Kimzha becomes first Arctic village to join Russia’s Most Beautiful Villages Association
© RIA Novosti. Ilya Timin

Kimzha becomes first Arctic village to join Russia’s Most Beautiful Villages Association

The village of Kimzha in the north of the Arkhangelsk Region has become a member of the Association of the Most Beautiful Russian Villages, TASS news agency has reported. Kimzha is the first Arctic village to join the association, Svetlana Kornitskaya, the head of the Arkhangelsk regional tourist information center, told the agency.

"In Kimzha, people seek to preserve what makes the village unique, which is particularly important, as it helps draw attention not to a village per se, but to an Arctic village," Kornitskaya said.

Kimzha has been awarded the Russia's Most Beautiful Villages sign and signed the quality charter.

The association membership criteria are very strict, according to Kornitskaya. To join the association, the beautiful village must blend in seamlessly with the surrounding landscape, have interesting architectural landmarks and cultural and historical sights, and lack elements violating the overall aesthetic impression of the place, such as advertising.

An important requirement is the absence of stray dogs and plants like cow parsnip.

Kimzha landmarks include traditional 19th-century Pomorye houses, the ancient Odigitrievsky Church, and one of the northernmost mills in Russia.