Discover Tosno

The permanent exhibition “Dom tsarskoy kormilitsy” opened at the Tosnenskiy istoriko-krayevedcheskiy muzey on May 17, 2018. The history of the Church of the Icon of the Mother of God of Kazan includes periods of changing use, an expansion and a reconsecration. Tosno’s monuments commemorate, among others, victims of radiation disasters, participants in armed conflicts and the poet Musa Jalil. The “Status” equestrian club offers riding lessons and visits to a pony farm; check the current arrangements in advance.

The permanent exhibition is on the first floor of the Tosnenskiy istoriko-krayevedcheskiy muzey and is divided into three thematic sections. One of them explores wet nursing in the Saint Petersburg Governorate and Maria Andreyevna Smolina. She was the young mistress of the household and was summoned to the imperial chambers to nurse the infant Tsarevich; the child she cared for was the future Russian Emperor Nicholas II.

A 19th-century living room has been recreated using authentic objects from that period. This section therefore brings together Smolina’s biography and the history of wet nursing with a recreated domestic scene. The exhibition opened on May 17, 2018, and was established as a permanent exhibition.

The museum’s history can also be traced through two distinct dates: the collection of its first exhibits began in 1984 under the auspices of the Tosno City Committee of the Komsomol. The museum received official status in 1991. The start of collecting and its later formal recognition are therefore clearly separate milestones.

The Church of the Icon of the Mother of God of Kazan in Tosno was closed in 1937. It operated from 1941 to 1944 and reopened in 1947. The next phase of construction followed in 1951–1952, when the church was expanded according to plans by architect V. P. Zasorin. On December 4, 1952, Roman, Archbishop of Riga and Latvia, reconsecrated it.

The timeline helps distinguish two aspects: changes in the church’s use and the later expansion and reconsecration. Those interested in the history of the site will find several clearly dated periods here, rather than just a single year of founding or construction.

A monument unveiled on April 21, 2001, is dedicated to all Tosno residents who fell victim to radiation accidents and disasters. Another monument, unveiled on May 8, 2003, commemorates participants in combat operations in Afghanistan, Chechnya and other armed conflicts. Their dedications are clearly different: one focuses on affected residents, the other on people who took part in armed conflicts.

On November 9, 2012, a monument to Musa Jalil, also known as Musa Mustafovich Salilov, was unveiled by the House of Children’s and Youth Art. Jalil was a Tatar poet and war correspondent. He fought in the Tosno area in 1942 and was posthumously named a Hero of the Soviet Union. The monument thus connects Tosno with his literary and historical biography.

Tosno’s “Status” equestrian club offers riding lessons and visits to a pony farm. If you plan to take part in either activity, check the current booking and operating arrangements for public visits in advance.

Discover more destinations: Slavyanka, Priosersk, Voznesenye, Shlisselburg, Korobitsyno, Strugi, Luga, Syargi.

What is the Tosno permanent exhibition “Dom tsarskoy kormilitsy” about?

One section explores wet nursing in the Saint Petersburg Governorate and Maria Smolina. A 19th-century living room has also been recreated with authentic objects from that period.

When did the Church of the Icon of the Mother of God of Kazan reopen?

After it closed in 1937, the church operated from 1941 to 1944. It reopened in 1947 and was expanded in 1951–1952; it was reconsecrated on December 4, 1952.

What does the “Status” equestrian club offer?

The club offers riding lessons and visits to a pony farm. Check the current arrangements for public bookings and visits before you go.

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