March 5, 2006
[map of Torzhok]
Where is Torzhok
It is sitting immediately to the left of the the Moscow to St. Petersburg highway (if going north-west, to St. Petersburg). Alternatively, can get to Torzhok via Staritsa by following an old but picturesque and empty road that will take you through the villages of [Krasnoye], where the connoisseurs of architecture may want to admire a Russian church build in the Gothic traditon, and [Bernovo] (key words: Pushkin, Poetry Festival, 18-19th century country estate).
Distances
From Tver: 65km.
From Staritsa: 90km
Next major city going towards St. Petersburg: Vyshny Volochek, about 100km
To Valday
ToNovgorod: 300km
To St. Petersburg: 400kmHere are a few bits of travel info based on my several trips through Torzhok.
Transportation
Bus station: 8-48251-91031
Train station: 8-48251-50520 or 50992 to buy tickets, or 50527 for general info
Taxi companies: 8-48251-92888, 8-48251-99000, 8-48251-52777, 8-48251-97000.
Towing: ......
Hotels [prices & other comments soon]
Na Konnoy
ul. Konnaya 96
8-48251-53090Okolitsa
Right on the Moscow to St. Petersburg highway
8-48251-58471 or -55245Tvertsa
ul Tveretskaya 26
8-48251-92708
8-48251-52141Gostinitsa
Poselok Zeleny
8-48251-64561Railroad carriage factory hotel
ul. Dzerzhinskogo 107, tel. 8-48251-51639Fire Department hotel
Leningradskoye shosse 34, tel. 8-48251-50309Sanatoruim "Mitino"
??????Regional History Museum staff may have hints on accommodation in Torzhok. Tel. 8-48251-51843 You can also stay in health resort "Mitino" (village of Mitino, 8-48251-52466 / 64-336 / 64325 / 64317 that specializes in ...... but will welcome just a traveller, or in the "house of rest" called "Sosny" (which means "pine trees") in the village of Polomenitsy ..... from Torzhok, tel. 8-48251-55509.
Things to see
The Ethnographic Museum
The pyramid
Several country estates, from well kept up ..... to numerous old houses at various degree of disintegration.
Special interests
Torzhok district is famous for flax production and research.
Another notable institution is a huge (800 beds) insane asylum in Gruziny, 12 or so kilometers to Torzhok if driving from Staritsa.
Lots of old-style kolkhozes (collective farms) for those who can appreciate the aesthetics of the Soviet era.
Souvenirs from Torzhok
Of things that are produced locally I can recommend
clay figurines
[photos]
Ostashkovskay 15
and
[photos]
golden embroidery
Kalininskoye Shosse 12, 8-48251-54032
More-or-less between Moscow and Saint-Petersburg:
....Istra & New Jerusalem, Klin, Tver, Volokolamsk, Yaropolets, Staritsa, Stepurino, Bortenyevo, Rzhev, Torzhok, Vyshny Volochek, Kashin, Valday, Ostashkov, Staraya Russa, Novgorod...
Vologda, Sergiev Posad & Khotkovo, Pereslavl-Zalessky, Yaroslavl....
Other:
Ryazan, Moscow to Chisinau, Collective farm/propaganda art
E-mail: