Ostashkov is located in the Tver region on the shore of Lake
Seliger. Many people come here for the beautiful Central Russian
landscapes, but the city itself is of considerable interest for its
historical buildings, even if they are in a deplorable state.
Ostashkov is located on a peninsula in the southern part of
Seliger. Traditionally, the history of the city dates back to the
14th century, when chronicles mention Klichen, a border town of the
Moscow principality on the coastal island of the same name. After
one of the devastations, it was transferred to the nearest shore and
called Ostashkovskaya Sloboda - according to legend, in honor of the
only survivor, whose name was Evstafiy (Ostashko). A little later,
another settlement appeared nearby, Timofeevskaya. In the 16th
century, the Ostashkovskaya settlement went into the possession of
the Joseph-Volotsky monastery near Moscow, and the Timofeevskaya
settlement went directly to the Moscow metropolitan. A native of
Ostashkov, one of the first Russian mathematicians, Leonty
Magnitsky, in his youth, transported fish from Ostashkov to the
owner’s monastery, where they noticed his talents.
By the end
of the 16th century, capital fortifications were built around the
settlements, and they themselves began to consolidate into a trading
city. However, formally Ostashkov received city status only in 1770,
along with a coat of arms depicting three fish. Although trade was
still the main source of wealth, fishing was also important for the
city located on the lake. In addition, he helped the development of
crafts: for example, the need of fishermen for durable and
comfortable shoes contributed to the development of the leather
industry.
Also, along with city status and the coat of arms,
Ostashkov also receives a regular general plan - with wide and
almost perfectly straight streets. After this, large-scale stone
construction began; it was the buildings of the second half of the
18th and early 19th centuries that still remain the most colorful
and impressive in the city. Then Ostashkov begins to become poor,
but still tries to be a progressive city. In 1805, a theater
appeared here, and in 1843 - a volunteer fire brigade: both of these
events were quite extraordinary for the county town of that time. By
the middle of the 19th century, the prosperity had finally ceased;
practically nothing outstanding has been built in Ostashkov since
then. During the Great Patriotic War, the city was not occupied
(and, as a result, did not suffer much), but it did not remain aloof
from military events, since the front line was very close.
During Soviet times, Ostashkov and Seliger became centers of
recreational and sports tourism, which they remain to this day. In
the vicinity of the city there are many tourist centers and boarding
houses offering outdoor recreation, hunting and fishing. These
places are also popular with sports tourists, as well as camping
enthusiasts. Many houses in the city and villages, along the banks
of lakes and rivers, belong to residents of large cities who come
here for the summer. Because of this, the service sector for a city
of this size is well developed, but there is a downside - prices are
quite high for the province. The part of Ostashkov not connected
with tourism is in deep decline. In post-Soviet times, the
population has almost halved, and there is a lot of destruction on
the streets; The situation is especially bad with the condition of
historical buildings.
The regular layout is preserved in
Ostashkov to this day. The entire peninsula seems to be lined with
lines intersecting at right angles, and with rare exceptions there
are streets running from north to south, and alleys from east to
west. This diagram serves as a reminder that the historical core of
the city is located in the northeast of the peninsula.
Ostashkov has a very complete historical development, mainly dating
back to the 19th century. Wooden and stone houses of a similar style
(usually with a mezzanine) occupy entire streets in the city center, and
their location by the lake and a large number of trees give them a
special charm. Unfortunately, many buildings are in extremely disrepair.
The most notable Ostashkov buildings are located on Leninsky Prospekt,
Volodarsky Street and in the adjacent lanes (north of Sporta Lane).
The main attractions of the city from south to north:
1 Znamensky Monastery, st. Workers' town (just south of the city
center). Known since the 17th century, although the oldest buildings
that have reached us are noticeably younger (mid-18th century). First of
all, the monastery is a fortress walls: nice, but a little decorative.
