Origins of Khopra. Sights of the Penza region. Khopra cleanliness issues
Continuation of the adventures of Saratov geocachers on Penza land :)
Route: Sources of Khopra - Zagoskino - Matveevka - Fedorovka - Kuvaka - Kamenka - Sources of Khopra - Saratov
Morning at the Sources of Khopra:
One of the most unique natural phenomena of the Penza region is the sources of the Khoper River, originating from the purest springs. These springs with crystal icy water gush out from under the hillock. There are very small springs, there are more. Some are poorly visible in the thick grass, and some forcefully declare themselves. The river Khoper begins with them.
There are many legends and rumors about the origins of Khopra. People remember them, carefully store them and retell them with trepidation.
Long ago, an old man named Khoper lived in the Poperechenskaya steppe. Once he came across a hill, from the foot of which more than a dozen springs of clear cold water were beating and scattered in different directions. The old man connected the channels of streams into one, built a small mill and made the stream work for himself. The people called it by the name of the discoverer - Khoprom.
This is the legend of the origin of the Khoper River. The image of Grandfather Khopra, captured in stone sculpture, sits on a stone under the canopy of oaks.
Our camp:
"I would like to say that we still need to look for such a parking lot! In addition to all kinds of amenities that visitors expect, we also got a bonus - the almost complete absence of mosquitoes. This is generally surprising, in this regard we were preparing for the worst.
The children did not leave the water mill, as a result, the middle one fell into the stream upside down. There were no injuries, but the ice bath gave the child a lot of impressions. It is already becoming a tradition with us that at each parking lot one of the children falls either into a stream, or into a river, or into a lake, they will be hardened.)))" © AleKat
We were going that morning for a long time ...
By lunchtime we went on the route:
First stop to search for a cache dedicated to the Origins of Khopra:
Then the quarry
Where was the group photo taken?
We are going to look for the geographical center of the Penza region. We pass from Zagoskino and run into the river ... Off-road vehicles will pass, but what about the rest?
After spinning around, we find a small footbridge and, leaving the cars on the shore:
Let's go in search of the geographic center...
And the thickets of nettles are getting taller:
Children already have to be carried on their shoulders:
But, having made our way through the nettles and seeing another stream, we understand that we were going the wrong way :) The right one was later found and did not cause difficulties. And here we are:
Small waterfall:
To save time, we decide to have lunch in a cafe right there in Zagoskino:
Some "non-drivers" allowed themselves a beer;)
After lunch, we go to the now non-existent village of Matveevka:
The now uninhabited village of Matveevka, from which only the temple remains, is located on the banks of the river. Penza, between Ermolovka and Cherentsovka, 3.5 km west of the first. Here the picture is a bit non-standard: the village has completely died out, but the temple is still active.
At present, the Tikhvin Temple stands alone in the middle of an open field. When the revival of the temples became possible, there were no more inhabitants left in Matveevka. So now, a few kilometers from the church - not a single residential building. The parishioners are mostly from neighboring Yermolovka. Formally, the building belongs to it.
Photo battle :)
Where will the secret be? Alexey, the organizer of our expedition, shows the direction;)
The temple in the village of Fedorovka was built in 1795 at the expense of State Councilor Evfim Petrovich Chemesov under the priest Semyon Fomin, and consecrated in 1809 under the priest Ivan Konstantinov, ordained from the deacons of the village. Ivanyrsa of the Gorodishchensky district in 1807. The peasants of the village of Fedorovka explained such slowness in the consecration of the church by the fact that, as if in a dream, E.P. On March 21, 1875, a project for the expansion of the church, drawn up by the architect Fedotov, was approved. However, in 1875 the temple was dismantled to the ground, with the exception of the altar, and rebuilt according to the project of the architect Rudkevich approved in the same year. The main altar was consecrated on December 5, 1876, the right aisle - in the name of the Intercession of the Most Holy Theotokos - on June 24, 1883, the left one was not consecrated. Due to lack of funds, the old, decrepit bell tower was abandoned, which stood at some distance from the newly built church.
On May 4, 1882, the construction department approved the draft of a new bell tower, drawn up by the same architect, to replace the already broken old one. It was supposed to be made somewhat higher than the previous one, but on a larger scale, connecting it with the church with a stone gallery, and in the basement of the gallery to arrange a room for pilgrims coming to Fedorovka. The bell tower and gallery were built in 1884, a gatehouse was made under the gallery, under the church there was a tomb with a separate room for the watchman.
Rest on the hill:
Not far from the Nikolsky temple, to the west, there is a spring. The shrine of the temple was a small icon of St. Nicholas, the Miracle Worker of Mirlik, carved in stone. According to a legend that existed among the inhabitants of the village, the owner of this village, Efim Petrovich Chemesov, in a dream was ordered to clean the source near the village and take from it the image of St. Nicholas, which was actually found there. A stone chapel was erected at the place where the icon was found by Chemesov, and the construction of a stone church began nearby, where in the 1920s. 19th century they transferred from the chapel the revealed image of St. Nicholas, putting it in a gilded silver reliquary. And although no miracles from this icon are known, she enjoyed great attention of pious Christians who came to worship her from different villages of Penza, Nizhnelomovsky and Chembarsky districts.
