Description of the attraction
The small town of Kalyazin is located 180 kilometers from Moscow. Like the history of many provincial cities in Russia, the history of this city is associated with the formation of a fortress-monastery. Gradually, a settlement arose and developed around the monastery, and later, on opposite sides of the river, 2 more settlements appeared, which were united in 1775 and received city status by order of Empress Catherine II.
In 1940, Kalyazin fell into a flood zone and lost 2/3 of the old city, its main cultural and historical values. Miraculously survived the historical base of the past, a unique archive of eternity, the pride of the local population - the Kalyazin Museum of Local Lore.
The Kalyazin Museum of Local Lore was founded in 1920. It is located in the former Epiphany Church, erected in 1781. In 1990, a new exposition of the museum was opened.
The first section of the exposition presents the natural and climatic features of the region, flora and fauna. In the archeology department, visitors can get acquainted with the settlements of primitive people on the territory of the Kalyazinsky district, with the emergence of the city of Ksnyatin (1134). An archaeological map of the area, elements of ceramic vessels, stone tools, stone axes, jewelry, arrowheads made of bone and stone are exhibited here.
The next exposition section tells about the history of the formation and development of the Trinity Monastery. Here, frescoes from the walls of the monastery of the 15th century appear before the eyes of visitors, one can learn about the technology of their creation, the development of crafts of the 15th-17th centuries, etc.
At the beginning of the 17th century, Kalyazin turned into an arena of stubborn struggle against foreign intervention. On these lands, a battle took place between Russian troops under the leadership of Prince Mikhail Vasilyevich Skopin-Shuisky with the Polish army. The fighting atmosphere of that time reigns in many objects: the alarm bell, weapons (halberds, ax, spearheads), chain mail, cannon and cannonballs.
The construction of the Vyshnevolotsk water system, made in the era of Emperor Peter the Great, was the impetus for the development of trade and crafts. A sample of the Volga barge, ship cannons, an anchor tell about the development of shipping.
Painted tiles and products of blacksmiths tell the story of local craftsmen. Samples of embroidery, fabrics and gold embroidery of the 18th century are very interesting. Kalyazin lace was known throughout the country. They were eagerly acquired in both capitals.
Three exhibition sections: "Kalyazin Territory during the Great October Revolution and the Civil War of 1917-1921", "Kalyazin Territory during the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945" and "Revival of the National Economy in 1941-1961" tell about the formation of Soviet power in the city of Kalyazin, about Vasily Ivanovich Shorin - the hero of the Civil War, the development of agriculture, industry, culture, education and medicine in the 1930s, about the Kalyazin people who took part in the Great Patriotic War, about the post-war development of Kalyazin and the Kalyazin region, its cultural traditions, etc.
The museum exposition ends with materials about Ivan Fedorovich Nikolsky (1898-1979) and his activities. He was the organizer and until 1972 the director of the Kalyazin Museum of Local Lore. He did a great job of collecting and preserving historical and artistic values from the former estates, the Makaryevsky Kalyazinsky monastery and others. Nikolsky is the author of numerous articles on the history of the region in the central and local press, books on the museum, etc.
The museum regularly organizes exhibitions, many of which have become participants in major Russian and international exhibitions. Every year the museum holds scientific conferences at which museum staff, scientists from large Russian universities, and local historians speak.
