Ostashkovskiy rayon: Local History Museum and Lake Seliger

Ostashkov is the center of Ostashkovskiy rayon. The local history museum was founded in 1889 at the Ostashkov city school and has been housed in the Trinity Cathedral, built in 1697, since 1977.

The permanent exhibition is devoted to trades and crafts of the Lake Seliger region, as well as the cultural and historical traditions of the Ostashkov area. It also includes materials from archaeological excavations at Stone Age settlements and Slavic burial mounds. Insights into regional ways of life are thus presented alongside finds that tell the story of early settlement.

The collection figures also give the visit a specific focus: the museum has 64 samovars and 34 spinning wheels. It also holds 573 paintings from the 18th and 19th centuries, including works by the renowned Ostashkov school of painting. The objects range from everyday items to historic regional art.

The observation platform in the bell tower of the Trinity Cathedral offers a different perspective from the exhibition: the panorama stretches over Ostashkov and Lake Seliger with its islands. Cultural history and landscape are two distinct aspects of a stay in Ostashkov. For your trip planning, this makes it possible to combine a focus on the museum with views over the city and lake.

The Central Forest Reserve in the wider travel destination of Tver Oblast offers its own nature-focused experiences. Guided tours are available on the ecological trails “Tayny Okovskogo lesa” and “Lesnaya azbuka.” The “Boloto Staroselskiy mokh” nature trail passes through a raised bog with broad open areas completely covered in moss and unusual plants. Visitors use their own vehicle for the offered excursion to the raised bog.

The hike to Kordon “Barsuchikha” can be done as a one-day tour or with an overnight stay in a forest hut. Along the way, you can see southern taiga forest and a raised bog. The reserve’s nature museum has its own focus: it presents important ecosystems of the protected area and the species that live there; one hall is dedicated to scientific research. There is also a visitor center at the central estate, with information about the organization’s history and structure, a regular exhibition of children’s work, and a souvenir shop.

Cultural attractions in Tver Oblast also include sites in Torzhok. Verkhnee gorodishche is an archaeological monument of federal significance and a tourist attraction in the historic center. The festivals “Blin s Pripyokom” and “Kuzminki v Torzhke” are held annually at the Novotorzhskiy kreml. The Novotorzhskiy Borisoglebskiy monastyr in Torzhok was founded in 1038 and is one of Russia’s oldest Orthodox monasteries.

Discover more destinations: Konets, Novye Eltsy, Glubochitsa, Nepriye and Tverdyakino. Discover more destinations: Kimrskiy rayon, Kalininskiy rayon and Vesyegonskiy rayon.

What objects are included in the local history museum’s collection?

The collection includes 64 samovars, 34 spinning wheels, and 573 paintings from the 18th and 19th centuries, including works by the Ostashkov school of painting.

What can you see from the observation platform?

The view stretches over the city of Ostashkov and Lake Seliger with its islands.

What options are available for the hike to Kordon “Barsuchikha”?

The tour can be taken as a day hike or with an overnight stay in a forest hut; along the way, you can see southern taiga forest and a raised bog.

For the wider travel overview: Tver Oblast.