Kitezh

Kitezh refers to a legendary settlement said to rest beneath Lake Svetloyar in Voskresensky District. Oral accounts describe churches and homes that supposedly disappeared into the water during the 13th century.

Prince Georgy established two sites in the 13th century: Little Kitezh on the Volga and Great Kitezh near the lake. Accounts tell of a Mongol attack after which the larger settlement vanished from records.

The name may come from an old Slavic root meaning protection or refuge. Today pilgrims and locals visit the lake believing in the sunken city and searching for traces along its shore.

Lake Svetloyar sits in a wooded area and can be reached by car from Nizhny Novgorod in roughly three hours. The site offers trails along the shore and a few accommodations for those wishing to stay overnight.

Excavations in 2011 uncovered pottery shards and settlement remains around the lake pointing to human habitation centuries ago. The first written mentions appear in the Old Believers Chronicle from the 1780s.

Location: Voskresensky District

GPS coordinates: 56.81917,45.09167

Latest update: December 12, 2025 23:20