Large cities on the banks of the Volga. Volga River - cruises and shipping, hydroelectric power plants and main features

Africa

The Volga occupies the first position among the longest Russian rivers and 16th position among long rivers our planet. The big river takes its headwaters on the Valdai Elevation and flows into Caspian Sea. It feeds on snow, ground directions and storm flows. AT modern times more than 40% of industrial production and more than 50% of agricultural production of the Russian Federation are concentrated in it. The Volga is characterized by a calm current. The banks of the river serve wonderful place for recreation, and more than 70 species of fish live in the water. Many of these fish widows are commercial.

Length of the Volga River

The length of the largest river is more than 3500 km, and before the construction of reservoirs on it, it was more than 3600 km. The water artery of Russia passes through many regions of the country. Tver, Moscow, Yaroslavl, Kostroma, Ivanovo, Nizhny Novgorod, Samara, Saratov, Volgograd, Astrakhan regions, as well as the republics of Chuvashia, Mari El, Tatarstan, are located on the banks of the water element. The upper course flows from the western part to the east, and the lower course from the northern part to the south. Ends in the Caspian Sea.

Source of the Volga River

(The source of the Volga on the Volgoverkhovye)

The powerful water element takes its origins from a small stream of groundwater, namely in the village of Volgoverkhovye. The village is located at the height of a mountain hill, more than 200 meters above sea level. Many tourists are attracted by a small chapel, which is built on the site where the river originates. Travelers love to share their impressions and tell that they stepped over such a mighty river.

(Here is such a small but fast stream becomes a wide river with a great history)

Gradually, a small stream gains its strength due to more than 100,000 tributaries, consisting of large and small rivers. Overcoming kilometers, the Volga transforms into a huge river.

Mouth of the Volga River

(The mouth of the Volga Astrakhan region separated by many sleeves)

In the city of Astrakhan, the mouth of the Volga is formed, which is divided by many branches, among which the largest are Bakhtemir, Bolda, Buzan. Southern City on 11 islands in the upper coastal part of the river. A unique reserve was built at the confluence of the Volga. Rare species of flora and fauna are under state protection. The Astrakhan Nature Reserve attracts many travelers and impresses its guests with picturesque places.

Tributaries of the Volga River

(The magnificent confluence of the Oka with the Volga)

The Volga can be conditionally divided into three sections. The upper section originates at the source of the Volga and stretches to the end of the Oka. The middle part starts from the mouth of the Oka and ends at the mouth of the Kama. The lower section starts from the mouth of the Kama and ends at the mouth of the Volga. The upper course has large streams, such as Darkness, Unzha and Mologa. The middle course includes Sura, Vetluga and Sviyaga. The lower course consists of Samara, Yeruslan and Sok. Total tributaries is more than 500, as well as multiple ducts and not big rivers.

(The confluence of the Kama River into the Volga forms the magnificent Kama mouth, Mount Lobach)

There is an opinion among some scientists that the Kama River was the main river, and the Volga served as its tributary. Many studies show that the life of the Kama exceeds the Volga by several million years. In 1983, the Cheboksary reservoir was launched, and the Volga turned into many flowing lakes. And the Kama continues to feed on the tributaries of small rivers.

Cities of Russia on the Volga River

(Volga along the city of Yaroslavl)

On the banks of the Volga, there are some powerful cities of Russia: Nizhny Novgorod, Kazan, Samara and Volgograd. Administrative centers are economic, cultural, sports, industrial centers for Russian Federation. Also no less important big cities on the river: Astrakhan, Saratov, Kharabali, Kineshma and many others. There are many settlements along the way of the river. Railway and road routes have been created, so not a single tourist has problems with the question of how to get to the mighty Volga. More than 1,400 marinas and industrial ports are located on its banks.

Citizens and rural population use the Volga for a variety of purposes. The main function of the river is its economic role. The river transports industrial materials, foodstuffs and other necessary goods that improve people's livelihoods. The Volga is also the main source of water supply for the urban and rural population. It also serves as a favorite place for active rest, tourism and fishing thanks to fairly clean water and the colorful nature that surrounds its shores.

