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Nizhny Novgorod (obsolete names: Novograd Nizhny, Novgorod of the Nizovskaya Lands, Nizhny-Novgorod, City of Gorky; colloquial names: Nizhny, Gorky, NN (pronounced “enen”), Nensk) —a major Russia city thatNizhny Novgorod Principality for about seven centuries. It is Russia’s fifth-largest city by population. According to the United Nations Fund , it is Russia’s fastest-shrinking city with a population of over one million .

Coordinate at Arrow of the Oka River River and Volga River River in Central Russia. A historic symbol Volga Region and its regional civilization.

The Essence of the Phenomenon

A distinctive city with its own way of life, though similar to other major cities in the Volga region.

Since 1612, Nizhny Novgorod has held the title of Russia alternate capital—a city that embodies the full potential of Russian regional life and provides unwavering support to the central government while defending it against intervention.

Officially, Nizhny Novgorod, with a population of about 1 million 300 thousand people, is the fifth-largest city in Russia and the administrative center of Nizhny Novgorod Region and Volga Federal District).

Like many provincial Russian cities, Metropolitan, but local authorities regularly fail to carry out such projects.

During the Scoop era, the city was called Gorky (“Gorki [Goki]”) and ranked third in population among the republics of the RSFSR. During the perestroika era, it was renamed Nizhny Novgorod. It is noteworthy that Gorky Railway continues to stubbornly refer to the city as the City of Gorky, as evidenced by the display boards at Moscow Kursky and Yaroslavsky stations and the signs on the “Moscow–Gorky” train cars.

The city’s distance of 438 kilometers from Moscow prevents it from developing as an independent center, unlike, for example, Yekaterinburg and Novosibirsk, which serve as the central cities of the Urals and Siberia, respectively. Due to the capital’s influence, the city lacks well-developed logistics and transportation systems—why build anything here when you can bring it in from Moscow by truck in six hours? The local airport is underdeveloped, as Nizhny Novgorod residents fly to other countries from Moscow. And Nizhny Novgorod’s business sector is quite weak, constantly competing with Moscow-based branches. What’s more, skilled workers often find jobs in Moscow and either move there permanently or commute between the two cities.

However, there is currently a strong surge of activity among the city’s young people: Young people who have graduated from universities are eager to start their own businesses and get their friends involved; numerous entertainment venues are popping up, along with cozy cafes where you can grab a quick bite; original souvenirs are being created; and various youth festivals are being organized.

At the same time, Nizhny Novgorod is one of the steadily growing centers of the Russian information technology industry. It is home to branches of major software developers, including Intel, MERA Networks, MFI Soft (MERA Systems), Teleca Russia, and other smaller companies (Auriga, Exigen Services, Tecom, Devetel, Capvidia, Five9, Datanaut, NKT).

Location

Geographically, Nizhny Novgorod is located on both banks Oka River and only on the right bank of the Volga. Lacking both the concentric layout of Moscow and the elongated shape of riverside cities, the city has developed in a haphazard manner. In essence, Historic Center is located on the outskirts. The Upper Town part of the city lies on high hills (Dyatlov Hills) and is characterized by ravines and rugged terrain, while Zarechka part is low-lying and flat in the Oka River floodplain.

Both Nizhny Novgorod residents and visitors agree that the city is very beautiful, and the views from the Verkhnevolzhskaya Embankment—especially at sunset—are so stunning that, following Ostap Bender’s example, you could practically sell tickets just to see them! A significant part of the city consists of greenery growing on the slopes of the hill, giving the city a surprisingly romantic look. However, over the past three years, these green spaces Tree Removal for reasons unknown to Nizhny Novgorod residents.

On the whole, Nizhny Novgorod residents love their city and have no desire to move anywhere else except Moscow. In the spring and summer, residents seem quite happy; the young women are a delight to look at, and on nice days, you can spot couples kissing on the lawns and hillsides. However, in the fall, winter, and during bad weather, Nizhny Novgorod residents are usually gloomy and depressed.

Traffic in the city is among the most challenging in Russia. Due to chaotic development and widespread densification of the Historic Center (Modern Architecture with no parking lots now stand where wooden houses and narrow streets once were!), traffic jams in Nizhny Novgorod are often worse than in Moscow. This is exacerbated by a poorly connected transportation network that offers virtually no alternative routes or ways to bypass traffic.

