Staraya Russa (Novgorod Oblast) - attractions. Sights of Stary Russa

The oldest settlement in Russia, the city of Military Glory, unique resort with healing springs, the "family nest" of F. M. Dostoevsky - all this is he - a small Russian town of Staraya Russa. It is not well known among tourists, but when you come here, you can visit ancient temples, fascinating museums and one of the oldest sanatoriums in Russia.

Description of the city

Staraya Russa is a small urban settlement that is part of the Novgorod region of Russia. The city stands at the confluence of the Porusya and Polisti rivers. The area of ​​Staraya Russa almost reaches nineteen square meters. km., and the number of its inhabitants is a little more than 20 thousand people.

Staraya Russa is located in the very heart of Russia, at the crossroads connecting two Russian capitals - Moscow and St. Petersburg

History of Staraya Russa

The city is one of the oldest settlements in the country. The first mention of Russa dates back to 1167. It is known that even then it was a developed city with wooden houses, cobbled streets and crafts. At the end of the 12th century, the city suffered twice from fires, and in the 13th century it was devastated. In the 15th century, Russa began to flourish due to salt production and trade with the Baltic states, temples began to be actively built. During the reign of Ivan the Terrible, the city began to be called Staraya Russa, since another village appeared with the name Russa - which received the prefix "New".

At the beginning of the 17th century, two sad events happened in the city: the ruin by the Polish-Lithuanian invaders and the capture by the Swedish troops. After the liberation of the city, it turned out that its population had decreased by 200 times. In order to revive Staraya Russa, residents from other settlements began to be resettled in the city. In the second half of the 18th century, there was a third serious fire, in which all the wooden buildings disappeared. After the incident, the city began to actively restore, build stone buildings. In 1776, Staraya Russa was named the county town of the Novgorod province. In the 19th century, industry, trade and transport links. In 1941, the settlement was attacked and captured by fascist troops for four long years. After the liberation, not a single inhabitant remained in Staraya Russa, but in six months the population increased to five thousand people. Today Staraya Russa is developing as a resort and tourist center.

Table: how to get to Staraya Russa

Sights of Staraya Russa

First of all, Staraya Russa attracts tourists with its healing springs and resort sanatorium. However, there are other sights in the city that are worth visiting during your stay in the sanatorium.

Spaso-Preobrazhensky Monastery

The history of the monastery dates back to the end of the 12th century. It was at this time that the first wooden Transfiguration Church was built, which, however, soon burned down in a fire. The new church, already made of stone, was erected quite quickly - in just two months. A little later, a bell tower "grew up" nearby. The monastery was often subjected to enemy raids, suffered devastation, but always revived again. In the XIV century, the monastery was pretty worn out, so a reconstruction was carried out. In the middle of the 17th century, the Spassky Cathedral, the Church of the Nativity of Christ, the bell tower and the Sretenskaya Church were located on the territory of the monastery. All buildings were made of stone. After the Revolution of 1917, the monastery ceased to exist, the temples remained intact, but the auxiliary buildings were destroyed - residential buildings were built in their place. During the Second World War, the buildings were occupied by the German commandant's office, and the churches were badly damaged; in the 60s of the twentieth century, they were restored. After bringing the buildings in order, the Old Russian Museum of Local Lore was located within their walls.

To date, the monastery complex includes five buildings:

1. Transfiguration Cathedral. The building was completed in 1198, but completely rebuilt in the 15th century, and also underwent reconstruction in the 19th century.
   The architecture of the Transfiguration Cathedral has features of the Old Russian style
2. Church of the Nativity. The temple appeared in the monastery in the 1630s. The simplicity and rationality of the structure of the temple give reason to assume that the composition of the wooden church, its predecessor, was repeated in the stone temple.
3. Sretensky refectory church. The stone church in honor of the Nativity of Christ was built in the first third of the 17th century.
   Currently, the temple houses an art gallery.
4. Church of the Icon of the Mother of God of Starorusskaya. In 1892, the construction of the temple was completed, erected specifically for the newly acquired icon of the Old Russian Mother of God. During the Soviet period, the church was converted into a sports school.
   The Cathedral of the Old Russian Icon of the Mother of God had eclectic architecture
5. Bell tower. The building was erected in the 17th century. It is a pillar-shaped building.
   The bell tower connects the Transfiguration Cathedral and the Church of the Nativity

Today the monastery is inactive. Within its walls are museum exhibits that tell about the history of the city. There is also an art exhibition in one of the temples.

Helpful information:

• address: Monastyrskaya Square, 1;
• opening hours: 10:00–18:00 (on weekdays), 9:00–17:00 (Saturday, Sunday), day off - Tuesday, sanitary day - last Thursday of the month;
• ticket price: from 320 rubles.

Nikolsky Kosinsky Monastery

The birth of the monastery began at the beginning of the 13th century, when the first St. Nicholas Church was erected on the banks of the river. In 1613, the monastery was ravaged by the Swedes, after which it was restored for more than ten years. After the establishment of Soviet power in the country, the monastery was closed, and an agricultural artel, and then a school, began to function in its place. During the Great Patriotic War, the German headquarters was located on the territory of the monastery. Revival of the monastery began at the end of the 20th century, today restoration is still being carried out here.

Currently, the monastery has two temples:

Address: Starorussky district, village. Kosino.

Buregsky Transfiguration Monastery

The monastery began to form in the first half of the 15th century on the territory of an ancient cemetery. The first building was the stone St. Nicholas Church, erected in 1432. The ensemble of the monastery was built over several centuries, until the 17th century. After the Revolution of the seventeenth year, the monastery was closed, and the crosses were removed from the temples. During the war period, German shooting points were located in the bell tower of the monastery, because of which the building was destroyed by Soviet soldiers. After the end of the war, the rather dilapidated buildings of the monastery were used as warehouses, which "helped" to completely destroy the buildings. Today, on the territory of the monastery there are only the ruins of one of the temples and a bell tower, as well as a holy spring with a miraculous silver water. After numerous attempts to restore the monastery failed.

