Sights of Mordovia - overview and photos of interesting places

Museum of Local Lore named after. I.D. Voronina

This museum, located in the capital of Mordovia, is considered the oldest cultural institution on its territory. It was created in 1918 through the efforts of about a hundred local historians, who spent years collecting exhibits for it. In 2001, the museum officially became one of the institutions with the greatest cultural value in the republic. Another 4 years later, he was given the name of Ivan Dmitrievich Voronov, a local historian who distinguished local history as an independent science, literary critic and writer.

The museum has a historical exhibition, a modern history department and exhibits telling about the nature of the region. The total number of its exhibits exceeds 200,000 . Here you can get acquainted with valuable books, collections of coins, ancient weapons, and also see stuffed animals of different species.

Location: Moskovskaya street - 48.

Rest

In Mordovia, the tourism industry is just beginning to gain momentum, but even now the country has something to do for both lovers of relaxing, extreme and active recreation.

Winter activities: from skiing to hot springs

At this time, many people visit this region for health and preventive purposes and come to local sanatoriums. Here you can feel the colorfulness of the local people, celebrate Maslenitsa and swim in the ice hole on Epiphany.

Despite the fact that most of Mordovia is a plain, and the highest point above sea level is only 324 m, the republic has alpine skiing, which is developing more and more every year. Mordovia even has its own alpine skiing federation, which holds championships among various age groups.

Summer activities: extreme and calm

In the summer you can visit a large number of historical places, religious buildings, museums, various park areas and squares. Most people decide to have a picnic outdoors enjoying the untouched nature of these places.

For lovers of extreme and active recreation, in the capital you can find companies providing parachute jumping services. Also in the capital you can rent bicycles and ride comfortably around the city. All public places are equipped with special bicycle paths for comfortable movement.

Museum of Fine Arts. S.D. Erzi

This wonderful museum is located in Saransk. It exhibits the world's largest collection of works by the famous sculptor Erzya. Also in the museum you can contemplate the works of artists Sychkov and Makarov. These three cultural figures are natives of Mordovia.

The museum has an art salon where you can not only view, but also buy your favorite works of painting and sculpture by contemporary authors.

Location: Kommunisticheskaya street - 61.

Museum of Combat and Labor Feat

The museum is located on Victory Square in Saransk. It was opened for the 50th anniversary of the Great Victory. The square on which it is located is a memorial complex. The granite slabs on the facade of the museum are designed in the form of a St. George ribbon, and the roof is stylized as a Russian kokoshnik.

In the museum you can see letters from the front, war photographs, awards, personal belongings of soldiers, samples of weapons and military archives. Also in its collections there are works of art that show the heroism and courage of our soldiers. In addition, it presents an exhibition on the topic of modern local wars.

Location: Sovetskaya street - 34A.

What to see for tourists in summer and winter

Mordovia, whose sights everyone wants to see in the summer, is also popular in the winter. To better understand the local flavor, you need to start getting acquainted with the state from small Mordovian villages. Each settlement is surrounded by a large green area, which is full of various mushrooms, berries and other plants, and the streets of the villages themselves are clean and tidy.

Mordovia, Makarovsky Monastery.

Particular attention should be paid to the Makarovsky Monastery. Local residents are happy to give tourists a tour on their own. It is also worth visiting the park of culture and recreation named after. Pushkin.

It contains everything you need for a calm and measured independent or family vacation. After the park, you can visit the 1000 Years Square, where the tallest musical fountain in the entire Russian Federation is located.

Locomotive Depot Museum

The locomotive depot museum is located in Ruzaevka, a large railway junction and one of the main centers of railway transport in Russia. At the entrance to the museum there are two soldiers with guns, as was the case at the beginning of the twentieth century. Visitors to the museum have an excellent opportunity to learn the history of the legendary steam locomotive "Cuckoo", which is considered a symbol of Ruzaevka, as well as about the local depot and railway transport of the beginning of the last century.

Location: Lenin street - 48.

Who would be interested in visiting Mordovia

The Republic of Mordovia, as well as its capital - the city of Saransk - are considered one of the centers of cultural heritage of many peoples on the map of Western Russia.

Therefore, everyone who is interested in studying the history of ethnic groups and observing the combination of heterogeneous architectural elements within such narrow limits is obliged to see this in person.

Art lovers can enjoy examples of architecture, museums, theaters and galleries. Adventure seekers will also be interested, since Mordovia has many hiking and river rafting destinations prepared for them.

