The main characters are about the city of Kitezh. Kitezh city legend about the most mysterious city

Myths, legends, tales.

The Legend of the City of Kitezh.

The legend of the hiding of the sacred city of Kitezh is the pearl of the Slavic epic. Based on the legend, many research books, poems, and an opera by Rimsky-Korsakov have been written... What is hidden behind the beautiful legend about the city that “went” into Lake Svetloyar and did not submit to the Tatar-Mongol yoke?

The only hints about the real existence of Kitezh can be found in the book “The Kitezh Chronicler”. According to scientists, this book was written at the end of the 17th century.

The main Svetloyarsk legend is about the invisible city of Kitezh. According to her, the city of Kitezh was built by the great Russian prince Yuri Vsevolodovich Vladimirsky at the end of the 12th century. According to legend, the prince, returning from a trip to Novgorod, stopped along the way near Lake Svetloyar to rest. But he was unable to really rest: the prince was captivated by the beauty of those places. He immediately ordered the construction of the city of Big Kitezh on the shore of the lake.

Lake Svetloyar is located in the Nizhny Novgorod region, located near the village of Vladimirskoye, Voskresensky district, in the Lunda basin, a tributary of the Vetluga River. Its length is 210 m, width is 175 m, and the total area of the water surface is about 12 hectares. There is still no consensus on how the lake came into being.

The name of the lake itself comes from the ancient Russian word “bright”, that is, pure, righteous, and the root of the name of the solar deity Yarila, who was worshiped by the ancient Slavic tribes.

In the area of Lake Svetloyar lived the Slavic tribe of Berendeys. Their descendants have preserved to this day the legend that since ancient times, one of the largest religious centers of the cult of Yarila was located in Kitezh. This place was considered sacred for Russian princes.

The bloody baptism of Rus' deprived the native Russian faith of both the Magi and the temples, taking over truly Russian sacred places.

Allegedly, Kitezh was turned into the center of the Orthodox faith, and the princes continued to visit it as if nothing had changed.

Many Orthodox churches were built on the site of temples, since it was believed that such places are special - they are sources of strong positive energy. The names of the ancient Gods were gradually replaced by the names of saints, but the very place of worship of the Higher Powers, which has truly magical energy, remained the same. That is why the area of Lake Svetloyar has been shrouded in legends and mysticism since ancient times.

Greater Kitezh was conceived as a majestic city. There were many temples in it, and it was built entirely of white stone, which at that time was a sign of wealth and purity.

Those were times not best suited for peaceful existence. Discord between the principalities, raids of the Tatars and Bulgarians, forest predators - a rare person dared to get out of the city walls without weapons.

In 1237, the Mongol-Tatars under the leadership of Batu Khan invaded the territory of Rus'.

The Ryazan princes were the first to be attacked. They tried to turn to Prince Yuri Vladimirsky for help, but were refused. The Tatars ravaged Ryazan without difficulty; then they moved to the Vladimir Principality.

The son Vsevolod sent by Yuri was defeated at Kolomna and fled to Vladimir. The Tatars captured Moscow and captured Yuri's other son, Prince Vladimir. Prince Yuri, when he learned about this, left the capital to the sons of Mstislav and Vsevolod and went to gather troops.

He set up a camp near Rostov on the Sit River and began to wait for his brothers Yaroslav and Svyatoslav. In the absence of the Grand Duke, on February 3-7, Vladimir and Suzdal were taken and devastated, and the family of Yuri Vsevolodovich died in a fire. The fate of the prince himself was even more unenviable: Yuri died on March 4, 1238 in a battle with Batu’s troops on the Sit River. Rostov Bishop Kirill found the headless body of the prince on the battlefield and took him to Rostov.

Here ends the facts that scientists have confirmed. Let's return to the legend.

Batu heard about the wealth that was kept in the city of Kitezh, and sent part of the army to the holy city. The detachment was small - Batu did not expect resistance.

The troops marched to Kitezh through the forest, and along the way they cut a clearing. The Tatars were led by the traitor Grishka Kuterma. He was taken in the neighboring city, Maly Kitezh (present-day Gorodets). Grishka could not stand the torture and agreed to show the way to the Holy City.

On that terrible day, three Kitezh heroes were on patrol near the city. They were the first to see the enemies. Before the battle, one of the warriors told his son to run to Kitezh and warn the townspeople.

The boy rushed to the city gates, but the Tatar’s evil arrow caught up with him. However, the brave boy did not fall. With an arrow in his back, he ran to the walls and managed to shout: “Enemies!”, and only then fell dead.

Meanwhile, the heroes tried to restrain the Khan’s army. No one survived. According to legend, in the place where three heroes died, the holy spring of Kibelek appeared - it still flows.

The Mongol-Tatars besieged the city. The townspeople understood that there was no chance. A handful of people against the well-armed and organized army of Batu means certain death. However, the townspeople were not going to give up without a fight. They came out onto the walls with weapons. People prayed in the evening and all night long. The Tatars waited for the morning to launch an attack.

And as soon as the Tatars rushed to the city, abundant springs suddenly gushed out from under the ground, and they retreated in fear. And the water kept running and running...