Location: 23 kilometers from Staraya Russa along the P51 highway.

Photo gallery: Buregsky Monastery

The bell tower of the Resurrection Cathedral is included in the List of objects of historical and cultural heritage of federal (all-Russian) significance In the mid-80s, a new, most powerful attempt was made to restore: bricks were brought in, solid scaffolding was built, but the restructuring of the Wall of the Resurrection Cathedral broke out - this is all that remains from monastery churches

The temple was erected on the site of the old wooden Trinity Church, lost at the beginning of the 17th century. By the end of the century, the cathedral was completed. Subsequently, he was often visited by Peter I, Catherine II, Alexander I and Nicholas II. During the Soviet period, the building housed first a German stable (during the Second World War), then a club, and then a warehouse. Immediately after the collapse of the USSR, the building returned to the believers again. Today the temple houses two shrines:

• icon of St. Alexis of Moscow;
• list of the Old Russian Icon of the Mother of God.

Helpful information:

• address: st. Renaissance, d. 1;
• visiting hours: 08:00–20:00.

The temple was erected in 1680, but a century and a half later it was badly damaged during a hurricane. The restoration of the building was carried out in the middle of the XIX century. In Soviet times, grain reserves were stored in the building, and during the war period, the church was seriously destroyed. After a partial reconstruction, carried out at the end of the 20th century, the temple housed an exhibition hall. The re-consecration of the church took place in 1997, at the same time restoration was carried out.

Helpful information:

• address: st. Timur Frunze, 12a;
• visiting hours: from 7:30 to 19:00.

The construction of the temple dates back to 1410. The building was not damaged by either Swedish or Lithuanian raids, however, it was dismantled in the middle of the 18th century due to dilapidation. In 1740 the church was reassembled, and in 1782 it was restored. At the beginning of the 20th century, the church was decorated with paintings and mosaic floors. In Soviet times, the temple continued to operate, closing only for the period of the Great Patriotic War.

Helpful information:

• address: Georgievskaya st., 26;
• visiting hours: 08:00–20:00.

The temple is the oldest on the territory of Staraya Russa - the exact date of its construction has not been established, presumably the construction was carried out in the period from the 11th to the 15th centuries. During the Time of Troubles, the church was destroyed, then it was restored. After the formation of the USSR, the temple ceased to function, and during the war it was badly damaged: the wooden elements were destroyed, the facade of the building lost its original appearance. Today the church does not function, as it is in dire need of restoration.

Address: Georgievskaya st., 44.

The temple building was built in 1371. During its existence, the church was restored and completed several times, but retained its original appearance. In the 18th century, a bell tower appeared next to the building. In 1931, the temple was closed by decree of the Soviet authorities, and in wartime it was partially destroyed. After the restoration, the building was occupied by the exhibits of the Museum of Local Lore. At the end of the 20th century, the church building was given to the Old Believer community of the city.

Helpful information:

• address: st. Red commanders, 8;
• visiting hours: 8:00–18:00.

Resort "Staraya Russa"

Among other attractions, there is a resort-sanatorium in Stroy Russe, which opened in 1828. He is on the coast salt lake, the mud from which is curative. Initially, the resort was popular only among the military, who were injured in battles, but by the beginning of the 20th century, the Russian aristocracy visited the sanatorium. During the Great Patriotic War, a military hospital functioned on the territory of the resort, at the same time a cemetery for dead soldiers appeared here. When the Germans occupied the city, all the buildings of the sanatorium were destroyed. After the war, large-scale construction was carried out here: new buildings and medical departments were erected. Today, the sanatorium is successfully functioning, and the main direction of treatment is the use of therapeutic mud and mineral water from local sources.

A total of eight were found in the city. healing springs. Two of them are located in the sanatorium. The most popular is Muravyovsky. It was opened in 1854 and named after Count Muravyov, who at one time contributed to the development of the Staraya Russa resort. The source is recognized as one of the most powerful mineral fountains in all of Europe, it beats out of the ground, reaching eight meters in height.

Helpful information:

• address: st. Mineralnaya, 62;
• pump room opening hours: daily: 7:00–9:30; 11:30–14:30; 16:30–19:00:
• Free admission.

"Usadba" is an interactive museum-reconstruction that recreates the medieval settlement of Rushanin. The territory of the museum is 1700 square meters. The exposition is quite unique, as it was created on the basis of archaeological research and exactly recreates the ancient peasant life. The museum is new - it was opened in the 21st century, although the idea of ​​its creation was born in the 1970s.

Today, the following buildings are located on the territory of the museum-estate:

• a large residential building with a vestibule;
• Russian bath "in black";
• a saline, where the ancient inhabitants evaporated salt from water extracted from mineral springs;
• woodcutter;
• barnyard;
• wooden pavement;
• fence in the form of a palisade.

In the near future, it is also planned to build a forge and barns.

Helpful information:

• address: st. Svarog, 44;
• opening hours: Mon-Fri 11:00-18:30, Sat and Sun 10:00-18:30;
• cost: 1 hour - 100 rubles, children under 16 free of charge;
• the museum has a souvenir shop where, among other things, you can buy the “same” souvenir salt, according to an old tradition, evaporated from old Russian mineral water.

