Ostashkov is the administrative center of the Ostashkovsky district and is located on the shores of the picturesque Lake Seliger. The history of the city has about five centuries, so it is very attractive for tourists. The sights of Ostashkov are numerous temples, churches, parks, museums and simply unique buildings.
Historical background
If you describe the city in a nutshell, then we can say that it is a typical county town that has retained the features of past centuries. A settlement in this region arose back in the 14th century on the island of Klichen, however, it was not destined to exist for a long time. Already in 1393 it was plundered and burned by Novgorodians. Again, life began to boil here only after the founding of the Nilo-Stolbnetsky Monastery. People began to settle around this shrine, workshops and workshops opened here, and the city began to revive, grow and flourish. Already in the XVIII century, Ostashkov became the largest shopping center, the settlement began to be rapidly built up. Special attentionhere deserves the layout of the city, which is still preserved almost in its original form. In those days, it became exemplary, however, most county towns in our country were built exactly on this principle.
Temples of the city
As already mentioned, the sights of Ostashkov are primarily churches and cathedrals. By the way, for a small town there are quite a lot of them. You should definitely visit the Znamensky Monastery. It is not currently functioning according to its main purpose, but here you can see the picturesque Ascension Cathedral, and near it there is a huge number of old houses where various structures function or people live.
Bogoroditsky Monastery is another reason to visit the city of Ostashkov. The sights of this place amaze even the most demanding tourists. The temple was founded in the 18th century by order of Peter I. On its square you can see several churches that were built in the same period. Today, the temple is undergoing reconstruction, and in a couple of years the monastery can be seen in all its glory.
If you are in Ostashkov, do not forget to also look into the old Trinity Cathedral. It was founded in the 17th century, but its internal and external appearance was changed many times, unfortunately, it has not been preserved in its original form.
It is worth noting that the city of Ostashkov (Tver region) boasts not only shrines. The sights of the settlement are also numerous museums. About the history of the region and local traditionsThe local history museum will tell you best.
The city also has a small fish museum. This institution is quite young, it is not yet ten years old. However, very interesting and informative excursions are held here. The guide will tell you about the local inhabitants of Seliger, about the traditions of catching and cooking fish.
The Ostrog Museum is located in the building of the former prison. Its expositions, of course, are dedicated to the prison case. A number of objects from the history of Ostrog are collected here. At the request of tourists, they are taken to all the premises of the former dungeon.
Nilo-Stolbetskaya hermitage
It was created at the end of the 17th century. And immediately became an attractive object for hundreds of pilgrims. And already at the beginning of the 20th century, more believers came here than to any other shrine in Russia. The external decoration of the temple is really amazing: the complex consists of 20 buildings, which are made in the pompous Petersburg style of the palace. Be sure to visit this beautiful monastery if you decide to look into Ostashkov! Attractions (a photo of the bell of this shrine is shown below) of the temple do not end there. Everyone can climb the bell tower and from there look at the amazing panorama of the city, villages, lakes and other temples.
Parks
Sights of Ostashkov are also picturesque parks and squares. On the island of Klichen there is a unique park-museum, where all the nature of the region is collected in miniature. There is simply no better place for walking and relaxing in the city.
Unusual buildings
A very remarkable building is the building that housed the fire brigade. In 1843, the first voluntary fire brigade was organized in the city. This building is still used by the local fire department. Since then, of course, it has changed its appearance, however, even taking into account this fact, it has not been deprived of the status of a historical monument.
You have another great reason to visit Ostashkov (Tver region). The sights of the city are a number of buildings built in the 18th-19th centuries. True, most of them are not in the best condition, as they were built of wood, but it still does not hurt to admire their amazing view.
Val pillar
A favorite tourist attraction is the Val Pillar. It was installed after the Ostashkovskaya fortress burned down in this place in 1711. This monument is made in the classical style. On its walls you can see icons and paintings. Not far from the fortress was a chapel. For a very long time, the icon of St. Barbara was kept in it, which is considered in the Orthodox faith to be the patroness of sailors, watermen and fishermen. There was a lamp near the icon, where the fishermen prayed and asked for a good catch. After nationalization, the chapel was barbarously destroyed.
Pyramid of Hunger
Sights of Ostashkov, of course, are of great interest, but in the vicinity of the city there are alsolots of amazing places. In the Ostashkinsky district, not far from the village of Khitino, there is a massive pyramid, the silhouette of which can be seen even from the road. This building bears the name of Alexander Golod, who spent his whole life researching the pyramids and the proportions of the so-called golden section. At first it may seem very heavy and built of stone, but if you go inside, it immediately becomes clear that the building is made of a very light material. The unusual building was created in 1997 and has a height of twenty-two meters. There is an opinion that if you stay in the middle of the structure for a long time, you can get rid of many ailments and feel a surge of energy. True, there is no evidence that the pyramid can heal yet. But it is reliably known that in this structure there are indeed some vibrations that can affect a person. Now the pyramids of Alexander Golod are located in many cities of Russia. Many scientists believe that there is an anomalous zone in this structure, so the most extraordinary phenomena can occur here.
Source of the Volga
The majestic Volga River originates in the village of Volgoverkhovye. This small spring has a picturesque chapel. Not far from the source is also the Olginsky Monastery and a picturesque stone fortress. At 1.5 km from the settlement is the village of Mosetsy, where the walls of the Peter and Paul Fortress have been preserved. Here you can see a very beautiful painting.
After reading all this, you probably alreadythought about how to visit the city of Ostashkov. The sights of this region certainly deserve your attention.