Nizhny Novgorod

Nizhny Novgorod (Russian: ??????? ?????????), colloquially shortened as Nizhny and also transliterated into English as Nizhniy Novgorod or Nizhni Novgorod, is the fourth largest city of the Russian Federation, ranking after Moscow, Saint Petersburg and Novosibirsk. It is the economic and cultural center of the vast Volga-Vyatka economic region, and also the administrative center of Nizhny Novgorod Oblast and Privolzhsky Federal District.

History

A seat of medieval princes

The city was founded by Grand Duke George II of Russia in 1221 at the confluence of two most important rivers of his principality, the Volga and the Oka. Its name literally means Newtown the Lower, to distinguish it from the older Novgorod. A major stronghold for border protection, Nizhny Novgorod fortress took advantage of a natural moat formed by the two rivers.

Related Topics:
George II of Russia - 1221 - Volga - Oka - Novgorod - Fortress

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Along with Moscow and Tver, Nizhny Novgorod was among several newly-founded towns that escaped Mongol devastation on account of their insignificance and grew up into great centers of Russian political life during the period of Tatar yoke. Its importance further increased, when the seat of the powerful Suzdal Principality was moved here from Gorodets in 1350. Grand Duke Dmitry Konstantinovich (1323-1383) sought to make his capital a rival worthy of Moscow: he built a stone citadel and several churches and was a patron of historians. The earliest extant manuscript of the Russian Primary Chronicle, the Laurentian Codex, was written for him by the local monk Laurence in 1377.

Related Topics:
Moscow - Tver - Mongol devastation - Suzdal - Gorodets - 1350 - Dmitry Konstantinovich - 1323 - 1383 - Manuscript - Russian Primary Chronicle - 1377

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The strongest fortress of Muscovy

After the city's incorporation into Muscovy (1392), the local princes took the name Shuisky and settled in Moscow, where they were prominent at the court and briefly ascended the throne in the person of Vasili IV. Nizhny Novgorod was regarded by the Muscovites primarily as a great stronghold in their wars against the Tatars of Kazan. The enormous red-brick kremlin, one of the strongest and earliest preserved citadels in Russia, was built in 1508-1511 under supervision of Peter the Italian. The fortress was strong enough to withstand Tatar sieges in 1520 and 1536.

Related Topics:
Muscovy - 1392 - Shuisky - Vasili IV - Tatars of Kazan - Kremlin - 1508 - 1511 - Italian - 1520 - 1536

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In 1612, the so-called national militia, gathered by a local merchant Kuzma Minin and commanded by Knyaz Dmitry Pozharsky expelled the Polish troops from Moscow, thus putting an end to the Time of Troubles and establishing the rule of the Romanov dynasty. The main square before the kremlin is named after Minin, and his remains are buried in the citadel. In the course of the following century, the city prospered commercially and was chosen by the Stroganovs (the wealthiest merchant family of Russia) as a base for their operations. A particular style of architecture and icon painting, known as the Stroganov style, developed there at the turn of the 17th and 18th centuries.

Related Topics:
1612 - Kuzma Minin - Knyaz - Dmitry Pozharsky - Polish - Time of Troubles - Romanov - Stroganov - Architecture - Stroganov style - 17th - 18th centuries

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Great trade centre

In 1817, the Makariev fair, one of the liveliest in the world, was transferred to Nizhny Novgorod, which thereupon started to attract millions of visitors annually. By the mid-19th century, the city on the Volga was firmly established as the trade capital of the Russian Empire. Other industries gradually developed, and by the dawn of the 20th century it was a first-rank industrial hub as well.

Related Topics:
1817 - Makariev fair - Trade - Russian Empire - 20th century

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Famous writer Maxim Gorky was born there in 1868, in his novels he realistically described dismal life of the city proletariat.

Related Topics:
Maxim Gorky - 1868 - Proletariat

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Even during his lifetime, the city was renamed Gorky following his return to the USSR from immigration in 1932 on invitation of Joseph Stalin.

Related Topics:
USSR - 1932 - Joseph Stalin

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The city bore his name until 1991. During that time, the city was closed to foreigners for security of the Soviet military research. The physicist and the Nobel laureate Andrei Sakharov was exiled there until 1986 to limit his contacts with foreigners. Together with returning of the name the "closed" status of the city has ended.

Related Topics:
1991 - Closed - Physicist - Nobel laureate - Andrei Sakharov - 1986

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The modern city has a subway system, an airport, numerous theatres, institutes, and museums. Its modern industries are too numerous and diversified to mention; they include the production of GAZ lorries and Volga cars.

Related Topics:
Subway - Airport - Theatre - Institute - Museum - GAZ

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