Velikie Luki. Sights with descriptions of the city and surrounding area, cultural tourism, interesting places

• About the city
• Anthem of Velikiye Luki
• Heraldry
• City `s history
• Street history
• 850th anniversary of the city
• 800th anniversary of the city

It was first mentioned in the Novgorod Chronicle as the city of Luki on Lovat in 1166, when the Kiev prince Rostislav I Mstislavich arrived here to negotiate with the Novgorod boyars (the first settlement in the 9th-12th centuries, 3 km from the modern city). Since the 12th century, it has been part of the Novgorod land, a fortress (built in 1211) on the approaches to Novgorod and Pskov.

It is also known that the son of the Novgorod prince Yaroslav Vladimirovich, Izyaslav Yaroslavich, was sent by his father in 1197 to reign in Luki.

For military merits, the city earned the title “mantle of Novgorod” and “atrium of Moscow”; in 1406, Luki acquired the title of the Great. Since 1478, the city, like the entire Novgorod land, was subordinate to the Moscow principality.

During the Livonian War, the headquarters of Ivan the Terrible was located here (from 1558). In 1580 the fortress was taken by the Polish-Lithuanian troops of King Stefan Batory; Enemy soldiers who burst into the city carried out a massacre of the local population; Hungarian mercenaries were especially rampant[1]. In 1583, according to the Yam-Zapolsky Treaty, the city was returned to Russia.

At the beginning of the 17th century, the city was occupied by the troops of False Dmitry I, then False Dmitry II. In 1611 the city was completely destroyed, and in 1619 it was restored.

Peter I and Catherine II visited the city several times. By order of the tsar, a new Velikolukskaya fortress was built according to the drawings of the famous mathematician L.F. Magnitsky.

Since 1727, the center of the Velikolutsk province of the Novgorod province, and in 1772 (after the first partition of Poland, from the newly annexed lands) the Pskov province was created (the center of the province was the city of Opochka), 2 provinces of the Novgorod province were included in it - Pskov and Velikolutsk.

In the 18th century, the Belarusian State Highway passed through the city.

During the Patriotic War of 1812, Velikiye Luki was a large rear base of Russian troops.

At the end of the 19th century, postal routes passed through Velikiye Luki. In 1901, a railway was built through the city.

From August 22, 1944 to October 2, 1957, Velikiye Luki was the administrative center of the Velikiye Luki region of the RSFSR.

During the Great Patriotic War, the battles for the liberation of Velikiye Luki were so fierce that the city was nicknamed “Little Stalingrad.” In honor of the 40th anniversary of liberation, Velikiye Luki was awarded the Order of the Patriotic War, 1st degree, for labor and military merits.

Economy

The volume of shipped goods of own production in manufacturing industries (2006) amounted to 7.51 billion rubles

Among these productions, the largest share belongs to:

• food production – 3.10 (billion rubles)
• production machinery and equipment – ​​1.28 (billion rubles)
• production of electrical equipment, electronic and optical equipment – ​​0.93 (RUB billion)
• production of metal products - 0.83 (RUB billion)

Velikie Luki

Video: Velikiye Luki

Basic moments

The cozy green neighborhoods of Velikiye Luki are lined with low-rise buildings. There are industrial enterprises in the city, and higher educational institutions host students. There are theaters, interesting museums, art galleries, and monuments to outstanding cultural figures and heroes of the Great Patriotic War, which did not spare the city, are installed in the parks.

Velikiye Luki welcomes guests in inexpensive hotels, but discerning travelers will also find quite comfortable apartments with a high level of service here. Local restaurants and cafes offer Russian and European cuisine. You can take a walk and go on rides in the city park. There is a boat rental service on the park lake, and there is a beach on the shore of Lovat. In the evenings, nightclubs open in Velikiye Luki, and many restaurants close after midnight.

After seeing the sights of the provincial town, tourists head to the Velikiye Luki area to spend a few days in nature. On the banks of numerous rivers and lakes, guests will find recreation centers with a decent hospitality infrastructure and a variety of entertainment - from swimming on equipped beaches and fishing to horseback riding, trike and hot air balloon flights.

History of Velikie Luki

The lands surrounding modern Velikiye Luki, from the middle of the 1st millennium BC. e. were inhabited by Slavic tribes known as Krivichi. In the Velikiye Luki region, at least 250 archaeological sites associated with this culture have been discovered - the remains of ancient settlements, burial mounds, burial grounds, ritual stones of pagan temples.

In ancient Russian chronicles, the town of Luki on the Lovat River was first mentioned in records in 1166, when the Kiev prince Rostislav arrived here to meet with the Novgorodians. Scientists have found that the chronicle was about a fortified settlement on the right bank of the river, protecting Novgorod Rus' from the south. It was located 3 km from the modern city. Archaeologists have excavated the foundations of residential buildings and craft workshops there. Valuable finds of researchers are demonstrated in the local history museum. Bows are mentioned in several 12th-century birch bark documents found during excavations of the Novgorod Kremlin.

