Tikhvin - a small town lost in the shadows St. Petersburg. At first glance, it seems inconspicuous and unremarkable, but once you get closer, its hidden treasures will be revealed to your eyes. This article will tell you about the pearls of Tikhvin - its main attractions, which are definitely worth visiting while traveling around the city. We will show you them not only in descriptions, but also in photos, attaching names and addresses, so that you don’t have to look for them on the map for a long time.
Where to go in Tikhvin with a child
Couples traveling with children may wonder: will there be anything interesting for their child in Tikhvin? Answer: yes. This city has plenty of entertainment for younger audiences.
Tikhvin Zoo
- Address – Moskovskaya, 1a.
The “small” zoo was opened in the fall of 1993. It was called the ecological zoo for a reason - it occupies only 330 square meters. m, and 15 people are enough to service it. However, the menagerie is a great place for the whole family to relax.
Along its walking paths there are enclosures with a variety of animals: tigers, elephants, monkeys, lions, zebras and flamingos. In addition, the zoo includes an aquarium and terrarium where you can see exotic fish and reptiles.
Camp "City of Masters"
“City of Masters” is a children’s tourist camp, the program of which is aimed at sports, health improvement and training in traveler skills. Here children learn archery, make fires, and go on hikes, where they learn through experience the basics of life safety.
The camp program includes developmental training, games and horse riding lessons. The children not only ride horses, but also take care of them, which brings them closer to nature and encourages them to treat animals with care. During the weekly shift, children live in a camp building and receive three good meals a day. Children from 9 to 15 years old are accepted here.
Waterpark "Astral"
- Address: Sovetskaya, 18.
“Astral” is one of the best aquatic centers in the Leningrad region, as reviews say. A visit to it will cheer up not only the child, but also the parents. Guests of the water park can enjoy all kinds of entertainment: water slides, a swimming pool with a children's area, massage geysers and waterfalls that are good for health. You can take a break from swimming in the steam rooms, jacuzzi and baths, and before returning home, it’s easy to go to the cafeteria and drink a cup of tea or coffee.
Don't miss our other reviews of attractions in cities:
- Kingisepp, Sosnovy Bor, Lomonosov, Vsevolozhsk,
- Gatchina, Lodeynoye Pole, Novaya Ladoga, Krasnoe Selo,
- Shlisselburg, Sestroretsk, Strelna, Primorsk, Ivangorod
- Vyborg, Luga, Tosno, Vyritsa, Kronstadt and Pushkino.
Tikhvin is a modest but multifaceted city with a rich history, amazing architecture, magnificent natural spaces and developed tourist infrastructure. No matter how different the guests of this wonderful town may be, each of them will find something that will resonate in his soul and give pleasant memories of the trip.
Temples and monasteries
From time immemorial, Tikhvin residents professed Orthodoxy. It is not surprising that the territory of their city is literally dotted with temples, monasteries and churches, which have not only religious significance, but are also architectural monuments.
Temple of the Icon of the Mother of God “The Sign”
- Address – Znamenskaya, 1.
Construction of the Znamenskaya Church began at the beginning of the 18th century with the documented permission of Emperor Peter the Great. Previously, only wooden churches were built in Tikhvin, defenseless against fires and pests.
Now it was decided to build a reliable, white-stone temple that would last for centuries. The efforts of the architects were not in vain: the snow-white building adorns the panorama of the city today. Of course, the church has been restored and rebuilt more than once, but in general it looks the same as it did four hundred years ago: a white dome, a long gallery and a high tower with a bell tower.
At the end of 1920, the temple was closed and looted: church equipment was destroyed, bells were removed, crosses were broken. The building was empty and fell into disrepair.
During the Second World War, a repair station was established here to repair weapons equipment damaged in battle. Until 1989, the temple building was not used for its intended purpose: fires were burned in it, a mill was installed, and later a confectionery factory was opened, but in the end the building was returned to the status of a religious institution and reconstruction work began.
In the spring of 1991, the Znamenskaya Church was reopened and consecrated. Since then, regular services and patronal feasts have been celebrated there.
Theotokos Dormition Monastery
- Address – Tikhvinskaya, 1.
The monastery was built in 1560 on the banks of the Tikhvinka River. The construction was facilitated by the decree of the ruler of Rus' Ivan IV, who received the nickname Terrible due to his harsh character.
The religious complex includes the following buildings:
Assumption Cathedral. The five-domed temple was founded in 1515, and later underwent some changes. During the reconstruction, the windows were enlarged, the cast-iron slabs on the floor were replaced with a glazed covering, and a granite pulpit was built in front of the iconostasis. The frescoes that decorated the walls and ceilings had faded, so they were cleaned off and new ones painted.