The Ascension Cathedral (often referred to as Znamensky, after the name
of the monastery) was built around the same time (in 1742) and was
rebuilt several times. The reconstruction was especially extensive after
the fire of 1868, when the cathedral acquired the features of the
eclecticism that was dominant at that time. Inside, pay attention to the
sculpture of St. Nile of Stolobensky, unexpected for an Orthodox church
- the founder of the Nile Hermitage is traditionally depicted in exactly
this form. Most of the monastery is built up with wooden
pre-revolutionary cells, some of which have already been lost, but the
density of the remaining ones is impressive. During Soviet times, the
territory of the monastery was occupied for some time by a garment
factory, hence the name “working town.” The monastery is no longer
active, but the cathedral was returned to believers back in the 1940s.
2 Fire station, Sovetsky lane. 17. Ostashkov, which is predominantly
wooden, has survived several grandiose fires in its lifetime. In 1843,
to prevent them, a voluntary fire brigade was selected from the city
residents, becoming the first in Russia. Unfortunately, this did not
prevent another large-scale fire from occurring in 1868; including the
old wooden fire station that burned down. The new fire station was built
of brick, but with an elegant wooden tower. The window openings on the
second floor and on the tower itself are especially impressive.
3 Bell tower of the Church of the Transfiguration , Freedom Park. The
Church of the Transfiguration was built in 1774 on the burial site of
soldiers who died during the Polish-Lithuanian intervention of 1608. The
church itself was demolished in the 1930s, but its elaborate and richly
detailed bell tower (1789) in the Baroque style has been preserved. In
Soviet times, a clock was installed on it, and since then the bell tower
has taken on the role of a clock tower (even if it looks a little
neglected), and one might not immediately think about its ecclesiastical
origin. There is a park around the bell tower - and before the
revolution, this place was the central city square.
4 Evstafievskaya
street. One of the central streets of historical Ostashkov is
distinguished by the fact that most of the houses on it were resettled
and abandoned several years ago; the street itself also quickly fell
into disrepair. When putting things in order, they decided not to limit
themselves to half measures and to make improvements according to modern
standards. The result is a surprising combination of crumbling houses
and new urban objects like strange benches and fashionable tiles.
5 Valsky Pillar, corner of the street. Volodarsky and lane. Adrianova.
Baroque obelisk on the site where the main city gate used to be. During
the redevelopment of the city in the regular style, the city ramparts,
which had become unnecessary, were torn down, but the city residents,
grateful for the many years of protection, erected three obelisks for
them in 1785, one of which has survived to this day. The shape and decor
of the pillar echoes the bell tower of the Church of the
Transfiguration.
6 House of Mitin artists, st. Volodarsky, 32. A
three-story mansion with Ionic columns is one of the most impressive
houses in the city, and also unlike all the others. According to the
widespread version, the house belonged to the Mitin dynasty of artists,
which is not surprising for Ostashkov. In the 18th and 19th centuries,
creative professions were very common in the city; Ostashkov artists
actively worked in Moscow and St. Petersburg.
7 Resurrection
Cathedral , st. Volodarsky, 5. A complex of two cathedrals and two bell
towers is the heart of historical Ostashkov. Two churches standing next
to each other usually mean that one of them is “summer” and the other is
“winter”, but in Ostashkov everything is more interesting and goes back
to the times when the city consisted of two settlements, and each had
its own owner. The Resurrection Cathedral, the first stone church in the
city, belonged to the monastery. This is a five-domed temple, originally
built in 1689 in the pattern-making style by Yaroslavl craftsmen. Later,
due to numerous reconstructions and additions, it acquired classicist
features. Wall paintings made at the end of the 18th century have been
preserved. Nearby is a tented bell tower, which, on the contrary, has
retained its original appearance. In recent years, a concert hall has
been located within the walls of the temple, and you can only get inside
during concerts.
8 Trinity Cathedral, st. Pechatnikova, 4 (next to
Voskresensky). It was built in 1697 by the Patriarchal Settlement just a
few years later than its neighbor by the same Yaroslavl craftsmen, but,
unlike it, it retained its original appearance. Inside the cathedral,
pay special attention to the stucco work of the 18th century; there are
also paintings from the same time (but worse than in the Resurrection
Cathedral). The bell tower was probably erected in the 1760s. It is
taller and more voluminous than the bell tower of the Resurrection
Cathedral and was built in a completely different style, having little
in common with ancient Russian architecture. Now the cathedral houses
part of the exhibition of the local history museum, and you can climb
the bell tower during the museum’s opening hours; It offers excellent
views of the city and lake.
