In Europe, the Volga is the largest river, but in Russia it is only in fifth place in terms of size. In the Tver region, there is a village Volgoverkhovye. Near it stands a chapel - this is the place where the Volga River originates.
Even before our era, the Egyptians, Greeks and Slavs who lived at that time called it Ra, the incarnation of the sun god, and those places where it flows, the sacred country of Iriy (Paradise).
In the Middle Ages, since the place where the Volga River originates is located in Russia, it received a Russian name, which means "wetland" or "flowing stream". But the Turks who lived downstream gave it the name "Itil", that is, "endless", "river of rivers".
In total, it overcomes the path of 3530 km. And if the beginning of the Volga River is a tiny swampy stream, and the first bridge across it is only 3 meters long, then after 10 km it flows into Lake Sterzh, once the first of the Upper Volga lakes, which have now turned into one reservoir. Having passed the chain of former lakes, the river becomes full-flowing and flows to Tver in its original course. A little lower, another reservoir begins, it is often called However, before it represents several man-made lakes, and only on the Caspian lowland does the Volga acquire its natural channel 500 km long. And before flowing into the Caspian Sea, it forms many branches that make up a vast delta (about 19,000 sq. Km).
Today, the Volga is distinguished by its majestic, measured flow, in other places it is even difficult to notice. Although earlier, when there were no dams and reservoirs on it, its temper was steeper, with rifts. The memory of this remained only in the names of coastal cities and towns and in old legends. But in the lower reaches and in places of reservoirs, it can be dangerous, in contrast to the places where it originates.
The Volga River has more than two hundred tributaries, which themselves are full-flowing and large rivers. For example, the Kama tributary is the largest, it is even fuller and longer in length than its "mother". And in total, the Volga basin has more than 150 thousand more or less large rivers (which have a length of over 10 km)
If you believe the guidebooks, then along the Volga you can get to almost any corner of the world. And being near the chapel, where the Volga River originates, you can’t say this at all.
With absolute accuracy, we can only say that it is realistic to go on a cruise from Moscow to Nizhny Novgorod, St. Petersburg or Astrakhan. The capital can be reached through the Moscow Canal. You will get to the Azov and Black Seas with the help of A Volga-Baltic route will take you to while the White Sea-Baltic and North Dvina routes will take you to
In addition to the fact that you can cruise along the river, the Volga is a source of large fish resources. There are about 70 species of fish, most of which is commercial. This is herring, and stellate sturgeon, and vobla, and sterlet with sturgeon, and bream with pike. It is not for nothing that fishermen from all over our vast country, and from abroad, aspire to go there.
And if you decide to go on a trip, then start from the places where the Volga River originates, where it is still just a small stream, which after a few hundred kilometers becomes the great Russian river, striking in its beauty and majesty.
The ancient authors of the first centuries A.D. e. (Claudius Ptolemy and Ammianus Marcellinus) The Volga was called Ra, lat. Rha (cf. Moksh. and Erz. Rav - both names of Iranian origin). Byzantine chronicler Theophan the Confessor, describing geographical names Northern Black Sea, repeats several times "the greatest river flowing down from the ocean through the land of the Sarmatians and called Ατελ". IN Latin translation, made "about half a century after the creation of the Greek original", is worth Atel. In the Middle Ages it was known as Itil(cf. the modern names of Bashk. Iel, Tat. Idel, Kazakh. Edil, Chuvash. Atl, Kalm. Il). The modern Mari Yul comes from the ancient Turks. jul "source, stream". Russian name Volga (old Slav. Vlga) came from the Proto-Slavic *Vьlga, cf. volgly - vologa - moisture. The presence of the rivers Vlga in the Czech Republic and Vilga (Polish) Russian speaks for the Slavic version of the origin of the name. in Poland.
Based on the fact that the upper Volga is located in a zone where hydronymy of Baltic origin is widely represented, an etymology from the Baltic languages is proposed: ilga “long, long” → lake. Volgo → r. Volga; valka "stream, not big river». Alternative versions derive the name of the river from the Baltic-Finnish (Fin. valkea "white", cf. Vologda; Vyrusk. Valgõ) and Volga-Finnish (Old Mari *Jylγ (from Turkic), modern Mar. Yul) languages.
