Ryba

Ruba is a small settlement that is located 16 kilometers north of Vitebsk on the bank of the Western Dvina.

Once upon a time at this place there lived an orphan named Stepanida. She was raised by her grandparents. When her grandmother died, her grandfather got married again and brought a new wife into the house. She disliked the girl and ordered her to be taken to the forest. Stepanida lost her way in the forest, but she came out to the woodcutters through the notches on the trees. Later, she married one of them. Young people started calling the place where they settled Zaruba, and then simply Ruba.

Today, the village of Ruba is famous for the fact that here is the largest in the country manufacture of lime and fertilizers for cultivating the soil named OJSC Dolomit. Limestone is mined in the dolomite quarries located near the village. At the bottom of the Gralevsky quarry there was formed a picturesque lake with several species of fish. In 1982, the remains of the mammoth were found in the career of Gralevo.

In the seventies, close to Ruba there were sand dumps more than 200 meters high. These artificial mountains were chosen by lovers of mountain skiing. Now there are 3 routes of different complexity open, two rope tows work here too. Since 1988, the children's youth sports school for alpine skiing and freestyle of republican significance has started functioning in Ruba.

However, the main attraction of the village of Ruba is undoubtedly considered to be the museum-estate  of "Zdravnevo", that belonged to the great Russian painter Repin.

Repin bought this estate for the money fr om the sale of paintings "Zaporozhye people are writing a letter to the Turkish sultan" and "Burlaki on the Volga". It is difficult to say why the painter decided to settle in the Vitebsk region. Perhaps the artist was attracted by the unusual beauty of the Belarusian Dvina lands, and perhaps by silence and tranquility of this place.

A lot of effort and money were invested by the artist in the reconstruction of the manor house. The building was completely rebuilt according to the sketches of the painter. A lime walkway was planted by the artist's hand on the territory of the estate, wh ere in the shade one can relax even today.

During the Great Patriotic War, the estate of Repin was almost completely destroyed. Local residents dismantled the cultural monument to make fire at home. In 1988, the estate got the second life. Here, the reconstruction was carried out, and a branch of the Vitebsk Regional Museum of Local History - the Repin Museum-Estate was opened.

In 1995, there was a fire in the estate and the main manor house burned down. Today, on the site of the old house there is a new building built. The staff of the museum carefully keep everything associated with the name of great Repin: these are the personal belongings of the artist, furniture, documents, books and photographs, watercolors, drawings and icons.

In addition to the manor house, the museum complex also includes a restored cellar of the Repin times and the steward's house. On the territory of the estate there is a monument to the great painter.

In addition to the manor house, the museum complex also includes a restored cellar of Repin times and the steward's house. On the territory of the estate there is a monument to the great painter.