History of Nizhny Novgorod
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Nizhny Novgorod was founded by Prince
Yuri II of Vladimir Yuri II (russian: Ю́рий–II), also known as George II of Vladimir or Georgy II Vsevolodovich (26 November 11884 March 1238), was the fourth Grand Prince of Vladimir (1212–1216, 1218–1238) who presided over Vladimir-Suzd ...
in 4 February 1221. Citizens organized an army to liberate
Moscow Moscow ( , US chiefly ; rus, links=no, Москва, r=Moskva, p=mɐskˈva, a=Москва.ogg) is the capital and largest city of Russia. The city stands on the Moskva River in Central Russia, with a population estimated at 13.0 million ...
from the
Poles Poles,, ; singular masculine: ''Polak'', singular feminine: ''Polka'' or Polish people, are a West Slavic nation and ethnic group, who share a common history, culture, the Polish language and are identified with the country of Poland in Ce ...
in 1611, led by
Kuzma Minin Kuzma (Kozma) Minin (; full name Kuzma Minich Zakhariev-Sukhoruky, born late 1570s - died 1616) was a Russian merchant from Nizhny Novgorod, Russia, who, together with Prince Dmitry Pozharsky, became a national hero for his role in defending the ...
and Prince
Dmitry Pozharsky Dmitry Mikhaylovich Pozharsky ( rus, Дми́трий Миха́йлович Пожа́рский, p=ˈdmʲitrʲɪj mʲɪˈxajləvʲɪtɕ pɐˈʐarskʲɪj; 17 October 1577 – 30 April 1642) was a Russian prince known for his military leadershi ...
. During the
Russian Empire The Russian Empire was an empire and the final period of the Russian monarchy from 1721 to 1917, ruling across large parts of Eurasia. It succeeded the Tsardom of Russia following the Treaty of Nystad, which ended the Great Northern War. ...
, in 1817 Nizhny Novgorod became the country's main trading city. In 1896, the city hosted the largest
All-Russia exhibition The All-Russia Industrial and Art Exhibitions were a series of 16 exhibitions in the 19th century Russian Empire The Russian Empire was an empire and the final period of the Russian monarchy from 1721 to 1917, ruling across large parts of ...
. In the Soviet era, Nizhny Novgorod was renamed Gorky, in honor of the writer
Maxim Gorky Alexei Maximovich Peshkov (russian: link=no, Алексе́й Макси́мович Пешко́в;  – 18 June 1936), popularly known as Maxim Gorky (russian: Макси́м Го́рький, link=no), was a Russian writer and social ...
. Then it was the industrial center of the
Soviet Union The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, it was nominally a federal union of fifteen national ...
. During the
World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
, the city sent to the
front Front may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Films * ''The Front'' (1943 film), a 1943 Soviet drama film * ''The Front'', 1976 film Music * The Front (band), an American rock band signed to Columbia Records and active in the 1980s and e ...
a huge amount of military equipment and ammunition. Therefore, the
German air force The German Air Force (german: Luftwaffe, lit=air weapon or air arm, ) is the aerial warfare branch of the , the armed forces of Germany. The German Air Force (as part of the ''Bundeswehr'') was founded in 1956 during the era of the Cold War a ...
bombed the city for 3 years. After the
dissolution of the Soviet Union The dissolution of the Soviet Union, also negatively connoted as rus, Разва́л Сове́тского Сою́за, r=Razvál Sovétskogo Soyúza, ''Ruining of the Soviet Union''. was the process of internal disintegration within the Sov ...
, the city was renamed back to Nizhny Novgorod. In
Russia Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a List of transcontinental countries, transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia, Northern Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the ...
, the city became a political center and the capital of the
Volga Federal District Volga (Privolzhsky) Federal District (russian: Приво́лжский федера́льный о́круг, ''Privolzhsky federalny okrug'') is one of the eight federal districts of Russia. It forms the southeastern part of European Russia. ...
. Now the city is the center of information technology and develops tourism.


