The Finno-Ugrians are one of the largest ethno-linguistic communities in Europe. In Russia alone there are 17 peoples of Finno-Ugric origin. The Finnish "Kalevala" inspired Tolkien, and the Izhorian tales inspired Alexander Pushkin.

Who are the Finno-Ugric peoples?

Finno-Ugrians are one of the largest ethno-linguistic communities in Europe. It includes 24 nations, 17 of which live in Russia. The Saami, Ingrian Finns and Setos live both in Russia and abroad.
Finno-Ugric peoples are divided into two groups: Finnish and Ugric. Their total number today is estimated at 25 million people. Of these, about 19 million Hungarians, 5 million Finns, about a million Estonians, 843 thousand Mordovians, 647 thousand Udmurts and 604 thousand Mari.

Where do Finno-Ugric peoples live in Russia?

Given the current labor migration, we can say that everywhere, however, the most numerous Finno-Ugric peoples have their own republics in Russia. These are such peoples as Mordvins, Udmurts, Karelians and Mari. There are also autonomous okrugs of Khanty, Mansi and Nenets.

The Komi-Perm Autonomous Okrug, where the Komi-Permyaks were in the majority, was merged with the Perm Region into the Perm Territory. The Finno-Ugric Veps in Karelia have their own national parish. Ingrian Finns, Izhora and Selkups do not have an autonomous territory.

Moscow - Finno-Ugric name?

According to one hypothesis, the oikonym Moscow is of Finno-Ugric origin. From the Komi language, “mosk”, “moska” is translated into Russian as “cow, heifer”, and “va” is translated as “water”, “river”. Moscow in this case is translated as "cow river". The popularity of this hypothesis was brought by its support by Klyuchevsky.

The Russian historian of the 19th-20th century Stefan Kuznetsov also believed that the word "Moscow" was of Finno-Ugric origin, but assumed that it comes from the Meryan words "mask" (bear) and "ava" (mother, female). According to this version, the word "Moscow" is translated as "bear".
Today, these versions, however, are refuted, since they do not take into account the most ancient form of the oikonym "Moscow". Stefan Kuznetsov, on the other hand, used the data of the Erzya and Mari languages, while the word “mask” appeared in the Mari language only in the XIV-XV centuries.

Such different Finno-Ugrians

The Finno-Ugric peoples are far from homogeneous either linguistically or anthropologically. On the basis of language, they are divided into several subgroups. The Permian-Finnish subgroup includes Komi, Udmurts and Besermyans. The Volga-Finnish group is Mordovians (Erzyans and Mokshans) and Mari. The Balto-Finns include: Finns, Ingrian Finns, Estonians, Setos, Kvens in Norway, Vods, Izhors, Karelians, Vepsians and descendants of Mary. The Khanty, Mansi and Hungarians also belong to a separate Ugric group. The descendants of the medieval Meshchera and Muroma most likely belong to the Volga Finns.

The peoples of the Finno-Ugric group are characterized by both Caucasoid and Mongoloid features. The Ob Ugrians (Khanty and Mansi), part of the Mari, Mordovians have more pronounced Mongoloid features. The rest of these traits are either equally divided, or the Caucasoid component dominates.

What are haplogroups talking about?

Genetic studies show that every second Russian Y-chromosome belongs to the haplogroup R1a. It is characteristic of all the Baltic and Slavic peoples (except for the southern Slavs and northern Russians).

However, among the inhabitants of the North of Russia, the haplogroup N3, characteristic of the Finnish group of peoples, is clearly represented. In the very north of Russia, its percentage reaches 35 (the Finns have an average of 40 percent), but the further south, the lower this percentage. In Western Siberia, the related N3 haplogroup N2 is also common. This suggests that in the Russian North there was not a mixture of peoples, but a transition of the local Finno-Ugric population to the Russian language and Orthodox culture.

What fairy tales were read to us

The famous Arina Rodionovna, Pushkin's nanny, as you know, had a strong influence on the poet. It is noteworthy that she was of Finno-Ugric origin. She was born in the village of Lampovo in Ingermanland.
This explains a lot in understanding Pushkin's fairy tales. We have known them since childhood and believe that they are primordially Russian, but their analysis suggests that the plot lines of some of Pushkin's fairy tales go back to Finno-Ugric folklore. For example, "The Tale of Tsar Saltan" is based on the fairy tale "Wonderful Children" from the Vepsian tradition (Vepsians are a small Finno-Ugric people).

The first great work of Pushkin, the poem "Ruslan and Lyudmila". One of its main characters is the elder Finn, a wizard and sorcerer. The name, as they say, speaking. Philologist Tatyana Tikhmeneva, the compiler of the book "Finnish Album" also noted that the connection of the Finns with witchcraft and clairvoyance was recognized by all peoples. The Finns themselves recognized the ability to magic above strength and courage and revered as wisdom. It is no coincidence that the main character of Kalevala Väinemöinen is not a warrior, but a prophet and a poet.

Naina, another character in the poem, also bears traces of Finno-Ugric influence. The Finnish word for woman is "nainen".
Another interesting fact. Pushkin, in a letter to Delvig in 1828, wrote: "By the new year, I will probably return to you in Chukhland." So Pushkin called Petersburg, obviously recognizing the originality of the Finno-Ugric peoples on this land.

Considering the geographical map of Russia, one can notice that in the basins of the Middle Volga and Kama, the names of rivers ending in "va" and "ga" are common: Sosva, Izva, Kokshaga, Vetluga, etc. Finno-Ugrians live in those places, and translated from their languages "wa" And "ha" mean "river", "moisture", "wet place", "water". However, the Finno-Ugric toponyms{1 ) are found not only where these peoples make up a significant part of the population, form republics and national districts. Their distribution area is much wider: it covers the European north of Russia and part of the central regions. There are many examples: the ancient Russian cities of Kostroma and Murom; rivers Yakhroma, Iksha in the Moscow region; the village of Verkola in Arkhangelsk, etc.

Some researchers consider Finno-Ugric in origin even such familiar words as "Moscow" and "Ryazan". Scientists believe that Finno-Ugric tribes once lived in these places, and now ancient names keep their memory.

{1 } Toponym (from the Greek "topos" - "place" and "onyma" - "name") - a geographical name.

WHO ARE THE FINNO-UGRI

Finns called people inhabiting Finland, neighboring Russia(in Finnish " Suomi "), A acne in ancient Russian chronicles called Hungarians. But in Russia there are no Hungarians and very few Finns, but there are peoples who speak languages ​​related to Finnish or Hungarian . These peoples are called Finno-Ugric . Depending on the degree of proximity of languages, scientists divide Finno-Ugric peoples into five subgroups . In the first Baltic-Finnish , are included Finns, Izhors, Vods, Vepsians, Karelians, Estonians and Livs. The two largest peoples of this subgroup are Finns and Estonians- live mostly outside of our country. In Russia Finns can be found in Karelia, Leningrad region and St. Petersburg;Estonians - V Siberia, the Volga region and in the Leningrad region. A small group of Estonians - setu - lives in Pechorsky district of the Pskov region. By religion, many Finns and Estonians - Protestants (usually, Lutherans), setu - Orthodox . little people Vepsians lives in small groups Karelia, the Leningrad region and in the north-west of the Vologda, A vod (there are less than 100 people left!) - in Leningrad. AND Veps and Vod - Orthodox . Orthodoxy is professed and Izhorians . There are 449 of them in Russia (in the Leningrad region), and about the same number in Estonia. Vepsians and Izhors retained their languages ​​(they even have dialects) and use them in everyday communication. The Votic language has disappeared.

The biggest Baltic-Finnish people of Russia Karelians . They live in Republic of Karelia, as well as in the Tver, Leningrad, Murmansk and Arkhangelsk regions. In everyday life, Karelians speak three dialects: actually Karelian, Ludikovskiy and Livvikovskiy and their literary language is Finnish. It publishes newspapers, magazines, and the Department of Finnish Language and Literature operates at the Faculty of Philology of Petrozavodsk University. Karelians also know Russian.

