Tver is a middle-sized city (450 thousand inhabitants) tucked in somewhere between the two Russian capitals of Moscow (167 kilometers away) and St.Petersburg (485 km away). Moscow is only about three hours away by train - really, Tver is just a far suburb. Its embankment with a nice view over the Volga river and the city park with attractions and a big dipper are only some of the things worth taking a look.

The city of Tver has a renowned historical background. It was first mentioned in the chronicle in the year 1209, and was originally built on the left bank of river Volga , at mouth of its estuary Tvertsa, but then transferred to Volga 's right bank to the mouth of river T'maka. Since the beginning of the 14th century Tver had been Moscow 's main rival in the violent struggle for becoming the the leader of all Russian principalities. However, Moscow proved to be more cunning and powerful, so in the year 1485 the principality of Tver became part of the Moscow State .

The modern planning of the city center has remained intact from the 18th century. This radial structure was earlier used in constructing the Admiralty part of St.Petersburg. The Tver people say: "Tver city is St.Petersburg the little". The Half-Circular (Sovietskaya) square gives a start to three radial streets hosting small two-story mansions built in the baroque and classical styles. Take a leisurely stroll along the streets of Tver - you may well forget the century you live in. Despite some damage that the city suffered in the years of Soviet rule, some blocks and streets have preserved their original look.

Contemporary construction works have been carried out in a delicate way: although there are more and more new houses as you move from the city center, their size is kept down and sometimes their looks are even tailored to resemble the earlier architectural styles. The turn of the 20th century has left its own trace: remarkable eclectic and modernist buildings are a notable Tver landmark. An example of that is the Resurrection Cathedral of the Rozhdestvensky Monastery, attributed to the Russian national branch of modernism in architecture. Factory worker settlements, constructed around large factories at the outskirts of Tver about the same time, deserve a special mention. They are normally built of red brick, but their style varies a lot: sometimes they are neoclassical, sometimes modernist, sometimes eclectic. A few houses in the Morozovsky settlement, for example, can truly be called masterpieces.

The city landscape is divided into four parts by the rivers Volga , Tvertsa (on the left) and T'maka (on the right). The Tver Cremlin used to be situated on the right bank, and the city stretched from there to the East and South-East - exactly where we land when we arrive from Moscow . The rest of the right bank does sometimes remind us of a big village, but it is here, among the wooden houses with small gardens, that the oldest church in Tver stands - the church of White Trinity . Built in 1564 from brick and white stone, it has a square basement, seven domes and a three-tiered belfry. The ancient part of the church resembles 16th century Moscow architecture, but has certain referrals to the local tradition. The construction is well-known for its clarity and its ascetic decoration. An early iconostasis and some later murals are preserved in this functioning Orthodox cathedral.

Another sight well worth seeing is the Emperor's Putevoy (Travel) Palace built by famous architects of Moscow and St.Petersburg - Kazakov and Rossi. Although some of its decoration perished during the World War II, the palace hosts a famous picture gallery that can boast of many original works or art executed by Russia 's best painters. A few exhibition rooms host a selection of regional icons. There are quite a few museums in the city, but also a recreational infrastructure - the local restaurants, clubs and cafes will take care of you when you get tired of strolling along the streets of Tver.