Where is Divnogorye located? Museum-reserve "Divnogorye" in the Voronezh region. Church of John the Baptist

Divnogorye is one of the unique places in Russia. In the snow-white chalk mountains at the confluence of Tikhaya Sosna and the Don, you can visit a rock monastery and an architectural and archaeological museum-reserve.

The most attractive attraction of Divnogorye is the Church of the Sicilian Icon of the Mother of God, carved into the chalk rock. You can get inside on a guided tour (it’s very cool there!), but you are not allowed to take photos inside.

Also in the museum-reserve you can see chalk pillars up to 180 meters high, which are called “divas” (“divo” = miracle).

The first written evidence is the records of Ignatius Smolyanin, who accompanied Metropolitan Pimen in 1389: “I sailed to Quiet Pine and saw the pillars of a white stone, marvelously and redly standing side by side, like the pillars were small, white and bright, above the river above Pine.”

This place is also interesting from a climatic point of view. Due to the large difference in altitude between the river floodplains and the plateau, Divnogorye quickly heats up in the summer. As Wikipedia writes:

rising currents of hot air drive away the forming thunderclouds towards low floodplain lands. As a result, the already small average annual precipitation in the region (an average of 480 mm per year) over the plateau is reduced by 1.5-2 times. The summer period is especially dry. This slows down the process of water erosion and also reduces the likelihood of karst failures. There are voids inside the chalk layer and are detected as follows: when walking along its surface, human steps emit a peculiar hum. The top layer consists of 15-20% chalk. Below 80 meters there is a layer of pure chalk. The top layer is subject to wind erosion (weathering).

In addition to exploring the chalk mountains, it is also interesting to walk along the plateau. Especially with a guide. It will show you rare plants, many of which are endemic, and will also lead you to a place where you can safely (?) jump across the voids, producing a characteristic hum from under the surface of the earth.

Judging by the map, you can see many impressive sights around Divnogorye: Divnogorsk Holy Dormition Monastery (№1) , cave church in “Small Divas”(XVII century) (№2) , Kurgan burial ground near the “Small Divas”(Bronze Age) (№3) , Mayatsky pottery complex(IX-X centuries) (№4) , Mayatskoe settlement(IX-X centuries) (№5) , Mayatskaya fortress(IX-X centuries) (№6) , cave church of Our Lady of Sicily in “Big Divas”(XVII century) (№7) , Mayatsky necropolis with ancient burials(IX-X centuries) (№8) , Cretaceous remains of “Diva” (№9) , source near the Tikhaya Sosna river (№10) , farmstead of Ukrainian immigrants (№14) , Upper Paleolithic monument(age - 13 thousand years) (№15) , settlement "Golaya Balka"(Bronze Age) (№16) . In the nearby village of Divnogorye you can find parking lot (№11) , hotel (№13) And administration of the museum-reserve (№12) .

Where is Divnogorye located?

Divnogorye is located in the Liskinsky district of the Voronezh region of Russia, on the right bank of the Don River, 80 km south of Voronezh. The Liski-Valuiki railway line runs at the foot of Divnogorye.

How to get to Divnogorye

Voronezh is the closest large city to Divnogorye. Past the O.P.143 km platform. Electric trains run along the routes "Liski - Alekseevka" and "Liski - Ostrogozhsk". Nearby there is also a platform “O.P. Divnogorskaya".

If you are traveling on your own, then the most popular route is by train from Voronezh to Liski, and then change to the Liski-Alekseevka train to the O.P.143 km station.

If you are traveling by car, then from Voronezh you need to travel south along the Don M-4 highway. After the village of Ilyich, drive a few kilometers and turn right towards Liski, and then to Dinogorye. The distance from Voronezh is 140 km, travel time is about 2 hours.