Over time, the stone chapel became dilapidated, and a wooden chapel was built instead in 1871. It also didn't survive. Now a four-sided metal canopy topped with a cross has been built over the spring.
Refreshed in the spring, we moved through the forests and fields to the Kuvaka mineral water plant. In some places we walked along the azimuth, wading through tall grass, sometimes we made detours of ravines ...
In a birch forest, someone sawed firewood, we borrowed some for an evening fire:
Technical stop at the pond:
We stopped because some squeaks and knocks appeared in the 4Runne's rear suspension. Visual inspection and wiggle did not reveal anything. But it was, as we later learned, a burst panhard rod mount ...
And we continue on our way. Kuvaka Mineral Water Museum:
There is a wonderful and picturesque place in the Volga hinterland - the ancient Russian village of Kuvaka, six kilometers from the city of Kamenka. According to the evidence of handwritten sources, more than three hundred years ago, near this village, there was a log house near the spring. And in 1913, at the foot of the mountain in the village of Kuvaka, Count V.N. Voeikov built a plant for the production of Russian natural carbonic table water Kuvaka. Already a year after the launch of production, the Volga water began to win medals at various competitions and the recognition of consumers in Russia and abroad. In 2013, the Kuvaka plant turns 100 years old.
Surprisingly, a significant part of the buildings of the last century is well preserved, although their filling is now ultra-modern. But there is one, the most important place of the complex, in which nothing has changed over the past 100 years - this is a pit gallery, a tunnel from which water from seven sources comes to the surface. The capping gallery has been protecting water from any harmful influences for 100 years. It is from here that water flows by gravity to the factory bottling lines, located below at the foot of the mountain.
Pond with paid fishing. Bred here for catching sturgeon, trout and American catfish. Interesting!
Thanks to a serious hydraulic structure, Kuvak water has an increased oxygen concentration - stably within 10-11 mg per 1 liter. According to Russian standards, this is an indicator of water of the highest category. It has been proven that water with an oxygen concentration of 9-12 mg per 1 liter improves immunity, reduces fatigue, improves performance, normalizes metabolism and leads to weight loss. According to this indicator, Kuvaka is second only to mountain streams and waters in deep underground channels.
The only museum of living water in the world. A significant part of the exposition is devoted to the founder of the Kuvaka plant, Count V. N. Voeikov, and the past of the plant in the pre-revolutionary period and Soviet times. In the traditional tower of the ancient Kuvak spring, there are several floors of photo art galleries. Memorable photos of famous guests of the Kuvak spring are stored here. Among them are famous actors, singers, poets, politicians. And in the deep dungeon of the same tower, in the preserved and reconstructed walls, a miniature was recreated, showing the first production of Russian table water "Kuvaka". Every year exhibits are added to the museum, expositions are changed and added. Now the pantry of Count Voeikov is also open to visitors. It is known that he was a great connoisseur of wines. Part of the collection was made up of wines from all the provinces of France, donated by President Pointe Care as a token of appreciation for the Kuvaka water, which once conquered Paris, the gastronomic capital of the world.
The only pity is that we did not get to the Museum of Living Water. In summer, by appointment, excursions are scheduled a month in advance ...
But what we saw, we really liked!
Let's go to Kamenka:
Regional Museum:
"This place is the beginning of Kamenka"
Memorial to the soldiers of the Great Patriotic War in Kamenka:
Parking on the site in front of the Voeikov estate:
Former front alley:
Vladimir Nikolaevich Voeikov owned an estate on the territory of the modern city of Kamenka, Penza region. The count was a very outstanding personality: he commanded a hussar regiment, was the commandant of the royal palace, one of the closest people of the Emperor, was the chairman of the Olympic Committee of Tsarist Russia, was present at the abdication of Nicholas II from the throne, set up the production of mineral water"Kuwaka" (with a production capacity of the plant of 100 thousand bottles per year). Since this water is so clean and healthy, Voeikov thought that it could help in the treatment of his godson - the son of Nicholas II, heir to the Russian throne, Tsarevich Alexei. And Vladimir Nikolaevich began to build a manor for him.
The estate was built by the count from 1910 to 1914. Vladimir Voeikov wanted to surprise everyone. He erected three buildings, united by one plan. From a bird's eye view, the buildings resemble Voeikov's initials - VNV.
By the beginning of World War I, the palace ensemble in the style of an Italian villa, which in addition to the building included a huge park of rare tree species with a network of ponds, stables and fountains, was almost completed. All that's left is the interior finishing work. Especially for Aleksey, a patient with hemophilia, a new breed of Siamese cats with a cross between a marten was bred in the estate. A feature of the unusually beautiful chocolate-colored animals with blue eyes was the habit of not releasing their claws.
The estate was to become one of the summer residences of the future king. But time decided things differently. Tsarevich Alexei has never been here. There is a rumor that, almost ready for opening, the palace ensemble came to receive Grigory Rasputin. But, this is only a legend - there are no reliable facts yet. Yes, if he came here, he came secretly - they say that "Grishka of All Russia" did not like publicity.
