What attracts tourists to the Volga Republic? Where do its indigenous people live and what beliefs are preserved here? Traveling around the central regions of Russia is gaining popularity, and tourists coming to Mari El get a lot of vivid impressions from a visit to Yoshkar-Ola and other Mari cities.
Content:Climate, population and accommodation
The territory of Mari El lies in the temperate continental climate zone. In summer, especially in July, it is hot here - up to + 28 ° C, and in winter the thermometer drops to -20 ° C and below. The coldest month of the year is January. This should be taken into account when choosing clothes for a trip to Mari El.
Mironositsky Convent
The republic is not very densely populated; only 682 thousand people live in it. Relatively Big City- Yoshkar-Ola, where about a third of the total population or 277 thousand people live.
Today, the majority of the indigenous inhabitants of Mari El are Orthodox Christians, but 10-15% of the Mari continue to adhere to traditional beliefs. The peoples of Mari El use the lunar calendar. They revere several major gods. Rites are held in the Sacred Groves or Kyusoto, of which about five hundred have survived. The main prayers or “tunya kumaltysh” take place every five years, and Mari people from all over Russia come to it.
When traveling around Mari El, it is most convenient to rent an apartment or rent a hotel room in Yoshkar-Ola. Those who want to travel around the regions can stay at recreation centers, guest houses, boarding houses, estates and campsites that accept tourists in different regions of the republic.
Church of the Holy Trinity in Yoshkar-Ola
What to see in Yoshkar-Ola
The main Mari city was founded in 1584 and at that time was called Tsarevokokshaisk. It was an outpost of Russia in the Zavolzhsky region and served to pacify the recalcitrant local residents. Today there are many interesting sights in Yoshkar-Ola, and since the city is small in size, they are easy to get around on foot.
A complex of copies of the monuments of the Moscow Kremlin is built in the center. In the capital of Mari El, you can see the Annunciation and Spassky towers, a copy of the famous Tsar Cannon, and even similar to St. Basil's Cathedral - Cathedral of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The distance to the Russian capital is as much as 650 km. Therefore, the Mari decided not to waste their energy on a long journey, but to admire the Moscow monuments at home.
Travelers are surprised that several theaters and museums are open in a relatively small city. But perhaps Yoshkar-Ola is best known for its original monuments. All the guests of the Mari capital come to one of them - Yoshka's cat. A carefree bronze cat on a bench greets tourists on Lenin Square, not far from the building of the National Art Gallery.
sea eye lake
AT central park you can see the sculptural group "Tree of Life". It symbolizes the continuity of the traditions of the indigenous peoples of the republic. Voskresenskaya embankment is decorated with a sculpture of Alexander Pushkin, who is talking with his literary hero- Eugene Onegin. And on Sovetskaya Street of the Mari capital, an unusual monument was erected ... to a simple hammer.
Rest at nature
Most tourists come to Mari El for its natural beauties. Walking routes and horseback riding are popular across the republic, and in winter people come here to ski.
The Mari rivers and lakes have long been chosen by fans of water tourism who like to spend their holidays on kayaks and catamarans. Rafting on the Bolshaya and Malaya Kokshaga, Bolshoi and Malyi Kundysh rivers is popular in the republic. Tourists do not deprive Vetluga, Ilet, Irovka, Lazh, Lunda, Nemda, Rutka, Yuronga and Yushut. The picturesque Mari lakes are very attractive - Yurinskoe, Bolshoye Stepankino, Irir-Er, Kar-Yar, Mar-Er, Bryukhan, Kichier and others.
Sheremetev Castle in Yurino from a bird's eye view
Near the village of Shariboksad, in the Volga region, there is a real natural pearl - the karst lake Sea Eye. It lies on the slope of the mountain and reaches a depth of 38.5 m. The water in an unusual reservoir has a bright turquoise color, and its transparency reaches 5.5 m. does not exceed +4°С.
Speleotourism lovers visit the beautiful Nolkinsky caves. Many years ago, there were adits in this place, where building stone and crushed stone were mined. Even in summer it is cool inside the Mari caves. On the walls and vaults you can see stalactites, stalagmites and sleeping bats. Nearby are old millstones, the size of a human being. Previously, such devices for grinding grain were used at Mari mills and sold in other provinces of Russia.
Tourists really like traveling through the picturesque Mari Chodra National Park. On the territory of the Middle Volga region, the purest lakes, rivers and mighty mixed forests have been preserved. Bears, lynxes, elks, foxes, hare and squirrels live in the natural park. Of the birds, capercaillie, vencie, green woodpeckers, ospreys and orioles nest here - a total of 188 species of birds, 11 of which are listed in the Red Book of Russia.
Cathedral of the Smolensk Icon of the Mother of God in Kozmodemyansk (1698)
What to see in different parts of the republic
People come to the ancient town of Kozmodemyansk to visit the wonderful ethnographic museum, where samples of peasant buildings, wells, barns and a mill are exhibited in the open air. Lovers of antiquity are sure to look into the majestic Cathedral of the Smolensk Icon of the Mother of God and the ancient Streltsy Chapel.
In the Volga region of the republic there is a huge Pugachev oak covered with legends. It rises on Maple Mountain - one of the places of pilgrimage for tourists. According to legend, it was near this tree that one of Pugachev's detachments stopped, and the rebels buried their treasures near the conspicuous oak. Today, the tree rises from the ground by 26 m, and its trunk diameter exceeds 1.6 m. According to the latest biologists, the age of the Mari oak exceeds 400 years.
Connoisseurs of domestic architecture lay routes through the old Mari estates. One of the most notable -. The former count's estate in the late neo-Gothic style was built at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries.
Chapel of the Savior of the Holy Image (Streletskaya Chapel) in Kozmodemyansk
Fishing
It is very good to come to Mari El for fishing! Fish are caught here on rivers and lakes, and fishermen are never left without a catch. True, the amount of trophies depends on luck, experience and skill.
Most often they fish on the Volga and Vetluga. These rivers are rich in pike, zander, perch, carp and bream, and are especially popular with those who want to catch a big catch. The shores near the city of Zvenigovo, near the village of Dubovsky and near the city of Volzhsk are considered fishing places. In the Mari River Ilet, you can catch pike, perch, crucian carp and roach, and pike, crucian carp, tench, catfish and chub take well on the lakes.
Mari souvenirs
No one leaves Mari El without memorable gifts. What souvenirs are most often bought by tourists? Many people like to take home images of Yoshka's cat. One of the main symbols of Yoshkar-Ola can be seen on souvenir mugs, magnets, key chains, T-shirts and even bottles of vodka.
