Less than 100 km. to the north of Moscow, on the banks of the Dubna River at the mouth of the Yakot River, there is a small urban-type settlement Verbilki. A small village with an interesting history - this is how this place can be characterized.
One of the first mentions of the Verbilovo wasteland (in some sources Verbolovo) refers to the first half of the 17th century, when in the Dmitrov scribal book the following was written about this settlement: two because, hay 435 kopecks, plowed forest 63 dessiatines. From which it follows that this settlement has never been densely populated. This is supported by the fact that for almost two centuries its number was no more than 25 people.
Porcelain production
During the reign of Alexei Mikhailovich Romanov, Verbilki became the property of the Urusov princes, who owned the settlement until 1766. In February of that year, the settlement was bought by the Russianized Scottish merchant Franz Gardner. The transfer of Verbilovo to Gardner's possession was an important stage in the history of this settlement. Under Gardner, the settlement received its modern name, and began to be called Verbilki, and most importantly, it was Franz Ivanovich who founded the Porcelain Factory "Gardner Manufactory in Verbilki" here, which exists to this day. And then, in the 17th century, before starting the production of porcelain, Gardner traveled many miles in search of a special clay for the production of his products. The goal of Franz Ivanovich was, no more, no less, to establish mass production of porcelain dishes and provide it to the entire Russian Empire. And I must say, he coped with the task. The products of the Gardner Manufactory were not inferior in quality to European ones; porcelain and decorative figurines of this factory took a firm place in the houses of the Russian nobility, and were even supplied to the imperial house. You can learn more about the history of the Manufactory on excursions that are held at the factory and in the porcelain museum. You can sign up for a tour at [email protected], tel. +7 (985) 157-86-87, official website:
Verbilki during the War
In 1928, Verbilki received the status of an urban-type settlement as part of the Taldomsky district of the Moscow region, in which it still exists. During the war years, trains went to Leningrad through the Verbilki railway station, bypassing the October railway seized by the Nazis. In November 1941, the Nazis tried to bomb the station, but swamps came to the rescue, there are a lot of them around. The bombs did not explode after falling on the soft swampy ground, the railroad tracks and the bridge remained intact and unharmed.
Verbilki today
Currently, the population of the village is just under 7000 people. The village lives on porcelain production and tourism. The Country Resort hotel is located in Verbilki, which has everything for relaxation in body and soul: fresh air, cozy rooms, a full SPA complex, hiking and skiing, and even a small zoo. Another attraction is the Verbilki culture and recreation park, which opened not so long ago, but immediately became popular among the residents of the village and visiting tourists.
Directions to the village of Verbilki (and to the hotel):
- by car: along Dmitrovskoe highway (80 km.) towards Sergiev Posad. At the fork near the village of Zhestylevo, turn left, then go to the sign "Verbilki", where you turn left again and follow the signs to the HELIOPARK Country Resort hotel.
- by train: from the Savelovsky railway station "settlement Verbilki". From the station to the hotel on foot 500 m.