Drama Theater

The Mordovian State National Drama Theater is located in the capital of the republic. In addition to classical performances, here you can see productions by Mordovian playwrights, which are staged in the Mordovian languages ​​(Erzyan and Moksha) with simultaneous translations into Russian. Theater actors actively tour the territory of the republic and neighboring regions where Mordovians live.

The theater has existed since 1889. Then it was organized by graduates of the Shchepkinsky Theater School who returned to their small homeland and were given an ancient house at their disposal. Since 2007, the theater has been located in a new building.

Location: Sovetskaya street - 60.

The importance of the republic in the modern world

Mordovia is a republic within the Russian Federation that did not have its own statehood until the twentieth century. The name comes from the Latin word "Mordens", which means "warrior". The entire territory of the republic is a plain without any mountains or hills. The highest point above sea level is at an altitude of 300 m.

Today, Mordovia is a large industrial state that has many industries in agriculture and the production of heavy equipment. The country is also one of the largest producers of potatoes and other forage plants. The region of Mordovia itself was created in 1930, and it became a republic only in 1934.

The area of ​​the state is approximately 26 thousand km2, and the local population numbers 700 thousand people. The capital of the republic is Saransk, where about 40% of the total number of citizens of the state live. In Mordovia they speak their native Mordovian and Russian languages. On the world map, the republic is located between Moscow and the Volga.

On all sides, Mordovia borders on the regions of the Russian Federation:

• North - Nizhny Novgorod.
• East - Ulyanovsk.
• West - Ryazan.
• South - Penza.

Citizens of the Russian Federation do not require a visa to visit Mordovia.

There are several ways to get to the republic:

• Railway . Trains depart to Mordovia from most Russian cities (Adler, Moscow, St. Petersburg, Novorossiysk and others), the journey takes approximately 9 hours 30 minutes.
• Intercity buses . Regular flights operate from Togliatti, Penza, Moscow and other Russian cities. The journey to Mordovia is approximately 11 hours.
• Airplane . Air communication with the republic is established from Moscow, Samara, Kazan, Sochi, the journey to Saransk is approximately 1 hour.
• Private car . If you have personal transport, you can get to Mordovia from Ulyanovsk, Penza and Moscow along the M5 highway and all its associated branches.

State coordinates: 54°11′01″ N 45°10′29″ E

Musical Theater named after. THEM. Yausheva

One of the attractions of Saransk is the musical theater. It hosts classical music concerts, operas, operettas, comedy musical and ballet performances. The theater opened in 1935. By the beginning of the 75th season, the theater was allocated a new building. Its auditorium began to accommodate more than 700 people. In terms of its acoustic characteristics, this hall is one of the best in Russia. Then, in 2011, it was named after the Mordovian singer I.M. Yausheva.

Location: Bohdan Khmelnytsky Street - 36.

Cathedral of the Holy Righteous Warrior Theodore Ushakov

The cathedral was built in Saransk in 2006. It was consecrated by Patriarch Alexy II. The cathedral building was erected in the Empire style, and the dome is made in the neo-Byzantine style. The temple rises 62 meters from ground level. It has 4 belfries, each of which has 3 bells made in Tutaev using ancient technologies. The cathedral can be visited by more than 3,000 people at the same time.

Location: Sovetskaya street - 53.

Sacred duck Inenarmun

The population of the republic idolizes the sacred duck Inenarmun, whose main purpose was to establish peace on Earth , then engulfed in constant hostility and confusion. This bird is considered a mythological creature. At the 2018 World Football Championship, the sacred bird became its symbol, designed by the young Saransk designer Anastasia Kuptsova.

Church of St. John the Evangelist

The Church of St. John the Evangelist in Saransk was erected in 1693 on the site where there had previously been an old wooden church.

At the end of the 30s, the temple was closed and the NKVD archive was placed here. In 1944, the church was reopened to parishioners. For a long time it was the only functioning church in the city. Since 1960, the temple has been included in the list of architectural monuments of federal significance.

Location: Democratic street - 28.

Transport

Mordovia has a developed transport infrastructure.

Buses

Every city in Mordovia has buses that regularly run along designated routes. In large cities, minibuses start running at 7:00 and end at 22:30. The fare is 25 rubles. There are 45 routes in Saransk.

Suburban trains

Suburban trains regularly operate in the republic along the following routes:

• Ruzaevka - Zubova Polyana.
• Saransk - Zubova Polyana.
• Ruzaevka - Red Knot.
• Svezhanka – Sasovo.
• Ruzaevka - Uzhovka.

Due to the latest changes, the cost of travel by train is 25 rubles. There are morning, afternoon and night flights.

Bicycles for rent

In Mordovia you can rent a bicycle only in Saransk. The main rental points are open from 12:00 to 21:00 on weekdays and from 10:00 to 21:00 on weekends.

