Guest Author - Marianne Gibson

One of the ‘Golden Ring’ of ancient towns surrounding Moscow, Pereslavl is another town that attributes its existence to Yuri Dolgoruki. The prince founded it in 1152, some 5 years before he put Moscow on the map. Although this area is now the political centre of Russia, in the 12th century it was on the outer fringes of Rus, the central power base being centred on Kiev at the time. Hence the name of Pereslavl-Zalessky, or ‘Pereslavl behind the forest’.

Part of the attraction for tourists is the town’s famous association with Peter the Great.
The young Peter had a fascination with boats, and as the son of the Tsar was naturally equipped with his own play fleet, complete with real naval cadets. On the lake, he practised maneouvres with a zeal which foretold his eventual creation of a world class fleet, finally making Russia’s presence felt in the wider world. The museum there contains one of the original boats Peter sailed on the lake, over 300 years ago.

The town has some fine old ‘iced-cake’ buildings, dating from the era of Catherine the Great. Catherine’s legacy to the country, as well as Eastern expansion, can in fact be seen in the regular grid-shaped plans and large square buildings of many older Russian towns. Fine and grand, but nothing that can’t be seen in any number of old Russian towns. What does make the town special is a very peaceful atmosphere, caused I think by its situation on lake Plescheevo, and a beautiful working monastery with views over it.

Far before there were monks, or miniature warships or stuccoed edifices at Pereslavl, there existed something more mysterious, and something that still makes its presence felt. Today, it sits out by the shores of the shallow lake, half immersed in the thick grey mud, accompanied by a tree tied shaman-style with countless rags, prayers and offerings. What is it? A large flattish stone of dark grey-blue, jutting about 3 feet up from the ground, just large enough for 4 people to stand on and pose for a photograph. Oh, and also, it’s a god.

This rock, so the story goes, is the very same that was worshipped at Pereslavl in pagan times. When Christianity was chosen as the official religion of Rus, officials were sent forth to convert the masses and generally do away with that sort of thing. The rock was buried in the hope it would be forgotten. The rock had other ideas, returning to the surface some years later. It was then decided to transport the rock to the far shore of the lake, and incorporate it in the foundations of a new church, to be built there. I suppose the thinking was that this would ‘convert’ the rock. Anyway the rock was having none of it, slipping from its sled and down through the ice to the bottom of the lake. Some years later, it reappeared by the shore, where it has been ever since.

Or so the story goes…