There are a lot of places in Vladimir region which names mean nothing to most of people living in other areas.  I would like to tell you about one of such places. It is the small village of Snegirevo which is on the way from Alexandrov to Vladimir. It has a beautiful white stone church in the honor of Exaltation of the Cross. The village is situated on the river the Vorsha away from the main road. It was founded in the 16-th century and got its name after the first owner – a widow, Snegireva by surname.
Up to 1813 Snegirevo was a little settlement, but at the end of the 17-th century the new owners of the village, Petr and Ioann Saltykovs, started a great reconstruction.  A beautiful palace in French style was built (1804), a lot of household buildings were constructed. Seven cascade ponds were dug out in the park. The centre of the culture was the temple built in 1813. Later a school appeared in the village.
After the abolition of serfdom the owners left the place. The palace was destroyed, most of the beautiful park was cut down. The only place which survived was the church. The prayers didn’t stop there even after the Revolution of 1917 and during the Great Patriotic War.
 In 1993 some land in the village of Snegirevo with the church of Exaltation of the Cross were given to the nunnery of Holy Assumption, which is in Alexandrov. A new stage in its history started. Now the nuns look after this monument of history and architecture of Vladimir region. They restored old buildings and the holy well, cleaned the territory of the park near it. A lot of believers in God visit this fantastic place on great Christian holidays, admire the wild nature and drink the fresh water of the holy well.

Чурина Екатерина Алексеевна

МБОУ СОШ № 3 г. Александрова Владимирской области

Учащаяся 9 «В» класса, учитель английского языка - Ведь Г. А.

2012