TO VOLGA RIVER-HEAD
The "Master Rallye" participants will be able to see the ancient
lake Ilmen, from 9th to 12th century a part of
the great water-way "from Varangians to Greeks".
Then
you’ll come to Valday - the region of the protected national forests
and the crystal-clear lakes. First inhabitants of Valday were
Finno-Ugric tribes, who named it. In Finnish manner "Valday" means
"the water of life", "the life-giving water".
One of the most beautiful and important lakes in Russia is Seliger,
"the limpid lake" located here, in Valday.
In memory for this region you can buy a souvenir - a little
handbell, the symbol of Valday.
The complex of buildings of the famous Nilovo-Stolbnenskaya desert
rises straight from the water on the Eastern coast of Seliger near
the Stolbny Island. Its cloister was founded in 15th century, but
the look of this luxurious abode had been formed from 17th to 19th
century by many well-known architects. The centre of the cloister
ensemble is grand five-domed Bogoyavlensky Cathedral. If you climb
up its bell-tower, the fantastic view of the lake unfolds before you
as if you were in a fairytale.
The Nilovo-Stolbnensky cloister is a real town with a large number
of buildings of all kinds and purposes surrounded with a stone wall
with towers, and a shady garden is laid out along the coastline. The
monumental granite embankment together with the Archiyereyskaya
landing stage and the Svetlitskaya tower are forming the facade of
the cloister from the lake side.
 This area is also famous due to the fact that exactly from here the
great Russian river Volga originates. The ancient Greek historian
Herodotus (5th century B.C.) was the first to mention Volga,
calling it Itil or Atel, meaning "the river of rivers", "the great
river". During the whole race the "Master Rallye" will be following
Volga’s stream more or less closely up to its confluence into the
Caspian Sea.
There are many Russian ancient towns such as Torjok, Tver, Staritsa
and Rjev on the banks of Volga and its tributaries. All of them were
founded in 11th-12th centuries and were perfectly preserved
hitherto. That's why nowadays they attract lots of tourists
interested in Russian history, nature, culture and antique.
Photo: V.Lapitsky
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