In the Vladimir region, 4 kilometers from Suzdal, there is a small village, more like a village, which in its value and antiquity is in no way inferior to its world-famous neighbor. The name of this village is . Traveling along the Golden Ring, few people visit this godforsaken place. Although it is close to go - Kideksha is located nearby - just reach out your hand.
Why is this village famous? What made her famous all over the world?
In the middle of the 12th century, the princely palace was located here. residence of Yuri Dolgoruky- the ancient capital of the Rostov-Suzdal principality. From here Dolgoruky ruled his possessions, he lived here. The town was a fortress with ramparts and a high wooden palisade. 
There is a legend that this is not the first settlement on this site. Rumor has it that there used to be a camp here. Holy Princes Boris and Gleb. Not in vain, perhaps, Yuri Dolgoruky built a church here in 1152, named after them. Despite everything, the church still stands now, after almost 9 centuries.
"At the end of the 12th-beginning of the 13th century, the city of Kideksha was already quite large: the remains of ramparts were found to the north-west of the church of Boris and Gleb, respectively, if the southern line of ramparts was located on the last slope in front of flood meadows (now there is a highway), then the total length of the fortress along the north-south line was at least 400 m With a width of the fortress from 150 to 300 m, the length of the ramparts was at least 1 km Approximately the same length (about 1 km) the ramparts were in Dmitrov, and not much longer - about 1 ,4 km - in Suzdal." (Wikipedia)
After the death of the prince, Kideksha lost its significance. Dolgoruky's son Andrei Bogolyubsky moved the capital to Vladimir, and made his residence in his beloved Bogolyubovo.
But this was not the end of the town. It finally lost its significance after the raid of the Tatar-Mongols in 1238.
Our trip to Kideksha took place on August 25, 2012 as part of a trip along the route "- Bogolyubovo - - Kideksha". I wrote a lot about this trip, but I have only just reached the world-famous village. When we arrived in Kideksha, it drizzled. So we walked around Dolgoruky's residence in the rain. No umbrellas. The photos are a bit dark. But just such a Kideksha was revealed to us - a special, mysterious, deep in its energy and significance place...
Of course, it is worth coming here to see the first white stone building in northeastern Rus', and now a UNESCO World Heritage Site belonging to the "White stone monuments of Vladimir and Suzdal" - Church of Boris and Gleb.
Well, let's go take a look architectural ensemble of Kidekshi.
This is how it appears before us at first glance - a low stone fence, a rickety bell tower, a couple of inconspicuous temples ... But the feeling of touching eternity is amazing. I don't know if there is such a pristine place somewhere else....
Scheme of the architectural ensemble of Kidekshi. Everything is simple and modest:
- Church of the Holy Princes Boris and Gleb (1152),
- Church of St. Archdeacon Stephany (1780),
- bell tower (XVIII century),
- holy gate with a fence (XVIII - XX centuries)
Holy gate with a fence (XVIII - XX centuries). Photo from the site: suzdal.org.ru
The slope of the bell tower is not an optical effect. She's really leaning.
No wonder it is called the "falling" bell tower.
Church of the Holy Princes Boris and Gleb (1152). West facade
As I already wrote, there is a generally accepted opinion that the temple was built in honor of Saints Boris and Gleb. But "it is possible that the temple was founded by Yuri Dolgoruky in honor of his younger sons Boris and Gleb, named after the first generally revered saint of Kievan Rus. The Kideksha church served as a burial place for his son, Prince Boris Yuryevich of Belgorod and Turov, who died in 1159. His wife is also buried here Borisa Maria (†1161) and their daughter Euphrosyne (†1202)." ()
Fragment of the southern wall
Church of St. Archdeacon Stefanios (1780)
Fence (XVIII - XX centuries)
The bank of the river is visible through the fence. Kideksha stands at the confluence of the Kamenka River into the Nerl River
The name "Kideksha" in translation from Meryan means "stony river". Everything is quite plausible.