It is believed that the first mention of the Volga is found in the writings of the ancient Greek historian Herodotus (5th century BC), in a story about the campaign of the Persian king Darius I against the Scythians. Herodotus reports that Darius, pursuing the Scythians across the Tanais River (modern Don), stopped on the Oar River. They try to identify the Oar River with the Volga, although Herodotus also reported that the Oar flows into the Meotida (modern Sea of Azov).
O Volga!.. my cradle!
Has anyone loved you like me?
Alone, but the morning dawn,
When everything else in the world is sleeping
And the scarlet glitter barely slips
On dark blue waves
I ran away to my native river...
(Nekrasov)
The geographical position of the Volga and its large tributaries determined already by the 8th century its importance as a trade route between East and West. It was along the Volga route that a stream of Arab silver poured into Scandinavian countries. From Arab Caliphate fabrics, metals were exported, from the Slavic lands - slaves, furs, wax, honey. IN IX-X centuries in trade, such centers as the Khazar Itil at the mouth, the Bulgar Bulgar on the Middle Volga, the Russian Rostov, Suzdal, and Murom in the Upper Volga region played a significant role. Since the 11th century, trade has been weakening, and in the 13th century, the Mongol-Tatar invasion disrupted economic ties, except for the upper Volga basin, where Novgorod, Tver and the cities of Vladimir-Suzdal Rus played an active role. Since the 15th century, the significance of the trade route has been restored, and the role of such centers as Kazan, Nizhny Novgorod, and Astrakhan has been growing. Conquest by Ivan the Terrible mid-sixteenth century of the Kazan and Astrakhan khanates led to the unification of the entire Volga river system in the hands of Russia, which contributed to the flourishing of the Volga trade in the 17th century. New big cities- Samara, Saratov, Tsaritsyn; big role play Yaroslavl, Kostroma, Nizhny Novgorod, Simbirsk. Large caravans of ships (up to 500) go along the Volga. In the XVIII century, the main trade routes moved to the West, and economic development the lower Volga is constrained by poor population and nomad raids. Volga basin in XVII-XVIII centuries was the main area of operations of the insurgent peasants and Cossacks during peasant wars under the direction of S. T. Razin and E. I. Pugachev. In the 19th century, there was a significant development of the Volga trade route after the connection of the Mariinsky river system of the Volga and Neva basins (1808); a major river fleet(in 1820 - the first steamboat), a huge army of barge haulers (up to 300 thousand people) works on the Volga. Major shipments of grain, salt, fish, and later oil and cotton are carried out.
river length- 3530 km (before the construction of reservoirs - 3690 km), the area of its catchment basin is 1,361,000 sq. km.
Volga basin
The Volga originates on the Valdai Upland (at an altitude of 228 m), flows into the Caspian Sea. The mouth lies 28 m below sea level. The total fall is 256 m. The Volga is the world's largest river of internal flow, that is, it does not flow into the oceans.
The river system of the Volga basin includes 151 thousand watercourses with a total length of 574 thousand km. The Volga receives about 200 tributaries. The left tributaries are more numerous and more abundant than the right ones. There are no significant tributaries after Kamyshin.
The Volga basin occupies about 1/3 of the European territory of Russia and extends from the Valdai and Central Russian Uplands in the west to the Urals in the east. The main feeding part of the Volga catchment area, from the source to the cities Nizhny Novgorod and Kazan, located in the forest zone, the middle part of the basin to the cities of Samara and Saratov - in the forest-steppe zone, the lower part - in the steppe zone to Volgograd, and to the south - in the semi-desert zone. It is customary to divide the Volga into 3 parts: the upper Volga - from the source to the mouth of the Oka, the middle Volga - from the confluence of the Oka to the mouth of the Kama, and the lower Volga - from the confluence of the Kama to the mouth.
As along the Volga river, along the wide
An easterly boat sailed,
Like rowers on a boat,
Cossacks, young guys.