9 Vivode’s House (Town Hall), st.
Pechatnikova, 7 (opposite the Trinity Cathedral). The oldest residential
building in Ostashkov. Built in the early 18th century, it is
traditionally considered the voivode's house or town hall, although it
may have simply been the home of one of the city's wealthy residents. A
harsh one-story building in the spirit of chambers, but with large
windows and light that is reminiscent of the mezzanines that became
widespread in Ostashkov a century later.
10 Zhitenny Bogoroditsky
Monastery. Located at the northern tip of Ostashkov, on a former island,
connected to the city by a dam since the 19th century. The monastery was
founded in 1716 around a temple built for the city shrine - the Smolensk
Icon of the Mother of God. The main temple of the monastery, the
Smolensk Cathedral, was built in 1743 in transitional forms from
patterned to baroque, but was beheaded in Soviet times (the bell tower
in the style of the Toropets churches was preserved). The light and
graceful gate church of St. John the Evangelist and St. Andrew the
First-Called was built in 1767 and belongs to the Baroque without any
reservations. The monastery walls and cell buildings of the 18th century
have also been preserved. Recently, the monastery has been operating as
a monastery (although it was originally a monastery), active restoration
is underway, and many new buildings have been built around it. From the
shore of the lake at the entrance there is an excellent view of the
city.
11 Klichen Island. An island with a forest park north of
Ostashkov, connected to the city by a bridge. The closest place to the
city where you can see Seliger nature: pine forests surrounded by
endless expanses of water, and here this nature is quite well-groomed.
Also on the island there are the remains of an ancient settlement and
monuments from the times of the revolution and the Great Patriotic War.
Driving is prohibited; parking is available at the Zhitenny Monastery.
Ostashkov and its surroundings are primarily conducive to activities
related to nature: fishing, walks in the forest, picking berries and
mushrooms, hunting, water tourism.
1 Museum of Local Lore , st.
Pechatnikova, 4 (Trinity Cathedral). ☎ +7 (48235) 5-16-46. Wed–Sat
11:00–18:00, Sun 11:00–17:00. 100 rub. Classic local history museum. You
can climb the bell tower of the cathedral. There is also an exhibition
hall on the street. Volodarsky.
2 Museum of Forgotten Things and
more , st. Volodarsky, 29. Thu–Sat 11:00–16:00. A large collection of
currently unused retro items; it is claimed that the exhibition is
decorated in a steampunk style.
3 Art Gallery (Municipal Art
Museum) , st. Gorkogo, 32 (Yubileiny cultural center, Kozhzavod stop).
☎ +7 (48235) 5-25-58. Tue–Sat 11:00–17:00. Paintings by local artists.
4 Beach (near the Zhitenny Monastery). The main city beach is nice and
clean, but without much infrastructure.
✦ Festival of amateur theaters of the Tver region “Theater meetings”
(April).
✦ Musical evenings on Seliger (June-July).
✦ Russian
sails on Seliger (July).
✦ Seliger fishmonger (July-August).
By train
Ostashkov is located on the picturesque line of the
historical Bologoe-Polotsk railway, where wooden stations, locomotive
pumps and even a train system have been preserved, but there are almost
no trains. In summer, once a week there is a direct train from St.
Petersburg with trailer cars from Moscow and other cities. The rest of
the time you need to go with a change at Bologoye or Velikiye Luki
stations.