In 1211, construction of a new fortress began on the right bank of the Lovat. By that time, the settlement had become a center of crafts and trade with a busy river port. Already by the beginning of the 15th century, chroniclers called the fortress Velikolukskaya. Since 1478, after the conquest of Novgorod by Prince Ivan III, the city on Lovat was also captured and included in the western borders of the Grand Duchy of Moscow.

At the beginning of the 17th century, the state plunged into the abyss of chaotic wars and riots of the Time of Troubles. Waves of armies of Polish impostors, Lithuanian regiments and grand-ducal Moscow troops swept through Velikiye Luki. Wooden houses and churches, walls and towers turned to ashes. In 1611, an eyewitness to the devastation wrote in the chronicle “Belsky Chronicler” that on the site of the city there was a vast “coal pit and fallen bones.”

In the first years of the 18th century, Peter I ordered the fortress to be restored and the city to be rebuilt. But by the end of the century, after the division of Poland, the borders of the empire moved far to the west, and the fortifications lost their importance. Velikiye Luki turned into a provincial town in the Pskov province, through which horse-drawn postal routes ran, and the railway appeared here only at the beginning of the 20th century. Workers from the Velikiye Luki locomotive depot and repair shops led protests in 1905. During the First World War, Velikiye Luki became a front-line base for Russian divisions.

After the revolution of 1917, cultural life developed rapidly in the city. The young Red Army soldier Sergei Eisenstein, who arrived at the local garrison, was one of the initiators of the creation of the Veliky Luki Drama Theater. In his memoirs, the great director recalls that here he staged Romain Rolland’s contemporary play “The Taking of the Bastille” and created the stage decorations himself.

In the 30s, Velikiye Luki was put on the map of international air travel. Not far from the city, in the village of Balandino, an airfield was built where planes flying from Moscow to Stockholm landed for refueling. In the first months of the Great Patriotic War, the city was occupied by the Nazis. In 1944, the Germans desperately resisted the advancing Soviet troops, and as a result of fierce fighting, Velikiye Luki again turned into ruins. After the war, the city was included in the list of settlements subject to priority restoration. In 2008, Velikiye Luki joined the list of Russian cities of military glory.

Geography

The city was built in the Lovat lowland, on both banks of the Lovat River. Two railway bridges and one road crossing are thrown across its winding bed. Within Velikiye Luki there are numerous tributaries of the river, blocked by dams. Fish are bred in the resulting shallow reservoirs, and they themselves are surrounded by parks.

Within the city, the Lovat riverbed meanders into seven bends. Perhaps this topographical feature served as a visible reason for the ancient Russians to call the settlement Luki. The riverbed of the turbulent Lovat winds through the hilly basin of Lake Ilmen, where coniferous and mixed forests grow, cut through by a dense network of rivers. The vegetation is dominated by pine, birch, and aspen trees; the undergrowth is rich in mushrooms and berries. Dozens of large and small lakes, created by ancient glaciers, are full of fish and waterfowl. There are also peat bogs here.

The Velikiye Luki quarters are divided into four districts: Central, where the main attractions are concentrated, Northern, Southern, and Zarechny, separated by the river. The city's area is 60 km², its population exceeds 90,000 inhabitants. The regional center is located 274 km southeast of Pskov, and 469 km to the west from Moscow along the highway.

Climate

Velikiye Luki is located in a continental climate zone, with long winters and cool summers. The average air temperature in January is –8…–6 °C, and the wind from the south periodically brings thaws. In the summer months the air warms up to +22…+25 °C, and it often rains. It gets colder at night, the temperature drops by 8-10 degrees. Maximum precipitation occurs in August-September.

Forecaster reports over the past 20 years in Velikiye Luki have recorded extreme indicators: in winter there were frosts down to -33.8 °C, in summer there was record heat up to +35.7 °C.

The swimming season on the Lovat River lasts from June to August. The water is cold, its temperature rarely exceeds +17 °C.

Sights of Velikiye Luki

The city of Velikiye Luki, with its 850-year history, was repeatedly destroyed to the ground, restored and again turned into ruins. Unfortunately, no clear traces of antiquity have been preserved here. The register of attractions includes archaeological sites, several miraculously surviving pre-revolutionary buildings, restored churches and modern monuments.

You can learn about the history of the city in the local history museum on Matrosov Square, 1. The halls contain archaeological artifacts and weapons collections. The numismatic section is interesting. Most of the museum exhibition tells about the period of the Great Patriotic War and the post-war reconstruction of the city. A diorama of central streets destroyed by bombs has been created here, and war newsreels are shown. Near the museum in 1954, a monument was erected on the grave of 19-year-old Red Army soldier Alexander Matrosov, who threw himself as a human shield at the embrasure of an enemy pillbox. This is a monument by the famous Soviet sculptor Vuchetich. Minibuses No. 4 and 11 go from the railway station to the museum; you need to get off at the Rodina cinema.