Church of the Holy Princes Boris and Gleb (1152). View from the northeast side
again the Church of the Holy Princes Boris and Gleb (1152). View from the south
Four kilometers from Suzdal, famous throughout the world for its historical buildings, there is a village that several centuries ago was a reliably fortified city. It is located in picturesque places - where the Kamenka flows into the Nerl River. The village belonging to the Suzdal region is called Kideksha. There are few sights here, however, tourists often visit these places. No more than 150 people live in this settlement. The history and sights of Kideksha will be discussed in the article.
Base
In 1152, by order of Yuri Dolgoruky, the Church of Boris and Gleb was built. Today this temple is a famous landmark of Kideksha. Historians claim that the first settlements appeared on the territory of the village long before the construction of the church. Although officially the year of foundation is considered to be 1152.
During the time of Yuri Dolgoruky, the village was a separate fortified town. The prince aspired to sole rule. Yuri Dolgoruky built his courtyard here, around which boyar settlements eventually appeared. Kideksha was an important outpost in those days.
City fall
In the XII century, Kideksha was a large city at that time, on the territory of which a strong fortress towered. This is evidenced by the remains of earth mounds found to the northwest of the temple. The southern line of ramparts was supposedly located in front of the meadows, where the highway passes today.
The total length of the fortress, which could become the main attraction of Kideksha, was at least four hundred meters. However, this structure was destroyed around the beginning of the 13th century. In 1238 the city was ravaged by the Tatar-Mongols. He lost his status, turned into an ordinary village. In the XIV century, a monastery was located in its place, which also has not survived to this day.
What to see in Kideksha? Attraction here, as already mentioned, only one. However, the Church of Boris and Gleb is an unusual temple. This is an architectural ensemble of high historical significance and included in the list of "White Stone Monuments of Vladimir and Suzdal". The central street of the village is part of the ancient route from Suzdal to Gorodets. This road was laid out about 850 years ago.
Kideksha has an interesting, rich history. It's amazing how this building survived for so many centuries.
History of the temple in Kideksha
There is an assumption that the church was badly damaged by the invasion of the Tatar-Mongols at the beginning of the 13th century. However, already in 1239 the building was restored. A white-stone seat and a carved altar barrier were erected here.
In the XIII century, the city's population began to decline sharply - many residents moved to Suzdal. In the XIV-XVII centuries, the vaults of the church collapsed. The eastern pillars were dismantled. At the end of the 17th century, new details appeared in the architectural appearance of the church, which have survived to this day.
In 1780, Stefanovskaya Church was built next to the temple, and later - an octagonal hipped bell tower. The last excavations in the village were carried out in 2011. Then elements of the former decoration of the temple were discovered, for example, the foundations of the late iconostasis and part of the white stone throne. Of particular artistic value is the omphalio, which dates back to the 12th century. In 2011, archaeologists also discovered frescoes and a white stone sarcophagus here.
Peculiarities
The temple in Kideksha is single-domed, three-sided. The church is built of high quality white stone. It is often compared with the Transfiguration Cathedral of the Pereslavl Kremlin. The architecture of the Church of Boris and Gleb contains elements characteristic of the Romanesque style.
The temple in Kideksha is one of the first five stone Orthodox buildings in North-Eastern Rus'. Before Yuri Dolgoruky, churches in these places were built exclusively from wood. Moreover, in those days, North-Eastern Rus' was a wild land. The construction of the white stone church was the crowning achievement of Yuri Dolgoruky's reign.
The scale of the construction of the church at that time was unprecedented. In terms of labor intensity, they could be compared with the construction of the Egyptian pyramids. After all, they built from white stone, and this material had to be brought from Moscow.
Today, the temple, unfortunately, is in a deplorable state. Serious restoration is required. Worship services are not held.
Where to stay
If it were not for the Church of Boris and Gleb, the sights of Kideksha, a hotel would hardly have appeared in this village. However, connoisseurs of Russian architecture rarely come here. In addition, the tourist city of Suzdal is just four kilometers away. In Kineshma, you can stay at the Knyazhesky mini-hotel, located at 82 Tsentralnaya Street. True, there is only one room here, and therefore you need to call the owner in advance. Tourists visiting these places usually stop in Suzdal, from where you can get by bus number 106. The cost of a taxi from Suzdal to Kideksha is about 250 rubles.
