The village of Byngi brings together two churches and a landscape where ponds and a waterfall provide distinctive landmarks. St. Nicholas Church is one of the oldest stone churches in the Urals; an excursion includes a visit to the Old Believer settlement of Byngi and the church. Nearby, the Kazan Church is a second landmark with its own architectural character. You can choose to focus on architectural and religious history, the waterside landscape, or activities in the surrounding area. Check available departure dates before planning an excursion.
Churches and History
The dates associated with St. Nicholas Church mark different phases of construction: the foundation stone was laid in 1789, and the church was built in 1797. It is one of the oldest stone churches in the Urals and a cultural heritage monument of federal significance. Its architecture displays transitional forms between Baroque and Classicism.
The columns and vaults feature 19th-century paintings. The church also houses icons from the 18th and 19th centuries attributed to the Nev’yansk school of icon painting. The bell tower has a clock with a chime.
The Kazan Church in Byngi combines late Classical features with elements of the Russian-Byzantine style. It is designated an architectural monument of Sverdlovsk Oblast and is one of three Edinoverie churches in the oblast. Byngi therefore brings together two distinct architectural descriptions: transitional forms between Baroque and Classicism at St. Nicholas Church, and the combination of late Classical and Russian-Byzantine elements at the Kazan Church.
The history of how St. Nicholas Church was used also has a clear turning point: services were not held from 1939 because of a shortage of priests; they resumed in 1944.
Ponds and Waterfall
Dalne-Byngovsky Pond lies beyond the northern edge of Byngi. Blizhne-Byngovsky Pond is 300 metres from St. Nicholas Church. The locations of the two bodies of water are described in relation to different landmarks: the edge of the village and the church.
A dam impounds the Dalnyaya Bynga River, and two outlets flow from the pond. The southeastern outlet runs over rocks and a ledge, forming a waterfall. Along with the churches, these specific features of the waterways can help you choose the focus of your stay.
Nearby
Klady lies between Byngi and Verkhniye Tavolgi, on the Svetly Klyuch stream. The site of a former Old Believer hermitage, it is home to a spring regarded as holy and venerated graves. Klady adds another Old Believer connection to the history of the surrounding area.
The Nizhny Tagil Aviation and Sports Club organises flights and parachute jumps at Byn’gi airfield. If you would like to plan these activities, check dates and availability in advance.
A Look at Sverdlovsk Oblast
The Museum Complex of Civil and Military Equipment in Verkhnyaya Pyshma, Sverdlovsk Oblast, has more than 15,000 exhibits, including over 2,000 items of civil and military equipment. The collection also includes railway and mining equipment. Collection figures may change.
A list of approved road tourism routes for Sverdlovsk Oblast published in 2026 includes the Demidov Route between Yekaterinburg, Nevyansk and Nizhny Tagil. Check route information before setting off.
Discover more destinations: Troitskiy, Krasnopolyanskoye, Kachkanar, Zapadnyy, Kadnikovo, Kamensk-Uralski, Aramil, Sovkhoznyy.
Go to the main travel overview: Sverdlovsk Oblast.
