It was almost swallowed by Lithuania at the beginning of the century, Poles and Swedes, a country, after hunger, wars and robbery, having lost in some places up to four fifths of the population, with the nobles and peasants, "completely impoverished and wandering between the courtyards," - suddenly, like a shaitan from a snuffbox, after some 60-70 years it is a world power, with a huge territory, with a state economy, where "income goes for expenses," where material remnants amaze the imagination and do not leave anyone indifferent, who will give himself the work at least carefully consider them, mentally separating the XVII century from XII-XVI and from XVIII-XX. From Oka monasteries and churches to Krasnaya Lyaga near Kargopol, from Smolensk and Novgorod to the Urals - such a demonstration of power and beauty, with which little can be compared.