Traffic in the city is negatively affected by the rather rude behavior of drivers: cutting people off, honking at distracted drivers, and failing to yield to pedestrians—all standard behavior among drivers in the Towns of Nizhny Novgorod Region. Although this situation has been improving recently.

The Nizhny Novgorod authorities, known “far and wide” for their pie-in-the-sky projects (see Category: Nizhny Novgorod Tales, such as String Transport or Glob-Town), have in reality distinguished themselves only by the epic delays in constructing the most mundane structures. For instance, the southern bypass road, designed to divert traffic traveling along the Moscow–Kazan–Ufa highway away from Nizhny Novgorod, has actually been under construction for nearly 30 years and is still not finished. Subway promised to connect Zarechka part of the city to Upper Town) part has remained under construction for about 15 years now. However, despite their “clumsy efforts,” they have not managed to cause significant damage, and the city remains a positive and exemplary major provincial city in Russia—one that is by no means embarrassing to show to visitors during the summer.

See also the creepy article about Nizhny on Lurkmore [1] and the very well-written one on Wikipedia [2]

The Mystery of the Early Period

Of all the issues surrounding the earliest period of Nizhny Novgorod’s history, local historians and regional scholars have long been concerned with perhaps only one question: when the city at the mouth of Oka River was founded. The answer offered by Old Russian chronicles—the year 1221—seems obvious; but it immediately raises a new question: Was the founding of “Novgorod at the mouth of the Oka” preceded by some kind of urban settlement that had arisen even earlier?

At first glance, Nizhny Novgorod seems to have been more fortunate in history than many other cities of Vladimir-Suzdal Rus’. First and foremost, chronicle sources have preserved the record of Grand Prince Yuri Vsevolodovich of Vladimirskoye founding “Novgorod at the mouth of the Oka” in 1221. Thanks to this entry, the city’s founding does not have to be dated based on its first mention in the chronicles (which is the case, for example, with Rostov, Muroma, Suzdal, and Gorodets): the chronicle entry for the year 6729 (1221) specifically names the year, the location, and the founder. Such precision is, however, rare when it comes to the cities of Ancient Rus’. This “good fortune” continued thereafter: Nizhny Novgorod, founded much later than Rostov, Suzdal, and Muroma, did not fall into disrepair over the centuries or turn into a provincial backwater; on the contrary, it became a major commercial and industrial center, the administrative capital of the Volga Region, and one of the largest and most beautiful cities in Russia.

In the field of historical scholarship, Nizhny Novgorod—"this majestically situated city"—has been less fortunate than, for example, its northern "namesake," Veliky Novgorod. There is a lack of fundamental historical research on the history of “Novgorod at the mouth of the Oka,” based on a comprehensive study of all available written and archaeological sources. This absence, of course, cannot be compensated for by the popular science publication *The History of the City of Gorky*, released to mark the city’s 750th anniversary and long since outdated (starting with the title). The early period of Nizhny’s history—from the city’s founding (1221) to the Mongol-Tatar invasion (1237)—is inevitably summarized here, and in keeping with the book’s objectives, it has been reduced to a retelling of the earliest chronicle accounts of the city. These events are presented in much the same way—with varying degrees of detail—in general courses on history of Russia. For example, in N. M. Karamzin’s *History of the Russian State*, the events of the earliest period of Nizhny Novgorod’s existence take up barely more than a single page in total, while in S. M. Solovyov’s *History of Russia from the Earliest Times* by S. M. Solovyov, they are covered in just three pages. In essence, the same approach to covering the city’s early history was adopted by the compilers of *Essays on the History of the USSR During the Feudal Period*. The following is stated there regarding the Founding of Nizhny Novgorod: “To strengthen his position in the Volga Region and the Oka River basin, Yuri founded the city of Nizhny Novgorod in 1221, the founding of which had great progressive significance in the history of the Mordva [?! – B.P.]”; The text then lists the years of military clashes between the princes of Vladimir-Suzdal Rus’ and the Mordva, who were “blessed” by the construction of Nizhny Novgorod. These same accounts are cited just as briefly in I.A. Kiryanov’s work on the Old Russian fortresses of the Nizhny Novgorod region and retold (in a somewhat fictionalized form) in various 19th- and 20th-century regional history publications. In specialized works devoted to various aspects of the history of Vladimir-Suzdal Rus’, however, accounts of Nizhny Novgorod for the period 1221–1237 were examined in the context of the issues of interest to the authors. For example, V. A. Kuchkin focuses on the process of the spread of Russian influence from the Volga-Oka interfluve to the east and the settlement of new territories; Y. A. Limonov analyzed Russian-Mordovian and Russian-Bulgarian relations as part of the foreign policy of the Grand Princes of Vladimirskoye. However, while the first of these works devotes a single paragraph to the founding of Nizhny and the events that followed, the second does not even mention the emergence of the Russian city at the mouth Oka River.

