The Valdaisky National Park is located in the
north of the Valdai Upland, on the territory of three districts of
the Novgorod region - Okulovsky, Valdaisky and Demyansky. The length
of the park is 105 km from north to south and 45 km from east to
west.
The Valdai Uplands are the cradle of many Russian
rivers: the sources of the Volga, Dnieper, Zapadnaya Dvina, Volkhov,
Msta are located here, most of the waters of the Neva and smaller
rivers are collected from here. Scientists have discovered a giant
network of underground water-bearing caves on the Valdai Hills, this
area is the main source of fresh water in Russia.
In order to
preserve the natural resources of Valdai, on May 17, 1990, the
Valdaisky National Park was established.
Bears, wolves,
lynxes, foxes, elks, wild boars, hares, badgers, martens, beavers,
otters and minks are found in the forests of the national park. Of
the birds, the most common are black grouse, hazel grouse,
capercaillie and ducks. Lakes and rivers are rich in various types
of fish - pike, bream, burbot, tench, crucian carp, smelt, pike
perch, vendace, roach, perch and ruff live in the park.
Valdaisky National Park (Russian: Валдайский национальный парк, also
spelled Valdaysky or Valdai National Park) is one of Russia’s premier
protected areas, located in the northern part of the Valdai Upland in
Novgorod Oblast. It spans the Valdaysky, Okulovsky, and Demyansky
districts and covers approximately 1,585 km² (158,500 hectares). The
park was established primarily to conserve the unique lake-and-forest
complex of the Valdai Upland—one of the main watersheds of the European
Russian Plain, often called the “Crystal Dome of Russia”—while enabling
organized recreation and tourism. It includes the town of Valday, Lake
Valdayskoye (Valdai Lake), the northern part of Lake Seliger, and dozens
of smaller glacial lakes, with forests covering about 86% of the
territory.
The park’s history is deeply layered, reflecting millennia
of human interaction with a glacial landscape formed roughly
10,000–12,000 years ago during the last Ice Age. This terrain features
moraines, hills, over 70 lakes, rivers (belonging to the basins of the
Volga, Msta, and Pola), and dense forests, which have supported
settlement, trade, religion, science, and recreation while facing
pressures from agriculture, logging, and war.
Prehistoric and
Ancient Settlement (7th–6th centuries BCE onward)
The Valdai Upland
served as a crossroads for ancient peoples due to its position as a
continental watershed dividing the Baltic, Black, and Caspian Sea
basins. Archaeological evidence within the park includes 82 documented
monuments, such as Neolithic settlements (dating to the 7th–6th
centuries BCE, or even earlier to the 5th–3rd millennia BCE in some
accounts), fortified gordishcha, unfortified селища (selishcha), burial
mounds (kurgans and sopki), and stone heaps (zhalniki). These reflect
two main cultural layers: the “Long Mounds” culture (6th–9th centuries
CE, linked to Finno-Ugric peoples, ancestors of groups like the Komi,
Izhorians, Karelians, Finns, and Estonians) and the “Sopki” culture
(late 8th–10th centuries CE, associated with early Slavs). Sites cluster
near rivers and streams, with prominent sopki east of the Moscow–St.
Petersburg highway near Mironegi village.
This prehistoric foundation
underscores the area’s role in early migrations and resource use in
northwestern Russia.
Medieval Period: Novgorod Republic and Key
Historical Events (13th–15th centuries)
In the Middle Ages, the
territory belonged to the Novgorod Republic. Two pivotal events are tied
to the region:
1238 (or 1237–1238) — The Mongol invasion under Khan
Batu (Batyi) reached the area after sacking Torzhok. Chronicles describe
the army halting at the “Ignach Cross” (precise location uncertain but
believed within or near park boundaries) before turning back from
Novgorod, an event later commemorated with a memorial by park staff.
This marked a divine or strategic limit to the Mongol advance on the
republic.
1456 — The Yazhelbitsky Peace treaty was concluded near
Yazhelbitsy between Novgorod and Moscow, a key diplomatic moment in the
unification of Russian lands.
Valday itself was first mentioned
in chronicles in 1495. The area’s growth accelerated with the
construction of a major road linking Novgorod to central Russia,
facilitating trade and settlement.
