NIZHNY NOVGOROD, RUSSIA. HISTORY, TOURISM, ECONOMY, SPORTS ETC
Nizhny Novgorod is a city in the European part of Russia located in the confluence of the Oka and the Volga rivers. The Oka river divides the city into two parts. It is the fifth largest city in Russia. Nizhny Novgorod was founded in 1221 by Prince Yuri Vsevolodovich to protect Russian borders and is located 400 km away from Moscow. One of the most ancient cities of trade and handicrafts in Russia.
CITY OF LITERATURE
Nizhny Novgorod is where Maxim Gorky (1868–1936), one of the world's best known Russian writers, spent his childhood. In 1932, the city was renamed in honour of this renowned writer. In 1990, however, Nizhny Novgorod returned its initial name. The State Gorky Literature Museum, with an exhibit of over 100,000 items, is now located in Nizhny Novgorod.
HOW TO GO
Strigino International Airport is located in the western part of Avtozavodsky district, 18 km south-west of the center of Nizhny Novgorod. Flights from Moscow, St. Petersburg are available. The main train station of Nizhny Novgorod is located in the northern part of the city Centre, near the Metromost Bridge. It is reachable via the metro. There are several options for train travel from Moscow including high speed trains. There are 2 daily overnight trains from Saint Petersburg.
MILITARY
From 1959 to 1991 it was a “forbidden” city for foreigners because of defense plants located there.
PLACES TO VISIT:
The Nizhny Novgorod Kremlin is the main attraction of the city and something it is rightly proud of. The Kremlin was built at the beginning of the sixteenth century as a military fortress. Rozhdestvenskaya Street is one of the central streets of the city where you can still see houses of the mid-18th and 19th centuries. The biggest lake is the Svetloyar which is mentioned in the legend about the Russian Atlantis. It is over 33 metres deep. UNESCO included Nizhny Novgorod in the list of Top 100 cities in the world which are of great historical and cultural value.
POPULATION:
The Nizhny Novgorod population Over 1.2 million.
RELIGION:
There are over 120 religious communities and societies in Nizhny Novgorod, including those for followers of Orthodox, Muslim, Jewish, Evangelistic, Lutheran, Buddhist, and other religions. The majority of local cathedrals are Orthodox.
ECONOMY:
Nizhny Novgorod is the Russia’s largest industrial center with the enterprises of mechanical engineering, metalworking information technology playing a leading role. The city is home to the Gorky Automobile Plant one of the largest in Russia, and also produces many types of ships and river craft, diesel engines, machinery and machine tools, and a wide range of chemical and consumer goods. Nizhny Novgorod is one of the centers of the IT Industry in Russia. It ranks among the leading Russian cities in terms of the quality software. Intel has a big software R&D center with more than 500 engineers in the city,
MUSIC
People in Nizhny love rock music and rock musicians. There are a number of places here where fantastic concerts are staged. There are cafes offering live music, including jazz. Famous Russian musicians and DJs are frequent visitors of Nizhny Novgorod
SPORTS:
Standing on a spit of the Volga and Oka Rivers in the city center is the international-class Nizhny Novgorod Stadium. This arena will host six games of 2018 FIFA World Cup. After the World Cup, the stadium will serve as a multipurpose sports complex.