This amazing historical and architectural complex will be able to see everyone who comes to Volgograd. Sarepta is located on the southern outskirts of the city. These are the miraculously surviving buildings of the settlement of Lutherans - colonists, which was founded and was a religious community of Hernguters.
History of Sarepta (Volgograd)
Today the largest district of the city, both in terms of territory and population, is Krasnoarmeysk. But 230 years ago, there was a small town on this land, which was founded by immigrants from Germany. He was named Sarepta.
In the 18th century, Empress Catherine II of Russia invited her compatriots to take part in the development of the empty southern outskirts of Russia. Hernguters, who lived in Saxony, were the first to respond to her call. They were Christians, descendants of the Moravian and Czech brothers who were forced to leave their homeland after the suppression of the Hussite revolution. Several decades before they moved to Russia, the Czech brothers received shelter in Saxony in the settlement of Gerngut. During this period of time, their society expanded significantly. New adherents joined them.
Gernguters agreed to resettlement on the condition that they be given the opportunity to engage in missionary work. They wanted to carry the Word of God to all those who suffer, to take care of the sick, the destitute and the crippled. They chose the place of settlement themselves from many proposals. When it came time to name the settlement somehow, the brothers turned to the Bible. They read the words of the Lord, which he addressed to the prophet Elijah, who was sent to Sarepta of Sidon. The Lord made it so that in the house of the widow at whom the prophet was staying, the flour in the tub never ran out, and the oil from the jug did not decrease. This saved the woman and her son from starvation.
Probably a wonderful coincidence, but our Sarepta (Volgograd) was also famous for the production of vegetable oil and flour. Even today, you can see goods with the name "Sarepta" on the shelves.
Settlement Development
As the years passed, the colony prospered. Several factories appeared in it, gardens, vineyards, melons were planted. Sarepta began to be considered one of the best resorts in Russia; it became famous for its mud baths and mineral springs. It seemed that the Lord himself protected the inhabitants of the settlement from epidemics and natural disasters. That's just missionary activity by royal decree was banned a few decades later. This was explained by the fact that the spread of the gospel is a hindrance to trade and economic development.
From that moment on, life in Sarepta began to fade away. Most of the Herrnguters colonists left the settlement, and those whoremained, became part of the Lutheran community. Their descendants were destroyed or exiled to Kazakhstan and Siberia during the repressions of the 20th century.
Creation of the museum and its goals
In September 1990, the Council of Ministers of the Russian Federation decided to create a huge open-air museum on this territory. It occupied at that time five hectares. The main goals of its creation were the preservation of a unique historical example of urban planning of the 18th-19th centuries. In addition, it was planned to revive traditional technologies and industries, the national traditions of the peoples who have long inhabited this land. Today "Sarepta" (Volgograd) is a museum that has become in line with the leading research institutions of the country. He promotes the cultural and historical heritage of Russia.
The Sarepta Museum (Volgograd) houses centers of German, Russian, Ukrainian, Tatar, Belarusian and Kalmyk peoples. Here, conditions have been created and are constantly being modernized for the preservation of the ethnic multiculture of this region, the development of interethnic communication and folk traditions.
With the active participation of local residents in a relatively short period of time, the museum became the owner of excellent collections of ethnography, archeology and numismatics. The pride of the museum is the archival fund of photographs. Its expositions present materials that highlight the uniqueness of the life and culture of German settlers, Kalmyks and Russian peasants.
Museum-Reserve "Sarepta" (Volgograd)
Today the museum-reserve has become a major tourist, cultural, scientific andresearch and methodological center of Volgograd. Now it occupies an area of more than 7 hectares. 26 buildings have been preserved on its territory. Moreover, 23 of them are monuments of the XVIII-XIX centuries of federal significance. The Sarepta Museum (Volgograd), whose photo you can see in our article, has qualified personnel and high scientific potential, which makes it possible to preserve, study and popularize the heritage of the peoples of the Volga region.
Kirch
One of the main architectural objects of Sarepta is the church. It is located in the north of the central square of the village and separates the settlement from the cemetery, thus symbolizing the fine line separating life and death.
The first hall intended for prayers was consecrated by Bishop Nichman in 1766. However, a year later, the church was transferred to another building, which was previously intended for the assembly house. Later, an outbuilding with living quarters for the head of the colony and the pastor was attached to it.
The construction of a new church was started in 1771 with funds that the colony received as a gift from Catherine II. In addition, donations from brothers were used. The new building was consecrated a year later (1772).
The church hall in Lichtenburg served as a model for the church in Sarepta. The building has an extremely ascetic architectural style. It is fully consistent with the canons of the "Herngut Baroque". The church was a rectangular two-story building with a gable roof and almost devoid of architectural decoration. To him on one sidean outbuilding was added. There were apartments of the chairman of the colony and the clergy.
After the October Revolution of 1917, services in the church continued for almost 20 years. But still, in 1930, a Decree was issued to close it. In fact, this happened in 1937. After the end of the Second World War, the Kultarmeets cinema was organized in the building. During the restructuring, the tower was demolished, the organ was dismantled, the bells were removed, and some window openings were laid. An extension appeared on the north side, where the foyer of the cinema was located. In 1967, the cinema was closed, and a warehouse was located in the church.
Today, for numerous tourists coming to Volgograd, Sarepta is included in the mandatory excursion list. They can see the significantly altered church building, which became part of the museum in 1991. Four years later (1995), the first solemn service in many years was held here.
Organ
Volgograd is famous for many unique historical monuments. Sarepta occupies a worthy place among them. One of its main attractions is the organ, which is installed in the church.
It was donated by the community of the city of Wächtersbach (Germany). Its pedals allow you to switch registers while playing. The church regularly hosts instrumental and organ concerts. Today it is the only organ in the region that has a live sound, without electronic effects.
Equilibrio sculpture
On the territory of the museum you can see the symbolic sculpture of harmony and balance -Equilibrio. This is a gift to the hero city from its sister city of Cologne. It was installed in 2004 during the celebration of the days of German culture.
The work is made in stone, by Rolf Schaffner - a famous sculptor from Germany. This is part of a grandiose composition consisting of five elements. They are installed in five European cities - Cologne (Germany), Cork (Ireland), Santia (Spain) Kronheim (Norway). Now the composition is also in Volgograd.
Outreach activities
Sarepta makes a great impression on all tourists coming to Volgograd. And not only preserved historical monuments. The Museum-Reserve regularly holds inter-regional scientific seminars, "round tables", conferences, publishes its own scientific yearbook and the newspaper "Novosti Sarepta".
The museum houses the best experimental German library in the region, Russian, German and Kalmyk cultural centers.