When the sound of the springs died down, in place of the city there were only waves. In the distance shimmered the lonely dome of the cathedral with a cross shining in the middle. She slowly sank into the water.

Soon the cross disappeared too. Struck by the power of the “Russian miracle,” the Tatars began to run in all directions. But God’s wrath overtook them: some were torn to pieces by animals, some got lost in the forest or simply went missing, taken away by a mysterious force. The city disappeared.

Since then, it has become invisible, but is intact, and the especially righteous can see the lights of religious processions in the depths of the lake and hear the sweet ringing of its bells.

The legend about the mysterious city of Kitezh is ambiguous. People interpret it differently. Some claim that Kitezh went under water, others that it sank into the ground. There are adherents of the theory that the city was closed off from the Tatars by the mountains. Others believe that he took to the skies. But the most interesting theory says that Kitezh simply became invisible.

According to legend, he should “manifest” only before the end of the world. But you can see it and even achieve it now. A person in whom there is no sin will discern the reflection of white stone walls in the waters of Lake Svetloyar.

Now let’s try to answer the question: why did Batu need to lead an army through the swamps to a city that was not on trade routes and did not play any significant military or political role in the life of Ancient Rus'.

Among historians, the most common version of Batu’s seemingly illogical campaign against Kitezh from the point of view of military strategy is the following. After interrogating the prisoners, Batu concluded that this city was not so much a political as a spiritual center of the Slavs. It is not for nothing that in the chronicles telling about Kitezh, the largest place was given to the description of the temples. According to these chronicles, almost the entire city consisted of only churches, being, in fact, one of the largest temple complexes of Orthodoxy.

Therefore, the Mongol Khan decided to march on Kitezh and thereby finally destroy all hope of the Slavs for revival. After all, many peoples believed that with the destruction of their shrines, the people themselves perish, for shrines are the soul of the people. However, the enemy did not get Kitezh.

Let us now fast forward to times close to our century.

The legend of the city of Kitezh excited the minds of the intelligentsia. First of all, writers, musicians and artists. The 19th century writer Pavel Melnikov-Pechersky, inspired by Lake Svetloyar, told its legend in the novel “In the Woods”, as well as in the story “Grisha”. The lake was visited by Maxim Gorky (essay “Bugrov”), Vladimir Korolenko (essay cycle “In Desert Places”), Mikhail Prishvin (essay “Bright Lake”).

Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov wrote the opera “The Tale of the Invisible City of Kitezh” about the mysterious city. The lake was painted by artists Nikolai Romadin, Ilya Glazunov and many others. Poets Anna Akhmatova and Marina Tsvetaeva also mention the city of Kitezh in their works.

Nowadays, science fiction writers, and especially fantasy authors, have become interested in the legend of Kitezh. Among works of this kind, we can name, for example, the story “The Hammers of Kitezh” by Nik Perumov and “Red Shift” by Evgeny Gulyakovsky.

Naturally, scientists did not ignore the mystery of Kitezh. Expeditions have been sent to Lake Svetloyar more than once. Drilling near the shores of the lake yielded nothing. The searches of archaeologists also ended in nothing. No traces of the mysterious city were found on the approaches to the lake. In the 70s of the last century, the expedition was equipped by Literaturnaya Gazeta: trained divers descended to the bottom. Unfortunately, they did not find irrefutable evidence of the existence of the city.

But for believers this fact means nothing. It is known that Kitezh will not reveal its secrets to the “wicked”.

One of the expeditions involved in the study of Lake Svetloyar and its environs included not only archaeologists, but also philologists and ethnographers, that is, collectors of folklore. It turned out that local residents for many centuries have been passing on the legend of the hiding of Kitezh, supplemented by events taking place in our time. Thus, local residents say that on Orthodox holidays, bells can be heard from Lake Svetloyar. Scientists also observed a similar phenomenon, but could not explain it.

Old-timers also say that residents of the otherworldly Kitezh often visit our world. It used to be that an old man with a long gray beard in ancient Slavic clothes would come into an ordinary village store. He asked to sell bread, and paid with old Russian coins from the time of the Tatar-Mongol yoke. Moreover, the coins looked like new. Often the elder asked the question: “How is it in Rus' now? Isn’t it time for Kitezh to rebel?” However, local residents replied that it was too early. They know better, because the place around the lake is special, and the people here live special, in constant contact with the miracle. Even those who come from other regions feel a completely unusual aura here.

Currently, the lake and its surroundings are part of a nature reserve, which is protected by UNESCO.

Let us cite paragraphs from the Facets of Agni Yoga, in which Nicholas Roerich talks about what the City of Kitezh is for us.

Facets of Agni Yoga, 1958:

610. (Guru). The city of Kitezh is a symbol of a country buried until time under the waters of life from the stormy waves of the flow of time. The ancient city lives under its external forms, representing the core, or soul, of the people. In the best energies the foundation is laid, and not for a while, but for centuries. In my paintings and books you will find insight into this foundation, for on it I created...

