←Along the Way from the Volga to the Baltic

Along the Way from the Volga to the Baltic

Photo of route “Along the Way from the Volga to the Baltic”
12 points29 km4 hours

The name Tikhvin sounds soft and brings to mind something “quiet” (tikhy in Russian), like river water. And that's no accident: translated from a Finno-Ugric language, tikh and vin mean “water” and “way.” On this route you'll learn how life flowed, and sometimes seethed, in this “water” town. The route was designed especially for the BelkaCar car-sharing service.

Route author

Susanin Team

Things to do

  • 🏞️ Enjoy the view
  • 🌲🦋 Enjoy nature

Route points (12)

  1. Tikhvin Dormition Monastery of the Mother of God — point on route “Along the Way from the Volga to the Baltic”

    Tikhvin Dormition Monastery of the Mother of God

    🕍 Place of worship

  2. Tikhvin Historical, Memorial, Architectural, and Art Museum — point on route “Along the Way from the Volga to the Baltic”

    Tikhvin Historical, Memorial, Architectural, and Art Museum

    🏛️ Museum

  3. Tikhvin Water System — point on route “Along the Way from the Volga to the Baltic”

    Tikhvin Water System

    ⚙️ Industrial site

  4. Park of Generations — point on route “Along the Way from the Volga to the Baltic”

    Park of Generations

    🌿 Public garden or park

  5. Hérouville-Saint-Clair Park — point on route “Along the Way from the Volga to the Baltic”

    Hérouville-Saint-Clair Park

    🌿 Public garden or park

  6. Znamenskaya Church (Church of the Sign) in Tikhvin — point on route “Along the Way from the Volga to the Baltic”

    Znamenskaya Church (Church of the Sign) in Tikhvin

    🕍 Place of worship

  7. Freedom Square — point on route “Along the Way from the Volga to the Baltic”

    Freedom Square

    ⛲ Square

  8. Transfiguration Cathedral — point on route “Along the Way from the Volga to the Baltic”

    Transfiguration Cathedral

    🕍 Place of worship

  9. Chapel of the Holy Blessed Prince Alexander Nevsky — point on route “Along the Way from the Volga to the Baltic”

    Chapel of the Holy Blessed Prince Alexander Nevsky

    🕍 Place of worship

  10. Rimsky-Korsakov House Museum — point on route “Along the Way from the Volga to the Baltic”

    Rimsky-Korsakov House Museum

    🏛️ Museum · 🏟️ Architectural landmark

  11. Convent of the Presentation — point on route “Along the Way from the Volga to the Baltic”

    Convent of the Presentation

    🕍 Place of worship

  12. Tsaritsyno Lake — point on route “Along the Way from the Volga to the Baltic”

    Tsaritsyno Lake

    🌿 Public garden or park · 🔭 Viewpoint

Tikhvin Dormition Monastery of the Mother of God in Tikhvin

Point on route “Along the Way from the Volga to the Baltic”

Tikhvin Dormition Monastery of the Mother of God — point on route “Along the Way from the Volga to the Baltic”

Point 1

Tikhvin Dormition Monastery of the Mother of God

🕍 Place of worship

Historical Background

The monastery was built in 1560 and was added to and expanded until the 19th century. Over its nearly 465 years, the monastery has survived years of war and Soviet persecution. Its main building, the Dormition Cathedral, was erected in the 16th century, and fragments of 18th-century frescoes survive on its walls. The monastery grounds also include the Church of the Protection of the Most Holy Theotokos and the Holy Gates, built in the late 16th century, a tall 17th-century belfry, and the Vvedenskaya Tower with a gate church from the same period. You can take a tour of the monastery or explore its architectural sights on your own and visit the museum.

The Holy Icon

For many years not only ordinary people but also grand princes, tsars, and Russian emperors came to this monastery. People traveled many kilometers to venerate the miracle-working Hodegetria* Icon of the Mother of God. To this day the icon remains the monastery's main holy treasure. According to legend, it was painted by the holy Apostle and Evangelist Luke during the lifetime of the Virgin Mary. And almost a century before the fall of Byzantium, the icon miraculously appeared near the town of Tikhvin.

Today

The monastery is open to visitors daily. Admission is free; visitors are asked to keep quiet and be courteous. *The Hodegetria icon type shows the Mother of God depicted frontally, sometimes with her head slightly inclined, holding the Christ Child in her arms. The word is translated from Greek as “she who shows the way.” In Rus this type of icon was also called Putevoditelnitsa (“the Guide”).