At the beginning of the 12th century, it was in this village that two brothers met - princes Boris of Rostov and Gleb of Murom, who arrived here at the call of their father, Vladimir the Red Sun. Subsequently, both princes were killed by Svyatopolk the Accursed and canonized by the Russian Church as holy martyrs. The name of the white-stone church of Boris and Gleb, the main attraction of Kideksha, is connected with their names.
How to get there
Buses No. 106 run from Suzdal through Kideksha, following to Sergeyikha and Menchakov, and No. 111 to Kameshkov.
An alternative option is a taxi (about 350 RUB in the city). Prices on the page are for September 2018.
A bit of history
During the time of Yuri Dolgoruky, Kideksha was a fortified princely town, standing separately from the place of settlement of noble boyars. At the same time, being on the banks of the Nerl, the Kideksh fortress controlled the river routes to Suzdal and was a strategically important outpost of the principality, since it was along the Nerl that trade with other lands was carried out.
At the end of the 12th - beginning of the 13th centuries, the village was already quite large, as evidenced by the remains of ramparts discovered in our time.
In 1238, Kideksha was ravaged by the Tatar-Mongolian tribes and soon lost its status. From the 14th century, the monastery was located in the Kideksh church, and from the 18th century - a rural parish.
Popular hotels in Kideksha
Entertainment and attractions of Kidekshi
The main attraction of Kideksha is the white-stone church of Boris and Gleb, built in 1152 at the behest of Yuri Dolgoruky, who decided to build a fortified residence here.
The Kideksha church served as a burial place for one of the sons of Yuri Dolgoruky, Prince Boris Yuryevich of Belgorod and Turov, who died in 1159. His wife Maria and their daughter Euphrosyne are also buried here. In the interior of the church, a fragment of frescoes from the 12th century has been preserved, depicting two birds and a floral pattern in the form of intertwining stems of leaves and flowers.
Together with the Transfiguration Cathedral in Pereslavl-Zalessky, the construction of which began in the same 1152, the Church of Boris and Gleb is the oldest monument of Vladimir-Suzdal architecture.
In addition to the Church of Boris and Gleb in Kideksha, the warm Stefanievskaya Church (1780), the Holy Gate dating back to the turn of the 17th-18th centuries, and the hipped bell tower with a passage arch, built at about the same time as the gate, have survived to this day. It is curious that until the 20th century, a bell, donated by Ivan the Terrible on the occasion of the capture of Kazan, hung on the hipped bell tower, dating back to 1552. The Stefanievskaya church, built in the best traditions of Suzdal churches, consists of two volumes of different heights, and is crowned with a cupola on a thin drum. All three buildings and the gate surprisingly form a single architectural ensemble.
Since 1992, the Church of Boris and Gleb, being part of the White Stone Monuments of Vladimir and Suzdal, has been included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.
The best view of Kideksha opens from the banks of the Nerl or from the bridge over the river.
- Where to stay: for radial excursions around the region, it is most convenient to stop directly in Vladimir, as an option - in Suzdal. In search of nature and solitude - in one of the sanatoriums, boarding houses or hotels in the Vladimir region.
- What to see: Karacharovo - the birthplace of Ilya Muromets, as well as nearby Murom with its wonderful monasteries and temples. It is worth seeing the Holy Bogolyubsky convent in Bogolyubovo and the nearby slender Church of the Intercession on the Nerl. City of masters
Sights of the village Kidekshi
A few kilometers from Suzdal is the village of Kideksha, famous for its architectural ensemble, part of which is the first white-stone church in the North-East of Rus'. Tourists are rarely brought here. Probably, Suzdal, rich in sights and historical artifacts, is considered the most interesting and attracts all attention to itself. As a rule, only a few get here. And, perhaps, this is partly why we decided to look here for a couple of hours.