The second subgroup consists Saami , or Lapps . Most of them are settled in Northern Scandinavia, but in Russia Saami- inhabitants Kola Peninsula. According to most experts, the ancestors of this people once occupied a much larger territory, but over time they were pushed to the north. Then they lost their language and learned one of the Finnish dialects. The Saami are good reindeer herders (nomads in the recent past), fishermen and hunters. In Russia they profess orthodoxy .

In the third Volga-Finnish , the subgroup includes Mari and Mordovians . Mordva- indigenous people Republic of Mordovia, but a significant part of this people lives throughout Russia - in Samara, Penza, Nizhny Novgorod, Saratov, Ulyanovsk regions, in the republics of Tatarstan, Bashkortostan, in Chuvashia etc. Even before the accession in the XVI century. Mordovian lands to Russia, the Mordovians got their own nobility - "inyazory", "otsyazory", i.e., "masters of the earth." Inyazori they were the first to be baptized, quickly Russified, and later their descendants made up an element in the Russian nobility a little less than those from the Golden Horde and the Kazan Khanate. Mordva is divided into erzya and moksha ; each of the ethnographic groups has a written literary language - Erzya and Moksha . By religion, Mordovians Orthodox ; they have always been considered the most Christianized people of the Volga region.

Mari live mostly in Republic of Mari El, as well as in Bashkortostan, Tatarstan, Udmurtia, Nizhny Novgorod, Kirov, Sverdlovsk and Perm regions. It is generally accepted that this people has two literary languages ​​- meadow-eastern and mountain-Mari. However, not all philologists share this opinion.

More ethnographers of the 19th century. noted the unusually high level of national self-consciousness of the Mari. They stubbornly resisted joining Russia and being baptized, and until 1917 the authorities forbade them to live in cities and engage in crafts and trade.

In the fourth Permian , the subgroup includes proper Komi , Komi-Permyaks and Udmurts .Komi(in the past they were called Zyryans) form the indigenous population of the Komi Republic, but also live in Sverdlovsk, Murmansk, Omsk regions, in the Nenets, Yamalo-Nenets and Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrugs. Their primary occupations are farming and hunting. But, unlike most other Finno-Ugric peoples, there have long been many merchants and entrepreneurs among them. Even before October 1917. Komi in terms of literacy (in Russian) approached the most educated peoples of Russia - Russian Germans and Jews. Today, 16.7% of Komi work in agriculture, but 44.5% in industry, and 15% in education, science, and culture. Part of the Komi - the Izhemtsy - mastered reindeer breeding and became the largest reindeer herders in the European north. Komi Orthodox (part of the Old Believers).

Very close in language to the Zyryans Komi-Permyaks . More than half of these people live in Komi-Perm Autonomous Okrug, and the rest - in the Perm region. Permians are mostly peasants and hunters, but throughout their history they have been factory serfs in the Ural factories, and barge haulers on the Kama and Volga. By religion Komi-Permyaks Orthodox .

Udmurts{ 2 } concentrated mostly in Udmurt Republic where they make up about 1/3 of the population. Small groups of Udmurts live in Tatarstan, Bashkortostan, the Republic of Mari El, in the Perm, Kirov, Tyumen, Sverdlovsk regions. The traditional occupation is agriculture. In cities, they most often forget their native language and customs. Perhaps that is why only 70% of Udmurts, mostly residents of rural areas, consider the Udmurt language their native language. Udmurts Orthodox , but many of them (including the baptized) adhere to traditional beliefs - they worship pagan gods, deities, spirits.

In the fifth Ugric , the subgroup includes Hungarians, Khanty and Mansi . "acne "in Russian chronicles they called Hungarians, A " yugra " - Ob Ugrians, i.e. Khanty and Mansi. Although Northern Urals and the lower reaches of the Ob, where the Khanty and Mansi live, are located thousands of kilometers from the Danube, on the banks of which the Hungarians created their state, these peoples are the closest relatives. Khanty and Mansi belong to the small peoples of the North. Mansi live mostly in Anty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug, A Khanty - V Khanty-Mansiysk and Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrugs, Tomsk Region. Mansi are primarily hunters, then fishermen, reindeer herders. The Khanty, on the contrary, were first fishermen, and then hunters and reindeer herders. Both of them profess orthodoxy However, they did not forget the ancient faith. The traditional culture of the Ob Ugrians was greatly damaged by the industrial development of their region: many hunting grounds disappeared, rivers were polluted.

Old Russian chronicles preserved the names of the Finno-Ugric tribes, now disappeared, - Chud, Merya, Muroma . Merya in the first millennium A.D. e. lived in the interfluve of the Volga and Oka, and at the turn of the I and II millennia merged with the Eastern Slavs. There is an assumption that the modern Mari are the descendants of this tribe. Murom in the 1st millennium BC. e. lived in the Oka basin, and by the XII century. n. e. mixed with the Eastern Slavs. Chudyu modern researchers consider the Finnish tribes who lived in antiquity along the banks of the Onega and the Northern Dvina. It is possible that they are the ancestors of the Estonians.

{ 2 ) Russian historian of the XVIII century. V. N. Tatishchev wrote that the Udmurts (formerly they were called votyaks) perform their prayers “under some good tree, but not under a pine and spruce, which have no leaf or fruit, but aspen is revered as a cursed tree ... ".

WHERE THE FINNO-UGRIANS LIVED AND WHERE THEY LIVE

Most researchers agree that the ancestral home Finno-Ugric was on the border of Europe and Asia, in the areas between the Volga and Kama and in the Urals. It was there in the IV-III millennium BC. e. a community of tribes arose, related in language and close in origin. By the 1st millennium A.D. e. the ancient Finno-Ugric peoples settled as far as the Baltic and Northern Scandinavia. They occupied a vast territory covered with forests - almost the entire northern part of present-day European Russia to the Kama in the south.

Excavations show that the ancient Finno-Ugric peoples belonged to Ural race: in their appearance Caucasoid and Mongoloid features are mixed (wide cheekbones, often a Mongolian section of the eye). Moving west, they mixed with Caucasians. As a result, in some peoples descended from the ancient Finno-Ugric peoples, Mongoloid signs began to smooth out and disappear. Now "Ural" features are characteristic to one degree or another of all Finnish peoples of Russia: medium height, broad face, snub-nosed nose, very blond hair, sparse beard. But in different peoples, these features manifest themselves in different ways. For example, Mordva-Erzya tall, blond, blue-eyed, and mordva-moksha and shorter in stature, and broader in face, and their hair is darker. At Mari and Udmurts often there are eyes with the so-called Mongolian fold - epicanthus, very wide cheekbones, a thin beard. But at the same time (the Ural race!) Fair and red hair, blue and gray eyes. The Mongolian fold is sometimes found among the Estonians, and among the Vodi, and among the Izhors, and among the Karelians. Komi there are different ones: in those places where there are mixed marriages with the Nenets, they are black-haired and slanting; others are more like Scandinavians, with slightly wider faces.

Finno-Ugrians were engaged agriculture (to fertilize the soil with ashes, they burned out parts of the forest), hunting and fishing . Their settlements were far apart. Perhaps for this reason they did not create states anywhere and began to be part of neighboring organized and constantly expanding powers. One of the first mentions of the Finno-Ugric peoples contains Khazar documents written in Hebrew, the state language of the Khazar Khaganate. Alas, there are almost no vowels in it, so it remains to be guessed that "tsrms" means "Cheremis-Mari", and "mkshkh" - "moksha". Later, the Finno-Ugric peoples also paid tribute to the Bulgars, they were part of the Kazan Khanate, in the Russian state.

RUSSIAN AND FINNO-UGRI

In the XVI-XVIII centuries. Russian settlers rushed to the lands of the Finno-Ugric peoples. Most often, the settlement was peaceful, but sometimes indigenous peoples resisted the entry of their region into the Russian state. The most fierce resistance was provided by the Mari.

Over time, baptism, writing, urban culture, brought by the Russians, began to displace local languages ​​and beliefs. Many began to feel like Russians, and really became them. Sometimes it was enough to be baptized for this. The peasants of one Mordovian village wrote in a petition: "Our ancestors, the former Mordovians", sincerely believing that only their ancestors, pagans, were Mordovians, and their Orthodox descendants do not belong to Mordovians in any way.