The uniqueness of the Old Russian Museum of the Front lies in the fact that its exhibits reflect the entire course of events of the Great Patriotic War on both sides of the trenches. The exposition is designed to tell visitors not only about how military events developed, but also about the stories of specific people. On the showcases of the museum you can find weapons, household items of soldiers, various documents, award signs, as well as many letters from the front. Near the museum you can see combat guns and the T-26 tank. One of the most interesting exhibits is a German bell, created in the 17th century, at the same time it was acquired by Staraya Russa. During the war, the Germans discovered this bell in the city and took it to their homeland; they managed to return it only at the beginning of the 21st century. Among other things, a partisan dugout and a safe house have been recreated in the museum. The entire collection of the exhibition includes more than one and a half thousand exhibits.

Helpful information:

• address: st. Alexandrovskaya, 23;
• opening hours: from Thursday to Monday - 10:00-18:00, closed: Tuesday, Wednesday, last Thursday of each month;
• entrance: adults: 100 rubles, students: 50 rubles.

House-Museum of Dostoevsky

Dostoevsky first visited Staraya Russa in 1872, and then for eight years the writer spent every summer here. The house, bought here by Fyodor Mikhailovich, became the only property in his entire life. Living in the city, the writer created his famous works "Demons" and "The Brothers Karamazov".

The idea of ​​creating a Dostoevsky museum in the building came to his wife two years after the death of the writer. Anna Grigorievna carefully kept all the notes, draft versions of the works, letters and things of her husband. The woman rented the house to the guests, but still conducted tours in it. However, with the advent of Soviet power, the house was nationalized, during the Second World War there was a pedagogical hostel in it. Dostoevsky's grandson actively tried to return the building to the museum, and in 1981 they again began to conduct excursions here. Today, visitors can look at the personal belongings of the writer and his family, see the recreated interior of the rooms where Dostoevsky lived and worked.

Helpful information:

• address: Dostoevsky embankment, 42/2;
• Museum opening hours: Tuesday-Friday - from 10:00 to 17:30; Saturday and Sunday - from 10:00 to 17:00, day off: Monday, last Thursday of the month.

Photo gallery: Dostoevsky's house-museum

The Dostoevsky family lived on the second floor, utility rooms were located on the first floor In the front there are personal belongings of the writer - a top hat and gloves Portraits of the family are hung on the walls of the living room, in the corner there is a harmonium, which Anna Grigoryevna gave to the parish school, but in the 20th century after Since the creation of the museum, it was returned, as the curators established that it belonged to the house No personal belongings were preserved in the writer’s room, but the situation is authentic, as it was restored from photographs of the first museum The exact arrangement of things that was during the life of the writer is restored on Dostoevsky’s desktop

Agrippina Svetlova, or simply Grushenka, is one of the brightest female characters in Dostoevsky's novel The Brothers Karamazov. Literary critics are convinced that Agrippina Menshova, a resident of Staraya Russa, a close friend of the writer's wife, served as the prototype. The woman lived in a typical bourgeois mansion built in the 19th century in a classical style. The building has survived to the present, but is in a deplorable state.

Address: emb. Glebova, 25.

The tower was built in 1908. The style of architecture was modern, the height of the building reached fifty meters. The water tower is one of the main symbols of Staraya Russa, because it was this building that became a reference point for the Starorusians who returned to the city after the Great Patriotic War. The settlement was completely destroyed, and it could only be recognized by the red Water Tower. In peacetime, the building was restored and recognized as important historical object. Today, on the top tier is Observation deck.

Address: Gostinodvorskaya st., 2.

The bridge is installed across the Polist River, in its narrowest part. The construction of the structure happened at the turn of the 17th and 19th centuries. The bridge was a pontoon, it swayed strongly when vehicles passed through it or people passed, therefore it was called “Alive”. In the first third of the 19th century, the bridge was replaced with a stone one, and given a new name - Alexandrovsky, but the locals continued to call the bridge Alive. During the Great Patriotic War, the building was completely destroyed, but was rebuilt immediately after the end of hostilities in the city. Today the roadway of the bridge is made of wood.

Where to go for tourists with children

For recreation and entertainment of a child in Staraya Russa, it is worth visiting the following establishments:

The tourist season in Staraya Russa begins in the second half of summer. The air temperature does not rise above 25 degrees, which is quite suitable for a comfortable stay, and the water of the spa mineral lake becomes as warm as possible. The main disadvantage summer holiday is a huge influx of tourists.

In autumn and spring, the city is cold and overcast, it often rains. However, if you want to calmly explore the local sights, then it is worth coming in the off-season, as there are much fewer tourists. The best month for a trip is May: the weather is already close to summer, and there are still few tourists. In addition, this month the Mikhail Pomortsev Aeronautics Festival takes place in the city. A winter trip to Staraya Russa is not the best idea: the weather in the city is unstable, snowfalls alternate with thaws, which results in icy conditions on the roads.

You can see the main sights of Staraya Russa in one day. But if the purpose of the trip is to visit the resort and improve health, then you need to come for at least a week. To accommodate travelers in the city, there are about ten hotels, which are best booked in advance. Buses run as public transport in Staraya Russa.

Souvenir products of Staraya Russa are inextricably linked with the city itself. Here you can buy:

The city of Staraya Russa is one of the most ancient Russian cities, located on the banks of the Polist River and its tributary Porus. Once one of the richest cities of Ancient Rus', today Staraya Russa is the third largest city in the Novgorod region, with an ancient, eventful centuries-old history. Staraya Russa today attracts archaeologists, fans of Dostoevsky's work, lovers of recreation on the waters, and, of course, Orthodox pilgrims. After all, such Christian shrines have been preserved here, such as: the Transfiguration Monastery, the Trinity Church, the St. Nicholas Church, the Resurrection Cathedral, the Church of Mina and other monuments ancient architecture, which are the main attractions of the town.

