Please correct any errors in the text (part 1) The first part of the road will pass through the beautiful cities of Russia's Golden Ring - Uglich, Yaroslavl, Kostroma. The second part of the way - in the cities of the middle Volga: Nizhny Novgorod, Kozmodemyansk, Cheboksary and Kazan. The third - on the lower Volga River through Samara, Saratov and Volgograd. A detailed description of the way from Moscow to Volgograd, you can find in a guidebook on the route Moscow - Astrakhan. After Volgograd with the Volga-Don canal begins, according to many, the most interesting section of the cruise.
Volga-Don canal of Lenin was erected in the years 1948-1952. Like the Moscow Canal, he steps in the form of nine locks up on the watershed height of about 90 meters, then four steps down to 45 m to the Don, rather Tsimlyansk reservoir. Volga-Don Canal - zashlyuzovanny most of all with whom we have had to deal: 13 locks over 101 km. During the descent from Tsimlyansk reservoir in the natural channel of the Don, we will go through another two gateways, and thus, their total number on our way up to 15. That is why swimming from Volgograd to Rostov at a distance of 600 km rounded lasts about two days.
Over until the third lock canal passes within Krasnoarmeyskiy district of Volgograd. Right and left, we see factories and homes, along the canal stretches Green Boulevard. Between 1 st and 2 nd gateway through the channel spanned highway and railroad bridges, and between the bridges is a memorable place July 31, 1952 Don water was first merged with the Volga. During the 3-m gateway channel is on a high mound, which is done under the so-called inverted siphon, tunnel crossing flood waters flowing into the Volga. Between 3 rd and 4 th gateways for 7 km is the straight section of the channel. At the top of a steep bend of the channel is 4-th gateway. Starts with the so-called Chepurnikovskaya staircase: for 9 miles we climb the steps of the six gateways to a height of 50 m. All these memorable places fighting the Red Army against the Whites in the civil war. On the tower 8-th gateway enhanced plaque with the inscription: "Here in 1918, the Donetsk-Morozov division, formed from the Donbass workers who heroically fought the Whites." 9-th gate, the last on the Volga slope of the channel, received an appropriate architectural design: a high square tower topped by an eight rotunda and bronze emblem on top.
Starting from the 10 th gateway we get down on the Don slope. Near this gateway monuments to the heroes of the Civil War Parkhomenko, FA Artem (Sergeyev), NA Rudnev. Vereslavskogo water reservoir, located 10-m gateway is used to irrigate the surrounding land. Near human settlements, we see towers intakes. In 12 of the first gateway, near the village of Marinovka with two and even four-storey houses, the canal crosses one after the other two bridges - road and rail. In Karpovskoe Reservoir, which lies 22 m below Bereslavskii, we get through two gateways - the 11 th and 12 th. Length Karpovskoe reservoir, the largest in the canal is 17 km, the area - more than 40 square meters. km. From Tsimlyansk Sea Karpovskoe reservoir separated chetyrehkilometrovoy concrete dam.
On the approach to the dam, we see the pier called Ilevka, okruzhennuya thick green park, for which the refuge Pyatimorsk quiet village, where live conductors and is managing the Don region hydro. Hence, 7 km to the city Kalac-na-Donu. City Kalac, located on top of tall hills, will be visible to us from the boat.
We pass the 13th gate in a dam reservoir Karpovskoe - the last building of the Volga-Don canal. (The channel itself still runs a 5 km below). When entering the room Tsymlyansk sea on both sides of the channel installed beacons. Now we spread out the water expanse. Tsimlyanskoe reservoir area of 2.7 thousand square meters. km filled with water in 1952-1953. His most part it is located within the Volgograd region, less - in Rostov. Left Bank at times completely hidden from view. On the northern shore of the bay stretches of the railway connecting the Donbas Volgograd. It crosses the reservoir along the longest in the Volga-Don Canal railroad bridge.
To the left of the mouth of the river Esaulovsky Aksay, transformed into a bay of refuge for ships, is a large village Pugachevskaya (previously called Zimoveyskaya). This village, which was home to two popular leaders of the peasant wars in Russia - Stepan Razin and Pugachev, had twice changed his place. In 1774, by decree of Catherine II it was razed to the ground in retaliation for having spawned Pugachev. Subsequently, it increased again in the neighborhood of the old ruins. A second village has changed its location in relation to the filling Tsimlyansk reservoir. In the area of the left-bank villages Nagavskaya and Krivsky Tsimlyanskoe reservoir shrinks, both banks are visible from the boat. Between these two stanitsas we cross the border of the Rostov region. At the confluence Tsimly Tsymlyansk Sea coast again diverge. Reservoir here reaches its maximum width - more than 38 km.
