The village of Kiltsa is located in the center of the Mezen district, on the left bank of the Mezen river, only 12 kilometers from the village of Kimzha, but most of the year it is almost inaccessible.
The «Kingdom of Log Cabins» — the village of Kiltsa — was first mentioned in the Russian census of 1623. Every house here is a real monument of northern wooden architecture. Solid log cabins, high porches, facades are decorated with carved balconies, windows with patterned framework, and roofs with figure ridges. Many buildings were constructed back in 19th century. The Mezen village of Kiltsa is a miraculously preserved world of Russian antiquity.
Kiltsa is famous for its oath crosses: earlier, local residents installed them «when making a vow». Crosses could remind of a happy event — healing from a serious illness or the birth of a child. Sometimes they were installed in memory of hardships, namely poor yield or floods. It was believed that crosses protect local residents from troubles. People brought cloth, shawls, and towels to the crosses. The most famous cross stands at the entrance to the village.
The village of Kiltsa was enlisted as a member of the association «The most beautiful villages and towns of Russia» in January 2018.
Members of the aAssociation «The Most Beautiful Villages of Russia» from the Arkhangelsk region:
— Kimzha (Mezensky district)
— Kiltsa (Mezensky district)
— Verkola (Pinezhsky district)
— Oshevensky Pogost (Kargopol district)
Photo: S. Zenovskaya, А. Merzlov, А. Kruchkova, Е. Repitskaya, Arkhangelsk Region Тourist-information Center