City of Zaraysk
Not beyond paradise, but in paradise, local residents say about their wonderful town near Moscow. What can you see here, where to relax and what to eat? Now I’ll show you in my photo report from the trip.
The road to Zaraysk from Moscow is excellent; you can take the M4 toll highway or Novoryazanskoe highway. Travel time is 2-3 hours. This is if we choose personal vehicles. But if you use a public one, for example a train/electric train, then you can’t do it without some effort. In the city itself, the railway station has not been functioning for a long time, so from Moscow from the Kazansky station we go to Lukhovitsy, which is not far from Kolomna, and then by bus or taxi to Zaraysk.
It is absolutely incomprehensible, unfortunately, why the railway station was closed in 1969, where F. M. Dostoevsky himself once came and then went to his estate nearby. I will definitely talk about it a little later in the text. The official version is that the bus service is more developed, more economical from a financial point of view, and in general the sound of iron wheels is disturbing.
There was even a memorial erected to Dostoevsky’s arrival in 1877, opposite the closed station, but I’m almost sure that no one comes here, because there’s nothing else to see in the area around the station. Let’s move on…
Zaraisky Kremlin
Built in the early 16th century, it consists of seven towers and four gates. It has survived to this day in excellent condition. On the territory there are two temples, a museum-reserve and other buildings. Very clean, cozy and quiet. I definitely recommend a visit.
In the museum you will find a figurine of a bison from the Zaraisk site, which is more than 20 thousand years old, and in the St. John the Baptist Cathedral a miraculous icon of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker.
On weekends, at lunchtime, you can meet an interesting master here — Evgeniy. Using a homemade machine and using tools, he forges various objects from iron. He also tells quite interesting facts about the Kremlin, the city and his life.
The central street of the city is Sovetskaya. It houses the former Chambers of Commerce (and next to them the current “merchant tents”), cafes, souvenir and tourist shops. If you go to the left, you will see some pretty streets. There are houses on them, on which pre-revolutionary street names are indicated. If you go right, you will reach the water tower. You can (and should) climb it for 200 rubles and look at the whole city from above. A beautiful panoramic view will open up to your eyes.
Don’t forget to stop by the cafe where they sell gingerbread, right there in the central square. This is a honey gingerbread with different fillings and flavors. It is a landmark of the city of Zaraysk.
You can also visit the local beach. There is a landscaped embankment for a promenade, as well as a sandy strip of the coast of the Sturgeon River. Nearby there is a boat station where catamarans, subs, and boats are available for rental. You can sunbathe, swim or spend active time.
Museum-estate of F. M. Dostoevsky “Darovoe”
A short distance from the city of Zaraysk is the Dostoevsky family estate. You can come here to enjoy nature, silence and history.
Overall, a rather interesting and pretty city, as well as its surroundings. I recommend a visit to all types of travelers.
And in conclusion, I add a short video review in which we walked through many places in the city.