We pass the town Tsimlyansk. One of the main attractions is the hydroelectric Tsymlyans'ka. In addition, Tsimlyansk known for its wines, especially champagne "Tsimlyanskoe sparkling." Founded in 1672 the Don Cossacks as the town of Ust-Tsimla, named for the location in the estuary. Tsimla. Until 1950 Tsymlyans'ka village. On the high bank set a 30-meter obelisk to commemorate the completion of the Volga-Don. Tsymlyansk near the port during the canal construction rose a new city - Volgodonsk. In Volgodonsk, built a large chemical plant, woodworking plant, the company building industry.
Path to Tsimlyansky gateway lies through a vast water area, fenced concrete breakwater. Above the entrance to the upper gate stretched 30-meter arch with four cast sculptural groups. After a short interim channel we are going through the last 15-th gateway Volga-Don waterway.
We went into the natural course of the Don. It starts with the most picturesque section of our Rostov flight. The hills on the right bank are increasingly wearing green gardens and vineyards. On the left stretched the boundless steppes, known high yield of grain crops. For the village Romanov, who is famous for melons and gardens, along the left bank of the Don runs an extensive floodplain. Starting from the village of Nikolaev and on the right bank also is expanding the floodplain. She runs off and then on the left, then on the right bank almost to the Rostov. Soon after the mouth of the river Kagalnik on the hill right bank of the city will see Konstantinovsk, known primarily for its food industry enterprises. While parked in the Constantine ship tourists offer for an additional fee to attend vinsovhoz "Vedernik" tasting.
The village Razdorskikh how and following paragraphs - Kurhlyakovsky hamlet, village Melihovskaya - has long been centers of viticulture and horticulture. For the village Melihovskoy Don divides into two branches: the right moves Aksay, which stretches almost to the Rostov.
On the right bank of the green gardens of the ancient buildings there Starocherkasskaya village, which dates back to 1570 From 1644 to 1805 she was considered a city called Cherkasy and was the capital of the Don Cossacks. Cherkassk was surrounded by an earthen rampart with a wooden towers, and by Don covered stone wall. However, in 1805 due to frequent flooding the capital of the Don moved to the newly built city of Novocherkassk, situated on higher opposite bank. The old capital was demoted and became known as the village Starocherkasskaya. It often stop ships, and tourists can get acquainted with the main architectural attraction Starocherkassk - the first on-Don Stone troop Orthodox Holy Resurrection Cathedral, constructed in 1706 to 1719. According to legend, Peter I, took part in the building - laid a few bricks in the altar area. The cathedral has preserved its unique iconostasis with 125 icons middle of the XVIII century, made in the techniques of wood carving.
For the village Starocherkasskaya on the right bank of the Don, is a picturesque grove, called Monastery tract. Somewhat lower, at the confluence of the main channel of the Don with his right arm Aksai, spread a large village of Aksai, now transformed into the city. It has now become a significant center of a variety of light industry, a major port on the Volga-Don waterway. In the old days there was a post station, in which travel to the Caucasus changed horses, AS Pushkin, MJ Lermontov, LN Thick.
Soon the ship docks in the glorious city of Rostov-on-Don. Travelers meets a long and well-groomed promenade, which received the name of the Russian naval commander, Admiral Fyodor Ushakov. There are also plenty of monuments, fountains and cafes. During the city tour bus makes a stop at the Theater of Young Spectators from near the monument to Karl Marx, as well as in Theatre Square, where the Drama Theatre. Gorky was built in the form of a tractor, but on the contrary it is the stele to commemorate the victory over Fascism. Instead, the monument to Karl Marx once stood the monument of Catherine II, who gave these lands to Armenians. Was established in Nakhichevan, that is, in fact, right now, Rostov-on-Don consists of two cities - the Rostov and Nakhichevan. Attracts attention for its architecture Rostov State Musical Theatre, built of white marble in the form of a piano with a tilted cap, located on Sadovaya Street.
For most cruises in this area of Rostov-on-Don - the most extreme point of the trip. But the ships' Anatoly Papanov "and" Yuri Nikulin make a long journey - in Yeisk (in 2006 and 2007.) Or Taganrog (2008).