10 interesting facts about Nizhny Novgorod – the fifth largest city in Russia

Nizhny Novgorod is one of the largest cities in Russia. It was founded on February 10, 1221 by Prince Yuri Vsevolodovich. The city is located at the confluence of 2 large rivers – the Oka and the Volga. This is what helped him become a center in the shipping business. It is worth noting that in 1834 a weather station was built here, but later transformed into a hydrometeorological service.

Almost the 5th part of the city is occupied by parks and forests, and the 7th – squares, boulevards. Currently, in Nizhny Novgorod, there is the same problem as in many other places, environmental pollution. In this article, we will look at 10 interesting facts about Nizhny Novgorod.

10 The city is called the “Third Capital” or “Pocket of Russia”

Nizhny Novgorod is also often called the “Third Capital” and “Pocket of Russia”. Since 1612, this city has retained the name of a reserve city, which expresses the potential of Russian regional life. Officially, it is considered the 5th largest in the Russian Federation.

Nizhny Novgorod is located 438 km from Moscow, and only this does not allow it to be an independent center, for example, such as Yekaterinburg or Novosibirsk. But it is worth noting that it is currently developing in terms of information technology. There are branches of large developers.

9. One of the former names – Gorky

In 1932 the city was renamed Gorky.. And this happened in connection with the celebration of the literary activity of the famous Russian writer Maxim Gorky. But this decision was taken quite ambiguously.

It is worth noting that the writer himself said that he was dissatisfied with the way the city was renamed. After all, “Gorky” is not a surname, but simply a literary pseudonym.

Thus the city existed for fifty-eight years and twenty days. In 1990, they raised the issue of returning the former name. The documents were sent to Moscow, and after that the presidium issued a decree.

But it is worth saying that even now in Nizhny Novgorod there is a square named after Gorky, as well as a railway station.

8. Launched the first tram in Russia

For the first time, a tram in Russia was launched in Nizhny Novgorod, in 1896.. The beginning of this business is connected with the opening of the All-Russian Art and Trade and Industrial Exhibition. Then, at the same time, several owners created four tram systems at once.

It is worth noting that initially the fare was different everywhere – 10 and 5 kopecks. Trams from the 1980s are currently in service, but there are also new arrivals from 2012. For quite a long time trams in Nizhny Novgorod serve only 3 depots. The first was in the Kremlin, the second in Kanpark, and the third in the Leninsky district.

7. The city is a popular filming location for modern films.

When we watch movies, we don’t even think about where they were filmed. Actually, Nizhny Novgorod is a great location for filming. It is here that everything for filmmaking is available: amazing architecture, magnificent landscape, beautiful views and sympathetic, kind people.

Many directors come here to film their films. Sometimes it can be small fragments, or full-fledged shootings. Most of the films starred famous stars. For example, Lyudmila Khityaeva, Mikhail Ulyanov, Evgenia Glushenko, Oleg Yankovsky and others.

Previously, until the 2000s, such films as “Life Lesson”, “World Champion”, “Foma Gordeev”, “Cherry Pool”, “Waiting”, “Cliff” and others took place here. Most recently, in 2015, they filmed such series as Method, Cherished Friends.

6. Citizens are correctly called Nizhny Novgorod

A city dweller is a person who lives in the city permanently, he has his own rights. After the city of Gorky was renamed back to Nizhny Novgorod, the locals asked to call them as it should be – Nizhny Novgorod. And so it stuck to this day. A man calls himself – Nizhny Novgorod, and a woman – Nizhny Novgorod.

5. The painting “Appeal of Kuzma Minin” is one of the largest canvases in the world.

A turning point in the history of Russia is the appeal of Kuzma Minin to the people of Nizhny Novgorod. Fine arts could not pass by such an important event. Around the end of the 19th century, society began to take an active interest in the Time of Troubles.

The painting, which is called “The Appeal of Kuzma Minin” recorded the scrapping of the paternalistic scheme in the relationship between the state and the people. Kuzma Minin was the organizer of the militia against the interventionists in the 17th century. When he arrived in Nizhny Novgorod, he began to trade in fish, as well as meat. In 1611, local residents decided to choose him as the headman.

At a time when the detachments fought with enemies, and the clergy tried to encourage the people, Kuzma spoke to all honest people. This is exactly what is captured in the picture, which considered one of the largest paintings in the world. It measures 6 meters by 7 meters.. Currently located in the State Art Museum. Written by Konstantin Makovsky.

4.

In Nizhny Novgorod there is a metro station called “Moskovskaya”. It is considered the widest in Russia. This record is very easy to explain. The station has 2 platforms, on which the trains of the entire subway diverge. This name was given due to the fact that the Moscow railway station and the highway are located nearby.

It was built in 1997, but officially opened only in 1985. It is worth noting that, for example, in Moscow there is a station called Novgorodskaya.

3. The Church of the Icon of the Mother of God Sovereign is located in the carriage

Not many people know that there is a church in Nizhny Novgorod, which is located right in the train car. There is a story that in the 90s there was an amazing vision in this place. The Mother of God appeared, who ordered to build a church in honor of the icon of Her Sovereign. Her list is available in the temple-carriage.

But the townspeople note that they do not know exactly who was given the opportunity to see the Mother of God, but they decided to build the temple after that. Then a small group of believers was formed, which was actively looking for a place. Metropolitan Nikolai of Nizhny Novgorod gave his blessing for its arrangement.

Initially, the temple was located in the building of the former club. Residents themselves cleaned, tidied up and put in order the premises. But in 2005, one of the firms in Moscow received land for the construction of houses here.

The parishioners of the temple were very upset, but then they received a decommissioned reserved seat car, where they began to hold services. Currently, there are seats left in it, as well as grilles for ventilation.

The temple in honor of the icon of the Mother of God “Sovereign” has its own small choir. People created this trailer at the call of the soul, as they knew that there was nowhere to wait for help. But, nevertheless, this is one of the amazing places in the city.

2. Was closed until 1991

Not many people know that Nizhny Novgorod was closed from 1959 until 1991. But then it became open for visiting not only by Soviet, but also by foreign citizens.

Currently, it is the capital, which has eleven sister cities, including Minsk, Kharkov, Suwon and many others.

1. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral built on a raft

Alexander Nevsky Cathedral is one of the great sights of Nizhny Novgorod. It differs from others in that it is built “on a raft”. It has a plate thickness of about three meters. Built for almost 13 years. Many times they wanted to dismantle and destroy it, but since 1992, constant worship has been held here.