The first mention of the city of Valdai, located in the Novgorod region of the Russian Federation, dates back to 1495. The settlement in those days was called the Valday settlement. The name comes from the lake of the same name, on which the town is located. The postal route between St. Petersburg and Moscow, passing through Valdai, contributed to the development and prosperity of the city. Valdai was known all over Russia thanks to his artisans and craftsmen, especially masters who were engaged in the ebb of the bells.
Only 15 thousand people live in the picturesque lake on the shore of the picturesque lake, but the number of sights of Valdai can put the city on a par with the famous capitals of Europe. We will tell in more detail about the most famous and interesting places of Valdai and its environs.
Iversky Svyatoozersky Bogoroditsky MonasteryThe main religious landmark of the city of Valdai is the Iversky Monastery. It was founded by Patriarch Nikon in 1653. Metropolitan consecrated the lake Valdai, immersing the cross and the Gospel on his bottom. Hence the second name of the monastery is Svyatoozersky. At one time the monastery was an important spiritual center and one of the few places in Russia where they were engaged in book printing.
Now on the territory of the monastery are: the Cathedral of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin, the Epiphany Church, a chapel with a burial vault and a pilgrimage center. The Iberian monastery is active and is open to tourists and pilgrims daily from 6:00 to 21:00. According to preliminary records and coordination with the monastery's staff, it is possible to conduct excursions through the territory of the monastery.
Cathedral of the Holy TrinityAnother of the Orthodox shrines of Valdai is the Trinity Cathedral. The temple was founded in 1744 on the site of an old wooden cathedral. The new building is made in Baroque style and has a beautiful façade of tender pink color. In the 30s of the last century the cathedral was closed. In the Soviet era, the building, with the help of internal partitions, was rebuilt under the House of Culture. The worship service within the walls of the church was restored only in 2000, on the Day of the Holy Trinity.
This unusual museum is one of the most interesting museums in Valday. The city for centuries was famous for its masters, who cast large bells and small bells, which have a melodious and subtle sound. The museum is located in the beautiful church of the Great Martyr Catherine, founded in the XVIII century, and presents its visitors with a unique collection of different bells. In addition to examining the exposition, when visiting the museum you can learn a lot of new and interesting information about the history and tradition of casting bells.
Among the interesting sights of Valdai is worth highlight and the museum of the county town. The exposition of the museum, located in the noble mansion of the XIX century, will allow you to get acquainted with the history and traditions of the region. The museum collection consists of a large number of portraits of people who lived at different times in Valdai, as well as things that made up their everyday life.
One of the most famous holy springs of Valdai can be called the source of "Flows", located near the village of Dinner. Enriched with silver ions, water from this source is considered curative and has medicinal properties. According to the belief, with the help of this water, eye diseases can be cured.
If we talk about the springs of Valdai, then the Sokolov Keys is a wonderful place for recreation, located in the territory of the Valdai Park. Descent to the spring is equipped with convenient handrails and steps, and on the adjacent territory there are benches and an observation deck.
Having visited all these churches, monasteries, sources, you understand that you are developing spiritually and want to visit even more monasteries of Russia .