Early Modern Era: Monastic and
Cultural Development (17th–18th centuries)
The Valday Iversky
Bogoroditsky Holy Lake Monastery, founded in 1653 on Selevitsky
(Selviksky) Island in Lake Valdayskoye by Patriarch Nikon, became a
major spiritual, cultural, and architectural center. Commissioned during
a period of Orthodox consolidation, the ensemble (expanded through the
19th century) features the impressive Uspensky Cathedral and remains
active today under the Novgorod Eparchy. It is considered one of
Russia’s artistic treasures and draws pilgrims.
In 1770, Empress
Catherine II granted Valday city status, with urban planning that
integrated the natural amphitheater-like topography sloping to the lake.
Local crafts flourished, including blacksmithing, lace-making, and—most
famously—bell-founding (sleigh bells and large church bells), which
gained international renown until production largely ceased in 1929. The
Church of St. Catherine in Valday (late 18th century, designed by
architect N.A. Lvov) now houses the Valdai History Museum and a “Valdai
Bell” exhibition.
19th Century: Estates, Science, and Recreation
The 18th–19th centuries saw noble estates develop after exemptions from
state service allowed landowners to focus on manorial estates with
artistic garden-parks (9 such monuments survive). Notable examples
include “Gory” (Duke of Leuchtenberg), “Gorneshno” (Demidov), and
“Nikolskoe” (Vrassky).
Scientific innovation arrived with the
Nikolsky Fish Breeding Plant in the 1850s, founded by Vladimir Pavlovich
Vrassky (1829–1863) in Nikolskoye village. It pioneered “dry” artificial
fertilization of fish caviar in Russia—the first such facility in the
country—and operated extensive ponds for breeding and stocking lakes. By
1857, it received patronage from the Moscow Agricultural Society and
international recognition.
The area attracted Russian intellectuals
(Derzhavin, Pushkin, Herzen, Rimsky-Korsakov, Roerich, and others), who
drew inspiration from its landscapes. By the early 20th century, all
agricultural lands were in use, and the region shifted toward
recreation.
Soviet Era: Early Protections, Wars, and Scientific
Research (1920s–1980s)
Early Soviet conservation efforts touched the
area:
1921 — A natural monument or reserve was established on lake
islands under a Lenin-signed decree on the protection of nature
monuments, gardens, and parks (part of broader Soviet zapovednik
legislation).
1936–1941 — A zapovednik (strict nature reserve) of
about 5,200 ha was created but lost status during World War II due to
timber extraction and infrastructure needs. It was not fully restored
postwar.
World War II left scars: monuments along the route to
Demyansk commemorate the North-Western Front’s defense (1941–1943), with
mass burials of Soviet soldiers. Postwar logging occurred, but
late-Soviet military installations (including rocket/missile positions
in the 1980s) inadvertently helped preserve some old-growth forests by
restricting civilian access.
Scientific work intensified from the
1930s, with a hydrology and ecology research station (Valdai branch of
the State Hydrological Institute). The Borovnovskaya Hydroelectric
Station (1928) was an early engineering landmark. In 1998, the site
gained UNESCO status as an Experimental Hydrology Center.
Establishment of the National Park (1990) and Modern Status
In the
late 1980s, amid concerns over logging threats to coniferous forests,
proposals for protection gained traction. On May 17, 1990, the Council
of Ministers of the RSFSR issued Decree No. 157, officially creating
Valdaisky National Park—the first (or among the earliest) of Russia’s
post-Soviet national parks. The goals were explicit: preserve the unique
lake-forest ecosystem of the Valdai Upland and develop conditions for
organized recreation.
(It is sometimes dated to 1992 in secondary
sources, but primary records and most references confirm the 1990
decree.) The park operates today as a Federal State Budgetary
Institution under the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment.
In 2004, it was designated a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, recognizing its
biodiversity (over 45–50 mammal species including moose, bear, and lynx;
180 bird species; rich fish fauna) and cultural landscape value. It
features zoned protection (strict reserve, ecotourism, and recreation
areas) and supports eco-trails, visitor centers, and tourism
infrastructure. Over 230 historical and cultural monuments are
protected, including the Iversky Monastery and archaeological sites.
Location and Extent
The park lies in the northern and highest part
of the Valdai Hills (Valdaiskaya Vozvyshennost'), within Novgorod
Oblast. It spans three districts: primarily Valdaysky (62% of the area),
Demyansky (26%), and Okulovsky (12%). The territory stretches roughly
100–105 km from north to south and 45 km from west to east along the
upland's main axis, covering approximately 159,100 hectares (1,591 km²).