611. Oh, friends, if they knew reality, the heart would rejoice, despite the fury of dense evidence. For in the Invisible everything that is destined to take visible forms is already completed. The Light City will begin to descend to Earth from its Invisibility in order to become visible. Water is a symbol of the astral world; in its highest layers the city was buried until the time came for it to descend to Earth again. This event will be announced by the ringing of bells. The noise of the battle will subside, and the evil ones will leave, the planet will be filled with light and ringing, when what was announced of old will be accomplished. The Spatial Rays will dictate the Higher Will to the Earth, and the spirit of man, going against the Light, will humble himself. The darkness will lose its strength... deprived of support not only in the astral, but also in the physical world, it will stagger and collapse. Therefore, We call it doomed darkness, for its days are numbered...

Prepared by Tatyana Kolokolova.

The Life of the Holy Blessed Prince George Vsevolodovich, based on the text of the Simeon Chronicle of the 15th century, was compiled at the time of the transfer of his relics in 1645. There is also a special version of the Life of the Grand Duke (“Life and Suffering”), which was created around the middle of the 17th century in Kostroma, based on the text from the Degree Book. Apparently, this version of the Life of the Saint was used when the Old Believers compiled the Legend of the City of Kitezh at the end of the 17th century - “The Book of the Verb Chronicler.” The main character of the work is Georgy Vsevolodovich, who suffered “from Tsar Batu for the faith of Christ and for the holy churches.”

Igor Geko.

According to this legend, Georgy Vsevolodovich rebuilt Small Kitezh (presumably modern Gorodets), founded the Feodorovsky Gorodets Monastery in it, and then went to a very remote region, where he built Big Kitezh - the legendary city of Kitezh - on the shore of Lake Svetloyar.

B.A. Smirnov-Rusetsky. Unsinking hail (Kitezh) 1977

“The Book of the Verb Chronicler” tells about it this way: “... came to the lake named Svetloyar. And I saw that place, unusually beautiful and crowded. And at the request of its inhabitants, the noble prince Georgy Vsevolodovich ordered to build a city on the shore of that lake of Svetloyar, named Big Kitezh, for that place was unusually beautiful, and on the other side of that lake there was an oak grove.<…>

K. Gorbatov. The invisible city of Kitezh

And they began to build a church in the name of the Exaltation of the Honorable Cross of the Lord, and a second church in the name of the Dormition of our Most Holy Lady Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary, and a third church in the name of the Annunciation of our Most Holy Lady Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary.<…>And that city, Big Kitezh, was a hundred yards in length and width, and this first measure was small. And the noble Prince George ordered to add another hundred fathoms in length, and the measure of that city became two hundred fathoms in length, and a hundred fathoms in width...”

painting by M. V. Nesterov "The City of Kitezh (In the Woods)". Nizhny Novgorod

Despite the incompatibility of the dates given in the legend with historical reality, and despite the fact that Yuri Dolgoruky is considered the founder of Gorodets, as well as the Fedorov Monastery, the legend is most likely based on actual events. The connection between Little Kitezh (Gorodets) and the name of Georgy Vsevolodovich has a completely historical background: after the victory of Konstantin Vsevolodovich in 1216, Prince Georgy left for his inheritance in Gorodets. In 1238, when the hordes of Batu approached Vladimir, Georgy Vsevolodovich went to the Yaroslavl land, within which both cities - Big and Small Kitezh - were located and where the battle lost by the Russians took place.

Konstantin Ivanovich Gorbatov

The legend further tells about the great cry, about how Batu Khan, having conquered the Russian principalities, found out about the bright city of Kitezh and was going to capture it. One of the prisoners told the Mongol Khan about secret paths to Lake Svetloyar and the city. And the city was devastated and all the inhabitants were killed along with Prince George Vsevolodovich and his troops. And after the destruction, the holy city became invisible and “And Greater Kitezh will be invisible until the coming of Christ.”

Korovin Konstantin Alekseevich. The invisible city of Kitezh. 1930

According to folk legends, when the Tatar troops reached the walls of the city, they were amazed that the city was not fortified, its inhabitants did not prepare to defend themselves, they only prayed. The khan's troops attacked the city, but suddenly fountains of water began to flow from underground, the invaders had to retreat and they could only see how the city was plunging into the lake. The legend says that the lake hid Kitezh until the end of time, and only before the end of the world it will rise again from the waters: “this city of Greater Kitezh has become invisible and is protected by the hand of God, - so at the end of our century of rebellion and tears worthy, the Lord covered that city with his hand ..."

Mikhail Kozlov-Bestuzhev. Kitezh - city

This legend gave birth to numerous incredible rumors that have survived to this day. Not everyone can get to the sacred city of Kitezh. Only a person who is absolutely pure in spirit can enter there: “And whoever wants to go to such a holy place should not have any evil and corrupt thoughts, confusing the mind and leading the thoughts of the person who wants to go astray. Keep a firm watch on the evil thoughts that seek to separate you from that place. And don’t think about this and that.<…>If he goes and begins to doubt and praise everywhere, then the Lord will close the city to him. And it will seem to him like a forest or an empty place..."

Avanesov Vladislav. The road to Kitezh.

Monks from neighboring Christian monasteries, who regularly come to Svetloyar, hear only the ringing of bells, and only a few manage to see the outlines of the beautiful white stone temples of Kitezh in the waters of the lake. According to local residents, the lake has healing properties and can cure many ailments, and anyone who sees the reflection of the golden domes of churches in it will be happy.

Klimenko Andrey. Guardians of Kitezh city.

