In the history of the past, there are many references to unique civilizations and legendary lost cities, such as Atlantis. However, the story about her is not the only one of its kind. Other cultures also have similar stories of disappeared ghost towns. Some of them sank to the bottom of the sea, while others were covered with desert sands. Most have never been found.
Legend of Kitezh
In Central Russia there is the Svetloyar Lake, which is an adornment of Russian nature. Very often it is called "Russian Atlantis". The history of the appearance of the lake is covered with mystical events. According to the legend, the lake is located in the forest, “its waters remain frozen day and night. Only sometimes a light breeze slides along them in small ripples. Sometimes bells are heard to the shores of the lake.
Even before the Tatar-Mongol invasion, the Russian prince Georgy Vsevolodovich built a city on the Volga called Maly Kitezh. Then he found a place across the river that he liked and built another city - Big Kitezh-grad with several golden-domed churches.
After the beginning of the conquest of the Russian lands, Khan Batu heard about the beauty of Kitezh and wanted to take it over. Coming with a horde to Small Kitezh, Batu killed the prince's brother, and the prince himself with the remnants of his squad reached Kitezh-grad. One of the soldiers, who was captured by the khan, could not stand the torture and opened secret passages to the forest city. A huge army of Tatars surrounded the city and tried to capture it. However, when they came closer to the walls, they were greatly surprised: there were no fortifications around the city, no one thought to defend themselves. All residents of the city prayed fervently and loudly.
When the Tatars rushed to the attack, suddenly strong water springs were clogged around the city. The water kept coming and covering the city. The Tatars, seized with fear, retreated in panic. When the water barrier that defended Kitezh fell, no one saw it. A lake appeared in the place of the city, and in the very middle the lone cross of the top of the cathedral glittered, and even that one slowly sank under the water.
Since then, the city has never been seen again, but the legend says that it became invisible and is under water. Kitezh remained intact - the Tatars did not plunder it. There is a passage to the lake, which is popularly called the Batu path. Only a person with a pure soul can walk along it and see the flickering lights of houses and churches in the depths. And early in the morning on the shore you can hear the sweet bells ringing of the cathedrals of Kitezh-grad.
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The origins of the legend of the sacred Kitezh
According to legend, the city of Kitezh disappeared during the first invasion of the Tatar-Mongols into the territory of Russia, in the period between 1236 - 1242. The mystical lake Svetloyar, which covered the holy city of Kitezh with its waters, is located on the territory of the Volga region and has been known since ancient times as the center of pagan beliefs. Once upon a time, the Berendei lived near the lake, whose descendants retained the belief that Kitezh was the largest religious heart of the cult of the god Yarila. Therefore, the lake has always been revered by Russian princes and was sacred to them.
After the baptism of Rus, the pagan Kitezh-grad turned into the center of Orthodoxy, but this did not change anything for the princes. They continued to visit him.
According to some scientists, Lake Svetloyar, which has swallowed up the legendary city, has a strong positive energy. And although the gods of the Berendeans were replaced by the names of Orthodox saints, the place of worship itself is special for believers, and has magical energy that is capable of healing. Therefore, today many mysterious stories and miraculous examples of healing are associated with this legendary place.
History of Kitezh in Christian annals
Christian chronicles say that Kitezh was founded by the ruler Yuri Vsevolodovich - the son of Vsevolod "Big Nest". Many cathedrals and churches were built in the great city. The whole of Kitezh was built of white stone, which spoke of the purity and power of the city. Khan Batu dreamed of world domination and wanted to lead the horde to the Mediterranean, but he was afraid that the undefeated Russian prince remained in the rear. That is why Batu ordered to torture the captured soldiers in every possible way in order to find out the secret passages to Kitezh. Everyone was silent, because they realized: if you give out the location of the city, this will lead to the complete destruction of the last Russians. But one of the warriors, Grishka Kuterma, could not stand the sophisticated bullying, having agreed to lead the enemy by secret paths to the holy city.
The horde went through impassable swamps and thickets, but the traitor knew all the paths, so he led the army of Khan Batu to Kitezh. When the inhabitants of the city saw the approaching horde, they gathered together and began to fervently pray to God for salvation. The prayer was heard and the enemies watched in fear as the sacred Kitezh sank under the water. So the legendary city did not go to the merciless Tatars, who wanted to plunder and dishonor it.
