Verkhnedvinsk district: a place you want to return to
Verkhnedvinsk, first mentioned in chronicles in 1386, stands at the confluence of the Drissa and Western Dvina rivers. This cozy district center, bordering Russia and Latvia, was called Drissa until 1962. Just like the river it is located on. Travelers have always been drawn to this region primarily for its originality. And also for its hospitality. Locals welcome visitors warmly, as if they were their own.
The recognition is well-deserved. For two decades, Irina has been teaching the young residents of the district center not only the standard kindergarten program but also how to be kind, honest, and understanding.
— Little children are a whole universe, — the educator says with sincere warmth about her charges. — I will never cease to be amazed at how quickly they grow and how wise they can be.
I have been lucky in life with good mentors—and I'm not just talking about school, Polotsk Pedagogical College, and PSU named after P. M. Masherov—but also about my little ones. One of the most important lessons was taught to me by a four-year-old boy who attended my group. The boy, who had a not-so-simple fate, was so bright that his light was enough for everyone. Once, very tired, I sat down with my hands down, and he hugged me and said loudly, "Everything will be fine, you can do it."
And Irina can do it. A talented educator of the highest qualification category, an optimist, a happy mother—all of this describes her. Even if something doesn't go according to plan, she knows: the main thing is to pull yourself together and try again. Success at the republican competition also cameIt was passed on the second attempt. Irina Alexandrovna presented the experience of her pedagogical activity to the jury. In short, the idea is to instill a culture of health through works of art.
— Together with the children, — Irina continues, — we came up with an unusual character — Zdravik and his companions in useful educational games. For example, based on Krylov's fable "The Crow and the Fox" or Ushinsky's fairy tale "Four Wishes."
Interestingly, preschoolers can play with Zdravik on an interactive whiteboard and a touch table. Once a rarity, these technologies are now being implemented everywhere. "Isn't that great!" Irina Alexandrovna is sincerely pleased, for whom pedagogy, by the way, is also a family affair. Her grandmother, Efrosinya Ignatievna, was a primary school teacher and would be very proud of her granddaughter now.
Lyubov Ivanovna came to the club 36 years ago. A native villager, she always liked to sing and dance, but before art college, she attended a vocational school in Leningrad, where she received the profession of a moulder. The big city did not attract or hold her, the interlocutor confides:
— Once, when I came home for May holidays, I found out that they were looking for a club manager in my native Senkovo. I thought, this is my chance!
How right our heroine was, for whom creating was destined. Her great-grandfather Anton was famous for making musical instruments — from violins and dulcimers to accordions. Her grandfather and uncles on her father's side played virtuously at evening gatherings.
— My mother sang beautifully, — Lyubov Ivanovna continues. — When our whole big family gathered at one table, it was a sounda family folk choir.
Lyubov Marinskaya leads the folk ensemble "Senkavitsa". By the way, it was founded almost 45 years ago. The folklore legend Zinaida Mozheyko visited Senkovo at that time. A world-renowned scholar, officially proclaimed in Cambridge as an "Outstanding Intellectual of the Century," she was filming in the Verkhnedvinsk region and was captivated by local fairy tales and songs, rituals, and dances.
— Thanks to Mozheyko's initiative, "Senkavitsa" performed at folklore festivals in Moscow, Leningrad, and Minsk, — Lyubov Ivanovna lists. — And most importantly, we came to understand that what seemed old and strange to us young people is a treasure that must be preserved. The number of folklore masterpieces collected over these years is countless. For example, the rituals of young girls gathering viburnum or the linden wedding on Ivan Kupala, recorded from the words of Yuzefa Pavlovich, who lived to be 107 years old.
Lyubov Ivanovna's protective dolls are a separate topic. Once, she herself received such a doll from her granddaughter Yadviga Laposhko Olga, who came to visit from Riga. Villagers considered Grandma Yadya a healer. The kind woman knew about herbs and never refused help. Among other things, she made protective dolls for all occasions. "Inseparable," "Weather-Maker," "Sleeplessness," "Prosperity" — today, Lyubov Marinskaya has taken over the baton from her fellow countrywoman.