(Pushkin)
The source of the Volga
The source of the Volga is the key near the village of Volgoverkhovye in the Tver region. In the upper reaches, within the Valdai Upland, the Volga passes through small lakes - Small and Big Verkhity, then through a system of large lakes known as the Upper Volga lakes: Sterzh, Vselug, Peno and Volgo, united in the so-called Upper Volga reservoir.
Upper Volga
After the passage of the Volga through the system of Upper Volga lakes in 1843, a dam (Upper Volga Beyshlot) was built to regulate the flow of water and maintain navigable depths in low water.
First major locality on the Volga from the source - the city of Rzhev.
Between the cities of Tver and Rybinsk on the Volga, the Ivankovskoye reservoir (the so-called Moscow Sea) was created with a dam and a hydroelectric power station near the city of Dubna, the Uglich reservoir (hydroelectric power station near Uglich) - the Rybinsk reservoir (hydroelectric power station near Rybinsk). In the region of Rybinsk - Yaroslavl and below Kostroma, the river flows in a narrow valley among high banks, crossing the Uglich-Danilov and Galich-Chukhloma uplands. Further, the Volga flows along the Unzha and Balakhna lowlands. Near Gorodets (above Nizhny Novgorod), the Volga, blocked by the dam of the Nizhny Novgorod hydroelectric power station, forms the Gorky reservoir.
Major tributaries upper Volga - Selizharovka, Darkness, Tvertsa, Mologa, Sheksna, Kotorosl and Unzha.
Middle Volga
Volga near Nizhny Novgorod
In the middle reaches, below the confluence of the Oka, the Volga becomes even more full-flowing. It flows along the northern edge of the Volga Upland. The right bank of the river is high, the left is low. Near Cheboksary, the Cheboksary hydroelectric power station was built, above the dam of which the Cheboksary reservoir is located. The largest tributaries of the Volga in its middle reaches are the Oka, Sura, Vetluga and Sviyaga.
Lower Volga
In the lower reaches, after the confluence of the Kama, the Volga becomes a mighty river. It flows here along the Volga Upland. Near Tolyatti, above the Samarskaya Luka, which is formed by the Volga, skirting the Zhiguli mountains, the dam of the Zhiguli hydroelectric power station was built; above the dam extends the Kuibyshev reservoir. On the Volga, near the city of Balakovo, the dam of the Saratov hydroelectric power station was erected. The Lower Volga receives relatively small tributaries - Sok, Samara, Big Irgiz, Eruslan. At 21 km above Volgograd, the left branch - Akhtuba (length 537 km) - separates from the Volga, which flows parallel to the main channel. The vast space between the Volga and Akhtuba, crossed by numerous channels and old rivers, is called the Volga-Akhtuba floodplain; the width of floods within this floodplain reached 20-30 km before. On the Volga, between the beginning of the Akhtuba and Volgograd, the Volga hydroelectric power station was built; the Volgograd reservoir extends above the dam.
Volga Delta
The Volga Delta begins at the point where the Buzan branch separates from the Volga bed (46 km north of Astrakhan) and is one of the largest in Russia and the largest in Europe. There are up to 500 branches, channels and small rivers in the delta. The main branches are Buzan, Bakhtemir, Kamyzyak, Staraya Volga, Bolda, Akhtuba; of these, Bakhtemir is maintained in a navigable state, forming the Volga-Caspian Canal. One of the branches of the lower reaches of the Volga - the Kigach River - crosses the territory of Kazakhstan. The strategic conduit "Volga - Mangyshlak" originates from this branch, providing fresh water separate areas of the Mangistau region of Kazakhstan.
Volga flows on the territory of 15 subjects Russian Federation(from source to mouth): Tver region, Moscow region, Yaroslavl region, Kostroma region, Ivanovo region, Nizhny Novgorod Region, Chuvashia, Mari El, Tatarstan, Ulyanovsk region, Samara Region, Saratov region, Volgograd region, Astrakhan region, Kalmykia.