Thus, it appears that research into the early period of Nizhny Novgorod’s history suffers from the same shortcomings as the history Gorodets. There is no comparative-textual analysis of the chronicle accounts concerning the region for the second and third decades of the 13th century, and consequently, the original core of these reports has not been identified, nor has its development been traced in subsequent chronicle compilations—which would have made it possible to determine the degree of reliability of the information reported. There is no analysis of the context of the chronicle entries for this period; their “context” (“literary environment”) within the annual entry has not been analyzed, and the chroniclers’ “omissions” have not been identified. As a result, it is difficult to study the historical circumstances that led to the emergence of Nizhny Novgorod, to determine the status of the new settlement, and to identify the preconditions—both objective and subjective—that subsequently led to its rapid development.

Of all the issues surrounding the earliest period of Nizhny Novgorod’s history, local historians and regional scholars have long been concerned with perhaps only one question: when the city at the mouth of Oka River was founded. The answer offered by Old Russian chronicles—the year 1221—seems obvious; but it immediately raises a new question: Was the founding of “Novgorod at the mouth of the Oka” preceded by some kind of urban settlement that arose even earlier? And after that, questions arise one after another. Was this predecessor town (usually referred to in the specialized literature as the “Old Town”) a Russian, Bulgar, or Mordvin settlement? Who founded this town, and under what circumstances? What evidence supports the existence of “Old Town” before the early 13th century, and can this be corroborated by written and archaeological sources? And finally, the most important question: How reliable are the chronicles’ accounts that allow us to consider 1221 the year of the founding of Nizhny Novgorod and Yuri Vsevolodovich its founder?

There are not many works that support the theory of “Stary Gorod” as the predecessor of Nizhny Novgorod, nor are there many critical reviews of them. However, a review of the history of this issue allows us not only to determine whether there are grounds for revising the traditional date of the founding of Nizhny Novgorod, but also to make some interesting observations of a historiographical nature.

The First Census

The first documented records of the number of Nizhny Novgorod residents date back to the 17th century. According to the 1621 Tax Register, Nizhny Novgorod had 15,000 residents and 2,364 inhabited courtyards and houses. The Tax Register also includes among them the residents Canavino across the river, who “pay taxes alongside Nizhny Novgorod residents, albeit a small amount”:


« In total, in the stone city and in the Upper and Lower Posads, there were boyars and government officials, Nizhny Novgorod residents and nobles from other cities, boyars’ sons, monastic officials, clerks, foreigners, Nizhny Novgorod “fifty-men,” decimans, ordinary Strelitsas, artillerymen, barricade guards, and other non-taxable people—695 households, courtyards, and huts. In the settlement of tax-paying people—the wealthy, the middle class, the laborers, and the poor—including those living on the land of the Blagoveshchensky Monastery, who pay taxes and all kinds of levies along with the other settlement residents—there were 862 households. In the Lower Town, the districts are: Bolshoy, Sapozhny, and Podoshvetsky; Korelsky; Gorshechny; Zhitny; Lukovy; Moskatelny; Solyany; Krupyany; Myasnoy; Ikonnoy; Rybny; and Novy Rybny; Canvas and Rags, Women’s, Kalachny, Bread, and Trays… In the Upper and Lower Settlements, there are 77 granaries and small granaries, plus 252 shops with half-shops. In the Lower Posad, there are 13 taverns. In the Upper Posad, beyond the Dmitrov Gate and on Ilyinskaya Hill, there are 38 smithies, plus seven blacksmithing workshops
Census Register, 1621
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The Views of Government Leaders on the City

Catherine II

In 1767, Catherine II undertook an inspection tour along Volga River, officially to the Kazan Governorate.

