Razin cliff in the village of Belogorskoye, not far from the border with the Volgograd region, is considered one of the most interesting and beautiful natural and historical monuments of the Volga region. It was one of the top 10 attractions of our country and is included in the list of priority areas for the development of ecotourism in the Saratov region.
According to legend, Volga robbers used the cliff as an observation post for attacks on merchant ships. Often in these legends the name of Stepan Razin appears, who supposedly buried his treasures in the mountain. Meanwhile, archaeologists have excavated a site of people dating back to the Bronze Age. In general, the Razin Cliff has three monument statuses: archaeological, geological and botanical; Rare plants grow here. And nearby, in the Danilovsky ravine with steep slopes, there is one of the largest colonies of birds of prey in the Volga region.
At the forum, a business program was organized for entrepreneurs, who were informed about government support measures for the development of ecotourism. Students of Saratov universities, under the guidance of professors, conducted research to create an ecological route here.
The “highlight” of the cultural program of the forum was an open-air concert on the upper bank of the Volga with a stunning view of the river expanses, performed by Engels’ Volga Chamber Orchestra and folk art groups.
“One of the goals of the forum was to outline a strategy for the development of this territory,” said the scientific director of the project, associate professor at Saratov State Research University, Alexander Bashkatov.
Previously, the scientist developed the concept of a recreational and tourist center in the vicinity of the Stepan Razin cliff, which has already received public approval. By the way, the tourist camp on the forum, the campsite and the parking lot were located in accordance with this concept, not on the cliff itself, which is a protected area, but on a neighboring site.
At the forum, teachers and students of the Institute of Urban Planning, Architecture and Construction of the Saratov State Technical University proposed various solutions for the development of the infrastructure of the village of Belogorskoye. Once upon a time there was a large town where more than two thousand people lived and it had its own church. Now the local residents are almost all retired and the village school has closed.
It is planned to revitalize the town through the development of local tourism. Experts propose opening a visitor center for tourists in one of the empty premises of the school, where the former director created a wonderful museum of local history, where you can book guided tours, obtain information and other services. In addition, places have been marked out for guest houses, a pier, a beach, as well as an ecological station and a special art residence for photographers and artists.
According to the authors, some of these projects could be implemented within the framework of public-private partnerships.
Another proposal is to transform Belogorsk into a training base for students from various Saratov universities to do internships: biologists, ecologists, geographers, geologists, service and tourism specialists. After all, all the possibilities for this are here. By the way, a similar university base already exists in the city of Khvalynsk.
As Alexander Bashkatov noted, when implementing a tourist and recreational project it is necessary to preserve the atmosphere of the ancient Volga village, the unique feeling of pristine, uninhabited nature of these places, which constitutes their main value and attractiveness.
The ecological route being developed to the Stepan Razin cliff is called the “White Stripe”. This name is supposed to establish associations of the widest kind: from the white chalk cliffs on the banks of the Volga to the symbolic “white stripe” in human life.
The Saratov-born actor and showman Kirill Lopatkin participated in the audio guide of the ecological trail, who gave voice to the text.
The forum also ended in a very symbolic way. Participants formed a line and stepped forward along the “white strip” and then walked along it.
– Stepan Razin Cliff is one of the most picturesque natural attractions in our region. There is everything here to develop tourist potential: magnificent nature, the Volga and how many legends and secrets are associated with this territory! Our common goal is to develop the infrastructure so that it is convenient to get here, there are all the necessary communications and the vacation is comfortable. It is very important to understand the prospects and pace of development of ecotourism that is so popular today, as well as what support measures entrepreneurs can receive for it,” said Natalia Shchelkanova, Minister of Culture of the Saratov Region.
This year and next, around 100 million rubles will be allocated in the Saratov region for the construction of five prefabricated resorts and glamping parks that will minimize the impact on the environment. One of these complexes is planned to be built right in the vicinity of the Stepan Razin cliff.
In addition, last year, on the initiative of Governor Roman Busargin, the Syzran-Volgograd federal highway to the village of Belogorskoye, 11 kilometers long, was repaired.