People moved to cities, went far away - to Siberia, to Altai, where one language was common to all - Russian. The names after baptism were no different from ordinary Russians. Or almost nothing: not everyone notices that there is nothing Slavic in surnames like Shukshin, Vedenyapin, Piyashev, but they go back to the name of the Shuksha tribe, the name of the goddess of war Veden Ala, the pre-Christian name Piyash. So a significant part of the Finno-Ugric peoples was assimilated by the Russians, and some, having adopted Islam, mixed with the Turks. That is why the Finno-Ugric peoples do not make up the majority anywhere - even in the republics to which they gave their name.

But, having dissolved in the mass of Russians, the Finno-Ugric peoples retained their anthropological type: very blond hair, blue eyes, a "she-shek" nose, a wide, high-lying face. The kind that nineteenth-century writers called "Penza peasant", is now perceived as a typical Russian.

Many Finno-Ugric words have entered the Russian language: "tundra", "sprat", "salaka", etc. Is there a more Russian and everyone's favorite dish than dumplings? Meanwhile, this word is borrowed from the Komi language and means "bread eye": "pel" - "ear", and "nyan" - "bread". There are especially many borrowings in the northern dialects, mainly among the names of natural phenomena or landscape elements. They give a peculiar beauty to local speech and regional literature. Take, for example, the word "taibola", which in the Arkhangelsk region is called a dense forest, and in the Mezen River basin - a road that runs along the seashore next to the taiga. It is taken from the Karelian "taibale" - "isthmus". For centuries, peoples living nearby have always enriched each other's language and culture.

Patriarch Nikon and Archpriest Avvakum were Finno-Ugric by origin - both Mordvins, but irreconcilable enemies; Udmurt - physiologist V. M. Bekhterev, Komi - sociologist Pitirim Sorokin, Mordvin - sculptor S. Nefyodov-Erzya, who took the name of the people as his pseudonym; Mari - composer A. Ya. Eshpay.

ANCIENT CLOTHING V O D I I J O R C E V

The main part of the traditional women's costume of the Vodi and Izhorians - shirt . Ancient shirts were sewn very long, with wide, also long sleeves. In the warm season, the shirt was the only clothing of a woman. Eshyo in the 60s. 19th century after the wedding, the young woman was supposed to walk in one shirt until her father-in-law gave her a fur coat or caftan.

The Votic women for a long time preserved the ancient form of unsewn waist clothing - khursgukset worn over a shirt. Hursgukset looks like Russian ponyova. It was richly decorated with copper coins, shells, fringe, bells. Later, when he entered the life of the driver sundress , the bride put on a hursgukset for a wedding under a sundress.

Peculiar unsewn clothes - annua - worn in the central part Ingermanland(part of the territory of modern Leningrad region). It was a wide cloth that reached to the armpits; a strap was sewn to its upper ends and thrown over the left shoulder. Annua diverged on the left side, and therefore they put on a second cloth under it - khurstut . It was wrapped around the waist and also worn on a strap. The Russian sarafan gradually replaced the ancient loincloth among the Vodi and Izhori. Belted clothes leather belt, cords, braided belts and narrow towels.

In ancient times, water women shaved head.

TRADITIONAL CLOTHING KHANTOV I M A N S I

Khanty and Mansi clothes were sewn from skins, furs, fish skins, cloth, nettle and linen canvas. In the manufacture of children's clothing, the most archaic material was also used - bird skins.

Men put on in winter oar fur coats from deer and hare fur, squirrel and fox paws, and in summer a short dressing gown made of coarse cloth; collar, sleeves and right half were turned off with fur.Winter shoes was fur, and wore it with fur stockings. summer They were made from rovduga (suede from deer or elk skin), and the sole from elk skin.

Men's shirts they sewed from nettle canvas, and pants from rovduga, fish skin, canvas, and cotton fabrics. Over the shirt must be worn woven belt , to which hung beaded bags(they held a knife in a wooden sheath and a steel).

women put on in winter fur coat deer skin; the lining was also fur. Where there were few deer, the lining was made from hare and squirrel skins, and sometimes from duck or swan down. In summer wore cloth or cotton robe ,decorated with stripes of beads, colored fabric and pewter plaques. These plaques were cast by women themselves in special molds made of soft stone or pine bark. The belts were already masculine and more elegant.

Women covered their heads in both winter and summer shawls with a wide border and fringe . In the presence of men, especially older relatives of the husband, according to tradition, it was supposed to be the end of a scarf cover one's face. There were Khanty and beaded headbands .

Hair before it was not customary to cut. Men, dividing their hair into a straight parting, collected it in two tails and tied it with a colored cord. .Women braided two braids, decorated them with colored lace and copper pendants. . At the bottom of the braid, so as not to interfere with work, they were connected with a thick copper chain. Rings, bells, beads and other ornaments were hung from the chain. Khanty women, as usual, wore a lot copper and silver rings. Beaded jewelry was also widespread, which was imported by Russian merchants.

HOW THE MARIANS WAS DRESSED

In the past, Mari clothing was exclusively home-made. Upper(it was worn in winter and autumn) was sewn from home cloth and sheepskin, and shirts and summer kaftans- Made of white linen.

women wore shirt, caftan, pants, headdress and bast bast shoes . Shirts were embroidered with silk, wool, cotton threads. They were worn with belts woven from wool and silk, decorated with beads, tassels and metal chains. One of the types headdresses of married Marieks , similar to a cap, was called shymaksh . It was sewn from thin canvas and put on a birch bark frame. An obligatory part of the traditional Mariek costume was considered jewelry made of beads, coins, pewter plaques.

Men's suit consisted of canvas embroidered shirt, pants, canvas caftan and bast shoes . The shirt was shorter than women's, it was worn with a narrow belt made of wool and leather. On head put on felt HATS and SHEARLING caps .

WHAT IS THE FINNO-UGRIAN LANGUAGE RELATIONSHIP

The Finno-Ugric peoples differ from each other in their way of life, religion, historical destinies and even appearance. They are combined into one group based on the relationship of languages. However, linguistic affinity is different. The Slavs, for example, can easily come to an agreement, each explaining himself in his own dialect. But the Finno-Ugric peoples will not be able to communicate with their brethren in the language group just as easily.

In ancient times, the ancestors of modern Finno-Ugric peoples spoke in one language. Then its speakers began to move, mixed with other tribes, and the once single language broke up into several independent ones. The Finno-Ugric languages ​​diverged so long ago that there are few common words in them - about a thousand. For example, "house" in Finnish is "koti", in Estonian - "kodu", in Mordovian - "kudu", in Mari - "kudo". It looks like the word "oil": Finnish "voi", Estonian "vdi", Udmurt and Komi "vy", Hungarian "vaj". But the sound of languages ​​- phonetics - remained so close that any Finno-Ugric, listening to another and not even understanding what he is talking about, feels: this is a related language.

FINNO-UGRIC NAMES

Finno-Ugric peoples have been confessing for a long time (at least officially) orthodoxy , so their names and surnames, as a rule, do not differ from Russians. However, in the village, in accordance with the sound of local languages, they change. So, Akulina becomes Okul, Nikolai - Nikul or Mikul, Kirill - Kyrlya, Ivan - Yivan. At Komi , for example, often the patronymic is put before the name: Mikhail Anatolyevich sounds like Tol Mish, that is, Anatoly's son Mishka, and Rosa Stepanovna turns into Stepan Rosa - Stepan's daughter Rosa. In the documents, of course, everyone has ordinary Russian names. Only writers, artists and artists choose the traditional village form: Yivan Kyrlya, Nikul Erkay, Illya Vas, Ortjo Stepanov.

At Komi often found surnames Durkin, Rochev, Kanev; among the Udmurts - Korepanov and Vladykin; at Mordovians - Vedenyapin, Pi-yashev, Kechin, Mokshin. Especially common among Mordovians are surnames with a diminutive suffix - Kirdyaikin, Vidyaikin, Popsuikin, Alyoshkin, Varlashkin.

