Mari El is a Volga republic adjacent to Tatarstan and Chuvashia. It also borders on Kirovskaya and Nizhny Novgorod regions... The capital of this region is the city of Yoshkar-Ola.
The republic is remarkable for the splendor of the pristine nature preserved here. Most of it is occupied by forests with ecologically clean lakes and beautiful river beds.
The culture of the local people, which has been forming for many centuries, combined with Russian culture, as well as having ancient history customs, traditions and folk crafts. Many cultural and historical monuments have been preserved in Mari El.
In this distinctive region with unique nature there are many attractions that deserve special attention. The most famous and popular with tourists unique objects of the republic include:
The territory of the reserve is occupied by a mixed forest. The nature of this object is distinguished by the richness of species of flora and fauna. Several tourist routes run through its territory.
You can enjoy the beauty of pristine nature in full here in the middle of summer. At this time of the year, sunny weather prevails here, while most the weather tends to be erratic with an abundance of cloudy days.
Location: Street of Warriors-Internationalists - 26, Yoshkar-Ola.
The beauty and majesty of the local landscapes are often compared to the Alps. Against the background of untouched nature, there is an Orthodox chapel, and near it there is a freezing spring with the purest water.
Translated into Russian, its name means "Mari forest". He's really busy with the forest. In it you can look at the Pugachev oak, under which Emelyan Pugachev once rested. To this oak over 400 years.
They are located near the village of Gornyak. The entrance to many of the caves is very narrow and is located right next to the ground. To get inside the caves, you have to crawl.
Inside you can see stalactites and stalagmites. It is cold all year round in the caves, even in summer it is not warmer than + 6 ° C, and the walls are covered with frost at great depths. Previously, there were quarries here, in which the millstone was mined.
Perhaps this is the most beautiful lake in Mari El. Is not big lake with steep, steep banks of an almost oval shape, it is located on the slope of a mountain. Its water has a noticeable bluish-green hue.
With dimensions not exceeding 50 meters, it has a very deep depth, reaching 38.5 meters. It belongs to karst lakes and is connected to underground cavities. The lake has been little studied, and there are many legends about it. Many of his secrets have not been revealed, they have yet to be solved by the scientists involved in his research.
This one of the cleanest lakes in the Volga region has the shape of an almost perfect circle with a diameter of 680 meters. In origin, it is interspersed, overburdened by karst, with a dip near the central part of the basin. The depth gradually increases towards the middle of the lake, reaching 15 meters in its central part. The water is very clear, the visibility is about 8 meters. Water salinity is extremely low.
This is the deepest karst lake not only in Mari El, but throughout the Middle Volga region. Its maximum depth is 53 meters with a length of 800 and a width of 400 meters. Its food source is underwater springs. The lake is a waste water, the Pizhanka river flows out of it. There is an Orthodox church on its bank.
This is the largest lake in the republic. Its area is approximately 160 hectares. It has bizarre shape in the form of blades. Maximum depth in places of karst sinkholes reaches 35 meters... The lake is great for fishing.
Location: street.
It is not only a picturesque natural object, but also a historical monument. The height of the mountain is 224 meters above sea level. The Mari called the mountains "pockets", where they found refuge during the invasion of hostile tribes.
It is also known as the Watch Mountain. On this mountain, located on the banks of the Volga, a fortified settlement was located from the eleventh to the fifteenth century. Now in that place you can see the remains of a moat and a rampart.
These mysterious stones, similar to which there is no other in the vicinity of the village, have been here for many centuries. Most of them are in the ground. The locals consider the stones to be sacred. It is believed that they should not be touched.
There is a legend that one of the villagers used these stones to build the foundation of a house, and soon after the construction was finished, the house burned down. There are stones on the slope of Mount Onis Kuryk. This area is known as the anomalous zone.
Their shape resembles a kind of stone mushrooms. It is caused by the weathering process, in which sandstone is more intensely eroded and erodes faster than limestone.
The rocks are framed by curved tree roots that have taken on a bizarre shape. Near the rocks are small lake and a spring with a stream flowing from it, flowing into the small river Nevelichka that flows here. There is a crane well nearby.
The castle was erected in the village of Yurino on the banks of the Volga by a wealthy merchant Sheremetev in the nineteenth century. It was built in the architectural tradition medieval castles and combines different architectural styles.
It is an ornate palace whose architecture includes Old Russian style turrets and Gothic battlements. Majestic columns support the glass dome winter garden... There is currently a hotel in the castle.