If our history had turned out differently, there would have been no revolutions and wars, then perhaps we are now talking about Kamenka and the Voeikov estate as one of the world-class resorts, from the category of Baden-Baden or Karlovy Vary. After all, it was precisely this idea that the enterprising count had - to create an industrial production of mineral water "Kuvaka", which since ancient times was considered healing (which succeeded), to build a chic palace ensemble and, taking advantage of the presence of a royal person, to give the then village of Kamenka the status of a city with all the ensuing consequences consequences. In far-reaching plans, it was supposed to rename Kamenka to Alekseevsk, the cultural and health-improving capital of the Sura Territory, uniting Tarkhany and Kuvaka. Revolution interfered.
The palace was nationalized in 1917 and given to the Mayak agricultural commune. Later, a regional hospital was opened in it, then, during the war, a hospital was located here. In the early 1950s, the estate housed a rest house for railway workers. It was ennobled, the beach was equipped (which was in Voeikov's project), and a brass band played in the garden for workers of sleepers and rails. That is, almost as intended! But then the vacationers were kicked out and future workers were brought in - a vocational school was located in the estate. After 1975, the young intelligentsia was replaced by the intelligentsia from the glass - for more than 20 years, LTP was located in the royal estate. Everything was surrounded by a tall fence, the premises were painted with a “pleasant” green-blue-mouse paint. In the 90s, the building became ownerless and turned into what it is now - in fact, into ruins. But even the ruins now look majestic. It is easy to imagine the Voyekovsky Palace in all its splendor.
It was evening. I had to think about lodging for the night. The unanimous decision was to return to the Sources of Khopra and spend the night there again.
Had a great second night here as well. I wanted to do something good for this place and we left a self-assembly tablecloth on the table for the next visitors.
In the morning, the reason for the squeaks and knocks in the 4Runner's suspension was found out: the panhard rod mount was torn off and the lower arm of the rear axle was torn out. For us, the expedition is over. Accompanied by the crew m0rg0t slowly and sadly we return to Saratov. And the crews AleKat and Andrey0577 & Crazy Stool I also managed to travel, even to visit Lermontovo (Tarkhany). Well, we'll have to get there...
For me, my Russia began with Khopra!
Here the fog over the blue stretch
Dancing in the morning.
Here are purple waves
Silence in the arms squeezing
They laugh loudly
Lying down on the sand.
And with a strong Cossack song
Farms will rise.
For me, my Russia began with Khopra.
The Khoper River is one of the most beautiful rivers not only in the middle lane, but also in Europe.
Khoper
The age of the river is respectable - more than 10 thousand years. The length of the river from source to mouth was 1008 kilometers. This is the second largest tributary of the Don. Every year, thousands of tourism enthusiasts from all over our country come here to relax.
Khopra's path to the Don is long and winding. Throughout its length, narrow sections with fast water constantly alternate with wide, slow reaches. There are often islands in the channel, between them, in the channels - rapids, behind which whirlpools can appear. A strip of forest 5–7 km wide stretches for many kilometers along the coast. Trees and bushes directly hang over the riverbed. In some places, without getting up from the boat, you can pick up a pot of wild currants. A little further from the shore - bird cherry, a wild apple tree. There are a lot of bird cherry, but the main decoration of the local forests is silver poplar. It really seems silvery, standing out sharply with the white color of its foliage against the background of the surrounding greenery.
Toponymic features of the river and its environs.
The sources of Khopra originate from the purest springs near the village of Kuchki, in the Penza region. These springs gush from under the hillock. The water in them is with crystal clear ice water. There are only twelve of them. Our river Khoper begins with them.
Source of Khopra
There are many legends and legends about the Khoper land.
One of the legends tells about the love of the Slavic youth Khopra and the daughter of the Polovtsian Khan, the beautiful Crow. In ancient times, when tribes with countless herds roamed the feather-grass steppes from the Volga to the Dnieper, and Mordovian villages hid in dense forests, the Polovtsian Khan Tokay had a daughter, the beautiful Crow. Swift, dexterous, beautiful, slender with blue-black hair, the Crow often dreamed of Polovtsian and Mordovian youths. But the evil Tatars attacked the land, killed the brave Polovtsian youths, plundered the Polovtsian towers, captured young and old. Only one Crow managed to escape. The Tatar warriors Chembar, Vazhdya and Karai chased after her. The crow sought protection from evil pursuers from the handsome Burtas, from the Mordovian strongman Lomovis the Great. But they, frightened of the chase, went into the impenetrable forests. The dexterous and courageous young man Khoper from the Slavic tribe of the Vyatichi saw the Crow. He grabbed her at full gallop, put her on a horse and rushed to the gray Don, looking for protection. And the pursuers are getting closer and closer. The gray-haired Don waved his river blanket and turned the fugitives and pursuers into rivers.
From mouth to mouth, from generation to generation, the legend of how long ago an old man named Khoper lived in the Poperechenskaya steppe. Once he came across a hill, from the foot of which more than a dozen springs of clear cold water sprang up and ran in different directions.The old man connected the channels of streams into one, built a small mill and ground grain for peasants from the surrounding villages; they say that the bread made from this flour was delicious. The people named this river after its discoverer - Khoprom. At this place, where the springs merge into one stream, grandfather Khoper sits on a stone under the canopy of oaks and the river flows down from his beard.
The first information about Khopra is found in the annals of 1148. Prince Gleb Yurievich, going to Ryazan, was also on the Great Crow. At that time Khoper was called the Great Crow.