Church of Michael the Archangel in the village of Yurino
Vodka is readily brought from the Mari capital. Local stores sell different varieties, including bottles labeled "Yoshkin Kot". Such vodka is not supplied outside the republic, so it can become an original souvenir from Mari El.
Those who like strong alcohol do not disregard the Fires of Mari El balm infused with local herbs. It is sold in bottles and clay containers with national ornaments.
In the photo, a deep lake, nicknamed the Sea Eye, is one of the main natural attractions of Mari El.
Mari El is a republic within the Volga Federal District of the Russian Federation. In terms of area, it is small: among 83 constituent entities of the Russian Federation, it ranks 72nd.
Nature
The lands of Mari El are a real natural treasure. Half of the country's territory is covered with forests. In the west and in the center they are represented by coniferous species (pine, fir, spruce), in river valleys - by deciduous species (oak, linden). In the forests of Mari El, game species of animals (wolf, brown bear, fox, elk, lynx, beaver), as well as species of upland (forest) and waterfowl have been preserved. In order to protect forest lands and wildlife in Mari El, the National Park Mari Chodra and was created.
Economy
The economy of the Republic of Mari El works mainly on local raw materials and is represented by the forestry, woodworking, pulp and paper, light and food industries. Agriculture is typical for the middle zone: dairy and meat and dairy cattle breeding, grain and industrial crops. Local residents are also engaged in ancient art crafts: embroidery, wood carving, patterned weaving and birch bark weaving.
Story
The republic was named after the ethnic self-name of its indigenous population, Mari (“man”, “husband”). The ethnic composition of the republic is dominated by Russians, Mari - less than half of the population.
The Mari are one of the most ancient peoples of Russia, they have been living on the territory of the modern Republic of Mari El for about 3000 years, since they settled the first settlements here in the first millennium BC. e. The ancestors of the modern Mari were known as Cheremis: that is how they were named in a letter from the Khazar Khan Joseph to the Caliph of Cordoba (10th century).
At present, the history of the Mari is known only from surviving Russian sources, while the Tatar chronicles were almost all lost during the defeat of the Kazan Khanate by Tsar Ivan the Terrible (1530-1584). The Mari themselves had their own script, which was called "tiste", but it was used only for keeping records of small and communal farms, as well as for religious purposes.
In the V-X centuries. the formation of the ancient Mari people takes place, in the IX-XII centuries. slash-and-burn agriculture, hunting, fishing,
crafts and trade. In the X-XII centuries. the Mari were under the economic and cultural influence of the Volga-Kama Bulgaria.
In the XIII century. in Russia, the Mongol-Tatar yoke was established. By the 15th century Golden Horde began to lose integrity, breaking up into separate khanates. As a result, a separate Kazan Khanate was formed on the territory of the Volga region, which also included the lands of the Mari.
Russia was liberated from the Mongol-Tatar yoke in 1480 during the reign of Ivan III (1440-1505). But already in the XVI century. a dynasty hostile to Russia came to power in the Kazan Khanate, and taking into account the conclusion of an alliance with Turkey, the state began to pose a serious threat to the Russian kingdom. Ivan IV the Terrible (1530-1584) led three campaigns against Kazan, and in 1552 his troops managed to defeat the Kazan Khanate.
After the fall of the Kazan Khanate, the Mari had to go through another test, since the Russian kingdom claimed their lands. Local residents raised an uprising, called the First Cheremis War (1552-1557). As a result, the Mari swore allegiance to Ivan the Terrible. But already in 1571, after the burning of Moscow by the Crimean Khan Devlet Giray, the Second Cheremis War began, which lasted three years and ended in the defeat of the Mari. The last, Third Cheremis War (1581-1585) ended with another defeat for the rebels.
Mari El is located in the east of the East European Plain, in the Volga region. In the east of the republic, the Vyatsky Uval stretches up to 284 m high, cut by river valleys and ravines. In the west, there are pronounced karst landforms and the marshy Mari lowland. There are a lot of rivers in the republic: there are about 500 of them, with a total length of over 7 thousand km, and these are mainly tributaries of the Volga, which flows through the territory of the republic along its southern border for more than 150 km. and its tributary Vetluga have long been the main transport routes in these swampy and forested places. The territories of Mari El are located in the subtaiga zone.
The natural reserve fund of the Republic of Mari El includes about fifty specially protected natural objects.
Starting from the second half of the XVI century. after the suppression of the uprisings of the Mari on the territory of modern Mari El, the Russian fortress cities of Kokshaysk, Kozmodemyansk and Tsarevokokshaysk were founded, which later became Yoshkar-Ola and the capital of Mari El.
The tsarist government did not enslave the Mari, and they were not employed in corvée, paying regular yasak (clothes tax). Despite such indulgences, the freedom-loving Mari actively participated in all major peasant wars. early XVII in. under the leadership of Ivan Bolotnikov (? -1608), in 1670-1671. - Stepan Razin (c. 1630-1671), in 1773-1775. - Emelyan Pugacheva (1742-1775).
After the defeat of the popular riots royal authorities Russian peasants were actively resettled here in order to develop the Mari lands, and the lands were distributed to monasteries and large entrepreneurs. XVIII-XIX centuries in Mari El - the time of the appearance of the first factories, the development of the woodworking and forestry sawmill industries. In 1920, after the establishment of Soviet power, the Mari Autonomous Region was formed as part of the RSFSR, then it was part of the Nizhny Novgorod and Gorky Territories, and in 1936 it was transformed into the Mari ASSR as part of the RSFSR.
The construction of factories, begun before the Great Patriotic War, was continued during it, when workers and specialists, as well as entire enterprises from Moscow, Leningrad and Odessa, were evacuated to Mari El.
culture
The Mari themselves are divided into three ethnic groups: meadow (or forest), settled along the left bank of the Volga, mountainous, living on the right bank, and eastern, resettled from the end of the 16th century. until the 18th century in the lower reaches of the Belaya River (a tributary of the Kama).
The religion of the Mari is connected with the mythology of the Finno-Ugric peoples, and main character of these myths - Kugu-Yumo, the supreme deity in the Mari traditional religion. Today, the majority of Mari are dual-believer and, along with Orthodoxy, profess their traditional religion, celebrate holidays associated with pagan cults, and participate in rituals in ancient places of worship where, according to legend, spirits live. During the days of pagan festivities, the entire large Mari community gathers to bow to Kugu-Yumo in cities and villages. On this day, it is customary to wear festive clothes with Mari ornaments. Among the historical sights of Mari El are ritual stones in the groves where the pagans praised the gods and ancestors, and the shelters of the robbers Emelyan Pugachev and Stepan Razin on the banks of the rivers.