Some Mari , especially the unbaptized chi-mari in Bashkiria, at one time they accepted Turkic names. Therefore, chi-mari often have surnames similar to Tatar ones: Anduganov, Baitemirov, Yashpatrov, but their names and patronymics are Russian. At Karelian there are surnames both Russian and Finnish, but always with a Russian ending: Perttuev, Lampiev. Usually in Karelia by last name can be distinguished Karelian, Finn and Petersburg Finn. So, Perttuev - Karelian, Perttu - Petersburg Finn, A Pertgunen - Finn. But the name and patronymic of each of them can be Stepan Ivanovich.

WHAT THE FINNO-UGRIANS BELIEVE

In Russia, many Finno-Ugric peoples profess orthodoxy . In the XII century. the Vepsians were crossed, in the XIII century. - Karelians, at the end of the XIV century. - Komi. At the same time, to translate the Holy Scripture into the Komi language, a Permian writing - the only original Finno-Ugric alphabet. During the XVIII-XIX centuries. Mordvins, Udmurts and Mariyi are christened. However, the Mariys did not fully accept Christianity. To avoid conversion to the new faith, some of them (they called themselves "chi-mari" - "true Mari") went to the territory of Bashkiria, and those who remained and were baptized often continued to worship the old gods. Among Mari, Udmurts, Saami and some other peoples were distributed, and even now preserved, the so-called dual faith . People revere the old gods, but recognize the "Russian God" and his saints, especially Nicholas the Pleasant. In Yoshkar-Ola, the capital of the Republic of Mari El, the state took under protection the sacred grove - " kyusoto", and now pagan prayers are taking place here. The names of the supreme gods and mythological heroes among these peoples are similar and probably go back to the ancient Finnish name for the sky and air - " ilma ": Ilmarinen - the Finns Ilmailin - Karelians,Inmar - among the Udmurts, Yong -Komi.

CULTURAL HERITAGE OF THE FINNO-UGRI

Writing many Finno-Ugric languages ​​of Russia was created on the basis Cyrillic, with the addition of letters and superscripts that convey the peculiarities of sound.Karely , whose literary language is Finnish, is written in Latin letters.

Literature of the Finno-Ugric peoples of Russia very young, but oral folk art has a long history. Finnish poet and folklorist Elias Lönro t (1802-1884) collected the tales of the epic " Kalevala "among the Karelians of the Olonets province of the Russian Empire. The final edition of the book was published in 1849. "Kalevala", which means "the country of Kaleva", in its rune songs tells about the exploits of the Finnish heroes Väinämöinen, Ilmarinen and Lemminkäinen, about their struggle against the evil Loukhi , mistress of Pohjola (the northern country of darkness). In a magnificent poetic form, the epic tells about the life, beliefs, customs of the ancestors of the Finns, Karelians, Veps, Vodi, Izhorians. This information is unusually rich, they reveal the spiritual world of farmers and hunters of the North. "Kalevala" stands along with the greatest epics of mankind.There are epics and some other Finno-Ugric peoples: "Kalevipoeg"("Son of Kalev") - at Estonians , "Feather-bogatyr"- at Komi-Permyakov , preserved epic tales Mordovians and Mansi .

The Finno-Ugric languages ​​are related to modern Finnish and Hungarian. The peoples who speak them make up the Finno-Ugric ethno-linguistic group. Their origin, territory of settlement, commonality and difference in external features, culture, religion and traditions are the subjects of global research in the field of history, anthropology, geography, linguistics and a number of other sciences. This review article will briefly cover this topic.

The peoples included in the Finno-Ugric ethno-linguistic group

Based on the degree of proximity of languages, researchers divide the Finno-Ugric peoples into five subgroups.

The basis of the first, the Baltic-Finnish, are the Finns and Estonians - peoples with their own states. They also live in Russia. Setu - a small group of Estonians - settled in the Pskov region. The most numerous of the Baltic-Finnish peoples of Russia are the Karelians. In everyday life they use three autochthonous dialects, while Finnish is considered their literary language. In addition, the same subgroup includes Veps and Izhors - small peoples who have retained their languages, as well as Vods (there are less than a hundred of them left, their own language has been lost) and Livs.

The second is the Sami (or Lappish) subgroup. The main part of the peoples who gave it its name is settled in Scandinavia. In Russia, the Saami live on the Kola Peninsula. Researchers suggest that in ancient times these peoples occupied a larger territory, but were subsequently pushed back to the north. At the same time, their own language was replaced by one of the Finnish dialects.

The third subgroup that makes up the Finno-Ugric peoples - the Volga-Finnish - includes the Mari and Mordovians. The Mari are the main part of Mari El, they also live in Bashkortostan, Tatarstan, Udmurtia and a number of other Russian regions. They distinguish two literary languages ​​(with which, however, not all researchers agree). Mordva - the autochthonous population of the Republic of Mordovia; at the same time, a significant part of the Mordvins settled throughout Russia. This people includes two ethnographic groups, each with its own literary written language.

The fourth subgroup is called the Permian. It includes as well as the Udmurts. Even before October 1917, in terms of literacy (albeit in Russian), the Komi were approaching the most educated peoples of Russia - Jews and Russian Germans. As for the Udmurts, their dialect has been preserved for the most part in the villages of the Udmurt Republic. Residents of cities, as a rule, forget both the indigenous language and customs.

The fifth, Ugric, subgroup includes Hungarians, Khanty and Mansi. Although many kilometers separate the lower reaches of the Ob and the northern Urals from the Hungarian state on the Danube, these peoples are actually the closest relatives. Khanty and Mansi belong to the small peoples of the North.

Disappeared Finno-Ugric tribes

The Finno-Ugric peoples also included tribes, the mention of which is currently preserved only in the annals. So, the Merya people lived in the interfluve of the Volga and Oka in the first millennium of our era - there is a theory that they later merged with the Eastern Slavs.

The same thing happened with Muroma. This is an even more ancient people of the Finno-Ugric ethno-linguistic group, who once inhabited the Oka basin.

Long-disappeared Finnish tribes that lived along the Northern Dvina are called Chud (according to one of the hypotheses, they were the ancestors of modern Estonians).

Commonality of languages ​​and culture

By declaring the Finno-Ugric languages ​​as a single group, the researchers emphasize this commonality as the main factor that unites the peoples who speak them. However, the Ural ethnic groups, despite the similarity in the structure of their languages, still do not always understand each other. So, a Finn, of course, will be able to communicate with an Estonian, an Erzya resident with a Moksha resident, and an Udmurt with a Komi. However, the peoples of this group, geographically distant from each other, should make quite a lot of effort to identify common features in their languages ​​that would help them to carry on a conversation.

The linguistic relationship of the Finno-Ugric peoples is primarily traced in the similarity of linguistic structures. This significantly affects the formation of thinking and worldview of peoples. Despite the difference in cultures, this circumstance contributes to the emergence of mutual understanding between these ethnic groups.

At the same time, a peculiar psychology, conditioned by the thought process in these languages, enriches the universal culture with their unique vision of the world. So, unlike the Indo-European, the representative of the Finno-Ugric people is inclined to treat nature with exceptional respect. The Finno-Ugric culture in many ways also contributed to the desire of these peoples to peacefully adapt to their neighbors - as a rule, they preferred not to fight, but to migrate, preserving their identity.

Also, a characteristic feature of the peoples of this group is their openness to ethno-cultural interchange. In search of ways to strengthen relationships with kindred peoples, they maintain cultural contacts with all those around them. Basically, the Finno-Ugric peoples managed to preserve their languages, the main cultural elements. The connection with ethnic traditions in this area can be traced in their national songs, dances, music, traditional dishes, and clothes. Also, many elements of their ancient rituals have survived to this day: wedding, funeral, memorial.

A Brief History of the Finno-Ugric Peoples

The origin and early history of the Finno-Ugric peoples are still the subject of scientific discussions. Among researchers, the most common opinion is that in ancient times there was a single group of people who spoke a common Finno-Ugric proto-language. The ancestors of the current Finno-Ugric peoples until the end of the third millennium BC. e. maintained relative unity. They were settled in the Urals and the western Urals, and possibly also in some areas adjacent to them.