As I said, the village itself is very close, 4 km east of Suzdal. However, unexpectedly, the question immediately arose before us - how to get there. It seems that regular buses run, there is no shortage of taxis and others who want to earn extra money. But, I must admit, the financial possibilities were already rather exhausted, and we did not find a bus stop with a route to Kideksha (by the way, it is correct to put the stress on the first syllable). We decided to go on foot.
Almost every house in the village is built in the original Russian style. Everything around is underlined clean and tidy. Not a village, but a museum of Russian life of the 18th-19th centuries, except to remove the satellite dishes from the windows.In some places, this atmosphere of authenticity is diluted by the transport of local residents, but it somehow organically fits into the overall picture of the open-air museum.
Feathered creatures run around the gates. Probably the only living creatures along the road to the Borisoglebsk temple. I repeat, the village seems to be an exhibition, museum or something ... On the way to the church there is a small memorial to the fallen soldiers during the Great Patriotic War. In those years, almost the entire male population, almost 500 people, went to the front from this small settlement. 154 soldiers did not return.
And finally, we come to the main architectural ensemble of Kideksha - the Church of Boris and Gleb built in 1152, i.e. almost 100 years before the arrival of the Mongols in Rus'. It was at this place, according to legend, that at the beginning of the 11th century there was a meeting of two brothers, future martyrs, the first Russian holy princes Boris and Gleb, who were killed (again according to the same legend) by their brother Svyatopolk, nicknamed the Accursed for this. Although, the story of the murder is full of dark spots and more questions than answers. As the ancient Romans said - Is fecit cui prodest (made by the one who benefits), and Svyatopolk, just, there was no benefit in this. His brothers were not rivals, but quite the contrary. Of all the brothers, it was Boris and Gleb who recognized the seniority of Svyatopolk and did not claim the throne of Kiev.
Today it is reliably known that the white stone from which the church was built was brought from quarries near Moscow. This is also unique to her. Before that, churches were not built of stone, neither in Kyiv, nor in Constantinople. There, during the construction, they used plinth - a thin burnt brick. Therefore, along with the Cathedral of the Transfiguration of the Savior in Pereslavl-Zalessky, this temple is the earliest white-stone building in North-Eastern Rus'.
Initially, it was similar in architecture to the Dmitrievsky Cathedral in Vladimir and the Church of the Intercession on the Nerl. But at the end of the 16th century, the head and part of the vaults collapsed. According to legend, Tsar Ivan Vasilievich, nicknamed the Terrible, passing through Kideksha with an army to Kazan and in need of lead for shells, removed the lead roof from the local monastery. And later, in return for it, along with other contributions from the Pechersk monastery, he ordered a bell weighing 30 pounds to be transferred to the church. This bell, they say, the church could not stand. In 1660 the temple was restored. This restoration of the 17th century greatly changed its appearance.
Now the church is not active. It houses a museum exposition telling about the times of Yuri Dolgoruky in Kideksha. Also inside you can see various ancient frescoes. And since 1992, the Church of Boris and Gleb, along with the monuments of Vladimir and Suzdal, has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Very close to the temple rises another landmark building of these places - the famous "Falling" bell tower, in fact, an analogue of the Leaning Tower of Pisa. There are many falling towers in the world. There is one in Kideksha. According to legend, the bell tower leaned during construction. They say that in this place there was once an underground passage leading from the princely palace to the river. By the time the construction of the bell tower began, the palace had already been destroyed, and those who knew about the underground passage, of course, were no longer alive. And it must have happened that during construction, part of the foundation fell just above the passage, and the bell tower began to heel, settling on one side. It was not possible to correct the situation, then the bell tower was “levelled” a little due to the crown.
Like it or not, it is not known, but if you look closely, you can see that the end of the tent is slightly deviated from the axis of the bell tower itself. Studies have shown that even today it is very difficult to correct it, even with the most modern technologies and materials at our disposal. By the way, there was an ancient bell here for a long time, the one that Ivan the Terrible gave to Kideksha.