The Volga is connected to by the Baltic Sea Volga-Baltic waterway, Vyshnevolotsk and Tikhvin systems; with the White Sea - through the Severodvinsk system and through the White Sea-Baltic Canal; with the Azov and Black Seas - through the Volga-Don Canal.
Large forest areas are located in the upper Volga basin, large areas in the Middle and partly in the Lower Volga region are occupied by grain and industrial crops. Developed melon growing and horticulture. There are rich deposits of oil and gas in the Volga-Ural region. Near Solikamsk there are large deposits of potash salts. In the Lower Volga region (Lake Baskunchak, Elton) - table salt.
Lives in the Volga about 70 species of fish, of which 40 are commercial (the most important: vobla, bream, pike perch, carp, catfish, pike, sturgeon, sterlet).
Where does the Volga flow? Perhaps, almost any schoolchildren of a general education school can answer this question. However, this river plays so important role in the life of a vast country, what to dwell on her characteristic features much more detail is needed.
Section 1. Where does B flow intoOlga? general description
If you look at the list of the largest and deepest rivers in the world, then the Volga will be almost the very first item in it. It flows along and its length is about 3.5 thousand kilometers.
The Valdai Upland is the source of a mighty river. As you know, the Volga flows into exchanging along its length water resources with numerous rivers and springs. The area of the Volga basin occupies 8% of the entire territory of the Russian Federation.
The Volga is divided into three parts: upper, middle and lower. The first one starts from the source and stretches to the mouth of the Oka, then comes the middle one, which ends at the place where it flows into the Volga. And the lower part ends with the Caspian Sea.
Water reserves in the river are replenished by groundwater, rainfall and snowmelt. In April, the time of spring flood begins, low water is observed in summer, the flood period occurs in autumn, and in winter the river level reaches its lowest point. Water in the Volga begins to freeze in late November or early December.
Section 2. Where does the Volga flow? Interesting historical facts
The first mention of the Volga is in the 2nd century BC in the "Geography" of Ptolemy, where it has the name Ra, which translates as "generous". Itil is its name in the Middle Ages, and in the annals of the Arabs it is called the "river of the Rus".
In the 13th century, the river becomes famous thanks to the beginning of the Volga providing links with European states, and a direct route to the East opens through the Caspian Sea. Where the Volga flows, the map will show quite accurately, however, not everyone knows that forests have been rafted along this river for a long time, and it is here that fishing begins to develop.
On the this moment, compared with past centuries, its possibilities are simply endless.
Fertile soils near the banks of the Volga have long been famous for their fertility, and around the middle of the 19th century, metallurgical and machine-building plants began to be built here. In the 20th century, the development of oil fields began in the lower part of the river. At the same time, the construction of hydroelectric power plants was going on. And every year the river became more and more difficult to replenish its resources.
Section 3. Where does the Volga flow? Features of flora and fauna
Due to the direct proximity to the Caspian Sea, the climate near the Volga is humid and warm, during the hot period the air temperature rises to +40 °, but during the frost period it drops to -25 °.
More than 44 species of fauna live in the river, among them there are endangered specimens that are under protection. It affects a huge number of waterfowl. Mammals prefer to settle near the coast: foxes, hares and raccoon dogs.
More than 120 species of fish live in the waters of the river: carp, roach, bream, sturgeon and others. These places have long been a favorite among fishermen. But if earlier the world sturgeon catch was more than 50%, today the situation has changed dramatically.
The negative influence of civilization has not bypassed the mother river. Big number hydroelectric power plants and reservoirs, which adversely affects the state of local flora and fauna. In addition, the quality of the water itself in the river has deteriorated greatly.
The Volga is one of the largest rivers in Europe. Its source falls on the Voldai Upland, located in the region of the city of Tver. Further, flowing through 11 regions and 4 republics, the Volga flows into the Caspian Sea.
The origin of the name of the Volga river
The Volga owes its name to the Russian word for moisture. There are also other versions. For example, from the Baltic "ilga", which means long, or translated from Finnish white - "valkea".
Historical facts about the Volga River
From a historical point of view, the Volga River was first mentioned in the 5th century BC in the writings of Herodotus. However, only a part of scientists think so, the other half tend to attribute more early time appearance. There are those who consider the Volga river, which Diodorus spoke about in 30 BC.
