Kstovo is one of the cities in the Nizhny Novgorod region of Russia. This city is located on the right (i.e., western) bank of the Volga River. The distance to Nizhny Novgorod is 15 km. The M7 Volga highway and a railway line pass through the city. The city is crossed by a tributary of the Volga - the Kudma River. The population of Kstov is 67,723 people.
TOP-4 - what to visit in Kstovo in 1 day
The main types of tourism in Kstovo are excursion, entertainment and pilgrimage. The main attractions of the city are places that fully reveal each of these facets.
Atoll Waterpark
- Address: Lenin Square, 5.
“Atoll” is, without a doubt, the best and everyone’s favorite attraction in Kstovo. The large-scale complex includes wave, hydromassage, shallow children's and deep pools for adults. Each pool is equipped with colorful slides, including open and closed spirals, pipes, curved slides, as well as extreme ones:
- "Free fall";
- "Rafting slide";
- “Space tunnel” with a funnel;
- Hill Boogie is an arc-shaped slide with steep descent and ascent.
Children's pools are equipped with safe slides in the shape of animals and fruits. They are also decorated with mushrooms and small fountains. In addition to swimming, in the Atoll you can go rock climbing (a special wall is equipped for this). Ideal places for relaxation will be a jacuzzi, hammam, Russian and Finnish baths.
After swimming, tourists go to a local cafe to refresh themselves. The menu is very varied. They serve fast food, salads, hot dishes, ice cream and desserts. The drinks list includes both sodas and juices, as well as alcohol.
The water park also provides services for organizing children's parties. Children will enjoy an exciting program with games, foam parties and performances by animators. “Atoll” made sure that residents and guests of Kstovo had everything they needed for a bright, fun time.
Zimenkovo Radio Astronomy Observatory
- Address: Kstovsky district, Zimenki village.
A few kilometers from Kstov is the village of Zimenki. In 1947, a radio astronomy station belonging to the Radiophysical Research Institute was founded there. The observatory complex included large radio telescopes. The largest - RT-15-1 - could be seen from the Volga.
In the early 2000s, the station was closed and mothballed. For a decade, the territory was not protected, and the facilities were abandoned.
In 2014, the observatory was again taken under protection. Thanks to the surviving radio telescope RT-15-2, scientific research into solar flares, seismology, ecology, solar activity and the earth's ionosphere has resumed.
Church of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God
- Address: st. Kozhanova, 68A, village of Great Enemy.
The village of Velikiy Vrag is located a ten-minute drive from Kstov. Its main attraction is the Church of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God, built in 1792. Before this, there was a church built here by order of Ivan the Terrible.
The wooden building, covered with planks, is designed as an octagon on a quadrangle, which is typical for buildings of the 18th century. The temple is crowned with five golden domes. Adjacent to it is the refectory, forming a single whole with the hipped bell tower.
In 1937, the rector of the temple, Mikhail Sigriansky, was repressed and exiled to Siberia. However, the church was not destroyed, thanks to which it has reached our time intact. Worship services resumed in 1944. Since 1995, the Kazan Church has been an architectural monument of federal significance.
Deer Statue
- Address: Mira street, 9a.
The noble deer is the symbol of Kstovo. This beautiful animal is depicted on the city's coat of arms and flag. A deer proudly walks along the banks of the Volga. In 2021, in honor of the 160th anniversary of Kstov, she gave the townspeople a bronze sculpture of a deer. It was installed on Oil Refiners Boulevard.
An elegant deer with powerful antlers stands on a stone bank, warily peering into the distance. The sculpture quickly won the love of Kstovo residents and became one of the “tricks” of the city.
Kstovo on the map of Russia: geography, nature and climate
Geographic coordinates of the settlement - latitude: 56°08′50″ N, longitude: 44°11′52″ E; height above sea level - 127 m. The city is located 22 km east of the regional center on the right (high) bank of the Volga (downstream), 435 km from Moscow along the M7 .