This bell tower was built in the 18th century. In its style, it belongs to the tented ones, but experts believe that it is very different from those that were being built in Suzdal at that time. Now it is impossible to climb the bell tower. For security reasons, it is unfortunately closed. The current temple - the church of St. Stephen (1780) was built as a winter "pair" to the church of Boris and Gleb. Very modest, with a single dome on a cubic base, it belongs to the diocese of Vladimir, and services are regularly held in it.
By and large, this is all that you can see in Kideksha. Of course, you can still walk around the village, go down to the river, just sit on the shore. But we decided to spend this time on a hike to another interesting place in the vicinity of Suzdal - the Mikhali district, where the Church of Michael the Archangel of the 18th century flaunts. A very beautiful building! Even on the very first day, when we were driving towards Suzdal, I noticed from the road how brightly the temple domes sparkled. In general, we could not visit.
Everything is nearby here, even separate villages, so from Kideksha you can also walk to Mikhaly on your own, i.e. on foot. And so that the path is not so tiring, you can refresh yourself in a very good eatery called "Traktir". I don’t remember the exact prices for specific dishes, but it’s relatively inexpensive, and the interior, with panoramic windows ... This will be remembered for a long time! Too bad there is no photo to prove it.
Mikhali is a historical district of the city of Suzdal, rich in its sights and archaeological finds. In ancient times, at the place where the Mzhara River flows into Kamenka, there was a settlement that belonged to the son of Yuri Dolgoruky, the great Vladimir-Suzdal prince Mikhalka, which is why it got its name - Mikhailovskaya.
Opposite the settlement there is a large meadow, which is surrounded on three sides by the channel of Kamenka. When in the 15th century the village of Mikhailovskoye was formed on the site of the settlement, it and this meadow belonged to the church and only then moved to the city.
The highest of the three churches in Mikhaly is the Church of Michael the Archangel (1769), a “summer” five-domed temple with a bell tower. Next to it is the later small church of Flora and Laurus (1803). It is rather a stylization of the classic "warm" temples of Suzdal. By the way, it must be said that the entrance to the territory is free, but all visitors are immediately met by some people and informed that it is possible to inspect the churches only in their presence. This is not very pleasant, besides, as they say, they then also require additional "donations" after their "excursions". Allegedly for the needs of the temples.
After some bickering, we refused their "services", so we only walked around the territory. Luckily, there is so much to see here. The bell tower from below truly seems monumental! The resemblance to the Venerable bell tower of the Rizpolozhensky Monastery is immediately noted. The same classicism style, the same composition and decor. In addition to churches, the territory also houses the Suzdal Orthodox Lyceum. St. Arseniy of Elasson, which has been operating as an Orthodox school with full board for 11 years (since 2004). Hence a considerable number of children around (especially at recess).
Well, the last, third temple in Mikhaly is the Church of Alexander Nevsky. Almost the only surviving temple in the pseudo-Russian style in Suzdal. It is closest to the main street of the city - Mikhailovskaya, behind the churches of Flora and Laurus and the Archangel Michael. This building is the youngest in this temple complex. It was built in the late XIX - early XX centuries. All three churches were badly damaged during the Soviet era and have been restored quite recently. Even an inexperienced visitor immediately notices that the buildings have just been repaired, the feeling that the paint on the walls has not dried yet. And yet, I think, there is no need to beg for "donations" at the entrance, since even if it is small, the sediment from this remains.
Such was our trip to this ancient city on Kamenka. The city, which will soon be 1000 years old. Today it is no longer the center of Russian lands, as it was in the 12th century, and there is no that princely majesty that struck the minds of new arrivals there. But much, much has survived to this day. This is really a real diamond in the Golden Ring of Russia, which attracts foreigners so much. It's a shame that compatriots do not particularly like trips to such places. Although, as shown in recent years, the situation is gradually beginning to change for the better. I would like it to be not only a consequence of economic turmoil.
