The Ostashkov Museum of Local Lore was established in 1889. For several decades, its collection was located in the city school. In 1977, it was moved to the Trinity Cathedral, which is located in the northern part of the city. There is an interesting collection on the history of Ostashkov and the nature of Lake Seliger.
Next to the Museum of Local Lore (Trinity Cathedral) is the Church of the Resurrection of Christ. Both temples have free-standing bell towers. The Resurrection Church is being restored and services will soon resume there. The bell tower of the Trinity Cathedral is part of the Museum of Local Lore. You can climb it to see a beautiful view of the Old Town of Ostashkov and Lake Seliger.
A significant part of the exposition of the Ostashkov Museum of Local Lore is devoted to the nature of the Tver region. Most of the lakes in the north-west of the Tver region are of glacial origin. The coastline of Seliger is indented by numerous bays and channels. There are more than 160 islands on Seliger. The age of Lake Seliger reaches 20 thousand years.
Since the Neolithic era, the shores of Seliger have been inhabited by ancient people. In Soviet times, excavations were carried out on the Island of Klichen. Archaeologists have found stone tools of ancient people, which can be seen in the museum. The same finds were made by archaeologists at other sites of ancient people on the shore of Seliger.
The main exposition of the Ostashkov Museum of Local Lore is devoted to the history of the city from the 14th to the 19th century. For the first time the city was mentioned in the chronicle in 1371 under the name "Klichen". According to legend, in 1393 the settlement was attacked by a squad of the Novgorod Republic. The only survivor of this raid was the fisherman Estafiy Ostashko. He stayed to live in this place and soon revived the village. It was called Ostashkovskaya Sloboda.
In 1587, the Ostashkovsky Fortress was built nearby, and in 1770 Ostashkov received the status of a city, the capital of the new Ostashkovsky district. Over time, it was called the "Capital of Seliger", since all the surrounding roads passed through Ostashkov.
In 1772, Empress Catherine II approved the coat of arms of the city. It depicts three fish, symbolizing Seliger`s wealth in fish resources and a double-headed eagle, which gives privileges in the development of crafts. In the museum you can see Ostashkov`s maps of different centuries, which show its active development.
Lake Seliger is one of the most famous fishing spots in central Russia. There are also many animals in the surrounding forests. A large exposition in the Museum of Local Lore is dedicated to the nature of Seliger and environmental projects of local authorities for the protection of local environment.