The path through Bologoye is more convenient and also
more interesting. There are many trains on the Moscow-St. Petersburg
line, including high-speed ones, and then you need to adapt to the
suburban train running once a day to Ostashkov. On Saturdays (also on
Sundays in the summer), a retro train of two cars and a steam locomotive
is put on this route; along the way, an oral tour from the head of the
train is offered, as well as a 20-minute tour of the station complex of
Kuzhenkino station (only on the way to Ostashkov). Travel time is about
3 hours, tickets can be bought at the railway ticket office at Bologoye
station, as well as directly on the train, the price is the same as in a
regular commuter train (288 rubles one way). As a pleasant everyday
bonus, there are toilets, titanium with hot water in the carriages and
the sale of simple food along the way. In Ostashkov the train stops for
2 hours, it is absolutely impossible to explore the city during this
time, but taking a retro train there or back, combining the trip with an
independent exploration of the city, is a good option. Details are
available on the excursion route website.
With Velikiye Luki
everything is similar, but from Moscow and St. Petersburg you need to go
there by night train, and then another 5.5 hours by suburban and already
the most ordinary one - a steam locomotive does not go here. The
Suburban goes through Toropets, which you can try to connect into one
trip with Ostashkov, although this will take at least three days, since
the train runs only once a day.
1 Railway station, Privokzalnaya
st. (southern outskirts of the city). The newly renovated station has a
waiting room (9:00–18:00), but otherwise it is empty, and even the
ticket offices are closed (for local trains, tickets must be purchased
directly on the train). A little more life at the nearby bus station,
where there is a buffet. There is also a food stall on the station
square; The nearest supermarket is 10 minutes on foot or one bus stop.
The station building is post-war, but many other elements of the station
have been preserved from the 1900s, the time of construction of the
Bologoe-Polotsk railway: a water tower with cladding made of wild stone,
a locomotive pump, a brick-built kerosene cellar and an unexpectedly
luxuriously decorated retreat, that is, simply speaking, station toilet.
From the station to the center it is 3 km, you can take local buses
No. 1 and 3 in the direction of Kozhzavod. Please note that bus number 3
also goes in the other direction, stopping at a separate stop behind the
station square - you need the one that is located on the square itself.
By bus
Ostashkov has a good bus connection with Tver - several
buses a day and private minibuses about once every two hours. All these
buses pass through Torzhok. The journey by buses from Tver is 4 hours,
from Torzhok - 3 hours, minibuses - about an hour faster.
The
fastest way from Moscow is by Lastochka to Tver and then by bus, but
there are also direct buses (from Khovrino): 4 times a day, the journey
takes 6-7 hours. They go through Zubtsov, Rzhev and Selizharovo;
Volokolamsk passes without stopping.
Bus service with St.
Petersburg is irregular. There are no buses to the Novgorod region,
Firovo and Vyshny Volochyok.
Traditionally, for the Tver region,
buses are divided between the official bus station and the stops of the
Autoexpress company, and this logic is not always obvious and changes
periodically. As of the summer of 2021, large buses to Tver and commuter
routes depart from the bus station, and minibuses to Tver depart from
Autoexpress stops; minibuses go to Moscow both here and there. When
purchasing an Autoexpress ticket via the Internet, it is usually not
written anywhere where the bus departs from: you will have to call and
ask.
2 Bus station, Privokzalnaya st. 14 (southern outskirts of
the city, next to the station). ☎ +7 (48235) 5-05-41. Mon–Sat
6:00–19:00, Sun 6:00–18:00. Place of arrival and departure of buses.
There is a buffet, toilet, waiting room, and a grocery store about fifty
meters away. City buses board on the opposite side of the square.
3 Stop “Hotel Seliger”, Microdistrict, 5. ☎ +7 (904) 022-88-82. The
departure point of some minibuses to Tver. There is no private
infrastructure here other than a ticket office (on the contrary, bus
passengers are asked not to sit in the hotel lobby), but there is a
fairly busy shopping area around, including Dixie and Magnit stores.
4 Stop “Rechnoy Vokzal”, Leninsky Prospekt 41. ☎ +7 (904) 000-85-35.
4:40–19:30. This stop works in tandem with the previous one: for most
minibuses it is the starting or ending stop, but some, on the contrary,
don’t even stop at it. The ticket office is located in the river station
building, and the stop itself is on the other side of the street, in an
alley. There is no infrastructure like a waiting room at this stop
either.