Foundation

In the Oka estuary formed a comfortable place to gather Murom and Suzdal armies for war against
Volga Bulgaria Volga Bulgaria or Volga–Kama Bulgaria, was a historic Bulgar state that existed between the 7th and 13th centuries around the confluence of the Volga and Kama River, in what is now European Russia. Volga Bulgaria was a multi-ethnic state wi ...
. In 1220 Prince
Yuri II of Vladimir Yuri II (russian: Ю́рий–II), also known as George II of Vladimir or Georgy II Vsevolodovich (26 November 11884 March 1238), was the fourth Grand Prince of Vladimir (1212–1216, 1218–1238) who presided over Vladimir-Suzd ...
conquered Bulgaria. The following year he decided to establish an important place for
Russia Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a List of transcontinental countries, transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia, Northern Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the ...
and founded a city in the mouth of the Oka. The name of the city - Nizhny Novgorod, that is, the "Lower Newtown" - led historians to think about the existence of an older city. The hypothesis of the "Oldtown" was supported by historians. There were versions of the origin of the city from the Bulgars, Mordovian-Erzyas (Erzya language: "Obran osh") or Russians ("Suzdal old city"). Archaeological data does not support any of the hypotheses. Since there are no earlier buildings on the territory of the
Nizhny Novgorod Kremlin The Nizhny Novgorod Kremlin ( rus, Нижегородский кремль, Nizhegorodskiy Kreml') is a fortress in Nizhny Novgorod, the historic city center. History The first attempt to replace the wooden fort with a stone kremlin was rec ...
or in the vicinity of the city. They all are buried under
Kremlin The Kremlin ( rus, Московский Кремль, r=Moskovskiy Kreml', p=ˈmɐˈskofskʲɪj krʲemlʲ, t=Moscow Kremlin) is a fortified complex in the center of Moscow founded by the Rurik dynasty, Rurik dynasty. It is the best known of th ...
and old Kazansky railway station, and Trud factory ruins. They are in a higher level than the city today that is why Novgorod is Nizhny (''Lower'').
Pavel Melnikov-Pechersky Pavel Ivanovich Melnikov (alias Andrey Pechersky, russian: Па́вел Ива́нович Ме́льников (Андре́й Пече́рский), 1818, Nizhny Novgorod – 1883) was a Russian writer, best known for his novels ''In the Fore ...
wrote: The Erzya city gave shelter to
Andrey Bogolyubsky Andrew I (died 28 June 1174), his Russian name in full, Andrey Yuryevich Bogolyubsky "Andrew made Vladimir the centre of the grand principality and placed a series of his relatives on the now secondary princely throne of Kiev. Later he also com ...
's son Mstislav in 1171 after his unsucceful raid on
Volga Bulgaria Volga Bulgaria or Volga–Kama Bulgaria, was a historic Bulgar state that existed between the 7th and 13th centuries around the confluence of the Volga and Kama River, in what is now European Russia. Volga Bulgaria was a multi-ethnic state wi ...
. He came and raised the city couple of years later. The adjective "lower" (Nizhny) appeared in the city's name in later chronicles. There are several assumptions about its appearance: * to distinguish it from
Veliky Novgorod Veliky Novgorod ( rus, links=no, Великий Новгород, t=Great Newtown, p=vʲɪˈlʲikʲɪj ˈnovɡərət), also known as just Novgorod (), is the largest city and administrative centre of Novgorod Oblast, Russia. It is one of the ol ...
, as the city was in the "lower lands"; * The city was below Gorodets along the Volga. The foundation of Nizhny Novgorod was the beginning of an active Russian expansion into the Mordovian lands. In 1226, Sviatoslav and Ivan (brothers of Prince Yuri II of Vladimir) successfully conquered several Erzyan villages. The first wooden fortress occupied an advantageous military-strategic position. It was on Sentry Hill and was well protected. On the one side there was a deep ravine, on the other side there were steep cliffs of the Volga shore. In the first years, two white stone churches were built in the fortress. In 1227 the Cathedral of St. Michael the Archangel was built.


Feudal period

In February 1238, Gorodets and his surroundings were attacked by one of the independently operating detachments scattered throughout the territory of the Vladimir Grand Duchy after the capture of the capital. For a short period of time, a "
veche Veche ( rus, вече, véče, ˈvʲet͡ɕe; pl, wiec; uk, ві́че, víče, ; be, ве́ча, viéča, ; cu, вѣще, věšte) was a popular assembly in medieval Slavic countries. In Novgorod and in Pskov, where the veche acquired gre ...
republic" was established in Nizhny Novgorod in the style of Veliky Novgorod. In the last third of the 13th century, the Gorodets Principality emerged from the Suzdal Principality. In his subordination was Nizhny Novgorod. Andrey Alexandrovich became the prince. This was the third son of
Alexander Nevsky Alexander Yaroslavich Nevsky (russian: Александр Ярославич Невский; ; 13 May 1221 – 14 November 1263) served as Prince of Novgorod (1236–40, 1241–56 and 1258–1259), Grand Prince of Kiev (1236–52) and Grand P ...
. The Principality did not last long. At the beginning of the 14th century, its cities were subordinated to the Vladimir Grand Prince. In 1311 there was a war for the throne between Vladimir and Moscow princes.
Yury of Moscow Yuriy Danilovich, also known as Georgiy Danilovich (Юрий Данилович in Russian) (1281 – 21 November 1325) was Prince of Moscow (1303–1325) and Grand Prince of Vladimir (from 1318). Yury was the oldest son of Daniel, the first ...
conquered Nizhny Novgorod from
Mikhail of Vladimir Mikhalko Yuryevich (russian: Михалко (Михаил) Юрьевич; uk, Михайло Юрійович) (died June 20, 1176), Prince of Torchesk (mid-1160s–1173), Vladimir and Suzdal (1175–1176) and Grand Prince of Kiev (Kyiv, 1171). ...
. His brother Boris became the regent. In 1320, after the death of Boris Danilovich, Nizhny Novgorod once again became subordinate to the Vladimir principality for a short period of time. Then
Prince of Tver The title of Prince of Tver was borne by the head of the branch of the Rurikid dynasty that ruled the Principality of Tver. In 1247 Tver was allocated to Grand Prince Alexander Nevsky, and became an independent principality. In 1252, the principal ...
Alexander Mikhailovich supported the uprising against the Horde in Tver. In response, Khan Uzbek called on the Moscow prince
Ivan Kalita Iván I Danilovich Kalitá (Russian: Ива́н I Данилович Калита́; 1 November 1288 – 31 March 1340 or 1341Basil Dmytryshyn, ''Medieval Russia:A source book, 850-1700'', (Academic International Press, 2000), 194.) was Grand Du ...
to ruin the Tver Duchy. After the conquest of the Tver Principality, Khan Uzbek divided the princely possessions. Most of it he gave the Prince of Moscow. Part of the lands, including the former Gorodets Duchy, went to Alexander Vasilyevich. After his death in 1331, the princedom was given to the Moscow prince
Ivan Kalita Iván I Danilovich Kalitá (Russian: Ива́н I Данилович Калита́; 1 November 1288 – 31 March 1340 or 1341Basil Dmytryshyn, ''Medieval Russia:A source book, 850-1700'', (Academic International Press, 2000), 194.) was Grand Du ...
, who ruled it with the help of governors.


