Vinogrobl & Vinnikovo of Kursk
Typing Vinogrobl or Vinnikovo into google maps may shock you as all you can see is probably green and brown. But as you keep zooming, its secrets can be slightly discovered. Many little villages around, vast fields touching the horizon, beautiful lakes with hardly polluted mother nature that greeted us while we were on our way there.
Get to the train station and buy the ticket to ‘18km’ stop (~ 40 rubles) at the suburban ticket counter. Take the Elektrichka ‘Kursk-Kastornaya Novaya’ and ride your way there. For us, it was a unique 1 wagon train which we did not expect. Be attentive because they do not stop long at these stops. As soon as you get down, turn left and head up straight as you will walk to the little village of Malinovy. Turn right to the paths that lead into the forest fields. Make sure to check Google Map frequently. From Malinovy, you will reach Lipovets village. Just walk along the main street that will lead you directly to Vinnikovo.
So let’s get into the real deal. Wondering why we chose Vinnikovo? That is because during the 1880s, it is in this village was where the famous Russian Singer and a secret agent, Nadezhda Vinnikova Plevitskaya was born! Click on her name to know more about her story before you choose to venture to Vinnikovo. There is a museum in Vinnikovo village that is dedicated to her. You can see many facts and information that can’t be found online such as caricatures and newspaper clippings from the early 20th century related to Plevitskaya. Entrance to the museum is FREE for students, but if you are interested to take pictures or videos, it’s 50 rubles. Bear in mind that the museum is dedicated to her, she never lived in that house, nor any artifact that you may see there does not belong to her except for some bricks that could be found towards the end of the exhibition hall. Yet it is a really cool and cute museum that you may check out if you are on your journey there.
Next destination: Kamenevo village, which will be a landmark and also part of the route to reach Vinogrobl. On your way you will find a completely abandoned Orthodox ‘Church of Michael the Archangel’ that is covered with shrubs and trees, yet some Icons and pictures can be seen on the walls! It is definitely more than 200 years old.
We will be moving forward into the villages that are mostly abandoned and taking roads that you hardly see a soul passing. Once again be attentive to Google Maps and find your route towards Vinogrobl. Some routes may appear in google maps but you would not see any asphalt. Only tracks left by cars. Just trust the process and navigate your way. The journey up and down to Vinogrobl has been the best as nature is hardly disturbed in the region. Pick natural sweet apples to munch along your way, or take a break by the huge lake in the region.
As we arrive to Vinogrobl, there is an interesting historical myth about the origin of the name of this village that you MUST know. Once upon a time, on the lake, there was a coffin (“гроб”[grob]) floating around. Villagers got curious and decided to pull it ashore and open it. To their surprise, they found bottles of wine (“вино” [vino]) instead of a corpse. Since that day, the village was named Vinogrobl. Cool, don’t you think?
The interesting point of attraction and also our main goal of this journey is to find a semi-abandoned church called ‘Pokrovskaya Tserkov’ which is not available as a landmark on google maps. You can enter the church and gaze upon nothing but bricks and old orthodox paintings that have eroded over time, yet still in some way clinging on the wall. It was built in 1861 and survived the world wars. But the villagers slowly abandoned the region and the church too. During World War 2, it was used as a warehouse.
Not until recently when it caught a lot of attention, the church is being restored. We have seen photos of the church without windows or doors and many ruins within. But to our disappointment, ruins and empty walls were replaced with new bricks, a new door, a newly functioning roof and plastic windows were fixed. We recommend you visiting such semi-abandoned churches soon as possible before they will be restored into a common church.
So, you have discovered at least 4 Russian villages, fields meeting horizons and a semi-abandoned church. Now how to get back? It’s too easy and nope you don’t have to walk ALL the way back to the train stop (though it is an option haha! ). All you got to do is to wait at the bus stop that is not too far away from the church. It is located right opposite the factory, and for 45 rubles you can take the ride until ‘Evropa 10’ which is the final destination, or you can get down earlier in front of ‘Evropa 50’ bus stop and voila you will be greeted by car horns, noisy music, and busy city life. We instantly felt the drastic change coming from a view of nothing but calm and tranquility to city center havoc. So, that is the end of our journey for today. If you have any sort of question, text us via Instagram (@thefadedriverbank) and share with us your adventures!
N.B. If you would like to only check out the abandoned church and come back, we have a little tip for our adventurers. Take the bus from the Northern Bus Station located beside Evropa 10. The bus is called Kursk — Nozdrachevo — Vinogrobl which takes 40 mins to reach. Get down at the final stop, admire the church, walk around the villages a little bit, and hop on the next bus back to the center. ;) All the timetables will be listed below. Wish you a happy and safe travel!
HAPPY TRAVELLING FOLKS!
BUS 140 Kursk-Vinogrobl
Kursk — Vinogrobl: 5:35am, 7:35am, 12.20pm, 3:15pm, 5:40pm
Vinogrobl — Kursk: 6:20am, 8:30am, 1:10pm, 4:10pm, 6:15pm
