Kashin is one of the most ancient towns of the Tver Region and the administrative centre of Kashin District.

Its population makes 15115 persons (as of 2010).

The city is situated on the banks of River Kashinka (the left inflow of Volga), in the southeast of the Tver Region, at the distance of 150 km from Tver, and 180 km from Moscow, not far from the border with the Yaroslavl Region.

Kashin is the only resort town in the Tver Region. It has a mineral water springs based sanatorium that was opened at the late 19th century. There are also mineral water bottling factories there producing Kashinsky, Anna Kashinskaya and Kashinskaya voditsa water labels.

Little Kashin with its ancient history is well-known for its original town planning.

The town is cut by Kashinka River, which loops amazingly several times across the town. In one place it forms an extremely narrow crosspiece which has room for one street only. So standing there one can see the same river on the right and on the left. Kashin is called the “town of Russian heart”, because River Kashinka, winding about the city, forms a heart-shape silhouette.

Though the town is beautiful and original, it is not crowded with tourists. This is, apparently, due to the fact that Kashin is rather remote from other tourist places and the Golden Ring. Stone buildings, including modern ones, prevail in the town.

Kashin was, unfortunately, considerably marred by Soviet officials who tried to destroy the spirit of the ancient town. Originality was not in favour in those days, and the town was purposefully bereft of its unique character. Old buildings, especially churches and monasteries, were ruined, and the empty spaces left were built up with faceless grey buildings, both residential and industrial ones. Nevertheless, some sights have survived.

Sights

The town boasts picturesque landscapes interspersed with numerous churches that have come down to us.

There is a very interesting place near the old shopping arcade: pleasant views on neighbouring streets and hills open from there.

One should see the Voznesensky Cathedral (the town’s major dominating structure), the graceful Ilyinsko-Preobrazhensky Church (1778), the Nativity Church on the Hill (1786), and Krestoznamensky Church, located near the sanatorium, as well as St. Peter and Paul Church, St. Florus and Laurus Church, and the Museum of Local Lore in the building of Vkhodoierusalimsky Church (1789).

There is one operating monastery – Klobukov Monastery – and ruins of former Dmitrovsky and Sretensky Monasteries in Kashin. Until 1998 there was a fine wooden Sts Joachim and Anna Church (1646), which unfortunately was burned down as a result of “an unintentional arson”.

How to Get there

From Moscow: take a train from Byelorussky Train Station to Rybinsk (5 hours long, arrives at night); or by an electric train (electrichka) from Savelovsky Station in Moscow to station Savelovo and then by a suburban train (runs once a day) – entire route will take around 5.5 hours.

From St.Petersburg: trains from the Moskovsky Station to Uglich (11.5 hours on the road), or to Tver (10 departures a day; 5-7 hours on the road). Further take a bus to Kashin (3 runs a day), Kalyazin (2 runs a day) or Kesova Gora (1 run a day). The bus trip takes about 3 and a half hours.