The Principality of Nizhny Novgorod-Suzdal

In 1341, after the death of Ivan Kalita, Khan Uzbek divided the main territories of North-Eastern Russia. Part of the land, which included Nizhny Novgorod, Gorodets and Unzha, became the property of Suzdal Prince Konstantin. An independent Nizhny Novgorod-Suzdal Principality was formed, which occupied a vast territory. In the east, its border ran along the
Sura River The Sura (russian: Сура́, cv, Сăр, ''Săr'') is a river in Russia, a north-flowing right tributary of the Volga. Its mouth on the Volga is about half way between Nizhny Novgorod and Kazan. It flows through Penza Oblast, Mordovia, Ulyano ...
, in the southeast and south - along the rivers
Pyana The Pyana (russian: Пья́на) is a river in Nizhny Novgorod Oblast and the Republic of Mordovia, Russia. It is a left tributary of the Sura. History and etymology Pyana translates from Russian into ''drunken''. The original name of the riv ...
and Seryozha. The main stronghold in the east was the Kurmysh Fortress, founded in 1372. Along the border stood small fortresses, in which border guards lived. The remains of such fortresses are found along the Piana River in Buturlinsky and Sergachsky districts. In 1377, the Horde attacked Nizhny Novgorod. In the
battle on Pyana River ) , date = , result = Decisive Tatar victory , combatant1 = PereyaslavlYaroslavl YuryevPrincipality of Nizhny Novgorod-Suzdal Murom , combatant2 = Golden Horde , commander1 = Knyaz Ivan Dmitriyevich , commander2 = Khan Ar ...
, the Russian army suffered a severe defeat from the Horde prince Arapsha.
Dmitry of Suzdal Dmitri Konstantinovich of Suzdal (russian: Дми́трий Константи́нович Су́здальский) (1323–1383) was a powerful Prince of Suzdal and Nizhny Novgorod who dominated Russian politics during the minority of his so ...
, who remained without troops, fled to Suzdal. The Nizhny Novgorod army fled to the neighboring Gorodets. On August 5, 1377, the Horde army conquered Nizhny Novgorod. The city was burnt. A year later, on July 24, 1378, the city was re-conquered. After the
Battle of Kulikovo The Battle of Kulikovo (russian: Мамаево побоище, Донское побоище, Куликовская битва, битва на Куликовом поле) was fought between the armies of the Golden Horde, under the command ...
, the Horde Khan
Tokhtamysh Tokhtamysh ( kz, Тоқтамыс, tt-Cyrl, Тухтамыш, translit=Tuqtamış, fa, توقتمش),The spelling of Tokhtamysh varies, but the most common spelling is Tokhtamysh. Tokhtamısh, Toqtamysh, ''Toqtamış'', ''Toqtamıs'', ''Toktamy ...
, in 1382 with a large army went to
Moscow Moscow ( , US chiefly ; rus, links=no, Москва, r=Moskva, p=mɐskˈva, a=Москва.ogg) is the capital and largest city of Russia. The city stands on the Moskva River in Central Russia, with a population estimated at 13.0 million ...
. When the Tatar army approached Nizhny Novgorod, Prince Dmitry Konstantinovich, wishing to save his land from ruin, sent his sons Vasily and Semyon to him, who went with the army and persuaded Moscow to surrender.


Tsardom of Russia

In 1392 the
Vasily I of Moscow Vasily I Dmitriyevich ( rus, Василий I Дмитриевич, Vasiliy I Dmitriyevich; 30 December 137127 February 1425) was the Grand Prince of Moscow ( r. 1389–1425), heir of Dmitry Donskoy (r. 1359–1389). He ruled as a Golden Horde ...
received a
jarlig A jarlig ( mn, зарлиг, zarlig; russian: ярлык, ''jarlyk'', also transliterated yarlyk in Russian and Turkic, or even more correctly yarlıq, and the Tatar: yarlığ) is an edict or written commandant of Mongol and Chinggisid rulers' ...
to the Nizhny Novgorod-Suzdal Principality and conquered Nizhny Novgorod. The final accession of the principality to the possessions of Moscow took place at the end of the 1440s. In 1408, the city was devastated during the invasion of the emir of the
White Horde The eldest son of Genghis Khan, (who established the Mongol Empire) Jochi had several sons. When he died, they inherited their father's dominions as fiefs under the rule of their brothers, Batu Khan, as supreme khan and Orda Khan, who, although t ...
Edigu Edigu (or Edigey) (also İdegäy or Edege Mangit) (1352–1419) was a Mongol Muslim emir of the White Horde who founded a new political entity, which came to be known as the Nogai Horde. Edigu was from the Crimean Manghud tribe, the son of B ...
. In 1445 he was conquered by the troops of the Kazan khan
Ulugh Muhammad Ulugh Muhammad (1405–1445; ; tt-Cyrl, Олуг Мөхәммәт, translit=Oluğ Möxəmmət; written as Ulanus by orientalists) was a medieval Tatar statesman, Gengisid, Khan of the Golden Horde (before 1436), ruler of Crimea (1437), and the ...
. In the times of
Ivan III Ivan III Vasilyevich (russian: Иван III Васильевич; 22 January 1440 – 27 October 1505), also known as Ivan the Great, was a Grand Prince of Moscow and Grand Prince of all Rus'. Ivan served as the co-ruler and regent for his bl ...
and Basil III, Nizhny Novgorod is a border post. He has a standing army and is a gathering place for troops in attacks on the
Kazan Khanate The Khanate of Kazan ( tt, Казан ханлыгы, Kazan xanlıgı; russian: Казанское ханство, Kazanskoye khanstvo) was a medieval Tatar Turkic state that occupied the territory of former Volga Bulgaria between 1438 and 1552 ...
. At the same time, a stone
Kremlin The Kremlin ( rus, Московский Кремль, r=Moskovskiy Kreml', p=ˈmɐˈskofskʲɪj krʲemlʲ, t=Moscow Kremlin) is a fortified complex in the center of Moscow founded by the Rurik dynasty, Rurik dynasty. It is the best known of th ...
is being built instead of a wooden fortress. In September 1505, under the walls of the unfinished Kremlin, the attack of the Nogais and the Kazan Tatars under the leadership of the Kazan Khan Muhammad-Amin was repulsed.Алишев С. Х
Источники и историография города Казани.
— Казань: АН Татарстана, Институт истории, 2001. — С. 18.
The attacking army included 40,000 Kazans and 20,000 Nogais. The leader of the Nogai, the brother-in-law of Mohammed-Amin, was killed by the cannonball that was released by Fedor Litvich. After that, there was a massacre between the Nogais and the Tatars and the khan was forced to relieve the siege. After Vasily III's attack on Kazan in 1523, the city of
Vasil Vasil (Bulgarian and Macedonian: Васил, Georgian: ვასილ) is a Bulgarian, Macedonian and Georgian masculine given name. It may refer to: *Vasil Adzhalarski, Bulgarian revolutionary, an IMARO leader of revolutionary bands * Vasil Ama ...
was founded, which becomes a border town, instead of Nizhny Novgorod. After the conquest of Kazan by
Ivan the Terrible Ivan IV Vasilyevich (russian: Ива́н Васи́льевич; 25 August 1530 – ), commonly known in English as Ivan the Terrible, was the grand prince of Moscow from 1533 to 1547 and the first Tsar of all Russia from 1547 to 1584. Ivan ...
, the role of Nizhny Novgorod becomes insignificant. In 1565, Ivan the Terrible divided the Russian state into
oprichnina The oprichnina (russian: опри́чнина, ) was a state policy implemented by Tsar Ivan the Terrible in Russia between 1565 and 1572. The policy included mass repression of the boyars (Russian aristocrats), including public executions and ...
and zemshchina. Thus the city became
zemstvo A ''zemstvo'' ( rus, земство, p=ˈzʲɛmstvə, plural ''zemstva'' – rus, земства) was an institution of local government set up during the great emancipation reform of 1861 carried out in Imperial Russia by Emperor Alexander ...
.


