Pushkarnoye has a clear cultural and historical focus: the historic town of Bolkhovets stood at the site of today’s exit from the village; a section of the earthwork rampart of the Belgorod Defence Line and a mass grave of Soviet soldiers are also associated with the area. If you are interested in local history, you can explore different layers here: an earlier town, the layout of its fortress, a preserved section of the defence line, and a memorial with a specific connection to 1943.

Bolkhovets: The Town’s Name and Fortress

The historic town of Bolkhovoy, also called Bolkhovets, stood on a hill at the site of today’s exit from the village of Pushkarnoye in Belgorod District. The two names refer to the same historic town, making the history of its name a distinct part of its context. The Bolkhovets fortress had seven towers, three of which had passage gates. This figure distinguishes the total number of towers from the number of towers with gates: the three passage gates are included among the seven towers, not counted as additional towers. Two aspects therefore stand out clearly: the location of the former town and the architectural layout of its fortress. If you are interested in historic place names, the connection to today’s exit is particularly precise.

The Earthwork Rampart of the Defence Line

The earthwork rampart is also part of the history of the Belgorod Defence Line. Three kilometres of this section remain; the stretch of rampart is connected with Bolkhovets’s location at the present-day exit from the village. The figures describe different scales: seven and three refer to the fortress’s towers and passage gates, while three kilometres describes the surviving length of the earthwork rampart. This distinction is useful for understanding the history. The towers describe the layout of the fortress, while the surviving section of rampart shows the extent of part of the defence line. This makes it possible to distinguish the individual fortress from the longer defensive structure.

Mass Grave and Memorial Plaque

Another focus is remembrance of Soviet soldiers. Eighty-four soldiers are buried in the mass grave in Pushkarnoye. They died in 1943 in fighting against the fascist occupiers; their names have been established. Local residents erected a memorial plaque beside the grave so that younger people, too, could learn about the deeds of their compatriots. The number, year of death and established names provide specific points of reference for the memorial. The plaque adds the idea of passing on the deeds of their compatriots to younger people.

A Dated Cultural Event

The Cultural Development Centre in Pushkarnoye opened on 1 September 2016. This date marks a different event from the year 1943, when the soldiers died: it is the opening date of the centre. The two dates serve different purposes and refer to different aspects of local history. September 2016 is a later point in time than 1943 and adds a clearly dated event to Pushkarnoye’s cultural and historical profile. If you pay particular attention to history and culture when choosing a destination, these different themes and time references can help you understand the character of the place.

For the broader travel overview: Belgorod Oblast.