Valday

For other uses of "Valday", see Valday (disambiguation).

Valday[1] (Russian: Валда́й) is a town in Novgorod Oblast, Russia,[2] the administrative center of Valdaysky District. It lies on the federal highway M10 connecting Moscow and St. Petersburg, 386 kilometers (240 mi) from Moscow and 140 kilometers (87 mi) from Veliky Novgorod. Population: 16,099 (2010 Census preliminary results);[3] 18,703 (2002 Census);[4] 19,173 (1989 Census).[5]

Contents

History

The settlement was first mentioned in 1481 and received the status of a town from the empress Catherine II in 1770,[6] when its population was about 2,000. The town became the leading center of bell manufacturing in Russia. The famous Iversky Monastery (built under the auspices of Patriarch Nikon in the 1650s) is located on one of the islands of the nearby Valday Lake.

Valday was on the eastern front for Russia during World War II.

Tourism

Valday is a popular tourist destination, situated in the middle of the Valdai Hills national park. Most people come to the lake and to the town during the summer. Valday features many resting homes and sanatoria, and many camping places are available around the lake.

Residence of the President of Russia

Very near to the town on the coast of the lake there is a residence of the Russian president. The complex of buildings is highly secured and a large sector of the lake is closed for boats and swimmers. This place was a favorite of the former Russian presidents Boris Yeltsin and Vladimir Putin.

See also

References

  1. ^ The name is alternatively spelled Valdai
  2. ^ Darby; Richard Brookes, William Darby (1827). Darby's Universal Gazetteer: Or, A New Geographical Dictionary.... Original from the New York Public Library: Bennett & Walton. p. 837. http://books.google.com/books?id=NrsBAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA837&dq=%22Valdai+Lake%22&client=firefox-a. 
  3. ^ Федеральная служба государственной статистики (Federal State Statistics Service) (2011). "Предварительные итоги Всероссийской переписи населения 2010 года (Preliminary results of the 2010 All-Russian Population Census)" (in Russian). Всероссийская перепись населения 2010 года (2010 All-Russia Population Census). Federal State Statistics Service. http://www.perepis-2010.ru/results_of_the_census/results-inform.php. Retrieved 2011-04-25. 
  4. ^ Федеральная служба государственной статистики (Federal State Statistics Service) (2004-05-21). "Численность населения России, субъектов Российской Федерации в составе федеральных округов, районов, городских поселений, сельских населённых пунктов – районных центров и сельских населённых пунктов с населением 3 тысячи и более человек (Population of Russia, its federal districts, federal subjects, districts, urban localities, rural localities—administrative centers, and rural localities with population of over 3,000)" (in Russian). Всероссийская перепись населения 2002 года (All-Russia Population Census of 2002). Federal State Statistics Service. http://www.perepis2002.ru/ct/doc/1_TOM_01_04.xls. Retrieved 2010-03-23. 
  5. ^ "Всесоюзная перепись населения 1989 г. Численность наличного населения союзных и автономных республик, автономных областей и округов, краёв, областей, районов, городских поселений и сёл-райцентров. (All Union Population Census of 1989. Present population of union and autonomous republics, autonomous oblasts and okrugs, krais, oblasts, districts, urban settlements, and villages serving as district administrative centers.)" (in Russian). Всесоюзная перепись населения 1989 года (All-Union Population Census of 1989). Demoscope Weekly (website of the Institute of Demographics of the State University—Higher School of Economics. 1989. http://demoscope.ru/weekly/ssp/rus89_reg.php. Retrieved 2010-03-23. 
  6. ^ Энциклопедия Города России. Moscow: Большая Российская Энциклопедия. 2003. p. 62. ISBN 5-7107-7399-9. 

External links

Cities and towns
Borovichi • Chudovo • Kholm • Malaya Vishera • Okulovka • Pestovo • Soltsy • Staraya Russa • Valday
Districts