The Church of the Intercession is a single-domed church with an adjacent bell gallery. The roof of the bell tower is a row of five pyramidal peaks with flags on top. In 1623, barrels of gunpowder were stored in the belfry and, as a result of an accident, they exploded. The bell tower was completely destroyed and restored in the second half of the 19th century.
Cell buildings where the novices of the monastery lived.
Church "Porch". It is dedicated to the Tikhvin Icon of the Mother of God. Unusual and bright, the church resembles a tower from a fairy tale. Its walls are painted yellow, its roofs are green, and its domes are azure blue. The first building was built in 1791 and burned down in fires more than once. At the end of the 19th century, a new stone parish was erected on the site of the old parish, but they decided to keep the old name in memory of the carved porch that had been here for a long time.
The main relic of the Tikhvin Monastery is the miraculous icon of the Mother of God. Legends and mysterious stories are dedicated to her. One legend says that during the Great Patriotic War, the Germans attacked the wooden church where the icon was kept and burned it to the ground. When local believers began to clear away the rubble of the collapsed building, they saw an icon untouched by the flames among the charred beams.
Vvedensky Convent
- Address - st. Zaitseva, 8, bldg. 5.
The women's monastery, like the men's monastery, was founded in 1560 and was called the “sister” of the Assumption Monastery. Its most famous abbess was Anna Koltovskaya (the fourth wife of Ivan the Terrible). The territory of the complex accommodates several buildings:
- Church of the Presentation of the Mother of God. Brick church with the thrones of St. Nicholas and Kirill Belozersky.
- The gate cathedral with an adjacent bell tower, dedicated to the great martyrs Queen Augusta and Catherine.
- Residential buildings of novices (these buildings of interest have been partially preserved, in a dilapidated state).
The monastery operated for centuries - until 1924, when it was closed and fell into disrepair. The resumption of the monastery’s activities occurred only in 2009.
The buildings are in terrible condition. Once upon a time, the facades of churches were decorated with stucco and delighted with their sublime beauty. Now their walls are shabby, the paint is peeling off in pieces, exposing the brickwork. The religious premises look no better: golden church utensils, patterned carpets and tapestries do not distract attention from the dilapidated walls with dark stains of moisture.
Tikhvin residents and employees of the monastery are fighting to restore it and bring it into decent shape. Despite the decline of the monastery, it is famous among tourists and pilgrims. A surge in popularity was observed in 2022, when the local icon of St. Panteleimon was cast in peace.
Spaso-Preobrazhensky Cathedral
- Address - pl. Svobody, 9.
Tikhvin Cathedral is located in the city center. Construction of the brick church began in 1693 and ended in 1748; previously, several wooden churches stood on this land.
Connoisseurs of architecture believe that the Transfiguration Church combines the best elements of Orthodox architecture. The building was designed in the Novgorod style: six tower domes, high windows, decorated cornices and emerald-colored mezzanines.
In 1929, the cathedral was closed and looted. Bells and crosses were sent for melting down, icons and church items were destroyed. Ten years later, the bell tower was blown up, and the cathedral building was divided into several floors and given over to a cinema. At the end of the 1990s. the entertainment center went bankrupt and the building was returned to the church.
Today, services are held in the main hall, consecrated on the day of the Transfiguration of the Lord. The remaining rooms are closed for restoration. There is also a parish gymnasium attached to the cathedral.
Natural attractions of Tikhvin
Tikhvin is a green city. Its lands are crossed by nimble rivers, its banks are covered with deciduous groves, and in the midst of civilization there are corners of virgin nature. Picturesque parks and lakes are wonderful places to relax, loved by both Tikhvin residents and tourists.
Vepsian forest
The protected natural park was opened in 1999. The Vepsian forest attracts travelers with its open spaces, untouched taiga wilds, clean rivers and lakes, as well as wildlife inhabitants. Here you can find squirrels, badgers, foxes, hedgehogs and many other harmless animals.
The main tourist destinations of the park are ecological and ethnic tourism. The forest area is crossed by three health trails:
- “Lukinskaya” is a road near the outskirts of the village of Lukino;
- Path to “Kharaginsky Lake”;
- “Stone of Holiness” (the route passes through the village of Yaroslavichi).
The development of ethnotourism in the Vepsian forest is inextricably linked with its main goal - the protection and revival of the Vepsian culture. Veps are a small people, the indigenous inhabitants of the region. Small settlements of Vepsians are located in the forest area, where they, like their ancestors, engage in fishing, hunting and gathering. Men and women wear national costumes, prepare special dishes and organize holidays for park guests.