From the museum building you can walk through the square to the historical core of the city and the oldest landmark - the Velikiye Luki Fortress. On the river bank, the outlines of the earthworks of the Peter the Great era have been restored, and the western entrance gate cutting through the embankment has been restored. No other traces of powerful fortifications are visible. In the center of the fortress, the Commandant's Pond splashes, which supplied the defenders with water; a small fragment of the ancient stone pavement has been cleared of sediment. Here you can see the ruins of the garrison Resurrection Cathedral.

The fortress took its last battle during the Great Patriotic War. A T-34 tank is installed on one of the concrete bastions; a wide staircase leads to it. Another bastion is crowned by a 26-meter obelisk of Glory.

On Kalinin Square, near the fountain, there is a monument in honor of the Victory, and Lenin Square is decorated with the stele “Velikie Luki - the city of military glory.”

In an ancient two-story building on Nekrasova Street, 1, where the city post office is located, a small postal museum was opened in 1997. Today, its curious collection includes about 17 thousand exhibits. The atmosphere of a provincial postal station from the century before last and a typical post office of the Soviet era are recreated here. The display cases display samples of postmen's uniforms, antique telegraph machines and other means of communication. Philatelists are examining with interest collections of stamps, postcards, envelopes, and triangles of soldiers’ letters from the front. Entrance to the museum is free.

On the quiet Stavsky Street, 48, there is a memorial house of a native of Velikiye Luki, widely known in domestic and world science - an outstanding mathematician, academician of the USSR Academy of Sciences I. M. Vinogradov. His contribution to science was so significant that the museum was created during Ivan Matveevich’s lifetime, in 1986. He himself donated personal belongings, office furnishings, part of the scientific library, published works, and state awards to the exhibition. There is a bronze bust of the scientist in the park. The museum welcomes visitors from 10:00 to 17:30. You can get here by minibuses No. 1, 4 and 5.

Walking along Pushkin Street, which runs through the park, you will see a small chapel of Catherine. This is a copy of the chapel, built on the site of an ancient graveyard, where the townspeople who died during the Time of Troubles were buried. From here, from the high bank of Lovat, you can see the green island of Dyatlinka and the bridges connecting the banks of the river.

Not far away, among the trees, stands the Alexander Nevsky Chapel, restored in the 90s of the last century. A stone's throw away, on the embankment, a new park attraction has recently appeared - a pair of openwork Lovers' Armchairs, forged from metal. The chairs face the river; here you can sit, admiring the panorama of Lovat, and take a photo as a souvenir.

On a hill near the river, on the territory of the old Kazan cemetery, stands the Baroque Church of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God - an architectural monument of the 19th century. It was built in 1821 as a cemetery church, funded by titular councilor Grigory Nechaev and donations from parishioners. Famous townspeople were buried in the graveyard next to the church. The temple managed to survive both the era of persecution of the cult and the years of the Great Patriotic War - services here never stopped. The interiors of the church are decorated with authentic paintings, and the ancient iconostasis has been preserved.

The main church of Velikiye Luki, the Holy Ascension Cathedral, is located on Karl Liebknecht Street. It was built in 1752 on the site of the Ilyinsky Monastery that was burned during the Time of Troubles. During the years of Soviet power, the church was closed, looted and partially dismantled. It was restored in 1990. The temple looks quite modest, but stands out from the surrounding buildings. The City Day celebration begins annually near its walls.

Entertainment

You can start your cultural program in Velikiye Luki with a visit to the drama theater. The building is located on Oktyabrsky Prospekt, 28/13. The basis of his repertoire are performances by Russian and foreign playwrights. A ticket will cost 300-600 rubles. Interesting plays are staged on the stage of the Troubadour youth musical theater and the Harlequin studio theater. Evenings of symphonic and chamber music are held at the city philharmonic. Concerts are held in the House of Culture on Zvereva Street, 29, and in the hall of the Center for Aesthetic Education on Botvin Street, 12.

Fans of midnight entertainment for adults are invited to the Vegas club (Gagarin Ave., 118). On Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays the establishment is open from 22:00 to 06:00. Bowling club "Capricorn" on Nekrasova Street, 16/6, open daily from 18:00 to 04:00. You can play billiards until late in the Pyramid cafe on Dyakonova Street, 25. Its doors are open from 17:00 to 02:00.

City cinemas “Rodina” (Liza Chaikina St., 11/16) and “Sputnik” (Pionerskaya St., 7) invite you to watch new films. The large cinema hall is located on the second floor of the shopping mall, which is on Vokzalnaya Street, 13. The shopping center houses 7 cafes and the Limpoostrov entertainment town with attractions. Modern equipment with 3D technologies has been installed in the Seventh Heaven cinema (Nekrasova St., 18/7).

