The most beautiful buildings of Tver and Znamenskoe-Rayok estate

Memory Island is situated on the arrow of the Totma and the Volga rivers. A beautiful view of the opposite bank of the Volga opens up from here. Two thousand years ago there was already a settlement here. In the XIII century, Fedorovsky monastery was located on the island. In the XV century the city of Lyubovin, designed to defend Tver from enemies, was erected here. Since 1739 was a theological seminary. None of the ancient sights has survived. Now you will see the chapel, Memorial and the Eternal Flame.

A chapel in the style of Vladimir architecture appeared on Memory Island in 2002. It was built in honor of Prince Mikhail Yaroslavich, the patron saint of Tver, who ruled from 1282 to 1318.
Under Prince Mikhail Tver had become the capital of the Tver principality, one of the most powerful in the North-East of Russia. All his reign was in confrontation with the Moscow principality. Prince Mikhail died in 1318 in the Horde, by order of Khan Uzbek.

The Picture Gallery is located in a historical building dating back to 1766. It is one of the oldest museums in the country and the most beautiful building in the city. The palace was built for the Romanov family according to the design of P. Nikitin.
Here lay the St. Petersburg tract, which linked Moscow and the northern capital. The road from Moscow to St. Petersburg is called the "Gosudareva road".
In 1767 Catherine II stayed in the palace for the first time.

• Ticket price:

for adults - 250 rubles. for pupils, students, pensioners - 100 rubles. for foreign visitors - 500 rub. For children under 16 - free of charge.
Opening hours: Wednesday to Sunday from 11:00 to 18:00, Friday from 11:00 to 20:00. Cash desk closes one hour earlier.

The Zvezda Cinema is the oldest in the city. It is a monument of the post-constructivism epoch in the form of a binocular. It was built in 1937 by the project of V. Kalmykov. Later similar cinemas appeared in Simferopol and Smolensk, but only this one survived.
Bright building is located on the quay Stepana Razina. From here you can see the view of the opposite bank and the river station.
By the way, many parts of the embankment are two-storey. This is done in order to protect the city from the Volga spill.

The wooden mansion in the Art Nouveau style was built in 1910. It was the summer cottage of merchant Otto Martin. Hence the name "Martin House".
He designed and built the house himself. In 1917, right after the revolution, he left the country and the house was given to the state.
The house was destroyed by fire in 2001. The house was reconstructed according to the surviving drawings. There were no pictures of the weathercock left, so a rooster was made. The second name of the building is "The House with a Rooster".
Since 2020 you can see its exact copy in Trekhsvyatskaya street.

You can have a snack and relax in a cafe. There are large portions and tasty dishes. The menu has sandwiches, soups, salads, waffles. There is a large selection of desserts and good coffee.
The cafe is open every day from 8:00 to 23:00.

The Museum of Tver way of life is located in the house of 1784, which belonged to the merchants Arefievs, and in the main building of the city manor.
After the fire of 1763, Catherine II issued a decree on planning cities in a uniform style. However, only the Arefievs' manor was executed in Baroque style.
Now you can visit the main house, outhouses and carriage house. In the museum you can learn about everyday life and admire the works of Tver craftsmen.

• Museum opening hours:

Wednesday through Saturday 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., Sunday 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The ticket office closes one hour earlier.
Ticket price: for adults - 100 rubles. for students - 50 rubles. for pensioners - 50 rubles. Free for children under 16 years old.

Not far from Tver there is an atmospheric manor house. Perhaps, the name came from the pogost Rai, which was located nearby. According to legend, Catherine II, passing by, could not contain her admiration and exclaimed "What a paradise!
At that time there was an antique fountain in the centre of the courtyard, and peacocks walked around the perimeter and there were cannons for fireworks. The ceiling in the main building was made so that the rays of the sun fell on the lower steps and gradually rose upwards during the day.
The manor house is open every day from 9:00 to 17:00

A cozy cafe on the embankment of the river Tvertsa. Here you can take part in a master class on making Pozharsky cutlets according to the recipe of 1853. Chicken cutlets are a local landmark and one of the symbols of Torzhok. There are two beautiful viewing platforms next to the cafe.

Stay overnight in the ancient town of Torzhok. Tomorrow you'll get a closer look at its historical and architectural heritage.