Chervishevo: Observatory and Village History

Chervishevo combines an observatory in a former water tower with the history of an old village church and winter sports in the surrounding area. At the “Staraya Bashnya” Observatory, the focus is on technology, astronomy and everyday life in the Soviet era; the Church of the Archangel Michael is a wooden building with a history dating back to 1898. The nearby “Zhemchuzhina Sibiri” winter sports centre completes the picture. When planning your stay, you can decide whether culture and local history—or winter sports as well—will shape your visit.

The observatory in the former water tower

The “Staraya Bashnya” Observatory is located in a former water tower. The 25-metre-high tower has five floors. Its exhibits include a small museum on everyday life in the Soviet era, an exhibition of photographic, radio and office equipment, a library with special editions and three telescopes. This brings everyday history, technology and astronomy together in one building.

The tower was granted official observatory status. The Minor Planet Center of the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics named it “M90 Chervishevo”. Guided tours take place at the observatory every year from April to October. Check the current visiting arrangements before your visit.

Church history in the old part of the village

The Church of the Archangel Michael stands in the old part of Chervishevo. It was built in 1898 and closed in the early 20th century; it was later restored with funds from residents and benefactors. The church is considered the largest surviving wooden church in Tyumen Oblast. Its construction, closure and restoration give it a different historical context from the technology-focused former water tower.

Winter sports nearby

The nearby “Zhemchuzhina Sibiri” winter sports centre includes a 2.5-kilometre roller-ski track cooled outdoors, 45 kilometres of cross-country ski trails and a ski-biathlon stadium with a shooting range. These figures refer to different facilities: a roller-ski track and cross-country ski trails.

Roller skis, inline skates, skateboards and bicycles are available to rent; in winter, skis, skates, tubing with a lift and other equipment are also available. Check current rental hours, terms and equipment availability before your visit.

When looking for a holiday apartment in Chervishevo, it helps to weigh up your priorities: should your stay focus mainly on the observatory and church, or would you also like to include the nearby winter sports centre in your plans? If you want to include both, check the accommodation’s location against your plans when considering specific options.

More places to explore in Tyumen Oblast

Elsewhere in Tyumen Oblast, you’ll find distinct cultural and natural attractions. The white-stone Tobolsk Kremlin is an open-air architectural monument on a high plateau at the confluence of the Tobol and Irtysh rivers. The Cathedral of St Sophia and the Assumption of the Virgin Mary in the Kremlin is described as the oldest stone church in Siberia. All the Kremlin’s buildings belong to the Historical and Architectural Museum-Reserve, which is classified as a cultural heritage site of federal significance in Russia.

In Ishim, the P. P. Yershov Museum houses the world’s largest collection of the fairy tale “Konyok-Gorbunok”. The “Gorodskaya uprava” Museum in Ishim focuses on the Nikolskaya Fair, the development of merchant life and the city’s wartime experience. In Yalutorovsk, the Decembrists’ Grove is a natural monument of regional significance covering about 90 hectares and forming part of a historical and ecological route.

Discover more destinations

Children, Chelyuskintsev, Borovskiy, Vinzili, Zhuravleva, Yalutorovsk, Bereznyakovskiy, Novoroshchino

For the broader travel overview: Tyumen Oblast.