| Staraya Russa Старая Русса | ||
 | ||
Coat of arms and flag  .png/70px-Flag_of_Staraya_Russa_(Novgorod_oblast).png){kind=small} | ||
| State | Russia | |
|---|---|---|
| Altitude | 25 m a.s.l. | |
| Surface | 18.54 km² | |
| Inhabitants | 27.739 (census 2020) | |
| Prefix tel | 7 81652 | |
| POSTAL CODE | 175200-175207 | |
| Time zone | UTC 3 | |
Position
| ||
| Institutional website | ||
Staraya Russa (Старая Русса) is a small historic city of the Russia, in the center ofNovgorod Oblast, long nationally famous for its mineral waters balneological, but much more famous among international travelers for being the summer resting place for the Dostoevsky family, where the writer Fyodor Michajlovič Dostoevsky composed and partially set his great novel The Karamazov brothers.
To know
Geographical notes
The city is located at the confluence of the Porusya River with the Polist River (basin of the Il'men 'Lake), 99 km from Veliky Novgorod (along the ring road), 48 km east of Šimsk, 20 km west of Parfino and 64 km north of Poddor'e.
When to go
| Climate | gen | Feb | mar | apr | mag | down | Jul | needle | set | Oct | nov | dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maximum (° C) | -4 | -3 | 3 | 11 | 18 | 21 | 24 | 22 | 16 | 9 | 2 | -2 |
| Minimum (° C) | -9 | -10 | -5 | 1 | 7 | 11 | 13 | 11 | 7 | 3 | -3 | -7 |
| Precipitation (mm) | 43 | 32 | 34 | 32 | 53 | 75 | 76 | 75 | 62 | 60 | 52 | 47 |
The place is practically devoid of international travelers outside the high summer tourist season, so in the low season you can visit everything in complete tranquility.
Background
Staraya Russa is one of the oldest cities in the Russia, founded in the 10th century as one of the main cities of the then powerful and wealthy trading nation of the Novgorod Republic. It acquired a lot of prestige with the establishment of the Monastery of the Transfiguration in the 12th century. Its salt flats made it the regional leader in salt and brine production, driving its economy and leading to the growth of the city to nearly 5,000 inhabitants by the 15th century, when it was incorporated together with Veliky Novgorod in the Principality of Muscovy.
Due to its northwestern location, Staraya Russa has seen many battles. Well after its wooden walls were burned down and later replaced by stone fortifications, the city fought bloody battles against the invaders. swedes for centuries, but the most devastating years in its history would come after the reign of Ivan the Terrible, during the Russian period of troubles at the beginning of the 17th century. Until the establishment of the Romanov dynasty, the surrounding area was under the control of armed gangs and brigands, and the once important city dwindled to just 38 people. Over time, Staraya Russa recovered, but her fate as a city on the invasion route would haunt her one last time in the 20th century, when Hitler's forces invaded during World War II and virtually razed this historic city to the ground. city.
Despite the destruction over the years, however, many old wooden houses (including Dostoevsky's residence) and several important churches have remained intact and other institutions, such as the balneological resort, have been rebuilt. Following the collapse of the Soviet Union, the population of the city was shrinking (along with the rest of rural Russia) with a simultaneous economic stagnation; in fact, there was a big change in the habits of travelers who preferred to spend most of their time in St.Pietroburgo or Moscow. The residential areas near the rivers are fairly quiet, the locals are friendly and relaxed, and there is plenty to see with all the sights inherent in Dostoevsky.
How to orient yourself
Staraja Russa: full screen map.
How to get
The connections with Staraya Russa are rather limited. It is preferable to visit the city as an excursion from Veliky Novgorod, or as a detour / stop on the way from Moscow (or Valdaj) to Pskov (or Veliky Novgorod).
By car
From Veliky Novgorod, follow the A116 until Šimsk, then the P51 to Staraya Russa (96 km).
From Moscow, follow the M9 for Ržev and turn to Seližarovo. Continue on the P87 for Ostaškov, then on local roads to Demyansk and then for Staraya Russa. Alternatively, follow the M10, overcome Valdaj and continue left along the P48 towards Demyansk and Staraya Russa. Both routes are approximately 600 km long and involve unpredictable road conditions in theNovgorod Oblast, although the second route is believed to be safer and more reliable.
On the train
- 1 Railway station (Железнодорожный вокзал), Zheleznodorozhnaya ulitsa, ~ 12 (1 km from the city center), ☎ 7 816 5221882.
Cash desk: Mon-Sun (with a couple of breaks). From Moscow (9/10 hours) or Pskov (3.5 hours) you can take the Moscow-Pskov, although this service is generally limited to one train per day, with night trains. A daily local train connects to the nearest hubs: Bologoe (Street Valdaj) on the Moscow-St.Pietroburgo is Dno on the line Kiev-St.Pietroburgo.
