The city of Dzerzhinsk (Nizhny Novgorod region) is the largest industrial center in the region. As soon as you cross its border, the chimneys of local factories and factories will appear in front of you; the city is literally covered in a cloud of smog of an incomprehensible shade. Few of the city's guests know that here, in addition to factories and factories of the chemical industry, there are historical places and architectural monuments worthy of attention. It is about them that I want to talk about in this material.
The sights of Dzerzhinsk in the Nizhny Novgorod region are so diverse that it is difficult to decide where to start reviewing them. Let's start with, perhaps, the most popular places among city guests and local residents.
Museum of Local Lore
The museum stores all the historical events that took place in the city. It consists of nine departments, including a nature department, an art gallery and a history department. It is in this museum that exhibitions of works by local artists, thematic and theatrical excursions, and readings on the history of the region are held.
In addition, on weekends, events are held here with the participation of children's music schools and music colleges, as well as creative groups of the city.
Location: Dzerzhinsky Avenue - 8.
Route: Concentration of stories 30 km from Minsk
If you can spend only half a day on an outing, we recommend heading to the Dzerzhinsk region - at a distance of 30 km from Minsk there are semi-abandoned palaces, perfectly preserved pillboxes and gazebos with rotundas on the banks of picturesque ponds. A powerful concentration of stories!
DZERZHINSK
Get out of Minsk along Dzerzhinsky Avenue, and after 30 km you will find yourself in a city also named after this revolutionary figure. Felix Edmundovich was born on the Dzerzhinovo estate, fifteen kilometers from here, but, according to the good Soviet tradition, the regional center received the name of the leader. This happened in 1932, and before that for eight centuries the city was called Koydanovo (Koidanov). According to legend, it came from the name of the semi-mythical Tatar prince Koidan, who was defeated with his army not far from these places and was buried here. It is believed that this is how the Belarusians, led by Prince Mindovg, stopped the Tatar invasion of Europe.
The local railway station retained its old name, so when you arrive in Dzerzhinsk by e-mail, get off at Koidanovo station. The main square of the city, as expected, is decorated with the figure of F. Dzerzhinsky on a huge pedestal; opposite is the district executive committee. Nearby you can see a traditional monument to Lenin. Full set! Right behind it is the Museum of History and Local Lore (Leningradskaya St., 6), which you can also look into. The museum's exposition does not contain unique exhibits, but some things from a hundred years ago are interesting to see. For example, painted caskets, bells with interesting cast inscriptions or avant-garde military posters.
Not far from the square is one of the city’s attractions – the Church of the Intercession (K. Marx St., 1), built in 1850. The temple is perfectly preserved. This is a nice building with five small domes. The interior of the temple has not been preserved from the time of its construction, but you can still see several hundred-year-old icons inside. Ask the caretaker, you will find out a lot of interesting things.
From the church you should walk past the building of the local district executive committee and turn onto Pervomaiskaya Street. After 300 meters on the left side you will see a hundred-year-old wooden building - a cheder (Jewish primary school) from the beginning of the last century (Pervomaiskaya St., 19).
Literally a couple of houses on the right side of the street you will find the wooden Church of St. Anne (Pervomaiskaya St., 38). The first temple on this site was founded back in 1439. The current building was built at the end of the 18th century; over the years of its rich history with fires and wars, it lost two towers, but retained its original foundation. Behind the Soviets, students of the music school cheerfully played scales in this building, and from the beginning of the 1990s, young musicians were expelled, and the church began to function as before.
Immediately behind the church, the street makes a sharp turn, and you see the remains of the old castle, which is also called “Hashtold’s Mountain” or “Kalvinshchyna”.
