Torzhok

Torzhok lies on the Tvertsa, on a route that joined Novgorod to the lands of the upper Volga. First recorded in 1139 as Novy Torg, the New Market, it became Novgorod's southeastern outpost and a centre of exchange. Grain bound for Novgorod passed through the town, making control of its market valuable to rival princes. In 1238 its defenders held out for two weeks against the Mongols before the town fell. Its craftsmen were also known for embroidery in gold and silver thread, a tradition attested by finds from the destruction of that year.

Torzhok passed to Moscow with the rest of the Novgorod lands in 1478. Its new rulers built a fortress with eleven towers, though the town's trade declined as Novgorod lost its former prominence. Armies ravaged it again during the Time of Troubles. The founding of Saint Petersburg in 1703 renewed the importance of the road through Torzhok: it became a post station and a place where goods changed hands between the two capitals. Under Catherine II new market buildings and a central square reshaped the town, while its gold embroiderers continued a craft associated with Torzhok for centuries.