Opening hours of the Divnogorye Museum-Reserve

Divnogorye is actually the name of a farm located in the Voronezh region, or more precisely in the Liskinsky district. Divnogorye is also a natural, historical and cultural museum-reserve. On its territory, in some amazing way, many unique attractions have been preserved - very unusual cave churches, which are located inside chalk pillars rushing into the sky; then an archaeological complex consisting of monuments of the Saltovo-Mayatsk culture (this includes the remains of an ancient fortress and an ancient reconstructed village), as well as many species of animals and birds listed in the Red Book. Also on the territory of this reserve is the active Divnogorsk Holy Dormition Monastery for men.

Perhaps, at present, Divnogorye is considered the most famous attraction located on the territory of the Voronezh region. And literally every year, approximately 60,000 tourists come here from different parts of Russia to get to know this beautiful pearl better.

In fact, the Divnogorye Museum-Reserve is located on a huge plateau, which is cut through by deep and wide valleys of the Don and Tikhaya Sosna rivers. The plateau breaks off abruptly at the very river banks and at the same time exposes a white chalk base. From here, from almost a hundred-meter height, amazing views of the surrounding area and the floodplains of the rivers with the same steep plateaus on their opposite sides open up. If the weather is good and sunny, then from here you can see a stunning panorama for several tens of kilometers.

The history of the reserve began in 1988. First, on the basis of the Divnogorsk monuments, a branch of the regional Voronezh Museum of Local Lore was formed, and already in 1991, the Divnogorye Museum-Reserve itself was created.

The first mention of Divnogorye dates back to 1389, when Metropolitan Pimen took part in a trip to the Don. It talks about chalk deposits along river banks. These chalk remains - stone pillars, called here divas (in all likelihood from the words “divo” and “wonderful”), are today the hallmark of Divnogorye.

Its chalk deposits were formed here millions of years ago, when there was still the bottom of the world's oceans due to the inhabitants of the deep sea. Gradually, erosion and weathering of the soil completed the amazing design of these places and left here chalk pillars - divas - that fancifully rushed upward. Unfortunately, most of them were destroyed during the period of intensive development of the national economy of this region and during the construction of the railway. It must be said that chalk is literally still being mined here nearby.

In addition to the fact that these places are distinguished by their extraordinary beauty, there is also a unique microclimate formed by the rivers and the height of their banks. Streams of warm air rising from the water create an invisible obstacle to other air masses. Due to this natural effect, the plateau usually receives half as much precipitation as in the valley itself. Therefore, the microclimate that forms on the plateau is more reminiscent of the steppe. Apparently this is the main reason for the growth here of plants accustomed to arid conditions.

The official date of foundation of the Holy Dormition Monastery, located on the territory of the museum-reserve, is considered to be 1653. However, scientists are inclined to believe that a cave monastery existed on this site in an earlier era. The fact is that the cave niches in it have characteristic features characteristic of ancient Greek monasteries. And the images on the monastery walls are strikingly similar to the drawings found in the Roman catacombs dating back to the very first years of Christianity.

During the Soviet period, the temple, naturally, was closed and was not used at all for a long time. And it opened after serious restoration work only in the late eighties of the last century. Today, the monastery is not only active, but is also included in the list of objects for excursion inspection on the territory of the museum-reserve.

Also offered to visitors for inspection are the cave church of the Sicilian Icon of the Mother of God and the Church of the Nativity of John the Baptist. Then you can explore the Casemate and Ear caves, which are located nearby each other in a sheer cliff. True, you can only look at them from below, since both of them are located at a decent height.

Then you will get acquainted with the Mayak settlement. The fact is that the territory now occupied by Divnogorye was once an outpost of the Khazar Kaganate. Therefore, the ramparts of the fortress walls remain here from the ancient fortress that collapsed in former times. There was also a medieval settlement of the 9th – 10th centuries, where Alans lived – steppe nomads. They were economically dominated by the Khazars, to whom they paid tribute.

