«Zolotaya Gorka» (“The Golden Hill”)

 Where does the name “The Golden Hill” originate from? There are several versions.

Version 1. In old times it was a popular place for hiding treasures. The thick forest, hilly landscape, closeness to the trakt (the highway) and the town – everything invited light-fingered folks to bury their loot there. Treasures would be found in the neighbourhood now and then, and that eventually inspired the name.

The following legend underlains Version 2. After combating the cholera epidemic, one doctor, a Pole by nationality, came out of the chapel, took off his cloak, spread it over the ground and threw several golden coins on it. He appealed to the citizens also to donate money for building a stone church. There came a shower of copper, silver and golden coins, and a small hill was formed. So people called this hilly place “The Golden hill”.

Version 3. The name was given during the “golden autumn”, when this territory, covered with the forest of deciduous trees, appeared in all its beauty of bright-yellow, purple, and golden colours. In sunny weather the hill seemed to shine with the gold of maples, and so it won its name.

According to Version 4, in the olden days wealthy merchants used to turn there from Igumensky Trakt (Igumensky Highway) for the night. They are sure to have had a plenty of gold. 


 

Translation by Elena Demidova