The legend about the earthly paradise - the invisible city of Kitezh attracted people in ancient times and attracts people now; it served as the basis for many works of art in literature, music, fine arts and cinema.

I. Glazunov. City of Kitezh. 1986

Yuri Somov

***

History of Russian Goverment

The book called the Chronicler was written in the year 6646 (1237) September on the fifth day

This holy, noble and great prince Georgy Vsevolodovich was the son of the holy, noble and great prince Vsevolod, the miracle worker of Pskov, who was named Gabriel in holy baptism. This holy, noble and great prince Vsevolod was the son of the great prince Mstislav, and the grandson of the holy and equal-to-the-apostles great prince Vladimir of Kyiv, autocrat of the Russian land. The holy noble and great prince Georgy Vsevolodovich is the great-grandson of the holy noble and great prince Vladimir.

And the holy noble prince Vsevolod first reigned in Veliky Novgorod. But at one time the Novgorodians grumbled about him and decided among themselves: our prince, unbaptized, owns us, the baptized. And they held a council, and came to him, and drove him out. He came to Kyiv to his uncle Yaropolk and told him everything for which he was expelled by the Novgorodians. And he, having learned about this, gave him Vyshgorod as his possession. And here the Pskovites already begged him to reign with them, and he came to them in the city of Pskov. And after some time he received the grace of holy baptism, and was named Gabriel in holy baptism. And he remained in great polish and abstinence, and after one year he departed into eternal rest, 6671 (1163) years, the month of February on the eleventh day. And he was buried by his faithful son and Grand Duke George. And there were many miracles from his holy relics to the glory and praise of Christ our God and all the saints. Amen.

This holy, blessed Prince Georgy Vsevolodovich, after the death of his father, Prince Vsevolod, who was named Gabriel in holy baptism, remained in his place at the request of the Pskovites. This happened in 6671 (1163). The holy, blessed and Grand Duke Georgy Vsevolodovich deigned to go to the blessed Prince Mikhail of Chernigov. And when the noble and great prince George came to the noble prince Michael, he bowed to the noble prince Mikhail and said to him: “Be in good health, oh noble and great prince Michael, for many years, shining with piety and faith in Christ, in everything you became like our great-grandfathers and great-grandmother our blessed Grand Duchess, Christ-loving Olga, who found the most dear and great treasure - Christ and the faith of his holy prophets and apostles and holy fathers, and the blessed Christ-loving Tsar and our Equal-to-the-Apostles great-grandfather Tsar Constantine.” And the blessed Prince Mikhail said to him: “Be healthy, O blessed and Grand Duke George Vsevolodovich, you came to me with good advice and an unenvious eye. After all, what did Svyatopolk gain because of envy of our grandfathers, who desired power and killed his brothers, the faithful and the great princes! He ordered Boris to be pierced with a spear, and Gleb to be killed with a knife, during the years of their reign. After all, he deceived them flatteringly at the instigation of Satan, as if their mother was dying. They, like gentle lambs, became like their good shepherd Christ, and did not stand against their brother, their enemy. The Lord glorified his holy saints, the noble princes and great wonderworkers Boris and Gleb.”

And Prince George and Prince Mikhail kissed each other, and celebrated spiritually, and had fun; and the noble and great prince George said to the noble prince Mikhail: “Give me a letter, in our Rus' we can build churches and cities in fortified places.” And the noble and great prince Michael said to him: “As you wish, build the church of God for the glory and praise of the most holy name of God. For such a good intention of yours, you will receive a reward on the day of Christ’s coming.”

And they feasted for many days. And when the blessed Prince George decided to return to his inheritance, then the noble Prince Mikhail ordered the letter to be written and put his hand to the letter. And when the blessed Prince George went to his fatherland and city, then the noble Prince Mikhail with great honor let him go and saw him off. And when both princes were already on their way and bowed to each other in farewell, the blessed Prince Mikhail gave a letter. The noble Prince George took the letter from the faithful Prince Mikhail and bowed to him, and then he also answered him.

And Prince George went through the cities, and when he arrived in Novgorod, he ordered the construction of a church in the name of the Dormition of our Most Holy Lady Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary in the year 6672 (1164). From Novgorod he went to Pskov, his city, where his father, the blessed Prince Vsevolod, reposed, and in holy baptism Gabriel, the Novgorod and Pskov wonderworker. And he went from Pskov-grad to Moscow, and ordered to build a church in the name of the Dormition of our Blessed Virgin Mary. and the ever-virgin Mary in the year 6672 (1164). And he went from Moscow to Pereslavl-Zalessky, and from Pereslavl-grad to Rostov-grad. At that very time, Grand Duke Andrei Bogolyubsky was in the city of Rostov. And the noble Prince George commanded in that city of Rostov to build a church in the name of the Dormition of our Most Holy Lady Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary in the year 6672 (1164), the month of May on the twenty-third day. In the days of Grand Duke George, they began to dig ditches under the foundation of the church and found the buried relics of St. Leonty of Christ, Bishop of Rostov, a miracle worker who converted people in Rostov-grad to the faith of Christ and baptized them, young and old. And the blessed Prince George rejoiced with great joy, and glorified God, who had given him such a valuable treasure, and sang a prayer service. And he ordered Andrei, Prince of Bogolyubsky, to go to the city of Murom and build a church in the city of Murom in the name of the Dormition of our Most Holy Lady Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary.