Life in the Mayak settlement ceased in the 10th century after the collapse of the Khazar Kaganate. The main reasons were internal civil strife, constant raids by steppe nomads and possibly the campaign of the Kyiv prince Svyatoslav. Archaeological excavations carried out on the territory of the Mayak settlement proved that two different cultures miraculously coexisted here - nomadic with dwellings that looked like yurts, and Slavic, reflected in the construction of dugouts intended for life in the cold season.

Divnogorye is a fabulous name, but it really exists in Russia, in the Liskinsky district of the Voronezh region.

Geographical position

The Divnogorsk Upland is located on the right bank of the river Don 80 km from Voronezh, if you move south. In 1988, a museum was organized here, which in 1991 received the status of a museum-reserve. The area of ​​the reserve occupies 11 km², these are Cretaceous deposits, the maximum height above sea level is 181 meters.

A river flows at the foot of the plateau Quiet Pine, it merges with the Don at an altitude of 78 m above sea level, and this affects the microclimate of the hill. The amount of precipitation here is 1.5 - 2 times less than on the plain. The top layer of soil contains 15–20% chalk, and if you go down 80 m, then chalk is already there in its pure form.

The Divnogorye region is a steppe zone, and today you can see more than 250 plant species there, 40% of which are classified by botanists as chalk-loving plants (calcephytes).

Historical reference

The history of the reserve begins in 1991, when a museum was organized here, however, at the very beginning of the twentieth century, the famous Russian geographer and traveler V.P. Semenov-Tyan-Shansky spoke about the possibility and necessity of creating a reserve in this amazing place.

The first mention of Divnogorye was made in his notes by Ignatius Smolyanin, who accompanied Metropolitan Pimen on a trip to the Don in 1389. Until the 16th century, this was the patrimony of nomadic peoples, and only then, in the process of developing new territories, the Moscow state included the Voronezh Divnogorye into its structure. By the way, not “miracle” in the sense of “miracle”, but “divas” - unique chalk pillars were the basis for the name of this area. Although it is also impossible to call it anything other than a miracle.

Read the article on the website about the amazing monument of ancient civilization, and also pay attention to the Ruskeala Marble Canyon, an unforgettably beautiful joint creation of nature and man.

Divnogorsk Holy Dormition Monastery

Cave monastery, male, active. Its foundation date is 1650, founded by Ukrainian Cossacks. However, there is a version that the monastery existed here almost from the time of the first Christians, and, in support of this version, there are niches in the caves, similar to the cells of monasteries of antiquity, as well as drawings on the walls, similar to those found in the catacombs of ancient Rome from the beginning of Christianity.

According to legend, the monastery was founded by Greek monks Joasaph And Xenophon who fled persecution of Catholics. They brought with them icon of the Mother of God. However, historical science does not confirm the existence of a monastery here until the 17th century, since these places were the scene of constant clashes between Russians and Tatars. A version has been put forward that it could just be a monastery.

As a matter of fact, the first 80 people were sent here from Ostrogozhsk and Korotoyak to build fortifications against the Tatars on the defensive Belgorod line. The first monastery building was a wooden church in honor of John the Wonderworker in 1653. At that time there were only 15 monks in the monastery.

The wooden church was destroyed by fire, in 1658 the Assumption Church was built in its place, and at the same time a cave church was created.

It was assumed that the monks would live in caves, but it was very difficult to live in lime-soaked rooms, so it was decided to cut off part of the mountain and build cell buildings there. The passages and caves inside the mountain continued to be expanded and developed. Within the Don it was the first cave monastery.

The place on the trade route from Crimea to Russia turned out to be quite dangerous. The Tatars often raided the monastery, so part of the brethren went west in 1671 and founded a monastery above the Psel River. And a year before, on September 26, an important battle of troops took place near the walls of the Divnogorsk Monastery Stepan Razin with the king's troops, where the ataman was defeated.

The monks began to stock up on means of defense against uninvited guests, cannons appeared in the bell tower in the monastery, and caves with several exits and entrances could serve as good shelter.

