Fishing and village life form a shared cultural thread in Vzvad. The theme ranges from exhibitions about the local fishing region to an interactive programme for museum visitors and memorials in the village centre. If you are interested in local history, these different approaches offer several perspectives on fishing culture and the lives of local residents.
Museum and Memorials
The «Chishchina rybaka» Museum opened in 2023; its exhibitions explore the history of the local fishing region. The same museum is also known as «Izba rybaka». In October 2024, members of the Vzvad Folk Choir developed an interactive programme for museum visitors about the way of life of local residents. They talked about the everyday lives of fishing families and their songs. The museum therefore focuses both on regional fishing history and on insights into everyday culture. If you are planning a visit, check in advance when the museum is open and whether the programme is currently being offered.
Following the «Semeynaya rybalka» festival, a monument to a pike and one to a decoy duck were unveiled in the centre of Vzvad. The pike monument was modelled on a 35-kilogram pike caught in Lake Ilmen in 1930. The decoy duck adds a second, distinctly different accent. Together, the monuments present two distinct motifs in the village centre, both connected with the festival.
Wooden Church and Local Context
The wooden Church of Saint Nicholas the Wonderworker was built in the early 21st century with funds from local residents, in the village of Podborovka, which has grown together with Vzvad. Its history adds a religious building and a community-funded project to the fishing-related themes. The precise location helps place the church within the village history associated with Vzvad.
Travel Planning and Accommodation
A route on the «Voskhod» hydrofoil runs from Veliky Novgorod to Vzvad. Before planning, check with the operator which days the boat runs and what the schedule is. This way, you can treat the connection as a fixed part of your trip only once you know it fits your stay dates. A travel programme in Vzvad includes a smoked-fish tasting at «Dom okhotnika i rybaka». Check with the provider in advance whether this activity is available on your chosen date.
If you are looking for accommodation in Vzvad, your planned activities can determine the order of your decisions: if the boat trip is important to you, first check which days it runs; for a museum visit or tasting, ask about opening hours and availability. Then align your overnight stays with the confirmed activities.
A Different Focus in Novgorod Oblast
In Valday, Novgorod Oblast offers a different cultural and historical focus. At the Bell Museum, staff demonstrate bell-ringing techniques that visitors can try themselves. The Museum Bell Centre displays bells from around the world, bell types dating from the 3rd century BC to the Middle Ages, and modern souvenir bells. The exhibition at the Museum of the County Town, which opened in 1998, explores the everyday lives of town residents, the development of local trades, and the lives of individual Valday families and well-known summer visitors to Valday. While Vzvad focuses on the fishing region and fishing families, Valday offers a different focus, with bells and urban history.
Discover more destinations: Usadye, Veliky Novgorod, Malaya Vishera, Mstinsky Most, Fedorkovo, Myasnoy Bor, Valday, Krivoye Koleno
For the regional travel overview: Novgorod Oblast.