A fortified settlement on this site has appeared since the beginning of the last millennium - the time of the founding of the city. Later, the influential magnate Albrecht Gastold founded a castle here, which was completed by the next owners of the town, the Radziwills. The guys went wild: inside a stone nine-tower castle on the top of a mountain, they founded a Calvin congregation at the beginning of the 17th century. It’s a pity that these buildings did not survive until 2021: in the 1930s, both the castle and the temple were dismantled for building materials for the local hospital, and in the 1970s, the castle hill itself was razed. Now all that remains of the ancient castle is a small fragment of the foundation on the northern side of the mountain. But on the other side of the mountain you will see the traditional sign “Protected by the state.”
BIG NEW SELECTIONS
Driving north from the old castle along the P65 road, after 6 km you will find yourself in a village called Bolshie Novoselki. About halfway into the field on the left side of the road you can see a concrete bunker (long-term firing point) - these were exactly the ones that were part of the line of fortifications on the Soviet-Polish border in the 30s. There are several bunkers in the area - in some places the equipment has even been preserved.
The Bolshie Novoselki estate belonged to the Kostrovitsky family since the 18th century. In the 1820s, the construction of a family estate began here. Since then, the palace building in the classical style has been well preserved to this day. A couple of years ago, local authorities generously covered it with siding, but if you walk around the palace on the other side, you will see its old walls. Now there is a local hospital in the palace.
A beautiful alley with old trees leads to the main entrance to the palace, which ends with a modest entrance gate. To the left of the palace you can see the picturesque ruins of an old stable. This brick building from the late 19th century looks cool - despite its utilitarian purpose, the pediment is decorated with a portico with four massive columns. Of the four columns, only two remained - the two on the right side of the entrance recently collapsed.
In Bolshiye Novoselki you should definitely visit the old local cemetery. Find there the grave of perhaps the most eminent representative of the Kostrovitsky family - the poet and public figure of the early 20th century Kazimir Kostrovitsky, known under the pseudonym Karus Kaganets.
STANKOVO
From Bolshiye Novoselki we suggest you again head towards Dzerzhinsk along the P65 road and go around the city from the northern outskirts. Continuing along the same road, after 10 km you will find yourself in Stankovo.
The place has been known since the 15th century, when it belonged to the Dorogostaisky princes. Later it was owned by the Radziwills, from whom it passed to the Hutten-Czapsky family. This ancient German family has been known since the 10th century, and its representatives came to the lands of Belarus in the 16th century. You've definitely heard about representatives of the Czapski family, for example, about Jan Karol Czapski, the reformer mayor of Minsk.
The Stankovskaya Czapski residence was founded in the mid-19th century by Emerik Hutten-Czapski. This was also a difficult guy: he ruled St. Petersburg in the position of vice-governor of the city and headed the Forestry Department of the Russian Empire.
The main building of the estate was a two-story palace in the classicist style, built in 1861-62. A century after its construction, in the 1960s, the palace building, damaged during the war, was demolished due to the construction of a missile unit in Stankovo. Despite the loss of the palace, other interesting buildings of this complex have been preserved in Stankovo. The most interesting thing is the charming two-story neo-Gothic building with four towers - “Skarbchyk”. A real castle!
This building was built in the 1880s by Emerik Czapski. Emerick was a passionate collector and built Skarbchyk specifically to house his rich collection of antiquities and library. Unfortunately, the vast majority of the collection was taken by Czapski to Krakow back in 1894, and the building is now empty and in poor condition. Among other buildings of the estate, it will be interesting to see the ruins of an old gate with the remains of a watchman’s house, the “kitchen” wing of the estate with a stepped pediment, the buildings of the barn and stables. All the buildings of the estate are located in an ancient park, which we strongly recommend taking a walk through and getting into the spirit of the old estate. Rare tree species (in the times of the Hutten-Czapskis - up to 500 species!), steep layout, and in summer - pleasant shade for a picnic. Right in the middle of the park you can also find a rather strange wooden house, decorated with vinyl records, portraits of Lenin and palm trees made of plastic bottles - a local hippie has settled here.
