Semyonov is a city and the administrative center of Semyonovsky District.
It is the sole urban center of the Kerzhenets forests, made famous by Melnikov-Pechersky's stories. The city is also home to the center of Khokhloma technique, whose most popular product is the matryoshka doll — an item that emerged after Crown Prince Nicholas II, returning from his youthful journey through Japan where a fanatical samurai attempted to assassinate him, brought back wooden figures that open and nest inside one another.
In the north of Semyonovsky District lies a village with the curious name of Kholuy, which also has — or at least once had — its own variety of folk art.
History of Semyonov
During the reign of Ivan the Terrible, events unfolding in Russia — in its state and ecclesiastical upper circles — created the conditions for the mass resettlement of people from the center to the periphery, including to Semyonov and the Kerzhenets region.
The earliest archival records of the settlement of Semyon date to the end of the 17th century, to 1692. It is known that in 1708 the place was a pochinok (a small new settlement), where the future Bishop of Nizhny Novgorod, Pitirim, visited the market and conceived the idea of building a church there to combat the Schism. In 1717 the church was built and a priest — Leonty Fyodorov — was appointed; from that moment the pochinok became a selo (a larger village).
From 1717 to 1779 it was the selo of Semyonovo. The "confessional" register (for the year 1742) of the Kerzhenets volost of the selo of Semyonovo records that in the village 48 households with a population of 440 souls — men and women — upheld Orthodoxy. In addition, "18 men and 5 women do not receive Holy Communion and do not go to confession — the reason being 'Disobedience.'" A separate list of schismatics numbering 15 households is also provided.
From 1779 to the present day — the city of Semyonov. In 1781 a town development plan was approved, on the face of which Empress Catherine II wrote in her own hand: "Be it so. 8 March 1781."
On 17 July 1784, the lands of the city of Semyonov were surveyed by first-class land surveyor Captain Fyodor Fok Gine in accordance with the empress-approved plan. The plan took the form of a square divided by intersecting streets into 16 rectangular blocks, and also crossed by two diagonal streets whose intersection gave rise to a central square. No other Russian city had such a street layout. It is no wonder that Semyonov was called "the little Paris."
Semyonov today
To the east of Semyonov lies Svetloyar, associated with the ancient legend of the invisible city of Kitezh, said to have sunk to the bottom of the lake.
Today the city of Semyonov has gained wide international renown as one of the largest centers of artistic woodworking, which has placed it among the most significant sites associated with traditional folk crafts.
In 2004 the city of Semyonov was awarded the distinguished title of "Capital of Folk Art Crafts of the Russian Federation."
The city has been included on Russia's list of historic settlements as a monument of 17th–18th century urban planning. And finally, it became the birthplace of the festival "Golden Khokhloma — the Soul of Russia."
Industry and crafts
Center of artistic woodworking (Khokhloma painting, souvenirs).
The following industrial enterprises operate in the city: a hardware plant (bankrupt), an auto-repair plant, later known as "Semar" (bankrupt), the "Metallist" repair and machine shop (bankrupt), a dairy plant; a timber industry enterprise (bankrupt); the "Kerzhenets" woodworking production association (bankrupt), the LMZ foundry and machine plant, and a bread factory.
How golden Khokhloma and the beautiful matryoshka are born can be seen at the folk craft enterprises "Khokhlomskaya Rospis" and "Semyonovskaya Rospis." The Semyonov House of Creativity will introduce you to the secrets of wickerwork and straw marquetry.