Time of Troubles

In the
Time of Troubles The Time of Troubles (russian: Смутное время, ), or Smuta (russian: Смута), was a period of political crisis during the Tsardom of Russia which began in 1598 with the death of Fyodor I (Fyodor Ivanovich, the last of the Rurik dy ...
, Nizhny Novgorod, along with the
Trinity Lavra of St. Sergius The Trinity Lavra of St. Sergius (russian: Тро́ице-Се́ргиева ла́вра) is the most important Russian monastery and the spiritual centre of the Russian Orthodox Church. The monastery is situated in the town of Sergiyev Pos ...
, continues to support
Moscow Moscow ( , US chiefly ; rus, links=no, Москва, r=Moskva, p=mɐskˈva, a=Москва.ogg) is the capital and largest city of Russia. The city stands on the Moskva River in Central Russia, with a population estimated at 13.0 million ...
. Then, almost the whole country and Moscow were in the Polish occupation. In 1611, there were no Poles in Nizhny Novgorod. Citizens elected the zemstvo elder (mayor)
Kuzma Minin Kuzma (Kozma) Minin (; full name Kuzma Minich Zakhariev-Sukhoruky, born late 1570s - died 1616) was a Russian merchant from Nizhny Novgorod, Russia, who, together with Prince Dmitry Pozharsky, became a national hero for his role in defending the ...
. He began calls for a liberation struggle among the people of the townspeople. Then he was supported by the city council of Nizhny Novgorod,
voivode Voivode (, also spelled ''voievod'', ''voevod'', ''voivoda'', ''vojvoda'' or ''wojewoda'') is a title denoting a military leader or warlord in Central, Southeastern and Eastern Europe since the Early Middle Ages. It primarily referred to the me ...
s, clergy and servicemen. By decision of the city council, a general meeting of Nizhny Novgorod citizens was appointed. They gathered in the
Kremlin The Kremlin ( rus, Московский Кремль, r=Moskovskiy Kreml', p=ˈmɐˈskofskʲɪj krʲemlʲ, t=Moscow Kremlin) is a fortified complex in the center of Moscow founded by the Rurik dynasty, Rurik dynasty. It is the best known of th ...
. Minin appealed to the people with an appeal to stand on the liberation of the
Russia Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a List of transcontinental countries, transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia, Northern Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the ...
from foreign enemies. After that, the people began to make voluntary donations to create the army. In addition, the decree was issued to hand over a part of personal property. Minin was instructed to lead the collection of funds and their distribution among the warriors of the future army. Then he raised the question of choosing a commander. At the second congress, the citizens decided to ask the head of the people's army of Prince
Dmitry Pozharsky Dmitry Mikhaylovich Pozharsky ( rus, Дми́трий Миха́йлович Пожа́рский, p=ˈdmʲitrʲɪj mʲɪˈxajləvʲɪtɕ pɐˈʐarskʲɪj; 17 October 1577 – 30 April 1642) was a Russian prince known for his military leadershi ...
. His ancestral estate was in the Nizhny Novgorod district, 60 km from Nizhny Novgorod. The prince approached for the role of commander of the militia. He was a Rurikovich in the twentieth generation. Pozharsky arrived in Nizhny Novgorod on October 28, 1611, and immediately, together with Minin, began organizing the army. Pozharsky and Minin continued to collect coffers and warriors, to seek help in different cities. After this, authorities were formed, which were not subordinate to the Moscow
Seven boyars The Seven Boyars (russian: link=no, Семибоярщина, the Russian term indicating "Rule of the Seven Boyars" or "the Deeds of the Seven Boyars") were a group of Russian nobles who deposed Tsar Vasily Shuisky on 17 July 1610 and, later that ...
. However, this state of affairs did not suit the Poles and the seven boyars. Several attempts were made to eliminate the new power, but this did not happen. As the people's army moved towards Moscow, the cities were liberated from the Polish occupation, and the provisional power of Prince Pozharsky was established in them. October 22 (November 4), 1612, the troops of the People's Army liberated Moscow from the Poles. On this occasion, on October 22 (November 4), 1649, a holiday was instituted in Russia in honor of the
Our Lady of Kazan ''Our Lady of Kazan'', also called ''Mother-of-God of Kazan'' (russian: Казанская Богоматерь, translit=Kazanskaya Bogomater'), is a holy icon of the highest stature within the Russian Orthodox Church, representing the Virgin Ma ...
. In today's Russia this day is celebrated as the Unity Day, since November 4, 2005. In the 17th century, under
Patriarch Nikon Nikon ( ru , Ни́кон, Old Russian: ''Нїконъ''), born Nikita Minin (''Никита Минин''; 7 May 1605 – 17 August 1681) was the seventh Patriarch of Moscow and all Rus' of the Russian Orthodox Church, serving officially from ...
, there was a church split in the
Eastern Orthodox Church The Eastern Orthodox Church, also called the Orthodox Church, is the second-largest Christian church, with approximately 220 million baptized members. It operates as a communion of autocephalous churches, each governed by its bishops via ...
. Because of this, numerous settlements of
Old Believer Old Believers or Old Ritualists, ''starovery'' or ''staroobryadtsy'' are Eastern Orthodox Christians who maintain the liturgical and ritual practices of the Russian Orthodox Church as they were before the reforms of Patriarch Nikon of Moscow be ...
s were formed in the vicinity of Nizhny Novgorod. A lot of them were on the
Kerzhenets River The Kerzhenets (russian: Керженец) is a river in the Nizhny Novgorod Oblast in Russia. It is a left tributary of the Volga, joining the Volga near Lyskovo, about 70 km east of Nizhny Novgorod. It is long, and has a drainage basin of ...
. To eliminate the split of churches in Nizhny Novgorod in 1672, the diocese is founded. The Archimandrite of Vladimir's Nativity Monastery Filaret became the first metropolitan of Nizhny Novgorod and Alatyr.


