旅人る - Tabibito

 

Staraya Russa

 

Staraya Russa is one of the oldest towns in Russia, which was founded as early as the 10th century. Not many really old buildings remain though. One of the oldest is the Transfiguration Monastery with a cathedral built in 15th century.

 

Monastery cat.

 

Central square with recently restored water tower (1909), now used as a museum and an observation deck.

 

Common architecture.

 

And a fairly uncommon Eagle monument at the intersection of Alexandrovskaya and Mineralnaya streets dedicated to the soldiers of the local regiment who perished in the Russo-Japanese War in 1904-1905.

 

Just a few years ago Staraya Russa was a messy town without any decent cafe or restaurant. Things have changed. The neon call "Кайся!" (Repent!) on the wall and a funny wc sign is a reference to "Crime and Punishment". Russian novelist Fyodor Dostoyevsky had a summer residence in Staraya Russa and wrote here his The Brothers Karamazov.

 

Getting in (as of July 2022): If you go by car first get to Velikiy Novgorod and then drive around Lake Ilmen from the west. Staraya Russa can be reached from Moscow by night trains terminating in Pskov or by bus from Velikiy Novgorod.

Where to eat: Raskolnikov bistro on Cathedral square has nice burgers.

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