The Volga was of great importance in the implementation of trade relations. So, it was thanks to this river that the Arabs were able to ship their silver to Scandinavia, and Scandinavia provided other countries with all kinds of fabrics and metals. The heyday of trade along the Volga came in the 17th century, when Ivan the Terrible conquered Astrakhan and Kazan, which contributed to the unification of the entire Volga river system in the hands of the Russian state.
During the war years, Volzhsky river way also played great importance. This has been preserved to this day.
Geographical information about the Volga River
There are 151,000 watercourses in the Volga basin, the length of which in total is 574,000 kilometers. The number of tributaries to the Volga is 200, but all of them are located before the territory of Kamyshin.
The Volga is one of the most famous and largest rivers in all of Europe. Its source falls on the Voldai Upland, located in the region of the city of Tver. Further, flowing through 11 regions and 4 republics, the Volga flows into the Caspian Sea.
It is also important to remember that, conditionally, the Volga has three parts. Its upper part extends from the source to the mouth of the Oka River. The Middle Volga falls on the territory, starting from the confluence of the Oka and ending with the mouth of the Kama. The lower part of the river - from the confluence of the Kama to the mouth.
The lower part of the Volga is the most full-flowing, which made it possible to create a dam on the territory of the Zhigulevskaya hydroelectric power station and build the Volga hydroelectric power station. The Volgograd reservoir is also located here.
Volga water
At present, the water quality in the river can hardly be called good. Industrial and engineering enterprises, thermal plants - all this adversely affects the purity of water. More than a third Wastewater from all over Russia it is on the Volga. Oil products, domestic and agricultural effluents pollute the river, subsequently decaying very slowly or not at all. 
Ichthyophana
Despite the quality of the water, the Volga is home to a wide variety of fish (about 76 species and 47 subspecies). The most big fish of the entire river - beluga, the length of which can reach up to 4 meters. There are also catfish, perch, ruff, roach, pike perch, ide, etc.
Terrain and soil
Due to the very large length of the river, its soil is very diverse. It is a flat river, with an area of 1/3 European part the whole country.
The general value of the Volga
The value of the Volga is very great. First of all, it's great traffic artery, thanks to which it is possible to deliver coal, bread, cement, vegetables and many other very diverse things. 
The Volga is a water supply resource for many factories, plants, as well as industrial enterprises. The river is also important in terms of electricity supply. More than one hydroelectric power station has been built on the Volga, providing people with constant electricity. Also, this is the source different types fish, which is especially appreciated by fishermen. The Volga is also used for active rest and travel!
Many people know that the world-famous Russian river, which has long become a symbol of Russia, flows into the Caspian Sea. But this is where the Volga River originates, not everyone will say.
Bird's-eye
The source of the river originates on the slope of the Valdai Upland, or rather, in the village of Volgoverkhovye, Ostashkovsky District, Tver Region, at an altitude of 228 meters above sea level. The coordinates of the source of the largest water stream in the European part of Russia: 57 ° 15`07 " northern latitude and 32°28`24" East longitude.
At the entrance to the village The village of Volgoverkhovye arose in the 17th century; of people. Now in the Volgoverkhovye there are less than a dozen houses in which about a dozen people live permanently.
In this place, from the swamp, several small springs make their way to the surface of the earth, which are combined into a small reservoir, one of these springs is considered to be the source of the Volga River.
Are you weak..? I stand with two feet on different banks of the Volga It is here on the largest water stream the European part of Russia, you can easily take a picture so that one foot stands on the left bank of the Volga, and the other on the right, because in the narrowest place, with a width of about 50 centimeters, the stream has a depth of only 30 centimeters. The water in this place has a characteristic dark red hue. Sometimes in a dry summer the spring dries up, which, however, does not in the least prevent the Volga River from peacefully carrying its waters along the high banks of the Valdai and Central Russian Uplands towards the Urals, taking in more than 200 tributaries on its more than 3,500-kilometer path to the Caspian Sea.