In 1389 the river was called Prokhor. This is mentioned in the diary of Ignatius Smolyanin, who accompanied Metropolitan Pimen to Constantinople. But these are not the only names of the river. There were others: Khoport, Koport, Kopor.
Fauna of the river and its environs.
V.I.Dal in his dictionary deciphered the word "Khoper" as "a den of wild geese".
In the 16th century, the vicinity of Khopra was called the "wild field". Countless flocks of cranes, geese, ducks, snipes found convenient shelters. Even swans were found in secluded places. And at present, one of the routes of the spring and autumn migration of waterfowl passes along the river. geese and ducks linger for a long time on the forage-rich backwaters and reaches of Khopra and nearby lakes. Tall grasses hid herds of saigas. There were a lot of fish in the river: catfish, pike, bream, perch, crucian carp, pike perch, ide, roach, sometimes catfish weighing up to 90 kilogram In the backwaters of Khopra and nearby lakes, turtles of rather large sizes (from 7 to 8 inches long), desmans, rats, and snakes are found.
There are also reserves on Khoper with a rich flora and fauna - Arkadaksky, Almazovsky, Khopersky. They were organized in the period 1964–1973.
In the reserves are taken under protection: elk, fox, river beaver, muskrat, wild boar, roe deer, marten, hare. The Almazovsky Reserve is the original habitat of the muskrat along the river. Khoper and natural beaver settlement.
The muskrat is a living monument of an ancient era. On our planet, the muskrat lives only on the Iberian Peninsula and in the basin of the Ural, Volga and Don rivers. In the Saratov region, the muskrat is found throughout the valley of the river. Khoper. Thanks to a secretive lifestyle, this animal has survived to our time. In 1965, beavers were brought to Khoper from the Belarusian Reserve.
The river beaver, the most valuable fur animal of our nature, was completely exterminated long before the revolution. After the restoration of beaver settlements in the Khopersky reserve, in the territory of the Voronezh region, beavers settled outside it. In the Saratov region, on the Khoper River in 1970, there were already about 400 of them. They settled throughout the river, including tributaries and lakes.
The river in the life of people of different eras.
In the second half of the 16th and early 17th centuries, enterprising peasants, hunters, fishermen, and especially beekeepers appeared on Khopra, who received the right to use the rich untouched fish and land lands along the Khopra and Medveditsa rivers for quitrent.
At the end of the 17th and beginning of the 18th centuries, the flow of fugitive peasants from Voronezh increased to Khoper, where the construction of sea vessels was carried out, initiated by Peter I. The Tambov governor complained that archers, Cossacks and other service people were fleeing from Tambov against Khoper and Medveditsa. The first settlers of the Balasho district were attracted not only by the flora and fauna, but also by the rich land.The steppe, untouched black soil attracted people with its natural fertility.The boundless, wild, uncultivated steppe opened up before their eyes.
In the 16th and 17th centuries, dense, huge deciduous forests stretched over most of the Balashovsky district, especially along the Khoper River. In the forest kingdom, the oak was the leader, which was used to build barns, houses and churches. Elm, alder, and black maple could also be found.
For a long time, the power of Khoper water was used only in water mills. In the 30s of the 19th century, local merchants got an excellent opportunity to float goods along the Khopr to the Cossack villages of the Don and some cities of the Sea of \u200b\u200bAzov. A former serf from the village of Kopeny, Atkar district, Gerasim Prevratukhin, made a bold, adventurous journey on timber rafts downstream the Khopra. In 1836, the possibility of rafting on the river was proved. A few years later, the first river barges appeared in Balashov, built by G. Prevratukhin near the village of Volynshchino (north of Bekovo). The merchants quickly realized that Khoper could become a good trade route to the south, and the barge could become a cheap assistant to horse-drawn transport. By the end of the 50s of the 19th century, Balashov's merchants floated bread, lard, alcohol, flour, oats, cereals, flaxseed, wheat, honey, potash and other goods along the Khopr to Rostov.
Preparation of cargo for shipment, the construction of barques was carried out in winter. In 1842, 12 baroques passed through Khopr, and 18 in 1845, and from 1847 to 1850, from 30 to 40 baroques were collected annually. Cargoes moved slowly along the Khoper and Don, but much faster than the Chumat caravans overland. In addition, the waterway was cheaper than horse-drawn transport.
During the spring flood, the width of Khopra near the city of Balashov reached 8 versts, and the depth was up to 3–5 sazhens. This made it possible to float timber, grain, barges along the Khoper to the Don Cossacks region. At the end of the 19th century, the rafting of wood and baroque stopped. This was due to the construction of the railway through the territory of the Balashovsky district.
In addition to the baroques, other ships could be seen on Khoper. At the beginning of the 20th century, the workers of the Balashov locomotive depot assembled the Zarya steamboat, which traveled from Balashov to Nikolievka on market days.
The rich land of the Khoper region attracted not only runaway peasants and Cossacks, but also rich people of the royal court. The vast land areas of the Khoper region for various merits were distributed by the royal court to noble nobles, boyars, princes, counts, and later to landowners. In the forest-steppe zone of the Khoper region in different years, the lands of the Naryshkins, Chernyshevs, Vorontsovs, Kurakins, Golitsyns, Razumovskys, Vyazemskys, Volkonskys, Ignatievs and others owned the lands. For many centuries, these included the lands on both sides of the Khoper River in its upper and middle reaches.