Gennady Kozlov started thinking about buying a camera in his senior year of high school. Initially, he had a film "Samsung," which he used sparingly, saving shots. His first digital point-and-shoot camera helped him get a taste for shooting. Later, he acquired a DSLR on credit.
— I also record videos, — Gennady says. — Many are on the topic of history.native land. Our region is an amazing place. I want to capture and convey its atmosphere.
With such thoughts, Gennady Gennadyevich recently shot material for a documentary film about the bridges of Verkhnedvinsk region. There are four of them in a small regional center alone! Including a historical structure connecting Drissa and the Western Dvina, as well as a giant bridge from Verkhnedvinsk region to Miory. The crossing rises 27 meters above the Dvina and is considered one of the highest in Belarus.
— This summer, I was lucky enough to film our town from a bird's-eye view, — Gennady shares, — from a hang glider. I met guys who were filming from the aircraft and joined them. There were tons of impressions, it's good that I didn't forget to attach the action camera to the frame.
Gennady loves to point his lens at picturesque landscapes the most. Professional equipment and skill work wonders: a modest shoal on the Dvina is mesmerizing with a milky haze — the moment was captured in the morning when a thick, palpable fog descended on the river. There are plenty of successful shots taken in the city park. For example, a photo of a wood pigeon, or a cushat, as if it posed specifically for the camera. Among his favorites is a bee sleeping on a flower.
— And the most extreme filming, — Gennady Gennadyevich smiles, — happened the winter before last. On a frosty morning, I went to my "place of power" — Yustiyanovo. The snow crunched loudly underfoot, frost silvered the trees — magically beautiful. And on the way back, I almost came face to face with a wolf.
His golden shot is yet to come, Gennady Kozlov believes. And he hopes to meet a European bison. The forest giant has been seen more than once in the neighboring Shaiterovo. We wish you successful photo hunting!
— By education, I am a forestry engineer, I even wrote a candidate's thesisabout forest restoration, but did not defend it, shifting the focus to tourism organization. Then came studies in international tourism management, and soon, as it happened, he was invited to the Verkhnedvinsk district – a specialist was being selected here for the newly created "Osvyeysky" reserve.
The pristine nature captivated Igor Romanyuk:
— I am an avid fisherman and consider "Osvyeysky" one of the best fishing spots in the country. My trophies are proof of this. This includes a carp weighing 7.5 kilograms and a pike weighing 5.8 kilograms. From early autumn until November, 500 fishermen gather here on weekends, and up to 2.5 thousand in winter. Of course, provided that there is reliable ice on Lake Osvyeyskoye, whose water surface is over 5 thousand hectares.
Osvyeyskoye is the second largest lake in Belarus. However, the island that shields the opposite shore is definitely number one. The uninhabited island of Du, stretching for five kilometers, will put you in harmony with nature. Interestingly, the name Du was restored relatively recently. Archives of the National Library helped, shares Igor Romanyuk:
— In the 19th-century publication "Magnificent Russia," we found a description of our island Du – "land amidst water" from Finno-Ugric.
Until 1970, there was a village on Du with 60 inhabitants. Today, only the ruins of the platform where the diesel generators were located remind us of this. A walking route has been developed around the island. However, visits to the floating island of Khozin, or the ghost island, are prohibited. There is no stable soil underneath it, explains Igor Grigoryevich:
— Made of algae, roots, and branches, it periodically drifts across the water surface. But without a favorable wind, it does not change its position. It is currently located on the eastern shore of Osvyeyskoye.
What else to see in the reserve? Red Book animals and birds, rare plants like Karelian birch and polar willow… A future visitor center will assist tourists, of whom there are a record number this year. Its opening, as well as the expansion of routes, is planned for the near future.time.
— We started with our own homesteads, then moved on to general improvement. The initiative was supported by the chairman of the Volynetsky village executive committee, Nadezhda Lipovskaya, and the director of OJSC "Antonovo-Agro", Andrey Shater. Thanks also to the Verkhnedvinsk forestry for the thuja trees, blue spruces, and willows. All the trees have taken root and delight with their beauty.
Every August 6th in Knyazhitsy is special. Six years ago on this day, a votive cross was erected and consecrated in the settlement. And the tradition began: to celebrate a great village holiday, gathering several generations – from grandfathers to grandchildren.