In that era, called the Finno-Ugric, their tribes were in contact with the Indo-Iranians, which was reflected in myths and languages. Between the third and second millennium BC. e. the Ugric and Finno-Permian branches separated from each other. Among the peoples of the latter, who settled in a western direction, independent subgroups of languages ​​(Baltic-Finnish, Volga-Finnish, Permian) gradually stood out and became isolated. As a result of the transition of the autochthonous population of the Far North to one of the Finno-Ugric dialects, the Saami were formed.

The Ugric group of languages ​​fell apart by the middle of the 1st millennium BC. e. The separation of the Baltic-Finnish occurred at the beginning of our era. Perm existed a little longer - until the eighth century. The contacts of the Finno-Ugric tribes with the Baltic, Iranian, Slavic, Turkic, and Germanic peoples played an important role in the course of the separate development of these languages.

Territory of settlement

Finno-Ugric peoples today mainly live in North-Western Europe. Geographically, they are settled on a vast territory from Scandinavia to the Urals, the Volga-Kama, the lower and middle Tobol region. The Hungarians are the only people of the Finno-Ugric ethno-linguistic group that formed their own state away from other related tribes - in the Carpatho-Danube region.

The number of Finno-Ugric peoples

The total number of peoples speaking the Uralic languages ​​(these include Finno-Ugric along with Samoyed) is 23-24 million people. The most numerous representatives are Hungarians. There are more than 15 million of them in the world. They are followed by Finns and Estonians (5 and 1 million people, respectively). Most of the other Finno-Ugric ethnic groups live in modern Russia.

Finno-Ugric ethnic groups in Russia

Russian settlers massively rushed to the lands of the Finno-Ugric peoples in the 16th-18th centuries. Most often, the process of their settlement in these parts took place peacefully, however, some indigenous peoples (for example, the Mari) long and fiercely resisted the annexation of their region to the Russian state.

The Christian religion, writing, urban culture, introduced by the Russians, eventually began to displace local beliefs and dialects. People moved to the cities, moved to the Siberian and Altai lands - where the main and common language was Russian. However, he (especially his northern dialect) absorbed a lot of Finno-Ugric words - this is most noticeable in the field of toponyms and names of natural phenomena.

In places, the Finno-Ugric peoples of Russia mixed with the Turks, adopting Islam. However, a significant part of them were still assimilated by the Russians. Therefore, these peoples do not constitute a majority anywhere - even in those republics that bear their name.

However, according to the 2002 census, there are very significant Finno-Ugric groups in Russia. These are Mordovians (843 thousand people), Udmurts (almost 637 thousand), Mari (604 thousand), Komi-Zyryans (293 thousand), Komi-Permyaks (125 thousand), Karelians (93 thousand). The number of some peoples does not exceed thirty thousand people: Khanty, Mansi, Veps. The Izhors number 327 people, and the Vod people - only 73 people. Hungarians, Finns, Estonians, Saami also live in Russia.

Development of Finno-Ugric culture in Russia

In total, sixteen Finno-Ugric peoples live in Russia. Five of them have their own national-state formations, and two - national-territorial. Others are dispersed throughout the country.

In Russia, considerable attention is paid to the preservation of the original cultural traditions of its inhabitants. Programs are being developed at the national and local levels, with the support of which the culture of the Finno-Ugric peoples, their customs and dialects are studied.

Thus, Sami, Khanty, Mansi are taught in primary grades, and Komi, Mari, Udmurt, Mordovian languages ​​are taught in secondary schools in those regions where large groups of the respective ethnic groups live. There are special laws on culture, on languages ​​(Mari El, Komi). Thus, in the Republic of Karelia, there is a law on education that secures the right of Vepsians and Karelians to study in their native language. The priority of the development of the cultural traditions of these peoples is determined by the Law on Culture.

Also in the republics of Mari El, Udmurtia, Komi, Mordovia, in the Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug, there are their own concepts and programs of national development. The Foundation for the Development of the Cultures of the Finno-Ugric Peoples (on the territory of the Republic of Mari El) has been created and is operating.

Finno-Ugric peoples: appearance

The ancestors of the current Finno-Ugric peoples occurred as a result of a mixture of Paleo-European and Paleo-Asiatic tribes. Therefore, in the appearance of all the peoples of this group, there are both Caucasoid and Mongoloid features. Some scientists even put forward a theory about the existence of an independent race - the Urals, which is "intermediate" between Europeans and Asians, but this version has few supporters.

The Finno-Ugric peoples are anthropologically heterogeneous. However, any representative of the Finno-Ugric people possesses characteristic "Ural" features to one degree or another. This, as a rule, is of medium height, very light hair color, wide face, sparse beard. But these features manifest themselves in different ways. So, Erzya Mordvins are tall, owners of blond hair and blue eyes. Moksha Mordvins - on the contrary, shorter, broad-cheeked, with darker hair. The Udmurts and Mari often have characteristic "Mongolian" eyes with a special fold at the inner corner of the eye - the epicanthus, very wide faces, and a thin beard. But at the same time, their hair, as a rule, is blond and red, and their eyes are blue or gray, which is typical for Europeans, but not Mongoloids. The "Mongolian fold" is also found among the Izhors, Vodi, Karelians and even Estonians. Komi look different. Where there are mixed marriages with the Nenets, the representatives of this people are slanted and black-haired. Other Komi, on the contrary, are more like Scandinavians, but more broad-faced.

Finno-Ugric traditional cuisine in Russia

Most of the dishes of the traditional cuisines of the Finno-Ugric and Trans-Urals, in fact, have not been preserved or have been significantly distorted. However, ethnographers manage to trace some general patterns.

The main food product of the Finno-Ugric peoples was fish. It was not only processed in different ways (fried, dried, boiled, fermented, dried, eaten raw), but each type was prepared in its own way, which would better convey the taste.

Before the advent of firearms, snares were the main method of hunting in the forest. They caught mainly forest birds (black grouse, capercaillie) and small animals, mainly a hare. Meat and poultry were stewed, boiled and baked, much less often - fried.

From vegetables, they used turnips and radishes, from spicy herbs - watercress growing in the forest, cow parsnip, horseradish, onions, and young goatweed. Western Finno-Ugric peoples practically did not consume mushrooms; at the same time, for the Orientals, they constituted an essential part of the diet. The oldest types of grain known to these peoples are barley and wheat (spelt). They prepared porridges, hot kissels, as well as stuffing for homemade sausages.

The modern culinary repertoire of the Finno-Ugric peoples contains very few national features, as it has been strongly influenced by Russian, Bashkir, Tatar, Chuvash and other cuisines. However, almost every nation has preserved one or two traditional, ritual or festive dishes that have survived to this day. In sum, they allow you to get a general idea of ​​\u200b\u200bFinno-Ugric cooking.

Finno-Ugric peoples: religion

Most Finno-Ugric peoples profess the Christian faith. Finns, Estonians and Western Sami are Lutherans. Catholics predominate among Hungarians, although Calvinists and Lutherans can also be found.

The Finno-Ugric peoples living in are predominantly Orthodox Christians. However, the Udmurts and Mari in some places managed to preserve the ancient (animistic) religion, and the Samoyed peoples and inhabitants of Siberia - shamanism.

The origin and early history of the Finno-Ugric peoples are still the subject of scientific discussions. Among researchers, the most common opinion is that in ancient times there was a single group of people who spoke a common Finno-Ugric proto-language. The ancestors of the current Finno-Ugric peoples until the end of the third millennium BC. e. maintained relative unity. They were settled in the Urals and the western Urals, and possibly also in some areas adjacent to them.

In that era, called the Finno-Ugric, their tribes were in contact with the Indo-Iranians, which was reflected in myths and languages. Between the third and second millennium BC. e. separated from each other Ugric And Finno-Permian branches. Among the peoples of the latter, who settled in the western direction, independent subgroups of languages ​​​​gradually stood out and stood apart:

• Baltic-Finnish,
• Volga-Finnish,
• Permian.

As a result of the transition of the population of the Far North to one of the Finno-Ugric dialects, the Sami were formed. The Ugric group of languages ​​fell apart by the middle of the 1st millennium BC. e. The separation of the Baltic-Finnish occurred at the beginning of our era. Perm existed a little longer - until the eighth century.

