Voronezh Region

Voronezh Region is the heart of the Russian Chernozem (Central Black Earth) Region and the cradle of the Russian fleet. It was at the Voronezh shipyards under Peter I that the first battleship of the Russian Navy was laid down. There are several universities in Voronezh and it is considered one of the most intelligent cities in southern Russia.  

The natural pearl of the region is the picturesque chalk cliffs, concealing the best view in the region - the Divnogorsky Monastery and the Church of the Sicilian Icon of the Virgin Mary, carved right into the rock.  

The region was badly damaged in the Great Patriotic War and yet numerous architectural masterpieces have been preserved. One of them is a gothic castle in the village of Ramon.