The Volga and the Western Dvina flow through Penovsky District, and more than 130 lakes also shape the landscape. Historic churches, the Voroshilovsky Museum of Local Lore and an ecological educational trail add to the picture. The natural environment, local history and rural culture are presented here as distinct themes.
Lakes, Rivers and Islands
The Volga flows through the northeastern part of Penovsky District. The Western Dvina rises from the small lake Dvinets in the western part of the district, six kilometres from Soblago railway station. The two rivers are therefore located in different parts of the district: the northeastern part is specified for the Volga, while the Dvina’s source lake is in the west.
The largest of the more than 130 lakes include Vselug, Okhvat, Sterzh, Peno, Vitbino and Soblago. Most of the district’s lakes are of glacial-moraine origin. This geological classification adds insight into how the bodies of water were formed.
The islands of Novo-Solovetsky and Malosolovetsky lie in Lake Vselug. Novo-Solovetsky is a natural monument of Penovsky District. Lake Vselug thus combines a distinctive lakeside landscape with a named natural monument, while Malosolovetsky is also identified as an island in the lake.
Churches and Regional History
The Church of St John the Baptist at Shirkovsky Pogost is a wooden architectural monument dating from 1694. Settlements and a pagan shrine at Shirkov Pogost, on Lake Vselug, have been documented since ancient times; by the late 19th century, the pogost had become an important religious centre. These details place the site’s history in a long timeline.
Other churches add their own dates to the picture: the Church of the Holy Trinity in the village of Otolovo dates from the 18th century. The Church of the Sign of the Most Holy Mother of God at Vetozhetka Pogost was built in the early 19th century. The Church of the Nativity of the Mother of God in the village of Vseluki dates from 1835. Together, the dates given span the 17th to the 19th centuries.
A biography also connects the district with the history of Tver Oblast: Yelizaveta Ivanovna Chaikina (1918–1941) was born in the village of Runo in Penovsky District. During the Second World War, she was secretary of the underground Penovsky District Committee of the Komsomol and one of the organisers of a partisan unit. After being captured, she refused to reveal its location; she was executed on 23 November 1941.
Discover the Region at the Voroshilovsky Museum of Local Lore
The Voroshilovsky Museum of Local Lore was founded on 5 May 1969 by Ivan Ivanovich Smirnov (1940–1998). It offers a picture of life in a village in Tver Oblast in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Its extensive collection includes objects from everyday peasant life, as well as the products and tools of pottery, shoemaking and carpentry.
The guided tours cover three themes: the Voroshilovo area from prehistoric times onwards; the region’s folk crafts and trades; and life and culture in a peasant home. Visits are by prior arrangement. The museum thus offers a different way to explore the region than the dated churches, focusing on everyday objects, crafts and rural life.
A Walking Trail with Guided-Excursion Features
The ecological educational trail “Tam les i dol zagadok polny…” is a purpose-built walking route with guided-excursion features, measuring 2.5 kilometres in length. Its length is a specific planning detail, distinct from the site-specific historical and museum themes. Before visiting, check locally whether information about the route has changed.
Discover more destinations: Vseluki, Kositskoye, Rameshkovsky District, Spirovsky District, Kalininsky District, Kimry District, Torzhok, Staritsky District.
See the overview of the wider region: Tver Oblast.
