Lyadov Square, formerly Monastyrskaya, Krestovozdvizhenskaya — a traffic interchange in the Upper Town of Nizhny Novgorod. It lies at the intersection of Pokrovka, Gagarin Avenue, Belinsky Street, Timiryazeva Street, Krasnoselskaya Street, Arzamasskaya Street, and The Oka Descent.
The Nature of the Phenomenon
A key transportation hub of Nizhny Novgorod, combining tram, trolleybus, bus, and automobile traffic. A permanent site of traffic jams.
Named after the Bolshevik Lyadov (and not after the composer's namesake).
In Folklore
The name (from "lyad" — devil; i.e., "Devil's Square") is explained by the belief that driving through this square makes it easy to lose all data on a floppy disk (or other magnetic storage medium) — due, according to local legend, to a television relay tower situated just behind the first row of buildings surrounding the square.
Interesting Facts
- One of the key spots where, on evenings regardless of weather, prostitutes congregate. The spot is located on the section of the square facing the roadway near the Polytech dormitory. Regular working hours: 9:00 PM to midnight.
Sights
- The The Widows' Home, an example of late 19th-century urban architecture, now a student dormitory.