Kostromskoy District: Volga, Gorky Reservoir and the Chapel of Nekrasovo

In the southwest of Kostromskoy District, the Volga flows for 48 kilometers within the district as part of the Gorky Reservoir. The Kostroma section of the reservoir is colloquially known as the “Kostroma Sea.” The name therefore refers to this section of the Gorky Reservoir; the 48 kilometers indicate its extent within the district. For geographic orientation, you can thus identify both the southwestern course of the river and the local name for this section of the reservoir.

The Chapel of Nekrasovo

In Nekrasovo, the brick chapel draws attention to the sacred architecture of the late 17th century. It is covered with lime plaster and was built from the 1680s to the early 1690s. As an expressive example of sacred architecture, it reflects the distinctive features of the local building tradition of the late 17th century. Specific details about its materials and construction period thus complement its architectural-historical context: the chapel is notable both for its construction and for its connection to a local tradition. If you are interested in historic architecture, Nekrasovo offers a clearly defined point of interest in the district.

Nature in Kostroma Oblast

In the wider destination of Kostroma Oblast, the Kologrivsky Les State Nature Reserve offers a distinctive natural attraction. It comprises two separate areas that preserve different landscapes of the southern taiga, with zonal and provincial physical-geographic features. A tour in the nature reserve, Puteshestvie v zapovedny les, includes a visit to the ecological trail of the same name. It leads through a section of old-growth southern taiga forest. This makes both the southern taiga landscape and a specific trail options to explore in the region. Check the current tour arrangements before your trip.

Cultural history in Kostroma Oblast

The Shchelykovo Estate is also part of Kostroma Oblast’s cultural attractions; it is associated with the Russian playwright Alexander Nikolayevich Ostrovsky. Guided tours of the park and A. N. Ostrovsky’s house take place at 10:00, 11:30, 13:00, 14:30, and 15:30. They are available for groups of five or more, or for a fee covering five people. Confirm the current times and participation requirements before your visit.

In Susanino, the exhibits in the five halls of the local history museum tell, in turn, the story of the Susanino region’s nature, archaeology, history, culture, and everyday life. The renewed exhibition “At the Crossroads of History and Legend” preserves Ivan Susanin and Savrasov’s “The Rooks Have Arrived” as motifs of importance to the region. The museum also offers walking and bus excursions to places associated with Ivan Susanin, including the Isupovo swamp and the villages of Derevenki and Domnino. Check the current excursion arrangements in advance.

Kostromskaya Sloboda in Kostroma offers a different perspective: it features historic wooden houses and churches, as well as ethnographic exhibitions about the lives of peasants in the Kostroma region. The examples in the oblast thus range from sacred architecture and regional memory to landscapes and everyday history.

Discover more destinations: Sharyinsky District, Mytishchinsky District, Volgorechensk, Kostromskoy District, Nerekhtsky District, Makaryevsky District.

Return to the main travel overview: Kostroma Oblast.