Its construction began in 1997 on the banks of the Rutka River. Now the construction of a church in the traditions of Russian wooden architecture is still going on here. Sergiy of Radonezh is considered her patron.
Also in the monastery there is a small home church of the Beheading of St. John the Baptist. All churches, living quarters and outbuildings on the territory of the monastery were built of wood. This is the architectural uniqueness of this monastery.
The Myrrh-Bearing Hermitage began its existence in 1649 at the place where the Miraculous Myrrh-Bearing Icon of the Mother of God appeared. It was built in the best traditions of Russian architecture of the seventeenth century and is considered an architectural monument. There is a holy spring and a font near the monastery.
Across national park Mari Chodra near the Maple Mountain flows the Ilet River. In this place, its water has a constant temperature of about 6.5 ° C throughout the year. It is caused by powerful springs at the bottom of the river and flowing into the river mineral springs, the most significant of which is called the Green Key.
Nearby is Boiling Square, which is a small lake with a sandy bottom. The bottom is as if boiling because of the multitude of springs gushing out of the ground. The water in the springs is mineral and has medicinal properties.
A group of local springs is a federal hydrogeological natural monument. One and a half kilometers from the springs there is a sanatorium "Klenovaya Gora", where you can have a good rest surrounded by untouched nature and improve your health.
This is one of the oldest villages in Mari El. Here, at the entrance to the village, you can see a stone dedicated to the local national hero - the hero Onar. A stone sign dedicated to the hero appeared in these parts in 2009. The grove near the village is considered sacred by the locals.
Museums of the republic
The story about the sights of the Republic of Mari El will be incomplete without mentioning the museums located in its capital - the city of Yoshkar-Ola.
V Museum of Applied Arts(Chernyshevsky - 23) you can expand your understanding of the traditions of the indigenous population of the republic. This museum is located in a small one-story building with an attic.
Several years ago, construction was completed in the center of Yoshkar-Ola Tsarevokokshay Kremlin(Voznesenskaya
- 58). It was built of red brick and stylized as an old Russian fortress. There is a church outside the walls of this youngest Kremlin in Russia, Archaeological Museum and a monument to Fedor Ioannovich - the founder of Yoshkar-Ola.
Posted Sat, 24/02/2018 - 09:17 by Cap
I would like to tell you about the most beautiful places of the Mari Republic separately.
This article will present the most beautiful natural places Mari El, and separately we have already shown the Sights of Mari El, which includes the historical, architectural and cultural monuments of the republic.
As a rule, there will be presented natural monuments of the RME, but some Beautiful places still awaiting their opening and registration.
Note that the most beautiful monuments nature RMEs are located on the banks of the Volga and other large rivers of Mari El, as well as on the slopes and mountains of the Vyatka Val.
We also note the many beautiful lakes of Mari El.
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The second cleanest lake in Mari El is Lake Karasyar; it is also one of the most picturesque and remote lakes.
Lake Karasyar is similar in many characteristics to Nuzhiar, which is explained by their close location. By origin, it is interspersed, with a secondary karst sinkhole. The increase in depth from the southeastern coast is noticeably sharper. Already a few tens of meters from the coast, the depth is 6-9 meters. The northwestern part of the basin is more gentle. The maximum depth is 14.7 m. The area of the lake is 25.5 hectares. The transparency is high - 5.5 m. The bottom is sandy. The shores are low, but mostly dry. Only in the western and partly northern areas coastline waterlogging was noted.
Convenient access to Yurdurskaya mountain (Yurtur kuryk) through Shereganovo, in the area of which we were already in. We were not disappointed, from this mountain there were stunning views, and in almost all directions. Most best view opened towards the villages of Kurykyumal and Nylkudo, as well as into the valley of the Ilet river. In the distance the Kerebeliak Upland, the Sotnur Upland, etc. could be seen.
Opens were opened up, which in beauty are not inferior to the landscapes of the Sea's Eye, on Stone mountain and on Shungaltan !!! Due to the backlight and blue haze, it was not possible to take good pictures, more precisely, the pictures turned out, but they contain about 20-25% of the impression that a person actually sees! WE SPEAK HONEST! AND CONFIRM THAT THIS VIEW MUST BE INCLUDED IN THE TOP-10 BEST MARIAN LANDSCAPES !!! 
I have never seen anything like this in Mari El!
