Kimzha

The village of Kimzha is located in the center of the Mezen district, not far from the confluence of the Kimzha River in the Mezen River. Here, the northernmost pillar mills, solid northern log cabins and barns have been preserved, the restoration of the Odigitrievsky church built in 1709 is nearing to completion, and worshiped monasteries and crosses are found in the surrounding forests.

  
For the first time Kimzha was mentioned in the annals at the beginning of the 16th century. Paganism, Old Believers and the Orthodox have left their special mark here. Residents of neighboring villages believed that some of the residents of Kimzha knew the art of witchcraft and conspiracy, could bewitch and had an evil eye.

Today, the resident population of Kimzha is small, about 100 people. In summer, more residents appear, children and grandchildren come for the holidays and Christmas holidays — the population increases several times and on such days Kimzha looks like an animated museum of wooden architecture, only everything is for real: there are children playing between the yards, gingerbread cookies are being baked in the houses, the smoke is coming from the pipes, people fish in the river, pick berries in the forests and hunt. 

Village Kimzha, its active residents, its three straight streets of the old houses with centuries of history, located along the banks of the river, slim silhouette Odigitrievsky church and wind Watermills stolbovki of the landscape museum complex «The most northern mills in the world» on the outskirts of the village create a magnificent image of the Northern cultural landscape.

In February 2017, the village of Kimzha was granted the status of the most beautiful village in Russia and was included into the association «The most beautiful villages and towns of Russia». Moreover, Kimzha became the first Arctic village as part of the Association of the most beautiful villages on the Earth.

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) 

Фото: V. Balashevich, A. Romanov, A. Lakhtionov, А. Klimov, М. Vilukova, R. Yuriev, G. Shpikalov, А. Rezvaya

The church is situated in the centre of the village and can be easily seen from any place.