Agritourism and architecture of typical churches in Cossack settlements in the Middle Volga

The article analyzes the tourist potential of the cult architectural heritage of the Middle Volga region for agrotourism. The urgency of the problem under investigation is determined by the ever-increasing interest in architectural traditions of ethnical and sub-ethnical communities in various Russia’s regions, including the Cossacks. The methodology of the study is based on a comprehensive architectural historical analysis of the layouts and design of churches in Cossack settlements in the region. The author analyzes a wide range of issues related to the architectural layout, composition and character of churches in Cossack settlements in the 16th–20th centuries. The paper reveals an interesting stratum of regional heritage. It contains a description and analysis of little-known architectural monuments based on the author’s field surveys of the remaining settlements. The work includes examination of comprehensive archival data from local and central archives, as well as rich graphical material. The findings in this paper can provide a framework to further research in the area of architecture culture of the Cossacks in the Mid Volga regions.