Description of the attraction
In the XII century, on this place - on the road between Novgorod and the Yuryev Monastery - there was the village of Vitoslavlitsy. this is the place that was chosen in the 1960s for the creation of an open-air museum. Buildings that were in a deplorable state were brought here from the territory of the entire region. The restoration workshop literally saved these cult monuments from destruction.
In total, 22 monuments are located on an area of 30 hectares. Here are collected different types of preserved wooden churches: the tent-roofed "octagon on a quadruple" - the Church of the Assumption from Kuritsk (1595), the cross on the basement with three thrones - the Nativity of the Virgin from the village of Peredki (1531), the tiered church of St. Nicholas from Vysoky Ostrov (1767) and Kletsky - from the village of Tuchola (1688).
Today it is one of the favorite places for walks and entertainment for the townspeople and guests of Novgorod. Behind the fence, among the trees, you can see the tents and domes of churches and bell towers. On the village street, there are huts in a strict order, in which both housing and utility rooms were connected under one roof.
On the doorstep of the hut, you will be met by a hostess in a costume typical for a Novgorod village of the last century, smiling and talkative. She will show you the yard and garden, the hayloft and cattle stalls, explain the purpose of all the items. In the hut, where the furniture collected during the expeditions, utensils, expressive "little things", such as forged lights with a splinter, painted cabinets, spinning wheels and village icons, "rubella" are placed, you can sit, studying the simple device of life, figure out how a huge family managed fit here, look at the beds where children usually slept, finally, try on bast shoes and take a picture next to the hospitable hostess. At the gallery near the house, craftsmen will offer you souvenirs made of birch bark and wood, and show you how to work with these materials.
Holidays are held in Vitoslavlitsy twice a year, on Christmas and Trinity. In winter, they ride down the ice slides and on sleds, sing songs, and perform ritual actions. In summer, the festival brings together folklore groups from all over the region. Round dances appear on each lawn, songs replace one another. On the playgrounds, children and adults learn "stilts", "giant steps", play "ruffles" and "grandmothers", pull the rope. Nearby is a fair. All traditional crafts - birch bark weaving, wood carving and painting, hand weaving, clay whistle toy - are presented here and find their customers. Often the holiday ends with a concert of bell music.
