Traveling along the Volga is traveling along Russia, along big and small Russian towns, every one of which is a historic page of our country.
In the past the Volga used to be a trading way. 500 years ago a merchant from Tver Afanasy Nikitin went down the Volga on his way to India.
About 200 rivers (excluding the smallest ones) flow into the Great Russian River. Its length is 3,530km. Its basin composes 1/3 of the European part of Russia. From Valdai Hill till the Caspian Sea it passes almost all the natural zones: from coniferous forests till deserts.
Being in Cheboksary you can choose between two ways of traveling along the Great Russian River: up the Volga till Tver and down the Volga till Astrakhan.
If you choose upward direction, the first city on your way will be Nizhniy Novgorod; the first mention of the city on the confluence of the two largest rivers - the Volga and the Oka - was made in the Russian chronicles in 1221. In the 13th century it moved to a leading position among the cities of Eastern Russia. In the 19th century the city was known as a centre of Russian Fair Trade. Nowadays it is one of the leading industrial and cultural centres of Russia. It is the third biggest city of Russia after Moscow and St. Petersburg. The Nizhniy Novgorod Kremlin, like the Moscow Kremlin, is in the centre of the city. It is surrounded by a powerful brick wall with eleven towers. The first All-Russia Art and Industrial Fair was held here in 1896, more than a century ago. Since then the fame of the Nizhniy Novgorod fairs spread out throughout Europe. The Nizhniy Novgorod Slate Bank built in 1913 combined the Modern Style of the early 20th century with the traditional forms of ancient Russian architecture. It was beautifully painted by Ivan Bilibin who was considered in Western Europe one of the leading modern artists. One can learn more about patriarchal life of Russia by going to the Museum of Architecture and Everyday Life of the Peoples of the Volga Area. The museum is the only one of its kind in Russia.
The next stop will be in Kostroma. It was founded, like Moscow, by Yuri Dolgoruky in 1152. Deep woods protected the town from the enemy. The famous Russian patriot Ivan Susanin brought Polish enemies here. Townsmen of Kostroma were efficient carpenters. They were always invited to build other Russian towns. Nowadays in the Museum of Wooden Architecture, which is at the walls of the Ipatiev Monastery you can see fretted churches, peasants' houses, mills which impress by the harmony of the material and forms.
After Kostroma you will find yourself in Plyos. It is really a poetic place, which inspired many Great Russian painters. First of all the name of Isaac Ilyich Levitan is connected with Plyos. Here he painted his famous works Golden Autumn, Slobodka, Evening. Golden Plyos, A Birch Grove and others. There is a museum of Levitan in Plyos. The climate is wonderful here. The town is situated in a dry forest zone. There is a plenty of health complexes and holiday homes here.
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The next slop is Yaroslavl. The town was founded in 1054 by Prince Yaroslav the Wise. Yaroslavl is the cultural capital of the Golden Ring Region. Here the first Russian professional company of Fyodor Volkov raised its stage curtain in 1750. If you are fond of arts history, you can visit the department of ancient Russian art in the Saviour Monastery. In the Church of Ilya the Prophet you will see unique frescoes of the 17th century, which remained untouched till present day. There is also a Museum of Icons in Metropolitan Chambers.The private museum Music and Time offers its visitors a numerous collection of antique clocks, gramophones, irons, hand bells and samovars.
In Uglich you will be able to see beautiful architectural ensembles which will remind you of the Russian merchant city of the past. The Uglich Kremlin (15th – 19th centuries) is located on the bank of the Volga. The Archangel Cathedral of the Kremlin was built by Aleviso Novi in 1508.
Tver will be the last town on your way, which is situated on the Volga. In fact it would be better to say that it is the first one, because here, in the Upper Volga area the Great Russian River starts its way from a small spring. In Tver it is already wide and deep. It is a starting point for navigation. The history of Tver goes back to the 12th century. The town was a big handicraft and trading centre. For many long years the town competed with Moscow for leadership.
The Volga is an eternal river. It combines the epochs and unites the nations. There are more historical and cultural monuments on the banks of the Volga than in any other area of the nation. It is understandable as the Volga flows through the whole of the European part of Russia. Along its way it collects the waters of 7000 big and small rivers and streams. And for many centuries the economic and cultural life of our nation centered along the river’s banks.