Belozersk
Encyclopedia
Belozersk known as Beloozero until 1777 (lit. White Lake Town), is a town and the administrative center of Belozersky District
of Vologda Oblast
, Russia
, situated on the southern bank of Lake Beloye
, from which it takes the name. Population:
, Novgorod, Polotsk, and Rostov
). On several occasions, the settlement was moved from one bank of the lake to another.
In the 11th century, the region was still inhabited primarily by Finno-Ugric tribes
who fiercely resisted attempts at Christianization
. In 1071, the local pagan priests rose in rebellion, which was put down by the Kievan commander Yan Vyshatich
. The Primary Chronicle
reports that the dead bodies of priests were suspended from an oak tree, until they were torn to pieces by a bear (regarded by pagans as a holy animal).
Beloozero was the capital of a small princedom between 1238 and 1370. Its medieval monuments include the Assumption church (1552) and the Saviour cathedral (1668). The wooden shrine of St. Elijah was built in 1690. The neighbourhood is rich in old cloister
s, such as Kirillo-Belozersky Monastery
and Ferapontov Convent.
Belozersky District, Vologda Oblast
Belozersky District is an administrative district , one of the twenty-six in Vologda Oblast, Russia. Municipally, it is incorporated as Belozersky Municipal District...
of Vologda Oblast
Vologda Oblast
Vologda Oblast is a federal subject of Russia . Its administrative center is Vologda. The largest city is Cherepovets.Vologda Oblast is rich in historic monuments, such as the magnificent Kirillo-Belozersky Monastery, Ferapontov Convent , medieval towns of Velikiy Ustyug and Belozersk, baroque...
, Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
, situated on the southern bank of Lake Beloye
Lake Beloye, Vologda Oblast
Lake Beloye , is a lake in the northwestern part of Vologda Oblast in Russia. The lake has an approximately round shape with a diameter of . Its area is , and the are of its basin is and the area of its basin is . Lake Vozhe drains into the Sheksna River, which is a tributary of the Rybinsk...
, from which it takes the name. Population:
History
First chronicled in 862, Belozersk was one of five original Russian towns (the other being LadogaStaraya Ladoga
Staraya Ladoga , or the Aldeigjuborg of Norse sagas, is a village in the Volkhovsky District of Leningrad Oblast, Russia, located on the Volkhov River near Lake Ladoga, 8 km north of the town of Volkhov. The village used to be a prosperous trading outpost in the 8th and 9th centuries...
, Novgorod, Polotsk, and Rostov
Rostov
Rostov is a town in Yaroslavl Oblast, Russia, one of the oldest in the country and a tourist center of the Golden Ring. It is located on the shores of Lake Nero, northeast of Moscow. Population:...
). On several occasions, the settlement was moved from one bank of the lake to another.
In the 11th century, the region was still inhabited primarily by Finno-Ugric tribes
Finno-Ugric peoples
The Finno-Ugric peoples are any of several peoples of Europe who speak languages of the proposed Finno-Ugric language family, such as the Finns, Estonians, Mordvins, and Hungarians...
who fiercely resisted attempts at Christianization
Christianization
The historical phenomenon of Christianization is the conversion of individuals to Christianity or the conversion of entire peoples at once...
. In 1071, the local pagan priests rose in rebellion, which was put down by the Kievan commander Yan Vyshatich
Yan Vyshatich
Yan Vyshatich was a Kievan nobleman and military commander . The last known representative of the Dobrynya dynasty, Yan Vyshatich was the son of Vyshata and grandson of Ostromir....
. The Primary Chronicle
Primary Chronicle
The Primary Chronicle , Ruthenian Primary Chronicle or Russian Primary Chronicle, is a history of Kievan Rus' from about 850 to 1110, originally compiled in Kiev about 1113.- Three editions :...
reports that the dead bodies of priests were suspended from an oak tree, until they were torn to pieces by a bear (regarded by pagans as a holy animal).
Beloozero was the capital of a small princedom between 1238 and 1370. Its medieval monuments include the Assumption church (1552) and the Saviour cathedral (1668). The wooden shrine of St. Elijah was built in 1690. The neighbourhood is rich in old cloister
Cloister
A cloister is a rectangular open space surrounded by covered walks or open galleries, with open arcades on the inner side, running along the walls of buildings and forming a quadrangle or garth...
s, such as Kirillo-Belozersky Monastery
Kirillo-Belozersky Monastery
Kirillo-Belozersky Monastery , loosely translated in English as the St. Cyril-Belozersk Monastery, used to be the largest monastery of Northern Russia. The monastery was dedicated to the Feast of the Dormition of the Theotokos, for which cause it was sometimes referred to as the Dormition Monastery...
and Ferapontov Convent.