Staraya Russa is a small city of 32,000 inhabitants and it is little known in Europe, even if the Russians had a great historical importance, since it was one of the first Russian epic centers that began with the reign of Kiev. If not for this, it is well known among international travelers, for having been the summer residence of Dostoevsky, who took it as a model for the fictional town of Skotoprigonievsk, in his book The Brothers Karamazov.
Staraya Russa has a troubled history, having seen all over the history, many battles. They were of glorious beginnings of the city to escape their homes from wood to stone ones, thanks to commercial activities, the battles against the invading Vikings and Nazis, the decadence brought by brigandage in the seventeenth, which led it almost to disappear.
Despite everything, despite the destruction, something is preserved, such as: many wooden houses, including the residence of Dostoevsky, several churches, and something things were lost ( as the thermal bath has been rebuilt).
In addition to the smell of old Russia, and thermal waters, here you can visit the museum of Dostoevsky, Grushenka, the home of the Brothers Karamazov (obviously as a model in the novel), the fountain Muravyovsky, built where there is a natural mineral spring of the Cathedral of the Resurrection, the Monastery of the Transfiguration
Although it is not a big city, it can be challenging visited on foot, better consider a taxi. You can get there by taking a single daily connection by train from Moscow, more frequent connections with buses departing from Novgorod, one every hour, for two hours of travel.
By Alba V
Photo 1+4+5+6+7:Wikipedia Commons, Photo 2: hazelanne332, Photo 3: holiday-spot