After walking around the park, head to the shore of the local pond. On a small island there is a rotunda gazebo with eight columns. In the recent past, the gazebo was restored with the help of the brewery founded by Jan Karol Czapski. Jan Karol Czapski inherited Stankovo from his father Emerik in the early 1890s. Since 1890, he was the mayor of Minsk, and, according to the recollections of his contemporaries, he rode horseback to Minsk every day and returned to Stankovo in the evening.
On the bank of the pond opposite the park, we recommend seeing the reconstructed Church of St. Nicholas. For a long time, the temple founded by the Czapskis stood in ruins, but since 2007 they began to actively restore it. Not far from the church you can see a small house decorated with siding (like everything else in the area) - this is where Marat Kazei, a pioneer hero of the Great Patriotic War, was born.
HOW TO GET THERE?
You don't necessarily need a wheelbarrow for this route. It is easy to get to Dzerzhinsk by train (Koidanovo stop) or minibus. From Dzerzhinsk to Bolshie Novoselki - 7 km, which can be traveled by bike or hitchhiking. It is 9.6 km from Dzerzhinsk to Stankovo, which is easiest to travel by bus. Of course, it’s easier to do the whole journey by car.
Photo: palasatka
Monument to Dzerzhinsky
The monument is located on the main square of the city, also called Dzerzhinskaya Square. It was on this spot that the first stone was laid in 1929, marking the beginning of the development of the city. The monument is located in a park planted with linden trees, and along the perimeter of the park spirea ilmofolia grows. The monument to Dzerzhinsky is made of bronze and is located on a granite pedestal. This is a quiet and soulful place in the city.
Location: Dzerzhinsky Square.
The main attractions of Dzerzhinsk, Nizhny Novgorod region
Dzerzhinsk, located on the banks of the Oka River, has many sites for photography.
I decided to start my sightseeing from Dzerzhinsky Square, on which the city hall buildings and the architectural complex are located, transferred to the management of the Russian Post office and the police.
Green Square named after. Dzerzhinsky is a place of rest for children and adults; the main streets of the city passing through the square allow you to quickly get to the desired area.
House with a spire
This is one of the most important architectural monuments of the city, which was built in 1955. In fact, what makes this house significant is the spire, located on the central part of the structure. The house is separated from the sidewalks by lawns with trees and shrubs. Now the building is painted rich green, making it stand out from the crowd of other buildings.
Location: Prospekt Chkalova street - 12.
Memorial to fallen heroes
The memorial was built in honor of the 20th anniversary of the victory over the fascist troops. It is located on Heroes Square. The monument is an 18 m , from which extends a console with a bowl in which an eternal flame burns.
The memorial plaques describe the achievements of the local population in combat and labor activities during the Second World War.
Location: Gers Square (intersection of Mira Boulevard and Lenin Avenue).
Top 10 places that a tourist should visit
Before the visit, I analyzed the guidebooks and developed a route that included a visit and inspection:
- churches of Anthony the Great and Annunciation;
- museums of N. M. Rubtsov and local history;
- arboretum;
- monuments to the heroes of the Great Patriotic War;
- urban architectural monuments erected in tsarist times and in the era of the USSR.
Church of Anthony the Great
The Temple of Anthony the Great is one of the attractions of Dzerzhinsk, built in the 21st century.
The building was put into operation in 2010 and named after the righteous man who lived in Egypt in the 3rd-4th centuries.
The premises are located on the street. Soviet, designed for 300 people, around the walls of the temple there is a small square with bushes and benches for rest.
Church of Anthony the Great, new construction.
Shukhov Tower
Even at the entrance to Dzerzhinsk, I noticed the tall lattice Shukhov Tower, which was built in 1928 to install a power line. The design resembles the TV tower on Shabolovka, which was also built according to the design of engineer V. G. Shukhov.
During the Soviet era, there were several more hyperboloid power line towers, but they were demolished as part of reconstruction. The surviving tower is located on a landscaped river bank and is surrounded by a forest through which a road is built.
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Shukhov's lattice tower.
Museum of N. M. Rubtsov
From the Shukhov Tower I returned to the city and headed to the Museum. N. M. Rubtsov, opened at the A. S. Pushkin Library on Lenin Avenue, 49. The museum was opened through the efforts of fans of the poet’s work and consists of 2 halls.
