Nizhniy Novgorod

Nizhniy Novgorod, city in western Russia, at the confluence of the Oka and Volga rivers. Nizhniy Novgorod is a major river port, rail junction, and industrial centre. The city is the site of one of the largest car factories in Russia, and aircraft, textiles, and rail and electric equipment are also produced here. Novgorod’s most industrialized suburbs are Bor, Kstovo, and Dzerzhinsk. Nizhniy Novgorod has libraries, museums, a large university, and several technical schools. Historical landmarks include a stone kremlin (citadel) built in the 13th century, two 13th-century churches containing frescoes by Theophanes the Greek (teacher of Andrei Rublev), and a 17th-century palace.

Nizhniy Novgorod was founded in 1221 and quickly became a centre of religious life in Russia. In the late 14th century the city was plundered by the Tatars before being annexed by Moscow in 1392. In later years the city became famous for its trade fairs, held annually from 1817 until 1917 and revived in 1989. From 1932 to 1991 it was named Gorky in honour of the Russian writer Maksim Gorky, who was born here. In 1992 the city was placed on UNESCO’s World Heritage List. Population 1,370,200 (2007 estimate).