In June, Velikiye Luki traditionally hosts annual spectacular ballooning competitions. These days, colorful balloons rise over the city. Tourists from many parts of Russia come to see the balloons floating in the sky. Velikiye Luki belongs to a limited number of tourist centers in the country, where hot air balloon and trike flights are available to everyone all year round.

Camping

There is a city beach in Velikiye Luki, Rabochaya Street leads to it. It is located on the banks of the Lovat River, south of the Velikolukskaya Fortress, opposite the Dyatlinka Island. Every year sand is brought here and leveled, benches, changing rooms, and trash bins are installed. There are no cafes or toilets here, and there is no rental of sunbeds or other equipment. Vacationers sit on the mats and eat the snacks they brought. Many townspeople take the remaining packages with them, but by the evening a lot of garbage still accumulates on the shore. It is rarely removed.

Inspectors from the regional Rospotrebnadzor regularly check the condition of water in Lovat, which is heavily polluted by industrial and sewage waste. Problems arise with the indicators every year: the water contains dangerous concentrations of chemicals and bacteria. Warning signs are installed on the city beach, but people do not pay attention to them and splash in the river. But tourists should not risk their health, especially since in the vicinity of Velikiye Luki, on the banks of lakes and forest rivers, modern beach resorts and tourist centers have been built, where decent conditions have been created for outdoor recreation.

At the Kudykina Gora base in the village of Molotovka, wonderful fishing and swimming are offered in Lake Astso and on the Vydega River. Tackle and boats are available for rent: fishing rod – 300 rubles/day, motorboat – 350 rubles/hour. Here you can catch pike perch, bleak, crucian carp, pike, and bream. The hook catches burbot and tench. To prepare the catch, fishermen have gazebos with barbecues at their disposal. At the base you can play paintball (from 400 rubles per person), ride a horse (800 rubles/hour), rent a bicycle (800 rubles/day). Those who wish have the opportunity to ascend to the clouds in a balloon (from 5,000 rubles). Renting a double cottage with an equipped kitchen and a dining area on the terrace will cost 5,500 rubles.

In the village of Rudnya (39 km south of the city) the Lesnoye Ozero recreation center awaits guests. The three-story building was erected in a pine forest, 150 m from Lake Uritskoye, where there is a beach and a pier with rental of water skis, rowing boats and motorboats, and sports equipment. Vacationers have saunas, a billiards room, and sports grounds at their disposal. Horseback riding and walking tours are offered. The cost of a double room is from 900 rubles per day.

The Blue Lakes sanatorium is located in the village of Opukhliki near Lake Maly Ivan. There is a sandy beach, and rental of jet skis and catamarans is available. There are other lakes in the surrounding forests where you can swim and fish. In the building you can visit an indoor swimming pool, a sauna complex, a cafe, and a billiard room. Bicycles and sports equipment are also available for rent. The sanatorium is all-season. In winter, a ski resort opens here and an ice skating rink is opened. Daily accommodation in a standard single room will cost 1850 rubles, in a double room – 2700 rubles. There are spacious apartments - from 5500 rubles. Upon request, a transfer from Velikiye Luki can be arranged for 800 rubles.

The wooden cottages of the elite recreation center "Volyn" are scattered over an area of ​​24 hectares among centuries-old pine trees on a peninsula jutting into the vast Lake Zizhitsky. Guests can enjoy a restaurant, a beach, and boat and pleasure boat rentals. A hunting lodge for two will cost 5,100 rubles per day. On the ground floor there is a living room with a kitchen area and TV, and a bathroom. A cozy bedroom is located in the attic. For accommodation in a 4-bed family townhouse with all amenities you need to pay about 9,500 rubles (breakfast included). For groups of 6-8 people, there are two-story cottages with a glassed-in veranda, a fireplace room, a kitchen, three bedrooms and two bathrooms. The cost of daily rent of a cottage is 30,000 rubles.

Country excursions

From Velikiye Luki tours are organized to the estate-museums of famous people whose names are associated with the history of this region. It is worth going on an excursion to the village of Polibino (25 km from the city), where the country’s only museum of Sofia Kovalevskaya, the first woman in the world crowned with the academic title of professor of mathematics at the end of the 19th century, is located. The ancient noble estate of Sophia’s father, Lieutenant General of the Artillery Forces of the Russian Empire Vasily Korvin-Krukovsky, has been restored 2 km from the Lovat River. This architectural complex, built according to a draft design by the artist Alexander Bryullov, is included in the list of Russian cultural heritage sites.

The house houses an exhibition of Kovalevskaya’s personal belongings, books, manuscripts, paintings, and a collection of antique furniture. One of the rooms displays an interesting exhibition of ladies' clothing and accessories from the 19th century. The estate can be viewed from 10:00 to 17:00. A ticket costs 40 rubles, excursion service costs 300 rubles. Weekends – Saturday, Sunday. Buses going from Velikie Luki to Nevel stop in Polibino.

