There are many legends about the Batashev brothers, who founded Vyksa and the local metallurgical plant. It is believed that Ivan was a typical merchant, and Andrei was an industrialist to the core. Once the brothers quarreled (the reliable reason is still not known), and Andrei left Vyksa for good for the neighboring Ryazan region. In parting, he threw to his brother: "See you in the next world!" And recently in the Batashevs' estate, where the basements are being actively reconstructed, strange things began to happen: creaking, slamming doors, footsteps, alarms … - only ghosts have settled in the house!
The Museum of the History of the Vyksa Steel Works is located in the Batashev-Shepelevs' manor house. This is an authentic house, built in 1765-1770, and in which the Batashev brothers lived first, and then the successor of the metallurgists' business Dmitry Shepelev. The museum occupies two out of three floors. Visitors can walk on cast-iron staircases, which were used by the Batashevs and their guests more than 200 years ago.
Ancient cast-iron stairs.
However, at night the watchmen still hear someone's footsteps in the estate, the creak and slamming of doors … Workers who are now busy restoring the basements of the central house of the estate also met with ghosts. In search of invisible tenants, we went to the basement - following the director of the museum of the Batashev-Shepelev Manor-Industrial Complex, Andrey Tsyplyaev.
Andrey Tsyplyaev - about Ivan Batashev: “Look into these eyes - it was impossible to refuse them!"
We go down to the basement along the cast-iron staircase, which has remained unchanged since the beginning of the construction of the house. Very low vault. You have to bend your head down.
Descent to the basement of the Batashevs' house.
The basement originally had three levels. But due to the violation of waterproofing, it was constantly flooded. Therefore, during the restoration of the building, it was decided to fill up the two lower levels, thus solving the problem of flooding once and for all. But the third level, at a depth of 4.5 meters, remained. Reconstruction is underway here and excursions are already being conducted.
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“They say that“white stone”is about Moscow,” says Andrey Tsyplyaev. - But few people know that our Vyksa is also "white stone".
In confirmation of his words, the director of the museum shines on a huge white brick, from which the foundation of the Batashevs' house is built.
White brick of huge size, from which the foundation is built.
Only a couple of the top rows are lined with red stone, but then again - white. Why? Perhaps during construction there were interruptions in materials, but it was impossible to stop the process. Maybe for another reason … But in any case, the decision to replace the brick could only be made personally by the owner of the future estate, who, according to Andrey Tsyplyaev, came and controlled the construction process.
Tour participants are allowed to touch the stone, which is more than 250 years old. The brick falls from the touch.
Looking for ghosts. A few seconds earlier, an incomprehensible sound came from there.
The basement has many windows of different sizes and designs. What were they used for? There is a version that food was stored in the basement and animal carcasses were lowered through the windows. They were hung on special rings. Or maybe not only animal carcasses were hung here …
What do you think, what were these rings, installed in the ceiling, used for?
- Once I raised my hand and grabbed this ring so as not to fall. And then he lifted the second - and right above it was the second ring … The distance between them is just the width of human hands. Think about it … - Andrey Anatolyevich says meaningfully.
Workers in the basement more than once met some shadows. Sometimes they do not leave the feeling that someone is watching them during the reconstruction of walls and arches. Perhaps this is so, but during our 15-minute stay in this basement, we did not notice any unpleasant looks. Perhaps it was not too late …
Workers in the basement more than once met some shadows.
One basement, which has already been restored, is used for technical purposes. The second one is planned to be used for conducting excursions "with ghosts".
We ascend into the light and go into another semi-basement room - the vaults of the Factory Office of the 18th century.
In the basement of the Factory Office of the 18th century.
Local residents remembered that 10 years ago there was a favorite place for local youth - bars, night discos and other entertainment venues. Then this building was transferred to the museum and restoration began here.
After restoration, it is planned to open an anti-cafe here.
Specialists discovered the unique brickwork of ancient vaults, they even found a rail of those times, built into the wall for some purpose. But the earthen floor had to be preserved and filled with concrete - modern technology allows it to be done.
By the way, after restoration, this place will again become a center of attraction for young people, Andrey Tsyplyaev is sure. It is planned to open an anti-cafe in the vaults of the Factory Office of the 18th century. The upper floors will house a multimedia library.
Another mystical place in Vyksa is the crypts of the Christ-Nativity Church. It was the house church of the Batashevs-Shelepovs, there were even warm floors.
The restoration of the Nativity of Christ Church began in the Soviet years.
Ivan Batashev, and his daughter Daria, and his son-in-law Dmitry Shepelev, and other close relatives were buried here. However, in 1937 the crypt was opened, the coffins with the remains of the founders of Vyksa were thrown out …
Plates remind that noble people were buried here.
Later, when the people dispersed from the square, having played enough with the bones, the local grandmothers collected the remains and took them to the cemetery to a small church built by the Batashevs for the working people.
In the crypt.
By the way, during the reconstruction at the metallurgical plant several years ago, the tombstone of Ivan Batashev was discovered. They dismantled one of the huge machines and found this plate under it. Apparently, they did not find anything better and stronger to lay the floor for evenness.
Two years ago, Andrei Tsyplyaev brought part of Andrei Batashev's ashes from Gus-Khrustalny and buried them in the old cemetery.
- So we met "in the next world", as the elder of the brothers bequeathed, - said the director of the museum.
Entrance to the crypt.
In 1987, the restoration of the Nativity of Christ Church began. During the work in the crypt, a scrap fell through one of the workers. They opened the floor and found a coffin with female remains. It turned out that this is Princess Neonila Golitsina, who died in 1855.
According to experts, she was very ugly and died during childbirth. But where is the child then? And did he survive? There were no children's bones in the coffin … And this fact gives the specialists hope that the descendant of the Golitsyns survived.
Andrey Tsyplyaev believes that the crypt of the Nativity of Christ Church keeps many more secrets.
Meanwhile, the crypt of the Church of the Nativity of Christ keeps more than one legend, believes Andrei Tsyplyaev. So, the floor began to sink in another place of the family burial.
Sagging floor.
It is possible that when the floor is opened, the remains of someone from a noble family of the founders of Vyksa and the plant will also be found there.
In the meantime, tourists are coming to Vyksa in search of ghosts, legends and exciting stories.
Text: Roman Filtsov. Photo: Natalia Burukhina
