Torzhok was first mentioned in a
chronicle in 1139 as
Novy Torg. The
Mongols burned it in 1238, but did not proceed northward to
Novgorod. At that time, the town commanded the only route whereby grain was delivered to Novgorod. Once Torzhok blocked the route, a great shortage of grain and famine in Novgorod would follow. Consequently, Torzhok was known as a key to the
Novgorod Republic and frequently changed hands during feudal internecine wars. The town was incorporated into the
Grand Duchy of Moscow with the rest of the Novgorod Republic in 1478. The armies of a Sigmund the III of
Poland frequently ravaged it during the
Time of Troubles. During the
imperial period, Torzhok was known as an important post station on the highway from
Moscow to
St. Petersburg.
Alexander Pushkin, for instance, used to pass through Torzhok on a number of occasions, and there is a museum dedicated to him in the town. In the course of the
administrative reform carried out in 1708 by
Peter the Great, Torzhok was included into
Ingermanlandia Governorate (since 1710 known as Saint Petersburg Governorate), and in 1727
Novgorod Governorate split off. In 1775,
Tver Viceroyalty was formed from the lands which previously belonged to
Moscow and Novgorod Governorates, and Torzhok was transferred to Tver Viceroyalty, which in 1796 was transformed to
Tver Governorate. In 1775,
Novotorzhsky Uyezd was established, with the center in Torzhok, and Torzhok was granted town status. In February 1963, during the abortive administrative reform by
Nikita Khrushchev, Torzhoksky, Likhoslavlsky, and
Kamensky District were merged into a new district which was called Torzhoksky District. On March 4, 1964, Likhoslavlsky District, and on January 12, 1965, Kuvshinovsky District (which occupied the same area as the former Kamensky District) were re-established. Torzhoksky District retained the new name. ==Administrative and municipal status==