The Church of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker gives Berezhok a tangible connection to the village’s history. For a broader cultural perspective, look to Ivanovo Oblast: Palekh, Kholuy, Plyos and Kineshma are known for their distinct collections, crafts and architecture.
The Church of St. Nicholas and its history
Construction of the church began in late 2018 at the initiative of residents of Berezhok and the surrounding villages; Bishop Matfey of Shuya and Teikovo blessed the project. The church was built on the site of an earlier church with the same dedication, which was blown up in the 1930s. Its building history therefore brings together two events far apart in time: the destruction of the previous building and the start of the new project.
Cultural destinations in Ivanovo Oblast
Palekh: icons, lacquer miniatures and hands-on activities
Palekh brings together icon painting and lacquer miniature art. An icon collection created there includes works from the 14th to the 19th centuries; its origins range from Novgorod to the Urals and from the Volga region to the Russian North. The Icon Museum is part of the State Museum of Palekh Art, whose complex also includes the Museum of Lacquer Miniatures. The “Masterskiye” art center is housed in a building that accommodated icon-painting workshops and the “Artel drevney zhivopisi” in the 20th century. The Church of the Exaltation of the Cross in Palekh is an architectural monument from the second half of the 18th century in the Naryshkin Baroque style.
The hands-on activities offer different experiences, too: at the “BAKANOVA 46” gallery, visitors can try making their own object in an authentic Palekh style. At the Museum of Lacquer Miniatures, participants can paint a small papier-mâché box in a workshop. Check in advance whether the workshop is running when you plan to visit.
Kholuy: museum and embroidery crafts
The State Museum in Kholuy has more than 5,000 exhibits and a regularly updated exhibition. The house museum of Vasily Dmitrievich Puzanov-Molev, founder of Kholuy lacquer miniature art, displays simple tools and everyday items from an ordinary village home. The Kholuy Embroidery and Sewing Artel is reviving the tradition of old embroidery crafts; all the work is done by hand. Kholuy thus brings collections and craft traditions together, without suggesting that embroidery is a visitor workshop.
Plyos and Kineshma: landscape, art and local history
Plyos combines art history with its location on the Volga: the small town, with its unhurried pace and natural beauty, has long attracted artists. One of its highest points is called Gora Levitan and is named after the artist Levitan. The “Crafts of the Ivanovo Region” exhibition in Plyos features weaving and embroidery, pieces from the lacquer miniature centers of Palekh and Kholuy, and a jewelry collection. Check the current visitor regulations before your visit.
In Kineshma, the Art and History Museum focuses on a different subject. Its history section explores the lives of Kineshma’s merchants; exhibits include their homes and shops, as well as trade at the time. The art section features paintings by Russian artists of the 19th and 20th centuries, including works by Ivan Aivazovsky, Konstantin Korovin and Andrei Schilder, along with works by painters from Kineshma and temporary exhibitions. For a seasonal experience, there is Shuya: every January, the “Russkoye Rozhdestvo” festival brings a festive atmosphere to the old town.
Discover more destinations: Savino, Shuya, Novoye, Morozovo, Kineshma, Lezhnevo, Yuryevets, Reshma
For the broader travel overview: Ivanovo Oblast.