On the banks of the Khopra, in the Penza region, there is the ancient village of Zubrilovo, which in the 18th century was part of the Balashovsky district. This is one of the most famous estates of the Russian province.
The main driveway leading to the estate still impresses with its magnificent view... It is planted with tall poplars on both sides. The alley leads to a large clearing with a sprawling oak. From this glade the estate begins.
Main alley
It arose in the 80s of the XVIII century after Prince S.F. Golitsyn (1748–1810), major general, adjutant wing of Catherine II, chose the land along the banks of the Khopra for the construction of the estate.
S.F. Golitsyn equipped his estate, sparing no expense. On the territory of the estate there were: the manor's stone, three-story house, two large stone outbuildings, two greenhouses and the amazingly beautiful Church of the Transfiguration of the Savior, larger than the largest district cathedral. Not far from the palace there is a temple-tomb of the owners of the estate, a small chapel and, a little to the side, a bell tower. This whole mass of buildings is quite striking to the eye.
General S.F. Golitsyn and his wife Varvara Vasilievna, nee Engelhardt, niece of G.A. Potemkin-Tavrichesky, received many famous contemporaries at the Zubrilovsky Palace. Often visited, living in 1788 in Tambov, the poet Grigory Romanovich Derzhavin. In Zubrilovka he painted the famous "Autumn during the siege of Ochakov".
For some time, the future fabulist I.A. Krylov lived in Zubrilovka as secretary of S.F. Golitsyn and mentor of his children. And they had a cherished place in the thicket of the forest, where there was a lone oak tree, under which the upbringing of princely undergrowths took place. And as the legend says, it was under this oak that the famous fable “A pig under an age-old oak ...” was written. Now a small oak grows on this place - the great-grandson of that one, Krylovsky.
Oak by I. Krylov (mid-1960)
Later, at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries, the famous artist V.E. Borisov-Musatov. Impressed by what he saw, he painted the canvases "Tapestry", "Pond", "Ghosts", "Walk at sunset", which marked the flowering of his talent.
Thanks to one of the sons of the first owner, Prince F.S. Golitsyn (1781–1840), a significant art collection was assembled in Zubrilovka. A portrait gallery was located in the white Empire hall. Among the portraits, of which there were at least one and a half hundred, were exhibited works by Lampi, Molinari, Vigée-Lebrun, Levitsky and other artists whose names remained unknown. The round hall, decorated with flowers and rare plants, was decorated with marble sculptures, vases, and bas-reliefs. The collection of arts and crafts was extensive, especially porcelain and enamels. The library kept the most valuable books and documents.
In the autumn of 1905, agitators appeared on the estate calling for the burning of boyar estates and the expulsion of landowners. It took only one night for the century and a half splendor to completely perish. Only half-burnt walls remained of the Zubrilov Palace. During the fire and destruction, almost all the artistic treasures of Zubrilovka perished. Only the portraits that were then at the Tauride Exhibition in St. Petersburg, and a collection of miniatures, taken by the owner to the capital shortly before the spontaneous and senseless peasant revolt, have survived. As a result, one of the wonderful old estates in the Saratov province was destroyed.
The burned palace was later repaired, but the lost interior decoration can no longer be returned.
The Zubrilovskaya estate is also famous for its temple, built more than 250 years ago according to the project of Italian masters. This is one of the few functioning temples where services are regularly held. Art critics still argue about who painted the temple. And this temple is fraught with a mystery that has not yet been solved. But the fact is that on the outer wall of the temple there is an icon of the Most Holy Mother of God, measuring two meters in size. According to the priest of this temple, Father Nikolai, this icon is over 200 years old, it has never been restored and looks like it was painted just yesterday. During the time of atheism, this icon was defiled more than once - painted over with paint. But a miracle happened - the icon restored itself in its original form!
And here is another mystery of Zubrilov's estate - an architectural creation of wondrous beauty called "The Maiden's Tower". They say different things about this tower. Either the princes imprisoned unfaithful wives here, or they built them on the model of those towers that they saw in their military campaigns around western Europe.
No less mysterious are the cellars of the former estate of Prince Naryshkin in Letyazhevka, and the miraculously preserved unique park in the village of Pada, for which Prince Naryshkin brought trees from distant lands, and the amazing history of the village of Turki, and the mystery of the famous Dead Pool near Arkadak.
Ecological and biological characteristics of the river.
The Khopra valley is covered with mixed forests, there are many lakes and oxbow lakes. Within our region, the width of the river is from 40 meters to 100 meters, the depth is 5–6 meters. During floods, the water level rises to 8 meters. Since the end of the 17th century, navigation began to develop intensively on Khopra. But Khoper grew shallow from year to year, which was facilitated by the thoughtless economic activity of man. Predatory deforestation, silting of bottom springs, soil erosion, etc. have played a bad role. In some sections, the river was cluttered with fallen trees, and at a depth - with bog oak. And although with the help of the Bolshe-Karai hydroelectric power station, built in 1958, within Balashov, it was possible to raise the water level, but the speed of the river flow sharply decreased, which ultimately led to an increase in bottom sediments and the reproduction of algae. One of the main reasons for the swamping of Khopra is the discharge of waste containing a large amount of organic matter into the reservoir. They also contribute to the growth of swamp vegetation. The most favorable environment is created for the spread of blue-green algae that release toxins. They have a detrimental effect on river flora and fauna, impoverishing its species composition. In turn, the water poisoned by toxins enters the centralized water supply systems of the city.
