In Soletskiy District, you can explore several themes: historical sites, collections on crafts and town life, and the history of a former estate with a park. A salt spring is also part of the origin of the name Soltsy. This gives you a choice of religious architecture, exhibitions, local family history and landscape-related themes when planning your trip.

Churches and Historical Sites

In the village of Velebitsy, the Church of Saint John the Apostle and Evangelist was built on the banks of the Shelon River in 1903. Its site is where a battle took place in 1471 between the Novgorodians and the troops of Ivan III, Prince of Moscow. Two periods of history therefore meet here: the church dates from the early 20th century, while the battle took place in the 15th century. This distinction is useful for understanding the history: 1903 is the date of the church, not the event associated with its location.

The Chapel of Righteous Warrior Fyodor Ushakov, built in 2002 by members of the Soltsy garrison and residents of nearby settlements, is in the village of Molochkovo, by an old spring not far from the village church. The spring, chapel and village church give this place a different focus from the battle site in Velebitsy. The chapel links its dedication with the year it was built and the people who built it.

Collections and Town History in Soltsy

The “Museum of the Wheel” exhibition in Soltsy brings together different types of wooden wheels and tools used to make them, along with information materials, models and examples of carts. It also features models of 17th- and 18th-century artillery pieces and horse tack such as collars, bridles and horseshoes. The making of wheels, carts and equipment offer different ways into the exhibits; the artillery models add a historical dimension to these themes.

The M. M. Prishvin Museum Room at the Central Library in Soltsy features exhibits relating to the period in which M. M. Prishvin lived. The room opened on 31 May 2011 at the Soltsy District Library. The families Ardamatsky, Bagrov, Vanyukov, Krasikov, Bogovsky, Yulin and Dubetsky, who formed numerous merchant dynasties in Soltsy, offer another perspective on the town’s history. Personal histories and the town’s commercial history thus sit alongside the objects in the wheel collection.

The name of the town is also linked to a specific place: Soltsy derives from a salt spring that was called “Alexandrovsky” in the 19th century. The name recorded in historical accounts adds an older connection to the spring to the town’s history.

The Soltsy Cultural and Leisure Centre offers workshops on making an amulet, open to everyone. If you would like to include this activity in your plans, check the current schedule before visiting.

Vybiti Estate and Park

The Vybiti Estate belonged to the Vasilchikov princely family from the second half of the 18th century. More than 60 species of trees and shrubs grow in the former estate park; some of the estate buildings are in ruins. Vybiti thus brings together the history of family ownership and a park whose trees and shrubs are a focus in their own right. Unlike the collections in Soltsy, the emphasis here is on estate history and landscape.

Discover More Destinations

Retno, Starorusskiy District, Borovichsky District, Demyanskiy District, Soletsky District, Khvoyninskiy District, Malovishersky District, Valdaysky District

For the main travel overview: Novgorod Oblast.