The rental cost is 100 rubles. per hour and every subsequent hour +50 rub.

Taxi

Finding a taxi in the cities of Mordovia is very easy: a large number of taxi drivers constantly gather in front of the railway station. Also, advertisements with numbers of the main companies providing taxi services are placed throughout the settlements. The average fare in the capital is 20 rubles/km.

Rent a Car

In the Republic of Mordovia there is a large selection of car rentals for various purposes. The main companies that provide such services are: GT, Zum Zum and AutoChance.

They offer rentals:

• Cars for the wedding procession.
• Family cars for comfortable movement around the city.
• Minibuses for transporting large numbers of people.
• A car with a personal driver.
• An ordinary car.

The cost of renting a simple car is approximately 1000 rubles. per day, you must have a driver's license and an identity document with you.

Paraskeva-Voznesensky Convent

The monastery is located on the territory of the Ruzaevsky district in the village of Paygarma. In 1865, an icon of the martyr Paraskeva was discovered on the territory of a rural church, and in connection with this significant event, it was decided to build a monastery here, which would bear the name of the saint. The territory of the monastery covers an area of ​​about 11 hectares . Its churches, chapels and bell towers were built in different architectural styles, and in general the architectural complex of the monastery looks very harmonious. The monastery is regularly visited by many pilgrims seeking spiritual growth and searching for their true path.

Location: 60 Let Oktyabrya Avenue - 49a.

Sanaksar Monastery

The Sanaksar Monastery is located near the town of Temnikov on the banks of the Moksha River, surrounded by a pine forest. Its history began in 1659. The most revered shrines of the monastery are the relics of the saints St. Theodore, the righteous warrior Theodore (Ushakov), St. Alexander the Confessor, as well as the icon of the Mother of God. Pilgrims from all over Russia come to touch its shrines.

Library named after A.S. Pushkin

This is the main national library of Mordovia. It began its existence in 1899, when a library-reading room was created through the joint efforts of the intelligentsia of Saransk. Her visit was absolutely free.

At first there were very few books in it, but through donations its fund gradually increased. In 1939, the library became a republican library and a separate building was allocated for it. In 1970 it was moved to a new building, where it is still located.

Recently, a 9-story building was added to it, which made it possible to increase the size of the library several times. Among its many divisions there is a department entirely dedicated to the work of literary figures of Mordovia. The institution has established close contacts with other libraries of the Finno-Ugric peoples, including those located in foreign countries.

Location: Bogdan Khmelnytsky Street - 26.

Mordovian Nature Reserve

The reserve is located on the right bank of the Moksha River. Almost its entire territory is covered mainly by pine forests. The age of the pines growing here is estimated at 300-350 years . There are also mixed forests where pine, birch, linden and oak trees grow. In river valleys you can find spruce forests.

The floodplain meadows are very beautiful, where you can find more than 1000 species of herbaceous plants, including rare ones. The fauna of the reserve is represented by species characteristic of various natural zones - from taiga to steppe. Brown bears, wolves, badgers, beavers, bison, muskrats and many other species of animals, including rare birds, are found here.

Lake Inerka

Lake Inerka is located near the regional center of Bolshiye Berezniki in the valley of the Sura River. This is one of the most beautiful and largest lakes in Mordovia (56 square kilometers). Its banks are covered with coniferous-deciduous and birch forests.

Tourists like to pitch their tents on the shores of the lake. There are good places for fishing, and in the coastal forests you can pick mushrooms and berries. In addition, off-road rallies are held annually near the lake.

Distinctive features

Mordovia, whose sights retain their originality and flavor, is not similar to Russian cities. It has a large number of distinctive features.

Climate

Temperate continental climatic conditions prevail in the republic. Because of this, summers in this region are moderately warm, and winters are characterized by severe frosts and winds. An average of about 70 cm of precipitation falls annually. The average annual air temperature varies between 7-10 °C.

Weather conditions of Mordovia by month:

Features of nature

In Mordovia, there are about 1,500 rivers throughout the territory, but only 10 of them are more than 100 km long. Coniferous and broad-leaved forests grow in the republic.

The main types of trees are:

• Oak.
• Spruce.
• Pine.
• Maple.
• Elm.
• Linden.
• Birch.

In total, there are about 60 species of various mammals and 260 species of birds on the territory of the state. Also in lakes and rivers there are more than 40 species of underwater inhabitants.

National dishes

The main diet of the inhabitants of Mordovia consists of meat, game and simple food crops (potatoes, cabbage, beets).

