Tver is the birthplace of Afanasy Nikitin

The city of Tver is justly called one of the oldest Russian cities. In the first third of the XII century, a fortress appeared at the mouth of the Tvertsa river, which was destined to become the prototype of Tver. In the period from the XII – XIV centuries, Tver expanded, strengthened and became a prominent city in Russia.

In its history, there were different events: periods of prosperity were replaced by complete ruin by the Tatar-Mongols, restoration and new prosperity.

If you were in Tver at the beginning of the XV century, you would see a rich, densely populated, developed and prosperous city with beautiful buildings, stone cathedrals, a majestic Kremlin, located on the picturesque banks of the Volga river. In the XV century, Tver was the capital of the most powerful Principality of North-Eastern Russia.

It was in such a modern city at that time that Afanasy Nikitin was born, spent his childhood and youth.
The exact date of birth of Athanasy is unknown, as well as his last name, because Nikitin is a patronymic (you can literally decipher it as “Nikita’s son”).

Grand Duke Mikhail Borisovich, who competed with Prince Ivan III of Moscow, then reigned in the Grand Duchy of Tver. Among historians, there is a version that Mikhail Borisovich personally sent Athanasy on a trip to India in order to find diamonds that would help him win over Moscow. He gave him a security certificate and helped him get ready for a difficult, full of dangers, adventure.
And so, 550 years ago, a merchant with his assistants, goods and documents, got on his ship and set off. He went through dozens of cities, experienced many different situations, and was on the verge of death several times. All his impressions and observations, he described in detail in the chronicle “Journey beyond the three seas”.
The name of the traveler is immortalized in the memory of the Russian people and World history.

Sights of Tver that can’t be missed

Monument to Afanasy Nikitin

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On the left Bank of the Volga, on the embankment of Afanasy Nikitin, there is a monument to Afanasy Nikitin.
The location was chosen for a reason. Opposite the monument, on the right Bank, Afanasy’s journey to India began.
In honor of the traveler, there are three memorials around the world: one in Tver, the birthplace of Athanasius, the second in India, which he visited, and the third in Feodosia (Crimea). All together, they are the waypoints of the journey, symbolizing the three seas that the merchant navigated.

Address: Naberezhnaya Afanasiya Nikitina

Ascension cathedral

Ascension Cathedral in Tver. Photos from open sources

In the XVI century, a wooden Church of the same name stood on this site, which burned down during the Polish-Lithuanian invasion. In the XVII century, the stone building of the Church was built, retaining the name and name.
Address: 26 Sovetskaya St.
Located at the intersection of Sovetskaya street and Tverskoy Prospekt

Imperial Palace

Imperial Palace in Tver. Photos from the site www.rivage.ru

Interior of the Imperial Palace. Photos from the site www.rivage.ru

This palace is a unique structure of the XVIII century in the style of Classicism with Baroque elements (built according to the project of P. R. Nikitin in 1764-1766)
It was intended for the stopover and rest for Russian emperors and members of the Imperial family during their travels from Moscow to St.Petersburg. On February 12, 1767, Empress Catherine II arrived at the Tver travel Palace for the first time
Thanks to the sister of Emperor Alexander I, Catherine Pavlovna, who lived in Tver, the Palace became the center of the country’s social life and a fashionable literary salon. Balls and other events were constantly held in the Palace, bringing together all the secular society of Tver and Moscow under one roof. In Soviet times, the building was occupied by the Museum of local lore, and now there is a regional art gallery, which regularly holds interesting exhibitions.
The Palace is open to everyone. The recently restored building impresses with its grandeur and brevity, and its interior decoration with its style and luxury.
I would like to note the surrounding of the Palace. It is located near the picturesque Volga embankment, surrounded by a gardens. A great place to walk and relax.
Address: Sovetskaya ul., 3

Tver is a beautiful city that can tell a lot of interesting stories to an attentive traveler.
It is beautiful and well-kept, preserving the memory of historical events and periods of Russia in its architectural monuments, and emphasizing the beauty of Russian nature with elegant embankments and luxurious gardens.
This is a city that every traveler should visit.
When traveling between the two capitals of Russia, take a look at Tver. Tver is located in convenient transport accessibility on the way from Moscow to St. Petersburg (or from St. Petersburg to Moscow). A couple of days spent here will fill your trip to Russia with new impressions, help you to understand the spirit of Russian people, and significantly expand your horizons and ideas about a huge and mysterious country.
Tver (and the Tver region) are among the TOP 15 most popular tourist destination in Russia, attracting about 1 million tourists from all over the world every year. Taking care of convenience, the city has many hotels and restaurants. You can easily find comfortable accommodation, and in the numerous cafes and restaurants you can try traditional Russian, Asian, Japanese, Indian, and European cuisine.

You can visit the city all year round.
Temperatures above +15C are usually in Tver from May to August. Precipitation is moderate.
From August to October, the temperature slowly drops to 5C, and from December to March, the city is shrouded in snow and fog with an average daily temperature of 8C.

How to get to Tver:
from Moscow:
By train Moscow to Tver from Leningradsky railway station (travel time about 2,5 hours)

From Saint Petersburg:
By train Saint Petersburg to Tver from Moscow railway station (travel time about 6 hours)

Trains run from Tver to both Moscow and Saint Petersburg.

We invite you to an amazing and multi-faceted Russia!