The number of surviving in the territory of Mari El architectural monuments small, and this is due to the fact that the wooden buildings of towns and villages have always prevailed here. Among the examples of ancient Russian stone architecture, the complex of the Yezhovo-Mironositsky Monastery of the 17th century stands out. in the village of Yezhovo.
The capital of the Republic, Yoshkar-Ola, was founded in 1584 as a military fortification. Now it is a large industrial city, surrounded on almost all sides by forests, for which the status of specially protected natural areas has been introduced.
general information
Location: east of the European part of the Russian Federation.Official name
federal district : Privolzhsky.
economic region : Volga-Vyatka.
Administrative-territorial division : 3 cities of republican subordination (Yoshkar-Ola, Volzhsk, Kozmodemyansk) and 14 municipal districts.
Capital: city of Yoshkar-Ola, 252,935 people (2012).
Languages: Russian, Mari, Tatar.
Ethnic composition : Russians - 47.4%, Maris - 43.9%, Tatars - 5.8%, others (Chuvash, Ukrainians, Udmurts, Belarusians, Mordvins, Germans) - 2.9% (2010).
Religions: Orthodoxy, Islam, paganism.
Large settlements : Yoshkar-Ola, Volzhsk - 54,889 people (2012), Kozmodemyansk - 21,190 people. (2012), Medvedevo - 17,045 people. (2012), Zvenigovo - 11,848 people. (2012), Soviet - 10,558 people. (2012), Morki - 9,670 people. (2012).
Major rivers: Volga, Vetluga, Rutka, Nemda, Bui, Urzhumka, Ilet, Sura, Bag, Young, Sundyr.
The largest reservoirs : Cheboksary and Kuibyshev.
Numbers
Square: 23,375 km2.Population: 690 612 people (2013).
Population density : 29.54 people/km2.
Urban population : 64.34% (2013).
The most high point : Vyatsky Uval, up to 284 m.
Average height above sea level : from 50 to 100 m (Mari lowland).
Climate and weather
Moderate continental, with long cold winters and warm summers.January average temperature : -19°C.
July average temperature : +20°С.
Average annual rainfall : 550 mm.
Relative humidity : 70%.
Economy
GRP: 82.4 billion rubles (2010), per capita - 119.3 thousand rubles. (2010).Minerals : limestone, gypsum, dolomites, quartz sands, peat.
Industry: forestry, woodworking, pulp and paper, light, food, mechanical engineering and metalworking.
Agriculture : dairy and meat and dairy animal husbandry, cereals (barley, oats, rye, wheat) and industrial crops, fiber flax, hops, vegetables, potatoes.
Artistic crafts : embroidery, wood carving, patterned weaving, birch bark weaving.
Shipping along the Volga and Vetluga rivers.
Service sector : tourism, transport, sanatoriums, rest houses.
Attractions
Natural
- Klenogorsk mineral springs
- Springs in the village of Krasnogorsk
- Sea Eye Lake
- Mari Chodra National Park
- Reserve Big Kokshaga
- Reserve Kamennaya Gora
- Yalchik Lake (Mari Chodra National Park)
- Lake Zryv
City of Yoshkar-Ola
- National Museum. T. Evseeva
- National Art Gallery
- Republican Museum of Fine Arts
- Museum of Folk Applied Arts
- Museum of the History of the City of Yoshkar-Ola
- Obolensky-Nogotkov Square
- Monument to Governor Ivan Obolensky-Nogotkov
- Church of the Holy Trinity (XVIII century)
- Cathedral of the Ascension of the Lord (Ascension Church, 1756)
- House of merchant Ivan Pchelin (XVIII century)
- Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary (2006)
- Sculptural composition "Tree of Life" (2008)
- Cultural and historical complex "Tsarevokokshaysky Kremlin" (2009)
Cultural
- Kozmodemyansk Museum of Art and History A. V. Grigorieva (Kozmodemyansk)
- Ethnographic museum of peasant labor and life in the open air (Kozmodemyansk)
Cult
- Ezhovo-Mironositsky Monastery of the 17th century.
- Church of Flora and Lavra (Tabashino village, 1898)
historical
- Ancient quarries in the village of Gornyak
- Sheremetyev Castle (Yurino village, 19th century)
Curious facts
According to Mari legends, a long time ago the Earth was a huge primary Ocean, in which fish swam and the spirits of sea deities lived. The supreme god Kugu-Yumo summoned the drake Yyma to the surface and ordered him to bring clay from the bottom. From this clay, the supreme god created lands, plains, pastures and dense forests. This myth, in a strange way, somewhat corresponds to the theory of the formation of life on Earth, which was originally the World Ocean, and the land arose as a result of volcanic processes that began at the bottom of the ocean.
The most ancient monuments of art on the territory of Mari El are primitive figurines of animals made of stone and clay, dating back to the middle of the second millennium BC. e., and metal jewelry of the Bronze Age.
The folk architecture of the Mari is characterized by log huts with a U-shaped courtyard, a summer kitchen-kudo with an earthen floor and a two-story pantry with a gallery-balcony.
Sea Eye Lake in the Volga region of the Republic of Mari El got its name due to its almost regular round shape and rich blue color water. The lake is only 45-50 m in diameter and resembles a volcano crater, but is of karst origin.
In the Mari Chodra National Park, the oldest specimen of oak, called Pugachevsky, has been preserved. According to legend, Emelyan Pugachev with his detachment stopped for the night under this oak tree. This oak is a gigantic tree with a trunk diameter of 159 cm.
Distinctive features. Previously, the Republic of Mari El had a different name. In Soviet times, there was first the Mari Autonomous Region, and then the Mari Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic. The Mari, also known as Cheremis, belong to the Finno-Ugric tribes and have been known since the 10th century.
By the will of history, the Mari were squeezed between two fires - Christian Russia in the west and Muslim Tatars in the east. All this was reflected in the culture of the Mari people, divided into mountain and meadow Mari. In total, there are about 600 thousand Mari, and half of them live in the Republic of Mari El, which means "country of husbands."
The economy of the Republic of Mari El is primarily a manufacturing industry. Yoshkar-Ola is the capital of the republic and the largest industrial center. There are enterprises of metallurgy, chemical, woodworking industries. Unfortunately, the economy is not so developed that local residents can boast of high salaries. But the nature in Mari El is worthy of attention, as is the green city of Mari El, spread out in the middle of vast forests.
