Tver region

• Tver region was founded in 1935

• Regional centre – city of Tver

• Region occupies an area of 84,100 sq. km (0.49% of Russia's total area)

• Population of the region (c. 1.01.2000) is 1,621,000 (1.11% of Russia's population)

• Density of population – 19.6 people/sq. km

• Administrative areas – 36

• Cities of regional subordination – 12

• Population of the largest cities: Tver – 452,300; Rzhev – 69,400; Vyshniy Volochek – 62,800

History and Culture

If you go from Moscow, it will take you just about one hundred kilometers to come to Tver region. This is the region connected with many famous Russians. These are writers and poets — Pushkin Alexandr Sergeevich, Ostrovskiy Alexandr Nikolaievich, Saltykov-Schedrin Mikhail Evgrafovich, Krylov Ivan Andreevich, Drozhzhin Spiridon Dmitrievich, Akhmatova Anna Andreevna, Lazhechnikov Ivan Ivanovich, Gumilev Nikolay Stepanovich, Glinka Fedor Nikolaievich, Radischev Alexandr Nikolaievich, Izmailov Alexandr Efimovich and Shishkov Vyacheslav Yakovlevich; public men — Bakunin Mikhail Alexandrovich and Kalinin Mikhail Ivanovich; people of art — Andreev Vasiliy Vasilievich and Ustinova Tatiana Alexeevna; Olympic champions — Mikhailov Yury Matveevich, Seredina Antonina Alexandrovna, Kapitonov Viktor Arsentievich and Bogdanovskiy Fedor Ferorovich; military — Pozharskiy-Lopata Dmitriy Petrovich, Gurko Iosif Vladimirovich, Kornilov Vladimir Alexeevich, Zakharov Matvey Vasilievich and Seslavin Alexandr Nikitich; travelers — Afanasiy Nikitin and Obruchev Vladimir Afanasievich.

Tver soil gave Russia its saints, among whom are Mikhail Yaroslavich of Tver, Anna Kashinskaya, Nil Stolobenskiy, Makariy Kalyazinskiy and Patriarch Iov.

The name of Russian genius Alexander Sergeevich Pushkin is first in this list by right. The poet passed through Tver province and stayed here more than 20 times. Here lived his numerous friends and acquaintances. Pushkin came to the cities of Torzhok, Staritsa, Tver, the villages Gruziny, Bernovo, Malinniki, Pavlovskoe and Kurovo-Pokrovskoe. In the 1971 Pushkin places of Tver region were united into a route “Pushkin Circle of the Upper-Volga”. The total length is 240 kms: Tver-Staritsa-Bernovo-Torzhok-Tver. It is about 5-6 hours drive in the car and within this time you can visit picturesque places connected not only with Pushkin, but with the very history of Russia. You will visit Staritsa. In 14th-15th centuries this city was the capital of the Staritsa princedom. There are many archeological and historical monuments kept preserved in the city, of which most important is Uspenskiy Monastery, to which the biography of the Russian Orthodox Church's first patriarch, Iov, is connected.

There are old quarries not far from Staritsa, where since the 12th century limestone, “the marble of Staritsa” has been explored. Nowadays it is a unique amongst the flat Russian plains object — the caves of Staritsa. 45 kms from Staritsa lies Bortenevo field where in 1317 the Russian army, led by prince Mikhail of Tver, won the first significant victory over the Tartars.

Staritsa has kept intact great monuments of history and architecture, among which Uspenskiy Monastery has special place. To revive monastery a special “Sviato-Uspenskiy monastery of Staritsa Foundation” was created. It is headed by the deputy prime-minister of the Russian government V.B. Hristenko.

After Staritsa we go to Bernovo — family estate of the Wulfs, friends of Pushkin. Every year on the poet's birthday there's a Pushkin festival held in Bernovo, to which thousands of tourists come.

After Bernovo we ride a short way to Torzhok. This city greets us with tolls of the bells in its numerous churches. Torzhok's gold-embroiderers have added themselves to Russian and world culture with vivid stitches. For many years, they have embroidered interiors and clothes of the highest-ranked persons of the country.

