Kudrichi. A traditional Polesie village.

The village of Kudrichi is a vivid example of the island layout of settlements. The village originated in the swampy area of the Polesie lands in the XVI century. At that time, these lands were owned by Bona Sforza.

The history of the origin of this settlement in such a swampy place remains a mystery, but some historians believe that someone could have been sent to live in these parts only as punishment. For example, criminals or people who did not please the local authorities. But none of the reasons prevented people from establishing a way of life and successfully farming. Fishing and beekeeping were well developed among the locals. The village developed extremely slowly and in isolation, because for a long time it was "cut off from the world." And it was only in the eighties of the XX century that a road was built connecting Kudrichi with civilization.

Of the 250 yards that used to be, no more than ten remain in Kudrichy. The most amazing thing about these remote places are the locals, the real "people in the swamp". They have their own language, traditions, and customs here. The roofs of their houses are covered with reeds, and old traditional utensils, mostly made with their own hands, hang on the walls of the houses. They still use unusual beehives made of oak decks. During floods, houses erected on slides stick out like mushrooms among the water, and residents float to visit each other on boats (each has several wooden boats in the household). Due to the fact that the water sometimes comes under the very huts, the settlement is called Polessky Venice. The locals have an original way of storing food, firewood and much more. Polesie cuisine is distinguished by its local features - simplicity and taste. The local nature is a separate topic. Kudrichi, without exaggeration, can be called a stork village. They walk along the only street in the village, their "nest apartments" are everywhere. Herons, swans and other birds typical of these places are nearby. 

The Kudrichs have successfully survived many wars - they did not touch this remote Polesie corner. During the Patriotic War, the Germans wanted to burn down the village, but for some reason changed their mind. Another mysterious fact is in the history of the village - on the banks of the Yaselda in Kudrichy there was a wooden Peter and Paul church of the 18th century. It was demolished on Khrushchev's orders in the sixties. A tractor driver who destroyed a church with his tractor tragically froze in a swamp that winter.

Today, there is little left of the authentic reed-roofed houses. Locals are sure that with the end of their lives, the life of the Kudrichs will end. With the departure of the old-timers, who could tell how to properly cover roofs with reeds, how to build boats, the unique history of the Polesie village will disappear. Tourists from America, Sweden, Switzerland, Holland, and Germany often come to Kudrici. There is no limit to the admiration of foreigners for these places. This is a real open-air museum, where you can feel the spirit of the Polesie village. 

The village is located on the territory of the Srednyaya Pripyat nature reserve and is included in the tourist and excursion routes "On a visit to the Poleshukes", "Know the Wonderful Land of Polesie" and others. You can spend the night in Kudrichy at the farmstead "River of the Gods". Its owner carefully restored the Polesie authenticity.

An archaic village lost between three Polesie rivers Pripyat, Creche, Pins will bring a lot of impressions and emotions from her visit. But if you are planning to visit Kudrichi, then you should hurry, because this unique lost "Polesie world" is quietly dying.