By car
Highway 28K-1785 connects Ostashkov with
Torzhok (127 km), and then via M10 with Tver (189 km), Moscow (360 km),
St. Petersburg (600 km). The asphalt on it is generally of good quality;
as of the summer of 2021, there is a problem area in front of Ostashkov
itself.
28K-1179 leads to Rzhev (140 km), from where you can also
take the M9 to Moscow (390 km). This route is slightly longer than the
previous one, but may be faster due to fewer settlements on the route.
The road to St. Petersburg through Svapusche, Molvotitsy, Demyansk,
Yazhelbitsy and further along the M10 is shorter than the route through
Torzhok (470 km), and most likely will be faster, but the quality of the
road is noticeably worse, including a dirt section between Svapusche and
Molvotitsami.
Most of Seliger's attractions are inaccessible by
public transport, so having a car will be a big plus when traveling to
Ostashkov.
On the ship
There are no scheduled ships on Lake
Seliger - except for the ferry to the closed island of Gorodomlya, where
you are not allowed to go without an invitation from a tourist center or
a local resident. The walking traffic is quite active. In addition to
the official pier, there are also many advertisements from private
owners posted around the city.
5 River Station (Ostashkov Pier),
Leninsky Prospekt, 41. ☎ +7 (48235) 5–15–68. Pleasure and excursion
boats on Lake Seliger, including scheduled mass excursions.
6 Pier
“Chaikin Bereg”, lane. Chaikin coast. Ferry crossing to Gorodomlya
island.
There are two city bus routes in Ostashkov - No. 1 and No. 3. Both of
them go together from the center (Rechnoy Vokzal, Kozhzavod stops) to
the station, where bus No. 1 has a terminus, and the “troika” goes
further to the eastern outskirts. Buses run from approximately 6:00 to
20:30, an interval of about 20 minutes, the schedule is in the Tver
Volga transport mobile application, on Yandex maps, inside the buses and
occasionally at stops. The fare is 22 rubles. cash, 20 rub. according to
the map (2022). Most of the buses on the route are of low capacity.
Although by 2022 the situation with roads and sidewalks in the city
has become noticeably better, impassable or impassable places still
occur, especially outside the central streets. Trying to navigate side
streets is often like playing a lottery.
Tourists often bring gifts of nature from Ostashkov as souvenirs.
Mostly they are collected or caught with your own hands, but fish, as
well as berries and mushrooms, can also be bought in the city. Fish is
sold mainly hot smoked; in addition to the usual types, eels are often
offered. However, not all fish sold in markets is local - there are also
obviously imported species.
There are quite a lot of grocery
stores in the city. There are both supermarkets of large chains and
small shops with a counter. There are also several shops with goods for
fishing and hunting.
1 Central Market, Microdistrict (behind the
Seliger Hotel). Active in the first half of the day.
Cheap
1 Cafe “Pelmeshka”, Leninsky Prospekt, 120. Mon–Sat
9:00–19:00. Something between a cafe and a canteen, excellent reviews.
2 Cafe “Old Town”, st. Volodarsky, 152. 9:00–21:00.
3 “Soviet
Cookery”, Leninsky Prospekt, 35-37 (near the River Station). Mon–Sat
10:00–19:00, Sun 10:00–17:00. Simple meat dishes, inexpensive baked
goods and salads. The name is emphasized by portraits of leaders and
propaganda posters on the walls.
4 “Tavern” dining room, Zagorodnaya
street, 5. 9:00–20:00. from 250-300 rub. for lunch. The self-service
canteen is suitable for tourists in a hurry; there are farm products
available. The reviews are positive.
5 Cafe “Skazka”, Zagorodnaya
street, 15. 7:00–23:00. There is a large selection of baked goods, but
there is also more substantial food.
Average cost
6 Cafe
“Juice”, Leninsky Prospect, 61. ☎ +7 (48235) 5-11-54. 11:00–23:00.