At the entrance there is a room with exhibits related to the life and work of the writer. In the second hall there is an exhibition displaying the connection of the museum with other centers of culture in Russia and neighboring countries. The premises are used for holding literary evenings or presentations as part of the regular “Rubtsovsk Saturdays”.
The N. M. Rubtsov Museum conducts excursions.
Fountain "Tornado"
On Lenin Square, located next to the Rainbow children's park, there is a light and music fountain, commissioned in 2009. The area is a favorite recreation spot for citizens and visitors.
The fountain has spotlights that illuminate the streams of water accompanied by musical accompaniment. At the time of my visit, the weather was cool and damp, so I was not able to enjoy the beauty of the square and the working fountain.
Light and music fountain "Tornado".
Museum of Local Lore
In Dzerzhinsk there is a Museum of Local Lore, which was opened only in 1995, but you should start getting acquainted with the history of the city there. The 4-story building has 9 halls with exhibits dedicated to the early period of development of the settlement and the selfless work of the townspeople during the Great Patriotic War.
The museum hosts art exhibitions and public events. The building is located at the beginning of Dzerzhinsky Avenue and is open to the public on weekdays and weekends.
Be sure to visit the city Museum of Local Lore.
Arboretum
While in the city, I did not notice any pollution from industrial facilities. This is explained by the fact that back in 1951, a park with an area of about 15 hectares appeared on the outskirts of Dzerzhinsk.
The initiator of the creation of a green zone to improve the environmental situation and recreation of residents was the local forester I. N. Ilyashevich. Over the next decades, experiments were carried out in the park on planting and adapting various plants to the harsh climate.
A green park clears the city of dust.
Pyr Lake
The lake is one of the largest reservoirs in the Nizhny Novgorod region. Located near the village of Pyra at a distance of 8 km from the city. The depth of the reservoir reaches 5 m; rare plants listed in the Red Book grow in the coastal zone.
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The place is popular with fishermen, but at the time of the visit there were practically no fishermen on the shore. The lake is suitable for those who like to take a walk with their family or alone.
Lake Pyrskoye is five meters deep.
Church of the Annunciation
Fans of church architecture should see the Church of the Annunciation, built in 1878 in the workers' village of Zhelnino. The monumental red brick building was closed to parishioners in 1937 and gradually deteriorated. The new life of the temple began only at the end of 1980, when the building was returned to the Arzamas diocese.
Church of the Annunciation made of red brick.
Walk of Fame on Heroes Square
In 1965, Victory Day was celebrated for the first time in the USSR; a memorial complex was erected in Dzerzhinsk for this significant date. The alley is located at the intersection of Mira Boulevard and Lenin Avenue.
In 2015, new exhibits appeared - armored vehicles and artillery from the Second World War and the post-war period. The Obelisk of Glory, dedicated to the soldiers who fell during the Great Patriotic War, is installed on the square.
The memorial stele is interesting because the original inscription with the text about the Soviet Motherland was corrected in 2000, removing the word “Soviet” and part of the phrase.
Walk of Fame on Heroes Square in Dzerzhinsk.
House with a spire
At the end of the introductory tour, I examined one of the symbols of the city - a house built in the classic Stalinist Empire style with an 8-sided tower and spire. The building is located at the intersection of Chkalova Avenue and st. Mayakovsky.
Once upon a time, the architectural ensemble included a front courtyard. The restoration carried out in 2014 allowed the complex to return to its former beauty, while the organizers of the work landscaped the area and restored the pedestrian paths.
A house with a spire is a symbol of the city.
Book House
The building is based on a standard library design, but what makes the building unique is that its central entrance is located on the second floor. The staircase leading to the entrance resembles an airplane ramp.
The Book House has four floors, but no windows are visible on the third floor. The windows on this floor open onto balconies with high railings, which, in turn, are decorated with mosaics. These are gathering places for Dzerzhinsk writers; literary evenings and exhibitions are held there.