— It's impossible to describe how noisy and cheerful it is here then, — shares Valentina Ovsyankina. — We celebrate New Year and Maslenitsa no worse. People even come from Novopolotsk to see how Knyazhitsy celebrates.
There is a place to welcome guests. And again, thanks to Valentina Alexandrovna and her friendly team. They revived the former club through collective effort. They chose a warm name for it – "Gashtsyoŭnya" (Guest House).
The main thing is not to be indifferent, believes the elder:
— We continue to improve the village. Having won the competition for the best rural settlement, we received a prize. With this money, we created an ethnographic courtyard, a cozy recreation area. We believe that Knyazhitsy will still show itself, as we have interesting places with tourist potential.
EveryIn spring, villagers contribute to maintaining order and beauty around them – mowing the territory, painting the club, and landscaping. Enthusiasts like Nadezhda Kozlova and Valentina Gaptenok, Alla Butyrina and Anna Pekareva, Marina Chinnaia, and others invest not only funds but also talents. They can organize a celebration in "Gastseuna," sew costumes for a theatrical performance overnight, and also collect and preserve the history of the local area. Therefore, the prospect is the creation of an entire ethnographic museum or an ethnographic village!
A Crane in the Hand
Irina Maslyakova, a nursery-kindergarten teacher in Verkhnedvinsk, is one of those who enjoy learning new things and improving their qualifications. Recently, Irina Alexandrovna returned home with the "Crystal Crane" for third place in the "Preschool Educator" nomination at the "Teacher of the Year of the Republic of Belarus – 2020" pedagogical skills competition. This is the first time in the history of the northern region that such a high award is received by a preschool educator.The recognition is well-deserved. For two decades, Irina has been teaching the young residents of the district center not only the standard kindergarten program but also how to be kind, honest, and understanding.— Little children are a whole universe, — the educator says with sincere warmth about her charges. — I will never cease to be amazed at how quickly they grow and how wise they can be.
I have been lucky in life with good mentors—and I'm not just talking about school, Polotsk Pedagogical College, and PSU named after P. M. Masherov—but also about my little ones. One of the most important lessons was taught to me by a four-year-old boy who attended my group. The boy, who had a not-so-simple fate, was so bright that his light was enough for everyone. Once, very tired, I sat down with my hands down, and he hugged me and said loudly, "Everything will be fine, you can do it."
And Irina can do it. A talented educator of the highest qualification category, an optimist, a happy mother—all of this describes her. Even if something doesn't go according to plan, she knows: the main thing is to pull yourself together and try again. Success at the republican competition also cameIt was passed on the second attempt. Irina Alexandrovna presented the experience of her pedagogical activity to the jury. In short, the idea is to instill a culture of health through works of art.
— Together with the children, — Irina continues, — we came up with an unusual character — Zdravik and his companions in useful educational games. For example, based on Krylov's fable "The Crow and the Fox" or Ushinsky's fairy tale "Four Wishes."
Interestingly, preschoolers can play with Zdravik on an interactive whiteboard and a touch table. Once a rarity, these technologies are now being implemented everywhere. "Isn't that great!" Irina Alexandrovna is sincerely pleased, for whom pedagogy, by the way, is also a family affair. Her grandmother, Efrosinya Ignatievna, was a primary school teacher and would be very proud of her granddaughter now.
Love and Dolls
As a memento from Lyubov Marinskaya from Senkovo, a small doll, the Podorozhnitsa, is placed in my palm. A tiny keeper — a talisman made with soul. And the head of the branch of the Senkovo club-library of the Verkhnedvinsk District Center for Culture and Folk Art knows no other way.Lyubov Ivanovna came to the club 36 years ago. A native villager, she always liked to sing and dance, but before art college, she attended a vocational school in Leningrad, where she received the profession of a moulder. The big city did not attract or hold her, the interlocutor confides:
— Once, when I came home for May holidays, I found out that they were looking for a club manager in my native Senkovo. I thought, this is my chance!
How right our heroine was, for whom creating was destined. Her great-grandfather Anton was famous for making musical instruments — from violins and dulcimers to accordions. Her grandfather and uncles on her father's side played virtuously at evening gatherings.
