Sunken Towns of Mologa District

Rybinsk Reservoir. Photo by Sergey Novozhilov
Rybinsk Reservoir. Photo by Sergey Novozhilov

With assistance from the Russian Geographical Society, members of the research and diving team of Konstantin Bogdanov have been studying the architectural heritage of towns and villages flooded on the bottom of the Rybinsk Reservoir. The project is aimed at preserving images of these settlements by photo and video shooting, as well as at promoting diving research.

In 1941-1947, the Mologa district of the Yaroslavl region was flooded. More than 135 thousand people left their homes, ancient monasteries, churches and manors sunk under water. Thus, the city of Mologa and such monuments as the Epiphany Church in the village of Leontievskoye, churches in the village of Vetrino, the Yugsk Dorofeyev monastery, manor houses of the Musin-Pushkin family, and a brick factory in the village of Osmeritsy were flooded. 

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A manor house of the Musin-Pushkin family in Borisogleb. Photo provided by expedition participants
A manor house of the Musin-Pushkin family in Borisogleb. Photo provided by expedition participants

Before the expedition, the researchers had collected the local archival material from various sources: photographs, copies of different documents, maps and drawings from the Rybinsk Museum and the Yaroslavl Region archive. Then the divers launched an underwater research.

 

Last year the divers found well-preserved staircases and fences, the foundation of the manor house and Transfiguration of the Lord church in the former estate of Ilovna. In addition, a fragment of a bell with the image of St. Nicholas was found. The divers also inspected places where the villages of Vetrino, Leontievskoye and Borisogleb were located. In Borisogleb the remains of the manor house, church and pier were found. In the village of Vetrino there were discovered fragments of destroyed buildings, churches and fences. 

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3D model of a church in the village of Ilovna. Photo provided by expedition participants
3D model of a church in the village of Ilovna. Photo provided by expedition participants

This March, the divers have begun to search the reservoir bottom for the Yugsk Dorofeyev monastery. "Once it was one of the most significant holy places in the region, a powerful spiritual center," Konstantin Bogdanov, the head of the expedition, noted.

The divers found several metal elements that decorated buildings of the monastery. Shortly, they will be given to the local historical museum.

The collected material will be used to film a documentary, to make a photo album and mobile application that will help see the Mologa district in 3D space.