In Soviet times, it was positioned as a satellite city of Gorky. The area is about 17 km2, the maximum length along the M7 highway is 3.8 km, in the perpendicular direction – 5.6 km.
On the climate map of Russia, Kstovo is located in a zone of moderately cold climate; the average annual temperature is 4.9°C, the hottest month of the year is July (the maximum recorded temperature is +40.2°C), the coldest is January (record frost is -41.4°C).
The relief is flat, with a slight difference in elevation. The main types of soil are clayey and loamy, the vegetation is characteristic of central Russia.
Museums and theaters of the city of Kstovo
Museums and theaters attract tourists who want to learn as much as possible about the history and culture of Kstovo.
House of Culture "Neftekhimiki"
- Address: st. Talalushkina, 15.
The House of Culture is the leading cultural institution in Kstov. Since the 1960s, it has provided citizens with exciting leisure time and a spiritually enriching program. It hosts creative groups and amateur clubs in folk and modern dancing, choir, pop singing, arts and crafts, painting and drama. The number of circles exceeded 60.
The infrastructure of the recreation center includes spectator halls (small and large), a sports court, mirror and dance halls, costume rooms and classrooms. On the ground floor there is a museum dedicated to labor history, which sponsors the further development of the House of Culture.
Puppet Theatre
- Address: 16A, 2nd microdistrict.
The history of the puppet theater began in the 1970s, when an amateur puppeteers’ circle was created on the basis of the Kstovo House of Culture. Initially it was just fun, an experiment, but soon the theater became so popular that the management of the cultural center decided to turn it into an independent institution.
In 1975, the theater received its own building with a spacious stage, a beautiful foyer and an auditorium with 100 seats. At that time it was the only puppet theater in the Nizhny Novgorod region. In 1996, the amateur theater received the title of “professional” and began touring nearby cities and villages.
Today, the puppet theater surprises audiences with original performances and gives children a storm of positive emotions. Despite the fact that the repertoire is constantly updated, old productions are not forgotten and often return to the stage to repeat their success.
Museum of History and Local Lore
- Address: Shkolnaya st., 11.
The museum was opened in 2000 on the first floor of a residential building. The separate entrance to the museum is decorated with a brick porch with a pediment and columns. In the halls of the museum, the history of Kstov is recreated piece by piece.
Permanent exhibitions reveal the main facets of the city's formation, while temporary exhibitions are devoted to current topics of our time. The excursion program is enlivened by quizzes and games conducted by museum staff.
Master classes are especially popular. Visitors have the opportunity to learn painting, painting, carving and pottery from masters of the Kstovo region.
The museum takes part in Orthodox, military-patriotic and folk holidays. Open-air festivals, documentary screenings, chamber concerts and costume parties are often organized here. The museum's holidays are also celebrated - its birthday and Night at the Museum.
Famous Kstovo churches and chapels
Since ancient times, the shrines of Kstovo have been churches and chapels built in the city and its environs. Today, these religious buildings attract pilgrims.
Parish of the Church of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God
- Address: st. May 1, 68.
At the end of the 18th century, the parish of the Kazan Church was created in the city. The construction was sponsored by I.I. Nechaev is a wealthy landowner and state councilor. The building in the neoclassical style has become the pearl of Kstov.
The rectangular temple was decorated with a risalit with an elegant pediment. The building was enclosed from the east by a semicircular apse, and from the west by a bell tower. The temple was crowned by a massive drum with a golden head. In 1848, a rich iconostasis was installed in the altar.
Dark times in the life of the church came with the Bolsheviks coming to power. In 1924, the rector of the church K.V. Znamensky was subjected to brutal repression. He was sent to Gorky prison, where he died from torture.
In the same year, priests I.P. were shot. Svyatitsky and G.I. Burdenkov. After this the parish was closed. The bell tower was blown up and the domes were melted down. The church cemetery was destroyed. The empty building was occupied by the printing house of the Mayak newspaper. In the 1980s, the former temple was used as a warehouse and was later abandoned.