For 10-15 years, the springs disappeared in the area of Almazovo, Arkadak and other places.
We need a comprehensive science-based program for the improvement of the Khopra basin, the priority areas of which can be:
1. complete cessation of the discharge of industrial and domestic wastewater into the river;
2. cleaning the river bed with the subsequent creation of a sanitary zone on its coast within the city limits;
3. organization of environmental general education of the population.
Khoper flows evenly, calmly, lazily, and if you look from a bird's eye view, it seems as if he froze, warmed up under the sun, and thinks "his long thought." And he has something to think about. Centuries swept over him, eras changed, but it was quiet and calm on its shores, and only the "past century" made me think. He invaded the old man's thoughts with the sound of axes and the sound of drinking in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Deforestation along the banks and the transformation of forests into arable land began. The banks, with exposed stump roots and everything that once was the secret of the river, are now dry and dusty. Meadows are also almost gone. The arable land comes close to the water in places. In some places, the browned arable land is abandoned, thistles sway on it and a prickly tartar looms in a crimson color.
The "twentieth century" invaded the old man's thoughts with the roar of tractors, the rhythmic tact of working pumps, the chirping of outboard motors. . Will I survive? Is there enough strength? And how long will I last?” And he does not find an answer to his thoughts. And no one gives him an answer: neither a tractor driver on a powerful Kirovets, plowing a floodplain, nor an irrigation machine operator, nor a minder rushing along the river with a breeze.
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2. Demin A.M. Geography of the Saratov region // Publishing house "Lyceum". 2005// One hundred questions about Balashov - an information and methodological manual on local history (issue 2) // Balashov city central library system. 2002//
3. Khrekov A.A., Kiselnikov A.B. The first stage of the development of the electronic museum exposition "Historical and cultural heritage of the Khoper region: archaeological and tourist routes".
4. B.A. Sofinsky “Two mysteries of the Zubrilov estate…” // Children’s regional local history newspaper “Not beyond distant lands” No. 1, 2007//
5. V. Smotrov, A. Smotrova, V. Statsenko "Khoper with the Aral - brothers forever? .." (scientific essay) // Balashov, Publishing house "Nikolaev, 2004"//
6. A.P. Bolmosov My favorite land. Geography of Balashovskaya land.
7. http//www.nasledie-rus/podshivka/8602.php
8. This material was placed in a larger volume by us in the project "River Flows" (team "Globus" MOU Secondary School No. 12, Balashov, Saratov Region "on the website Letopisi.ru. Under the protection of nature, the Russian Geographical Society understands a set of public measures that contribute to the preservation of the natural environment on the territory of our Motherland. The nature protection activities of the Company are implemented through examples of caring for nature through scientific, educational and practical events.
Developing a public environmental initiative aimed at attracting the public to the problems of the water basin of our region and following the long-term adopted Strategy of the Russian Geographical Society, the Penza Regional Branch carries out practical activities that actively contribute to the formation of a responsible attitude towards nature of the inhabitants of our region.
On September 22, 2012, within the framework of cooperation between the Penza regional branch of the Russian Geographical Society and the REN-TV channel, a joint trip to the source of the Khoper River was organized in order to shoot a popular science film. This marked the beginning of the implementation of joint media projects about the nature of the Penza Territory, aimed at disseminating knowledge and geography, developing scientific tourism and shaping environmental consciousness among the inhabitants of our region.
“It is our duty to draw the close attention of society to the wonderful and great Khoper River, which originates not far from our regional center. Khoper is one of the cleanest rivers in Europe and this is confirmed if you visit its sources. Fourteen streams of crystal clear water gushing from under the hillock, which merge into a turbulent and transparent stream, have a strong energy. There is something great and primal about it. Streams of water, rushing into the distance for a thousand kilometers before flowing into the Don, bring life and nourish a large territory of our country with fertility.- Igor Pantyushov, head of the regional branch of the Russian Geographical Society, argued, observing the streams of water from the source.
Khoper is attractive for tourists. The head of the city tourist club "Penza" Vladimir Mishchenkov has repeatedly carried out rafting on the river. The next year for the Penza regional branch should be full of alloys dedicated to the study of Khopra.
« The first information about Khopra is found in the annals of 1148. Prince Gleb Yurievich, going to Ryazan, was also on the Great Crow (at that time Khoper was called that). In 1389 the river was called Prokhor. This is mentioned in the diary of Ignatius Smolyanin, who accompanied Metropolitan Pimen to Constantinople. But these are not the only names of the river. There were others: Khoport, Koport, Kopor ... ",- Vladimir Mishchenkov, a member of the Russian Geographical Society, shared his knowledge.
Khoper is one of the rivers in the south-east of Russia, the most attractive for kayaking and water recreation. Almost throughout its length (1008 km) Khoper flows in a sandy channel and retains its dignity as a kayak river. The Khopra Valley is usually covered with rich broad-leaved forests (oak, linden, elm, most often willow, black sorrel near the water); in the middle course, pine groves are also not uncommon. The Khopra floodplain forests within the Saratov region are especially rich and extensive. In the floodplain there are many lakes and oxbows, in the forests there are wild cherries, apple trees, pears.
