Forgotten villages: causes of desolation and possible solutions to the problem

2024 Author: Harold Hamphrey | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 10:06

Recently, more and more villagers tend to leave for big cities. Forgotten villages are emptying, residents are fleeing in search of a better life. It is difficult to say how many such villages are throughout Russia. Why are ancient settlements disappearing, what made the owners leave their homes? Every uninhabited village has its own tragic story.

Problems of the Russian village

The village has always been the main symbol of the Russian spirit. It is she who is the cradle of great culture and the best traditions of our country. Nowadays, forgotten villages in Russia are not uncommon. More and more often you can see abandoned villages that amaze with their sad landscapes. Rural youth strive for a better life, in the conditions of a modern village without state support it is difficult to succeed. A whole range of measures aimed at improving the agricultural economy will help correct the deplorable situation.

Reasons

Sociologists have long been discussing the reasons for the decline of the Russian hinterland. Many small towns have ceased theirexistence for similar reasons. Many different factors contributed to the degradation of the Russian countryside:

• depletion of natural resources (for example, a reservoir that local residents used for their needs dries up);
• resettlement of residents due to the proposed construction of important structures;
• military action (mobilization of men who subsequently did not return);
• merger of small villages of the 60-70s of the last century (the goal of the Khrushchev program was to enlarge collective farms);
• poor infrastructure;
• lack of jobs (this is how old abandoned villages appear, from where people fled in search of work and a better life);
• low prices with high costs for products that a villager can produce;
• villages living out their lives (a small number of local residents, mostly elderly: young people who left to study in the city no longer return to their small homeland).

Each forgotten place has its own unique history, the 20th century in Russia was rich in events that, for the most part, had a negative impact on the Russian village. Lembolovo in the vicinity of the northern capital was destroyed to the ground during the Great Patriotic War. After the victory of our troops, the settlement was moved to the north. There was a new railway station, which was given the historical name. The small abolished village of Pitkyamyaki in the Leningrad Region is now part of the larger settlement of Myaglovo.

Despite myneglected and decrepit, forgotten villages are a natural source of inspiration for some enthusiasts who are not afraid of difficulties. There are people who move from big cities closer to nature. What is it - the call of blood or the desire to escape from the bustle of the city? Whatever the reason for the development of abandoned villages, it is possible that thanks to these settlers, the Russian village will be revived.

Cultural values

There are regions on the map of Russia where there are many abandoned cultural heritage sites. Ancient landowners' estates, hastily abandoned by their owners during the October Revolution, beautiful churches and monasteries, where services have not been held for many years. The interior decoration has long been plundered, picturesque ruins have remained from many objects. The rich history, the spirit of the old times attract local historians and connoisseurs of antiquity.

In the vicinity of St. Petersburg there is the abolished village of Kummolovo, so ancient that the first mention of it is found in cadastres of the 16th century. The manor house of Blumenthorst is located on an abandoned territory. The once luxurious building of the architect Beretti is now guessed only thanks to the ruins. The remains of an overgrown park with former plantations of fruit trees, swampy ponds where trout were bred, rocky placers on the sites of the former numerous buildings have preserved the historical boundary of the settlement. The reason for the destruction of the village was the occupation.

Interest in the village nowadays

Now the uninhabited forgotten villages are callingsincere interest from many travelers. This direction can become a good resource for tourism development. Some ancient churches and manors have survived to our times. The desolation and gloom of abandoned places especially attract fans of extreme sports and treasure hunters. Do not forget that walking through deserted objects can be quite dangerous. In addition to old wells and decrepit buildings, snakes and wild animals can expect a traveler.

Unfortunately, the number of old abandoned settlements is growing year by year. Perhaps someday this problem will be solved, and Russia will be proud of its prosperous villages. And at the moment, forgotten villages can only arouse interest among a group of enthusiasts and stalkers.