Gradually the monastery acquired a household. He was granted mills, a rich village that paid rent, and the right to trade salt. The monastery had a rich library; it was not only an economic, but also a spiritual center. And in 1693, “free peasants” received permission to settle on the lands of the monastery. People from Russia and Ukraine flocked there, it is surprising that even now in the settlement of Selyavna, that 2 kilometers from the monastery, Ukrainians and Russians live, each preserving their own language and traditions.

In May 1699, the young king visited the monastery Peter I. The monastery developed, grew rich, built stone churches, but with the coming to power of Catherine II, the situation changed dramatically - the monastery was deprived of serfs and land plots, and the remaining brethren were transferred to other monasteries. Under Catherine II, many monasteries suffered this fate, and only after her death some of them began to be restored.

It was not easy to obtain permission for restoration, but in 1828 the Korotoyaksky Monastery was transferred to the territory of the Divnogorsk Monastery. Active construction resumed, and at this time an architectural complex was created, including both above-ground buildings and cave structures.

In Soviet times, the monastery suffered the fate of most similar organizations - in 1924 the monastery was plundered and the monks were drowned in the Don. The monastery library was thrown into the water. Those who managed to escape from the massacre were shot in 1930. A rest home was located in the monastery, and during the occupation there was a German hospital here. In the 1960s, the rest house was reorganized into a sanatorium for tuberculosis patients.

In 1988, a decision was made to preserve and restore the unique complex, and for this purpose a State Museum-Reserve “Divnogorye”, spread over an area of ​​1100 hectares. Extensive restoration work was carried out.

In 1997, the monastery was returned to the church. It is gradually being restored and becoming a place of pilgrimage for believers. Every day, divine services are held in the revived churches. There is a pilgrimage excursion center.

Church of the Sicilian Icon of the Mother of God (Great Divas)

On the outskirts of the village of Divnogorye there are chalk cliffs Big Divas. Here are the caves that became known in 1831, when during the plague epidemic icon of Our Lady of Sicily. Allegedly, one elderly woman dreamed of the Mother of God and ordered her to take the icon and pray in front of it. The plague receded, the icon also helped with other ailments; people even called it “Healing”.

According to legend, this icon was brought by the monks Josaph and Xenophon; by the way, they are quite mythical personalities.

The chalk mountain-remnant once served as a stopover for steppe nomadic peoples; both the Polovtsians and the Pechenegs visited here. Centuries later, in the pliable rock of the mountain, hermit monks carved out caves and a temple, where they installed the icon brought by the monks.

The temple supposedly dates back to the 15th, or even the 10th century (in this range, different sources describe the time of the appearance of pious monks here). Probably, in the old days, hermits who came from different countries lived here.

In 1856, the cave complex was transferred to the monastery.

Today it is part of the museum-reserve, where you can see residential, utility rooms and the temple itself, in which a service is held once a year. The temple is located on the first floor, it is cool there in summer and quite warm in winter, the air temperature is +12 - +15°C.

Tourists (excursion groups) can visit from May to October, except Mondays and Tuesdays from 9.00 to 18.00.

Church of the Nativity of John the Baptist (Little Divas)

2 km down the valley are Malye Divy. These are also chalk pillars, the first mention of them was noted by Ptolemy, back in the 2nd century. True, the caves were not mentioned then. It is known that in the 16th century there were 5 Small Divas; by that time the caves had existed for a long time. With the establishment of the Assumption Monastery, the Small Divas came under its jurisdiction.

At an altitude of 85 meters, the Church of the Nativity of John the Baptist is carved into a chalk pillar. The austere facade is lined with chalk slabs, the altar and steps are carved from stone. It is believed that this church was founded by Joseph and Xenophon, and they are buried here. The modern architectural ensemble was formed in the 19th century.

One of the caves leads from the church to the territory of the monastery. There was also an underground passage connecting it to the river.