The parish of the Kazan Church was revived in 1994. The building was subject to long and painstaking repairs. Despite the fact that it was not possible to restore the historical appearance, today the temple is in excellent condition. On the facades, covered with fresh azure paint, whitewashed pilasters, interfloor belts, moldings and dentil cornices stand out.
A new drum with a dome was installed above the pediment, and instead of a bell tower, a hipped belfry was built in the western part. Currently, the parish is operational, and the building is included in the list of cultural heritage sites of Kstov.
Church of the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God
- Address: st. Shokhina, 99.
The church was built in 1916 in the area that is today called Cherry. The stone building was soon destroyed by the Bolsheviks, leaving only an ancient wooden chapel. Clandestine worship services were held in this dilapidated building until 1930. Gradually, local residents plundered the chapel for firewood. The plot of land was empty.
In the 1990s, an entrepreneur bought it to build a personal cottage. The public rebelled, and after a short struggle the land was returned to the Russian Orthodox Church.
Construction of a new brick church began. In 1992, the complex was ready. In its center is a cross-domed church in the Baroque style. The main volume has a cubic base. The risalit is decorated with decorative niches, pilasters, archivolts and ends with a gable with a stepped frieze.
The temple is crowned with a blue onion with gold stars on a light drum. There is an apse adjacent to the building, and on the other side there is a refectory. The tent-roofed bell tower closes the composition. Opposite the temple there is a small chapel in the same style and a children's playground.
In 1999, an updated iconostasis with a copy of the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God was installed in the church. Today the temple is operational.
Church of St. Sergius of Radonezh
- Address: Captain Rachkov Avenue.
The church was built in 2014 at the entrance to the city. This is a log building in the old Russian style.
The roofs are located at different levels and are crowned with five golden domes. In the center of the temple there is a light drum with a tent decorated with kokoshniks. A bell tower tent rises nearby. The interior exudes understated luxury. Portals are carved into the log walls, and the floor is paved with marble tiles. A crystal and gold chandelier hangs above the altar.
The entrance to the temple territory is marked by a stone arch with an icon of Sergius of Radonezh and a golden dome at the top of the pediment.
Chapel of Alexander Nevsky
- Address: Lenin Square, 4.
In 2013, the first chapel was erected in Kstovo. It was consecrated in honor of Prince Alexander Nevsky. The 9-meter building is made of brick in an eclectic style. On the western, southern and eastern sides there are semicircular apses with narrow elongated windows.
To the north there is a porch with an arched portal. The northern facade ends with a figured gable with the image of Alexander Nevsky. The building is crowned with a light drum with a golden dome and a cross.
Monuments and sculptures in Kstovo
The unique appearance of Kstov is created by monuments that capture history, and sculptures that reflect the cultural values of the city.
Monument to soldiers who died in Afghanistan and Chechnya
- Address: Peace Square.
In 2012, a monument to internationalist soldiers was unveiled in Victory Park. It represents a stone figure of a soldier who took off his cap at the grave of his comrades. On the side of it there is a black granite stele with an inscription of dedication.
The names of soldiers who died in Afghanistan and Chechnya are engraved in gold on its pedestal. On both sides of the monument there are stone slabs with photographs of heroes and bas-reliefs of orders.
Monument to test pilot V.P. Chkalov
- Address: st. 40 years of October, possession 6.
Valery Chkalov is a Hero of the Soviet Union and the first test pilot to make a non-stop flight across the North Pole from Moscow to Vancouver (USA).
In pre-war times, Valery Chkalov visited the Kstovsky district. In 1956, a monument in his honor was unveiled in the city. Chkalov is depicted in full growth, in the uniform of a pilot. The sculptor managed to convey the hero’s stern facial features: powerful eyebrows, a strong-willed chin. The monument appeared on the initiative of the director of the Novogorkovskaya CHPP S.I. Magnitsky and his deputy P.O. Zilina.
Today the monument is recognized as an object of historical and cultural heritage and is under protection.