Russian Empire

In 1695, during his Azov campaign,
Peter the Great Peter I ( – ), most commonly known as Peter the Great,) or Pyotr Alekséyevich ( rus, Пётр Алексе́евич, p=ˈpʲɵtr ɐlʲɪˈksʲejɪvʲɪtɕ, , group=pron was a Russian monarch who ruled the Tsardom of Russia from t ...
came to Nizhny Novgorod. After the regional reform, Nizhny Novgorod has become a gubernatorial city since 1719. In 1721, the episcopal chair was appointed archimandrite Pitirim, who founded Hellenic-Greek and Slavic-Russian church schools. In 1722 the city again visited Peter the Great, celebrating here the day of its 50th anniversary. Then he went to the Persian campaign. In 1767 the city was visited by the
Empress An emperor (from la, imperator, via fro, empereor) is a monarch, and usually the sovereignty, sovereign ruler of an empire or another type of imperial realm. Empress, the female equivalent, may indicate an emperor's wife (empress consort), ...
Catherine the Great , en, Catherine Alexeievna Romanova, link=yes , house = , father = Christian August, Prince of Anhalt-Zerbst , mother = Joanna Elisabeth of Holstein-Gottorp , birth_date = , birth_name = Princess Sophie of Anhal ...
. She did not like the city very much. She put it this way: During her stay in the city she was introduced to the local inventor-mechanic
Ivan Kulibin Ivan Petrovich Kulibin (April 21, 1735 – August 11, 1818) was a Russian mechanic and inventor. He was born in Nizhny Novgorod in the family of a trader. From childhood, Kulibin displayed an interest in constructing mechanics, mechanical tools ...
. Subsequently, he was invited to the capital's palace. After the visit of Empress Catherine II, a new regular city plan was drawn up, providing for a quarterly system. From 1770 to 1913 the
Bolshaya Pokrovskaya Street Bolshaya Pokrovskaya Street (russian: Большая Покровская улица, lit=Greater Intercession Street. Short-name - Pokrovka) is the high street in the historical centre of Nizhny Novgorod and one of its oldest streets. Until 19 ...
was altered. It was built up by stone houses. In 1798 the first city theater was created. Later it became known as the Nicholas Theater in honor of Emperor Nicholas I. It is now called the Drama Theater. In 1812, there was a war between Russia and France. After the French army attacked Moscow, Moscow landlords arrived in Nizhny Novgorod. There are rumors that after the fire in Moscow the capital will be Nizhny Novgorod. Among the arriving landlords are
Nikolay Karamzin Nikolay Mikhailovich Karamzin (russian: Николай Михайлович Карамзин, p=nʲɪkɐˈlaj mʲɪˈxajləvʲɪtɕ kərɐmˈzʲin; ) was a Russian Imperial historian, romantic writer, poet and critic. He is best remembered for ...
,
Vasily Pushkin Vasily Lvovich Pushkin (russian: Васи́лий Льво́вич Пу́шкин; 27 April 1766 – 20 August 1830) was a minor Russian poet best known as an uncle of the much more famous Alexander Pushkin. Vasily Pushkin was born in Moscow, Ru ...
, Konstantin Batyushkov and
Sergey Glinka Sergei Nikolayevich Glinka ( rus, Серге́й Никола́евич Гли́нка, p=sʲɪrˈɡʲej nʲɪkɐˈlajɪvʲɪdʑ ˈɡlʲinkə, a=Syergyey Nikolayevich Glinka.ru.vorb.oga; 1774–1847) was a minor Russian author of the Romantic peri ...
, who organize their literary club here. In 1817 in the village of Kunavino was moved
Makaryev Fair Nizhny Novgorod Fair (''old name — Makaryev Fair'') (russian: Нижегородская ярмарка) was a fair in Nizhny Novgorod held annually every July near Makaryev Monastery on the left bank of the Volga River from the mid-16th century ...
. Previously, it was organized near the walls of the
Makaryev Monastery Zheltovodsky Makaryev Convent (formerly Monastery) of the Holy Trinity (russian: Желтово́дский Тро́ицкий Мака́рьев монасты́рь or Свя́то-Тро́ице-Мака́рьево-Желтово́дски ...
. But, after the fire, it was decided to move it closer to Nizhny Novgorod. The fair gave rise to the rapid economic development of the city and the surrounding villages. The village of Kunavino became a large merchant settlement, later industrial enterprises were built on its territory. In 1834 the city was visited by Nicholas I, who initiated the external reconstruction of the city. In 1847 a water pipeline appeared in the city and the first fountain was built. In the Kremlin, private buildings were destroyed and administrative buildings were built instead. Also, many new buildings, streets, boulevards and gardens were built. In 1849, near Nizhny Novgorod, in the village of Sormovo was founded a large industrial enterprise Sormovsky plant. Since 1850, it has produced river steamships, railway cars, locomotives, motor ships, trams. Thanks to the plant, Sormovo turned into a large working village. From 1862 the construction of the Moscow-Nizhny Novgorod railway was completed, in this line was built Moskovsky railway station. In 1895 it was extended to Sormovo. In 1904 the line of the Moscow-Kazan railway was built up to the Romodanovsky railway station.