The noble and grand duke himself left the city of Rostov and arrived in the city of Yaroslavl, which stands on the banks of the Volga River. And he got into the plow, and drove down the Volga, and landed at the shore of Maly Kitezh, which stands on the banks of the Volga, and rebuilt it, and all the people of the city began to pray to that noble prince George, so that the miraculous image of the Most Holy Theotokos of Feodorovskaya would be transferred to the city to them. He fulfilled the request. They began to sing a prayer service to the Most Holy Theotokos. And when they finished and wanted to carry that image to the city, the image did not leave its place and did not move at all. The noble Prince George, seeing the will of the Most Holy Theotokos, who chose a place here for herself, ordered to build a monastery on that place in the name of the Most Holy Theotokos of Fedorov.

The blessed Prince George himself left that place by land, and not by water. And he crossed the river Uzola, and a second river named Sandu, and a third river named Sanogtu, and a fourth river named Kerzhenets, and came to a lake named Svetloyar. And I saw that place, unusually beautiful and crowded; and at the request of its inhabitants, the noble prince Georgy Vsevolodovich ordered to build a city on the shore of that lake of Svetloyar, named Big Kitezh, for the place was unusually beautiful, and on the other side of that lake there was an oak grove.

And with the advice and command of the blessed and Grand Duke Georgy Vsevolodovich, they began to dig ditches to strengthen this place. And they began to build a church in the name of the Exaltation of the Honorable Cross of the Lord, and a second church in the name of the Dormition of our Most Holy Lady Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary, and a third church in the name of the Annunciation of our Most Holy Lady Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary. In the same churches, Prince George ordered chapels to be made in honor of other feasts of the Lord and the Mother of God. He also ordered the images of all the saints to be painted.

And that city, Big Kitezh, was a hundred yards in length and width, and this first measure was small. And the noble prince George ordered to add another hundred fathoms in length, and the measure of that city became two hundred fathoms in length, and one hundred fathoms in width. And they began to build that stone city in the year 6673 (1165), the month of May on the first day, in memory of the holy prophet Jeremiah and others like him. And that city took three years to build, and it was built in the year 6676 (1167), the month of September on the thirtieth day, in memory of the holy hieromartyr Gregory, bishop of Greater Armenia.

And the noble Prince Georgy Vsevolodovich went to Maly Kitezh, which stands on the banks of the Volga. And after the construction of those cities, Small and Large, he ordered to measure in fields how much distance they had between themselves. And by order of the blessed Prince George, they decided on a hundred fields. And the noble prince Georgy Vsevolodovich, having learned this, gave glory to God and the Most Holy Theotokos and also ordered the chronicler to write a book. And the blessed and Grand Duke George himself ordered the entire service to be served. And having sung a prayer service to the Most Holy Theotokos of Fedorov, after completing that service, he sailed in his boat on his journey to his previously mentioned city of Pskov. The people saw him off with great honor; and, having said goodbye to him, they released him.

Several legends about the sunken city - Kitezh-grad - are associated with Lake Svetloyar. They have a lot in common, but they are separated by a gulf of time. Let's consider the most famous legends, using modern knowledge and logical reasoning, we will imagine the events that led to their formation, as well as their further transformation up to the present day.

Lake Svetloyar is located 130 km from the regional center of Nizhny Novgorod near the village of Vladimirskoye, Voskresensky district. Age - 10,000 years. Origin unknown. Lake size: 500 by 300 meters. Depth more than 30 meters. Numerous land and underwater expeditions have not confirmed the existence of Kitezh City or any other coastal settlements. There are only legends...

We will begin our consideration of legends with those closest to us in time and gradually dive into the depths of eras and make a bold assumption.

The first legend is Christian

Founding of Kitezh City: Prince Yuri Vsevolodovich loved to travel. One day, in 1164 (6672 from S.M.), he sailed along the Volga, saw a good place, landed on the shore and founded the city of Maly Kitezh (presumably Gorodets) there and continued his journey along the dry land. He passed through forests, rivers and came to the shore of Lake Svetloyar. The prince was struck by the beauty and harmony of this place. And Yuri Vsevolodovich ordered the founding of the great Kitezh - the legendary Kitezh-grad - in this place. The foundation of the city supposedly took place in 1165.

The city was built in three years. Its size is 200 fathoms long and 100 wide (~300 by 160 meters). There were many churches there with golden heads and pious people.

Grand Duke George Vsevolodovich was born in 1187 and participated in numerous military campaigns against the surrounding principalities. To hold the captured Chuvash and Mordovian lands, he founded Nizhny Novgorod (Nov Grad) and a number of other fortresses in 1221. He believed that it was easier to defend against the Tatars alone. As a result of subsequent battles with the Tatar-Mongol invaders, he lost his family and died himself in 1238. He took an active part in the spread and strengthening of the Christian faith. Built many churches in Ancient Rus'. For his deeds pleasing to God and the torments endured by the Orthodox Church, he was canonized in 1645 as the Holy Blessed Prince George Vsevolodovich.