Close to Torzhok are two villages — Mitino and Vasilevo. The former is interesting with its Mitino sanatorium — one of the best Russian health resorts. Mitino Manor is a creation of Tver's outstanding architect N.A. Lvov. Alongside, on the cemetery of the village Putnya lie the ashes of Anna Kern. Vasilevo is also interesting. Here, the only open air museum of wood architecture in Tver region has been created.

The road through Torzhok and Kuvshinovo will lead us to one of the most wonderful corners of Tver region — Seliger area. But before going there we recommend you visit Pryamoukhino Estate (Kuvshinovskiy area) — home of the founder of world anarchism.

So this is Lake Seliger — the pearl of Tver region that crowns the “crystal dome of Russia”, represented by the system of Upper-Volga lakes. This is the place where the great Russian river the Volga takes its source. Annual consecration of the source takes place on May 29.

Here on May 29, 2003 the first Deputy Governor of the Region A.A. Stroiev, the Deputy Governor O.I. Pischulina, the Head of Administration of Ostashkov Company I.V. Pavlov, and the Archbishop of Tver and Kashin Rev. Victor inaugurated the Volga Source Museum, which they call the relic of Seliger area. Hundreds of thousands of tourists come here to absorb strength and purity from this great river.

The upper-Volga lakes are especially popular with hikers. Here you can easily find Muscovites and people from St.-Petersburg camping. Normally they fish in the morning, and in the evening they sing at the fire and drink tea with “smoke”. It was here that for the third time the Region's Open Festival of singer-songwriters in memory of Yury Vizbor took place called “Winds Wide Open”.

Sights

7,073 monuments of history and culture are recorded. 14 cities of Tver region have the status of “monument of architecture and town-planning”, among them are: Tver, Toropets, Staritsa, Torzhok, Kashin, Vyshniy Volovhek, Bezhetsk, Andreapolis, Ostashkov etc. Taking into account the importance of the historical and cultural heritage of Tver region, a range of cities (Tver, Torzhok, Staritsa, Kashin, Vyshniy Volovhek) and single tourist objects (the source of the Volga, the Vyshnevolotskaya water system, Uspenskiy Monastery of Staritsa) could claim membership on the UNESCO World Heritage list. This organization has also named Tver region as the ecologically cleanest region of Russia.

The historical past of the region is connected with outstanding events and names in the historical and cultural life of Russia, and is reflected in some monuments and collections of monumental art and architecture.

Taking into consideration the recreational and tourist potential, as well as the geographical location, Tver region is one of the most prospective Central Russian regions for tourism development.

HOTELS
¹ Hotel Address Tel./Fax
1 Social recreation centre ZAO “Karacharovo” Tver region, Konakovsky area, village of Karacharovo Tel./Fax: 42-32-32
2 TOO Mitino sanatorium Tver region, Trozhok region, village of Mitino Tel.: (251) 6-43-25, 6-43-36
Fax: (251) 5-24-66
3 Igumenka guest house Tver region, Konakovskiy area, village of Igumenka Tel.: (095) 539-27-01
4 Valentinovka Tver region, V.Volotskiy area Tel.: (233) 3-75-36, 3-75-10
Fax: (233) 33-73-41
5 Verhniy bor rest pension Tver region, Rzhev area, village of Verhniy bor Tel./Fax: (232) 2-39-81
6 Golubie ozera (blue lakes) rest house Tver region, Udomelskiy area Tel.: (255) 4-00-08
7 Prometey children’s sanatorium Tver region, Kalinin area, village of Gorodische Tel./Fax: 37-66-70
8 Dvurechye sanatorium ÎÎÎ «Lantir» Tver region, city of V. Volochek, Egorova st. 22-à Tel./Fax: (233) 2-16-67, 2-15-42
9 Sanatorium-preventorium of AO “Electromehanika” Tver region, city of Rzhev, Zavodskoie Rd., 1 Tel.: 2-28-93