Spaso-Preobrazhensky Monastery

One of the main attractions of the ancient city is the Spaso-Preobrazhensky Monastery, the oldest architectural monument of Staraya Russa. It was founded under the Novgorod prince Yaroslav Vladimirovich in 1192 by abbot Martiry, who later became the archbishop of Novgorod. The first buildings of the monastery were several cells and a wooden church, which burned down in 1198. But literally in 70 days, a new, now stone, famous Spassky Cathedral was erected, which today is one of the main architectural monuments and sights of the city. In 1442 the Transfiguration Cathedral Church with a five-tiered iconostasis was built, and in 1630 a small Church of the Nativity of Christ was built.

This whole complex of monastic buildings, despite the devastation to which the monastery was subjected, has survived to this day. Today, parts of the holy relics of fifty saints are kept here, transferred in 1805 from the Novgorod St. Sophia Cathedral, as well as the miraculous icon of the Mother of God "Starorusskaya" - one of the most important shrines of the town, transported here by the Greeks from Olviopol.

Now the monastery houses an exposition of the Old Russian Museum of Local Lore.

Church of the Holy Great Martyr Mina

The Church of the Great Martyr Mina deserves special attention. Founded in the 14th century, this unique church is remarkable for the antiquity of its architecture. In appearance, it is a small four-pillar building of a cubic shape, 8 sazhens 1 arshin long and 4 sazhens 1 arshin wide.

The sights of the church could be the envy of any museum. Chief among them is the temple image of the Holy Martyr Mina in miracles, made using copper, gold and silver; an altar eight-pointed silver-plated and gilded cross, as well as the Gospel edition of 1657, bound on legs.

Resurrection Cathedral in Staraya Russa

Talking about the sights and cultural monuments of Staraya Russa, one cannot fail to mention the magnificent Resurrection Cathedral, erected in 1692-1696. on the site of a wooden church built in 1611-1617. This cathedral was not rebuilt and changed in architecture until 1828, when, by the highest permission of the Sovereign Emperor Nikolai Pavlovich, there was an increase and spread cathedral church. In 1834, the Resurrection Cathedral was consecrated by Bishop Timothy of Old Russia.

In the 1980s there was local history museum, but today the cathedral is active.

House-Museum of Fyodor Mikhailovich Dostoevsky

Undoubtedly, the House-Museum of Fyodor Mikhailovich Dostoevsky is one of the main attractions of the city. It is located on the street that bears the name of the great writer. Fyodor Mikhailovich came to the city for the first time in 1872, and for the next eight years Staraya Russa became permanent place rest for himself and for his family. Today, the Dostoevsky Museum keeps the authentic things of the great Russian writer, his documents and books. By the way, it was in this house that Dostoevsky wrote his famous novels: "The Brothers Karamazov" and "Demons", as well as other famous works. Preserved in Staraya Russa is the "Grushenka House", in which Agrippina Menshova once lived, who became real prototype the same Grushenka Svetlova from the novel The Brothers Karamazov. Today Grushenka's House on Glebova Street is also one of the sights of the town.

Muravyovskiy fountain

Another interesting sight of the city is the so-called "Muravyovsky Fountain". In fact, it is a pillar of the purest mineral water spouting from the ground. The fountain was opened in 1854 by order of Minister Muravievsky, after whom it was named. Today it is the most powerful mineral spring in Europe, attracting tourists and those wishing to improve their health with its healing waters.

In general, about the health resort of the city - one of its main attractions, it should be said separately.

Resort "Staraya Russa"

Resort "Staraya Russa" is one of the ancient resorts northwestern Russia. Founded over 140 years ago, and today this resort is one of the main attractions of the city, in fact, its calling card. Here are nine mineral springs, including two drinking ones, which in their healing unique properties are not inferior to similar mineral springs in Europe. In addition, a unique lake is also located here, from the bottom of which therapeutic sulphide-silt mud "Starorusskaya" is actively mined - one of the best among those offered by resorts in Russia and Europe.

So, visiting Staraya Russa, you will improve your health both in body and soul.

Old? Yes. Interesting? Yes. Filthy? We do not know how it is in summer, but in late winter - yes. Is there anything to see in Staraya Russa? Yes. Even at the end of February, when, looking at the next church, you plunge into an ankle-deep puddle. Staraya Russa - a city with ancient history(according to some sources, the history of Staraya Russa began earlier than the history of Novgorod). By the way, do you know why the city is so named?

What to see in Staraya Russa? We were there and now we know the answer. Therefore, we propose to walk along our footprints drowned in puddles. Staraya Russa is a city of monasteries, churches, one resort, residential buildings in need of repair for a long time, broken roads and Dostoevsky Museum.

We started our acquaintance with the city from the Staraya Russa resort. I was surprised by the entrance fee - 50 rubles. Before that, we got to all health resorts (more precisely, parks at these health resorts) for free. But there is not much to see inside. The park is like a park. Alleys, trees, a playground and a mini-zoo with a Pushkin pony and a ram. And a pavilion drinking water and lots of souvenirs. Kesha tasted the water and said that the water was wildly tasteless. And, as expected at the end of a normal February - very wet. Inside the park - advertised landmark of Staraya Russa, Muravyovskiy Fountain. It hits a height of 10 meters and is considered the largest mineral spring in Europe. If you believe that the height of the jet is 10 meters, then how tall are those who stand nearby, guess?

But bright orange birdhouses on almost every birch look very beautiful:

We will not post photos of a pony and a ram, but we liked the sign about Pushkin:

Another of the original attractions of the resort "Staraya Russa" liked this tree:

Birch and oak, symbolizing a strong relationship between lovers. Men are invited to tie a ribbon around an oak, women around a birch. To find love. Judging by the number of ribbons, men need love to a lesser extent.

What to see in Staraya Russa on the streets?

Many streets are paved, although we did not immediately notice it, everything is too covered with snow puddles.

