Guest Author - Marianne Gibson

Myshkin – or ‘mouse's town’ is an anomaly. It really should be just like any other small Russian town. A little bit of history, a few churches, a pretty view over the Volga, and that’s that. The collapse of internal tourism in Russia after the Soviet Union broke up has left many a town like this with little income, fewer prospects, and an inescapable impression of sad decay. Not so Myshkin.

So where does the name come from? Once upon a time, so the story goes, a prince was tired from hunting and stopped for a rest under a tree. It was then that a serpent spotted the sleeping royal, and would certainly have bitten him, had a local mouse not intervened by running over his face and waking him. It was in gratitude for this act that a chapel was built on the spot and the town around it came to be known as Myshkin, from the Russian ‘mysh’ meaning ‘mouse’.

The people of Myshkin are an enterprising bunch, and they have certainly learnt to trade on their unusual name. The world’s only museum of mice has its home here, a large collection of mouse-related paraphernalia, mainly stuffed toys, sent in their thousands from well-wishers all over the world. At the colourful craft stalls that line the central street you can pick up the obligatory mouse souvenir (very popular is a hand-made wooden spoon with both a cloth mouse and a kopeck attached for luck in finances). In 1996 an international mouse festival was held, which in addition to the ‘Laughter Olympics’ and festival of Russian felt boots cements the town’s reputation as champion of the leftfield.

One of the most moving museums in Russia is also here. Just up the river from Myshkin spreads the Rybinsk reservoir, a Stalinist project to dam the Volga which swallowed up swathes of low-lying land. Among the losers in this enterprise was the small town of Mologa, now underwater, church and all. In the museum we saw old photographs of the place, followed the stories of local families, and looked at the many everyday and precious objects still being washed up at Myshkin and lovingly collected by the residents (Myshkin itself lost one third of its land area to the rising waters). The curator explained that many from Mologa had nowhere to go upon evacuation, and faced great hardship. Still others, mostly older people, refused to leave their homes, preferring to drown as the waters flooded in.

As a community, Myshkin seems alive, a survivor where other small towns have failed. I think this is because the people here have pulled together to make the most of their strengths, and preserve traditional Russian crafts. For example, the restaurant where I had lunch was fitted inside and out in a traditional wooden style, with intricate carved elements. This had been commissioned from local carpenters. In turn, the local crafts centre is open to the public, to watch or take a course, providing another tourist draw for visitors who will then come and eat in the restaurant. As well as woodwork, the centre has a traditional iron foundry, whose work can be seen on all over town, and a pottery. More exotic delights for the crafts-hungry include the museum of Valenki, or Russian felt boots. The town’s position on a hilly spot on the banks of the Volga has also inspired some very nice local art.

How to get to Myshkin
Myshkin is in the Yaroslavl Region, north of Moscow Region, and can be incorporated into any tour of the Golden Ring by taking a short detour from Uglich (local buses run regularly). Alternatively, take the overnight train from Moscow to Rybinsk, and then the local train from there. If you have the time, the most scenic way to come is by river cruise, which you can also do from Moscow. Most visitors spend a day here as part of a larger itinerary. It’s perfectly possible to stay the night though, and well worth it in summer to enjoy the rich local scenery.

Schastligogo Puti! (Have a good trip!)