During this holiday season, Moscow citizens will be able to take a trip to a fairy tale in Veliky Ustyug. Several speed trains will connect Moscow with Residence of Ded Moroz, Russian equivalent of Santa Claus.
Ded Moroz, or Grandfather Frost, lives in Veliky Ustyug (Vologda Region), more than 1000 kilometers northeast of Moscow, among pine forests on a cliff above the Sukhona River.
The estate itself, known as the “Votchina” is outside the town in a scenic pinewood. The centerpiece is the wooden Terem, the mansion where Ded Moroz is said to live. The satin covered bed, with its carved headrest and fluffy slippers, is not hugely convincing, but Ded Moroz himself, nearly seven feet tall with a booming voice and bone-crushing handshake, is quite an overwhelming presence.
His estate with its whimsical chambers hosts many festivals, competitions and New Year’s celebrations. This is also where Russian kids address their letters when they write to share their New Year’s wishes with Ded Moroz.
Votchina of Ded Moroz is quite an impressive complex. It consists of the Workshop ,the Zoo, Blacksmith Shop, Ice Room, House of the Wise Owl, Meadow of the Twelve Brothers-Months, Magic Well, and also the Winter Garden where flowers bloom in winter and a plenty of fairy tale creatures live.
Теги: tourism, Ded Moroz