It includes the town of Valday, Lake Valdayskoye, and the northern
portion of Lake Seliger. Coordinates center around 57°58′ N, 33°15′ E.
The park forms part of a major continental divide, with waters flowing
outward to feed the basins of the Baltic Sea (via the Pola, Msta, and
Neva rivers) and the Caspian Sea (via the Volga system). No major
external rivers flow into the park; instead, it serves as a source for
many rivers.
Topography and Geology
The landscapes result
almost entirely from the last continental glaciation (Valdai
glaciation). The park sits on the periphery of the former ice sheet in a
zone of glacial accumulation, creating a highly dissected,
"mountainous-feeling" hilly terrain despite modest absolute elevations.
Relief features: A mosaic of morainic ridges and hills (terminal
moraines), kames (irregular dome-shaped hills, locally called kamy),
eskers (sinuous gravel ridges, or ozy), and outwash (zandrovye) plains.
Hills and ridges rise 20–50 m relative to surroundings, with slopes
often 15–20° or steeper. Depressions and basins between them frequently
hold lakes or wetlands.
Elevations: Average 150–200 m above sea
level; the highest point in the park (and Novgorod Oblast) is Gora
Ryzhokha (Ryzhokha Mountain) at 296 m. Some sources note nearby
Orekhovna Hill around 288 m.
Bedrock: Paleozoic deposits (Devonian
and Carboniferous limestones, dolomites, marls, sandstones, clays)
overlie crystalline basement, covered by a thick layer of Quaternary
morainic, fluvioglacial, and lacustrine-glacial sediments.
This
glacial sculpting produces the park's characteristic wavy horizons of
forested hills, capes, islands, and interconnected lakes—often called a
"blue necklace."
Hydrology
Water bodies dominate the
geography, covering about 9.2% of the park (roughly 14,704 ha of lake
surface). The park contains 76–200 lakes (sources vary slightly on exact
count; 56 exceed 20 ha), mostly of glacial origin, with complex,
indented shorelines. Many are flowing or have outflows; depths in larger
lakes commonly exceed 10 m.
Major lakes:
Lake Valdayskoye
(19.7 km², max depth ~52 m, average ~12 m) — the park's most prominent,
with islands (one an eroded esker) and connected by canal to Lake Uzhin.
Lake Velyo (~45 km²).
Lake Uzhin (~10 km²).
Lake Borovno (~10
km²).
Northern part of Lake Seliger (much larger but only a small
section inside park boundaries).
Smaller forest lakes are
shallower (3–5 m) but often have thick sapropel silt bottoms. The lakes
support rich aquatic life and are noted for clarity and scenic beauty.
Rivers: No large rivers, but several small, meandering streams originate
here (e.g., Polomet, Valdayka from Lake Uzhin, Yavon from Lake Velyo).
Widths 5–20 m, depths up to 1.5–2 m. These feed the Pola (Neva basin),
Msta, and Volga systems. Swamps and raised peat bogs occupy ~2.9% of the
area, mainly in watersheds and valleys.
Climate
The temperate
continental climate features moderately warm summers, long moderately
cold winters, and high variability (rapid weather changes are common).
Average annual temperature is +3.2°C; January/February averages −9 to
−10°C; July +16 to +17°C. Annual precipitation is ~828 mm (more in
summer), with stable snow cover for ~140 days (depth 40–45 cm).
Frost-free period lasts ~128 days. Prevailing winds are
westerly/southwesterly. The position between Atlantic and continental
influences contributes to the changeable conditions.
Soils and
Broader Landscapes
Diverse relief and parent materials (silty/sandy
moraines, fluvioglacial sands, lacustrine-glacial deposits, etc.) create
complex soil cover. Dominant types are meadow-weakly podzolized
(soddy-podzolic) soils; gleyed variants occur in depressions, while
peat-bog soils are limited due to good drainage. Some
brown-pseudopodzolized soils appear under nemoral (broadleaf-influenced)
forests.
Overall, ~84–86% of the park is forested (southern taiga
transitioning to mixed broadleaf-coniferous forests), with spruce, pine,
birch, aspen, and alder dominant, plus relict northern oak groves at
their range limit. The mosaic of hills, lakes, forests, and wetlands
gives the park its exceptional scenic and ecological value as a
representative glacial landscape of the East European Plain.