In the village of Naumovo, 60 km from Velikie Luki, there is a memorial museum for the composer Modest Mussorgsky. The exhibition is located in a restored 19th-century manorial estate, built on the shores of Lake Zizhitsky. A cultural program awaits tourists at the estate: piano music in the living room, performances by performers of Russian romances and a folk ensemble, interactive games, ballroom dancing and other entertainment. In one of the rooms where servants once lived, there is a collection of peasant household items from the century before last. Puppet shows for children are held in the outbuilding. Guests are treated to tea and pancakes baked in a Russian oven.

The museum is open from 09:00 to 17:00. The entrance ticket costs 100 rubles, for photo and video shooting you need to pay 150 rubles. There is a guest house at the museum; you can stay here for 800 rubles per day. The hotel is used by tourists who come for folklore festivals, held on Maslenitsa, Easter, and New Year. You can get here on your own by the Velikiye Luki – Nelidovo train; you need to get off at the Zhizhitsa station.

Purchases

The largest shopping center in the city is the Orange shopping center on Vokzalnaya Street, 11. There are many branded boutiques with imported and domestic clothing, shoes, cosmetics, jewelry, electronics stores, Detsky Mir, Sportmaster are open here. In the “Ant” salon you can have purchased outfits tailored to your figure, and in the “Masterovaya” atelier you can have your shoes and travel bag repaired. Another large department store “Planet” is located on Botvin Street, 19.

Buy memorable gifts in souvenir shops and shops at local museums. They sell magnets with images of city landmarks, carved wooden boxes, photo albums, forged and ceramic handicrafts. At the City History Museum you can buy jewelry that imitates ancient Russian jewelry found during archaeological excavations.

In the city center there are two food markets located next door - on Dyakonova Street, 1, and on Karl Liebknecht Street, 32. It is curious that both competing bazaars are called “Central”. There are always fresh vegetables and fruits; mushrooms and berries are sold in season. If you come across it, be sure to buy fragrant homemade cloudberry jam and a jar of wild lingonberries, ground with sugar.

At Oktyabrsky Prospekt, 21, the Smolensky Market is open from 08:00 to 18:00. There is a beekeepers' products pavilion where you will find high-quality honey.

From Velikiye Luki, surrounded by forests and lakes, tourists bring salted, dried, pickled mushrooms and dried fish as gifts. Specialized stores sell smoked eel and delicacy fish balyks - ancient gourmet snacks on the festive table. Beer lovers love to nibble on salted silver bream and flatbreads of pressed pike caviar. These delicacies are sold in bazaars.

High-quality meat products from the popular Velikolukskie Sausages brand are in great demand among tourists. The local dairy plant is famous for its delicious cheeses and excellent butter.

Cafes and restaurants

Prices in Velikiye Luki culinary establishments are low. Lunch in a restaurant will cost 1000-2000 rubles, a snack in a cafe can cost 400-500 rubles per person.

One of the most popular places in the city where you can eat delicious food in a pleasant atmosphere is the Irish pub O'Hara, located in the Amaris Hotel on Druzhby Street, 23. The establishment specializes in grilled dishes. Imported beer and ale and a dozen varieties of Scotch whiskey are available. Dinner for two with alcoholic drinks will cost about 2,500 rubles. The pub is open from noon to midnight, and on Fridays and Saturdays its doors are open until 02:00.

The Chaplin Club karaoke restaurant on Oktyabrsky Prospekt, 60 is stylishly decorated. You can have dinner here for two for about 3,000 rubles (including alcohol). Several cozy cafes are located on the embankment. Here, lunch for two persons will cost around 1,200 rubles.

For sweets in Velikiye Luki, go to the café-pastry “French Bun” on Grazhdanskaya Street, 7-B. They bake several types of French bread, cakes, cookies, pies with different fillings - fruit, berries, cheese. For desserts, those with a sweet tooth are served tea, coffee, milkshakes, and juices. If desired, you can order a light broth with croutons or gazpacho tomato soup with croutons. The confectionery is open from 09:00 to 21:00, seven days a week.

Where to stay in Velikiye Luki

The service and comfort in the best city hotels barely reaches the three-star category; the choice of hotels is small. Among the most popular in Velikiye Luki is the new small hotel “Amaris” 3* (Druzhby St., 23/1). The clean, spacious rooms have refrigerators, TVs, and hygiene kits are provided in the bathrooms. There is a charging station for electric vehicles in the free parking lot. The hotel has a stylish Irish pub with a good selection of food and drinks. You can rent a double room for 3277-5083 rubles per day, breakfast included.

Hotel "Yubileinaya" 3* is located in Velikiye Luki itself, on Lenin Square, 2, not far from the bridge over the Lovat. Within walking distance of the drama theatre, Catherine's Chapel, Kazan Church. This is where the pleasant bonuses end. The hotel building was built in 1969, the rooms are tiny, the electronics are antediluvian, the furniture is old, tourists don’t like the restaurant. Guests write that the prices here are too high and do not correspond to the level of services. Cost of living is 3160-5800 rubles.