The contacts of the Finno-Ugric tribes with the Baltic, Iranian, Slavic, Turkic, and Germanic peoples played an important role in the course of the separate development of these languages.

Territory of settlement

Finno-Ugric peoples today mainly live in North-Western Europe. Geographically, they are settled on a vast territory from Scandinavia to the Urals, the Volga-Kama, the lower and middle Tobol region.

The Hungarians are the only people of the Finno-Ugric ethno-linguistic group that formed their own state away from other related tribes - in the Carpatho-Danube region.

The total number of peoples speaking the Uralic languages ​​(these include Finno-Ugric along with Samoyed) is 23-24 million people. The most numerous representatives are Hungarians. There are more than 15 million of them in the world. They are followed by Finns and Estonians (5 and 1 million people, respectively). Most of the other Finno-Ugric ethnic groups live in modern Russia.

Finno-Ugric ethnic groups in Russia

Russian settlers massively rushed to the lands of the Finno-Ugric peoples in the 16th-18th centuries. Most often, the process of their settlement in these parts took place peacefully, however, some indigenous peoples (for example, the Mari) long and fiercely resisted the annexation of their region to the Russian state.

The Christian religion, writing, urban culture, introduced by the Russians, eventually began to displace local beliefs and dialects. People moved to the cities, moved to the Siberian and Altai lands - where the main and common language was Russian. However, he (especially his northern dialect) absorbed a lot of Finno-Ugric words - this is most noticeable in the field of toponyms and names of natural phenomena.

In places, the Finno-Ugric peoples of Russia mixed with the Turks, adopting Islam. However, a significant part of them were still assimilated by the Russians. Therefore, these peoples do not constitute a majority anywhere - even in those republics that bear their name. However, according to the 2002 census, there are very significant Finno-Ugric groups in Russia.

• Mordva (843 thousand people),
• Udmurts (almost 637 thousand),
• Mari (604 thousand),
• Komi-Zyrians (293 thousand),
• Komi-Permyaks (125 thousand),
• Karelians (93 thousand).

The number of some peoples does not exceed thirty thousand people: Khanty, Mansi, Veps. The Izhors number 327 people, and the Vod people - only 73 people. Hungarians, Finns, Estonians, Saami also live in Russia.

Development of Finno-Ugric culture in Russia

In total, sixteen Finno-Ugric peoples live in Russia. Five of them have their own national-state formations, and two - national-territorial. Others are dispersed throughout the country. Programs are being developed at the national and local levels, with the support of which the culture of the Finno-Ugric peoples, their customs and dialects are studied. So, Sami, Khanty, Mansi are taught in primary grades, and Komi, Mari, Udmurt, Mordovian languages ​​are taught in secondary schools of those regions where large groups of the respective ethnic groups live.

There are special laws on culture, on languages ​​(Mari El, Komi). Thus, in the Republic of Karelia, there is a law on education that secures the right of Vepsians and Karelians to study in their native language. The priority of the development of the cultural traditions of these peoples is determined by the Law on Culture. Also in the republics of Mari El, Udmurtia, Komi, Mordovia, in the Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug, there are their own concepts and programs of national development. The Foundation for the Development of the Cultures of the Finno-Ugric Peoples (on the territory of the Republic of Mari El) has been created and is operating.

Finno-Ugric peoples: appearance

The ancestors of the current Finno-Ugric peoples occurred as a result of a mixture of Paleo-European and Paleo-Asiatic tribes. Therefore, in the appearance of all the peoples of this group, there are both Caucasoid and Mongoloid features. Some scientists even put forward a theory about the existence of an independent race - the Urals, which is "intermediate" between Europeans and Asians, but this version has few supporters.

The Finno-Ugric peoples are anthropologically heterogeneous. However, any representative of the Finno-Ugric people possesses characteristic "Ural" features to one degree or another. This, as a rule, is of medium height, very light hair color, “snub-nosed” nose, broad face, sparse beard. But these features manifest themselves in different ways.

So, Erzya Mordvins are tall, with blond hair and blue eyes. Moksha Mordvins - on the contrary, shorter, broad cheekbones, with darker hair. The Udmurts and Mari often have characteristic "Mongolian" eyes with a special fold at the inner corner of the eye - the epicanthus, very wide faces, and a thin beard. But at the same time, their hair, as a rule, is light and red, and their eyes are blue or gray, which is typical for Europeans, but not Mongoloids. The “Mongolian fold” is also found among the Izhors, Vodi, Karelians and even Estonians. Komi look different. Where there are mixed marriages with the Nenets, the representatives of this people are slanted and black-haired. Other Komi, on the contrary, are more like Scandinavians, but more broad-faced.

Religion and language

The Finno-Ugric peoples living in the European part of Russia are predominantly Orthodox Christians. However, the Udmurts and Mari in some places managed to preserve the ancient (animistic) religion, and the Samoyed peoples and inhabitants of Siberia - shamanism.

The Finno-Ugric languages ​​are related to modern Finnish and Hungarian. The peoples who speak them make up the Finno-Ugric ethno-linguistic group. Their origin, territory of settlement, commonality and differences in external features, culture, religion and traditions are the subjects of global research in the field of history, anthropology, geography, linguistics and a number of other sciences. This review article will briefly cover this topic.

The peoples included in the Finno-Ugric ethno-linguistic group

Based on the degree of proximity of languages, researchers divide the Finno-Ugric peoples into five subgroups. the basis of the first, Baltic-Finnish, are Finns and Estonians - peoples with their own states. They also live in Russia. Setu - a small group of Estonians - settled in the Pskov region. The most numerous of the Baltic-Finnish peoples of Russia are the Karelians. In everyday life they use three autochthonous dialects, while Finnish is considered their literary language. In addition, the same subgroup includes Veps and Izhors - small peoples who have retained their languages, as well as Vods (there are less than a hundred of them left, their own language is lost) and Livs.

Second- Sami (or Lappish) subgroup. The main part of the peoples who gave it its name is settled in Scandinavia. In Russia, the Saami live on the Kola Peninsula. Researchers suggest that in ancient times these peoples occupied a larger territory, but were subsequently pushed back to the north. At the same time, their own language was replaced by one of the Finnish dialects.

Third the subgroup that makes up the Finno-Ugric peoples - the Volga-Finnish - includes the Mari and Mordovians. The Mari are the main part of the population of the Republic of Mari El, they also live in Bashkortostan, Tatarstan, Udmurtia and a number of other Russian regions. They distinguish two literary languages ​​(with which, however, not all researchers agree). Mordva - the autochthonous population of the Republic of Mordovia; at the same time, a significant part of the Mordvins settled throughout Russia. This people includes two ethnographic groups, each with its own literary written language.

4th the subgroup is called the Permian. It includes Komi, Komi-Permyaks, as well as Udmurts. Even before October 1917, in terms of literacy (albeit in Russian), the Komi were approaching the most educated peoples of Russia - Jews and Russian Germans. As for the Udmurts, their dialect has been preserved for the most part in the villages of the Udmurt Republic. Residents of cities, as a rule, forget both the indigenous language and customs.

TO fifth, Ugric, a subgroup includes Hungarians, Khanty and Mansi. Although many kilometers separate the lower reaches of the Ob and the northern Urals from the Hungarian state on the Danube, these peoples are actually the closest relatives. Khanty and Mansi belong to the small peoples of the North.

Disappeared Finno-Ugric tribes

The Finno-Ugric peoples also included tribes, the mention of which is currently preserved only in the annals. So, Merya people lived in the interfluve of the Volga and Oka in the first millennium of our era - there is a theory that he subsequently merged with the Eastern Slavs.

The same thing happened with muromoi. This is an even more ancient people of the Finno-Ugric ethno-linguistic group, who once inhabited the Oka basin. Long-disappeared Finnish tribes that lived along the Onega and Northern Dvina rivers are called miracle(according to one hypothesis, they were the ancestors of modern Estonians).

Commonality of languages ​​and culture

By declaring the Finno-Ugric languages ​​as a single group, the researchers emphasize this commonality as the main factor that unites the peoples who speak them. However, the Ural ethnic groups, despite the similarity in the structure of their languages, still do not always understand each other. So, a Finn, of course, will be able to communicate with an Estonian, an Erzya resident with a Moksha resident, and an Udmurt with a Komi. However, the peoples of this group, geographically distant from each other, should make quite a lot of effort to identify common features in their languages ​​that would help them to carry on a conversation.