For reference:
The length is 1008 km, the basin area is 61,100 km². Food is mostly snowy. High water in April - May. The highest water flow is 3720 m³/s, the lowest in low water is 45.4 m³/s, the average water flow is 150 m³/s. Freezes in December, opens in late March - early April. In some years, ice cover is unstable. Width up to 100 m, depth up to 17 m. The bottom is usually sandy; the flow is fast.
Being at the source of the Khopra, in addition to working on filming, members of the Russian Geographical Society cleaned up the territory near the Source from the garbage left by vacationers.
“This is our constant problem - it is difficult to collect garbage in a bag and take it with you to throw it out later on the way to the container. In general, it is necessary to do environmental monitoring of natural objects, thus we can save our native land from pollution,”- Roman Kashin, a member of the Russian Geographical Society, stated
“The source of Khopra, which gives life to the great river, is rightfully our property, as the purest symbol of the birth of the Great. It is here at the Source that you realize your unity with nature and imbue it with a feeling of love and pride that you are part of it. Roman Anatolyevich continued.
| One of the Khopra streams |
Being at the junction of the watershed of two giant water basins - the Volga and the Don, our region is unique in terms of its geographical position. Such rivers as Khoper, Vorona, Chembar originate on our land, and each of us becomes a witness of the birth of large rivers that feed the Caspian and the Atlantic with their energy, giving life to many representatives of our flora and fauna.
The task of the Russian Geographical Society is to instill in people a love for our nature, to teach them to take care of it and tell about how beautiful it is. The participation of the inhabitants themselves in environmental activities, love and good attitude towards their native land - guarantees a further decent life for us and our future generations in harmony with the amazing world around us.
Prepared by:
Secretary of the Council of the Branch Maxim Lapin
Photos by Roman Kashin
The Khoper River is the pearl of Russia.
The age of the Khoper River is venerable - more than 10 thousand years. The length of the river from source to mouth was 979 kilometers. This is the second largest tributary of the Don. Every year, thousands of tourism enthusiasts from all over our country come here to relax. Khopra's path to the Don is long and winding.
Origin of the name of the river Khoper.
The sources of Khopra originate from clean springs near the village of Kuchki in the Penza region. These springs gush from under the hillock. The water is crystal clear and ice cold. There are only 12 springs. Our river Khoper begins with them. There are many legends and legends about the Khoper land. We learned about them by visiting the local history museum.
One of them tells about the love of the Slavic youth Khopra and the daughter of the Polovtsian Khan, the beautiful Crow. In ancient times, when tribes roamed the feather-grass steppes from the Volga to the Dnieper, and Mordovian villages hid in dense forests, the Polovtsian Khan Tokay had a daughter, the beautiful Crow. Swift, dexterous, beautiful, slender with blue-black hair. The crow often dreamed of Polovtsian and Mordovian youths. But the evil Tatars attacked the land, killed the brave Polovtsian youths, plundered the Polovtsian huts, captured young and old. Only one Crow managed to escape. Tatar warriors chased after her. The girl sought protection from the Mordovians. But they, frightened of the chase, went into the impenetrable forests. The dexterous and courageous young man Khoper from the Slavic tribe of the Vyatichi saw the Crow. At full gallop, he picked her up, put her on a horse and rushed to the gray Don, looking for protection. And the pursuers are getting closer and closer. The gray-haired Don waved his river blanket and turned the fugitives and pursuers into rivers.
Another legend tells how long ago an old man named Khoper lived in the Poperechenskaya steppe. Once he wandered up a hill, from the foot of which more than a dozen springs of clear cold water sprang up and scattered in different directions. The old man connected the channels of the streams into one, built a small mill and ground grain for the peasants from the surrounding villages. The bread was very tasty. The people named this river after its discoverer Khopr. In the place where the springs merge into one stream, grandfather Khoper is sitting on a stone under the canopy of oaks, and the river flows down from his beard.
The first information about Khopra is found in the annals of 1148. Prince Gleb Yurievich, going to Ryazan, was also on the Great Crow (at that time Khoper was called that). In 1389 the river was called Prokhor. This is mentioned in the diary of Ignatius Smolyanin, who accompanied Metropolitan Pimen to Constantinople. But these are not the only names of the river. There were others: Khoport, Koport, Kopor.
Khoper is the most ecologically clean river in Europe. The length is 979 kilometers, in the Penza region - 185 kilometers.
Godronim is known from written sources of the XII century as Kopor, Khoport, possibly of Scythian-Sarmatian origin: porata - river. Later, the term hyu (Bashkir) was added - a river. Hyuporata - Khoper.
Khopra cleanliness issues
The Khoper River, its beautiful banks and the reputation of the cleanest river in Europe have always attracted people. Alas, today Khoper is also on the black list. Over the past few years, specialists from the Saratov Regional Hydrometeorological Center have noted an increased content of oil products in the river. It was not possible to determine the cause of the contamination. Experts were inclined to believe that harmful substances got into Khoper in the Penza region. But neither on the border with the neighboring region, where the river begins its journey through the territory of the Saratov region, nor on the other, Voronezh border, where this path ends, there are no control posts. According to the results obtained, the water corresponds to the third quality class and is assessed as moderately polluted.
