Description of the attraction
The Kurtyaevo tract belongs to the Primorsky District of the Arkhangelsk Region, 35 kilometers from the city of Severodvinsk. It is known for its mineral springs and the Church of St. Alexis. Kurtyaevo is located on the site of an extinct volcano. The peculiarity of Kurtyaev (in the XX century it finally became known as "Kurtyaevo tract") is the existence of more than 80 sources of low-mineralized waters on a small territory. In two places, groups of springs form streams that flow into the Verkhovka River.
The town of Kurtyaevo was first mentioned in the charter of the Nikolo-Korelsky Monastery, dated 1587-1588. Later, the land of the tract becomes the possession of the Kirillo-Belozersky Monastery. Until the construction of the church and the chapel in Kurtyaev, there were no permanent buildings, except for fishing and hay huts. There is also no information on the possible use of local sources before 1721.
Historical documents from the beginning of the 19th century mention the Church of St. Alexis, built in 1721. Another source from 1822 says that this temple was built from a chapel, to which an altar was added in 1721. This fact is confirmed by the results of architectural and archaeological measurements: the walls of the first chapel were preserved at the height of the windows. After the formation of the temple, in front of its altar, at the place of the appearance of the image, a new chapel was built. There was an infrequent situation of the simultaneous coexistence of the one-altar church of Alexis and the chapel in honor of him. This happens very rarely.
Research shows that the chapel in the name of Alexis in the town of Kurtyaevo enjoyed special reverence and respect, since, according to legend, it was formed over a stump, over which the miraculous image of St. Alexis appeared. For this reason, the floor has never been laid out here.
Historical documents say that the chapel in the same ensemble with the church was not built immediately, but as the number of pilgrims to the holy places increased and the gradual development of the Kurtyaevskaya glade, which now covers an area of 2 hectares, was limited by a forest on one side and the Verkhovka River on the other. In accordance with the building, the chapel turned out to be outside the fence of the temple (the last version of such an arrangement was preserved until 1917). Currently, the Aleksievskaya church and chapel are being restored.
In addition to 80 springs of low-mineralized waters, in the Kurtyaevo tract there is a natural source of medical-table sulfate-hydrocarbonate-chloride sodium water with a neutral-slightly alkaline reaction of the environment. The Russian Scientific Center of Medicine and Balneology has developed a detailed methodology for the therapeutic use of the Kurtyaevskaya mineral water, and its use is recommended as a table drink.
Mineral water can be used not only for medicinal purposes (for diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, nervous system, prevention of iodine deficiency diseases, etc.), but also as drinking water, since the degree of its mineralization is low (diseases of the genitourinary, digestive, endocrine systems).
The spring with the newly built overhead chapel is located in the forest, about 1 kilometer from the church. One part of the path to the source runs through a pine forest, the other part - through a swamp where the Talets stream flows.
The Kurtyaevo tract is a very popular place among tourists, especially in recent years.