The itinerary raises quite a few questions, primarily regarding the administrative subordination of the territories south of the Volga. While touring her domains, Catherine II traveled along the Volga from Tver to Simbirsk—rather than to Samara, Saratov, or Tsaritsyn, let alone Astrakhan! Moreover, the foreign ambassadors accompanying her on the trip were not even allowed into Nizhny Novgorod and were sent back under a plausible pretext.

An interesting letter from the Empress to Panin, dated May 22, describing the state of Nizhny Novgorod at that time: “This city is beautiful in its setting but hideous in its architecture; however, it will soon be improved, for I alone must oversee the construction of salt and wine warehouses, as well as the governor’s residence, the chancellery, and the archives—all of which are either in ruins or close to it…”

Ekaterina marked her stay in Nizhny Novgorod by approving the charter of the merchants’ company, “since the merchants of Nizhny Novgorod, by various misfortunes, have fallen into decline—as they themselves admit—I have therefore decided, upon my arrival in this city, to provide an opportunity to restore this fallen city. As is well known, almost all small merchants have capital, but for that reason cannot engage in trade on their own; therefore, a company should be formed for them…” From another letter: “Cheboksary is, in every respect, better for me than Nizhny Novgorod.”

As for Kazan, where we arrived on May 26, it made the most favorable impression: “We found a city that in every respect could be called the capital of a great kingdom; the reception I received was exceptional; it seems exceptional to us, for we have seen equal joy everywhere for the past four weeks, but here it is even more remarkable. If they were allowed, they would have laid themselves down on the ground like a carpet, and at one spot along the road, the peasants offered candles to place before me, but they were turned away. …The triumphal gates here are the finest I have ever seen.”

Alternative name: Greater Nizhny Novgorod

Nizhegorodskaya Pravda, No. 7, January 22, 2008:

Anything located Volga River was not considered part of the provincial city at that time. The settlement Canavino stood on its own, while the villages Gordeevka and Sormovo District belonged to Balakhninsky District. The villages Monastyrka and Gnilitsy stood apart—they were later absorbed into Avtozavodsky District—as did Prayer, Manor, and Scherbinki.

After the revolution, Kanavino and Sormovo became working-class neighborhoods and later towns. They developed and expanded autonomously and gradually, alongside the industrial enterprises around which they had, in fact, formed. Within a few years, these “towns” on the other side of the river had tripled in size.

The Kanavinsky and Sormovsky City Councils independently resolved all issues related to providing for the local population, even though these were often common problems. The degree of isolation of the area across the river is illustrated by the fact that in February 1924, a month after the death of the Leader of the World Proletariat, the Kanavino City Council proposed renaming Kanavino to Ulyanov.

At the same time, the issue of merging Sormovo, Kanavino, and the “city”—that is, Nizhny Novgorod—into a single entity was a pressing one.

The idea first arose in 1918, but was then somehow forgotten. During the NEP years, these territories underwent intensive economic development. Housing was being built, and factories and plants were springing up; and the surrounding villages and hamlets were transforming into towns. The geographical gap between Kanavino and Sormovo was narrowing. Their city councils, just like the authorities in Nizhny Novgorod, were tackling the same challenges. For example, in the areas of taxation, road construction, and bridge building. It even became necessary to create joint committees composed of representatives from the three councils to discuss these shared issues.

At one such meeting in 1925, Alexander Muralov, chairman of the provincial executive committee, proposed merging the fairgrounds with Nizhny Novgorod by connecting them with a permanent bridge. A year later, a significant step was taken in this direction: a joint presidium of Nizhny Novgorod, Kanavino, and Sormovo was established. This presidium began actively working on the issue, initiating correspondence with the Administrative Commission of the All-Russian Central Executive Committee (VTsIK). Surveying, planning, and other work necessary for the merger began. The project was completed by the end of 1927 and sent to Moscow.

And on January 9, 1928, the All-Russian Central Executive Committee issued Resolution No. 82, which stated: “The cities of Nizhny Novgorod, Sormovo, and Kanavino shall be merged into a single city and named Nizhny Novgorod.”

The urban agglomeration included the villages of Aleksandrovka, Karpovka, Dubenki, and Gornushkino, as well as the settlements surrounding theThe Engine of the Revolution” and Krasnoye Sormovo Plant” and Nizhny Novgorod Yarmarka; shortly thereafter, Knyazhikha-Kostarikha and Burnakovka were added to the list.