This is a complex of monuments. It is located at the confluence of the Tikhaya Sosna River with the Don. The first archaeological finds in this area date back to the beginning of the 20th century. However, the main work was carried out in the 1960s - 1970s. Was excavated fortress, surrounded by a moat, but no buildings were found inside it. It is assumed that its defenders lived in yurts.

Around the fortress - settlement, where about 50 buildings for various purposes were studied, as well as household items, allowing us to get an idea of ​​the life of our distant ancestors.
On the slope of the ravine there is a burial ground, 151 burials of which have already been explored.

Cave Casemate

A kilometer from the village of Selyavnoye there is a chalk cave, very small in size, with a platform in front of the entrance. Most likely, it was once knocked out by a hermit monk, but it could also be a good observation point for the early detection of numerous “adversaries” encroaching on the monastery. Therefore, the cave was named Casemate.

Photos of Divnogorye

Excursions around the reserve

This is an open-air architectural and archaeological museum, where you can get acquainted with architectural monuments of the 17th - 19th centuries, as well as the complex of the Mayatsky settlement, dating back to the 9th - 10th centuries, where you can see a settlement, a center of handicraft production, a necropolis and the remains of a medieval fortress. In addition, tourists will be shown sites of ancient man and unique natural monuments, including relict plants and insects.

The following excursions are offered to visitors:
Divnogorskoye metochion, Faces of chalk temples, Roads of millennia, “From nomads to cities”, “Divnogorye - the pearl of the steppes”, Reserved Divnogorye, Chronicle of Divnogorye.

How to get from Moscow to the museum-reserve

• By personal vehicle: Moscow - hut. Divnogorye. Along the M highway – 4.660 km.

The closest settlement to Divnogorye is the city of Liski, which has a railway and bus station.

• By train 83 Moscow-Liski from Paveletsky station; departure at 19.05.
  Station address: Voronezh region, Liski, st. Privokzalnaya, 16.
• Shuttle Buses to Liski go from various bus stations and bus stations in Moscow.
  Bus station in Liski. Address: Voronezh region, Liskinsky district, Liski city, st. Kommunisticheskaya, 18. From here there is intercity communication with Moscow.
• Liski - Divnogorie
  By bus Liski - Kovalevo to the village of Divnogorie.
  Departure from the station square in Liski.
  Departure time: 11.15

Hotels closest to Divnogorye.

• Hotel "Three Stars". Address: Liski, Svobody 1B (main building), Bolshaya Donetskaya, 118
• Private hotel "Rainbow". Address: Liski, pr. Lenina, 3 and st. Mayakovsky 1
• Hotel "Don". Address: Liski, Kommunisticheskaya, 7
• Hotel on the territory of the mezei-reserve

Great Russia! Getting to know its amazing nature, sights and history, we begin to better understand it, and perhaps ourselves.

“I sailed to the Quiet Pine and saw the pillars of stone white, marvelously and red standing next to each other, like the pillars were small, white and bright, above the river above the Pine,” - so in 1389 he wrote about the place where the winding Quiet Pine flows into the mighty Don , traveler Ignatius Smolyanin.

The plain rising above the river, in the middle of which there are white blocks, seemed to our ancestors an unprecedented marvel. That’s what they called it - Divnogorye. Centuries have passed, but even today this ancient place cannot be called anything other than a miracle.

Divnogorye is a steppe plateau in the Liskinsky district of the Voronezh region. From a geological point of view, it represents chalk deposits - hard layers of chalk covered with a thin layer of soil. This is evidence of the distant past of the Earth: continents were formed, oceans parted.

Cretaceous remains in the form of pillars are multi-meter giants rising in different parts of the plateau. There were once about twenty of them, but now only six remain. Locals call them Divas.

The plateau has a special microclimate: the elevated surface quickly heats up, and the hot air disperses the clouds; The weather here is usually dry and hot. Surprisingly, despite such climate and soil features, more than 40 species of unique plants grow on the plateau and rare animals live.

