The gloom and depressing feeling that visit almost everyone who happens to be on the Obvodny Canal is associated with times much more ancient than those in which St. Petersburg appeared.
In those places where the bed of the Obvodny Canal now runs, there was once a famous pagan temple. His wise priests were revered by the people for always being able to help. The idols standing on it were ancient and prayerful. More than one generation of Slavs turned to them with requests for help. The place was loved and popular among the people, and idol worship was a daily routine.
But during one of the invasions, the temple was ravaged by Swedish soldiers, the priests were brutally killed, and people who visited this temple were generally allowed to appear in these places.
The people fought as best they could, but they were unable to resist the organized armed army and were forced to retreat. Before his death, the high priest cursed both the soldier and the very place of the temple, which did not become strong enough or did not want to show its strength in order to protect both the priests and the "parishioners".
According to his curse, this place will never again attract people, people here will suffer and die, there will never be anything good and worthwhile here, and what will be built will not bring people either joy or satisfaction. According to legend, the soldiers cursed by the priest were never able to leave these lands - all of them on their way back to Sweden fell into a swamp, which no one knew about, and disappeared near the very place where the temple they destroyed was. This was the first victim of the curse of the old priest …
Several centuries have passed since then, but the curse imposed by the priest has not lost its mourning power. And until now, the area near the Obvodny Canal unconsciously repels people, perhaps not a single resident of St. Petersburg would want to live there, and those who are forced to live in this area try to leave it as soon as possible.
Apartments in this area are among the cheapest, despite the fact that it is the city center. There are hotels in the area, but they are just as unpopular as permanent accommodation. People have not been able to love this corner of the city, and for good reason.
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The Obvodny Canal area is the place where suicides most often occur. People in this area are much more likely to be depressed than elsewhere. What prompts them to take this gloomy step? Here is the story of one failed suicide who tried to drown himself by throwing himself from the embankment of the Obvodny Canal into the water.
“I've never been inclined to do things like suicide or even just self-harm. Even moral self-flagellation is unusual for me. It always seemed to me that I was confident in myself and my actions, and I would never regret anything. However, going to Kupalskaya (as I later learned) night along the Obvodny embankment, I suddenly realized that I was living in vain, my life is empty, there is nothing that would be worth my existence on earth, and I have only one outcome - right now to rush into water. Before I even noticed, I ended up on the parapet. There was no time to think, and I did not want to. I stood, admired the attractive water surface and thought that I would soon become a part of it, I would lie at the bottom where no one would see me … It was strange and unusual. Now I understand that these were not my thoughts, since they are unusual for me, but then I had no doubts. My will was completely paralyzed. I stood and looked at this attractive water, realizing that only one step separates me from what I at that moment considered my destiny. And I took this step …"
Fortunately, this man was saved. But how many are carried away by the ancient curse of the priest? No one can give an exact answer. The temple flooded by the bypass channel continues to weigh on the souls of the weak, and the dreary cloudy weather of St. Petersburg only aggravates the negative impact of dark water.