Cash desk: Mon-Sun (with a couple of breaks). From By bus
- 2 Bus Station (Автостанция), Zheleznodorozhnaya ulitsa (Next to the train station), ☎ 7 816 5222401. Mon-Sun 5: 00-22: 00. Buses depart every hour from Veliky Novgorod, with the journey taking about 2 hours. Even coming from Moscow, this is a good way to avoid the hassle of limited train service and to see another incredible historic destination on the same trip. From St.Pietroburgo, you can take one of the 6 direct buses that reach Staraya Russa in 6 hours. Note that many of the buses terminate in nearby towns, for example, Cholm, Parfino, Volot and will have their names specified as primary destinations.
How to get around
Even if it's not one small city, it is still possible to move everywhere by walking.
By public transport
From the train / bus station, you can take buses 1, 4, 6 or 11 to the center, but given the slowness of the buses, it is probably quicker to walk.
By taxi
Calling a "taxi" is a good way to speed things up if, for example, you want to quickly get back to the bus stop for Veliky Novgorod. A taxi from the Dostoevsky House Museum costs only about 50 RUB.
What see
If you plan to spend only half a day in the city, it is good to focus on Dostoevsky's main attractions (especially the house museum, with a stop at St. George's Church and a walk along the river) and pay a visit to the Monastery of the Transfiguration. If you have a little more time, you can take a tour through the Cultural Center and consider wandering around the Balneological Resort to familiarize yourself with the Russian / Soviet tradition of mineral water sanitation. If the weather is good, Staraya Russa is also a really nice place to stroll. If you just want to walk among the various churches, you can spend several hours on a nice walk around the city.
- 1 Dostoevsky Cultural Center (Научно-культурный центр Ф.М.Достоевского), nab. Dostoevskovo, 8, ☎ 7 816 52 37-285.
Admission: 70 RUB, tour: 300 RUB. Mon-Fri, Sun 10: 00-18: 00. This neat little neoclassical building has small temporary exhibitions about the life and works of Fyodor Michajlovič Dostoevsky, but the main reason to come is if you are interested in having a local guide accompany visitors to the literary sites of the city (in Russian). - 2 Dostoevsky House-Museum (Дом-музей Ф.М.Достоевского), nab. Dostoevskovo, 42/2, ☎ 7 816 52 51-477. 70 rub. Mon-Sun 10: 00-18: 00. The Dostoevsky family spent summers in the healthy country climate of Staraya Russa from 1872 to 1914, well beyond the writer's death in 1881. The time he spent here saw the birth of some of his most prolific works, especially his masterpiece. The Karamazov brothers. The big, green one dacha in wood on the river bank is today a carefully curated sanctuary for the great 19th century writer, who survived the revolutions and wars of the 20th century unscathed. The first floor houses exhibitions, while the second floor is organized and recreated in the same way the Dostoevsky family kept it.
- 3 Grushenka house (Дом Грушеньки), nab. Glebova, 25. Grushenka's house, cited in The Karamazov brothers, was inspired by this graceful house from 1850, now private property.
- 4 Living bridge (Живой мост) (Across the river Polist). If you hear the locals speak of a "living bridge", don't expect anything too necromantic: the name is a remnant of the bridge's previous incarnation as a pontoon bridge with a lively "sway".
- 5 Northwestern Front Museum (Музей северо-западного фронта), ul. Volodarskovo, 25, ☎ 7 816 52 35-285. 70 rub. Mon. Wed-Fri 10: 00-18: 00, Sun 09: 00-17: 00. A modest military history museum with exhibits on the history of the Russian Northwest Front during World War II.
Admission: 70 RUB, tour: 300 RUB. 
- 6 Balneological resort Staraya Russa (Курорт Старая Русса), ul. Mineral'naya (ул. Минеральная), 62, ☎ 7 816 5231603. The Muravyovsky Fountain delivers water at 07: 00-09: 00, 11: 30-14: 30 and 18: 00-19: 30. While today foreigners come to Staraya Russa exclusively for Dostoevsky, the city was centuries-old known for its seaside resort, where sick Russians came and availed themselves of mineral water and mud. The buildings and sculptures throughout the park are for the most part rather insignificant, while the so-called Muravyovsky Fountain worth a visit. This large fountain in the center of the complex is built over a spring of natural mineral water, and for most of its history it has been covered by a truly wonderful metal pavilion, with covered galleries, adorned with wood carvings, which ran from the fountain to the hotel and the wooden theater. The complex was almost completely destroyed during the Second World War. In the early 1980s, the government made a timid attempt to erect a new metal dome over the fountain, but the salt in the air corroded the metal and caused it to fall quickly. Today the fountain is not as majestic as it used to be, even the flow has been reduced to reduce the damage caused by salt water to nearby trees. But you can still taste its waters from the "water pavilion" behind it, cold or warm as if they were coming out of the ground.