Geographic location. The Republic of Mari El is one of the regions of the Volga region. There is no need to guess what federal district she enters. Of course, in Privolzhsky. Its neighbors are the Nizhny Novgorod region in the west, the Republic of Tatarstan in the southeast, the Kirov region in the north and the Republic of Chuvashia in the northeast.
The Republic of Mari El is a real river region: 190 rivers flow through it with a watercourse length of more than 100 km. And the largest and most famous of them is Mother Volga. True, most of the territory of Mari El is located on the left bank of the Volga. And on the right bank there is only one district - Gornomariysky. It is so named because it occupies the northern part of the Volga Upland.
Most of the territory of the republic is covered with forests. The largest protected natural areas are the Mari Chodra National Park, famous for its karst lakes, and the Bolshaya Kokshaga Reserve.
Population. Now the population of the Republic of Mari El is 690,349 people. Remarkably, in this national autonomy, the number of inhabitants of the indigenous nationality is approximately equal to the number of Russians (45% and 41.76%, respectively), while in many other similar autonomies, Russians either make up the vast majority of the population, or vice versa, remain in a proud minority. In third place in terms of the number of Tatars - 5.51%.
It should be noted that although there was a slight decrease in numbers compared to what it was 20 years ago, last years the situation is quite stable. There is even a small natural increase in the population, although it is less than 1 person per 1000 inhabitants.
As for religion, almost half of the republic's population are staunch Christians, while Islam is practiced by about 6% of the population.
Crime. The Republic of Mari El is on the 61st place in the criminal rating of regions. Yes, it is mostly quiet and calm here, but this does not mean that there are no crimes at all. There are both thefts and murders of businessmen. In general, everything is like in other regions, but still somehow calmer.
Unemployment rate. The economic situation in Mari El is quite difficult. There are practically no large industries here. Residents are forced to go into trade in order to somehow survive. In terms of unemployment, the republic is in the bottom third of the rating of regions. In 2012, this figure was 6.49%. The average monthly salary in Mari El is only 15.9 thousand rubles. At the same time, the highest incomes are among employees of the banking sector and in government bodies.
Real estate value. In Yoshkar-Ola, the average cost per square meter is 40-45 thousand rubles. One-room apartments here are offered at a price of 1 million rubles and more, but the most common figure is 1.6 - 1.8 million rubles for a "one-room apartment". Approximately from the same figures prices for two-room apartments, and for "three rubles" - already from 2.4 million rubles. Most of the housing stock was built at the end of the 20th century, and many houses already require, if not a major overhaul, then at least a cosmetic update.
Many new buildings in Yoshkar-Ola are made in the "signature" red color. Photo by Valentina (http://fotki.yandex.ru/users/zvenizaton/)
Climate. Although the republic is not located in the far north, the climate here is quite severe. Long frosty winters and moderately warm summers are the main features of this region, located in the realm of a temperate continental climate. In winter, the average temperature in the region is −19°С, and the average summer temperature is +18°С.
The weather in Mari El is very unstable. In the middle of winter, thaws may begin for no reason, followed by new frosts, and in spring or autumn frosts may come. In a word, for Agriculture it's not the best climate.
Cities of the Republic of Mari El
Of course, all these pluses turn around for the residents of the city. environmental issues. In addition, it should be taken into account that southwestern winds bring here air filled with harmful emissions from industrial enterprises in the north of the Chuvash Republic. Volzhsk is also famous for its hockey team, which plays in the championship of the high level which in itself is a feat for such a small city.
Kozmodemyansk- the third largest city of the republic (21 thousand people) and the center of the Gornomariysky district. Founded in the 16th century by Russian settlers on the right bank of the Volga. Today Kozmodemyansk is the republic's river gate and its only port on the Volga. In addition to the port, there are several large enterprises in the city, including the Potential radioelement plant, owned by the Wessen Group.
Greetings, dear readers! Mari El is a republic composed of Russian Federation, it is part of the Volga Federal District and is part of the Volga-Vyatka economic region.
The capital of the Republic of Mari El is the city of Yoshkar-Ola. The republic borders on the Kirov region in the north and east, in the west - with Nizhny Novgorod region, in the southwest borders with Chuvash Republic, in the southeast with the Republic of Tatarstan.
The Republic of Mari El is located in the middle reaches of the Volga River, in the east of the East European Plain. The main territory of the republic is located on the left bank of the Volga, on the right bank there is only a part of the Gornomariysky district, one of the 14 districts of the republic, they can be seen on the map.
Districts of the Republic of Mari El on the map:
The area of the Republic of Mari El is about 23375 square meters. kilometers, the population of the republic as of July 31, 2017 is about 685 thousand people.
In the capital of the republic, the city of Yoshkar-Ola and on the territory of the Republic of Mari El, Moscow time operates, the same as in Moscow, the capital of Russia.
Mari El a bit of history
The Mari Autonomous Region was formed on November 4, 1920; from December 5, 1936, it became known as the Mari Autonomous Republic. Since October 22, 1990 - Mari Soviet Socialist Republic(MSSR) within the RSFSR.
The modern name of the republic: Mari Republic - Mari El since December 9, 1992, legalized and entered into force on January 12, 1993 from the date of publication of the Law of the Russian Federation.
Mari El is a multinational republic, national holidays of the Mari people are celebrated here, as well as Russian, Chuvash, Tatar holidays, many festivals are held every year.
You can read about the sights and rich nature of Mari El
My friends rested in the Republic of Mari El and shared some of their photos, memories of their holidays in Mari El in the summer in the Mari open spaces, among rich and generous nature. They also visited one of the holidays - Benderiad, which is held in the republic in a fun and interesting way every summer.
Holidays in Mari El in summer photo
The beginning of summer this year turned out to be cool and rainy, you have to dress warmer. On the banks of the Volga
We are going fishing with a fishing rod:
And this is a small catch:
Time for mushrooms
Gifts of the Forest - Mushroom Loot:
Gathering for strawberries, endless white birch grove:
More strawberries on the hills:
And this is the harvest:
Delicious Wild Strawberry
We swim on the Volga in the summer, the heat has finally come by the end of July:
On the chamomile field:
How good are the evenings in Russia ...
At the hacienda visiting friends:
Carefree childhood - laughing girlfriends:
Republic of Mari El photo
Harvest ripens in the fields of the republic:
It is good to ride through the vast expanses and see the ancient beauty, which is carefully preserved in the republic.
