Kalyazin’s monastery island was cut off from the mainland after the Uglich Reservoir was created. In the 15th century, Makariy of Kalyazin founded the Trinity Monastery there; later, the town of Kalyazin grew up around the monastery. This historical sequence offers a clear starting point for your stay: the town’s history can be explored through religious sites, collections and memories of changes to the landscape.
Monastery, Churches and Town History
The Kalyazin Local History Museum is still housed in the Epiphany Church, built in 1781. Its collections include religious objects, paintings, graphic art, numismatics and furniture, as well as ethnographic and archaeological holdings. The museum also preserves frescoes, icons, rare books, monumental paintings, engravings, lithographs and photographic material from the collection of the Kalyazin-Makariy Trinity Monastery.
On a guided tour of the main exhibition, visitors learn about the history of the Kalyazin Trinity Monastery for Men from the 15th to the 20th century and about the life of Saint Makariy of Kalyazin. The exhibition also includes 17th-century documents and relics from royal households. It takes visitors from the history of the monastery to specific objects from its collections.
The Church of the Ascension also connects architectural history with the history of the reservoir. Built in 1787 beside the town cemetery, it combines Classical, Eclectic and Baroque architectural elements. It survived the flooding caused by the creation of the Uglich Reservoir and was later restored. The Makaryevskaya Chapel stands on the foundations of the Trinity Monastery. A monument to Macarius of Kalyazin is located on Karl Marx Street.
Townscapes and a Walk by the Water
Two- and three-storey stone merchants’ houses from the 18th and 19th centuries stand on Moskovskaya Street. They are associated with the Ryzhkov, Korovkin, Semyonov and Lyakhov families. The Humpback Bridge was built in 1935 and carries both a road and a railway line. Together, these sites show different aspects of the town’s history, from merchants’ houses to infrastructure.
Kalyazin’s waterfront is suitable for walks and offers views of the Volga and the bell tower of St Nicholas Cathedral rising above the water. The area has not yet been landscaped. This is useful to keep in mind if you want to make time for a walk by the water as well as visits to museums and historic buildings.
Museums, Technology and Fairy-Tale Themes
The Retro Garage Museum displays vintage cars and historical objects such as film and movie cameras, rotary-dial telephones, radio receivers and typewriters. The «Svetopis» Museum focuses on the history of photography and cinematography. The Kalyazin Museum of Mobile Devices is devoted to the history of the mobile phone; its exhibition is dedicated to the former mobile phone retailer «Evroset». The «Volgari» Museum focuses on the history of the town that was flooded after the reservoir was created.
The «Gusiny Ostrov» Tourist Park offers interactive programmes featuring Baba Yaga and other characters from Russian fairy tales. The park’s indoor area has a permanent exhibition by Kalyazin artists. Baba Yaga’s Estate is a museum complex with wooden houses, carved figures and characters from Russian fairy tales. Those interested in crafts can also visit the Lace Museum at the House of Crafts in Kalyazin; check its current availability before planning a visit.
When looking for a holiday apartment, you can first decide which side of Kalyazin you want to shape your stay: monastery and church history, historical collections, technology, fairy-tale themes or a walk with views of the Volga.
For the broader travel overview: Tver Oblast.
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