Near the railway station there is the Luki-Service hotel (Nelidovsky proezd, 3-B). A McDonald's shopping and fast food store is a stone's throw away. The hotel has a restaurant, sauna, jacuzzi. Daily accommodation will cost from 2830 rubles.

Nearby, on Vokzalnaya Street, 18, you will find the Idyll mini-hotel. The rooms are equipped with kitchenettes, refrigerators, and electric kettles. Apartments available. The cost of living in a double room is 1970-3125 rubles.

You can stay inexpensively at the Harmony Plus mini-hotel on Furmanova Street, 65. There is a lounge bar and a souvenir shop in the lobby. There are gazebos with grilling facilities in the courtyard. The price range for accommodation is 1500-1630 rubles.

Transit autotourists have the opportunity to relax at the Podvorye motel, built in the near suburbs, at the turn to Velikiye Luki from the M-9 Moscow-Riga highway. Free parking is available for guests' cars. You can have a snack in the cafe-bar; there is also a convenience store and a souvenir kiosk. Rooms are rented for 1975-2500 rubles per day.

Booking.com

Transport

Municipal transport in Velikiye Luki is represented by buses. They rarely run, giving way to numerous private minibuses on the roads. But this transport also runs irregularly; the schedule is not posted at the stops. Tourists prefer to use taxi services. A trip within city attractions will cost from 80 to 100 rubles.

The surrounding villages and country resorts can be reached from the bus station, it is located on Gagarin Avenue, 48-A. Minibuses No. 1, 3, 4, 7, 11 and 13 and buses No. 6, 15, 103, 110 and 118 depart to the suburbs. The railway station is located at Vokzalnaya Square, 2.

How to get there

It is convenient to get from Moscow to Velikiye Luki by rail. Trains No. 001R Moscow – Riga (travel time – 8 hours 33 minutes) and No. 663R Moscow – Pskov (the train will take you there in 9 hours 18 minutes) stop at the city railway station. Both trains depart from the platforms of Rizhsky Station.

Train No. 677A departs from St. Petersburg to Velikiye Luki from Vitebsky Station. Travel time – 8 hours 58 minutes. The schedule and ticket prices are presented on the Tutu.ru website.

Buses run from the Northern capital to Velikiye Luki. Departure is from the bus station on the Obvodny Canal embankment, 36. The transport covers a distance of 482 km in 8 hours 30 minutes.

Tourists from remote regions of the country can get to Velikiye Luki by plane through Pskov Airport. From there, buses on route No. 4 run to the center of the regional city. Electric trains go from the Pskov-Passenger railway station (Vokzalnaya St., 23) to Velikiye Luki. From the bus station on Lenin Square, buses depart from Pskov to the city on Lovat daily. Travel time will be about 5 hours.

Autotourists from Moscow get to Velikiye Luki in 6-7 hours. The shortest route – 469 km – runs along the M-9 federal highway through Volokolamsk.

