Valday[11] (Russian: Валда́й) is a town and the administrative center of Valdaysky District in Novgorod Oblast, Russia, located on the southwestern shore of Lake Valdayskoye, the biggest one in the set of lakes in the highest region of the Valdai Hills, on the M10 Highway connecting Moscow and St. Petersburg, 386 kilometers (240 mi) from Moscow and 140 kilometers (87 mi) from Veliky Novgorod, the administrative center of the oblast. Population: 16,098 (2010 Census);[5] 18,703 (2002 Census);[12] 19,173 (1989 Census).[13]

Valday Валдай
Town[1]
Narodnaya Street in Valday
Flag Coat of arms
Location of Valday
Valday Location of Valday Show map of Russia Valday Valday (Novgorod Oblast) Show map of Novgorod Oblast
Coordinates: 57°58′N 33°15′E
Country	Russia
Federal subject	Novgorod Oblast[1]
Administrative district	Valdaysky District[1]
Town of district significance	Valday[2]
First mentioned	1495[3]
Town status since	1770[4]
Elevation	210 m (690 ft)
Population  (2010 Census)[5]
• Total	16,098
• Estimate  (2018)[6]	14,240 (−11.5%)
Administrative status
• Capital of	Valdaysky District[1], town of district significance of Valday[2]
Municipal status
• Municipal district	Valdaysky Municipal District[7]
• Urban settlement	Valdayskoye Urban Settlement[8]
• Capital of	Valdaysky Municipal District[7], Valdayskoye Urban Settlement[8]
Time zone	UTC+3 (MSK [9])
Postal code(s)[10]	175400, 175402–175405, 175449
OKTMO ID	49608101001
Website	valday-gorod.ru

History

It was first mentioned in a chronicle in 1495.[3] At the time, it was a part of Derevskaya Pyatina of the Novgorod Republic.[3] The growth of Valday was facilitated by construction of a road connecting Novgorod to Central Russia and by the foundation of the Valday Iversky Monastery in 1653, which became a major cultural center. The famous monastery, built under the auspices of Patriarch Nikon in the 1650s, is located on one of the islands of Lake Valdayskoye.

In the course of the administrative reform carried out in 1708 by Peter the Great, the territory was included into Ingermanland Governorate (known since 1710 as St. Petersburg Governorate). In 1727, separate Novgorod Governorate was split off. In 1770, Valday was chartered[4] and became the seat of Valdaysky Uyezd of Novgorod Viceroyalty. In 1796, the viceroyalty was transformed into Novgorod Governorate.[14] Located along the road connecting Moscow and St. Petersburg, Valday developed as a major trade center. The town became the leading center of bell manufacturing in Russia. It also became a major pilgrim destination.

In August 1927, the uyezds were abolished and, effective October 1, 1927, Valdaysky District was established, with the administrative center in Valday.[15] Novgorod Governorate was abolished as well and the district became a part of Borovichi Okrug of Leningrad Oblast.[15] On July 23, 1930, the okrugs were abolished and the districts were directly subordinated to the oblast.[15] Valday was close to the eastern front line for Russia during World War II, but was never occupied by German troops. On July 5, 1944, Valdaysky District was transferred to newly established Novgorod Oblast and remained there ever since.[16]

Administrative and municipal status

Within the framework of administrative divisions, Valday serves as the administrative center of Valdaysky District.[1] As an administrative division, it is, together with the selo of Zimogorye, incorporated within Valdaysky District as the town of district significance of Valday.[2] As a municipal division, the town of district significance of Valday is incorporated within Valdaysky Municipal District as Valdayskoye Urban Settlement.[8]

Economy

Industry

In Valday, there are enterprises of timber and food industries, as well as enterprises producing optical devices and pumps.[17]

Transportation

A railway which connects Bologoye and Pskov via Staraya Russa passes through Valday. The town also has a railway connection with Kresttsy. There is no passenger traffic but the railway is in use for cargo traffic.

Valday is located on the M10 Highway which connects Moscow and St. Petersburg. There is a road connection to Okulovka, as well as local roads.

Culture and tourism

Valday is a popular tourist destination, situated in the middle of the Valdaysky National Park, in the northern part of the Valdai Hills. Most tourists visit the lake and the town during the summer. Valday features many recreation facilities and sanatoria, with many camping places available around the lake. The first meeting of the Valdai Discussion Club was also held on the lake.

Valday contains forty-three cultural heritage monuments of federal significance and additionally seventy-four objects classified as cultural and historical heritage of local significance.[18] The federal monuments are the ensemble of Valday Iversky Monastery, the Presentation Church, and a park.

