Founded in 1593, the stanitsa (Cossack village) Starocherkasskaya used to be the Don Cossack capital. Once a fortified town of 20 000, it’s now a small village, with streets restored to their late 19th century appearance and still keeping the atmosphere of the past.

There are remains of a fortress 3km down the river Don, called Cherkassk Krepost.

Near the west end of the main street is the peasant rebellion leader Bulavin’s fortified house (1709) where he was eventually killed. There is also a number of Cossack fort-houses. The Starocherkassk Museum has wonderful exhibitions illustrating 16th to 20th century Cossack life and the rebellions.

Not far from the museum you may see the Church of Our Lady of the Don (1761), which was the private church of a Cossack ataman. The Resurrection Cathedral (1719) has a beautiful iconostasis and baroque chandeliers reminding if the past epoques of the Don region.

On then last Sunday of each month in summer a “Cossack fair” features music, dancing, crafts and horseback riding.