Saransk is an ancient city. It was founded in 1641. It all started with the erection of a small fortress, which became part of the Atemara zashechny line. The latter was a fortification line that defended Russia from the southeast. It was located at the intersection of horse-drawn roads connecting Kazan and Crimea, Moscow and Astrakhan.
The city got its name from the word "sarah". Translated from the Finno-Ugric languages (Karelian, Estonian, Finnish and others) it means “wetland”. Of course, at present, Saransk, whose attractions are described below, looks completely different. This is not only the main city of Mordovia. The indicated locality is the All-Russian capital of walking sports. In 2012, Saransk was awarded the title of the most comfortable city in the Russian Federation. This is not a metropolis; life here does not flow as fast as, for example, in Moscow. Sights of Saransk (photos are presented in the article) can be viewed in a day. As local residents advise, a familiarization walk is best to start from the streets of the Communist and Bohdan Khmelnitsky.
Unique book collection
The main national library of Mordovia, named after Pushkin, is the largest collection of printed publications in the entire region. It was formed in September 1899. It was then, at the request of representatives of the intelligentsia, that they organized a free reading library with a fund of 353 books. Gradually, the meeting expanded due to the activities of philanthropists. In 1939, the library acquired the status of a republican and moved to a separate building (before that it was located in the building of the city pawnshop). In 1979, the institution found a new home. The library to this day is located at: st. B. Khmelnitsky, 26. Not so long ago, another nine-story building was added to the old building. Today there are many different departments, and a whole floor is dedicated to the work of Mordovian writers and poets.
Musical Theatre
Saransk, the sights of which we are considering, is famous for its musical theater. Viewers can enjoy musical comedies and operas, ballet performances and operettas, as well as classical music concerts. The date of creation of the theater is considered the first of September 1935. It was on that day that he was adopted on the permanent budget of the Mordovian People's Commissar of Education. The organized troupe presented a premiere performance called “The Pauper Student” (the author of the work on which he is based is K. Milleker). The theater has experienced more than one reorganization in its history. As a result, by 1959 it consisted of two independent units - the Drama Theater and the Musical Comedy Theater. In 2011, they moved to a new building with a large hall for seven hundred spectators. The best masters from all over Russia worked on the acoustic design. In the same year, the institution was named in honor of I.M. Yaushev - a famous Mordovian singer.
State National Drama Theater
What to see in Saransk? Inveterate theatergoers first rush to Sovetskaya, 27. It is there that the country's pride is located - the National Drama Theater. Most of the productions in his repertoire are based on plays by Mordovian authors. Of course, viewers have the opportunity to get acquainted with world and domestic classics.
Polezhaev Museum
The institution is collecting and studying information about A.I. Polezhaev - a Russian poet who lived and worked in the nineteenth century. Alexander Ivanovich also installed a monument in Saransk. The Polezhaev Museum was opened on June 5, 2001. Currently, five halls are represented here. Three of them are dedicated directly to Alexander Ivanovich, one to all the writers of Mordovia. The last room is a living room for literary and musical evenings and thematic events, including art exhibitions.
Art Museum
This is one of the largest research and educational institutions of the Volga region. The museum houses the world's largest collection of works by Erzi, the famous Mordovian sculptor. In addition, collections of works by the academician of portraiture Makarov and the national artist Sychkov are presented. An art salon has been opened at the museum. It exhibits and sells works of graphics, sculpture and painting by authors from Mordovia. The museum building itself has the status of a monument of architecture. It was erected in the 60s of the twentieth century and renovated in 2001.
Museum of Local Lore
Looking at the museums of Saransk, it is impossible not to mention this oldest cultural institution not only in the city, but throughout the republic. It was founded in 1918, and opened to visitors a year later. Currently, the fund of this museum contains two hundred thousand exhibits. Among them are many old books, weapons, coins and stuffed animals. Three expositions devoted to the history and nature of the region are put up on an ongoing basis. Special exhibitions are held in a separate room.
Churches, Monasteries
One of the oldest monasteries of the city was founded in 1659. It is located on the left bank of the Moksha River. This is the Nativity of the Virgin Sanaksar Monastery (male). At first, all of its buildings were wooden, and only after a hundred years they were replaced by stone. By the end of the eighteenth century, thanks to the activities of Hieromonk Fedor Sanaksarsky, the monastery became known throughout Russia. The most difficult period in the history of this sacred place is the 1920s. Then the monastery was closed, and the brethren was repressed. Only in 1991 there was a revival of the monastery.
The main Orthodox church of the republic is considered the Cathedral of St. Fedorovsky Cathedral. It is located in the city center. Its construction was dedicated to Fedor Ushakov, the famous naval commander, admiral. An interesting combination of imperial (dome rotunda, porticos, colonnade) and Great Russian (kokoshniki, bell towers, onion domes) principles can be observed in the appearance of the temple.
Some temples of Saransk, unfortunately, have not survived to this day. Among them is the Spassky Cathedral. He was on Cathedral Square. The estimated period of construction of this shrine is the XV-XVI centuries. The temple was distinguished by its enormous size and magnificent appearance. Equal to him at one time was neither in Saransk, nor in other cities of the county.
The Assumption complex was erected in 1693. Initially, it consisted of two independent churches - the summer (Assumption of the Mother of God) and winter (Nikolaev). In addition, a separate bell tower was erected on its territory. In 1735, the first stone buildings appeared. The assumption complex was closed in November 1930. He again opened his doors for parishioners only sixty years later - in the 1990s.
Memorial cemetery
What else is the city of Saransk interesting for? Sights (photos are presented in the article) of the settlement include not only museums, theaters and churches. Many travelers seek to visit the local memorial cemetery. It is located in the western part of the city. Here you can think about the eternal at the mass graves of the participants of the Second World War, who died in the hospitals of Saransk from severe wounds. At the Eternal Flame, on a pedestal, stands the figure of a grieving mother. The authors of the work are architect Danilenko and sculptor Kondratyev.
"Mordovian Compound"
A map of Saransk with sights includes another interesting object - a historical and ethnographic complex. It was opened in August 2012. Visitors to the "Mordovian Compound" can familiarize themselves with the features of life style that are characteristic of this region a hundred years ago. The facility is a village comprising six buildings. The elements of door and window decoration used symbols of the Mordovian people and national ornaments.
Conclusion
One of the most amazing settlements in Russia is Saransk. Sights of the city annually attract many tourists. Go and you to this amazing place for new experiences!