The linguistic relationship of the Finno-Ugric peoples is primarily traced in the similarity of linguistic structures. This significantly affects the formation of thinking and worldview of peoples. Despite the difference in cultures, this circumstance contributes to the emergence of mutual understanding between these ethnic groups. At the same time, a peculiar psychology, conditioned by the thought process in these languages, enriches the universal culture with their unique vision of the world.

So, unlike the Indo-European, the representative of the Finno-Ugric people is inclined to treat nature with exceptional respect. The Finno-Ugric culture in many ways also contributed to the desire of these peoples to peacefully adapt to their neighbors - as a rule, they preferred not to fight, but to migrate, preserving their identity. Also, a characteristic feature of the peoples of this group is openness to ethno-cultural interchange. In search of ways to strengthen relationships with kindred peoples, they maintain cultural contacts with all those around them.

Basically, the Finno-Ugric peoples managed to preserve their languages, the main cultural elements. The connection with ethnic traditions in this area can be traced in their national songs, dances, music, traditional dishes, and clothes. Also, many elements of their ancient rituals have survived to this day: wedding, funeral, memorial.

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NB! The Consular Section of the Estonian Embassy in Moscow serves all Russian citizens who live on the whole territory of Russian Federation, except:

To apply for Estonian visa the residents of St Petersburg city and Leningrad oblast, Karelia, Arhangelsk oblast, Vologda oblast, Murmansk oblast and Novgorod oblast have to turn to the Consulate General of Estonia in St Petersburg:

14 Bolshaya Monetnaya
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Phone: (7 812) 702 09 20
Phone: (7 812) 702 09 24
Fax: (7 812) 702 09 27
Email: [email protected]
www.peterburg.site

Residents of Pskov city and Pskov oblast have to turn to the Chancery of St Petersburg’s Consulate General in Pskov:

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180016 Pskov
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Phone: (7 8112) 725 380 (messages)
Fax: (7 8112) 725 381
Email: [email protected]

Consular Section

Phone: (7 495) 737 36 48 (weekdays 9.00 – 12.00 and 14.00 – 17.00)
Fax: (7 495) 691 10 73
Email: [email protected]

Office hours: weekdays 8.30-17.00

Closed on Saturdays, Sundays and Estonian and Russian national holidays (Public Holidays).

Visa applications may be submitted on weekdays 9.00-12.00, visas are issued 9.00-12.00.

Visa applications may also be submitted at the visa center of VFS Global.

Consul’s office hours on consular matters are on weekdays 9.30-12.00 and 14.00-16.00 (only in case of pre-registration).

address:
8 Kalashny Pereulok (M. Arbatskaya)
Moscow

postal address:
5 Maly Kislovsky Pereulok
125 009 Moscow
Russian Federation

NB! The Consular Section of the Estonian Embassy in Moscow serves all Russian citizens who live on the whole territory of Russian Federation, except:

To apply for Estonian visa the residents of St Petersburg city and Leningrad oblast, Karelia, Arhangelsk oblast, Vologda oblast, Murmansk oblast and Novgorod oblast have to turn to the Consulate General of Estonia in St Petersburg:

14 Bolshaya Monetnaya
197101 St Petersburg
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Phone: (7 812) 702 09 20
Phone: (7 812) 702 09 24
Fax: (7 812) 702 09 27
Email: [email protected]
www.peterburg.site

Residents of Pskov city and Pskov oblast have to turn to the Chancery of St Petersburg’s Consulate General in Pskov:

25
180016 Pskov
Russian Federation

Phone: (7 8112) 725 380 (messages)
Fax: (7 8112) 725 381
Email: [email protected]

Consular Section

Phone: (7 495) 737 36 48 (weekdays 9.00 – 12.00 and 14.00 – 17.00)
Fax: (7 495) 691 10 73
Email: [email protected]

Office hours: weekdays 8.30-17.00

Closed on Saturdays, Sundays and Estonian and Russian national holidays (Public Holidays).

Visa applications may be submitted on weekdays 9.00-12.00, visas are issued 9.00-12.00.

Visa applications may also be submitted at the visa center of VFS Global.

Consul’s office hours on consular matters are on weekdays 9.30-12.00 and 14.00-16.00 (only in case of pre-registration).

address:
8 Kalashny Pereulok (M. Arbatskaya)
Moscow

postal address:
5 Maly Kislovsky Pereulok
125 009 Moscow
Russian Federation

NB! The Consular Section of the Estonian Embassy in Moscow serves all Russian citizens who live on the whole territory of Russian Federation, except:

To apply for Estonian visa the residents of St Petersburg city and Leningrad oblast, Karelia, Arhangelsk oblast, Vologda oblast, Murmansk oblast and Novgorod oblast have to turn to the Consulate General of Estonia in St Petersburg:

14 Bolshaya Monetnaya
197101 St Petersburg
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Phone: (7 812) 702 09 20
Phone: (7 812) 702 09 24
Fax: (7 812) 702 09 27
Email: [email protected]
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Residents of Pskov city and Pskov oblast have to turn to the Chancery of St Petersburg’s Consulate General in Pskov:

25
180016 Pskov
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Phone: (7 8112) 725 380 (messages)
Fax: (7 8112) 725 381
Email: [email protected]

Consular Section

Phone: (7 495) 737 36 48 (weekdays 9.00 – 12.00 and 14.00 – 17.00)
Fax: (7 495) 691 10 73
Email: [email protected]

Office hours: weekdays 8.30-17.00

Closed on Saturdays, Sundays and Estonian and Russian national holidays (Public Holidays).

Visa applications may be submitted on weekdays 9.00-12.00, visas are issued 9.00-12.00.

Visa applications may also be submitted at the visa center of VFS Global.

Consul’s office hours on consular matters are on weekdays 9.30-12.00 and 14.00-16.00 (only in case of pre-registration).

address:
8 Kalashny Pereulok (M. Arbatskaya)
Moscow

postal address:
5 Maly Kislovsky Pereulok
125 009 Moscow
Russian Federation

NB! The Consular Section of the Estonian Embassy in Moscow serves all Russian citizens who live on the whole territory of Russian Federation, except:

To apply for Estonian visa the residents of St Petersburg city and Leningrad oblast, Karelia, Arhangelsk oblast, Vologda oblast, Murmansk oblast and Novgorod oblast have to turn to the Consulate General of Estonia in St Petersburg:

14 Bolshaya Monetnaya
197101 St Petersburg
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Phone: (7 812) 702 09 20
Phone: (7 812) 702 09 24
Fax: (7 812) 702 09 27
Email: [email protected]
www.peterburg.site

Residents of Pskov city and Pskov oblast have to turn to the Chancery of St Petersburg’s Consulate General in Pskov:

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180016 Pskov
Russian Federation

Phone: (7 8112) 725 380 (messages)
Fax: (7 8112) 725 381
Email: [email protected]

Consular Section

Phone: (7 495) 737 36 48 (weekdays 9.00 – 12.00 and 14.00 – 17.00)
Fax: (7 495) 691 10 73
Email: [email protected]

Office hours: weekdays 8.30-17.00

Closed on Saturdays, Sundays and Estonian and Russian national holidays (Public Holidays).

Visa applications may be submitted on weekdays 9.00-12.00, visas are issued 9.00-12.00.

Visa applications may also be submitted at the visa center of VFS Global.

