Demyanskiy District: Velyo, Nature and History

• Valdaysky National Park extends across the Valdaysky, Demyanskiy and Okulovsky districts.
• Lake Velyo lies 40 kilometers northeast of Demyansk and stretches 17 kilometers from north to south.
• Knyazhna Gora is a glacial remnant hill about 30 meters high and an archaeological monument of federal significance.
• Museums and memorial sites in Demyansk and Lychkovo commemorate the district’s history.

Lake Velyo is the largest lake in Valdaysky National Park. Three expansive sections of the lake, numerous bays and islands, and its 17-kilometer north–south extent give it a distinctive shape. The lake lies 40 kilometers northeast of Demyansk. For travelers who want to focus on bodies of water and shaped shorelines, Velyo is a specific natural landmark.

Knyazhna Gora near Peski offers a different perspective on the landscape. The hill, approximately 30 meters high, is a glacial remnant and an archaeological monument of federal significance. The ancient settlement center of Demon na Yavoni stood here from the 6th to the 9th century. This brings a distinctive landform and early settlement history together in one place.

In the wider destination of Novgorod Oblast, Valdai National Park covers 159,100 hectares and extends across the Valdaysky, Demyanskiy and Okulovsky districts. Other nature attractions in the oblast include the 25-meter-high observation tower on Mount Ryzhokha, with views of the taiga, Lake Velyo and other bodies of water, as well as a circular trail in the Bor area. The trail passes through typical taiga forests on hilly terrain and through marshes in the hollows between the hills. These examples add to the picture of the wider destination of Novgorod Oblast.

The Center for the History and Culture of Demyanskiy District is located in Demyansk in the former home of merchant G. M. Smetanin, an architectural monument dating from the late 19th century. The “Military History of Demyansk” hall covers the divisions, aviation heroes and partisans who defended Demyansk during the Great Patriotic War, and displays exhibits from that period. A hall on peasant life features objects from the 18th and 19th centuries; the local history hall focuses on the history of Demyansk, the manual processing of flax and objects made of birch bark.

The center offers group and individual tours, as well as themed tours of its halls. If you plan a guided tour, check the current arrangements in advance. Demyansk is also home to a monument to the artillerymen of the Northwestern Front, featuring a 1937-model 45 mm anti-tank gun on a tall pedestal. The town’s stone chapel was built in 1884 in memory of Alexander II.

Lychkovo also has several distinct memorial sites. In 2005, on the 60th anniversary of Victory, a monument to the children who died in the Great Patriotic War was unveiled in front of the railway station. The Center for the Study of the History of Lychkovo preserves the memory of the village’s wartime history and of the children from Leningrad who died on July 18, 1941, when a train was bombed at the station. Another monument commemorates the soldiers of the 245th Rifle Division of the 11th Army of the Northwestern Front, who liberated Lychkovo from German occupation forces on February 20, 1943.

The Northwestern Front memorial complex in Demyansk symbolizes the Demyansk Pocket and the subsequent bridgehead, where the front’s troops fought fierce battles for a year and a half. Two military history excursion routes lead from Demyansk to Lychkovo, or via Tsemena to Korpovo and well-known military memorial sites in the district. Check current arrangements before making plans.

The Center for the Study of V. P. Wrasski’s Heritage in Nikolskoye focuses on ichthyologist and local nobleman Vladimir Pavlovich Wrasski. He founded Russia’s first fish hatchery. The center also covers the hatchery’s subsequent history and displays materials about Wrasski’s family history, biography, work in artificial fish breeding and founding of the hatchery. This gives it a different focus from the military history collections in Demyansk and Lychkovo.

Discover more destinations: Borovichsky District, Soletsky District, Okulovskiy District, Malovishersky District, Starorusskiy District, Marevskiy District, Chudovsky District, Chudovsky District.

How far is Lake Velyo from Demyansk?

Lake Velyo lies 40 kilometers northeast of Demyansk. It has numerous bays and islands and stretches 17 kilometers from north to south.

What is known about Knyazhna Gora?

The hill, about 30 meters high, is a glacial remnant and an archaeological monument of federal significance. The settlement center of Demon na Yavoni stood there from the 6th to the 9th century.

What guided tours are available at the Center for the History and Culture?

The center offers group and individual tours, as well as themed tours of its halls. Check the current arrangements before making plans.

For the wider travel overview: Novgorod Oblast.