Beautiful rustic windows with carved architraves:
The city of Kozmodemyansk, the center of the Gornomariysky district:
Cathedral of the Smolensk Icon of the Mother of God in the city of Kozmodemyansk:
Holidays in Mari El
Many festivals and holidays are held in the cities of the Republic of Mari El and the capital Yoshkar-Ola at different times of the year. Republican national holiday is celebrated in June in summer Peledysh payrem - Translated from the Mari Flower Festival, during which the results of spring field work are summed up and mass festivities are held throughout the republic.
Interregional folklore and ethnographic holiday land of ancestors is held in July in the village of Arda, Kilemar region. Summer music festival Bagel in the city of Volzhsk in memory of the famous musician.
We will visit with you Festival of satire and humor Benderiad which has been celebrated since 1995. The center of the holiday is the city of Kozmodemyansk, people with a good sense of humor and a wonderful mood come here from everywhere. A carnival procession passes through the streets of Kozmodemyansk. On the Market Square, an auction "12 chairs" is held, where you can buy a "chair with diamonds", a chess tournament is certainly held. There are performances of comedians, music concerts, discos throughout the city.
One of the main participants in Benderiada:
Festival of satire and humor Benderiad in Kozmodemyansk
There are many entertainments for children on the Market Square of Kozmodemyansk:
Large elegant Children's Town for the joy of children:
Ostap Bender's performance in a festive humor:
The holiday continues on the banks of the Volga - yachts and parachutists participate in the holiday:
I suggest you watch a cool movie about recreation and attractions in the Republic of Mari El:
Film My Russia or the adventures of Italian women in Mari El
Holidays in Mari El in the summer can be so interesting, exciting and informative!
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GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE REPUBLIC OF MARI EL AND THE PEOPLE OF MARI
Republic of Mari El (12 rus), center - Yoshkar-Ola (former Tsarevokokshaysk). It is located in the center of the European part of the Russian Federation, in the middle reaches of the Volga: most of the republic is north of the Volga, part of the Gornomariysky district is to the south.
Almost the entire territory of the republic is covered with forests - pine in the west, spruce and spruce-fir in the north and northeast, mixed (coniferous-broad-leaved) in the southeast.
Most of the territory is swampy lowland, in the east - the hills of Vyatsky Uval. The main rivers are the Volga (more precisely, the Cheboksary reservoir) and its left tributaries Vetluga, Rutka, Bolshaya and Malaya Kokshaga, Ilet; the northeast of the region belongs to the Vyatka basin.
Alexander Evstifeev - head of the republic
The state languages of the republic are Russian and Mari; Mari make up 43% of the population. Less than half of the Mari (the old name is Cheremis), about 320 thousand, live in the republic; the rest - outside its borders, mainly in Bashkiria (about 105 thousand) and in the Kirov region (50 thousand).
The Mari are divided into three dialect-cultural groups - mountain (the right bank of the Volga - Gornomariysky district), meadow (interfluve of Vetluga and Vyatka) and eastern Mari (Bashkiria). The Mari language belongs to the Volga-Finnish group of the Finno-Ugric family, that is, it is about as close to Finnish and Estonian as, say, English is to Russian.
There is writing based on the Cyrillic alphabet, newspapers are published. However, the majority of native speakers are older people, and the Mari language is on the UNESCO list of endangered languages.
Despite the forced Christianization carried out for several centuries, a significant part of the Mari retained pagan pre-Christian beliefs.
The largest folklore festivals:
Take a break payrem (holiday of flowers) - early June, throughout the country,
Mari muro payrem (holiday of the Mari song) - July, Yoshkar-Ola.
At the same time, the traditional holidays of the Mari are completely different:
Aga payrem - the beginning of the agricultural season, before plowing;
Uginde payrem - harvest festival;
Shyl kas - autumn slaughter;
Shoryk Yol - New Year (in winter).
Finno-Ugric tribes have inhabited the territory of modern western, northern and central Russia since prehistoric times. On the territory of the Republic of Mari El, archaeological sources dating back to the first millennium BC have been preserved. Since they did not have a written language until modern times, all information about the history of the middle Volga is associated with Russian sources. Cheremis are first reliably mentioned under the XII century. At that moment, they had close ties with neighboring Volga Bulgaria, which was located on the territory of modern Tatarstan and was destroyed in 1236 by the Mongol troops of Batu Khan advancing on Russia.
With the Golden Horde formed after that, the Mari, apparently, were in allied relations.
From the 14th century, the Mari also came into contact with the Russians moving east, who founded Nizhny Novgorod in 1221. Russian-Tatar clashes on the Mari lands are becoming commonplace (with the Mari acting on the side of the Tatars).
For the time being, the Tatars and Mari prevail, but then Ivan the Terrible finally restores order: in 1546, the lands of the mountain Mari (the right bank of the Volga) fall under the control of Moscow, and in 1552 the tsarist troops take Kazan, and the meadow Mari begin to pay tribute to Moscow. Then systematic colonization begins: for example, in 1557 Cheboksary was founded, in 1583 - Kozmodemyansk, in 1584 - Tsarevokokshaysk, now Yoshkar-Ola. Forced Christianization leads to the fact that the Mari go into the forests, leaving entire villages empty.
Under Peter the Great, something begins to change - Mari are drafted into the army, begins Scientific research territory, the first written monuments of the Mari language are compiled.
The first Mari grammar of Putsek-Grigorovich appears in 1792.
Nevertheless, in 1775, the Mari massively supported Pugachev's uprising.
In 1872, the Kazan Teachers' Seminary was opened, one of the tasks of which was to train representatives of the Volga peoples, including the Mari. This gave a serious impetus to the national revival, Mari schools were opened, books were printed in the Mari language, including textbooks.
After October revolution, in 1920, the Mari autonomy was formed - later the Mari ASSR, since 1991 the Republic of Mari El. For all that, in the 1920s it was not possible to establish a single norm of the language - the dialects of the mountain and meadow Mari were considered equal, which led to the acceleration of the disappearance of both. In the 1930s, as in other national republics, almost the entire national intelligentsia was destroyed. Gradually, the Mari become a minority of the population of the republic, and incentives to preserve the Mari language are decreasing.
Yoshkar-Ola is connected to the railway with Zelenodolsk, which is on the Moscow-Kazan main line. There are no trunk lines in the republic highways and only two roads of republican significance with a solid foundation - "Vyatka" Cheboksary - Yoshkar-Ola - Kirov and P175 Yoshkar-Ola - Volzhsk - Zelenodolsk. Other roads do not cross the Volga.
Shipping on the Volga.