Grandfather Khoper.
The Khoper River is one of the most famous rivers of the Volga region, the largest left tributary of the Don. The river is ancient (the first mention of it dates back to 1148, and the age of birth is generally 10 million years); the river is beautiful (Khopyor is popular with water tourists due to its sandy beaches and picturesque shores); the river is historically interesting (before Khoper was called Prokhorya, Koporya, Koportya and even the Great Crow). And she begins her long run not just anywhere, but here - in the Penza region, being born into the world from 12 pure springs, lost in the herbs of the famous, Red Book Poperechenskaya steppe.
The most interesting fact about Khoper is that this river (unlike many other water arteries of Russia) has its own talisman and guardian. Which, settled on its origins and is also called in her honor - grandfather Khoper.
The origins of Khopra is a rather interesting place in the Penza region. First of all, it's just beautiful. And, secondly, in those days when “the trees were big” and people thought not only about momentary benefits (during the times of the USSR), this wonderful section of the reserved steppe was very well ennobled. From the legacy of the Soviet past, you can still see signs that allow you not to get lost on the way to Grandfather Khopr. Equipped parking at the entrance. And, in fact, the grandfather Khopra himself is a monument to the sculptor Andrey the Bold, which is located just above the waters emerging from the bowels of the earth, which give rise, albeit to a small, but great Russian Khoper river.
There are several legends dedicated to Khopr.
The most common of them says that once in the Poperechenskaya steppe (a significant part of the current Privolzhskaya Forest-Steppe Reserve) there lived an old man named Khoper. Once he came across a hill, from the foot of which 12 springs of clear cold water sprang up, running in different directions. The old man didn't like it. He took a shovel and connected the beds of streams into one large stream. And then he built a mill over it in order to grind grain for peasants from neighboring villages. And so it turned out the Khoper River, named after that same old man.
Many years have passed since then, but this place has remained unchanged. They also hit 12 keys from the ground.
It also stands at the birthplace of Khopra, though decorative, but a mill. By the way, they say that bread made from flour ground at the mill of grandfather Khopra was especially tasty. :)
Another legend about Khoper does not give an idea of why Khoper became Khoper, but on the other hand ... it is much more romantic. :)
In ancient times, when tribes with countless herds roamed the feather-grass steppes from the Volga to the Dnieper, and Mordovian villages hid in dense forests, the Polovtsian Khan Tokay had a daughter, the beautiful Crow. Swift, dexterous, beautiful, slender with blue-black hair, the Crow often dreamed of Polovtsian and Mordovian youths in dreams. But in reality, she remained adamant and unmarried.
Once a misfortune came from the east - vile and evil Tatars attacked the Polovtsian land, killed the Polovtsian youths, plundered the Polovtsian towers, captured many young and old. Only one Crow managed to miraculously hide from the Tatars, and then run away. But Tatar warriors chased her - Chembar, Vazhdya and Karai.
First, the Crow rushed north into the dense forests, where the handsome hero Burtas, one of her suitors, lived. Burtas wanted to go out to meet the Crow, but, seeing the Tatars, he got scared and turned around, leaving for the dark Mordovian thickets. And the chase is getting closer...
Then the Crow rushed to the west, to the Mordovian strongman Lomovis the Great. For a long time he had looked at the beautiful Lomovis Bolshoi and was not averse to taking her as his wife. But, frightened by the chase, he also retreated from the path, darting into the impenetrable forests of the Mordovian lands.
The Crow was already desperate, she fell to the ground, realizing that she could not escape the reproach and the Tatar full. But then the dexterous and courageous young man Khoper from the Slavic tribe of the Vyatichi noticed the beauty, who, fortunately for her, was passing by. At full gallop, he reined in his horse, picked up Crow and rushed with her to the gray-haired old Don, seeking protection from him.
The pursuers rushed after them. Chembar, Vazhdya and Karay rode for a long time across the steppe, gradually catching up with the fugitives. And it seemed already that Vorona and Khopr could not get away from them. But then the mighty gray-haired Don stood in the way of the evil Tatars. He waved the river curtain and turned each of the pursuers into a river. However, Don did not calculate the forces - they turned into two blue ribbons and the Crow and Khopra, who have since become inseparable forever.
Beautiful legend, isn't it? And the river, believe me (I managed to raft down Khopr more than once), is also very beautiful. And its source is a pretty place too. Let it be very neglected, but cute.
Unfortunately, the mill wheel is no longer spinning, the mill building itself is rather dilapidated and lopsided, the nimble trout, which were once bred here, do not live in the gutters of the stream, and Grandfather Khoper himself has “aged” noticeably. But, most importantly, the river is still alive. Despite environmental problems, despite the development of nickel in the Khopra basin and numerous discharges along its entire course. But once UNESCO recognized Khoper as the cleanest river in Europe!
But be that as it may, Khoper still lives, carrying its waters for a thousand kilometers to the confluence with the Don, where Khoper is no longer a boy, but a husband - a real, full-flowing, navigable, Slavic hero from an ancient legend. But it all starts small! From a thin babbling brook that got lost in the Penza wilderness, in the expanses of the Poperechenskaya steppe!