Verkhnekhavskiy District: Nature, Theater and Early History

Verkhnekhavskiy District offers special reasons to take a closer look at nature and culture: a forest trail featuring typical plants of Usmanski Bor, a peasant theater with a long history, and a collection of vessels about 5,000 years old. These places and themes give the trip its own character—from observing plants to discovering traces of the past.

Forest Nature Along the “Zapovednaya Skazka” Trail

Typical plants of Usmanski Bor can be seen along the “Zapovednaya Skazka” forest trail in the Voronezh Nature Reserve. Those interested in plant life can experience the trail with an eye for this distinctive flora. This brings a specific aspect of nature into focus: not a general description of the landscape, but the plants associated with Usmanski Bor.

Theater History and Early Finds

The peasant theater in Nikolskoye was founded in the late 19th century by Zinaida Sokolova, the younger sister of Konstantin Stanislavski. A report from 2014 noted that the theater was still operating at the time and listed “Aibolit” and “The Marriage of Balzaminov” among the plays in its repertoire.

The Verkhnyaya Khava Local History Museum offers a glimpse into a different period: its collection includes votive vessels about 5,000 years old. The local cultural offerings thus bring together a theater founded in the late 19th century and collection pieces from a much earlier time. Those interested in history will find different time scales here, from the beginnings of a theatrical tradition to vessels from early history.

More Nature and Culture in Voronezh Oblast

The wider Voronezh Oblast also offers distinctive destinations with a range of focuses. Khopyor Nature Reserve extends across the Novokhopersky, Povorinsky and Gribanovsky administrative districts. The “Legends of Khopyor” hiking excursion is five kilometers long and takes three hours; this route is closed during the spring flood. The “Tour de Khopyor” cycling route covers 26 kilometers and takes four hours. The stated route lengths differ considerably, while the listed durations are only one hour apart.

The nature museum at Khopyor Reserve has two halls devoted to the reserve’s wildlife and habitats. Exhibits cover beavers, Russian desmans, water-dwelling and predatory birds, as well as wild boar, elk, fallow deer and red deer. A large relief map of the reserve complements the exhibition. Check the museum’s visitor rules before your visit.

The “Divnogorye” Museum-Reserve is characterized by chalk landscapes, unusual chalk cliffs on steep slopes, and large, ridge-like chalk ravines. Divnogorsky Canyon is about one kilometer long and up to 200 meters wide. The landscape is accompanied by archaeological and historical traces: Stone Age settlements, the ruins of the medieval Mayatskaya Fortress, and six cult caves and cave complexes. These are carved into the chalk massif on the right bank of the Tikhaya Sosna and Don rivers and extend for about 8.5 kilometers.

The “Paleolithic Workshops” are another feature of the Museum-Reserve: they recreate the Stone Age and offer workshops on making stone tools. Another specific route leads to the Cave Church of the Nativity of John the Baptist in Malye Divy. The walking route crosses the Museum-Reserve grounds and takes 30 to 40 minutes; access to the church must be arranged with the monastery’s pilgrimage service.

The “Kostenki” Museum-Reserve is a major archaeological site in the oblast. The building of the Archaeological Museum completely covers a Stone Age settlement site. The Museum-Reserve covers nine hectares and includes 25 protected zones with about 60 Upper Paleolithic sites. The combination of a museum and archaeological sites makes Kostenki a distinctive destination for travelers interested in early settlement and archaeological evidence.

Discover more destinations: Povorinsky District, Ramonsky District, Bogucharsky District, Nizhnedevitsky District, Voronezh, Anninsky District, Kantemirovsky District, Novousmansky District.

For the regional travel overview: Voronezh Oblast.