Torzhok. A city with a rich history

Between Moscow and St. Petersburg

Another interesting town that was on my way on a May trip from Kostroma to Pskov. This city is called Torzhok.

Torzhok is the oldest city of the Upper Volga. Even the approximate date of its foundation is unknown. It is not known how many years it stands on the banks of the narrow river Tvertsa, flowing between the spurs of the Valdai Upland to the Volga. Archaeological excavations indicate that a large settlement existed here already around the IX-X centuries.

Since its inception, Torzhok has been in the possession of Novgorod, being one of the main defenders of the southern reaches of the Novgorod Republic. The city was burned and ruined by Moscow and Tver princes, Poles and Lithuanians. The Mongol-Tatars repeatedly climbed its fortress walls (the ruins of stone towers of the 14th century found in the city that include Torzhok in a very small list of medieval Russian cities that had fortresses of stone). A particularly terrible disaster struck in 1238, when the inhabitants of the city held back the forces of Batu Khan many times more than their strength and number. Some of our historians believe that then Torzhok saved not only Novgorod from ruin, but also Russian statehood. Incidentally, our contemporaries know much less about this historical fact than about the tragedy of the small Kaluga Kozelsk, which in the same year 1238 opposed the same Batu for seven weeks.

The name of the city comes from the word bargaining "place of trade, area, market." Starting from the 12th century, the names “New Bargaining” and “Torzhok” are found in the annals. The latter was fixed in the language and became the official name of the city. Despite this, in modern place names, along with the adjective “Torzhok”, the “Novotorzhsky” variant is also used, and the self-name of the city residents is still “Novotory”.

In the spring of early May, an interesting festival takes place in Torzhok. Here lovers of antiquity gather and set up a large camp on the mountain, next to the monastery on the red hill.

According to the schedule, various competitions in the ancient arts are held. For example, archery. Or a historical costume contest.

Of particular interest are historical battles, when two wars in full ancient weapons and in armor converge on the lists. They bring down the blows of swords at each other and with terrible roar and crack block other people's blows with the help of shields.

In addition to competitions, there is also a real medieval Russian market. That bargaining from which the name of the city came.

Tables are set next to the tents of the merchants and goods are laid out on them. Here, and handicrafts, and blacksmith work, and souvenirs.

You can buy a real hunting knife or a toy whistle.

We were very lucky with the weather. The sun was shining in the sky and there was a blue sky. We walked around the market and stared around. Nearby, everyone was treated to tea from a large samovar. We took a mug of tea and a pie.

It is nice to get on a holiday where people are completely immersed in their work and are completely devoted to this business.

In addition to the holiday in Torzhok there are many more interesting objects.

Before the revolutionary events in Russia in 1917, there were more than 30 churches in Torzhok. The city is not big at all and therefore such a number of temples is unique.

Now less than 20 temples have been preserved. But this is still a large amount to study.

Many houses and temples have a rich history associated with Russian tsars.

I recommend everyone to visit Torzhok, especially if you are moving from St. Petersburg to Moscow or vice versa.

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