All-Russia exhibition

In 1896, the city hosted the largest
All-Russia exhibition The All-Russia Industrial and Art Exhibitions were a series of 16 exhibitions in the 19th century Russian Empire The Russian Empire was an empire and the final period of the Russian monarchy from 1721 to 1917, ruling across large parts of ...
. To this event a tram was opened in the city. The exhibition showed the world's first radio receiver of engineer Alexander Popov and the world's first hyperboloid tower of engineer
Vladimir Shukhov Vladimir Grigoryevich Shukhov (russian: link=no, Влади́мир Григо́рьевич Шу́хов; – 2 February 1939) was a Russian Empire and Soviet engineer-polymath, scientist and architect renowned for his pioneering works on new ...
. At the same exhibition, the first Russian car of the Frese and Yakovlev factories was demonstrated. The engine and transmission were manufactured by the Yakovlev factory, and the hull, chassis and wheels of the Frese factory.


1905 Russian Revolution

In the spring of 1905, the socio-political situation in the city was out of the control of the authorities. Governor Pavel-Simon Unterberger reported to the police department: In the first days of November 1905 he was recalled from Nizhny Novgorod. He was replaced by Baron Constantine Frederiks. In December 1905, an uprising of the workers of the Sormovo plant took place in the districts of Sormovo and Kanavino, organized by local groups of several parties. In April 1908, one of the strongest floods occurred. There were flooded: Rozhdestvenskaya Street, Kazansky Railway Station, Bugrov Mills and Kurbatov Plant. Also populated settlements-satellites were flooded: Sormovo, Gordevka, Kunavino and Molitovka. Which later became part of the city. In 1913 a State Bank was built, which was opened by Emperor
Nicholas II Nicholas II or Nikolai II Alexandrovich Romanov; spelled in pre-revolutionary script. ( 186817 July 1918), known in the Russian Orthodox Church as Saint Nicholas the Passion-Bearer,. was the last Emperor of Russia, King of Congress Pola ...
. During the
World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
, in 1915, the Felzer and Etna plants were evacuated to Nizhny Novgorod. In 1916, the city opened the first People's State University. In 1917, the Warsaw Polytechnic Institute was evacuated. On its basis was formed Nizhny Novgorod Polytechnic Institute.


Soviet era


Revolutionary Nizhny Novgorod

After the
February Revolution The February Revolution ( rus, Февра́льская револю́ция, r=Fevral'skaya revolyutsiya, p=fʲɪvˈralʲskəjə rʲɪvɐˈlʲutsɨjə), known in Soviet historiography as the February Bourgeois Democratic Revolution and somet ...
, the situation in the city began to heat up. In September 1917, preparations were made for the elections to the City Duma. In June, it became known that the population of the factory settlements - Molitovka, the Felzer plant and the Novaya Etna plant - was not included in the electoral lists. On June 14, workers went to a demonstration demanding electoral rights. The Duma was forced to make concessions by including these villages in the Kanavinsky constituency. In the September elections, the victory was won by the representative of the Socialist-Revolutionary Party Vladimir Ganchel. After the
October Revolution The October Revolution,. officially known as the Great October Socialist Revolution. in the Soviet Union, also known as the Bolshevik Revolution, was a revolution in Russia led by the Bolshevik Party of Vladimir Lenin that was a key moment ...
, Soviet power in the city was established in the autumn of 1917. In 1919, Kunavino and Sormovo received the status of cities. Instead of the name "Kunavino", "Kanavino" gradually began to be used.


Industrialization

In 1929, the cities of Sormovo and Kanavino were abolished, and their territory was included in the Greater Nizhny Novgorod. The city began to be divided into
districts A district is a type of administrative division that, in some countries, is managed by the local government. Across the world, areas known as "districts" vary greatly in size, spanning regions or counties, several municipalities, subdivisions o ...
. In the same year, the administrative division of the country in the governorates was abolished.
Nizhny Novgorod Governorate The Nizhny Novgorod Governorate (Pre-reformed rus, Нижегородская губернія, r=Nizhegorodskaya guberniya, p=nʲɪʐɨɡɐˈrotskəjə ɡʊˈbʲernʲɪjə), was an administrative division (a ''guberniya'') of the Russian Empir ...
is abolished. Nizhny Novgorod became the center of the Nizhny Novgorod krai (since 1932 - the Gorky krai). October 7, 1932 the city was renamed Gorky, in honor of the 40th anniversary of the literary and public activities of the writer
Maxim Gorky Alexei Maximovich Peshkov (russian: link=no, Алексе́й Макси́мович Пешко́в;  – 18 June 1936), popularly known as Maxim Gorky (russian: Макси́м Го́рький, link=no), was a Russian writer and social ...
. In 1933 the Gorky Krai expands and turns into the
Gorky Oblast Nizhny Novgorod Oblast (russian: link=no, Нижегородская область, ''Nizhegorodskaya oblast''), is a federal subject of Russia (an oblast). Its administrative center is the city of Nizhny Novgorod. It has a population of 3,3 ...
and Gorky becomes its center. In the same year, the first stone Oksky bridge appeared in the city, which connected the banks of the Oka. It is now called Kanavinsky. Also, a railway bridge across the Volga was built, along which the railway to Vyatka passed. Then it became possible to get through the Gorky to the Urals and
Siberia Siberia ( ; rus, Сибирь, r=Sibir', p=sʲɪˈbʲirʲ, a=Ru-Сибирь.ogg) is an extensive geographical region, constituting all of North Asia, from the Ural Mountains in the west to the Pacific Ocean in the east. It has been a part of ...
. In 1932, the largest industrial enterprise of the Soviet Union, the
Gorky Automobile Plant GAZ or Gorkovsky Avtomobilny Zavod (russian: ГАЗ or Го́рьковский автомоби́льный заво́д, , Gorky Automobile Plant) is a Russian automotive manufacturer located in Nizhny Novgorod, formerly known as Gorky (Го ...
(GAZ), was launched. In 1930-1940-ies the city was even referred to as the "Russian Detroit". At the same time, around the GAZ was built a new Avtozavodsky City District. Now its population is about 300,000 people. Initially, it was conceived as a separate city, but later it was made a district of the city. Also, in 1932 a large river cargo port was established on the Spit of Nizhny Novgorod. It was of high importance not only for the city, but for the entire European part of the country.