Meanwhile, the name “Greater Nizhny Novgorod” began to appear in local documents and the press. In the spring of 1929, elections were held for the unified City Council of Greater Nizhny Novgorod. And at its first plenary session, held on April 4, the deputies elected Klavdiya Andreevna Zimina as the head of the large city (chair of the City Council Presidium).

Alexey Streltsov

Through the Eyes of Ordinary Muscovites

"It's just a 6-hour trip (or, by plane, a mere hour and a half), and you'll find yourself in Nizhny Novgorod—a city nestled amid lush greenery on the banks of Volga River."

"The City of Hills"

Moscow stands on seven hills—everyone has known this since their school days studying Moscow history. But show me these hills! If they even exist, they’re completely lost amid the concrete jungle and the capital’s asphalt-covered plains.

Nizhny Novgorod is a different story. Here, the hills are Dyatlov Hills. When you climb one of them and look down on the city from above, a landscape with an almost southern feel unfolds before you. The entire edifice of civilization—roads, houses, cars—seems to lie like a thin veil over the gigantic waves of the lithospheric plates. And right in the middle of it all—between two Slope—a silvery ribbon of river cuts through.

In the summer, Novgorod feels almost like a resort town. The air is filled with the scent of water and freshness, and the steppe winds blow all the dust and soot off the roads. The forests and parks here don’t look like those in Moscow—oases in a stone desert. And it is nature—not civilization, not architecture, not even people—that shapes the city’s character. Right from the grounds of Kremlin, there’s a breathtaking view of the Volga. Just a moment ago, you were in the city center, with cars, noise, and crowds of people rushing about, and suddenly—silence, so deep you can hear lovers whispering under a nearby tree; right in front of you is Otkos, all covered in greenery; far below—a yellow strip of sand and the river glistening in the sun, like the sea—stretching almost to the horizon.

Kremlin itself is probably the only remnant of antiquity in the modern city. It was here that Nizhny Novgorod began nearly 800 years ago. However, the “heart of the city” wasn’t encased in stone until the 16th century, when the walls we see today and all 13 towers were built. An interesting legend is associated with one of them—the Koromyslovaya Tower. The Astrakhan Tatars once nearly took the city by storm. But they were thwarted by a frail young woman who had gone “to fetch water” that morning. With her heavy yoke, she beat ten of them to death before falling herself at the hands of the infidels. But the Tatars paused to reflect: “What kind of warriors are these, if even their maidens are so brave?” And they decided not to get involved. And they named the tower Koromyslovaya. You can hear this and other stories told by local tour guides right inside the towers themselves. Or you can take a walk along the Kremlin walls: they’re about 4 meters thick (almost as thick as the Great Wall of China). Another notable landmark in Nizhny Novgorod is The Chkalov Staircase. It was built after Great Patriotic War by German prisoners of war and takes the form of a giant figure-eight, connecting the top and bottom of the hill. Its 560 steps lead from the Valery Chkalov Monument in the city center all the way to the banks Volga River. And the views from the observation decks are so spectacular that tourists won’t rest until they’ve drained the batteries of their digital cameras.

If you prefer a bit more excitement to peacefully admiring the scenery, head straight to Shveytsariya Park (35 Gagarin Avenue.). Here, the Oka River slope turns into a real cliff—so high, in fact, that skydivers jump from it. Multicolored squares, like kites, flutter through the canyon’s air. (By the way, in winter, the most daring snowboarders and skiers race down the nearly vertical slope.) Another park—“Shchelokovsky Farm”—is home to a museum of wooden architecture. A mill, ancient painted log houses, a carved wooden church, water wheels—all are as authentic as can be, having stood the test of time. Miraculously preserved artifacts are brought here from all corners of the country and carefully restored. You can even step inside some of the buildings to breathe in the scent of antiquity.

"Day and Night"

Of course, there aren’t that many “civilized” entertainment options in Nizhny for a Muscovite spoiled by the capital. But they all have a touch of “creativity.” If it’s a café, it’s either incredibly delicious, indescribably cozy, or has an interior perfect for taking photos against. And sometimes, it’s all three at once. The laid-back lifestyle also leaves its mark on the city’s dining spots: instead of tables and chairs, you’ll very often be seated on soft sofas with footrests and given a blanket to boot. Peaceful contemplation of reality is a common state of mind in these parts.