ATTRACTION:
2 Reserve Bolshaya Kokshaga - coniferous forests of the Mari lowland and oak forests of the floodplain of the river Bolshaya Kokshaga.
1 Volzhsk (Lopatino) - Museum of local lore: the history of the city and ethnography.
1 Zvenigovo - wooden St. Nicholas Church (1877); local history museum. The city is picturesquely located on the left bank of the Volga.
2 Wooden churches of Mari El.
1 Aktayuzh (Kilemarsky district) - St. Nicholas Church (1900).
2 Kumya (Kilemarsky district) - Church of the Intercession (1866).
1 Petyal (Zvenigovsky district) - Guryevskaya church (1896).
1 Chkarino (Soviet district) - Church of the Intercession (1915).
1 Yoshkar-Ola (Tsarevokokshaysk). The city was founded in 1584 as Tsarevokokshaisk, until 1920 a small county town with 13 streets. In 1919 it was renamed Krasnokokshaisk, in 1920 it was appointed the center of the newly formed Mari Autonomous Region, in 1927 it was renamed Yoshkar-Ola ("Red City" in Mari).
Remains of the historical buildings of Tsarevokokshaysk of the 18th-20th centuries.
Trinity Church (1736), Ascension Church (1756), Tikhvin Church (1774).
Church of the Nativity of the Virgin (1818) in the village of Semyonovka.
Carved wooden and stone houses.
National Museum of the Republic of Mari El: archaeological and ethnographic collections dedicated to the Mari, applied art, nature.
Museum of Fine Arts: Mari art, Russian art of the 19th century.
Museum of Folk Applied Arts.
Museum of the history of the city of Yoshkar-Ola.
Memorial museums: poet Nikolai Mukhin, composer Ivan Klyuchnikov-Palantay.
Azanovo - Sretenskaya Church (1861).
1 Yezhovo - the female Yezhovo-Mironositsky Monastery (founded in the 17th century) with preserved architectural monuments - the Mironositsky Church (1719) and monastery buildings (XVIII century).
1 Medvedevo - local history museum: life and ethnography of the Mari; department of nature.
Nurma - Kazan Church (1825).
3 Kozmodemyansk - Old trading Volga city (founded in 1583), numerous sights.
The layout and buildings of the 18th-20th centuries have been preserved. Wonderful examples of wood carving. Several surviving churches, including the Streltsy Chapel (1698).
Grigoriev Museum of Art and History: a rich collection of Russian art.
Ethnographic open-air museum: dedicated to the life of the mountain Mari, about two dozen historical buildings.
Museum of merchant life.
Museum of Humor named after Ostap Bender.
1 Vladimirskoe - Vladimirskaya church (1713).
3 The Volga River and its high right bank
Emelevo - Trinity Church (1876).
Korotny - Baptist Church (1828).
Intercession - Intercession Church (1813-1814) in disrepair.
Bags - Church of the Nativity of the Virgin (1824).
Trinity Posad - Trinity Church (1883).
1 Chalomkino is a literary and art museum named after Nikolai Ignatiev, dedicated to the Mountain Mari language, literature and ethnography.
1 Kokshaysk is the oldest urban settlement in Mari El (1574). Church of the Intercession (1793). Picturesque location on the left bank of the Volga, at the mouth of Malaya Kokshaga.
2 Forest lakes of Mari El - see also karst lakes in National Park Mariy Chodra.
Interfluve of Vetluga and Rutka - transparent lakes Karasyar, Nuzhyar.
The interfluve of the Bolshaya and Malaya Kokshaga is Lake Tabashinsky (Zryv), the deepest in Mari El.
Mesopotamia Malaya Kokshaga and Ileti - lakes Silver, Shirenga.
Karst lakes east of Ileti - Sea Eye, Mushendersky.
2 National Park Mariy Chodra - protection of coniferous-deciduous forests and karst relief, including lakes, Vyatka ridge.
Klenovaya Gora tract - mineral springs.
Ilet River
Karst lakes - Yalchik, Konan'er, Glukhoe, Mushen'er, Kichier.
Historical monuments - the old Kazan tract, Pugachev's oak.
1 Morki - Morkin Historical and Literary Museum; Church of the Epiphany (1819).
2 Mount Karman-Kuryk - geological outcrops.
1 Olykyal - the house-museum of the poet Nikolai Mukhin.
1 Chavainur is a memorial house-museum of the writer Sergei Chavain.
1 Orshanka - Orsha Museum of peasant labor and life, with a large ethnographic collection.
1 Old Epiphany - the house-museum of the writer Yakov Mayorov-Shketan.
1 Sernur - Sernur Historical and Literary Museum, includes an ethnographic collection.
1 Kuzhener - Kuzhenersky Museum of History and Local Lore; St. Nicholas Monastery.
1 Marisola - Church of the Intercession (1880-1888), presumably designed by arch. Gornostaev.
1 Mari-Turek - Mari-Turek Regional Museum - the history of the region and ethnography.
1 Novy Torjal - Novotoryal Museum of Local Lore; Church of the Ascension (1819).
1 Paranga - Paranga Museum of Local Lore.
Museum-Reserve "Sheremetev's Castle" (1885).
Mikhailo-Arkhangelsk Church (1869-1889).
1.6. Regional holidays and memorable dates.
Shorykyol (Mari New Year, Christmas time) - celebrated
Uyarnya (Mari Maslenitsa) - celebrated in late February - early March;
Kugeche (Great Day, Easter) - celebrated 5 days before Christian Easter;
Agavairem (arable land holiday) - celebrated before the spring sowing or after the Christian St. Nicholas Day (May 22);
Semyk (Semik, Summer Holiday) - celebrated 7 weeks after Easter;
Surem (Summer Sacrifice Festival) - celebrated
Uginde (Feast of new bread) - celebrated at the beginning of harvesting and field work during the Christian Ilyin's day (August 2);
U putymysh, Kyshal (Feast of new porridge) - celebrated after the completion of the harvest in October or November until the Orthodox Michaelmas Day (November 21);
Summer is the time of sun, warmth, relaxation and fun. It is in the summer that the most mass holidays national cultures.
Traditionally, on June 12, on the Day of Russia, in the city of Yoshkar-Ola, a holiday of Russian culture "Russian Birch" and a holiday of Mari culture "Peledysh Payrem" ("Feast of Flowers") are held. "Russian Birch" and "Peledysh Payrem" are festive processions, theatrical performances, concerts and attractions, mass celebrations and performances by popular artists, exhibitions and sales of products of applied art "City of Masters".