In the Vladimir region, 4 kilometers from Suzdal, there is a small village, more like a village, which in its value and antiquity is in no way inferior to its world-famous neighbor. The name of this village is . Traveling along the Golden Ring, few people visit this godforsaken place. Although it is close to go - Kideksha is located nearby - just reach out your hand.
Why is this village famous? What made her famous all over the world?
In the middle of the 12th century, the princely palace was located here. residence of Yuri Dolgoruky- the ancient capital of the Rostov-Suzdal principality. From here Dolgoruky ruled his possessions, he lived here. The town was a fortress with ramparts and a high wooden palisade. There is a legend that this is not the first settlement on this site. Rumor has it that there used to be a camp here. Holy Princes Boris and Gleb. Not in vain, perhaps, Yuri Dolgoruky built a church here in 1152, named after them. Despite everything, the church still stands now, after almost 9 centuries.
"At the end of the 12th-beginning of the 13th century, the city of Kideksha was already quite large: the remains of ramparts were found to the north-west of the church of Boris and Gleb, respectively, if the southern line of ramparts was located on the last slope in front of flood meadows (now there is a highway), then the total length of the fortress along the north-south line was at least 400 m With a width of the fortress from 150 to 300 m, the length of the ramparts was at least 1 km Approximately the same length (about 1 km) the ramparts were in Dmitrov, and not much longer - about 1 ,4 km - in Suzdal." (Wikipedia)
After the death of the prince, Kideksha lost its significance. Dolgoruky's son Andrei Bogolyubsky moved the capital to Vladimir, and made his residence in his beloved Bogolyubovo.
But this was not the end of the town. It finally lost its significance after the raid of the Tatar-Mongols in 1238.
Our trip to Kideksha took place on August 25, 2012 as part of a trip along the route "- Bogolyubovo - - Kideksha". I wrote a lot about this trip, but I have only just reached the world-famous village. When we arrived in Kideksha, it drizzled. So we walked around Dolgoruky's residence in the rain. No umbrellas. The photos are a bit dark. But just such a Kideksha was revealed to us - a special, mysterious, deep in its energy and significance place...
Of course, it is worth coming here to see the first white stone building in northeastern Rus', and now a UNESCO World Heritage Site belonging to the "White stone monuments of Vladimir and Suzdal" - Church of Boris and Gleb.
Well, let's go take a look architectural ensemble of Kidekshi.
This is how it appears before us at first glance - a low stone fence, a rickety bell tower, a couple of inconspicuous temples ... But the feeling of touching eternity is amazing. I don't know if there is such a pristine place somewhere else....
Scheme of the architectural ensemble of Kidekshi. Everything is simple and modest:
- Church of the Holy Princes Boris and Gleb (1152),
- Church of St. Archdeacon Stephany (1780),
- bell tower (XVIII century),
- holy gate with a fence (XVIII - XX centuries)
Holy gate with a fence (XVIII - XX centuries). Photo from the site: suzdal.org.ru
The slope of the bell tower is not an optical effect. She's really leaning.
No wonder it is called the "falling" bell tower.
Church of the Holy Princes Boris and Gleb (1152). West facade
As I already wrote, there is a generally accepted opinion that the temple was built in honor of Saints Boris and Gleb. But "it is possible that the temple was founded by Yuri Dolgoruky in honor of his younger sons Boris and Gleb, named after the first generally revered saint of Kievan Rus. The Kideksha church served as a burial place for his son, Prince Boris Yuryevich of Belgorod and Turov, who died in 1159. His wife is also buried here Borisa Maria (†1161) and their daughter Euphrosyne (†1202)." ()
Fragment of the southern wall
Church of St. Archdeacon Stefanios (1780)
Fence (XVIII - XX centuries)
The bank of the river is visible through the fence. Kideksha stands at the confluence of the Kamenka River into the Nerl River
The name "Kideksha" in translation from Meryan means "stony river". Everything is quite plausible.
Church of the Holy Princes Boris and Gleb (1152). View from the northeast side
again the Church of the Holy Princes Boris and Gleb (1152). View from the south