The water tower is considered zero kilometer in Staraya Russa and therefore also belongs to the category of attractions. Water supply in Staraya Russa appeared only in 1909.

Lenin, striding towards the bright future of Staraya Russa, in which there will be no place for either monasteries or churches:

The churches survived. Lenin stands against the backdrop of the Resurrection Cathedral. But about the cathedrals a little later. Not all streets completed yet:

The cultural center stands at gunpoint of tanks (they are exactly opposite the center, under the windows of ordinary Khrushchevs):

And above all that can be seen in Staraya Russa, an eagle soars. One-headed, but it seems to be life-size:

Old Russian Field of Mars:

But the main sights of Staraya Russa not the streets, but the Dostoevsky Museum and temples. In fact, very ancient and very beautiful.

The churches in Staraya Russa are truly beautiful. Without exaggeration. And they are also very sincere, nothing has been done to please our tourist brother. It is a pity that not everything is in good condition, but this is not the main thing. The main thing is their spirit. Not broken streets and semi-shabby houses need to be seen in the city. There is one answer to the question "what to see in Staraya Russa" - temples. If Staraya Russa appearance houses and streets are inferior to Borovichi in terms of beauty and comfort, then its churches definitely win in comparison

Church of the Holy Trinity on Timur Frunze Street:

The wooden church was at the beginning of the 17th century, burned down, in 1680 a stone church was built in its place, which was rebuilt in the middle of the 19th century.

At the end of the 17th century, a wooden church stood here, rebuilt in the 19th century. The Resurrection Cathedral stands at the confluence of the Polist and Porusya rivers. It is to this temple that the granite grandfather Lenin walks.

Now it houses the Museum of Local Lore (T. Frunze St.).

Church of Saint Mina:

14th century and typical Novgorodian style. The church of St. Mina has its own, sentimental history. Do you want to know her?

In the 19th century a belfry was built nearby and one of its bells was brought from German Lübeck. Why and how - history is silent. But during the German occupation, the Germans stumbled upon the bell and decided to return it to their historical homeland. They returned. An article about the "return of the prodigal son" appeared in a local German newspaper. The article fell into the hands of a soldier of the Red Army, a native of Staraya Russa. The fighter saved the newspaper. And kept it for 50 years. And then showed the local historian. The administration of Staraya Russa went to beat the Germans with a request to return the attraction to Staraya Russa. The Germans agreed. And in 2001 the bell was returned - now it is in the museum of the North-Western Front. And from the bell tower after the war there was absolutely nothing left.

The inside is very beautiful, take my word for it. In general, the provincial churches seem to be more holy (and perhaps not only they seem, but actually in them Furthermore What do you want to touch?…)

On the outskirts of Staraya Russa there is another little-known attraction - a fountain. Ekaterininsky or Tsaritsynsky source. The water from it beats quite a glandular one:

Although to call this building a fountain can be a stretch. We could not bypass the monument to the immured soldiers:

Thirty Soviet soldiers were immured alive in this basement in January 1942.

I wonder where our next trip to Russia will take us?..

It might be interesting:

Report on a trip by car in the Novgorod region - 5 interesting places (including an abandoned village and the estate of Suvorov)

6 sights of the Novgorod region

Where to go without a passport and what to see there

A trip to Kostroma - our impressions

The history of Russia is rich in mysteries. One of them is comfortably located at the mouth of the Porusye River, where the administrative center of the Starorussky district of the Novgorod region is located - the city of Staraya Russa. Legends and legends, facts and conjectures are intertwined here into a real Gordian knot, which even modern historians do not dare to cut. There is even an opinion that founded no later than the 10th century, this city gave the name to the whole of Russia and became the birthplace of the Varangian, the salt-worker Rurik.

Stirs up interest in Staraya Russa and then Special attention, which was given to the city, at one time, by Ivan the Terrible and Peter I. The economic power of this center of Russian salt production, by the end of the 16th century exceeded the potential of Moscow and Veliky Novgorod. The ancient coat of arms of the city, with the image of water pouring into a frying pan, fully symbolized the main occupation of its inhabitants.

Known far beyond the borders of the fatherland, Staraya Russa is the third largest city in the Novgorod region of Russia and the famous Staraya Russa resort. Remarkable for its natural mineral fountains of salt water, gushing out of the ground in some places up to 10 meters in height, it hosted Dobrolyubov, Dostoevsky, Gorky and many other famous writers, thinkers and philosophers of their time.

The creativity of most of them bears the imprint of that exclusively ancient Russian spirituality that this land carried through centuries and hardships. And, even destroyed to the ground by the Nazis during the Great Patriotic War, Staraya Russa retained the charm of antiquity and the memory of its great guests.

Anyone can visit the museum of F.M. Dostoevsky, into which he turned famous House on the embankment, and where the writer lived from 1872 to 1880, working on the works The Teenager and The Brothers Karamazov. The war bypassed, and priceless time spared architectural monuments XI-XIV centuries - the ensemble of the Spaso-Preobrazhensky monastery and the ancient settlement "Staraya Russa".

Much sadder is the fate of the famous old Russian park - the pre-war pride of the city. In the period 1941-45. it was turned into a cemetery for SS soldiers and officers, and then completely destroyed. It is easy to imagine what architectural, historical and cultural property this land had with total area a little more than 20 square kilometers, if only for four years of occupation, it suffered damage in the amount of 32 million rubles.

The surviving cultural monuments and the spiritual heritage of ancient ancestors are only one of the aspects of the attractiveness of Staraya Russa. Healing properties known to locals since ancient times salt springs, were officially recognized only at the beginning of the 19th century, and immediately after that the resort began to develop rapidly. The famous Muravyovka artesian well was drilled in 1857 and to this day, it adorns the city with its fountain.

