Zhizdrinskiy District: Discover Nature and History

The Schisdra Arboretum and Lake Besdonnoye represent different aspects of nature in Zhizdrinskiy District. In Schisdra, the Church of the Intercession of the Most Holy Theotokos and the local history museum, with its varied historical themes, add to this perspective.

Natural Monuments and Plant Life

The Schisdra Arboretum is a natural monument of regional significance in Schisdra District. It was designated on January 14, 1985, and covers 1.75 hectares. Its present vegetation includes surviving Siberian larches and pines, oaks, ash trees, poplars, and other trees and shrubs planted from the late 19th to the mid-20th century. Small fragments of mesic meadows and ruderal plant communities are found along the roadsides. A total of 127 vascular plant species have been recorded in the park. Four of them—field maple, common buckthorn, European spindle, and sweet violet—are listed in the Red Data Book of Kaluga Oblast; 37 species are non-native, including 13 invasive species.

Lake Besdonnoye is a natural monument of regional significance in Kaluga Oblast, in Schisdra District, near the village of Ozyorskaya. For nature planning, the distinction is clear: plant life is the main focus at the arboretum, while Besdonnoye is notable for being a karst lake. Both are natural monuments of regional significance.

Church Architecture and History

The Church of the Intercession of the Most Holy Theotokos in Schisdra was rebuilt in 1995 on the site of an earlier Pokrovsky Church. Its exterior combines elements of traditional Russian church architecture with modern architecture. The former stone Church of the Intercession of the Most Holy Theotokos was built in 1877 by the town community and donors in memory of Emperor Alexander II’s survival. Its five altars were dedicated to the Intercession of the Most Holy Theotokos, Venerable Mary of Egypt, Saints Cosmas and Damian, the Apostles Peter and Paul, and Saint Tikhon of Zadonsk. This makes it possible to distinguish chronologically between the construction history of the stone predecessor and the description of the church rebuilt in 1995.

Local History at the Museum

The history hall at the Schisdra Local History Museum covers the history of Schisdra District from the Stone Age onward, early settlements in 1146, and the everyday life of Schisdra’s residents. The military history hall focuses on the period from 1941 to 1945 and the 22-month occupation of Schisdra District. In the “Present Day” hall, the exhibition begins with a nature corner displaying stuffed birds and animals from the Schisdra area. The halls have different focuses: the history hall spans a long period, while the military history room focuses on a specific, limited period; the nature corner complements these themes with animal displays.

Discover more destinations: Oslinka, Peremyshlsky District, Dzerzhinskiy District, Kaluga, Mosalskiy District, Tarusskiy District, Kaluga City, Obninsk City.

For the broader travel overview: Kaluga Oblast.