Location: Tsiolkovsky Avenue - 21g.
Shukhov Tower
The sights of Dzerzhinsk in the Nizhny Novgorod region are of a different nature, but the Shukhov Tower cannot be classified into any of the presented categories. This unique building was awarded the title of cultural heritage of the entire Nizhny Novgorod region.
The tower reaches a height of 128 meters and was built according to the design of the outstanding and talented scientist V.G. Shukhov in 1896 as a support for power transmission. In the period from 1927 to 1929, 4 more similar towers were built in Dzerzhinsk according to a standard design, which then, as unnecessary due to a change in the route of power lines, turned into a pile of unnecessary scrap metal.
The design of the tower has been recognized more than once as the best in the construction of high-rise buildings. It was used as a basis for construction by the largest companies in Switzerland, Spain and Japan. That is why the Shukhov Tower can rightfully be called the pride of the region.
Palace of Culture of Chemists
This is another architectural monument of the city of Dzerzhinsk. It opened for citizens in April 1959. The palace consists of several levels: a gas shelter, a ground floor, three floors and a round building topped with the largest Russian flag in the entire region. The outside of the building is decorated with black granite and the inside with marble. The palace also houses a large theater hall.
Location: Lenin Avenue - 62.
Religious buildings
Church ensemble on Svyato-Tikhonovsky Proezd
At the end of the last century, construction began on a complex of three churches located in Svyato-Tikhonovsky Proezd.
- The first church of the complex is wooden, belongs to the Resurrection parish, and bears the name of St. Tikhon.
- Later, the Church of John the Baptist was built from red brick; it is a functioning temple in which services are held.
- The third building is the Resurrection of Christ, construction and finishing work is currently underway in it, they should be completed soon.
The territory of the complex is well-groomed at any time of the year; in summer there are many flowers. Near the complex there is a children's playground where small children, accompanied by their parents, love to walk.
St. Anthony's Temple
The current Orthodox Church in honor of St. Anthony is located north of the center. Erected in our century, the first Easter service was held in the church in April 2010. In the fall of the same year, a Sunday school opened.
Cathedral Mosque
In the 90s, with donations from parishioners, a majestic cathedral mosque was built, located in a beautiful location on a hill.
Drama theatre
This theater was opened in 1945 and was located in the Palace of Culture. Sverdlova. The theater troupe's debut performance took place in November 1946. Due to the lack of its own building, the theater at first had to give performances in factories' clubs and various cultural centers. However, in 1980, the theater was allocated its own separate building, located on Mira Boulevard.
Thanks to the convenience and equipment of the new building, the theater's performances have become much more interesting and brighter. Currently, the theater's repertoire is very diverse - it hosts productions of both domestic and foreign classics.
Location: Mira Boulevard - 28.
Puppet Theatre
The Dzerzhinsky Puppet Theater tours in many countries and also takes part in a large number of festivals. The theater was founded in 1988 and is located in the old drama theater building after it was reconstructed.
During the operation of the puppet theater, a very large number of performances were staged there. Throughout the 30 years of its existence, the main director of the theater has been Vladimir Kozachenko, who in 1991 initiated the festival “Puppet Theater without Borders”.
Location: Lenin Avenue - 66A.
Arboretum
The arboretum began its existence in 1951 and is located in the southeast of the city, occupying 15 hectares . Initially, the idea of its creation was to revive those pine forests that were cut down during the construction of the city.
On the territory of the arboretum there is a huge number of trees and shrubs of different species. Most of them are exotic and were not previously typical for the Nizhny Novgorod region. To protect these exotic plants from the wind, a windbreak of trees was planted in the arboretum.
Location: Pushkino village, Sadovaya street.
Where to stay?
There are a lot of hotels, guest houses and inns, but it is better to reserve a place in advance, especially since you can cancel your reservation for free.