Ecclesiastical buildings
- 7 Resurrection Cathedral (Воскресенский собор), ul. Resurrection, 1 (At the meeting of the Polist and Porusya rivers). This monumental cathedral was built towards the end of the 17th century. It looks quite impressive from afar in its stunning location, perfectly photogenic from afar.
- 8 Mina Muchenik church (Церковь Великомученика Мины), ul. Georgievskaya, 44. Despite subsequent reconstructions and its current dilapidated state, this is a wonderfully preserved small 14th century church. According to legend, the Swedish invaders, having destroyed much of the city, went to the church seeking a nocturnal refuge from the elements, but upon entering the church they remained blind. The blinded soldiers were sent back in Sweden as evidence of miracles and other oddities occurring in the Russian territories they were occupying.
- 9 Monastery of the Transfiguration of the Savior (Спасо-Преображенский монастырь), Frunze Square, ul. Volodarskovo, ☎ 7 816 52 35-666. Museum: 70 RUB, Art gallery: 70 RUB. Mon Wed-Fri 10: 00-18: 00, Sa Su 09: 00-17: 00. The monastery includes the beautiful Transfiguration Cathedral (1442), the Church of the Nativity (early 17th century) and the Sretensky Church (early 17th century), all with charming wooden domes. Closed following the Bolshevik revolution, it is now managed by the Local History Museum, which houses both a small regional museum and an art gallery with exhibitions by local artists in the buildings.
- 10 Church of San Giorgio and of the Annunciation (Георгиевская церковь), ul. Georgievskaya, 26. Dating back to 1410, this stone church was the Dostoevsky family church during their summer stays. In their first summer in Staraya Russa, the Dostoevsky family actually stayed at the home of the elderly priest, Father Rumyantsev, and it was in his house that the writer finished his work. Demons. While not a brilliant example of old Russian architecture, it does have a good deal of country charm.
- 11 Church of San Nicola (Церковь Николая Чудотворца), ul. Krasnykh Komandirov, 8. Built in 1371. The classic bell towers were built at the beginning of the eighteenth century during the reconstruction of the church. Unfortunately, the renovations and modern furnishings have effectively ruined the elegance of this ancient church.
- 12 Trinity Church (Троицкая церковь), ul. Frunze, 12a. A well-preserved church from 1676, characteristic of churches for the merchant class of the 17th century, right in the very central city park.
Events and parties
What to do
Shopping
- 1 Library (Магазин "Книга"), ul. Lenina, 6, ☎ 7 816 5237705. Mon-Fri 09: 00-14: 00 and 15: 00-18: 00, Sat-Sun 09: 00-14: 00 and 15: 00-17: 00. A small and handy bookstore that sells local street maps.
- 2 Pishi Library, Chitay (Магазин "Пиши, читай"), ul. Engel'sa, 3, ☎ 7 816 5251755. Mon-Fri 09: 30-14: 00 and 15: 00-18: 30, Sat-Sun 09: 30-14: 00 and 15: 00-16: 00. Another library with the same purpose.
- 3 Korobeynyk shop (магазине "Коробейник"), ul. Mineral'naya, 61 (Close to the balneological resort). Souvenir.
- 4 Magnyt Grocery (продуктов "Магнит"), ul. Lenina, 9 (Leto shopping center).
How to have fun
In general, the best place to drink in the city is a public park or by taking a walk along the river. But if you are cold or want to drink something more luxurious, go to the hotel lobby bar or Cafe Il'men '.
Where to eat
There are several cheap cafes / canteens in town, none of which are incredibly tasty, but all of them will fill you up in no time. The best restaurant in town is inside the Hotel Polist, and it's actually a good option, with large portions of good Russian food at provincial prices (main courses cost 250/400 RUB). Outside the hotel, Café Il'men 'is a local favorite and not a bad choice to quench your thirst.
Moderate prices
- 1 Café Grill (Кафе «Гриль»), ul. Krasnykh Partizan, 8 (5 minutes from the train station), ☎ 7 816 52 52-232. Mon-Fri 09: 00-18: 00, Sat 10: 00-15: 00. This little cafe serves lunches for the locals. Join them for grilled meat or fish, both of which are worth trying.
- 2 Café Princessa (Кафе «Принцесса"), ul. Karla Marksa, 18, ☎ 7 816 523-5316. 11:00-23:00. Positively reviewed.
- 3 Cafe Rushanka (Кафе "Рушанка"), ul. Engel'sa, 4/18 (Towards the city center), ☎ 7 816 523-3163. 50/120 RUB. Mon-Sun 08: 00-20: 00. This is a rather typical and cheap provincial café, where you can get your fill quickly, even if you don't have an unforgettable gastronomic experience.