Because of the flora of Divnogorye, scientists call the plateau the “Reduced Alps.” In spring, the plain is replete with wildflowers: katran, adonis, prolomnik; in summer it turns brownish-green. In the middle of the last century, a forest protection belt of maples and ash trees was planted on the plateau. Due to the characteristics of the chalky soil and low humidity, the trees still appear young.

The fauna of the plateau is no less unique. There are rare bustards and golden eagles, many eagle owls, larks, and harriers. Among the mammals you can find a hare, a fox, and a ferret.

For its nature alone, the Divnogorsk Plateau can be considered a protected area. But these places are also unique from a cultural point of view. The remains of Khazar villages of the 9th century, cave temples, an ancient monastery and Cretaceous Divas today make up the Divnogorye Museum-Reserve.

What to see in Divnogorye?

Proposals to assign Divnogorye the status of a nature reserve were made at the beginning of the twentieth century. But with the advent of Soviet power, the natural and cultural value of these places was forgotten. The monastery, which had been operating there since the 17th century, was closed, placing it first as a rest home and then as a hospital for tuberculosis patients.

Only in 1988 a museum was opened in Divnogorye (a branch of the Voronezh Local History Museum). Divnogorye received the status of a state natural architectural and archaeological museum-reserve in 1991.

Currently, the area of ​​this open-air museum is about 11 square meters. km. It includes several attractions, the main of which are the Mayatskoye settlement and the Assumption Monastery with cave temples (Big and Small Divas).

Mayatskoye settlement

The Mayatskoye settlement is an archaeological site of the 9th–10th centuries. In those distant times, Divnogorye was inhabited by Alan tribes. This semi-nomadic people founded several settlements here, cultivated the floodplain lands near the plateau, and engaged in pottery.

Politically, this land belonged to the Khazar Khaganate. Khazaria needed reliable outposts that would protect it from the oppression of the Slavs. One of these was the Mayatskoye settlement. The settlements of the Don Alans were surrounded by a white-stone fortress with six-meter ramparts, and a deep ditch was dug near the walls.

The fortress performed defensive and fiscal functions (local residents brought tribute there for the Khazar Kaganate). In addition, trade caravans stopped there to rest and change horses.

In the 10th century, the fortress began to be subject to Pecheneg raids. At the same time, the Khazar state weakened. The Don Alans, together with the Khazar governors, left the site.

Currently, the Mayatskoye settlement includes the remains of a white-stone fortress and settlements, as well as a burial ground and pottery workshops. Here you can see artifacts found during excavations: dishes, jewelry, weapons, etc.

But the life of the Don Alans is most clearly demonstrated by the archaeological park located not far from the settlement. This is a reconstruction of a village from the 9th–10th centuries. Half-dugouts, adobe huts similar to yurts, household items - you look and think: “Did people really live like that?”

Big and Small Divas

There is a beautiful legend that in the 12th century two Greek monks Xenophon and Joasaph, who lived in Italy, tired of the attacks of Catholics, left for Rus'. They took with them the icon of the Sicilian Mother of God. The monks came to Divnogorye, saw chalk pillars and dug a monastery in one of them.

However, there is no written evidence of this. Officially, the Divnogorsk Monastery was founded in 1653 with the aim of protecting it from Tatar raids.

The two main buildings of the monastery are cave churches in Big and Small Diva.

Big Divas is a two-story cave, carved out of the rock of one of the chalk outcrops. It was there in 1831, according to legend, that the icon of the Sicilian Mother of God was found, allegedly once brought by Xenophon and Joasaph. (Currently, the original icon is lost.) After some time, the cave came under the jurisdiction of the Divnogorsk monastery and became a temple.

The church has unusual architecture. On the first “floor” there is an altar and long corridors with semicircular arches; on the second there are upper rooms where monks once lived. Inside the temple the temperature is the same all year round - about 12–15 ºС.

There is a staircase next to the church. If you climb it, you will see a wonderful view of the plateau. And opposite the temple there is a spring, the water in which is considered holy.

