Lake Pleshcheyevo

National Park since 1988

The Lake Pleshcheyevo (Russian Плещеево озеро / Pleshcheyevo Ozero ) is one of the largest natural lakes in Central Russia and is located about 140 kilometers northeast of Moscow in Yaroslavl Oblast. Due to its scenic location and appealing to the high habitat value of the lake and its surroundings have a national park status. On the southeastern shore of Lake Pleshcheyevo around the Trubesch estuary lies the ancient Russian city Pereslawl- Salesski, which is part of the Golden Ring.

General

The approximately 5080 acres, nearly oval -shaped lake was formed about 30,000 years ago from the meltwater of a glacier. The lake is 9.55 km long and up to 6.7 km wide, and is about half of underground water sources, also fed by the melting snow. From November to April freezes the Lake Pleshcheyevo. The lake is home to a number of valuable fish species, including Coregonus albula (formerly referred to as " Tsar herring " and highly prized as a delicacy until today depicted on the coat of arms of Pereslawl- Salesski ), perch, ruffe, burbot, pike and various carp fish.

The largest town on the lake, the city was founded in 1152 Pereslawl- Salesski. In the Middle Ages existed in their environment, a large fishing village, which also supplied the Tsar's court with fish from the lake, in particular the already said " Tsar herring ". This fishing village, now become a historic district Pereslawls is preserved to this day and is partly inhabited by fishermen. Other historical notoriety gained the Lake Pleshcheyevo fact that there Peter I built a fleet in 1692 - the so-called " game fleet ", which was used as a test run for the later of Peter the Great built Imperial Russian Navy. A self-built at the time of Peter for this mini- boat fleet, the so-called Botik (Russian Ботик ) is on display today in a Pereslavl Museum.

National Park Lake Pleshcheyevo

The nearly 24,000 -acre area that includes the lake and surrounding landscape components, was reported on 26 September 1988 as a National Park. For most of the national parks occupy 15,000 hectares of forest cover, followed by 6,000 acres of water areas, which include both the Pleshcheyevo lake itself and surrounding rivers and swamps.

The national park is home to hundreds of plant species, of which 35 are on the Russian Red List. In addition it provides habitat for approximately 60 species of wildlife - including red deer, roe deer, European flying squirrel, otter, shrew Tots - as well as 210 species of birds such as herons, gray goose, whooper swan, bittern, short-eared owl or crane. Some species such as the lynx or Russian Desman only rarely or not at all are also found in the National Park. The lake itself has suffered massively as a biotope with mass tourism, increasing development and use for windsurfing.

More images

The Gorizki monastery on the lake shore

The " Botik " of Peter the Great