Zone time: +1 from Moscow one.

Population: about 1340 thous.

Average temperatures: January -12, July +25.

Nizhny Novgorod occupies the 5th position among most populated and industrially developed cities of Russia, is a center of Niznhy Novgirid region. The city is located at the confluence of two rivers, the Volga (the largest river in Europe) and the Oka.

Nizhny Novgorod is also known as a city to which Andrei Saharov, "farther of the H-bomb", was exiled. He was later awarded the Nobel Prize for his work defending human rights.

The Grand Prince Yuri founded the city in 1221. From the very beginning the city was surrounded by the moat, and a wooden Kremlin was erected. The prince's palace, stone cathedrals, and monasteries were built in the Kremlin. The new city began to develop trade and to construct a new system of fortifications and to mint its own coins. Despite the fact that Nizhny Novgorod was burned and ruined seven times by the tribes and armies of the Tatars, the people restored and renewed the city.

The stone Kremlin of Nizhny Novgorod was built in 14th century, which was later recognized as an outstanding construction of the Russian fortification art. Now the total perimeter of the Kremlin walls contains 13 towers.

A great number of historical, architectural and cultural monuments have remained in the city, what gave premises to UNESCO for inclusion of Nizhny Novgorod in the list of 100 cities constituting world historical and cultural value.

What to see

In Nizhny Novgorod there are two great medieval abbeys. The Monastery of the Caves features the austere five-domed cathedra and two rare churches surmounted by tent roofs of 17th century. The Annunciation monastery, likewise surrounded by strong walls, has another five-domed cathedral and the Assumption church of 17th century.

The Historical Museum

It was founded in 1867. The museum has a rich collection of ethnic costumes, crafts, glassware, and china.

The Nizhny Novgorod Art museum

It was founded in 1896. Now the collection of the museum comprises about 8000 works of art.

The collection of graphic works includes works of Russian and Western-European masters. There is an extensive collection of works of applied and folk art, e.g. Khokhloma and Gorodets decorative painting. Old Russian art is represented by the oldest icon of 14th-19th centuries. There are collections of paintings of Levitan, Serov, Roerich, Kustodiev, Serebryakova. The pearl of the collection is " Russian Venus" by Kustodeev.

How to get

Nizhny Novgorod is less than an hour by plane from Moscow. The city has regular air connection with many Russian cities. A fast train has connected Nizhny Novgorod and Moscow in less than 5 hours.