Also in June, in the city of Yoshkar-Ola and in the village of Paranga, the Tatar national holiday "Sabantuy" is held with its invariable attributes - horse races, the national wrestling "kuresh" and the main prize for the strongest Batyr Sabantuy - a live ram.
Every year at the height of summer, in July, the interregional festival of humor and satire "Benderiada" is held in Kozmodemyansk. It was this city that became the prototype of Vasyukov in the novel by I. Ilf and E. Petrov. "Benderiada" is a competition of KVN teams, a carnival procession "Long live the spirit of healthy adventurism!", an auction "12 chairs", competitive program"Gnu Antelope", theatrical show "Ostap Bender - the Great Couturier", children's playground "Benderiadka", concert program.
From July 7 to July 12, 2008, the VII All-Russian Summer Rural Sports Games will be held in the republic.
The Republican Museum of Fine Arts has recently become the venue for the International Exhibitions of Mail Art, one of the current trends contemporary art. Participants of the first exhibition, held in October 2006 as part of creative project"Alenka", were 120 authors from 24 countries. The second acquaintance of the guests and participants of the exhibition with "postal art" took place in October 2007. Well-known mail artists from different regions of Russia and foreign countries took part in the creative action.
Since 2003, the International photo exhibition of the Finno-Ugric peoples "Roots" has been held in Yoshkar-Ola. The next exhibition is expected in October 2008. Like previous exhibitions, the exhibition will be dedicated to the Days of kindred Finno-Ugric peoples, which are held annually in the Finno-Ugric countries and regions of the Russian Federation.
Every year in October, the Yakov Eshpai Mari State Philharmonic holds the Mari Autumn Art Festival. The first festival took place in 1980 and the first eminent participant of the festival was People's Artist of the USSR Lyudmila Zykina. For 27 years, a huge number of the most popular artists and groups of the country have become participants in the Mari Autumn festival: Valery Obodzinsky, Edita Piekha, Sofia Rotaru, Vladimir Kuzmin, Alexander Malinin and many others.
1.7. Major cities.
The city of Yoshkar-Ola is the capital of the Republic of Mari El, founded
in 1584 and is located on the Malaya Kokshaga River - the left tributary of the Volga River, in the center of the Volga-Vyatka region. Yoshkar-Ola is a multifunctional city with a dominant role of industry. This is a complex administrative-territorial unit. Yoshkar-Ola is not only a city of republican significance, having a 420-year history and being the capital of the Republic of Mari El. From the north, water meadows and partly farmland and forests approach the city, from the west and northwest - farmland, and in the southeast, south, southwest of the city there are forests. Settlements located near the Kokshai tract are surrounded by forests of the State Forest Fund.
The territory of the city of Yoshkar-Ola, together with the rural areas assigned to it settlements is 110 sq. km, including directly urban land - 56 sq. km, the rest - arable land, urban forests, hayfields and pastures, garden and dacha cooperatives. City parks, squares and other green spaces occupy more than 1,600 hectares, of which 801 hectares are urban forests (Pine Grove, Oak Grove, etc.), for which the status of specially protected natural areas has been introduced.
The city of Yoshkar-Ola is located in the center of the Mari lowland, in an area of mixed forests, in fact, on the southern border of the taiga zone. The Malaya Kokshaga River, a tributary of the Volga, flows through the city. In line municipality the rivers Oshla, Managa, Maly Kundysh, Nolka flow into it. All this creates favorable opportunities for recreation for citizens and residents of other regions of Russia.
The city of Volzhsk is the second largest city in the Republic of Mari El. The city has Palaces of Culture, a cinema "Rodina", a park, and a city museum of local lore. Children are brought up and educated in 10 schools and 20 pre-school educational institutions. At present, the city lives, is being built, its industrial complexes are being revived, sports, culture, trade, etc. are developing.
A kind of "capital" of the mountain side - the right bank of the Volga is the city of Kozmodemyansk, surprisingly colorful, with rich gardens and unique monuments of wooden architecture.
Its pearl is the Kozmodemyansky cultural and historical museum complex with one of the richest collections of paintings in the Volga region. Here are the canvases of famous artists I.K. Aivazovsky, K.P. Bryullov, K.E. Makovsky, N.I. Feshin and others. One cannot remain indifferent to the open-air ethnographic museum. The ancient way of life of the Mari people, their traditions, spiritual culture link the past with the present and future here.
1.8. Climatic conditions.
The Republic of Mari El is located in a zone with a temperate continental climate, on the border of forest and forest-steppe natural zones. The average long-term air temperature in January is -19°C; in July + 20°C. More than 50% of the republic's territory is occupied by forests. Sod-podzolic, loamy, sandy and sandy soils predominate in the republic.
1.9. Natural resources Republic of Mari El
Mineral resources.
On the territory of the Mari El Republic there is a significant number of deposits of solid non-metallic minerals - glass sand, carbonate rocks, peat, sapropel.
In terms of the number of explored reserves, the quality of quartz sands and their predicted resources, the Republic of Mari El occupies one of the first places in the European part of Russia.
The balance of mineral reserves in the republic includes 57 deposits for 9 types of raw materials. Of these, 28 are being developed,
2 prepared for development and 27 classified as reserve.
For many years ahead, the republic is provided with such types of raw materials as carbonate crushed stone of medium and low strength, building stone, expanded clay, brick-tile clay, building sand, peat. On the territory of the Republic of Mari El, there is a wide distribution of peat deposits. Peat is used mainly as a fuel (90% of the extraction).
There are 451 peat deposits on the territory of the Republic of Mari El, of which 137 have an area of more than 10 hectares. The developed part of the peat massifs is located in the western part (within the Mari lowland). The total geological reserve of peat is 156,748.1 thousand tons, incl. balance reserves are 115391.2 thousand tons. The deposits of the low-lying type are the most widespread (73.62% of the total reserves), high-moor peat - about 19%.
Within the territory of the republic there are a large number of lakes, the features of the water and mineral nutrition of which, as well as sufficient moisture content of the territory, contribute to the formation of sapropelic lakes in these reservoirs.
and mineral mud enriched with iron sulfides, which have a high balneological value.
More than 60 lake sapropel deposits with total resources of 11 million tons have been discovered in the republic. Of these, 5 deposits have been explored in detail with reserves of 1.7 million tons.
Currently, there are 22 fields on the balance sheet with balance reserves of 2457 thousand tons. Only the Vodoozerskoye field is being developed, with balance reserves of 633,000 tons.