The Valdaysky District Museum, located in Valday, displays two exhibitions. One is devoted to the history of Valday as an uyezd seat in the 19th century. This part of the museum is located in the Mikhaylova House, a 19th-century historical building. The second part, in the former Church of St. Catherine, highlights the history of Valday bell-making.[19] In the end of the 18th and in the 19th century, bell-making was a traditional handicraft in Valday. Big church bells, as well as small bells which were hung to a horse harness, were produced.[3]

Gallery

• 
  Troitsky Cathedral
• 
  Troitsky Cathedral, Inner view
• 
  Iversky Monastery
• 
  Houses in the olld city
• 
  On the main square
• 
  Monuments to Valdai Heroes of the Soviet Union

Residence of the President of Russia

Very close to the town on the coast of Lake Valdayskoye there is a residence of the President of Russia. The complex of buildings is highly secured and a large sector of the lake is closed for boats and swimmers. This place was frequented by President Boris Yeltsin and is also Vladimir Putin's favorite. Putin's Dacha is on the southern 100 hectares (250 acres) of a peninsula between Lake Uzhin (Russian: Ужин) and Lake Valdai (Russian: озеро Валдай) and is across Lake Valdai from Valday (Russian: Валдай).[20][21] Often, Putin's Dacha, which was built in 1980, is called Valdai, Dolgie Bearods, or Stalin's Dacha, but Stalin was not alive when Valdai was built.[22] Abuting north of this location is 150 hectares (370 acres) owned by the Russian Federation and is frequented by the Federal Security Service.[20] According to Alexei Navalny, Yuri Kovalchuk is the owner of Putin's Dacha.[20]

Twin towns – sister cities

• Cañon City, United States

References

Notes

Sources

• Снытко, О. В. (2009). С. Д. Трифонов; Т. Б. Чуйкова; Л. В. Федина; А. Э. Дубоносова (eds.). Административно-территориальное деление Новгородской губернии и области 1727-1995 гг. Справочник (PDF) (in Russian). St. Petersburg. Retrieved May 28, 2014.
• Новгородская областная Дума. Областной закон №559-ОЗ от 11 ноября 2005 г. «Об административно-территориальном устройстве Новгородской области», в ред. Областного закона №730-ОЗ от 26 февраля 2015 г. «О внесении изменений в Областной закон "Об административно-территориальном устройстве Новгородской области"». Вступил в силу 1 января 2006 г. Опубликован: "Новгородские ведомости", №75, 23 ноября 2005 г. (Novgorod Oblast Duma. Oblast Law #559-OZ of November 11, 2005 On the Administrative-Territorial Structure of Novgorod Oblast, as amended by the Oblast Law #730-OZ of February 26, 2015 On Amending the Oblast Law "On the Administrative-Territorial Structure of Novgorod Oblast". Effective as of January 1, 2006.).
• Администрация Новгородской области. Постановление №121 от 8 апреля 2008 г. «Об реестре административно-территориального устройства области», в ред. Постановления №408 от 4 августа 2014 г. «О внесении изменений в реестр административно-территориального устройства области». Опубликован: "Новгородские ведомости", №49–50, 16 апреля 2008 г. (Administration of Novgorod Oblast. Resolution #121 of April 8, 2008 On the Registry of the Administrative-Territorial Structure of Novgorod Oblast, as amended by the Resolution #408 of August 4, 2014 On Amending the Registry of the Administrative-Territorial Structure of Novgorod Oblast. ).
• Новгородская областная Дума. Областной закон №284-ОЗ от 7 июня 2004 г. «О наделении сельских районов и города Великий Новгород статусом муниципальных районов и городского округа Новгородской области и утверждении границ их территорий», в ред. Областного закона №802-ОЗ от 31 августа 2015 г. «О внесении изменений в некоторые областные Законы, устанавливающие границы муниципальных образований». Вступил в силу со дня, следующего за днём официального опубликования. Опубликован: "Новгородские ведомости", №86, 22 июня 2004 г. (Novgorod Oblast Duma. Oblast Law #284-OZ of June 7, 2004 On Granting the Status of Municipal Districts and Urban Okrug of Novgorod Oblast to the Rural Districts and the City of Veliky Novgorod and on Establishing the Borders of Their Territories, as amended by the Oblast Law #802-OZ of August 31, 2015 On Amending Various Oblast Laws Establishing the Borders of the Municipal Formations. Effective as of the day following the day of the official publication.).
• Новгородская областная Дума. Областной закон №371-ОЗ от 22 декабря 2004 г. «Об установлении границ муниципальных образований, входящих в состав территории Валдайского муниципального района, наделении их статусом городского и сельских поселений, определении административных центров и перечня населённых пунктов, входящих в состав территорий поселений», в ред. Областного закона №216-ОЗ от 1 марта 2013 г. «О внесении изменений в некоторые областные законы, содержащие перечни населённых пунктов, входящих в состав территорий поселений». Вступил в силу со дня, следующего за днём официального опубликования. Опубликован: "Новгородские ведомости", №2, 12 января 2005 г. (Novgorod Oblast Duma. Oblast Law #371-OZ of December 22, 2004 On Establishing the Borders of the Municipal Formations Within the Territory of Valdaysky Municipal District, on Granting Them the Status of Urban and Rural Settlements, on Establishing Their Administrative Centers, and on Compiling the Lists of Inhabited Localities Within the Settlement Territories, as amended by the Oblast Law #216-OZ of March 1, 2013 On Amending Various Oblast Laws Containing the Lists of Inhabited Localities Within the Settlement Territories. Effective as of the day following the day of the official publication.).

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Valday.

• Official website of Valday (in Russian)
• Unofficial website of Valday (in Russian)

На других языках

[ru] Валдай