In Kitaevo you can see the remnants of a town that existed in 9th -10th centuries. There are also caves and fortifications that can trace their lineage as far back as the Kyiv Russ period. It is believed that the name derives from the Turkic word “kitai” which means: “wall, fortification, and fortress or siege tower”. There is also a legend that in the12th century here the castle-fortress of the prince Andrei Bogolubskiy, who had a so-called nickname “Kitay” had been placed. Later it got the name of Kitaevska desert. You can see here the Troitskaya church that was being built starting in 1763 up until 1768 by architect known as Kovnir. The bell tower was destroyed in 1930 and finally restored again in 1990.

The role of Kitaevo in the history of ancient Rus was of great importance. Archaeological research has confirmed the existence of the city fortress Peresecina. In the middle of the 19th century expedition to the area, A. Ertel found some underground caves, each of which represented a gallery with inscriptions in an Old Slavonic language, as well as an underground temple.

A rather interesting event here is the story about one monk-hermit, who was a woman! It is the well-known monk Dosifej, whose relics are in the Holy Trinity Church. She had cut her hair short and hid her sex so that she could follow her own pilgrimage in the monastery. It was forbidden for women to be there, but she succeeded pretending a man. Her faith was very strong and after death her relics became of great value for orthodox Christians.
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You can come here at any time during the year to see some of the history of this area and to enjoy some peaceful time to reflect on your life. You can enjoy the many areas to hike, to see the beautiful lades which are called Kitaevskie and feel some peace and tranquility.
Photo: Anna Vishtak (3)