Modern Staraya Russa is a medical and health resort that has at its disposal several sources of mineral water. drinking water and a whole network of salt lakes, which create a special microclimate throughout the territory and from the bottom of which biologically active sulphide-silt mud is extracted. Patients come here from all over the country with disorders of the musculoskeletal system and nervous system, diseases of the digestive system and many others. Particularly popular restorative child Center, equipped with a swimming pool with mineral water.

The unique microclimate, combined with the atmosphere of spirituality and the hospitality of the locals, can work wonders. Needless to say about the invaluable energy potential that the rich and mysterious old Russian land is able to give to all its guests.

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Many legends and scientific versions supported by facts are associated with the emergence of Staraya Russa. Inventors and experts agree that the name of the settlement goes back to the Rus tribe, who lived on the shores of Lake Ilmen even before Rurik and his squad came to reign. Today the town is a real treasury full of precious monuments: medieval temples and monasteries, wooden houses with mezzanines, industrial buildings of the early 20th century, solid buildings in the style of the Stalinist empire.

In addition, in Staraya Russa there is one of the oldest resorts northwest Russia. There are 7 mineral springs on its territory, which are not inferior in healing properties to those in Germany and the Baltic states. Two of them are drinking. Near the springs there are lakes, from the bottom of which the unique "Starorusskaya" sulphide-silt mud with biologically active substances is extracted, recognized as the best among the resorts of Russia and Europe in terms of its healing properties.

How to get to Staraya Russa

From Moscow, Staraya Russa can be reached by a direct train to Pskov. The trains depart from the Leningradsky railway station once a day. Travel time is about 8 hours, the ticket price is from 1056 RUB, the official carrier is Russian Railways. Prices on the page are for October 2018.

Most short cut by car from the capital - move along the M-10 highways (with paid sections) to St. Petersburg or the free M-9 to Rzhev and further to Ostashkov and Demyansk.

From Saint-Petersburg

From St. Petersburg from the station. "Moskovskaya" metro station and Bus Station No. 2 on the Obvodny Canal to the town run buses of the company "SKSavto" LLC, which stop at the entrance to the resort "Staraya Russa" and at the bus station located next to the railway station (travel time - 5- 6 hours, - 750 RUB, you can buy it from the driver or at the box office).

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By bus from Veliky Novgorod

From the bus station of Veliky Novgorod on the street. Oktyabrskaya, 1 from 7:20 to 10:00 to Staraya Russa buses depart, delivering passengers to the place in 1.5-2 hours and 273 RUB.

One way taxi ride - from 2200 RUB.

Transport

There are 14 bus lines operating in the city, connecting the districts and surrounding villages, there is no other public transport. A ticket worth 14 RUB can be bought from the driver. IN summer time work more routes, and the interval between them is shorter. The current schedule is posted at administration site.

Round-the-clock taxi services are provided by several companies, the price of a trip is from 80 RUB (15-30 RUB per km). If you arrive by car, you can park in any free place. Guests of the sanatorium "Staraya Russa" can rent a bicycle and go to the shore of Lake Ilmen.

Hotels in Staraya Russa

There are about 20 hotels in the town. Among them - cottages, apartments, there is even one hostel. The price range is from 700 RUB for a bed in a room for 4 people to 4000 RUB for a separate house, subject to double occupancy. Among the most popular options are Polist and Vizavi, where a double room is offered for 2000-2200 RUB per day (the price includes breakfast).

Sanatorium "Resort Staraya Russa"

The central hotel complex of the town, where tourists go purposefully on vouchers, including "full board" and healing procedures. It is also possible to simply rent a room for a few days and use all the infrastructure: the beach, swimming pool, gym, sports and playgrounds, restaurant. Prices start from 3290 RUB for double occupancy.

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Treatment in Staraya Russa

Sanatorium "Resort Staraya Russa" specializes in mud therapy and mineral waters - on its territory 7 natural sources, different in composition and properties. A variety of physiotherapeutic procedures are also widely used: electrophoresis, halochamber, darsonvalization, ultraviolet radiation, laser, decimeter and amplipulse therapy. Medical services are available to customers who purchase vouchers for a period of at least 7 days.

Treatment at Staraya Russa will help people with diseases of the digestive system, endocrine, genitourinary, respiratory, musculoskeletal and nervous systems. Thanks to suitable climate and well-chosen programs, staying at the resort greatly facilitates the course of chronic skin and respiratory ailments. In addition, since the beginning of the 19th century, they have been successfully coping with conditions of permanent stress, overwork, weakness caused by anemia and prolonged depression.

In addition to therapeutic, spa treatments, attending aqua aerobics and exercise therapy, and cosmetology sessions are available.

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What to bring: souvenirs

In addition to standard magnets, mugs depicting famous sights and postcards with a portrait of F. M. Dostoevsky, tourists buy salt made according to old recipes, honey from local apiaries, gingerbread and Ivan tea made from herbs collected in the vicinity. Souvenirs are sold in city shops or museums, where the range of products is much wider and you can choose an original little thing.

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In September, a fair is held on Cathedral Square and the local Central Market, where products from neighboring farms are brought: all the same honey, vegetables, fruits, jam, berries. At this time, you can buy smoked fish caught in Polisti, ruddy pies, pancakes and pancakes.

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Cafes and restaurants in Staraya Russa

The choice of places to eat in Staraya Russa is quite wide: several dozen cafes, sushi bars, pastry shops and canteens. In fairly democratic cafes Panorama Lounge, Ilmen and Friends with standard European and Russian cuisine, the average check is 400-600 RUB (plus 100-120 RUB if you take alcohol in addition). The budget eatery "Dubrava" serves hearty and unpretentious "canteen" food for 150-300 RUB for a meal of 2-3 courses and a drink.

