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Top 15 Attractions of Valdai

- Valdai Iversky Monastery
- Lake Valdai
- Valdai National Park
- Museum of bells
- Museum of the County Town
- Freedom Square
- Trinity Cathedral
- Vvedenskaya church
- Heroes' Square
- Solovievsky Park
- Park "Glade of fairy tales" in Valdai
- Horseshoe and bell
- Border and curb
- Chapel of Jacob Borovichsky
- Valdai Palace of Culture
- Puppet Theater

Valdai is an ancient city on the shore of a lake, its first mention   dates back to 1495. Now it is an interesting destination for short-term tourist trips.  The first reason to visit Valdai is the Valdai Iversky Bogoroditsky Svyatoozersky monastery, located   located on a picturesque island, which main shrine is the Miraculous Iveron Icon. Lake Valdai itself and lake views sometimes capture attention no less than the island monastery: especially the sunrises over the lake, when viewed from the city side. In addition, experienced fishermen come to Valdai for good fishing.

First of all,   you should see the city center starting from Freedom Square, where the Trinity Cathedral and the inactive Vvedenskaya Church are located. There are also interesting museums in Valdai, moreover, they are within walking distance from the central square, and along the way you can get to know the city architecture.

For a multi-day trip, it is worth planning hikes in the Valdai National Park. The most famous route, the Great Valdai Trail, will take 5 days. On the way to Valdai from Moscow, you can visit Tver and Vyshny Volochek, from St. Petersburg - Veliky Novgorod.

Valdai Iversky Monastery

The main attraction of Valdai and the place of pilgrimage is the Valdai Iversky Bogoroditsky Svyatoozersky Monastery. It is located 10 km from the city of Valdai, on the Selvitsky island of Valdai Lake. This Orthodox monastery, founded in 1653, is one of three monasteries built on the initiative of Patriarch Nikon. The complex of the Valdai Monastery includes: the Assumption Cathedral (one of the oldest monuments of the Valdai monastery), the Refectory Church of the Epiphany, the gateway churches of Michael the Archangel and Philip, Metropolitan of Moscow, the Hospital Church of Jacob Borovichsky with hospital and refectory chambers, a tent-roof bell tower - brother-type buildings , treasury, governor, hospice, living room, stable; stone fence with towers, Chapel with the tomb of the Panayevs.

Lake Valdai

Valdai is known primarily as a lake land: the city is located on the shores of the picturesque Valdai Lake of glacial origin, which is famous for its stretches, islands and sandy beaches. The decoration of Lake Valdai and the center of pilgrimage is the Valdai Iversky Monastery on one of the islands. Valdai is located on the western shore of the lake. Valdai is connected to Lake Uzhin by the Kopka canal.

Valdai National Park

National park with an area of 1585 sq. km was created in 1990 to preserve the unique nature of the Valdai Upland. The national park covers about 200 lakes.  82 archaeological sites have been identified and preserved in the park, including ancient sites and burial mounds.

Bell museum

The thematic Museum of Bells in the city center is located in two buildings: in the unusual architecture of the Church of the Great Martyr Catherine of the 18th century and in the red-brick two-story building-monument of the early XX century (now the Museum Bell Center). The Valdai Bell Museum operates as a branch of the Novgorod Museum-Reserve. The exposition is dedicated to the history of bells not only in Russia, but also in the world. It includes rare and interesting samples.

Freedom Square

The central square of Valdai is located between Lunacharsky and Gagarin streets, not far from the coast. Several major sights of the city are concentrated on the square. Freedom Square is also the main venue for city events, holidays, and mass celebrations. Historically, the square was Bazarnaya (Torgovaya), since there were shopping arcades there, then it became Trinity - after the construction of the cathedral.

Trinity Cathedral

The brick Holy Trinity Church on the main square of Valdai was erected on the site of a wooden church, dating back to 1744. Because of fires, the temple was rebuilt and restored several times. After the Great Patriotic War, it housed the House of Culture. The restoration of the cathedral began in 1997. In 2000, the bell tower of the cathedral was decorated with the city clock.