Neighborhoods of Svetloyar 1238

Having defeated the lonely Ryazan residents, the Tatar-Mongols came to Vladimir-grad. Yuri Vsevolodovich was not happy with uninvited guests and refused to pay tribute. The fighting began.

Suzdal fell, Vladimir fell, where the entire family of the Grand Duke perished. The prince himself retreated to Little Kitezh, again gathered troops and continued the fight for the freedom of the Russian Land. Near Gorodets he was defeated and captured. But he didn’t give up, didn’t lose heart. At night he fled through forests and rivers to Great Kitezh.

In the morning, Khan found out about the prince's escape - he got angry, executed the guilty rogues and began to torture the remaining prisoners about the whereabouts of Yuri Vsevolodovich. Everyone was silent, only one traitor was found. It was the hawk moth Grishka Kuterma. He told and led the enemy to the beautiful Kitezh city.

The prince came out with a new squad to defend the city and heroically laid down his wild little head on the battlefield. Three heroes also fought in that battle. The forces were not equal, and they also died. At the site of their death, the Kibelek spring began to flow, next to which their graves are located - the graves of three saints. It is not completely known: were the saints heroes or were the heroes canonized?

The ruthless khan saw that the city was left without protection and wanted to put it to fire and sword. Suddenly, bells began to ring from all the bell towers, and the believers began to pray together and sing beautiful prayers.

The Most Holy Theotokos heard the cries and pleas for salvation and performed a miracle: she saved the entire city and all its inhabitants from abuse and inevitable death. There was a city and it disappeared, melted, ceased to exist, disappeared before everyone’s eyes.

The meaning of the words “missing” and “disappeared” does not always mean a favorable outcome for the missing person.

Then the legends diverge. According to one version, Kitezh-grad sank into Lake Svetloyar, like Atlantis, although everyone died there, but fortunately, on the contrary, we were saved. In calm weather, pure souls can see the domes of churches in the depths and hear the ringing of bells.

According to the second version, the city fell underground. The proof is the testimony of the peasants. When they plowed the land, they sometimes hooked the plow onto the tops of the crosses. According to a third version: the city became invisible. Also, only pure-hearted people can see and enter it.

There are obvious contradictions in this legend: not everything agrees with the dates of the life of the founder and the founding of Small and Big Kitezh, the place of the death of the prince, etc., and the Tatar-Mongol invasion itself is a big question.

Have any traces of a large Tatar-Mongol army been found on the shores of Lake Svetloyar? Anything belonging to the ruthless invaders? We asked these questions to an employee of the Kitezh Historical and Art Museum in the village of Vladimirskoye, Nizhny Novgorod Region, and received a comprehensive answer. There is confirmation: two beads presumably of Tatar origin were found. Draw your own conclusions.

A beautiful and wonderful legend about the strength and purity of the Russian soul.

Ancient Slavic version of the legend

The next legend associated with Kitezh-grad and Lake Svetloyar takes 3000 years from Grand Duke Yuri Vsevolodovich, to those ancient times that we now in Rus' are not accustomed to remember, back to approximately 2358 BC.

Tales of that time are preserved in the legends of the peoples inhabiting these lands - the Mordvins, Mari, Chuvash. At one time they were written down and have survived to this day.

Veles is a Slavic god, sage, patron of the arts, lord of sorcery, etc.

And friends became enemies. The beauty chose Perun and married him.

God Veles did not accept this and resorted to magic. He took out a unique flower, Lily of the Valley. Anyone who smells it will immediately fall in love with the first person he sees after that.

I went to visit Dodola when Perun was on a long business trip. And he said, in passing, that her husband was not bored in distant lands... The Diva got angry and chased after the offender on her miracle horse, thundering with lightning. Where this horse hit the ground with its hoof, a lake was formed. Veles quickly turned into the Lunda River, and stuck a magic flower on the shore. The beauty saw an amazing flower, could not resist, picked it and smelled it, and Veles was right there, and Dodola fell in love with it more than life itself. After the allotted time, their son Yarilo was born, and the lake was named Svetloyar.

Then Veles called on the builder god to build him a miracle city on the shores of the lake. Which is what he did. He named this city Kitezh-grad.

The ruler of the city, Veles Sureevich, owned a ring with a magic ruby. He could transport entire cities to another world. Somehow, unfriendly gods fired lightning at Veles Sureevich. She hit the magic ruby and was reflected in the city of Kitezh-grad. After which the city disappeared. Veles Sureevich got upset, became confused, and left for Belozerye. There he became famous and became known to us under the name of Father Frost.

There is another ending to this lyrical story: Perun returned after a long absence and he did not like what he saw. Perun decided to punish the treacherous Veles. They fought for three days and three nights. As a result, Veles was expelled from the Slavic Olympus.

The legend of the angry goddess and the giant horse.

There is another short legend about Kitezh-grad and Lake Svetloyar. In ancient times there were many different gods. People revered them and brought gifts. One small but proud tribe, for some unknown reason, stopped worshiping the goddess of forests and animals. This goddess's name was Maiden-Turk. The goddess became very angry and sent her huge and merciless horse at the rude people. The horse hit the human settlement with its hoof, the ground collapsed and the hole filled with water. This is how the village of forest people disappeared and Lake Svetloyar was formed. And proof of this is the shape of the lake, similar to a horse’s hoof.