There are 25 enterprises operating in the republic that develop and use mineral raw materials. Building sands are mined
and for road construction, therapeutic mud, sapropel and peat, limestone for the production of crushed stone, rubble, limestone flour and selective building lime. Silicate and ceramic bricks, expanded clay, glass containers, wall materials are produced. Enterprises are provided with local raw materials for the production of products, which allows the development of construction, road construction and agro-industrial complexes through the use of local resources.
Forest resources.
The territory of the Republic of Mari El belongs to the subzones of the southern taiga and mixed (broad-leaved-coniferous and coniferous-broad-leaved) forests. The distribution of forests within the territory under consideration is uneven and varies
depending on specific natural and forest conditions. With a noticeable reduction in coniferous plantations, they are replaced by deciduous forests (birch and aspen forests). On the right bank of the Volga, oak forests have been preserved in small areas, especially in the floodplains of the left tributaries of the Volga.
The share of land covered with forest vegetation is quite high and on average for administrative districts is 57% of the total area of the republic. The area of forest lands is 1412 thousand hectares, including those covered with forest vegetation -
1301.6 thousand hectares, which are mainly located in the west of the Republic and in its central part.
2. General information about the cultural and tourist resources of the Republic of Mari El.
2.1. Major historical and cultural sites.
The Republic of Mari El has a high cultural potential, original culture, traditions, folk crafts. On the territory of the Republic of Mari El there are numerous monuments of history and culture, monastic
and manor complexes, functioning temples, museum-reserves. Among which:
1633 monuments of history and culture;
327 libraries, including 4 republican: National Library. S.G. Chavain, Republican Youth Library. V.Kh. Columbus, Republican Children's Library, Republican Library for the Blind;
362 institutions of cultural and leisure type;
5 theaters (Mari National Drama Theater named after M. Shketan with a branch - Theater of Young Spectators, Mari State Opera and Ballet Theater named after E. Sapaev, Academic Russian Drama Theater named after G. Konstantinov, Republican Puppet Theater, Gornomariysky Drama Theater), Margosphilharmonia with three permanent ensembles;
28 museums, incl. National Museum of the Republic of Mari El. T. Evseeva, Republican Museum of Fine Arts,
in the structure of which, in order to preserve and increase art treasures in November 2007, the National Art Gallery was opened, equipped with modern systems climate control and special lighting. Thanks to the discovery art gallery it became possible to host exhibitions of Russian and international level in the republic;
Cultural and historical museum complex in Kozmodemyansk, which includes: Art and History Museum. A.V. Grigoriev with a unique collection of paintings of the 18th-19th centuries, porcelain, historical collections, a museum of ethnography of the mountain Mari, a museum of merchant life in the house of the timber merchant Gubin, which tells about the history and life of the merchants late XIX the beginning of the 20th century, as well as the Museum of History and Humor of Ostap Bender and others.
The traditional Mari embroidery, preserved and developing, is considered to be a kind of symbol of the republic.
in the republic for more than 300 years, the manufacture of traditional musical instruments the Mari people (harp, bagpipes), woodcarving, basket weaving, etc.;
There are also 3 centers of national cultures in the republic (Russian, Mari and Tatar); Sheremetev's estate in the village. Yurino is ready to receive Russian and foreign tourists. A magnificent manor and architectural complex of the 19th century, a mixture of different styles in the architecture of the castle created a unique example of architecture that is rightfully considered the pearl of the Volga region; Vazhnanger settlement "Alamner" was in the XIV-XV centuries. administrative military-defensive cult center of the ancient Mari. Fortifications have been preserved on the settlement, which have no analogues in the Ural-Volga region.
Located on a maple mountain, the Mari Chodra National Park is an interesting natural and territorial complex. The sanatorium "Klenovaya Gora" was built on its territory. There are such places popular with tourists as the Zeleny Klyuch spring, lakes Yalchik, Mashinier, Glukhoe, Konanjer, the rivers Ilet, Yushut, Petyalka flow. The oldest specimen of oak, called Pugachevsky, has been preserved here.
2.2. The main types and directions of tourism.
The main types of tourism in the republic are:
Ecotourism. Mari El is a land of amazingly beautiful lakes. There are more than 600 of them: large and small, different in origin and useful properties, but equally attractive for their pristine beauty and purity. Lake Nuzhyar in the Gornomariysky district is considered the cleanest in the Volga region. The largest is Lake Yalchik, with an area of 195 hectares, the deepest is the karst lake Zryv (Tabashinskoye), the depth of which reaches 56 meters. The largest group of such lakes is located on the edge of the northern ledge of the Sotnur Upland, where there are 11 lakes in a chain, among them the Sea Eye with a depth of 35 m, and 6 lakes at the foot of the Kerebelak Upland.
The Mari region can be called a haven of silence, a kingdom of mushrooms, berries, birds and animals, a land of ecological well-being.
Active tourism (hunting, fishing, canoeing and horseback riding). The diversity of the fauna of the Mari forests is explained by the location at the junction of two natural zones. Among the forest inhabitants, the largest is the elk. There are many wild boars in the floodplain forests.
The brown bear lives in dense spruce-deciduous forests. And in the coniferous taiga - lynx. There are also hunting birds: capercaillie, black grouse, hazel grouse, partridge, woodcock, wild ducks and geese. Forest lakes are a great place for recreation, fishing, hunting. About 45 species of fish are found in the rivers and lakes of the republic. The lakes are home to many waterfowl. And lovers of hunting and fishing will be hospitably received for the night by the cozy Hunter's House, located in the village of Starozhilsk.
Ethno tourism. Ethnographically, the republic is interesting in that the Mari, one of the few peoples of Europe, have preserved paganism and religious objects associated with it in living existence. In addition, the Republic of Mari El presents a unique experience of the coexistence of paganism, Christianity and Islam. The originality and uniqueness of the Mari are emphasized by many researchers.
For lovers of educational and sightseeing tourism, routes are offered that introduce Mari rituals, customs, folklore, national cuisine, traditional Mari embroidery and crafts, carefully preserved from generation to generation. Tourists can get a vivid idea of the life of the ancient Mari by visiting the Arda House of Crafts in the Kilemar region, the Peasant Hut-Museum in the village of Starozhilsk, Medvedev region and other museums.
Rural tourism. The popularity of ecological and rural tourism is growing all over the world, and the Republic of Mari El is no exception. Tourists want to learn more and more about the cultural values, customs of the local population and their way of life. The territories of the Medvedevsky, Kilemarsky, Zvenigovsky and Novotoryalsky districts have the necessary potential for the development of rural tourism.
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SOURCES OF INFORMATION:
http://www.mccme.ru/
INFORMATION SITE OF THE REPUBLIC OF MARI EL