An excerpt characterizing the Velikiye Luki region

“Could it or could it not have happened? - he thought now, looking at her and listening to the light steel sound of the knitting needles. - Was it really only then that fate brought me so strangely together with her that I might die?.. Was the truth of life revealed to me only so that I could live in a lie? I love her more than anything in the world. But what should I do if I love her? - he said, and he suddenly groaned involuntarily, according to the habit that he acquired during his suffering. Hearing this sound, Natasha put down the stocking, leaned closer to him and suddenly, noticing his glowing eyes, walked up to him with a light step and bent down. - You are not asleep? - No, I’ve been looking at you for a long time; I felt it when you came in. No one like you, but gives me that soft silence... that light. I just want to cry with joy. Natasha moved closer to him. Her face shone with rapturous joy. - Natasha, I love you too much. More than anything else. - And I? “She turned away for a moment. - Why too much? - she said. - Why too much?.. Well, what do you think, how do you feel in your soul, in your whole soul, will I be alive? What do you think? - I'm sure, I'm sure! – Natasha almost screamed, taking both his hands with a passionate movement. He paused. - How good it would be! - And, taking her hand, he kissed it. Natasha was happy and excited; and immediately she remembered that this was impossible, that he needed calm. “But you didn’t sleep,” she said, suppressing her joy. – Try to sleep... please. He released her hand, shaking it; she moved to the candle and sat down again in her previous position. She looked back at him twice, his eyes shining towards her. She gave herself a lesson on the stocking and told herself that she wouldn't look back until she finished it. Indeed, soon after that he closed his eyes and fell asleep. He did not sleep for long and suddenly woke up in a cold sweat. As he fell asleep, he kept thinking about the same thing he had been thinking about all the time - about life and death. And more about death. He felt closer to her. "Love? What is love? - he thought. – Love interferes with death. Love is life. Everything, everything that I understand, I understand only because I love. Everything is, everything exists only because I love. Everything is connected by one thing. Love is God, and to die means for me, a particle of love, to return to the common and eternal source.” These thoughts seemed comforting to him. But these were just thoughts. Something was missing in them, something was one-sided, personal, mental - it was not obvious. And there was the same anxiety and uncertainty. He fell asleep. He saw in a dream that he was lying in the same room in which he was actually lying, but that he was not wounded, but healthy. Many different faces, insignificant, indifferent, appear before Prince Andrei. He talks to them, argues about something unnecessary. They are getting ready to go somewhere. Prince Andrey vaguely remembers that all this is insignificant and that he has other, more important concerns, but continues to speak, surprising them, some empty, witty words. Little by little, imperceptibly, all these faces begin to disappear, and everything is replaced by one question about the closed door. He gets up and goes to the door to slide the bolt and lock it. Everything depends on whether he has time or not time to lock her. He walks, he hurries, his legs don’t move, and he knows that he won’t have time to lock the door, but still he painfully strains all his strength. And a painful fear seizes him. And this fear is the fear of death: it stands behind the door. But at the same time, as he powerlessly and awkwardly crawls towards the door, something terrible, on the other hand, is already, pressing, breaking into it. Something inhuman - death - is breaking at the door, and we must hold it back. He grabs the door, strains his last efforts - it is no longer possible to lock it - at least to hold it; but his strength is weak, clumsy, and, pressed by the terrible, the door opens and closes again. Once again it pressed from there. The last, supernatural efforts were in vain, and both halves opened silently. It has entered, and it is death. And Prince Andrei died. But at the same moment as he died, Prince Andrei remembered that he was sleeping, and at the same moment as he died, he, making an effort on himself, woke up. “Yes, it was death. I died - I woke up. Yes, death is awakening! - his soul suddenly brightened, and the veil that had hitherto hidden the unknown was lifted before his spiritual gaze. He felt a kind of liberation of the strength previously bound in him and that strange lightness that has not left him since then. When he woke up in a cold sweat and stirred on the sofa, Natasha came up to him and asked what was wrong with him. He did not answer her and, not understanding her, looked at her with a strange look. This was what happened to him two days before the arrival of Princess Marya. From that very day, as the doctor said, the debilitating fever took on a bad character, but Natasha was not interested in what the doctor said: she saw these terrible, more undoubted moral signs for her. From this day on, for Prince Andrei, along with awakening from sleep, awakening from life began. And in relation to the duration of life, it did not seem to him slower than awakening from sleep in relation to the duration of the dream. There was nothing scary or abrupt in this relatively slow awakening. His last days and hours passed as usual and simply. And Princess Marya and Natasha, who did not leave his side, felt it. They did not cry, did not shudder, and lately, feeling this themselves, they no longer walked after him (he was no longer there, he left them), but after the closest memory of him - his body. The feelings of both were so strong that the external, terrible side of death did not affect them, and they did not find it necessary to indulge their grief. They did not cry either in front of him or without him, but they never talked about him among themselves. They felt that they could not put into words what they understood.

Monument to Alexander Matrosov and local history museum

The monument is located next to the fortress on the square of the same name near the Alley of Heroes. The feat was accomplished 70 kilometers from the city near the village of Chernushki. It was there that Sailors closed the German embrasure with his own chest, thanks to which he opened a passage for his comrades, who had previously been under fire.

Next to the monument there is a local history museum. This is where Matrosov’s things are located, as well as photographs.

A visit to the museum costs 50 rubles. for an adult and 25 for schoolchildren and students. It is worth noting that on the last Wednesday of every month, everyone under 18 years of age can visit the museum for free. It is worth noting that the museum has a collection of butterflies.

A few facts about the monument to Matrosov:

1. The feat of this soldier became a symbol of courage and in 1943, after Matrosov’s death, he was awarded the title of Hero.
2. Before the construction of the monument, it was decided to place it on Matrosov’s grave, so the remains were transported from the village of Chernushki, near which he died.
3. The monument is made of bronze and rises at a height of 4 meters. There is an inscription on it indicating what feat Matrosov accomplished.

It is worth noting that books are dedicated to the hero, and a film was also made.

Next to Matrosov Square there is a Walk of Fame, on which, since 2021, 24 steles have been installed with brief information about the heroes of the Soviet Union who were born in the Velikoluksky district. They were installed for the 850th anniversary of Velikiye Luki. The steles indicate the biographical information and years of life of the heroes.

Dyatlinka Island

Velikiye Luki, whose attractions attract a small number of tourists, still remains a city, thanks to a visit to which you can get a lot of pleasant memories. One of the busiest places in the city in the summer is Dyatlinka Island.

Until 2012-2014, there was a sports complex and several open areas for sports games on the island. But after 2012, many new exercise equipment were located on the island and new indoor areas appeared, which are used for sports games or training on specialized equipment.

At Dyatlinka you can meet people involved in skateboarding, since this is where a specialized area is located. Despite its small size, a large number of children who are interested in skateboarding train here. There is also a basketball court nearby, and near it there are many exercise equipment that anyone can use.

