On a small island of Stolobny in Lake Seliger in the Tver region, about ten kilometers from Ostashkov, lies the famous Orthodox landmark, the active male monastery of Nilovo Pustyn. The monastery is named after the hermit St. Nil, who was born in 1485 in the village of Zhabenskoe. In 1515, after receiving the blessing of the abbot, he went into the wilderness and settled in a secluded place near the Seremkha River in the Rzhev province. St. Nil constantly engaged in vigil and prayers; even during short moments of rest, he did not lie down but hung on wooden crutches driven into the wall. In 1528, he took a vow never to sit or lie down.

In the same year of 1528, Nil moved to Stolobny Island on Lake Seliger, seven versts from Ostashkov. For the first year, he lived in a dugout, then built himself a cell and a chapel for prayers. St. Nil lived on the island for 27 years and before his death bequeathed the construction of a monastery at this site, which was later fulfilled. In 1594, with the permission of Patriarch Job, a monastic community was established here, marking the beginning of the history of the Nilovo-Stolobensky Monastery.

Before the 1917 revolution, the Nilovo-Stolobensky Monastery was one of the most revered in Russia, attracting thousands of pilgrims annually. In 1820, it was visited by Emperor Alexander I. In 1919, all church valuables were confiscated, and the relics of St. Nil were opened. Subsequently, the former monastery was used as a colony for minors and a camp for Polish prisoners of war.

In 1990, the Nilovo-Stolobensky complex was transferred to the Russian Orthodox Church. In 1995, the relics of St. Nil were returned to the monastery.