— My mother sang beautifully, — Lyubov Ivanovna continues. — When our whole big family gathered at one table, it was a sounda family folk choir.
Lyubov Marinskaya leads the folk ensemble "Senkavitsa". By the way, it was founded almost 45 years ago. The folklore legend Zinaida Mozheyko visited Senkovo at that time. A world-renowned scholar, officially proclaimed in Cambridge as an "Outstanding Intellectual of the Century," she was filming in the Verkhnedvinsk region and was captivated by local fairy tales and songs, rituals, and dances.
— Thanks to Mozheyko's initiative, "Senkavitsa" performed at folklore festivals in Moscow, Leningrad, and Minsk, — Lyubov Ivanovna lists. — And most importantly, we came to understand that what seemed old and strange to us young people is a treasure that must be preserved. The number of folklore masterpieces collected over these years is countless. For example, the rituals of young girls gathering viburnum or the linden wedding on Ivan Kupala, recorded from the words of Yuzefa Pavlovich, who lived to be 107 years old.
Lyubov Ivanovna's protective dolls are a separate topic. Once, she herself received such a doll from her granddaughter Yadviga Laposhko Olga, who came to visit from Riga. Villagers considered Grandma Yadya a healer. The kind woman knew about herbs and never refused help. Among other things, she made protective dolls for all occasions. "Inseparable," "Weather-Maker," "Sleeplessness," "Prosperity" — today, Lyubov Marinskaya has taken over the baton from her fellow countrywoman.
With a dream of the European bison
For 39-year-old Gennady Kozlov, a worker at the Verkhnedvinsk butter and cheese factory, photography is not just a hobby but a passion. His fellow villagers can admire the results of his creative endeavors at city exhibitions, on the official page of the district executive committee, and on social media.Gennady Kozlov started thinking about buying a camera in his senior year of high school. Initially, he had a film "Samsung," which he used sparingly, saving shots. His first digital point-and-shoot camera helped him get a taste for shooting. Later, he acquired a DSLR on credit.
— I also record videos, — Gennady says. — Many are on the topic of history.native land. Our region is an amazing place. I want to capture and convey its atmosphere.
With such thoughts, Gennady Gennadyevich recently shot material for a documentary film about the bridges of Verkhnedvinsk region. There are four of them in a small regional center alone! Including a historical structure connecting Drissa and the Western Dvina, as well as a giant bridge from Verkhnedvinsk region to Miory. The crossing rises 27 meters above the Dvina and is considered one of the highest in Belarus.
— This summer, I was lucky enough to film our town from a bird's-eye view, — Gennady shares, — from a hang glider. I met guys who were filming from the aircraft and joined them. There were tons of impressions, it's good that I didn't forget to attach the action camera to the frame.
Gennady loves to point his lens at picturesque landscapes the most. Professional equipment and skill work wonders: a modest shoal on the Dvina is mesmerizing with a milky haze — the moment was captured in the morning when a thick, palpable fog descended on the river. There are plenty of successful shots taken in the city park. For example, a photo of a wood pigeon, or a cushat, as if it posed specifically for the camera. Among his favorites is a bee sleeping on a flower.
— And the most extreme filming, — Gennady Gennadyevich smiles, — happened the winter before last. On a frosty morning, I went to my "place of power" — Yustiyanovo. The snow crunched loudly underfoot, frost silvered the trees — magically beautiful. And on the way back, I almost came face to face with a wolf.
His golden shot is yet to come, Gennady Kozlov believes. And he hopes to meet a European bison. The forest giant has been seen more than once in the neighboring Shaiterovo. We wish you successful photo hunting!
A Natural Gem
The "Osvyeysky" Landscape Reserve is a natural gem of Belarus. A place where the water expanses resemble a sea and noble deer roam peacefully, and recently European bison too, it has the protected status of a Ramsar site. The owner of the territory, covering over 30 thousand hectares, is Igor Romanyuk. Almost 15 years ago, he came here from the Brest region, and before that, he says, he worked in the Belovezhskaya Pushcha:— By education, I am a forestry engineer, I even wrote a candidate's thesisabout forest restoration, but did not defend it, shifting the focus to tourism organization. Then came studies in international tourism management, and soon, as it happened, he was invited to the Verkhnedvinsk district – a specialist was being selected here for the newly created "Osvyeysky" reserve.