On the right, running down the hill, piled up shaggy, almost fabulous spruce trees, and behind them were mountains overgrown with forests, stretching beyond the horizon ... 
It seemed as if I was transported from our Mari plains to the mountainous region! There was a cliff behind the wall of fir trees. Further - an abyss, below a shaggy forest. A little before reaching the edge of the cliff, I looked down - my head was spinning. Running into the abyss, huge fir trees stood like a wall, in some places at random, as if they had lost their balance. Primordial, virgin nature! At some point, it even seemed to me that there was no smell of a human spirit here.
There were people, of course. Soon, closer to the source, we saw a dozen cars, some of which were a wedding cortege: lovers of exotic came here to celebrate the celebration.
Food lay on the laid tables under the hot summer sun, guests were honoring the newlyweds, and very close by there was a merry gazebo with a domed roof topped with a spire. On the gazebo the inscription "Natural Monument Stone mountain". Nearby, above, is a small Orthodox chapel with an onion-shaped roof. Escaping from the underground captivity, an icy stream beats
What attracts tourists to the Volga Republic? Where do its indigenous people live and what beliefs have survived here? Traveling to the central regions of Russia is gaining popularity, and tourists coming to Mari El receive a lot vivid impressions from a visit to Yoshkar-Ola and other Mari cities.
Content:Climate, population and where to stay
The territory of Mari El lies in a zone of temperate continental climate. In summer, especially in July, it can be hot here - up to + 28 ° С, and in winter the thermometer drops to -20 ° С and below. The coldest month of the year is January. This should be taken into account when choosing clothes for a trip to Mari El.
Mironositsky Convent
The republic is not very densely populated; only 682 thousand people live in it. Relatively Big City- Yoshkar-Ola, where about a third of the total population or 277 thousand people live.
Today, most of the indigenous inhabitants of Mari El are Orthodox Christians, but 10-15% of the Mari continue to adhere to traditional beliefs. The peoples of Mari El are in use moon calendar... They revere several major gods. The ceremonies are held in the Sacred Groves or Kyusoto, of which about five hundred have survived. The main prayers or "tunya kumaltysh" take place every five years, and Mari from all over Russia come to it.
When traveling in Mari El, it is most convenient to rent an apartment or rent a hotel room in Yoshkar-Ola. Those who want to travel to the regions can stay at recreation centers, guest houses, boarding houses, estates and campgrounds that receive tourists in different regions of the republic.
Church of the Holy Trinity in Yoshkar-Ola
What to see in Yoshkar-Ola
The main Mari city was founded in 1584 and at that time was called Tsarevokokshaisk. He was an outpost of Russia in the Zavolzhsky region and served to pacify the rebellious local residents... Today, Yoshkar-Ola has many interesting sights, and since the city is small in size, it is easy to get around them on foot.
In the center there is a complex of copies of the Moscow Kremlin monuments. In the capital of Mari El, you can see the Annunciation and Spasskaya towers, a copy of the famous Tsar Cannon and even the Cathedral of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, which looks like the Cathedral of St. Basil the Blessed. The Russian capital is 650 km away from here. Therefore, the Mari decided not to waste energy on a long journey, but to admire the Moscow monuments at home.
Travelers are surprised that relatively small town several theaters and museums have been opened. But, perhaps, Yoshkar-Ola is best known for its original monuments. All the guests of the Mari capital come to one of them - Yoshka's cat. A carefree bronze cat on a bench greets tourists on Lenin Square, not far from the building of the National Art Gallery.
Lake Sea Eye
In the central park you can see the tree of life sculptural group. It symbolizes the continuity of the traditions of the indigenous peoples of the republic. Voskresenskaya embankment is decorated with a sculpture of Alexander Pushkin, who is talking with his literary hero - Eugene Onegin. And on Sovetskaya Street in the Mari capital there is an unusual monument ... a simple hammer.
Camping
Most tourists travel to Mari El for its natural beauty. On the territory of the republic are popular hiking trails and horseback riding, and in winter people come here to go skiing.
Mari rivers and lakes have long been chosen by fans water tourism who like to spend their vacation time on kayaks and catamarans. Rafting on the rivers Bolshaya and Malaya Kokshaga, Bolshoi and Maly Kundysh is popular in the republic. Tourists pay attention to Vetluga, Ilet, Irovka, Lazh, Lunda, Nemdu, Rutka, Yuronga and Yushut. The picturesque Mari lakes are very attractive - Yurinskoye, Bolshoye Stepankino, Irir-Er, Kar-Yar, Mary-Er, Bryukhan, Kichier and others.