Fast food establishments include a pizzeria on the street. Mineralnaya, 38, pancake "Orange" and cafe "Sushi Food", where quite a hearty lunch will cost between 150-250 RUB.

Entertainment and attractions

In 2015, Staraya Russa celebrated its 1000th anniversary. Its rich historical and cultural heritage attracts fans of ancient church architecture and classical architecture. Fans of bright spectacles have a direct road to the August folklore festival "Princes of Bratchina", which is a reconstruction of the Middle Ages with fairs, a musical fire show and solemn processions. Well, admirers of Dostoevsky's work can come in October to the International Festival of Chamber Performances.

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An interesting attraction of the city is, opened in 1854. This is a 10-meter column of mineral water, beating directly from the ground.

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Of the more modern monuments, it is worth noting the water tower of the early 19th century on Cathedral Square, built of red brick with Gothic elements, the fire station with a watchtower and the building of the Polytechnic College - examples of industrial architecture of the early 20th century.

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Not without a monument to F. M. Dostoevsky, which was installed on the territory of a small square at the intersection of the street. Svarog and the Red Commanders.

Spaso-Preobrazhensky Monastery

The oldest architectural monument of Staraya Russa is the Spassky Cathedral of the Spaso-Preobrazhensky Monastery. The monastery itself was founded in 1192, not far from the right bank of the Posti River, the complex of monastic buildings was formed by the 17th century. At present, all buildings have been restored; fragments of frescoes of the 15th-17th centuries can be seen in the cathedral. In the premises of the monastery there is an exposition of the Old Russian Museum of Local Lore.

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Resurrection Cathedral

In 1371, the inhabitants of Russa erected a stone church near the trading square to the “patron of trade” Nicholas of Mirlikiysky. It is impossible not to mention the not so ancient, but magnificently placed at the confluence of Polist and Porusya, the Resurrection Cathedral (1692-1696). Here is the icon of the Intercession of the Mother of God - the patroness of the city.

The current Trinity Church on T. Frunze Street is notable for its pronounced symmetry, rigor and harmony of the tiered composition.

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St. George's Church

St. George's Church is a real decoration of the street of the same name. It contains the main shrine of the city - the icon of the Mother of God "Old Russian", donated by the monks Greek city Oliviopolis. At the end of Georgievskaya Street there is a small but very remarkable cubic building with four pillars - the Church of the Great Martyr Mina (14th century). Due to the lack of a dome, it is difficult to recognize the temple in it. Almost the entire height of the walls is preserved ancient masonry of red shell rock and white limestone.

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Museums of Staraya Russa

The city is home to the Museum of F. M. Dostoevsky. The great Russian writer came to Staraya Russa in 1872 and for 8 years it was a permanent place of rest for him and his family. The museum contains authentic things, documents and books that belonged to the writer. The novels "The Brothers Karamazov", "Demons" and other works were written in this house.

In memory of Dostoevsky, the “Grushenka House” is also preserved here - an architectural monument of the 19th century on Glebova Street (formerly the Pererytitsa embankment). It was named after Agrippina Menshova, who lived there, who became the prototype of Grushenka Svetlova in Dostoevsky's novel The Brothers Karamazov.

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In the "Estate of the medieval Rushanin" guests will get acquainted with the life and way of life of the city dweller-salt worker.

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Weather

The best time to visit Staraya Russa is July and August, when a comfortable daily temperature of +25 °C is fixed. These are the best months to visit. notable places, fishing, boat trips and bike trips. In autumn and spring it is dank and rainy due to the proximity of Lake Ilmen, but there are much fewer tourists than in summer season. The most unfortunate time is winter with frequent periods of severe frosts and thaws, as well as with constant 100% humidity.

Staraya Russa- a city (since 1167) in the Novgorod region of Russia. It is a city of regional significance and the administrative center of Starorussky municipal district and urban settlement Municipality City of Staraya Russa. Until 1552 it was called Rusa. On April 6, 2015, by decree of the President of Russia Vladimir Putin, the city was awarded honorary title- City of Military Glory.

Name etymology

Many assumptions are connected with the name of the city of Staraya Russa (until the 16th century - Rusa), however, the most developed version is presented by philologists and linguists R. A. Ageeva, V. L. Vasiliev, M. V. Gorbanevsky, who believe that the original name city ​​(Rusa) comes from the hydronym - the river Porusya (which in ancient times was called - Rusa). The name of the river, in turn, is Old Baltic (derived from the root root rud-s- / roud-s- - "red") [ source?], that is, the name of the city can be interpreted as "Red River". Modern name city ​​- Staraya Russa - is recorded in written sources from the 16th century and is firmly fixed only in the 19th century in connection with the appearance settlements(also associated with salt production), which received the name "Novaya Russa".

The same researchers point out that according to the “Tale of Slovene and Rus”, the city was named after the legendary hero named Rus, who settled in this place. According to experts, this story is a late medieval book toponymic legend.

The Slovak linguist and ethnographer Pavel Šafarik (1795-1861) noted in his writings that in the Proto-Slavic language the river was called Rusa (rusa). He wrote: " This root Slavic word, as a common noun, has already remained in use only among Russians in the word channel, denoting a hollow, riverbed, depth, vir; but as a proper name for rivers, cities and villages, more or less lying near them, is used by almost all Slavs».

Story

The emergence of the city

Until now, the question of the time of the emergence of the city of Staraya Russa remains open.

There is a late medieval legend (The Tale of Slovena and Rus and the city of Slovensk) that the city was founded by a descendant of Prince Scythian, Prince Rus, brother of Prince Sloven.