While walking through the Vepsian forest, tourists come across two attractions of Tikhvin, contrasting with the beauty of nature and the fun of the village. The first is “Gingerbread House”. This hundred-year-old wooden hut excites the imagination with its eerie appearance. The half-decayed house bears traces of its former beauty: domes on the roof, carved patterns on the frames and on the porch railings. The window shutters are open, the glass, although covered with dust, remains intact. Behind them you can see torn curtains. Who lived in the "Gingerbread House"? Why is it empty? Mysteries surround the dead hut.
The second place cannot be called a landmark. The thicket of the forest along the trodden path gradually thins out and soon the trees disappear, making way for the old children's cemetery. Leaning crosses with erased names are drowned in lush vegetation, but are still noticeable. Nearby there is an abandoned chapel that is about to collapse.
Water system
The Tikhvin water system is a river space that unites the Volga and the Baltic Sea. In 1811, water communication was established and ship transportation began from one end of the system to the other.
The main advantage of the route was its relatively short length, so it quickly gained popularity among sailors. Soon a project was developed for the construction of dams, locks and canals.
Currently, the old components of the system have been destroyed. Work is underway to restore the dams. One of the sites has already been reconstructed and is located near the Assumption Monastery.
Shugozero
The largest lake in the Tikhvin region is an oval reservoir stretching for 4 km. It was formed naturally in a deep 25-meter basin. The coastline is particularly beautiful - green hills, steep slopes and cliffs.
In Vepsian culture there is a legend according to which this lake is protected by the Spirit of Water, so under no circumstances should it be polluted. In ancient times, local fishermen brought peace offerings to the Spirit - fish, bread and wine, but now such traditions have been abolished.
Boat rentals are available on the lake shore, making river rowing trips possible.
Tsaritsyno Lake
Tsaritsyno Lake got its name because of an event that occurred in 1613. The Russian-Swedish War forced Anna Koltovskaya to hide in the forest near the then unnamed lake. No one knows for sure whether this is true or fiction, but the reservoir was called “Tsaritsyn”.
Its banks are flat and wooded, and there are bridges for swimming. In the middle of the lake rises a small island with a spreading tree - wedding photo sessions often take place there. The romantic atmosphere is complemented by swans swimming past.
Park of Generations
- Address - corner of the street. Delegatskaya and passages of the Fighters of the 4th Army.
The recreational area on the right bank of the Tikhvinka River was opened at the end of 2022. The purpose of this complex is to provide citizens and travelers with space for sports and recreation.
On its territory there are sports and children's playgrounds, the descent to the water is covered with wooden flooring, on which there are comfortable sun loungers, and nearby there are changing cabins. There are also jogging paths and a “BBQ area” with tables, gazebos and places for making fires and installing barbecues.
Generations Park gave everyone the opportunity to spend holidays and friendly meetings in nature, and not in an enclosed space. Tikhvin residents note that with its advent, children began to spend more time on the street, and not behind a monitor screen.
Sculptural composition "Moose"
- Address - pl. Meretskova.
On Meretskov Square there is the funniest attraction in Tikhvin - a life-size grass sculpture of a moose. Despite its simplicity and “youth”, it has become one of the most famous decorations of the city.
Park Hérouville Saint-Clair
- Address - st. Karl Marx.
The new Hérouville Saint-Clair park has everything you need for an active holiday. The green square is located near the Vyazitsky stream. It is crossed by bicycle and walking paths, and there are benches in the shade of trees. Artists and photographers love to visit this place, which is not surprising - every flowerbed here blooms with fragrant roses and chrysanthemums.
Geographical location, climate, transport connections
Tikhvin is located in the south-eastern part of the Leningrad region and is located on both sides of the banks of the Tikhvinka River, which is the right tributary of the Syasi River. It is part of the basin of one of the largest fresh water bodies in Russia - Lake Ladoga. The territory of the Tikhvin district covers an area of 7 thousand km2 and is an ecologically clean zone. More than 80% of the land is covered with large forests and many lakes of rare beauty.
The climate in Tikhvin and its regions is temperate continental, which means that Russian winters are frosty, summers are hot and sunny. There is little precipitation throughout the year compared to the ever-rainy St. Petersburg, which is located 215 km from the city.
The district center has a population of just over 60 thousand people and is conveniently located for transport links. The railway connects with St. Petersburg, Arkhangelsk, Vologda and other cities. The route from St. Petersburg to Vologda is laid through Tikhvin. The location in the neighborhood of the Northern capital and other regional centers, the ecological cleanliness of the area, and noticeable economic growth make for a favorable life in a historical town.