Still, there’s plenty for night owls to do as well. The door policy is purely symbolic: there aren’t enough people to turn anyone away. Despite this, the crowd in the clubs looks well-groomed. The girls look fresh and rosy-cheeked—a far cry from Moscow—and small groups of young people at the tables are spending a fair amount on drinks."

Mikhail Aleksanyants, TimeOut Moscow. July 3, 2009

7 Glamorous Stereotypes About Nizhny Novgorod

« “Why a deer?”—that’s what people often ask me when they come to visit my hometown of Nizhny Novgorod, nodding toward the city’s coat of arms. They ask about the history of the surrounding area........

We have a wonderful city, and there are many things we can truly be proud of. From the very beginning of the centuries-long history of the Russian state, the land of Nizhny Novgorod has always played a role. Not a single major historical event in Kievan Rus’, the Muscovite State, the Russian Empire, or the Soviet Union took place without the participation of enterprising Nizhny Novgorod residents.

So, for anyone who’s interested, I invite you to read my article, published in the magazine *Burzhuy*, where I dug up some amusing historical facts and debunked some long-held stereotypes about my city:
 »


Stereotype 1. The city earned the prefix “Nizhny Novgorod” because it is located below the famous city of Novgorod

« Many believe that the city earned the prefix “Nizhny” because it is located below the famous city of Nizhny Novgorod »


In fact, that is not the case. In the mid-seventh century, a fortified Slavic settlement was founded four versts upstream from the mouth of the Oka River. References to the “Old Town” persisted until the early 17th century.

In 1221, a series of successful military campaigns by Russians made it possible to establish a new lower city in a location that was more advantageous from a military-strategic standpoint, at the confluence of the Oka and Volga rivers, to establish a new lower town, construct earth-and-wood fortifications, and build the Cathedral of St. Michael the Archangel within its walls. Thus, Nizhny Novgorod was founded.

Stereotype 2. The coat of arms of Nizhny Novgorod came into being when Catherine the Great, who was visiting the city, saw a deer there

« The coat of arms of Nizhny Novgorod came into being when Catherine the Great, who was visiting the city, saw a deer there »


First, the Nizhny Novgorod coat of arms has a longer history. The earliest references to its design date back to the symbols on the seal from the time of Ivan IV. Second, there have never been any moose in the Nizhny Novgorod Region. There used to be moose. And even those have become so glamorous with the influx of Muscovites that they now flat-out refuse to lick salt without a slice of lemon and some tequila. But seriously, many coat-of-arms symbols have ancient origins: the Yaroslavl bear, for example, traces its history back to an ancient Slavic totem. Our Nizhny Novgorod deer has the same origin. The Vladimirskoye lion has much in common with European heraldic figures. Other coats of arms of ancient origin include the Kazan coat of arms featuring a dragon, the gamayun (bird of paradise) on the Smolensk coat of arms, and the horse on the Tver coat of arms.

Stereotype 3. Nizhny was built at the confluence of the Oka River and the Volga River

« The Dyatlov Hills were named that way because many woodpeckers used to live there »


The first settlements and the wooden Kremlin were built on a high hill where the Pochayna River flowed into the Oka River. Later, the Pochayna River was channeled into culverts. It flows peacefully there to this day. It was along the Pochayna, Volga River, and Oka River that Kremlin was built. Here, the riverbank was much higher, making the fortress more impregnable.

Myth 4. The Dyatlov Hills were named that way because there used to be many woodpeckers there

« The Dyatlov Hills were named that way because many woodpeckers used to live there »


A flock of woodpeckers—that’s cool, I agree, but things were actually quite different. Until recently, the Slavs weren’t indigenous to this area—kind of like Americans are to Native Americans. Instead, Mordva lived here, one of which was settled in the vicinity of modern-day Nizhny.

It was ruled by Nizhny Novgorod Woodpecker. He wasn’t given that name because of a bad temper or a difficult fate; on the contrary, it was simply that in pagan times, names of animals and birds were in vogue. When Yuri Vsevolodovich Dolgoruky, the founder Founding of Nizhny Novgorod, decided to establish a city here, he sent messengers to inform Dyatol of his plans—in order to acquire the necessary lands from him by some peaceful means.

The chieftain responded to the proposal with understanding and sent his sons with gifts to begin negotiations. The young Mordva woman squandered all the gifts and brought our prince nothing but soil on a tray and water in a jug. Yuri Vsevolodovich took this as a sign of consent and set out to settle in the surrounding area. The Woodpecker, however, had not yet given his consent. A battle ensued, and, as you might have guessed, our side won. But in people’s memory, these lands are still known as the Dyatlov Hills.