- 4 Cafe Sadko (Кафе «Садко»), ul. Lenina, 7, ☎ 7 816 523-1538. Mon-Sun 09: 00-21: 00. Another cheap cafe with a very convenient location, from which to order tolerable basic Russian food like beef cutlet or stuffed cabbage. Semi self-service; you order at the counter.
- 5 Cafe Tortuga (Кафе "Тортуга"), ul. Karla Marksa, 27, ☎ 7 816 523-2290. 10:00-21:00. Launched as a kid's cafe, this restaurant eventually morphed into a budget bar known colloquially as ryumochnaya . Not the best place to eat unless you are deeply interested in local drinking traditions, or just want to taste the tasty ones pirožki they have for sale.
Average prices
- 6 Blinnaya Apel'sin (Блинная «Апельсин»), ul. Karla Marksa, 10, ☎ 7 816 52 31-063. Pancakes: 40/80 RUB. Mon-Sun 10: 00-22: 00. Although coffee shops are still non-existent in Staraya Russa, this place can be the best option for having a coffee or enjoying sweets. Start with stuffed pancakes and continue for a coffee, cocktail or dessert. Free WIFI.
- 7 Okami cafe-bar (Кафе-бар Okami), ul. Karla Libknehta, 10, ☎ 7 921 606-19-99, 7 911 615-49-99. Pizza: 150/300 RUB. Mon-Sun 12: 00-23: 00. This cryptically named restaurant offers what has now become the most popular food in Russia: pizza and sushi. Fortunately, they aren't mixing them! Free WIFI.
- 8 Cafe Druzya (Кафе «Друзья»), ul. Karla Marksa, 2, ☎ 7 816 52 57-034. Main courses: 200 RUB. Mon-Thu 12: 00-02: 00, Fri 12: 00-04: 00, Sat 16: 00-04: 00, Sun 14: 00-02: 00. A small café with no particular marks, but positively reviewed.
- 9 Cafe Il'men ' (Кафе «Ильмень»), ul. Mineral'naya, 45a, ☎ 7 816 523-1968. 200/400 RUB. Sun-Thu 12: 00-02: 00, Fri-Sat 13: 00-04: 00. The best local restaurant outside the hotel, and asking for a local restaurant at the hotel, you will probably be directed here. The prices are Russian average and the service is ... Russian average. The menu is nice and long, so you're sure to find something to your liking. They often close late and usually have live music, so be aware of this if you are looking for a bar to hang out in.
- 10 Graf Muravyov restaurant (Ресторан "Граф Муравьёв"), ul. Mineral'naya, 62 (2nd floor, there is an outside staircase from the street), ☎ 7 816 52 31-676. 150/300 RUB. Mon-Sun 11: 00-23: 00. This would be a bizarre choice for lunch / dinner: the balneological resort restaurant. Although it is managed by the resort, it is just north of the main grounds, so you can walk without going through the sanatorium.
Where stay
In addition to the following options, there are many citizens of Staraya Russa who are willing to rent their apartments for 500/1000 RUB / night. Search for such advertisements on the Internet or request them once you arrive.
Average prices
- 1 Polist hotel (Гостиница «Полисть»), ul. Engelsa, 20, ☎ 7 816 52 37-547, fax: 7 816 52 37-894, @[email protected]. 1,800 / 3,400 RUB, single 1,400 RUB. After undergoing a complete refurbishment, Hotel Polist is no longer a place to be avoided, and now visitors can stay overnight without worrying about their comfort. The hotel has become a refined three-star provincial hotel, with what is the best restaurant in the city.
- 2 Staraya Russa (Курорт «Старая Русса"), ul. Mineral'naya, 62 (Close to the resort entrance), ☎ 7 816 5231676, 7 816 5231625. 2,800 RUB with breakfast included, single: 1,400 RUB. Check in: 12:00, check-out: 12:00. A pretty good option to stay overnight. It is possible to have a room with full board.
- 3 Vis-à-vis Hotel (Отель «Визави"), ul. Mineral'naya (ул. Минеральная), 59а (Close to the resort entrance), ☎ 7 816 5232777, 7 911 6284454. Double 2.000 / 2.400 RUB.
Safety
How to keep in touch
Around
Staraja Russa is the only true off-the-beaten-track gem anywhere nearby, so the next stop should probably be in a bigger destination like Pskov West, Veliky Novgorod to the north (Novgorod is a must and should definitely be combined with any trip to Staraya Russa), or even to Valdaj East. On the contrary, going south you will reach even more secluded areas, very difficult to reach, such as the Rdeysky Nature Reserve, a huge swamp with a beautiful lake and a dilapidated monastery in the center, not far from Cholm.
Other projects
Wikipedia contains an entry concerning Staraya Russa
Commons contains images or other files on Staraya Russa