Eternal flame
- Address: Peace Square.
In the center of Peace Square stands a six-meter bayonet with a red star. At its foot there is a granite bowl with the Eternal Flame. The impressive composition occupies a round podium, reached by stone steps.
Next to the monument there is a wall lined with granite slabs. The names of Kstovo residents who gave their lives for their Motherland in 1941-1945 are engraved in gold on it. Peace Square is the venue for rallies in honor of Victory Day. During the ceremony, townspeople lay flowers and wreaths at the Eternal Flame.
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Pontoon-bridge machine
- Coordinates on the map: 56.001440, 44.720335.
In 2012, the Higher Military Engineering Command School, which trained engineering officers, ceased operation. In the same year, a monument was erected at the entrance to the training ground in honor of military engineers.
It is a genuine pontoon-bridge machine placed on a pedestal. The monument is a museum exhibit. You can take a photo against its background, but you won’t be able to get too close.
globe
- GPS coordinates: 56.125119, 44.164648.
The first attraction that greets guests of Kstov is a huge globe with meridians. On its base you can read the inscription: “Lukoil”.
Globus belongs to an oil refining company located within the boundaries of Kstov. This enterprise employs more than half of the city's population.
At night, the Globe is illuminated from the bottom up, making it seem as if the globe is floating in the air. Kstovo residents nicknamed this composition “Chupa Chups”.
Routes on the map of Kstovo. Transport infrastructure
On the map of Kstovo from a satellite, the division of the city into 2 parts is clearly visible, which local residents define as “ old Kstovo ” and, in fact, Kstovo .
The city is located on the federal highway M7 ; The main transport artery of the city is Magistralnaya Street .
A railway line runs along the southwestern border to the station. Zeletsino .
Strigino International (Nizhny Novgorod) is 49 km.
The transport system is represented by a developed bus service. Due to the small area of the city, there are only three routes with low-capacity buses.
Taxi services are widely developed: more than 10 companies officially operate.
Kstovo is connected to the regional center by bus (service interval is 10-15 minutes), an electric train runs twice a day to the station. Manor (N. Novgorod). All passenger intercity buses depart from the city bus station.
on the banks of the Volga ; water passenger transport ceased operating in 2003 due to low profitability, but the issue of resuming transport links and restoring the passenger pier is currently being considered.
Beautiful parks of Kstov
An integral part of the Kstovo landscape are parks and boulevards, where townspeople like to walk and relax.
Yubileiny Park
- Address: Parkovaya street.
The park was founded in 1987 in honor of the 70th anniversary of the October Revolution. This is evidenced by a red granite stele installed in the center of the park. Its basis is a red star with flowers planted at its five ends.
In the early 2000s, half of the park's territory was given over to residential development, despite public protest.
Today children are playing in Yubileiny. Sandboxes, swings and carousels are equipped for them. A pedestrian path is laid through a dense birch grove, which leads to the Volga embankment.
Boulevard of Oil Refiners
- Address: Neftepererabotchikov Boulevard.
Neftepererabotchikov Boulevard is the most colorful place in Kstovo. It is divided into radial alleys, along which birch and decorative spruce trees grow. The boulevard is decorated with a sculpture of a Deer and a stunning fountain illuminated at night.
In winter, the trees of the boulevard shine with garlands, ice sculptures, gazebos appear, and even a composition of frozen streams is created in the bowl of the fountain. It is not surprising that the boulevard is always crowded.
Where to take your child in Kstovo
Kstovo is full of attractions and entertainment centers where children can play and get positive energy.
Children's park
- Address: 3rd microdistrict.
The Children's Park is always noisy and fun. It attracts attention with its numerous carousels, slides and swings. Children will be delighted by the small Ferris wheel, swinging dragon boat and controlled puck pool.
The park also has gazebos for relaxation, and rental of bicycles and hoverboards is available. The attractions operate only in the summer, and in the cold season, playgrounds and a football stadium, where the skating rink is filled in winter, remain available.
