There is a small village in Russia with an interesting history. This is Black Yar. We'll talk about him today.
History
The village of Cherny Yar (Astrakhan region) is located on one of the banks of the Lower Volga. It was founded around the middle of the seventeenth century. Then the fortress Cherny Ostrog was built, which a little later had to be moved due to the collapse of the river bank. The fortress was renamed Chernoyarskaya.
Here the battle between Stepan Razin and the rebels took place, not far from this place the last time the rebels fought together with Emelyan Pugachev. Soon the village completely burned down, but was rebuilt again. And in the nineteenth century, residents were forced to move further from the coast due to its significant erosion by the river.
Towards the end of the 19th century, a new fire broke out in Yaru, as a result of which the center of the village burned down. After that, buildings began to be built of brick (shops, shops, bakeries and mansions). Cherny Yar developed and received the status of a city, but was later deprived of it. And again in 1925 it became a village.
Name history
The very name Cherny Yar consists of two words: Russian "black" and Turkic "yar" (high bank, which is washed away by the river). There is also a legend about the origin of this name. Once, the Astrakhan prince, passing along the Volga River, stopped in the places where the village is now located. The prince went ashore and saw the most beautiful places. And the bank was so steep and high that the river water seemed dark, almost black. The prince decided that people would live in this place. And he named the place Black Yar.
There are other legends, but it is noteworthy that the word "black" in Russia at that time called everything strange, incomprehensible and mysterious. This word was associated with sorcerers and witches, in which the villagers still believe.
Note to tourists
Some known names are also connected with the village of Cherny Yar. For example, the People's Artist of Russia, singer Nadezhda Babkina, was born in this village. Nikolai Gavrilovich Chernyshevsky and writer Alexander Nikolayevich Ostrovsky, who loves traveling along the Volga, stayed here.
In this place is also the Peter and Paul Church, which was built in the middle of the eighteenth century. Its peculiarity is that the church was open to people even in Soviet times.
Fishing lovers should definitely visit these amazing places. Residents catch catfish, pike and rare sterlet fish in the Volga.
The bones of an ancient bison and a mammoth were found on the river bank under a cliff, and later they collected a whole skeleton,which is kept in the Astrakhan Museum. Cherny Yar has its own branch of the museum, which tells about the history of the village and the life of the inhabitants during the Great Patriotic War.
But not only the village is called Black Yar. In the Orenburg region there is a recreation center "Cherny Yar". On its territory there are comfortable houses, a well-maintained beach and gazebos for relaxing near the river, as well as a bathhouse and a children's "town".
Here you can taste dishes from national cuisine, see oriental dances, go fishing. In winter - go skiing and skating, as well as ride horses through the winter forest. Both adults and children can relax at the base, family holidays are also provided.
In any case, you should visit both places. Each of them will surprise you with something special.