Another cave church of the Divnogorsk monastery (Little Divas) is named after John the Baptist. It is smaller in size, but inside it is quite similar to the church in Big Divas.

In general, there are many more caves on the territory of Divnogorye. The monks who lived here for centuries dug complex underground passages so that they could take refuge in troubled times.

What to do in Divnogorye?

The best time to visit Divnogorye is considered to be late spring: the plateau is filled with the bright colors of flowering plants and their intoxicating aromas. Moreover, at this time it is not as hot as in summer.

Of course, item No. 1 in the program of events in Divnogorye is a visit to the museum-reserve. Since it is located in the open air, admission to it is free - you can wander around for hours, admiring the local beauty. But to get to museum objects located on the territory of the reserve, for example, to an archaeological park, you will have to buy an entrance ticket. At the same time, like any institution, the museum has its own opening hours.

If you want to get inside the cave temples, you will have to sign up for a tour. This can be done in the administration house, which is not far from the Divnogorye farm.

Also at the administration you can buy a tour along one of the proposed routes. In this case, a guide will take you around all the sites and tell you about the history and mythology of these places. But the prices for excursions, frankly speaking, are steep.

You will be lucky if you visit Divnogorye on days when various events are held there (usually from the beginning of May to the end of August): ethnographic festivals, historical performances, exhibitions, plein airs and much more. As a rule, entertainment programs are held on the territory of the so-called Divnogorsk farmstead (a stylized estate that serves as a platform for folk festivals and master classes of artisans).

The plateau is located on the Tikhaya Sosna River. The coastal zone is a favorite place for tourists with tents. It is allowed to make fires on the shore, and to fish and swim in the river. Therefore, a visit to Divnogorye can be for you not only an acquaintance with natural and cultural monuments, but also an excellent vacation.

By the way, for lovers of active pastime, the museum-reserve organizes rental of kayaks for rafting on Tikhaya Sosnya.

Point No. 2 of the minimum program when visiting Divnogorye is the Divnogorsky Canyon. It is located not far from the Mayatsky settlement and is a chalk ravine of a bizarre ribbed shape with a depth of about 30 m. This is an amazing place for photography: you can catch more than a dozen picturesque shots.

How to get to Divnogorye?

Divnogorye is located 80 km south of Voronezh.

Museum address: Voronezh region, Liskinsky district, Divnogorye village.

You can get there by road and rail.

By car

The distance from Voronezh to the Divnogorye village is 150 km.

If you go not by personal car, but by public transport, then please note that there is no direct bus from the regional center to the farm. You can get to the town of Liski. There are several flights daily (you can find out more about the schedule). There is also a bus from Liski to the Divnogorye farm (route: Liski - Kovalyovo to the Divnogorye farm; departure time: 11:15).

From Moscow to the Divnogorye village - 650 km. The route runs along the M4 federal highway (route E115). Having passed Voronezh, you need to turn onto Liski, and then drive through the settlements of Nikolskoye and Kovalevo and, before reaching Selyavnoye, turn to Divnogorye.

There is a parking lot for vehicles on the territory of the museum-reserve.

By train

You can also get from Voronezh to Divnogorye by electric train. True, you will have to travel with a transfer. So, first you need to get to the Liski station, and then to the station 143 km.

A detailed schedule of all trains is available on Yandex.

Note! You should get off at the 143 km station, and not at the Divnogorskaya station, which is located a little earlier along the route. Platform 143 km is located in close proximity to the administration building of the Divnogorye Museum-Reserve. This is a convenient starting point for starting the excursion.

Why is it worth seeing Divnogorye?

Miracle... According to etymology, this word comes from the ancient “deva”, that is, “deity”, “spirits”. Epochs changed - the pronunciation changed, but the root remained unchanged. Gradually, the “devas” became “daivas”, and the “daivas” became “divas”. And what, if not a deity, were the stone blocks for the tribes and peoples who lived on the plateau?

