Soletsky District: Museums, Churches and History

Historical traces take different forms in Soletsky District: a church on the Shelon, exhibitions and a cultural and leisure centre in Soltsy, a chapel at an old spring, and a former manor park in Vybiti. These places appeal to travellers who want to include buildings, objects and local history in their holiday plans. To choose a holiday rental, you can first decide which of these themes you want to shape your holiday.

Soltsy: Collections and Local History

The “Museum of the Wheel” exhibition features various kinds of wooden wheels, tools used to make them, and informational materials. It also includes models and examples of carts, models of artillery guns from the 17th and 18th centuries, and items of horse equipment: collars, bridles and horseshoes. The collection thus ranges from wheels and their craft context to carts, guns and horse equipment.

The museum room in Soltsy’s central library displays exhibits from the period when M. M. Prishvin lived. It opened on 31 May 2011 in the Soltsy District Library. The merchant dynasties of the Ardamatsky, Bagrov, Vanyukov, Krasikov, Bogovsky, Yulin and Dubetsky families are another part of the town’s history. The name Soltsy also refers to a spring: the salt spring from which the town takes its name was called “Alexandrovsky” in the 19th century.

Workshops on making an amulet are held at the Soltsy Cultural and Leisure Centre and are open to everyone. Check the current schedule before visiting.

Buildings and Memorial Sites

The Church of St John the Apostle and Evangelist was built in 1903 in the village of Velebitsy, on the bank of the Shelon River. It stands at the site of the 1471 battle between the people of Novgorod and the troops of Moscow Prince Ivan III. Here, a church building and a precisely identified historical site come together.

In 2002, members of the Soltsy garrison and residents of nearby settlements built the Chapel of the Righteous Warrior Fyodor Ushakov in Molochkovo. It stands at an old spring and not far from the village church. The chapel’s location is therefore linked to two specific local landmarks: the spring and the church.

Vybiti: The Manor and Former Park

The Vybiti estate belonged to the Vasilchikov princely family from the second half of the 18th century. More than 60 species of trees and shrubs grow in the estate’s former park; some of the manor buildings are in ruins. The park and buildings thus offer different glimpses into the estate’s history, without implying that it can be visited today.

Places to Consider When Choosing a Holiday Rental

A thematic comparison can help you search for a holiday rental: Soltsy brings together the exhibitions described here and the workshop, while different historical connections take centre stage in Velebitsy, Molochkovo and Vybiti.

Discover More Destinations

Discover more destinations: Retno, Malovishersky District, Borovichsky District, Chudovsky District, Novgorodsky District, Marevsky District, Okulovsky District, Valdaysky District.

Back to the main travel overview: Novgorod Oblast.