Consul’s office hours on consular matters are on weekdays 9.30-12.00 and 14.00-16.00 (only in case of pre-registration).

address:
8 Kalashny Pereulok (M. Arbatskaya)
Moscow

postal address:
5 Maly Kislovsky Pereulok
125 009 Moscow
Russian Federation

NB! The Consular Section of the Estonian Embassy in Moscow serves all Russian citizens who live on the whole territory of Russian Federation, except:

To apply for Estonian visa the residents of St Petersburg city and Leningrad oblast, Karelia, Arhangelsk oblast, Vologda oblast, Murmansk oblast and Novgorod oblast have to turn to the Consulate General of Estonia in St Petersburg:

14 Bolshaya Monetnaya
197101 St Petersburg
Russian Federation

Phone: (7 812) 702 09 20
Phone: (7 812) 702 09 24
Fax: (7 812) 702 09 27
Email: [email protected]
www.peterburg.site

Residents of Pskov city and Pskov oblast have to turn to the Chancery of St Petersburg’s Consulate General in Pskov:

25
180016 Pskov
Russian Federation

Phone: (7 8112) 725 380 (messages)
Fax: (7 8112) 725 381
Email: [email protected]

Consular Section

Phone: (7 495) 737 36 48 (weekdays 9.00 – 12.00 and 14.00 – 17.00)
Fax: (7 495) 691 10 73
Email: [email protected]

Office hours: weekdays 8.30-17.00

Closed on Saturdays, Sundays and Estonian and Russian national holidays (Public Holidays).

Visa applications may be submitted on weekdays 9.00-12.00, visas are issued 9.00-12.00.

Visa applications may also be submitted at the visa center of VFS Global.

Consul’s office hours on consular matters are on weekdays 9.30-12.00 and 14.00-16.00 (only in case of pre-registration).

address:
8 Kalashny Pereulok (M. Arbatskaya)
Moscow

postal address:
5 Maly Kislovsky Pereulok
125 009 Moscow
Russian Federation

NB! The Consular Section of the Estonian Embassy in Moscow serves all Russian citizens who live on the whole territory of Russian Federation, except:

To apply for Estonian visa the residents of St Petersburg city and Leningrad oblast, Karelia, Arhangelsk oblast, Vologda oblast, Murmansk oblast and Novgorod oblast have to turn to the Consulate General of Estonia in St Petersburg:

14 Bolshaya Monetnaya
197101 St Petersburg
Russian Federation

Phone: (7 812) 702 09 20
Phone: (7 812) 702 09 24
Fax: (7 812) 702 09 27
Email: [email protected]
www.peterburg.site

Residents of Pskov city and Pskov oblast have to turn to the Chancery of St Petersburg’s Consulate General in Pskov:

25
180016 Pskov
Russian Federation

Phone: (7 8112) 725 380 (messages)
Fax: (7 8112) 725 381
Email: [email protected]

http://www.estoniarussia.eu

The bilateral relations of Estonia and the Russian Federation, in the form of diplomatic contacts and communication between officials and experts, are mostly aimed at solving practical issues. Similarly to the entire European Union, Estonian political relations with Russia have, since 2014, been restricted due to Russian aggression in Ukraine, the illegal annexation of Crimea and Sevastopol. The main goals of the bilateral relations in the near future are enforcing border agreements and further border demarcations.

Cross-border cooperation between Estonia and Russia is successful, particularly within the framework of cooperation programs largely financed by the EU. Estonia-Latvia-Russia cross border cooperation program 2007-2014 supported 45 different projects in Estonia, Latvia and Russia in the amount of €48 million. For example, the reconstruction of border crossing points in Ivangorod and in Narva that help to increase the throughput capacity and make border crossing easier, was funded from the program. Small-craft harbors were constructed in Tartu, Mustvee and Räpina. First inland water body slipway in Estonia was built in Kallaste. Waste water treatment stations in Pskov, Gdov and Pechory and the districts of Pskov and Palkinsky were reconstructed.

Estonia-Russia cross-border cooperation program 2014-2020 (http://www.estoniarussia.eu) continues to finance cross-border projects. The program aims to support the development and competitiveness of border regions. The total amount of the program funds is €34.2 million, with most of the funding coming from the EU. Estonia will contribute €9 and Russia €8.4 million. The cooperation program helps to finance five large infrastructure projects, with €20 million in total funding: 1) development of small businesses in South-East Estonia and the district of Pskov, (connected to border crossing); 2) socio-economic and environmental development of the Lake Peipsi, including water tourism and smallharbours, reconstruction of wastewater treatment facilities in the district of Pskov; 3) reconstruction of the Narva-Ivangorod fortresses ensemble; reconstruction of the Narva-Ivangorod promenade; 5) reconstruction of the Luhamaa-Shumilkino border crossing points.

The bilateral relations of Estonia and the Russian Federation, in the form of diplomatic contacts and communication between officials and experts, are mostly aimed at solving practical issues. Similarly to the entire European Union, Estonian political relations with Russia have, since 2014, been restricted due to Russian aggression in Ukraine, the illegal annexation of Crimea and Sevastopol. The main goals of the bilateral relations in the near future are enforcing border agreements and further border demarcations.

Cross-border cooperation between Estonia and Russia is successful, particularly within the framework of cooperation programs largely financed by the EU. Estonia-Latvia-Russia cross border cooperation program 2007-2014 supported 45 different projects in Estonia, Latvia and Russia in the amount of €48 million. For example, the reconstruction of border crossing points in Ivangorod and in Narva that help to increase the throughput capacity and make border crossing easier, was funded from the program. Small-craft harbors were constructed in Tartu, Mustvee and Räpina. First inland water body slipway in Estonia was built in Kallaste. Waste water treatment stations in Pskov, Gdov and Pechory and the districts of Pskov and Palkinsky were reconstructed.

Estonia-Russia cross-border cooperation program 2014-2020 (http://www.estoniarussia.eu) continues to finance cross-border projects. The program aims to support the development and competitiveness of border regions. The total amount of the program funds is €34.2 million, with most of the funding coming from the EU. Estonia will contribute €9 and Russia €8.4 million. The cooperation program helps to finance five large infrastructure projects, with €20 million in total funding: 1) development of small businesses in South-East Estonia and the district of Pskov, (connected to border crossing); 2) socio-economic and environmental development of the Lake Peipsi, including water tourism and smallharbours, reconstruction of wastewater treatment facilities in the district of Pskov; 3) reconstruction of the Narva-Ivangorod fortresses ensemble; reconstruction of the Narva-Ivangorod promenade; 5) reconstruction of the Luhamaa-Shumilkino border crossing points.

The bilateral relations of Estonia and the Russian Federation, in the form of diplomatic contacts and communication between officials and experts, are mostly aimed at solving practical issues. Similarly to the entire European Union, Estonian political relations with Russia have, since 2014, been restricted due to Russian aggression in Ukraine, the illegal annexation of Crimea and Sevastopol. The main goals of the bilateral relations in the near future are enforcing border agreements and further border demarcations.

Cross-border cooperation between Estonia and Russia is successful, particularly within the framework of cooperation programs largely financed by the EU. Estonia-Latvia-Russia cross border cooperation program 2007-2014 supported 45 different projects in Estonia, Latvia and Russia in the amount of €48 million. For example, the reconstruction of border crossing points in Ivangorod and in Narva that help to increase the throughput capacity and make border crossing easier, was funded from the program. Small-craft harbors were constructed in Tartu, Mustvee and Räpina. First inland water body slipway in Estonia was built in Kallaste. Waste water treatment stations in Pskov, Gdov and Pechory and the districts of Pskov and Palkinsky were reconstructed.

Estonia-Russia cross-border cooperation program 2014-2020 (http://www.estoniarussia.eu) continues to finance cross-border projects. The program aims to support the development and competitiveness of border regions. The total amount of the program funds is €34.2 million, with most of the funding coming from the EU. Estonia will contribute €9 and Russia €8.4 million. The cooperation program helps to finance five large infrastructure projects, with €20 million in total funding: 1) development of small businesses in South-East Estonia and the district of Pskov, (connected to border crossing); 2) socio-economic and environmental development of the Lake Peipsi, including water tourism and smallharbours, reconstruction of wastewater treatment facilities in the district of Pskov; 3) reconstruction of the Narva-Ivangorod fortresses ensemble; reconstruction of the Narva-Ivangorod promenade; 5) reconstruction of the Luhamaa-Shumilkino border crossing points.

Estonia’s air is among the cleanest in the world, and the freedom to roam is codified in law. Pick berries, mushrooms, or herbs. Go hiking. Or sit still and take inspiration from the sounds of nature.

A short ride is all that's required to experience Estonia's full natural diversity. Little distance separate cities and nature. Our versatile cultural heritage and seasons of the year make every visit unique.