Interactive platform "Neftegrad"
- Address: Yubileiny Park.
An unusual playground has been opened in the residential area of Yubileiny Park, created on the initiative of. The site is dedicated to oil refining topics. The slides, swings, and labyrinths of this attraction are made in the form of oil refining platforms, oil tankers and drills.
Thus, children get to know the work of the main enterprise in the city in a playful way and can already decide on their future profession. The site officially opened in September 2021. Before this, there was no such play corner in any city in Russia. The only similar object is the VDNH site in Moscow.
Entertainment complex "Milyandiya"
- Address: Lenin Square, 5A, Pyramid shopping center, fl. 3.
Kstovsky is a branch of the entertainment complex located in Nizhny Novgorod. Children come to Milyandia to play on the slot machines, have lunch in the trendy food court and have fun jumping on the trampoline. Kids and teenagers will have a great time in this complex.
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Quests "Hour-Z"
- Address: Magistralnaya st., 45.
The peculiarity of the quest center is that all games and tests are based on the reality of the city. There are no decorations of medieval dungeons or abandoned military bases, only places that actually exist in Kstovo: old houses, science centers, schools, etc. This approach allows children and teenagers to experience the reality of what is happening and look at the city from a new perspective.
Industry, finance, economics Kstovo
Kstovo is a developed industrial center, on the territory of which large industrial enterprises are located: oil refining, Siburneftekhim, Rus-Vinyl, Volgoneftegazstroy, Novogorkovskaya CHPP, Faskhimmash LLC, wood processing and food industry enterprises (bakery plant, meat processing plant, dairy plant, ice cream production workshop).
The map of the city with houses shows that industrial zones are located at a considerable distance from residential areas, and therefore do not have a harmful effect on the environmental situation.
The city has branches of 16 banks, five construction companies, large shopping centers, and a business center. The network of public catering establishments is widely developed.
City guests can stay in hotels or guest houses.
Active recreation in Kstovo
Playing sports is the best way to spend time. There are a huge number of complexes in Kstovo, where every tourist will find something interesting for themselves.
Sports and recreation complex "Volzhsky Bereg"
- Address: st. Ostrovsky, 15.
“Volzhsky Bereg” is the most popular sports complex in Kstovo. Its structure includes:
- pools for sports and public swimming;
- ice rink;
- universal games room;
- conference hall;
- exercise court;
- fitness club;
- buffet.
The most popular in the sports and recreation center is the skating rink, where hockey tournaments of the youth and adult leagues are held. The townspeople also love to attend basketball and swimming competitions.
World Sambo Academy
- Address: Zelenaya st., 6, bldg. 2.
The World Sambo Academy was opened in 1964. During its existence, the academy trained dozens of fighters who won victories in the Soviet, Russian and foreign arena.
The sports complex regularly hosts section classes and tournaments that Sambo fans can attend. The academy hosts various cultural events and has a sambo museum, where all the champions' cups and photographs from tournaments are displayed.
Neftekhimik Stadium
- Address: Kstovskaya st., 1.
The stadium was founded. Its infrastructure includes a huge football field, jogging and cycling tracks, as well as rows of stands, locker rooms and showers. Football matches, running competitions and health events take place here regularly.
You may be interested in interesting places in other cities of the Nizhny Novgorod region - Semenov, Sarov, Vyksa, Diveevo and Arzamas
When visiting Kstovo, tourists from the Nizhny Novgorod region will feel its cozy atmosphere and enjoy a varied, eventful holiday. This is the city that leaves behind pleasant impressions and memories.
City `s history
Previously, on the site of the current city there was a village called Kstovskaya. It has been known since the 14th century. Tatar and Mordovian tribes were common here. Frequent occupations of the population were net weaving, barge hauling and otkhodnik. During Soviet times, oil refining actively developed in the village and the Kstovo oil refining plant was built, as well as a thermal power plant and other industrial facilities.
In 1957, the village received city status. The city now includes the village of Vishenka, which is the place where the Vishensky variety of onions was bred.