Unexpected continuation...

When writing this article, I became familiar with the works of A. Koltypin and P. Olekseenko on nuclear and thermonuclear conflicts in the past, tektites. Their works echo and are complemented by Alexey Artemyev’s materials on round lakes. This information unexpectedly helped to present a viable picture of what happened on ancient Earth and to find in it a place for the legends about Kitezh-grad and tales about Lake Svetloyar.

Funnel Svetloyar. There have already been nuclear wars on Earth

Ancient sources from various nations describe numerous conflicts between gods using weapons of enormous destructive power, capable of pulverizing entire cities. If such conflicts actually happened, then their traces should remain on the surface of the Earth, for example, in the form of craters.

Modern people also have weapons of enormous destructive power. It is capable of destroying cities, which was clearly proven in practice by the United States in 1945. After its use, huge almost circular craters remain on the surface of the earth, sometimes filled with water.

In the first photo there is a small lake at the site of the explosion of the first atomic bomb at the test site in Semipalatinsk, in the second there are traces of the further improvement of nuclear weapons in the USSR. The third picture shows a lunar landscape in Nevada (USA).

All these craters are united by the same round shape and the obligatory formation of tektites.

Tektites are molten formations that arose during short-term exposure to high temperatures of about 2000 degrees and pressures of ~400,000 atm.

When examining the surface of the Earth on all continents, you can find round lakes and craters of various sizes.

One part of them occurred from the collision of asteroids (meteorites) with the surface of the planet. Their formation is confirmed by the obligatory discovery of meteorite fragments, as well as the absence of tektites.

The other part has a foggy origin, the absence of meteorite dust and the presence of tektites, which means high temperatures and pressures during formation, i.e. have all the signs of the use of nuclear weapons at this site in the past. Official science does not see these coincidences and does not comment on the information.

Funnels in photographs: Lake Lonar (India) - the place “where a star fell to Earth”, Lake Chukhlomskoye (Kostroma region), Lake Svetloyar Nizhny Novgorod region (RF), peat lakes Penza region (RF), Zhamanshin crater (Kazakhstan).

Kitezh-grad - the emergence of a legend

From the above, it can be assumed that in ancient times, nuclear explosions occurred in places where lakes and round craters were located in the presence of tektites. Since the number of such places is large, there was an exchange of nuclear strikes - a global nuclear war. The largest group of such craters closest to our time is 10 - 12 thousand years old.

The age of Lake Svetloyar is exactly 10 thousand years. Origin - unknown, conveniently meteorite-karst. This is what modern science thinks. It has an almost perfect round shape. No meteorite fragments, not even dust, were found on the shores or in the surrounding area. But they had to find it. The search for tektites was either not carried out or the finds were hidden so as not to spoil the usual picture of the World.

Therefore, I assumed that about 12 - 10 thousand years ago in this place there was some kind of settlement, town, military unit, or any other object that deserved a low-power nuclear strike. The blow was struck, the city (object) ceased to exist.

Surviving people from neighboring settlements told the younger generation that there was a city nearby and it was destroyed. He simply disappeared. The massive exchange of nuclear strikes between the warring parties led to an environmental disaster, cold snap, and the destruction of technology and knowledge. The development of society was set back thousands of years.

The legend about the disappeared city was preserved in the memory of people, but the level of development became lower and gods appeared in the ancient legend: Veles, Perun, etc. Not a worldwide nuclear conflict between two superpowers, presumably the Aryans and the Atlanteans, but a rivalry between the gods for a beauty. This was more understandable to people, and they passed it on from generation to generation.

Thousands of years passed, the era of Christianity began.

American science fiction writer Robert Heinlein, after reading the works of K.E. Tsiolkovsky, wrote one of his best novels: “Stepchildren in the Universe.” Only now I understand that we are the heroes of his novel, we are all people on planet Earth.

Reading about legends and traditions about Kitezh-grad, about Svetloyar we unexpectedly touched upon serious topics. The true history of humanity lies behind seven seals, it is hidden under the husk of hoaxes, a touch of fiction. But the Truth is alive, its light glimmers in tales and legends, in rumors, in echoes, in reflections on the water...

I do not have data on tektites from areas of round lakes located on the territory of the Russian Federation, but I assume that they were found, as in similar places abroad. I would be grateful if someone would share the information they have.

This holy, blessed Prince Georgy Vsevolodovich, after the death of his father, Prince Vsevolod, who was named Gabriel in holy baptism, remained in his place at the request of the Pskovites. This happened in 6671 (1163). The holy, blessed and Grand Duke Georgy Vsevolodovich deigned to go to the blessed Prince Mikhail of Chernigov. And when the noble and great prince George came to the noble prince Michael, he bowed to the noble prince Mikhail and said to him: “Be in good health, oh noble and great prince Michael, for many years, shining with piety and the faith of Christ, in everything you became like our great-grandfathers and great-grandmother our blessed Grand Duchess, Christ-loving Olga, who found the most dear and great treasure - Christ and the faith of his holy prophets and apostles and holy fathers, and the blessed Christ-loving Tsar and our Equal-to-the-Apostles great-grandfather Tsar Constantine.” And the blessed Prince Mikhail said to him: “Be healthy, O blessed and Grand Duke George Vsevolodovich, you came to me with good advice and an unenvious eye. After all, what did Svyatopolk gain because of envy of our grandfathers, who desired power and killed his brothers, the faithful and the great princes! He ordered Boris to be pierced with a spear, and Gleb to be killed with a knife, during the years of their reign. After all, he deceived them flatteringly at the instigation of Satan, as if their mother was dying. They, like gentle lambs, became like their good shepherd Christ, and did not stand against their brother, their enemy. The Lord glorified his holy saints, the noble princes and great wonderworkers Boris and Gleb.”

