The sights of Nizhny Novgorod

The history of the Nizhny Novgorod (Gorky) Planetarium began in 1948, three years after the victory in the Great Patriotic War. Like many Soviet-era planetariums, it was located in a former religious building – the Alexiev Church.
Moving to a new building in 2005 became the second birth of the planetarium. Today the Nizhny Novgorod Planetarium is a big complex that includes: The Big Star Hall; small halls "Astronomy", "Cosmonautics" and "Planet"; an observatory. In 2016 the Nizhny Novgorod Planetarium was named after the famous cosmonaut, twice Hero of the Soviet Union, Mr. Georgy Mikhailovich Grechko.
Full-domed programs produced by the planetarium have multiple times become participants of international competitions. Nizhny Novgorod Planetarium is a three-times (in 2013, 2015, 2017) winner of the International Full-Dome Festival “Reflection of the Universe”.

The monastery on the banks of the Volga is usually said to have been founded in the XIV century by the monk, who came to Nizhny Novgorod from Kiev Pechersk Lavra (i.e., Kiev Monastery of the Caves). In the Middle Ages the monastery became an important spiritual and religious center of the Principality of Suzdal and Nizhny Novgorod. The monastery was destroyed by a landslide on June 18, 1597. However, monks managed to save church values and property. The same year the monastery was rebuilt about 1 kilometer upstream of the old site.
The architectural complex that we know today consists of the 17th century buildings.

Nizhny Novgorod Drama Theater was founded at the end of the 18th century and it is one of the oldest drama theaters in Russia. The first play was staged by the work of famous Russian writer D. Fonvizin. At first, the theater company included peasant serfs who played there. The first building of the theatre was neither beautiful nor elegant and was described as a “gloomy and clumsy building.” However, after numerous reconstructions the theater acquired a splendid exterior we know today.

A gorgeous building was designed in so called “neo-Russian” style at the beginning of the XX century. It was built in 1913 to commemorate the 300th anniversary of the Romanovs' House. The last Russian emperor Nikolai II managed to visit the building of the State Bank. The interiors are made in the imperial palace style, as it was usual in the late Czarist-era. The building has survived to our days and it is used as a banking office.

The manor is an object of cultural heritage of regional significance, federal property and a magnificent monument of civil architecture. The family of the industrialist Rukavishnikov owned the building and turned an ordinary merchant's house into a breathtaking city palace. The facade was richly decorated with bas-reliefs and figures, elegant ceiling and wall paintings appeared in halls. The manor was the most luxurious building in Nizhny Novgorod at the end of the 19th century. Today, tourists can visit the mansion to discover the history of a rich merchant's house, its interiors (ballroom, living rooms, dining room, master's bedroom, the former kitchen) and learn the history of Rukavishnikov’s family. In addition, visitors can enjoy an exhibition of arts, crafts and jewelry collections from the Nizhny Novgorod Museum Reserve.

Nizhny Novgorod Fair is a national and cultural treasure of Russia. It has more than 400 year history. Being on the halfway of the main waterway of Russia - the Volga and being not far from Moscow, the Nizhny Novgorod Fair was a commerce center to sell up to half the total production of export goods from Europe and Asia.
“From all the buildings the Main Fair building, opened in 1890, stands out. Here, during the fair trade, situated the governor’s apartment and his office, fair management institutions, branches of the state bank, etc. On the ground floor there is an extensive retail passage, the best one at the fair.” (Address-calendar. 1916)

The main pedestrian street of Nizhny Novgorod is built up with magnificent noblemen mansions of past centuries. A lot of interesting sights are located at this street: Upper Posad Chamber of Commerce, Drama theater, Puppet theater, Trade Unions building, etc. In the XVIII century Bolshaya Pokrovskaya Street became the main walkway of the city.

The stairs have 560 steps and this is one of the longest staircases in Russia. It was built by German prisoners of war. The Chkalov staircase was built in honor of the victory in the battle of Stalingrad. The work was finished in 1949. The monument to a famous pilot V.Chkalov is situated at the top of the stairs.
Every year on the City Day and the Day of Russia on June 12, races are arranged on the stairs. The fastest runner wins a car as a prize.

One of the most popular sights of the city – the cable car road – is located between Nizhny Novgorod and its neighbor, the town of Bor. This road is not only a transport, but also is one of the main tourist attractions of the city. There are 28 gondolas on route and it takes about 12.5 minutes not only to get from Nizhny Novgorod to Bor but to enjoy breathtaking views of Volga and Oka rivers, the Chkalov Stairs and Pechersky Ascension Monastery.

The Kremlin is the very place where residents and guest of the city like to have walks and spend their free time. The fortress was constructed according to the drafts of Leonardo Da Vinci. It is an impregnable fort that was built in the 16th century in the central part of Nizhny Novgorod and has never been taken by enemies. 13 towers and more than two kilometers of the defensive wall have survived to our days. Thickness of the wall at its bottom is about 5 meters. Administrative buildings of the Nizhny Novgorod region and the Nizhny Novgorod city government are situated behind this ancient defensive wall. Various exhibitions are placed in the Kremlin towers. A part of the wall is opened for visitors.