Family cafe, no strong alcohol. The place is popular, the reviews are
positive. There is a menu on the website.
7 Shavarma’s Cafe,
Kalinina Ave., 17. 10:00 – 22:00. Fast food, including shawarma, as the
name suggests. The visitors are happy.
8 Cafe “Centro del gusto”,
Sovetsky lane, 2. 9:00–22:00. average bill from 350 rub.
9 Cafe-restaurant “Ostashkoff”, Leninsky Prospekt, 102A. 9:00–22:00.
average bill 400 rub. Reviews are mixed, with complaints about small
portions and long waits. Good beer from our own brewery. Entrance to the
cafe from the courtyard.
Expensive
10 Restaurant “Ukha” ,
st. Rudinskaya, 2 (on the embankment). ☎ +7 (48235) 5-09-26.
10:00–22:00, Sat–Sun 10:00–00:00. The website has a slightly outdated
menu. Here you can try Seliger fish soup and Seliger fish soup, and buy
fish-shaped gingerbread.
Coffee shops
11 Coffee XVIII
century , Leninsky Prospekt, opposite house 56. 9:00 – 19:00. The
coffee shop is located right in the monastery tower, which creates a
certain ambience. True, the tower is too small for there to be seating -
you can only take the drink with you, and they prepare it rather
leisurely. There are other branches around the city, no longer in places
dating back to the 18th century.
In many hotels, the price during the season (May/July -
August/September, depending on the hotel) is noticeably higher than in
the off-season. If there is a difference, prices in the off-season and
season are listed as a fraction. In addition, during the season it makes
sense to book hotels in advance (almost all of them are presented in
booking systems or have a booking service on the website).
1 Hotel “Ashkhen”, st. Zagorodnaya, 26B. ✉ ☎ +7 (48235) 5-39-94, +7
(906) 555-20-06. Single: from 1000 rubles, double: from 2000 rubles.
There is a restaurant and Wi-Fi. Guests complain that on weekends the
restaurant plays loud music until late.
2 Guest house “Beregovaya”,
st. Orlovsky, 10. ✉ ☎ +7 (48235) 5-71-69, +7 (980) 624-85-55. Double:
from 1500/2000 rub. Rooms for 1-2 people with private facilities. There
is a restaurant, Wi-Fi, sauna. Good feedback.
3 Hotel “Love”, lane.
Chaykin, 2. ☎ +7 (903) 806-05-46. Double: from 1500/1800 rub. There is
Wi-Fi, a sauna, bicycle and boat rental.
4 Hotel “Orlovskaya”, st.
Orlovsky, 1. ✉ ☎ +7 (910) 830-05-15. Double room from 1500/2000 rub.
Rooms with amenities. There is a cafe, sauna, boat rental.
5 Hotel
“Nautilus”, st. Rabochaya, 17. ☎ +7 (48235) 5-20-99. There is a cafe and
Wi-Fi.
6 Apart-hotel SDL, st. Volodarsky, 187B. ☎ +7 (48235)
5-49-83, +7 (915) 704-45-98. From 2800 rub. Apartment-type rooms: there
are entire apartments, and there are just double rooms with a built-in
kitchen.
7 Recreation center “Timofeevskaya Estate” , st.
Timofeevskaya, 43. ✉ ☎ +7 (903) 964-93-93. Double room: from 2500 rub.
Rooms with private facilities in wooden houses - even the inside walls
are lined with wood. There is Wi-Fi and bike rental.
8 Hotel
“Trest”, st. Uritsky, 51. ☎ +7 (48235) 5-11-28, +7 (915) 704-45-98. The
hotel advertises itself under the slogan “Cheap and comfortable,”
although it would probably be more correct to say “Cheap and cheerful.”
This is a Soviet hostel: tiny single rooms with amenities in the hallway
and a single “suite” with amenities in the room. However, guests note
that despite the obvious lack of comfort, it is cozy here, there is a
shared kitchen and a nice living room.
9 Hotel complex “Epos”,
Leninsky pr. 136. ✉ ☎ +7 (48235) 5-51-66, +7 (48235) 5-14-99.