Chapel above the source of the Volga. Photo by Evgeny Petrovich Vishnyakov 
A chapel was built near the spring, to which a small bridge was laid. In general, the river does not start from a spring, as is commonly believed, but from a bog-moss. In this place of the swamp there is a deep and clean "window", from there the visual outflow of water comes.
Memorial stone at the entrance to the chapel Later in 1995, a wooden chapel on stilts, and in 1999, Patriarch Kirill performed the rite of consecration of water here, and since then this source of the Volga has been considered holy. The chapel can be reached through the swamp by a narrow bridge. The length of this first Volga "crossing" is three meters.
A chapel was built around the spring, to which a bridge leads. A small window is carved in the center of the floor of the chapel. It is located right above the source itself, and visitors can even get clean water.
Around there is a wooden platform with steps descending to the water. popular belief that this source has the ability to heal many diseases.
The water is cold! The fact that it is here that the Volga River originates is suggested by a text carved on a granite stone. It was laid on the forty-eighth anniversary of the start of the Great Patriotic War(June 22, 1989).
The stone looks majestic and impressive, as it should be next to such a mighty river. The inscription on the memorial stone reads:
"Traveler! Turn your eyes to the source of the Volga. The purity and grandeur of the Russian land is born here. Here are the origins of the soul of the people. Keep them. This stone was laid on June 22, 1989 for the living and future children of Russia. Pray for them."
About 300 meters downstream from the beginning of the current are the remains of the first stone Volga dam. It was built at the beginning of the 20th century during the existence of the Olginsky Monastery here.
First Volga dam Initially, this place was Volgoverhovsky monastery, which was founded by order of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich in 1649, but in 1727 there was a fire and it burned down. In 1897, the collection of donations for the construction of a temple in the Volgoverkhovye began. The consecration of the Transfiguration Church took place on May 29, 1912. At the same time, Volgoverkhovsky was founded convent Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Grand Duchess Olga.
The St. Nicholas Church is currently part of the complex of buildings of the Olgin Monastery, and every year hundreds of believers gather here for the feast of the consecration of the waters of the Volga. After the solemn episcopal worship believers procession they go to the Source of the Volga, where a water-blessing prayer service takes place. And in 2001, next to the temple, a monument to St. Nicholas was solemnly opened. 
Monument to Saint Nicholas. Sculptural image of St. Nicholas near the Church of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker of the Olgin Monastery in the Volgoverkhovye, Ostashkovsky District, Tver Region. Its authors are Petersburgers Boris Sergeev and Olga Pankratova The wooden St. Nicholas Church, which is one of the most interesting sights of the Volgoverkhovye village, was brought here from the village of Svyatoe. In 1907, the temple was assembled in a new place under the guidance of the Tver architect Viktor Nazarov, who connected the creation of a peasant Vasily Zabelkin from the village of Zentsovo, Khotoshi Volost, using a log. In 1908 the wooden church was consecrated.
Nikolskaya Church is a small one-domed and one-altar temple with a hipped roof and a small altar ledge. Interior decoration the temple is fully consistent with his external forms- This is a spacious cubic room with choirs located in the western part. In the late 1970s, the church was restored, during which it appearance changed quite significantly - the facades and the roof were covered with paint, and the dome was replaced with a new, gilded one.
The first tributary of the Volga River is the Persyanka stream, which flows out of the swamps.
The first upland bank of the Volga Approximately three kilometers from the beginning of the path, the river flows into the flowing lake Small Verkhity, then through the swamp, where a stream with the name Krasny flows into it. Continuing its journey, the Volga flows through Lake Bolshie Verkhity.
At the confluence of the Volga in the lake. rod Further through eight km. its stream will merge into a more large lake Sterzh, which is part of the system of the Upper Volga reservoir. The stream of the river cuts through the waters of this reservoir, practically without mixing with them. locals they say that in good weather from the shores of the lake you can watch the Volga forcefully pass through it.
Where the river originates, the Volga is unhurried and calm. In the middle of the dense forests of the Tver region, the great Russian river, which has long become a symbol of Russia, is gaining its power and strength.