Stereotype 5. We have a monument to Minin and Pozharsky just like the one in Moscow

« We have a monument to Minin and Pozharsky just like the one in Moscow »


Moscow had been burned by Napoleon, was a sad sight. To support the capital during this difficult time, a monument to Minin and Pozharsky , created by sculptor I.P. Martos, was transported from Nizhny Novgorod to Red Square in 1818. It still stands there today.

In return, Nizhny Novgorod received a granite obelisk, which can be seen in the Kremlin. And a few years ago, on the initiative of Moscow Mayor Yuri Luzhkov, a replica of the monument to Minin and Prince Pozharsky was created and presented as a gift from the people of Moscow to the residents of Nizhny Novgorod.

The renowned sculptor Tsereteli created a replica of the monument free of charge. The only thing is, the replica turned out to be 10% smaller. And not because they skimped on the bronze. No. Just so there would be more of it in Moscow. Well, there you go. And we certainly didn’t skimp back in the day.

Stereotype 6. Nizhny Novgorod—Russia’s third capital and “pocket”

« Nizhny Novgorod—Russia’s third capital and “pocket” »


To be honest, for the past few yearsNizhny Novgorod Region has been a region receiving subsidies. And any oil-producing region has been a deeper source of revenue for our country. As for Capital Status—it’s not just a fancy term, but also a status, and one that must be earned.

In terms of size, we're not even in third place.

Nearly one-fifth of the country's population lives in 13 cities with populations of over one million: Moscow, Saint Petersburg, Novosibirsk, Nizhny Novgorod, Yekaterinburg, Samara, Omsk, Kazan, Chelyabinsk, Rostov-on-Don, Ufa, Volgograd, and Perm. We have 1,311 thousand residents, while Novosibirsk has 1,426 thousand. Yekaterinburg, meanwhile, already has 1,294 thousand. Omsk and Kazan are hot on our heels. They have no fewer capital city ambitions, backed by rich urban infrastructure and developed economies.

Stereotype 7. The number of towers in the Kremlin is mistakenly associated with the signs of the zodiac

« The number of towers in the Kremlin is mistakenly associated with the signs of the zodiac, with a thirteenth constellation—Ophiuchus—being added to the existing ones to match the number of towers »


Indeed—Kremlin had thirteen towers along the total perimeter of its fortress walls (Dmitrievskaya, Porokhovaya, Georgievskaya, Borisoglebskaya, Zachatyevskaya, Belaya, Chasovaya, Ivanovskaya, Severnaya, Taynitskaya, Koromyslova, Nikolskaya, and Kladovaya). But it is unlikely that the ancient architects were familiar with the intricacies of astrology. After all, the trend of determining zodiac signs did not emerge until the Age of Enlightenment in the mid-17th century.

And one more thing. What, then, should be done with the fourteenth tower—the flanking tower—which was once connected to the Dmitrievsky Gate by a stone arch bridge spanning a 30-meter moat? Today, it would stand right at the turn onto Varvarskaya Street.

The beautiful legend that claims people of every zodiac sign can find their own tower in our Kremlin is nothing more than yet another fabrication by astrologers. But you have to admit, what a charming one…

Nicknames

Historically established names currently in use

  • "Lower" (1220–2010)

Titles that Nizhny Novgorod has claimed or is claiming

  • "Russian Detroit" (mid-1990s)

Names of Nizhny Novgorod in languages other than Russian

In the Middle Ages

The name Nizhny Novgorod is usually transliterated into other languages, with the exception of Erzya-Mordvin, Ossetian, and Chuvash. However, until the 18th century, even in many Western European languages, there were specific transcriptions of the city’s name from Russian (Old Slavonic), found either in historical sources or on maps:

  • Nisi Novogorod
  • Nisen Novgorod (from an engraving by A. Olearius, 1647)
  • Nizna
  • Arabic: Nagen‎‎
  • Spanish: Neguen — Persian: Neghen (notes by Urukh-bek, also known as Juan the Persian, ca. 1599)

In some chronicles, as well as in the full imperial title, the city was referred to as Novgorod of the Nizovskaya Land, that is, Novgorod of the Nizovskaya Land (= Nizhny Novgorod).

