In the North of the City

The Blue Stone and Kleschin Gorodische

One of the more curious sights of Pereslavl-Zalessky is the 12-tonne stone known as the Blue Stone dating from the time when paganism was the popular religion. It is called the Blue Stone due to the colour its turns after rain. The stone was worshipped as an idol by both the native Merya people and the Slavic pagans but this all changed with the enforcement of Orthodoxy when the stone was buried. Years of erosion once again brought the stone to light and in 1788 it was decided to use the old pagan idol as part of the foundations of a church. It was transported over the frozen Lake Plescheevo but the ice broke and the stone was submerged. In the mid-19th century the stone was rather unexplainably brought to the shore once more, perhaps by a hurricane or by the movement of the ice in the lake. Today is remains visible on the shore of the lake and has become a popular sight for tourists and neo-pagans alike.

Also located close to the stone is the picturesque Aleksandrovska Hill and the site of the Kleschin Gorodische, which was the site of a 8th century Meryan settlement.

Location Gorodische village