If you wish, you can rent:

• roller Skates;
• skateboard;
• skis;
• skates.

In addition, the island has a specialized beach volleyball court. The football field can also be rented for training and competitions. In winter, the skating rink is filled on Dyatlinka, which is also one of the favorite places for people who love active recreation.

You can get to the island via a beautiful suspension bridge, on which you can see many locks hung there by newlyweds. It is here that the newlyweds secure their locks, symbolizing an eternal bond, after which they throw the keys into the river.

Cost of living and hotels

The most popular hotel in Velikiye Luki is the Yubileinaya Hotel, which is located on the central square of the city. Almost everyone can choose a room, since the cost of the cheapest rooms for one person does not exceed 1,500 rubles. The hotel windows offer views of the square and partly of the river. The average cost of staying in a hotel is 1600 rubles.

Also, many city guests choose the Service Hotel. The average cost of living there is 1,400 rubles. Some city guests choose the Idyll Hotel, which has rooms with varying rates to choose from. It is located in the area called “Friendship” by the townspeople. This is where the largest shopping complex in the city is located.

You can get to Velikiye Luki from St. Petersburg and Moscow by direct train. Travel time from Moscow will be about 10 hours, and from St. Petersburg about 7 hours. To have a more interesting time in the city, it is worth visiting all the attractions in Velikiye Luki. This will help you remember the time spent better.

Article design: Vladimir the Great

Postal Museum

The Postal Museum is located in 3 halls, the first of which is decorated as a hut in which postal workers lived.

In the second room there are scales, stamps and other objects from different times. The third hall is an exhibition dedicated to postal paraphernalia.

Other interesting places in the city

Unfortunately, few attractions have been preserved in the city, so when planning a trip to the Pskov region, you can choose a tour of the Pskov region.

Near the park there is a monument erected in honor of the first mention of the city in the chronicle. The building was reconstructed several times, and in 2021 it completely changed its appearance.

While on the Walk of Fame, you cannot help but notice the summer stage, where various events are held. An example is the celebration of the city day, as well as the traditional holiday of school graduates. It is on these days that performances are organized on the summer stage.

The park of culture and recreation has many attractions mainly for children. This is where you can have fun with your family.

Museum of Sofia Kovalevskaya

Velikiye Luki, whose attractions are often associated only with the post-war era, is a city located close to several interesting places for people who know history. One of these places is the museum of Sofia Kovalevskaya.

The estate was bought by Sofia Kovalevskaya's father in 1824. The house is a building in the Russian Gothic style, which is also called false Gothic. The museum exposition shows that Sofya Kovalevskaya was not only a mathematician, but also the author of several stories.

In the house you can see personal letters, photographs and manuscripts of Kovalevskaya. You can visit the museum on any weekday. The cost of visiting for adults is 40 rubles, and for schoolchildren, students and pensioners – 30. If you want to film the museum on video, you will have to pay an additional 250 rubles. If you want to use the services of a guide, you need to pay an additional fee of 300 to 600 rubles. for an adult.

Newlyweds often take photographs near the museum, as the territory of the estate looks like

Museum-Estate of M. P. Mussorgsky

While traveling around Velikoluksky district you can also visit several attractions. One of them is the estate of the great composer.

By visiting the composer’s house, you can immerse yourself in the atmosphere of everyday life of the time in which the great composer lived. Also, thanks to a tour of the museum, you can imagine the life of peasants in the 19th century. The building is located on the shore of Lake Zizhitsky.

Holy Ascension Cathedral

The construction of this monastery was approved in 1675 by the Novgorod Metropolitan. Previously, the Elias Monastery was located on this site. The modern appearance of the temple is quite modest, but the structure and surrounding area significantly enliven the landscape of the city.

After the revolution, the church was closed, and in the post-war years the building was partially dismantled. The restoration took place only in 1990, and the first service took place only in 1992.

Social protection authorities

Local operating charitable and public organizations: “Branch of the Pskov Regional Organization of the All-Russian Society of the Blind”; Velikoluksky branch of the All-Russian Society of Disabled Persons (VOI); Regional branch of the “All-Russian Society of the Deaf” (VOG); LLC Velikoluksk city branch of the Russian Red Cross. In 2010, the autumn charity exhibition-fair “The Generosity of Autumn is the Generosity of the Heart,” which claims to be an annual event, was held. There are inpatient medical and social rehabilitation institutions in the city:

• GBUSO “Center for Assistance to Children Without Parental Care, Velikiye Luki”;
• State educational institution "Special (correctional) general education school No. 9 of the VIII type";
• GBOU "Velikolukskaya comprehensive boarding school for children in need of social support";

• GBUSO "Rehabilitation Center for Children and Adolescents with Disabilities";
• GBUSO "Velikoluksky boarding house for the elderly and disabled";
• "Psychoneurological boarding school";
• GBUSO "Social Service Center of Velikiye Luki"