Nizhny Novgorod
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| Area - Total | 260,000 mi² | ||
| Population
- City (2003)
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| Time zone | Moscow: UTC+3 | ||
| Latitude Longitude |
56°20' N | ||
Nizhny Novgorod (Russian: Ни́жний Но́вгород) ( pronounced NIZH-nee NOHV-gah-rat), sometimes transliterated into English as Nizhniy Novgorod or Nizhni Novgorod, was founded in 1221. Literally, the name means Lower Newtown, referring to the older city of Novgorod (Newtown).
Nizhny Novgorod lies at the confluence of the Oka and the Volga rivers, and is the economic and cultural center of the vast Volgo-Vyatka economic region, and is also the administrative center of Nizhny Novgorod Oblast.
Nizhny Novgorod is 4th largest city in Russia with population 1,334,249 as of 2003.
The climate in the region is continental, and its is similar to the one in Moscow, although colder in winter, which lasts from late November till late March with a permanent snow cover.
The town of Semyonov, to the north of Nizhny Novgorod, is known as a craft center for Khokhloma wood painting.
Nizhny Novgorod is twinned with Watford, UK and Tampere, Finland.
History
Prince Yury (Georgiy) Vsevolodovich of Vladimir (Russia) founded Nizhny Novgorod in 1221 at the confluence of the Volga and the Oka rivers, as a major stronghold for border protection. Nizhny Novgorod Kremlin fortress took advantage of natural moat of enormous size formed by the two rivers.
Nizhny Novgorod, which was the eastern boundary of the Russian kingdom and an outpost of Muscovy till the 17th century, has become a principal crossroads of European Russia.
In 1612 militia from Nizhny Novgorod, gathered by a merchant Kozma Minin and commanded by Knyaz Dimitry Pozharsky expelled Polish troops and helped to establish the rule of Mikhail Romanov the first of Romanov dynasty.
Nizhny Novgorod in 1932 was renamed to Gorky by Josef Stalin, after the Russian writer Maxim Gorky, who was born here in 1868. The original name was returned to the city only in 1991.
Since 1930s during Soviet rule, Nizhny Novgorod was closed to foreigners for security of millitary research in this city.
The physicist and the Nobel laureate in Peace for 1975 Andrei Sakharov was banished there until 1986 to limit his contacts by the closedness of Gorky.
Transportation and tourism
Nizhny Novgorod, which is 250 miles to the east of Moscow, can be easily reached from the Russian capital by an overnight train, by car or by air. Since December 2002, a fast train has connected Nizhny Novgorod and Moscow in less than 5 hours. The expansion of highways in the region is 8,100 miles, of railroads - 750 miles, and of waterways – 500 miles. Nizhny Novgorod has regular air connection with a dozen of Russian cities, and international Lufthansa flights to the city three times a week. In summer, tourists may travel to Nizhny Novgorod from Moscow and St-Petersburg by passenger boats.
External link
- Nizhny Novgorod official website (http://www.unn.runnet.ru/nn/)
- Nizhny Novgorod Welcoming Center website (http://www.welcomenn.ru/)
- Nizhny Novgorod City Government website (http://www.admgor.nnov.ru/)
- Nizhny Novgorod Information Portal website (http://www.nn.ru/)
de:Nischni Nowgorod eo:Niĵnij Novgorod fi:Nižni Novgorod fr:Nijni-Novgorod ja:ニジニ・ノヴゴロド lt:Nižnij Novgorodas nds:Nischni Nowgorod pl:Niżni Nowogrod sl:Nižni Novgorod ru:Нижний Новгород
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