Kalyazin: Monastery Island, Museums and the Volga

• The Kalyazin Local History Museum is housed in the Epiphany Church, built in 1781.
• Monastery Island was separated from the mainland after the Uglich Reservoir was created.
• The embankment is suitable for walks with views of the Volga and the bell tower of St. Nicholas Cathedral; the area has not yet been landscaped.
• The Gorbaty Bridge, built in 1935, carries both a road and a railway line.

The Kalyazin Local History Museum is still housed in the Epiphany Church. Its collections include religious objects, paintings, graphic art, numismatics and furniture, as well as ethnographic and archaeological holdings. From the collection of the Trinity Monastery of Kalyazin-Makariy, the museum preserves frescoes, icons, rare books, monumental paintings, engravings, lithographs and photographic materials.

A tour of the main exhibition covers the history of the Kalyazin Trinity Monastery for Men from the 15th to the 20th century and the life of Saint Makariy Kaljazinski. Visitors also see 17th-century documents and relics from royal houses. In this way, the museum brings together the history of the monastery with art and everyday objects from different areas of its collections.

Other museums focus on different subjects: The Svetopis Museum is devoted to the history of photography and cinematography. The Mobile Devices Museum features an exhibition on the history of the mobile phone, dedicated to the former mobile phone retailer Evroset. The Retro Garage Museum displays classic cars as well as historical devices and objects, including film and movie cameras, rotary telephones, radio receivers and typewriters. The Volgari Museum tells the story of the city that was flooded after the reservoir was created.

In the 15th century, Makariy Kaljazinski founded the Trinity Monastery on Monastery Island; the city of Kalyazin later grew up around it. The Makaryevskaya Chapel stands on the monastery’s foundations. The island was separated from the mainland after the Uglich Reservoir was created—a turning point that also features in the Volgari Museum exhibition.

The Church of the Ascension was built in 1787 next to the city cemetery. It combines elements of Neoclassical, eclectic and Baroque architecture. The church survived the flooding caused by the creation of the Uglich Reservoir and was later restored. Two- and three-story stone merchants’ houses from the 18th and 19th centuries stand on Moskovskaya Street and are associated with the Ryzhkov, Korovkin, Semyonov and Lyakhov families. A monument to Macarius of Kalyazin stands on Karl Marx Street.

The embankment is a good place for a walk, with views of the Volga and the bell tower of St. Nicholas Cathedral rising above the water. The area has not yet been landscaped, but the river and bell tower provide clear landmarks for a visit to the waterfront.

The Gusiny Ostrov tourist park offers interactive programs featuring Baba Yaga and other characters from Russian fairy tales. An indoor permanent exhibition by artists from Kalyazin has opened there. Baba Yaga’s Estate is a museum complex with wooden houses, carved figures and characters from Russian fairy tales. The Lace Museum near the House of Crafts is also located in Kalyazin; check whether it is currently open to visitors before making plans.

This lets you tailor your search to the kind of trip you want without reducing the city’s different themes to a single focus for your visit.

Discover more destinations: Dolgushka, Antonovo, Pestikha, Bashkovo, Khoroshevo, Olino, Smentsevo and Prosveshcheniye.

What topics does a tour of the Local History Museum cover?

The tour of the main exhibition covers the history of the Kalyazin Trinity Monastery for Men from the 15th to the 20th century and the life of Saint Makariy Kaljazinski. It also includes 17th-century documents and relics from royal houses.

How is Monastery Island connected to the city’s history?

In the 15th century, Makariy Kaljazinski founded the Trinity Monastery there. Kalyazin later grew up around the monastery; after the Uglich Reservoir was created, the island was separated from the mainland.

What can you see from the embankment?

From the embankment, you can see the Volga and the bell tower of St. Nicholas Cathedral rising above the water. The area has not yet been landscaped.

Is the Lace Museum currently open to visitors?

The Lace Museum near the House of Crafts is located in Kalyazin. Check whether it is currently open to visitors before making plans.

For the broader travel overview: Tver Oblast.