For the first time in the annals, Staraya Russa is mentioned under 1167, but the city at the confluence of the Polist and Porusya rivers in the Southern Priilmenie appeared earlier. Birch bark No. 526, found in Novgorod in 1975, confirms the existence of Rusa in the middle of the 11th century: “On Boyan in Rous, gr (i) vna, on Zhitob (o) ud in Rous 13 koun and gr (i) vna truth ...”.

At present, well-known archaeological sources make it possible to date the time of the emergence of Staraya Russa to the end of the 10th - beginning of the 11th century. At the present stage of the archaeological study of the ancient center of the Southern Priilmenye, not only the question of the time of the emergence of Staraya Russa remains unresolved, but also regarding the localization of the ancient settlement, the nature of the fortifications and the topography of the city.

Participants of the III All-Russian Archaeological Congress (Staraya Russa; October 24-29, 2011) within the framework of the "round table" supported the petition of the administration of the Staraya Russa municipal district and the city of Staraya Russa to the administration of the Novgorod region and the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation to celebrate the 1000th anniversary of the history of Staraya Russa in 2015. On May 31, 2012, the Governor of the Novgorod Region, S. G. Mitin, addressed the President of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Academician Yu.

Novgorod Republic (XII-XV centuries)

Until the first mention in the annals in 1167, the history of the city can only be judged by archaeological data. According to the materials of the excavations, Rusa in the 11th-12th centuries had regularly updated wooden pavements and a developed urban culture. The townspeople were actively engaged in salt production, trade and crafts.

From the end of the 12th century, chronicles began to regularly report on events related to the city. In 1192, the future Archbishop of Novgorod, hegumen Martiry, founded the Spaso-Preobrazhensky Monastery. In 1194 the city experienced a great fire. In 1198, the first stone church, the Transfiguration Cathedral, was laid.

In 1199-1201 city fortifications were built in Ruse. In 1234, during a raid, the Lithuanian army penetrated the city, but the combined forces of the townspeople, merchants, gridi and firemen repulsed the attack.

In 1456, Moscow troops during the Moscow-Novgorod war captured the city and defeated the Novgorod army, which was trying to liberate Rusa (the battle near Rusa), after which Novgorod made concessions and the Yazhelbitsky peace was concluded.

In March 1471, the city was sacked by Lutsk prince Mikhail Olelkovich. In the same year, during the campaign of Dmitry Kholmsky and Fyodor the Khromy, Rusa was captured and burned by Moscow troops.

Moscow kingdom (XV-XVII centuries)

1478 - Rusa, together with all the Novgorod lands, became part of the Moscow principality after the campaigns of the great Moscow prince Ivan III.

In 1565 Ivan the Terrible singled out Staraya Rusa into the composition of the oprichnina lands, which saved it from the oprichnina terror. The rich salt mines remained the basis of the city's economy.

In the last quarter of the 16th century, the city entered a long period of decline. In February 1581, during the Livonian War, it was captured and almost completely burned, and its surroundings were devastated by the Polish-Lithuanian troops.

In the autumn of 1608, Staraya Russa was captured by the detachments of False Dmitry II, but in the spring of 1609, during a campaign against Moscow, a Russian-Swedish detachment under the command of Fyodor Chulkov and Evert Gorn recaptured Rusa from the Tushins.

In 1611, the city, together with Novgorod and the adjacent territory, fell into the zone of Swedish occupation. By the time of the return of Staraya Russa, among other lands, under the Stolbovsky peace treaty in 1617, the city was completely ruined and there were only 38 inhabitants in it.

Russian empire

In 1693, 21-year-old Peter I, with the permission of his mother, went to Arkhangelsk and on the way stopped in Staraya Rusa. He ordered to find ways to develop Starorussky salt-making. The second time he visited the city was in 1724.

At section Russian Empire in the province in 1708, the city became part of the Ingermanland (from 1710 - St. Petersburg) province. Since 1719 - as part of the Novgorod province, since 1727 - as part of the province of the same name in the Novgorod province.

In 1763, a fire broke out in Staraya Rusa, which destroyed all wooden buildings, after which the city was built according to the plan on the right bank of the Polist River.

In 1785, a balneo-mud resort was founded in the city.

In 1831, a bloody cholera riot took place in Staraya Rusa.

In 1878, a railway connection was opened with the city.

At the beginning of the 20th century, the city began to be called Staraya Russa(with double "s").

After the October events of 1917 in Petrograd in Staraya Russa, Soviet power was established on November 3-5, 1917.

During the Civil War, from February 24 to July 1919, the headquarters of the Western Front of the Red Army was located in Staraya Russa at the resort.

On August 1, 1927, Staraya Russa became part of the Novgorod District of the Leningrad Region, becoming the administrative center of the newly formed Starorussky District (July 23, 1930, the division into districts in the USSR was abolished).

Decree of the Presidium Supreme Council RSFSR dated September 19, 1939, Staraya Russa became a city of regional subordination.

During the Great Patriotic War from August 9, 1941 to February 18, 1944, Staraya Russa was occupied by German troops. The city was not far from the front line and was heavily damaged. Soviet troops repeatedly tried unsuccessfully to capture Staraya Russa by February 23, 1942. Later there was also an unsuccessful Starorusskaya operation in March 1943 and in August 1943.

On February 18, 1944, Staraya Russa was liberated by the troops of the 1st Shock Army of the 2nd Baltic Front during the Staraya Russian-Novorzhevskaya offensive operation. By the time of liberation, not a single inhabitant remained in the destroyed city; by the end of 1944 there were 5,000 of them.

By Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR dated July 5, 1944, the city of Staraya Russa and the entire Starorussky district were included in the newly formed Novgorod region.

On June 9-10, 2015, the Head of the Russian Imperial House Grand Duchess Maria Vladimirovna visited the city as part of the 1000th anniversary of the city.