The basis of the fauna of terrestrial vertebrates of the park are the following species: elk, wild boar, bear, hare, badger, fox, marten, lynx and other animals associated with living in water: river beaver, otter, mink, water rat, as well as ducks of all types. Of the order of chickens, the most numerous are hazel grouse, capercaillie, and black grouse. Wild boar, elk, white hare, squirrel, bear, beaver, etc. are widespread throughout the territory. The number of these animal species varies from year to year, but only slightly. The wolf is widespread throughout the park. The lakes and rivers of the park are rich in various types of fish: pike, bream, burbot, tench, crucian carp, smelt, vendace, pike perch, roach, perch, ruff and others.
The vegetation cover includes spruce, pine and birch forests, there are areas of northern oak forests with hazel, ash, nemoral forbs; there are raised bogs, upland meadows. The forest lands of the park make up 86% of the area. Plantations dominated by spruce occupy 28% of forest land, birch - 36%, pine - 17%, aspen - 3%, gray alder - 16%. 57 species of woody plants grow in the forests, including 42 wild and 15 cultivated.
Valdai National Park is one of the most visited parks due to its proximity to the largest Russian cities - Moscow and St. Petersburg. Here are the famous large lakes Valdaiskoe and Seliger, which have long been mastered by water tourists. There is a summer children's ecological camp on Lake Velyo.
The landscapes of the Valdaisky National Park are
quite diverse - hills and boulders alternate with water meadows, lakes,
birch groves and pine forests. To make it easier for nature lovers to
navigate among the local beauties, park staff have developed eco-trails
of various lengths, as well as prepared walking, car and bus excursions.
On the territory of the Valdaisky park, 82 archaeological sites were
discovered (ancient sites of the 7th-6th centuries BC, settlements,
burial mounds and hills).
Also on the territory there are 9
ancient estates with parks and 22 monuments of architecture and wooden
architecture of the 17th-19th centuries.
In the city of Valdai,
the beautiful Church of the Great Martyr Catherine, built at the end of
the 18th century by the Russian architect N.A. Lvov, has been preserved.
The building of the church, which is protected as an architectural
monument of republican significance, now houses the Museum of the
History of Valdai and the exposition "Valdai Bell".
The Iversky Bogoroditsky Svyatoozersky Monastery,
which is an architectural monument of the 17th-18th centuries, stands on
an island in the middle of Lake Valdai.
The architectural complex
was built in the image and likeness of the Iberian Monastery on Mount
Athos. The monastery was named Svyatoozersky because before the
construction of the monastery, Patriarch Nikon conducted a ceremony of
consecrating the lake, lowering the cross and the Gospel to its bottom.
There are about 200 lakes on the territory of the Valdai National Park, of which 56 are large ones with an area of more than 20 hectares. Glacial lakes Borovno, Valdai, Uzhin, Velie and Seliger are called the pearls of the Central Russian zone.
The largest lake in the national park, with an area of
19.7 sq. km (excluding islands). The average depth of Lake Valdai is 12
meters, but in some places it reaches 60 meters. In the middle of this
picturesque lake of glacial origin is Ryabinovy Island, which divides
Valdai into two stretches. There are a couple of large islands in the
lake: Berezovy and Patochny.
Lake Valdai, along the shores of
which almost untouched primeval forests grow, is inferior in size to
other lakes in the Novgorod region, but its beauty is often compared to
Baikal.
According to scientists, the word "Valdai" comes from the
dialect word of the Finno-Ugric tribes that inhabited this land, and
means "bright, living water."
In the warm season, many tourists
from all over the European part of Russia come to Lake Valdai, doubling
the population of the city of Valdai. Vacationers swim, fish, pick
blueberries, cloudberries and lingonberries in the forest.
To visit the national park, you must obtain a permit. This can be
done at the Park Administration (Valdai city, Pobedy st., 5) or at the
state inspector responsible for parking (the employee is required to
present an appropriate certificate and issue a receipt).
For
visiting the territory of the Valdaisky National Park, you must pay a
fee of 200 rubles. from one person. This is a one-time payment, it does
not depend on the number of days spent in the national park. A number of
citizens have the right to free or preferential visits to the national
park.
On the territory of the Valdaisky National Park, tourists can place
tents only on specially equipped recreation areas.
There are more
than 80 tourist camps for guests, designed for temporary accommodation
from 4 to 100 people. Tables, sheds, toilets, garbage bins and fire
places have been prepared at the parking lots.
The list of sites
and their coordinates can be found on the official website of the
Valdaisky National Park.