Vyatskoye is a unique urban development complex of the XVIII–XIX centuries. There are more than 50 registered architectural monuments on its territory, including:

- merchant and peasant houses;
- tea and tavern establishments;
- poorhouses.

To date, more than 30 monuments of historical and cultural heritage have been restored. They are included in the activities of the Vyatskoye Historical and Cultural Complex, on the basis of which it was created.:

- 12 museums of various subjects;
- museum restaurant;
- hotels and glamping;
- cinema and concert and conference halls.

Each object reflects the unique features of the region, the identity and richness of the local culture.

In 2025, the historical settlement of Vyatskoye village became the winner of the X All–Russian competition for the best projects for creating a comfortable urban environment, thanks to which the project "Under the wing of the Vyatka Angel" will be implemented in 2026-2027: beautification of the center of the historical settlement.