World War II

In the territory of the city and the region, 56 Soviet military units and formations were created. In November 1941, in the city formed 72 units of the people's militia (34,568 people) who participated in the
Battle of Moscow The Battle of Moscow was a military campaign that consisted of two periods of strategically significant fighting on a sector of the Eastern Front (World War II), Eastern Front during World War II. It took place between September 1941 and January ...
. In this territory, in the Eastern Front of
World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
, 822,000 people fought for the Soviet Union. Of these, more than 350,000 people did not return from the battlefield. 130 sailors-submariners did not return from sea campaigns. 316 people were awarded for fighting feats of the highest award - the Gold Star of the Hero. In November 1941, the formation of the Gorky Air Defense District began. The first Nazi air raids took place on the 4th of November and the next night. In 1942, Senior Lieutenant Pyotr Shavurin of the 722nd air defense missile made two successful rams, becoming the only Soviet pilot who had unconditional confirmation of two "battering" victories. In June 1943, the Luftwaffe carried out three large raids on the city, the main goal being the GAZ. 1631 explosive and 33,934 incendiary bombs were dropped on the city. At the GAZ - 1095 explosives and 2493 incendiaries. 50 buildings, more than 9000 conveyors and conveyors, 5900 units of technological equipment, 8000 motors, 28 bridge cranes, 8 shop substations, 14000 sets of electrical equipment and instruments were destroyed and damaged at GAZ. 254 residents of Avtozavodsky urban district and 28 air defense fighters died, 590 inhabitants and 27 fighters were wounded. The plant actually ceased to exist and was rebuilt anew only by mid-1944. In total during the war, Luftwaffe bombers made 43 raids on Gorky, of which 26 raids at night. During the war in Gorky, an evacuation point and an evacuation base (in the river port) were created to service and distribute the flow of evacuees. In dozens of hospitals, more than 500,000 wounded soldiers were treated. The city was the center for the Soviet production of weapons. Every second car, every third tank and every fourth artillery unit were manufactured at the city's enterprises. During the war years, the Soviet Union sent to the front 38,000 tanks, self-propelled artillery systems, armored cars, 43,000 mortars, 16,000 aircraft, 22 submarines, 109,000 motor vehicles, more than 85,000 radio stations, as well as 101,000 artillery pieces and 1,165 Katyushas. In memory of labor exploits, the Memorial "Gorky to the Front", in honor of the 30th anniversary of the Victory, was opened near the Kremlin walls.


Postwar years

In 1946 a GAZ-M-20 Pobeda light truck and a
GAZ-51 The GAZ-51 (nickname ''Gazon'') was a Soviet truck manufactured by GAZ. Its first prototypes were produced before the end of World War II and has been influenced by Studebaker US6. The mass production started in 1946. A 2.5 ton 4×2 standard var ...
truck left the assembly line of the Gorky Automobile Plant. In 1947 a trolleybus service was opened in the city. In 1949, the construction of the Chkalov Staircase was completed. October 7, 1949 there is a major catastrophe of a passenger river ship Finnish No. 6, carrying out the flight Gorky - Bor. In April 1951 the construction of the Gorkovskaya hydroelectric power station began. The first turbine of the station was launched on November 2, 1955. In 1957, the Krasnoye Sormovo plant produces a high-speed hydrofoil vessel Raketa-1 (chief designer Rostislav Alekseyev). The first amateur television center, located in the club named after Frunze, began work in 1953. The construction of the Gorky state television center was completed in the autumn of 1957.


Closed city

The defense enterprises located in the city (
Krasnoye Sormovo Krasnoye Sormovo Shipyard No. 112 named after Andrei Zhdanov (russian: Судостроительное предприятие "Кра́сное Со́рмово" имени А. А. Жданова) is one of the oldest shipbuilding factories ...
,
Sokol plant Sokol Aircraft Plant (russian: Авиастроительный завод «Сокол», Aviastroitelny zavod Sokol, Sokol Aircraft-Building Plant) is a manufacturer of MiG fighters, based in Nizhny Novgorod. It was founded in 1932 and is also ...
) attracted the attention of foreign special services. This served as the reason for the closure of the city: on August 4, 1959, the
Council of Ministers of the Soviet Union The Council of Ministers of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics ( rus, Совет министров СССР, r=Sovet Ministrov SSSR, p=sɐˈvʲet mʲɪˈnʲistrəf ɛsɛsɛˈsɛr; sometimes abbreviated to ''Sovmin'' or referred to as the '' ...
issued a resolution "On the closure of the city of Gorky for visits by foreigners". January 18, 1970 at the Krasnoe Sormovo Plant there was a radiation accident. During the construction of the nuclear submarine K-320 project 670 Scat there was an unauthorized launch of the reactor. December 2, 1970 by decree of the
Presidium of the Supreme Soviet The Presidium of the Supreme Soviet (russian: Президиум Верховного Совета, Prezidium Verkhovnogo Soveta) was a body of state power in the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR).Order of Lenin The Order of Lenin (russian: Орден Ленина, Orden Lenina, ), named after the leader of the Russian October Revolution, was established by the Central Executive Committee on April 6, 1930. The order was the highest civilian decoration b ...
. In 1985, the city was opened a
metro Metro, short for metropolitan, may refer to: Geography * Metro (city), a city in Indonesia * A metropolitan area, the populated region including and surrounding an urban center Public transport * Rapid transit, a passenger railway in an urba ...
.