When you come here, you should try:

• Valdo Yakstereviy . This is a salad that contains only 3 ingredients: beets, goat cheese and sunflower oil. The products are cut into small cubes and seasoned before serving. The dish is very simple, but perfect for fueling after a working day.
• Intoxicating pose . This is the name of one of the most colorful national drinks of the republic. It resembles kvass, which is made from sugar beets. The drink can be consumed at any age, since it does not contain alcohol. The heady pose is served cool to better quench your thirst on a hot day.
• Erzya soup . In Mordovian cuisine, 1 dish is considered the main and most nutritious. They were always prepared with a lot of meat. This is mainly: pork, hare, chicken, and lamb or beef is also less commonly used. Traditionally, Erzya soup was prepared in a large cauldron over an open fire or oven. During various outdoor events, this dish will definitely be present.
• Ovton Lapat. Translated from Mordovian it means bear paw. One of the most popular 2 dishes in national cuisine. Despite the fact that these meat products are no longer prepared from bear meat. The main ingredients are pork, beef or liver. It is finely chopped or passed through a meat grinder to obtain minced meat and mixed together with a chicken egg, chopped green onions and spices. Homemade rye crackers are added on top of the formed cutlets, after which they are placed in the oven to bake.

• Breasts of a young girl . These are pies with cottage cheese. In general, sweet dishes in Mordovia consist of various pastries with filling. There is an ancient tradition associated with these pies. They were prepared to ask the supreme pagan god for milk for the bride. Today the dish is not presented in such a way, but baked goods with cottage cheese are prepared in almost every family.

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Population

The indigenous population of Mordovia consists of 2 subethnic groups - Moksha and Erzi. This is also associated with the emergence of two separate languages ​​in the republic - Moksha and Erzya. The state is home to about 700 thousand people, of which approximately 50% are Russian, 40% indigenous and 10% other ethnic groups.

Most people profess Orthodoxy, but there are those who resort to ancient rituals, as well as the original local religion - Mokshenka. There are many sayings about the Mordovian people, from which one can understand that they are very stubborn and convinced that they are right. However, they are always ready to help and are characterized as friendly and hard-working people.

Currency

The official currency in Mordovia is the ruble. Also, in every locality of the republic it is possible to exchange dollars or euros.

In almost all stores you can pay using Visa or MasterCard.

Park named after A.S. Pushkin

This amazing park is located in the Leninsky district of Saransk. In the park you can stroll along picturesque alleys, cross the streams flowing through its territory, climb wooden bridges with railings made by masters of artistic forging, and relax in gazebos covered with green ivy. Everywhere there are sculptures of heroes from fairy tales by A.S. Pushkin. The park has a variety of attractions and is home to the country's largest zoo. This is a favorite vacation spot for Saransk residents; both adults and children love to visit it.

Location: Krasnoarmeyskaya street - 12.

Monument to Emelyan Pugachev

The legendary instigator of the peasant uprising visited Saransk in the early summer of 1774. He spent only a few days in these places, during which he managed to execute many representatives of the nobility and clergy who displeased him and publish a manifesto on freedom for the serfs.

In memory of those events, a monument to Pugachev was erected in Saransk. The tent of the leader of the peasant war, which is an ancient house made of stone, was also preserved.

Location: Korolenko and Volgogradskaya streets (crossroads).

Start Stadium

The opening of this stadium took place in Saransk in 2004. It hosts competitions in team sports, aquatics, athletics, speed skating and cross-country skiing. The sports complex includes 4 magnificent football fields, 2 of which have natural surfaces.

Location: Moskovskaya street - 12.

What to bring as a gift from the republic

In Mordovia you can buy colorful souvenirs for every taste and color, mainly:

• Mordovian dolls. Here they are also called “Mordovochki”; previously, children in Mordovia played with these dolls. Today they have been replaced by Barbie. Where to buy: any souvenir shop on the city streets. Cost: ranges from 400 to 1200 rubles.

• Embroidery . Mordovian embroidery is unique; it decorates clothes, towels and other fabrics. In “Mordovian Patterns” you can find a large assortment of goods with embroidery, among which you can choose an interesting gift for your family or a souvenir. Cost: from 650 rub.
• Tavlinskaya toy . Some of the most popular souvenirs in Mordovia are national carved wooden toys. Previously, they were used as entertainment for children, or decoration and amulet in Mordovian homes. All traditional Tavlin toys are made by hand using basic tools. Cost: prices for such toys start at 200 rubles.

Mordovia is a republic within the Russian Federation with unique cultural and historical values. Local attractions are popular among architecture lovers.

Article design: Oleg Lozinsky