Surrounding Countryside

At the beginning of the 20th century people traveled to Ferapontovo to worship the relics of Saint Martinian and the memory of Saint Ferapont as well as to admire the old architecture and wall painting of the Nativity Cathedral. Nowadays people come also out of the interest in the history of the villages and people living there.

The peculiar northern landscape of Ferapontovo attracts painters and creative people who find inspiration and themes for their art in it.

The path to the cathedral, which contains Dionisy wall painting, winds through the most beautiful countryside: a timeless peaceful landscape ideal for reverent contemplation.

Near the St. Ferapont Belozero Monastery, villages, whose origins go back to the distant past, are scattered on banks of rivers and lakes close to each other. Mount Tsypin (204 metres above sea level) is 3 kilometres south of the monastery.

It is the highest point not only near the St. Ferapont Belozero Monastery but throughout the Russian North National Park.

The mount, which offers a picturesque panorama, can be seen from Zaulomskoye Lake.

In 1968, Mount Tsypin acquired the status of a site of natural interest and beauty not only because of its landscape but also because of its biological diversity: 200 species of plants were found on its top and slopes.

Nowadays as a few centuries ago it is difficult to determine the boundaries of the Ferapontov district.

Prior to 1979 the Old Kargopol road to the north of the St. Ferapont Belozero Monastery used to go through a number of villages in the former Ramensk district (volost). The word ‘ramenie’ in the dictionary of the Russian language of the 18th century was defined as a plough land overgrown with wood. The Tsypin cemetery is 1.5 kilometres from the village of Ferapontovo, at the foot of Mount Tsypin (Roskin) near Iliynskoye Lake.

A small village of Fefelovo that used to belong to the Itklo-Bobrovsk (Pyatnitsk) parish is on the left bank of Pyatnitskoye Lake, which was formed as a result of flooding of the Itkla River, flowing from Itkolskoye Lake through the River Porozovitsa to Kubenskoye Lake.

Coming out of the Ferapontov Holy Gates visitors cannot help but admire the marvelous view of Borodaevskoye Lake with its promontories and coves.

Further away behind a small forest there is a group of villages that originate from olden times. All of them, including Lukinskoye, are mentioned in the record books of the 16th centuries. Village Gorka on the shore of Borodayevskoye Lake (1.5 km from village Okulovo) used to belong to district Fedosiyn Gorodok. Now in Gorka in the old park there is a two-storey mansion with a wing.

From the high hill on which the estate is situated one can enjoy an amazing view of Borodaevskoye Lake. At the foot of the hill there is a fir tree grove called Enyushka while on the opposite side of the lake there is a pine forest called Borki.

Undoubtedly, Ferapontov is an unforgettable place. Once seen, never forgotten.