Sheremetev Castle in Yurino from a bird's eye view
Near the village of Shariboxad, in the Volga region, there is a real natural pearl - the Sea Eye karst lake. It lies on a mountain elephant and reaches a depth of 38.5 m.The water in an unusual reservoir has a bright turquoise color, and its transparency reaches 5.5 m.In the summer heat, the lake water heats up to + 20 ° C at the surface, and at a depth its temperature does not exceed + 4 ° С.
Fans of speleotourism visit the beautiful Nolka Caves. Many years ago, there were adits at this place, where building stone and crushed stone were mined. Even in summer it is cool inside the Mari caves. Stalactites, stalagmites and sleeping bats can be seen on the walls and vaults. Nearby are ancient millstones, the size of a man's height. Previously, such devices for grinding grain were used in Mari mills and sold in other provinces of Russia.
Tourists love scenic travel national park"Mariy Chodra". On the territory of the Middle Volga region, the cleanest lakes, rivers and mighty mixed forests. V natural park bears, lynxes, moose, foxes, hares and squirrels live. Among the birds, wood grouses, vendace, green woodpeckers, osprey and orioles nest here - a total of 188 bird species, 11 of which are listed in the Red Book of Russia.
Cathedral of the Smolensk Icon of the Mother of God in Kozmodemyansk (1698)
What to see in different parts of the republic
V old town Kozmodemyansk come to visit the wonderful ethnographic museum, where under open air exhibited examples of peasant buildings, wells, barns and a mill. Lovers of antiquity must visit the majestic Cathedral of the Smolensk Icon of the Mother of God and the old Streletskaya chapel.
In the Volga region of the republic there is a huge Pugachev oak covered with legends. It rises on Maple Mountain - one of the places of pilgrimage for tourists. According to legend, it was near this tree that one of Pugachev's detachments stopped, and the rebels buried their treasures near a noticeable oak tree. Today the tree rises from the ground by 26 m, and the diameter of its trunk exceeds 1.6 m. According to the latest researchers of biologists, the age of the Mari oak is more than 400 years.
Connoisseurs of Russian architecture make routes through the old Mari estates. One of the most noticeable -. The former count's estate in the late neo-Gothic style was built at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries.
Chapel of the Savior Image Not Made by Hands (Streletskaya Chapel) in Kozmodemyansk
Fishing
It is very good to come to Mari El for fishing! Fish are caught here on rivers and lakes, and fishermen are never left without a catch. True, the amount of trophies depends on luck, experience and skill.
Most often they fish on the Volga and Vetluga. These rivers are rich in pike, walleye, perch, carp and bream, and are especially popular with those who want to catch a big catch. Fishing areas are considered to be the coast near the town of Zvenigovo, near the village of Dubovskiy and near the town of Volzhsk. In the Mari River Ilet, you can catch pike, perch, crucian carp and roach, and on the lakes, pike, crucian carp, tench, catfish and chub take well.
Mari souvenirs
Nobody leaves Mari El without gifts. What kind of souvenirs do tourists buy most often? Many people like to take home pictures of Yoshka's cat. One of the main symbols of Yoshkar-Ola can be seen on souvenir mugs, magnets, key chains, T-shirts and even bottles of vodka.
Church of Michael the Archangel in the village of Yurino
Vodka is willingly brought from the Mari capital. Local shops sell different varieties, including bottles labeled "Yoshkin Cat". Such vodka is not supplied outside the republic, therefore it can become an original souvenir from Mari El.
Those who like strong alcohol do not disregard the “Mari El Lights” balm, infused with local herbs. It is sold in bottles and clay containers with national ornaments.
Excellent cheeses are produced in the republic. Today, Mari cheeses are considered one of the most delicious in our country. Sernur cheese factory produces excellent cheeses, cottage cheese and bio-yoghurts from goat and sheep milk. In addition, pickled mushrooms and sausages from the Zvenigovsky meat-packing plant can be recommended as tasty souvenirs.
Those with a sweet tooth do not leave without the products of the Povolzhya Sweets confectionery company. A 2 kg box with delicious waffles, cookies, marmalade, marshmallows, sherbet and sweets can be an excellent souvenir to remember a trip to Mari El. Want even more? You are welcome! In Mari El, they sell boxes of sweets weighing 4.4 kg.