- Only positive reviews about the Hotel Park. Modern, comfortable and cozy hotel in the city center. The luxury apartments have beautiful furniture, Wi-Fi, billiards, a bar and a restaurant on site.
- The economy hotel "Sokol" has recently opened, a few minutes' drive from the center by public transport. Guests can work out in the gym, relax in the sauna, visit the beauty salon and medical center, and have lunch in the cafe. Double rooms with bar, WiFi. Cost from 1600 rubles.
- Mini-hotel "BierLoga" was opened in 2008. Consists of seven comfortable rooms of the “standard” and “junior suite” categories. Beautiful interior design in a classic style, bathroom with personal hygiene products, hairdryer, bathrobe. The hotel has a restaurant, billiard room, bowling alley, and sauna. A double standard room will cost guests 3,800 rubles, a “junior suite” - from 4,500 rubles.
Regardless of the cost, the hotels are clean, comfortable, with attentive staff, and the prices are not too bad. Guests will definitely choose a place to stay according to their tastes and capabilities.
petting zoo
This is a landscaped area on the territory of the City Park of Culture and Recreation. Both wild animals and birds, as well as domestic ones, are kept here. The most important distinctive feature of this zoo is that on its territory little visitors can not only look at the animals, but also pet, feed and take pictures with them.
Location: Lenin Avenue - 66A.
Fountain "Tornado"
Since 2009 it has been located on Lenin Square. This water show attraction, which was created using the most innovative technologies, fascinates all its visitors. To the sound of music, you can see “fireworks”, “shots” and many other water effects.
The fountain looks most beautiful in the dark, when it is illuminated from different sides by spotlights. The fountain's repertoire includes works for every taste and for any age. The area around the fountain is decorated with sculptures, benches, lawns and shrubs.
Location: Lenin Square - 1.
Pyr Lake
This is one of the largest lakes in the Nizhny Novgorod region. Its area is 272 hectares and its depth is 3 meters. The water in the lake has a brownish tint, imparted to it by peat.
The bottom is covered with a thick layer of silt, and the approach to the lake is very difficult, since its shores are swampy. Rare plants grow in the lake, which are listed in the Red Book of the region. Lake Pyrskoe is a natural monument that is protected by the state.
How to get there?
- You can fly from Moscow by plane. There is no direct flight; the nearest airport is in Nizhny Novgorod. Then you need to use electric trains, which run from early morning until late at night from Moskovskaya station.
- It is convenient to get there by direct train from Kursky Station. The train travels for about six hours (395 km from Moscow). The cost of travel in a compartment is over 2000 rubles, a seat – from 600 rubles.
- You can get there from Moscow by comfortable intercity buses. They are equipped with anatomical chairs, air conditioning and heating systems. The fare is about 900 rubles.
The small green town always welcomes guests. If you manage to get to Dzerzhinsk, located in the Nizhny Novgorod region, be sure to see its sights - it’s interesting.
Church of the Annunciation in the village of Zhelnino
The Church of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary was built in 1878. The merchant Solin allocated 100 thousand rubles for its construction. Three altars were illuminated in the church, and two very old icons were also transferred there.
In 1937 the cathedral was closed. But in 1988, the temple was completely restored and the first services in the city were held there. In 1994, a Sunday school was opened at the Church of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
Location: Krasnaya street - 10A.
Church ensemble on Svyato-Tikhonovsky Proezd
The sights of the city of Dzerzhinsk, Nizhny Novgorod region, could not do without this holy place. The church ensemble is named for a reason, because it is represented by several churches. The first church of the complex is made of wood and was built in 1997. This is the first church in Dzerzhinsk, belonging to the Resurrection parish. It looks like a rather bright, interesting double-height quadrangle with a symmetrical altar. This temple received the name Tikhon.
The second church is already made of brick and is considered a more modern building. This is the Church of John the Baptist. Today, divine services are held there, which guests of the city can also attend. And finally, the last building in the complex is the Church of the Resurrection of Christ. Unfortunately, it is not completed, but active work is currently underway to complete construction and interior decoration.