TRAVEL AGENCIES
¹ Agency Address Tel./Fax/E-mail/Web
1 OOO “Vertical Travel Group” Moscow, Sadovaya-Triumfalnaya St., 16, bldg. 2 Tel.: Tel.: (095) 200-04-92, 209-09-71, 200-04-33
Fax: (095) 299-22-24
E-mail: artem@vertical.com.ru
2 “Astravel” Novoslobodskaya St. 31, bldg. 2 Tel.: (095) 781-27-00 (30 lines)
Fax: (095) 956-35-49
Web site: www.astravel.ru
3 Delfin tour operator - Tel.: (095) 250-21-83
E-mail :fin@delfin.ru
4 “Gorniy sklon” (Mountain slope) - Tel.: (095) 502-57-54, +7-916-595-98-18
E-mail: mslope@sovintel.ru
5 Olga 2000 - Tel.: (095) 235-73-59
E-mail: olga.2000@mtu-net.ru
6 Russ Travel Moscow, Vernadskogo Av., 37/2 Tel.: (095) 938-94-14, 938-94-29
E-mail: info@rus-travel.ru
7 RE-tour City of Ostashkov, Yuzhny side-street, 7a Tel.: (08235) 2-52-65
E-mail: aksenov@retour.ru
8 Sputnik international travel company Moscow, Kosygina St., 15, Orlionok hotel Tel./Fax: : (095) 939-85-85 (multi-channel)
E-mail: russia@spu.ru
9 Piligrim travel and excursion group Moscow, Vavilova St.,7, office 112 Tel./Fax: (095) 135-21-40, 135-14-08
E-mail: pilgr@mail.ru
10 Zvezdniy Put' (StarWay) Moscow travel agency Moscow, 1st Tverskaya-Yamskaya St.,3/7 Tel./Fax: (095) 289-12-08, 289-43-53, 218-42-98,
218-19-94, 218-21-87, 289-14-68
Email: mail@zvput.ru
11 Multitour - Tel.: (095) 737-56-52, 925-68-47, 965-00-03,
925-92-98, 924-35-19, 277-87-54
For travel agencies: (095) 933-52-58, 275-21-94
Web site: www.multitour.ru
E-mail: mail@multitour.ru
12 Veselaya planeta (Happy planet) - Tel.: (095) 924-78-12, 281-46-13,
281-85-55, 772-49-08
Fax: (095) 924-78-12
E-mail: vesplaneta@vesplaneta.msk.ru
13 SV-astour - Tel.: (095) 975-19-49, 517-51-35, 975-36-19
Fax: (095) 975-21-75
E-mail: svtourist@mtu-net.ru
14 Lesnaya Derevnya (Forest Village) - Tel.: (095) 922-84-09, 967-46-28,
973-46-12, 973-46-39
E-mail: lesder@online.ru
15 Aquatoria - Tel.: (812) 164-32-54
Tel./fax: (812) 340-90-74
E-mail: sergei@aquatour.com.ru, aquatour@sp.ru
16 Orient Leningradskiy Av., 5/2 Tel.: (095) 257-02-15
Fax: (095) 251-31-05
E-mail: disp@orient-tour.ru
17 Lia Line - Tel.: (095) 978-36-01, 972-0071
E-mail: kareliyaline@mtu-net.ru
18 VVÒ - Tel.: (095) 258-00-51
Web site: www.tourcompas.ru
E-mail: info@tourcompas.ru
19 Intourcom Tour Operator - Tel.: (095) 737-57-49
Web site: www.intourcom.ru
E-mail: info@intourcom.ru
20 Equatica tour - Tel.: (095) 183-21-22
Web site: www.eurica-plus.narod.ru
E-mail: ogta2002@mail.ru
21 Era Gelikona - Tel.: (095) 488-65-31, 488-64-21, 482-06-58
Tel./Fax: 482-0823
E-mail: eragelikona@list.ru


COMMITTEE FOR TOURISM,
RESORTS AND INTERNATIONAL
RELATIONS OF TVER REGION
Tel.: (0822) 32-01-71, 48-74-90
Fax: (0822) 32-01-71