The spiritual value of Kitezh-grad
As historians note, some circumstances in the legend about the sacred city raise doubts. After all, the prince's squad, or rather its remnants, did not pose any danger to Batu with his large horde. Why did the khan need to lead an army across the marshland to a city that was considered mythical even then? The fact is that the stately city had a special value for Russia, since it was its spiritual foundation. In the historical annals of Kitezh, there is information that almost the entire territory of the city was in the construction of churches and temples, and this spoke of the greatest association of the Orthodox faith.
Historians have put forward a version that Kitezh was not the political basis of the Russians, but the spiritual one. That is why Batu decided to wipe Orthodoxy from the face of the earth, and also deprive the Russians of hope for a future restoration of faith. But the sacred city did not fall to the enemy.
An expedition to the lake and mysteries for scientists
The legend of Kitezh-grad lives on today. People living near the lake tell mysterious stories about strangely dressed people who suddenly appear in different places. Also, from the lips of local residents, you can hear stories about the mysterious disappearances of people who came to find the glorious city.
Lake Svetloyar has long been of interest to geologists and archaeologists, including experts who independently investigate the mystery of the drowned city. Many explain the disappearance of Kitezh by physical laws, and some believe in the supernatural nature of things.
Getting to the lake is not difficult at all. It is located 100 kilometers from Nizhny Novgorod and only 2 kilometers from the village of Vladimirskoye. The lake itself has a regular oval shape - 500 x 350 meters. However, the depth reaches 40 meters. Therefore, swimming in the lake is prohibited.
For scientists, the lake poses many mysteries to which they have not yet been able to find answers. How did it come about? And how could Kitezh-grad swallow up? Experts have not come to a common opinion. Several options are put forward. According to some, the lake is of volcanic origin, others claim that it was left by a melted glacier, while others blame the karst voids for everything. Studies have recently been conducted showing that the lake may have appeared at the site of a meteorite impact.
Thanks to underwater research, it turned out that the bottom of the lake has a complex relief, and the last sinking of the earth's surface took place about 800 years ago, together with the invasion of Batu into the territory of Russia. Coincidence? However, the city of Kitezh was not found at the bottom. Where, then, did such a majestic city go?
Among the versions put forward, the mystical side is also considered. Under certain circumstances and within a certain period of time, different dimensions could touch. As a result of the common sincere prayer of the townspeople in extreme conditions, the layers of reality could shift. Let's remember that Kitezh was considered a holy place for worship. In addition, the local residents did not choose the time of prayer by chance. The day on which the prayer took place was unusual. The planets and celestial bodies took a certain position at which there was a contact of other dimensions. Therefore, scientists even suggested that the sacred city of Kitezh was transported to a parallel world.
Despite the legends and myths, as well as Russian folklore, scientists were able to find traces of the real events of the emergence of the lake. Geologists have determined that the entire central part of Russia lies on a slab of solid rock. However, its entire surface is cut by deep, intersecting depressions. It is on this fact that geologists base the appearance of such a deep lake. Therefore, Kitezh could fall into this huge water reservoir.
Scuba divers, together with scientists, checked the lake with an echo sounder and found that it was anomalous. At the bottom, under a multi-meter layer of sedimentary mud, the reflected signals found something that did not let sound go deep. When experts drew maps of this area, according to scanning, they got a strange pattern, reminiscent of a city surrounded by embankments. It is not surprising that Kitezh existed, but then, as a result of tectonic activity, it simply went under water.
Geophysicists in the study of the lake used a hydrophone, made on the principle of converting sound into an electrical signal. In the course of experiments, in some places the water “screamed”, and in some places a sound was recorded, very reminiscent of the ringing of a bell. The chemical composition of the lake's water also amazes scientists with its high content of bicarbonate and calcium.
The story of Kitezh, which was hidden from the enemy by the waters of the lake, is one of the most famous in history. To date, the city has not been found, but work on its search does not stop. Lake Svetloyar, where according to legend Kitezh descended, presents scientists with more and more mysteries, the answers to which we may never know.