Single/double: 2200/3000 rub. There is Wi-Fi, a restaurant, bike rental.
An alternative to hotels can be camp sites and boarding houses, of which
there are many in the vicinity of Ostashkov. Usually they are located on
the banks of lakes or rivers, equipped with a bathhouse, their own beach
and rental points for fishing and sports equipment; many also offer
transfers from Ostashkov.
10 “Beach houses”, st. Uritskogo, 2.
Rooms: from 3000 rubles, cottage: 6000-7000 rubles. This is a suburban
option right within the city: rooms with amenities and a built-in
kitchen, as well as separate cottages for 6 people - all right on the
lake and at the same time a 5-minute walk from the center of Ostashkov.
Prices are appropriate.
Tap water in the city is not of the best quality, it is definitely not suitable for drinking, and sometimes it can also be unpleasant to wash.
The city is located on the shore of the southern part of Lake Seliger, 190 km from Tver.
The city has been known since the XIV century. In the letter of the
Lithuanian prince Olgerd to the Patriarch of Constantinople
Philotheus, dated 1371, Klichen was mentioned, namely, as a border
town of Lithuania, captured by the Grand Duchy of Moscow. The city
was located on the island of the same name on Seliger. Klichen also
figured in the "List of Russian cities far and near." In 1393
Klichen was captured and burned by Novgorodians. According to
another version, the chronicle sources reflect the raid on another
settlement called Klichen. According to a local legend, after the
defeat of the town, the only inhabitant of Klichen survived, the
fisherman Eustathius (Ostashko), who moved to the neighboring
peninsula south of Klichen - the town got its name from the
fisherman.
In the 15th-18th centuries, Klichen-Ostashkov was
the center of the Klichan volost, which belonged to the Rzhev
principality and the Rzhevsky district. The settlement consisted of
two settlements that belonged to the Joseph Volotsk monastery and
the Moscow metropolitan. In 1587, a prison was built in the
Ostashkovsky settlements and a voivode was imprisoned. During the
Time of Troubles, in 1610, the Poles were unable to take the city
fortifications, but significantly devastated the surroundings. In
1651-1653, a new prison was built, which existed until 1676. The
third fortress stood until the devastating fire in 1711 and was
never renewed.
In 1772-1775 - Ostashkovskaya Sloboda became
the center of the Ostashkovsky district of the Tver province of the
Novgorod province, formed from part of the lands of the Rzhevsky
district. In 1775, the city and the district were transferred to the
Tver governorate (from 1776 - the Tver province). During the
redevelopment of county towns in the 18th century, it was the new
layout of Ostashkov that was taken as an exemplary one for other
county towns of the Russian Empire (as in 1763, the new regular
layout of Tver was recognized as the benchmark for provincial
towns). In the 19th century, Ostashkov was considered an advanced
district town, as there were among the first in Russia a hospital,
folk and religious schools, a library, a theater, boulevards, an
educational institution, a school for girls, a city garden and a
brass band, cobblestone streets, a voluntary public fire brigade. In
1929-1935 Ostashkov was part of the Western Region, from 1935 to
1990 - the Kalinin Region.
During the Great Patriotic War,
the city was not occupied by Nazi troops, but until 1943 it was in
close proximity to the front line. The supply of the front and the
city was entrusted to the lake flotilla. The ships and the city were
constantly bombarded by the Luftwaffe. In October 1941, after the
Germans seized the village of Selizharovo, the ships were brought
into the Krapivnya River, camouflaged and prepared for detonation.
However, the German offensive on Ostashkov was repulsed. In the
spring of 1942, during ice drift and spring floods, the ships of the
flotilla were almost crushed by ice. The next navigation used routes
that were previously considered non-navigable. The city had a power
plant, hospitals, a bakery and workshops. The tannery was evacuated
to Kazakhstan. All vacated premises were used as warehouses. In
January 1943, the front line was pulled away from the city. By that
time, all the evacuated enterprises had returned to Ostashkov.
On January 12, 1965, the Selizharovsky district was recreated.