European spelling

Before the 1918 spelling reform, the name Nizhny Novgorod was written as Нижній-Новгородъ. As a result, until recently, a hyphen was also used when writing the city’s name in some Western European languages, and in French it is sometimes still used today (cf. French Nijni-Novgorod).

Nizhny Novgorod in the Chuvash language

In the Chuvash language, Nizhny Novgorod is called Chulkhula, which literally means “stone city.”

The Mari name for Nizhny Novgorod

The Mari name for Nizhny Novgorod is Ugarman (“new fortress”).

Nizhny Novgorod, Tatar-style

In the Tatar language, Nizhny Novgorod is written as Түбән Новгород.

In the Ossetian language

In the Ossetian language, Nizhny Novgorod is written as "Дæллаг Новгород." As is the case with the Tatar language, both names are literal translations of the Russian "Nizhny Novgorod."

Informal names for Nizhny Novgorod residents

Residents of certain Russian cities are attributed ironic, generalized traits that are believed to reveal their character, behavior, opinions, and so on. For example: the Tambov wolf, the fierce Ryazan face, the Ivanovo weaver, the Kursk nightingale, and the Voronezh redneck. How, then, can one describe a resident of Nizhny Novgorod?

As the older residents recall, Nizhny Novgorod residents have been known by the nickname Nizhny Novgorod vodokhlob” since the days of the USSR.

There are three known explanations for this:

  • I love to have tea.
  • The frequent use of the interjection "tea."

In addition, residents of other regions of the USSR sometimes referred to Gorky residents as “Gorky geese.” Other taunting nicknames include:

  • Gorky’s “Good-for-Nothing” — in reference to the technical intelligentsia, the “NTR-ists”: the children of the military-industrial complex and the scientific and technological revolution (workers in City of Gorky, unlike engineers, earned good wages). See Intellectualism.”
  • Nizhny Novgorod "Alyen" — used to describe people who are socially Adequacy, strange, taciturn, yet persistent.

After 1991:

  • Nizhny Novgorod's "Vodyatel" — for clumsy and persistent drivers.

Districts of Nizhny Novgorod

Zarechka of the cityZarechka

Upper Town Town

City Websites

Social Media

Interesting Facts

  • The image of a deer on the coat of arms of Nizhny is linked to the veneration of this animal among Peoples of Nizhny Novgorod Volga Region. The deer is the only animal that strikes snakes with its hooves. It symbolizes strength and beauty, as well as fearlessness in battle. Since snakes are traditionally associated with evil, this image also conveys the ability to defeat evil.
  • What Russian hasn’t heard the phrase “See Paris and die…”? (From sheer delight, of course.) But few Nizhny Novgorod residents know that as far back as 1861, Théophile Gautier (a famous French poet whose works were widely translated in Russia, a literary critic and novelist, and a travel enthusiast who had traveled throughout Europe and the East). He wrote (archive): “Is it possible to live without having seen Nizhny Novgorod?”
  • In terms of the total number of residential buildings at the end of the 18th century, Nizhny Novgorod lagged behind Arzamas (5 stone and 1,100 wooden buildings) and was only slightly ahead of Balakhna (12 stone and 725 wooden houses).
  • The first measuring instrument in the USSR to feature a microprocessor (S5-21) was manufactured in Nizhny Novgorod (City of Gorky) in 1978.
  • Nizhny Novgorod is located at the junction of two tectonic plates. When the weather changes and atmospheric fronts move, this often causes tremors. (Boris Friedman, associate professor in the Department of Natural Sciences and Geology at Pedagogical University).
  • UNESCO has included it on its list of 100 cities around the world that are of global historical and cultural significance.
  • The UN has designated (archive) Nizhny Novgorod as the city with the highest population decline Russia. According to UN estimates, by 2025 the city will have lost 11.8% of its population compared to 1990. This is stated in a UN report on the state of cities, which examines how various institutions, urban planning, and the environment contribute to the prosperity or decline of cities. The list of the 28 cities experiencing the fastest population decline includes 11 Russian cities, 5 Ukrainian cities, 3 Italian cities, 2 South Korean cities, and one city each in Hungary, Liberia, Georgia, Romania, the Czech Republic, Armenia, and Cuba.
  • The city and its districts have established sponsorship relationships with several submarines.

Types and Photos

Nizhny Novgorod Riddles

See also