Russia


Perestroika

In the early 1990s, the status of the "
closed city A closed city or closed town is a settlement where travel or residency restrictions are applied so that specific authorization is required to visit or remain overnight. Such places may be sensitive military establishments or secret research ins ...
" was lifted, and the city became available for visits by foreigners. October 22, 1990 by the Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the
RSFSR The Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic, Russian SFSR or RSFSR ( rus, Российская Советская Федеративная Социалистическая Республика, Rossíyskaya Sovétskaya Federatívnaya Soci ...
Gorky was renamed back to Nizhny Novgorod.


20th and 21st centuries

At the end of the 20th century, information technology began to develop in the city. Many commercial enterprises operating in the field of mobile communication, Internet and software development were opened. Nizhny Novgorod has become one of the largest and most famous Russian IT centers, maintaining this status for several years. In the territory of Nizhny Novgorod and the region, 8 mobile phone service providers provide services, which is unique for Russia. One of the main problems in the 2000s was the transportation problem associated with the insufficient capacity of the three bridges connecting the
Lower City ''Lower City'' ( pt, Cidade Baixa) is a 2005 Brazilian drama film directed by Sérgio Machado. It was released in Brazil and to international film festivals in 2005, including being screened in the Un Certain Regard section at the 2005 Cannes Fi ...
and the Upper City, where the center of business activity was concentrated. In 2009, the automotive part of the new metro bridge was launched. The move of business activity from the historical center to Lower City was planned back in the 1980s, in 2008 it was fixed in the general plan, but in 2009 it was sent for revision. Since September 2011, work is under way to solve the problem of transport hubs in the city center: the approaches to bridges are expanding and improving. Because of the high traffic of the Borsky Bridge in February 2012, a
cableway Cable transport is a broad class of transport modes that have cables. They transport passengers and goods, often in vehicles called cable cars. The cable may be driven or passive, and items may be moved by pulling, sliding, sailing, or by driv ...
was built. It connects between Nizhny Novgorod and Bor. The daily traffic is about 5000 people. From July 31, 2017, the second automobile Borsky bridge will start operating.


World Cup 2018

In 2018, Nizhny Novgorod hosted the
FIFA World Cup The FIFA World Cup, often simply called the World Cup, is an international association football competition contested by the senior men's national teams of the members of the ' ( FIFA), the sport's global governing body. The tournament ha ...
. In this regard, the city was completely restructured. First of all, the Spit was completely changed. A new stadium, an embankment and a park were built here. Near to the stadium was built a new
metro station A metro station or subway station is a station for a rapid transit system, which as a whole is usually called a "metro" or "subway". A station provides a means for passengers to purchase Train ticket, tickets, board trains, and Emergency eva ...
Strelka Strelka may refer to: Places * Strelka (inhabited locality), several inhabited localities in Russia including: ** Strelka, Amur Oblast ** Strelka, Lesosibirsk, Krasnoyarsk Krai ** Strelka, Vologda Oblast ** Strelka, Voronezh Oblast * a small cape a ...
. The historic city center has also been transformed. All the ancient streets were restored, new museums were opened, and a grand FIFA Fan Fest took place on the main Minin and Pozharsky square. The 2nd line of the City Rail was also launched.


References


Bibliography

* ''A. Gatsysky'
Nizhegorodian. Guide to Nizhny Novgorod and the Nizhny Novgorod fair.
— N. Novgorod: Type. provincial government, 1875. - 60 p. * ''Nikolay Khramtsovsky.'
A short outline of the history and description of Nizhny Novgorod.
— 1859. * ''V. Kuchkin'' The territory of the Suzdal and Nizhny Novgorod Grand Dukes in the XIV century. /

/ V. Kuchkin; The responsible editor is academician B. Rybakov. - Moscow: Nauka, 1984. - Ch. 5. * ''Boris Pudalov'
Written sources on the history of the Nizhny Novgorod region (XIII - early XVIII century): Textbook.
— N. Novgorod: Publishing of the Nizhny Novgorod Pedagogical University, 2001
Opentext
* ''Boris Pudalov''
The initial period of the history of the most ancient Russian cities of the Middle Volga region (XII-first third of the XIII century).Opentext
* ''Boris Pudalov''
Russian lands of the Middle Volga region (second third of XIII - first third of XIV century)Opentext
* ''D.Talovin'
The Great Nizhny Novgorod-Suzdal Principality (1341-1392) in the system of lands of North-Eastern Russia


Fiction

* Elvira Baryakina "Argentinian" (M: Ripol-Classic - 2011 — ) — The capture of the city by the Bolsheviks and the first years of Soviet power. *
Maxim Gorky Alexei Maximovich Peshkov (russian: link=no, Алексе́й Макси́мович Пешко́в;  – 18 June 1936), popularly known as Maxim Gorky (russian: Макси́м Го́рький, link=no), was a Russian writer and social ...
«''
Mother ] A mother is the female parent of a child. A woman may be considered a mother by virtue of having given childbirth, birth, by raising a child who may or may not be her biological offspring, or by supplying her ovum for fertilisation in the cas ...
''» — about the labor movement in Sormovo in the early 20th century.


External links


History of Nizhny Novgorod region



Nizhny Novgorod: an attempt at a modern description
{{History of Russia navbar History of Nizhny Novgorod,