
Today, the source is considered to be a Natural Monument. The chapel and its bridge have been renovated. In the center of the chapel, there is an opening directly above the spring. Access to the chapel is along a small wooden bridge over the swampy land. The source of the Volga has always been considered special. In ancient times, a small, square, wooden chapel was built over one of the springs. The source of the Volga is a Natural Monument It might not look clean, but it is safe to drink. In the dry season, the stream may dry up completely for several meters from the source. This is the offi- cial source of the Volga River. The Volga flows out of the swamp as a small stream about three feet (one meter) wide and about one foot (30 centimetres) deep. They contain many lakes and are the sources of several rivers.Īt about 738 feet (225 meters) above sea level, on the outskirts of the village of Volgoverkhovie, there are several springs on the edge of a swamp. The Hills reach a height of 1125 feet (343 meters). It is located in North West Russia, about halfway between St Petersburg and Mos- cow. The Valdai Hills is a ridge running north from the Central Russian Uplands. The Volga River starts in a swamp in the Valdai Hills All river traffic stops for three months in winter when most of the river freezes. This allows ships to navigate the entire river except the first 65 miles (105 kilometres) from its source. Locks and dams have been built along most of its course. It carries half of Russia’s river traffic. The Volga River is the main waterway in Russia. The rest comes from land runoff and over 200 tributaries that flow into the river. From its source to its mouth, it only drops 830 feet (253 meters) in height.Ībout 60 percent of the Volga’s water comes from melting snow in the high- lands. The Danube is the second longest river in Europe, but is more than 500 miles (800 kilometres) shorter than the Volga. It runs 2300 miles (3692 kilometres) from the Valdai Hills (also spelled Valday) to the Caspian Sea. It is the longest river in Russia and the longest river in Europe. 14 FUN FACTS ABOUT THE VOLGA RIVER The Volga River is the longest river in Europe It starts in a swamp in a small ridge, flowing through prehistoric lake beds on a course that separates the mountains of the Rus- sian Uplands from the flat European Plain before dropping below sea level to enter the inland Caspian Sea. It is entirely in Russia and has no natural access to any open seas. The Volga River is the longest river in Europe.