Looking at these places, you can’t shake the feeling of something outlandish. Ancient natural landscapes and ancient architectural monuments peacefully coexist with each other, creating a unique atmosphere.

How long have I wanted to get to Divnogorye, and it has finally happened! I remember I drove past it twice and still didn’t have time to stop by. Therefore, on my last trip, I initially included this point in the route, and now I am incredibly happy about it. We got there at a wonderful time, when the heat had already subsided and autumn had just begun. The yellow expanses of the steppes are something! However, I think that from the top point of the plateau from the chalk divas a beautiful view opens up at any time. I wonder what everything looks like there in winter.

Divnogorye Museum-Reserve

I won’t say that there is a “spectacle” in Divnogorye, although it is the most popular and famous among cave objects. Still, for many the place will not seem super interesting. In my case, if I go to see something not for the sake of the blog, but because of my mood, then I really like it there. It was the same this time. We haven’t left the city for a long time, we left the bad weather in Moscow, but came to summer and nature, we arrived at the moment when we needed it. But okay, let’s skip these points and tell you what good things there are in Divnogorye. Essentially these are chalk divas, a cave temple, a canyon and steppes around. It's best to take the desire to walk with you to make the trip meaningful.

Upon arrival, we specially bought an excursion to get to the cave temple, which is carved out inside the chalk divas (the place is called Big Divas). The excursion route starts almost from the parking lot. You need to climb the high stairs to the temple and the intermediate platform. Pilgrims should definitely visit the temple; you will hear the story about the Sicilian icon of the Mother of God (now there is a copy there) and how it saved many people in the 19th century from cholera. There is even an underground religious procession inside! And although the church itself does not belong to the Russian Orthodox Church, but to a museum-reserve, services are still held there a couple of times a year.

We saw the temple as idle tourists; we were interested in the building itself. It’s not every day that you come across a temple carved out of the chalk outcrops of a bizarre shape, and even two stories in size. By the way, Big Divas reminded me of something, only on a different scale. They say there were much more remains before, but thanks to the builders of the railway.

After visiting the temple, you need to climb even higher up the hill, from where you can see views of the surrounding area. At the top of the plateau is the Mayatsky fortress (Mayatsky archaeological complex), or rather just the rampart, overgrown with grass. You need to really stretch your imagination to imagine what was here before. At this point the tour ends. But we went further into the fields. True, it didn’t happen right away; first we checked into a hotel, and then, closer to sunset, we returned again. We walked in the city alone and, believe me, there is something in it! And what a beautiful canyon it is... It’s a pity that the photos don’t convey the variety of colors at all. I definitely recommend going to it. In about 40-60 minutes you can walk through the temple-fortress-canyon and return back to the parking lot, either the same way or along a dirt road, closing the circle.

By the way, it’s good near the temple and at night in the dark. A special atmosphere... Conducive to thoughts. But not heavy. And if the moon comes out, you can also take some cool photos. True, it didn’t work out for me, I left the tripod at home, and I still can’t install an application on the new camera for taking pictures lasting more than 30 seconds.

Photos of Divnogorye and surrounding areas

Below are some photos of the village itself and the surrounding area along the way to it. To be honest, the villages in the Voronezh region are not in the best condition.

How to get there by car

Under no circumstances should you go, as Yandex Navigator suggests. And it may well be that other navigators are also lying. Apparently one of the roads on the maps is designated as the best, but in fact, it is dead, so many who travel to Divnogorye curse afterwards (several of these people were on the excursion). I looked at the map in advance and immediately figured out the best way to go.

So, we turn off the M4 towards Liski, here the navigator shows everything correctly. But then we go through Kovalevo (Kolomytsevo-Popasnoe-Pukhovo-Kovalevo), because Yandex suggested that I go in a completely different way. Or if you go from Voronezh through Ostrogozhsk, then you need to go in the same way through Kovalevo, and not through Korotoyak or Dolzhik-Krinitsa on dirt roads.

Map of the Divnogorye Museum-Reserve (clickable)