The pristine nature captivated Igor Romanyuk:
— I am an avid fisherman and consider "Osvyeysky" one of the best fishing spots in the country. My trophies are proof of this. This includes a carp weighing 7.5 kilograms and a pike weighing 5.8 kilograms. From early autumn until November, 500 fishermen gather here on weekends, and up to 2.5 thousand in winter. Of course, provided that there is reliable ice on Lake Osvyeyskoye, whose water surface is over 5 thousand hectares.
Osvyeyskoye is the second largest lake in Belarus. However, the island that shields the opposite shore is definitely number one. The uninhabited island of Du, stretching for five kilometers, will put you in harmony with nature. Interestingly, the name Du was restored relatively recently. Archives of the National Library helped, shares Igor Romanyuk:
— In the 19th-century publication "Magnificent Russia," we found a description of our island Du – "land amidst water" from Finno-Ugric.
Until 1970, there was a village on Du with 60 inhabitants. Today, only the ruins of the platform where the diesel generators were located remind us of this. A walking route has been developed around the island. However, visits to the floating island of Khozin, or the ghost island, are prohibited. There is no stable soil underneath it, explains Igor Grigoryevich:
— Made of algae, roots, and branches, it periodically drifts across the water surface. But without a favorable wind, it does not change its position. It is currently located on the eastern shore of Osvyeyskoye.
What else to see in the reserve? Red Book animals and birds, rare plants like Karelian birch and polar willow… A future visitor center will assist tourists, of whom there are a record number this year. Its opening, as well as the expansion of routes, is planned for the near future.time.
Knyazhitsy Approach
It is not the place that adorns the person, but the other way around. In Knyazhitsy (formerly the estate of the Consul General of Denmark, landowner Benislavsky), one is convinced of the accuracy of folk wisdom. There are few native residents here, but there are those who, having come once, decided to stay forever. For example, the elder of this and three neighboring villages, Valentina Ovsyankina. A native of the Grodno region, she bought a dacha in her husband's homeland back in the 1990s, and after retiring, she finally moved to Knyazhitsy. To make her life and the lives of her fellow villagers more comfortable, our heroine enthusiastically took matters into her own hands. First, they elected a village council, recalls Valentina Alexandrovna:— We started with our own homesteads, then moved on to general improvement. The initiative was supported by the chairman of the Volynetsky village executive committee, Nadezhda Lipovskaya, and the director of OJSC "Antonovo-Agro", Andrey Shater. Thanks also to the Verkhnedvinsk forestry for the thuja trees, blue spruces, and willows. All the trees have taken root and delight with their beauty.
Every August 6th in Knyazhitsy is special. Six years ago on this day, a votive cross was erected and consecrated in the settlement. And the tradition began: to celebrate a great village holiday, gathering several generations – from grandfathers to grandchildren.
— It's impossible to describe how noisy and cheerful it is here then, — shares Valentina Ovsyankina. — We celebrate New Year and Maslenitsa no worse. People even come from Novopolotsk to see how Knyazhitsy celebrates.
There is a place to welcome guests. And again, thanks to Valentina Alexandrovna and her friendly team. They revived the former club through collective effort. They chose a warm name for it – "Gashtsyoŭnya" (Guest House).
The main thing is not to be indifferent, believes the elder:
— We continue to improve the village. Having won the competition for the best rural settlement, we received a prize. With this money, we created an ethnographic courtyard, a cozy recreation area. We believe that Knyazhitsy will still show itself, as we have interesting places with tourist potential.
EveryIn spring, villagers contribute to maintaining order and beauty around them – mowing the territory, painting the club, and landscaping. Enthusiasts like Nadezhda Kozlova and Valentina Gaptenok, Alla Butyrina and Anna Pekareva, Marina Chinnaia, and others invest not only funds but also talents. They can organize a celebration in "Gastseuna," sew costumes for a theatrical performance overnight, and also collect and preserve the history of the local area. Therefore, the prospect is the creation of an entire ethnographic museum or an ethnographic village!