The Gremyachiy Klyuch spring in the Moscow region is one of the most famous “waterfalls” in the region. Its history goes back more than six centuries, and the water continues to delight pilgrims with its crystal purity.
A bit of history
The Gremyachiy Klyuch spring is perhaps the most famous place among those who like to plunge into the ice bath and drink clean spring water. Hundreds of pilgrims and tourists come here every day, despite the fact that the road to the source is rather difficult, especially in the off-season. But people stubbornly overcome all difficulties in order to simply wash themselves with water from the waterfall. And all because the name of one of the most revered saints of the Russian land - Sergius of Radonezh is associated with this place.
According to legend, the source was founded by the Monk Sergius himself during his wanderings. Father Sergius temporarily left the Trinity Monastery (now the Trinity-Sergius Lavra) in search of a new place for spiritual exploits. With him was the monk and disciple Roman. After a difficult journey, the travelers made a halt, which dragged on for several days, since it was mid-summer, the monks lived right on the street. The only thing saddened was the lack of water, and then the monk Roman prayed to Sergius to ask the Lord for help. Seeing such a sincere faith of a disciple, the Monk Sergius prayed and struck with his staff on the slope of the hill, from where the key immediately gushed. During its centuries-old history, the spring has never dried up, moreover, the waterfalls have the peculiarity of not freezing even at sub-zero temperatures. Over time, the keys began to hit much more at different levels of the hill, except that the water pressure was changing. Sometimes it is really a waterfall, and sometimes it is a free flowing stream.
"Rattle Key" today
Gremyachiy Klyuch quickly became popular not only among locals, but also among tourists. The most amazing thing is that they did not forget about him even in Soviet times. Of course, it was considered more as a source of drinking water, rather than associated with divine providence. The visit to the source was one of the official tourist routes of the Moscow region. Then it was called "the source in Malinniki" in association with the nearby village.
But only after 1991, the leadership of the Trinity-Sergius Lavra decided to take a closer look at the improvement of their courtyard. After all, until that time, no work had been carried out there, but several wooden decks were laid, along which in bad weather it was simply impossible to get to the source.
The new caretaker of the spring began to revive the holy place. The construction of wooden platforms leading to the waterfalls began, a high staircase was built to the largest spring, several baths, a wooden chapel (later it burned down and a new one was built in its place). Sometimes it was necessary to redo everything several times, because due to the high humidity, the wooden boards simply rotted and collapsed. Construction continues to this day. The territory of the reserve is expanding, work is constantly underway to replace logs and planks of wooden buildings, landscaping, cleaning. Moreover, all restoration work is carried out exclusively at the expense of charitable donations and caring people.
The Gremyachiy Klyuch spring today is a huge complex that you can visit for the whole day. There are several hot tubs with changing rooms and recreation areas on the territory. Separate areas for water intake are made. The territory of the spring became fenced, there was a gate church "Life-giving spring", the temple of St. Sergius of Radonezh and the temple of the Forty Sebastian Martyrs, a church shop, a refectory. And all this was built in the best traditions of Russian wooden architecture.
How to get there by car
It is not surprising that such beauty attracts tourists from all over the Moscow region at any time of the year. The only disadvantage of the source is the way to it. Officially, "Gremyachiy Klyuch" does not have an address, so you will not find anything in the navigator. To find a place, it is better to take a route to the village of Vzglyadnevo, Sergiev Posad region. The optimal route - Yaroslavskoe shosse in the direction of the region, in the area of Lake Torbeevskoe at the traffic police post, you must turn right to a small concrete ring. You will have to drive ten kilometers along the ring to the village of Botovo, now there is a sign to the source. At this intersection, you need to turn right, drive a kilometer and a half, and before the village starts, turn right onto a dirt road.
As such, there is no road to the source. You will have to drive in the fields, but the road is knurled there, you can safely drive and not get lost. Follow this road until you reach the first intercept parking lot. It is located on a small hill. If the weather is dry, you can drive down and drive straight to the gates of the complex after another kilometer. But if it rains or the snow is melting, it is better not to risk it, but to leave the car at the top. The road to the source goes through the field, in bad weather there is alumina, on which only SUVs can drive (and even then not all). Having parked your car in the parking lot, you need to go down the hill and keep to the left to the village of Vzglyadnevo, through which there is a passage right to the source gate.
Fans of extreme sensations can make a different route: immediately from the stop "Malinniki" turn onto a dirt road through the fields. Just don't risk driving alone. It is better if you have a couple of SUVs with you as a safety net.
How to get there by public transport
You can also get to the source by public transport. But keep in mind that you have to walk a lot. Therefore, plan your trip in good weather. There is a bus number 120 from Sergiev Posad to the village of Malinniki. It goes on a flight from the central bus station of the city. From the stop, you will have to immediately turn onto a dirt road and walk almost four kilometers. Do not hesitate to "vote" - passing cars will certainly take you, if space permits. And walking on a bumpy road is really long and unpleasant.
Another hiking route is popular with tourists. In Sergiev Posad, you need to take a minibus # 80 or bus # 37, which will take you to the village of Shiltsy (you can tell the driver that you are at the source, and he will stop at the right place). You need to go through the village of Shchiltsy to the summer cottages and the village of Lyapino following the signs. Then one and a half kilometers of dirt road will begin. In total, this route is about five kilometers.
If you venture on a pilgrimage on foot, consider the weather conditions. In wet weather, the dirt road is badly broken, be sure to wear rubber shoes and have a change of clothing. Often, guests are taken to the source by a local "taxi" - a "loaf", which is not afraid of any Russian roads. She gathers passengers at the first parking spot at the bottom of the slope. If you are traveling back with bottles of water, this transport is very convenient to use.
Many are interested in the operating mode of the source. Access to the territory of the holy mountain is round-the-clock. But keep in mind that the site is guarded and there are visiting rules. At the source, you must not make noise, drink alcohol and light fires. To some, such prohibitions will seem absurd, but employees still remember the times when tipsy companies staged a brawl and arson.
Water containers can be purchased directly on the spot. There are no problems with food either - there is a refectory where you can drink tea and have a snack. But in the evening it is, of course, closed. When planning your trip, keep in mind that there are a lot of people who want to plunge into the springs on weekends and on holidays (for example, Epiphany). So get ready for queues and parking challenges.