The noble Prince Georgy Vsevolodovich, having arrived in his city, formerly called Pskov, spent many days in prayer, and in fasting, and in vigil, and distributed a lot of alms to the poor, and widows, and orphans. And after those cities were built, he lived for seventy-five years.

There were 6747 (1239) in a year. By God's permission, for the sake of our sins, the wicked and godless Tsar Batu came to Rus' in war. And he destroyed the cities and burned them with fire, and he also destroyed the churches of God and burned them with fire. He put people to the sword, stabbed little children with a knife, and desecrated young virgins with fornication. And there was a great cry.

The noble Prince Georgy Vsevolodovich, hearing about all this, cried bitterly. And, having prayed to the Lord and the Most Holy Mother of God, he gathered his army and went against the wicked King Batu with his soldiers. And when both armies entered the battle, there was a great slaughter and bloodshed. At that time, the noble Prince George had few soldiers, and the noble Prince George ran from the wicked Tsar Batu down the Volga to Small Kitezh. And the noble Prince George fought for a long time with the wicked Tsar Batu, not letting him into his city.

When night fell, then the blessed Prince George secretly left this city for the Great City of Kitezh. The next morning, when that wicked king woke up, he attacked the city with his soldiers and captured it. And he beat and chopped up all the people in this city. And, not finding the faithful prince in that city, he began to torment one of the inhabitants, and he, unable to bear the torment, opened the way for him. The same wicked man chased after the prince. And when he came to the city, he attacked it with many of his soldiers and took that city of Big Kitezh, which is on the shore of Lake Svetloyar, and killed the noble Prince George, on the fourth day of the month of February. And that wicked king Batu left that city. And after him they took the relics of the blessed prince Georgy Vsevolodovich. And after that devastation, those cities were desolate: Small Kitezh, which stands on the banks of the Volga, and Bolshoi, which is on the shores of Lake Svetloyar.

And Greater Kitezh will be invisible until the coming of Christ, which happened in former times, as the lives of the holy fathers testify, the Patericon of Monasia, and the Patericon of Skete, and the Patericon of Alphabet, and the Patericon of Jerusalem, and the Patericon of the Holy Mountain, and these holy books, in which the lives of the holy fathers have been written, they agree that the hidden monastery is not one, but there are many monasteries, and in those monasteries there are many many holy fathers, like heavenly stars, shining with their lives. Just as the sand of the sea cannot be counted, so it is impossible to describe everything. It is about them, seeing with the holy spirit, that the blessed prophet David the King, amazed, cries out in the holy spirit, in his inspired book of Psalms, he says: “The righteous blooms like a palm tree and rises like a cedar of Lebanon; planted in the house of the Lord, they bloom in the courts of our God.” And the same prophet King David: “Lofty are your thoughts to me, O God, how great are their number; I will begin to count them, but they are more numerous than sand.” The blessed Apostle Paul in his epistle speaks of them, foreseeing with the Holy Spirit; This word addresses us: “They wandered in sheepskins and goatskins, enduring hardships, sorrows, bitterness, those of whom the whole world was not worthy.” Saint John Chrysostom spoke the same word in his teaching on the third week of Lent. Saint Anastasius from Mount Sinai addresses the same word to us, foreseeingly. Our venerable father Hilarion the Great, foreseeingly, addresses the same apostolic word to us; he writes about the saints: “And it will be the same in the last times: there will be hidden cities and monasteries, because the Antichrist will begin to reign in the world, Then they will flee to the mountains, and into dens and into the abysses of the earth.” And the humane God will not abandon those who want to be saved. Through zeal, tenderness, and tears, man receives everything from God. The divine lips of the Savior himself proclaimed in the Holy Gospel that “everything will be given to him who has and wants to be saved.”

And after the murder of the holy and noble and great prince George Vsevolodovich, and after the burial of his honorable relics, in the sixth year that Tsar Batu came to fight in the Russian kingdom. The noble prince Mikhail of Chernigov with his boyar Theodore went against Batu the Tsar. And when the two armies fought, there was great bloodshed. And that wicked Tsar Batu killed the faithful and Grand Duke Mikhail of Chernigov with the boyar Theodore in the year 6750 (1241), the month of September on the twentieth day. And after the murder of the faithful Prince Mikhail of Chernigov, two years later, that wicked Tsar Batu killed the faithful Prince Mercury of Smolensk in the year 6755 (1246), the month of November on the twenty-fourth day. And there was the desolation of the Moscow kingdom, and other monasteries, and that city of Greater Kitezh in the year 6756 (1248).