The Volga River in folk culture

The favorite symbol of Russia is the mighty mother - the Volga River. She inspired and inspires hundreds of poets, singers and artists to create real masterpieces. It was about this river that songs and poems were composed for centuries, which completely glorified and continue to glorify it. The Volga is also vividly depicted in the paintings of world artists. The Volozhskaya theme is regularly interpreted in a rich creative range and genre variety. Hundreds of works by many nameless creators have survived to this day, which depict a variety of fragments great river Volga.

Instruction

Tver, which in Soviet times was called Kalinin, is located at the confluence of the Tvertsa and Tmaka rivers into the Volga and is the administrative center of the Tver region. The city was founded in 1135, the population is 403,726 people.

Yaroslavl is the administrative center Yaroslavl region. The population of the city is 591,374 people. Yaroslavl is the oldest city on the Volga, in 2010.

Kostroma is the administrative center of the Kostroma region. The official date of foundation of the city is 1152. 269,711 people live in Kostroma.

Nizhny Novgorod is located at the confluence of the Volga and Oka rivers. Is the administrative center Nizhny Novgorod region, it is 1,271,045 people. The city was founded in 1221, when the Novgorod fortress of the Nizovsky land was founded.

Kazan is located on the Volga at the place where the Kazanka River flows into it. This city is the capital of the Republic of Tatarstan, often called the "third capital of Russia". The population of Kazan is 1,136,566 people. The exact city is unknown, but in 2005 Kazan celebrated its millennium.

Tolyatti is the second in Samara region by and the first among the cities of the Russian Federation that are not the administrative centers of regions or republics. The city was founded in 1737 and currently has a population of 721,600.

Samara was built between the mouths of the Sok and Samara rivers, at their confluence with the Volga. Samara is the administrative center of the Samara region. Its population is 1,133,754 people. During the Soviet period, the city was called Kuibyshev. The first mention in this place dates back to 1361.

Syzran is located in the Samara region on the Saratov reservoir. The founding of the city is attributed to Prince Grigory Kozlovsky and dates back to 1683.

Saratov is located on the right bank of the Volgograd reservoir, is the administrative center Saratov region. Saratov was founded in 1590, a guard fortress was erected on this site. Currently, 837,400 people live in Saratov.

Volgograd from 1589 to 1925 was called Tsaritsyn, and after until 1961 Stalingrad. This city is the administrative center Volgograd region. The population of this city is 1,021,200 people.

Astrakhan is the last regional center along the Volga. In the 8th-10th centuries, on the site of Astrakhan was the city of Itil, which is the capital of the Khazar Khaganate. 520,700 people live in Astrakhan.

note

Cities are listed in order from source to mouth.

Sources:

Federal State Statistics Service
cities that stand on the Volga River

Volga- the largest in Europe. It begins on the Valdai Upland and flows into the Caspian Sea, forming a delta with an area of 19 thousand square kilometers. The length of the Volga is 3530 kilometers.

ancient name Volga - Ra. And in the Middle Ages it was called Itil, like the capital of the Khazar Khaganate, which lay by the river flowing into the Caspian Sea. Begins Volga in the Tver region on the Valdai Hills, at an altitude of 228 m (the mouth is located 28 m below sea level), and in the Caspian Sea in the Astrakhan region. flowing Volga from Tver to Astrakhan through Russia: Yaroslavl, Kazan, Samara, Saratov and Volgograd. It has about 200 tributaries, the most significant of which are the Kama and Oka. There are famous reserves in Wola: national park Samara Luka, Volzhsko-Kamsky, Zhigulevsky and Astrakhan. By the nature of the flow, the Volga is usually divided into the Upper (from the source at the village of Volga-Verkhovye to the city of Shcherbakov), the Middle - to the mouth of the Kama and the Lower - to the mouth in the Astrakhan region. On the largest river there is a cascade of hydroelectric power stations with reservoirs: Ivankovskaya, Uglichskaya, Rybinskaya, two Volzhsky, Saratovskaya. The Volga basin occupies one third of the European territory of Russia from the west to

The Volga is the largest river in Europe and one of the largest rivers in the world. Its basin occupies more than a third of the Russian Plain and, as Tvardovsky wrote, "half of Russia looked into it." The Volga is the mother of Russian rivers, the history and culture of our country is connected with it.

“Mother River Volga”, “a beauty of the people, like a full-flowing sea, like the Motherland, free, wide, deep, strong!” Sung in songs and poems, the Volga is the symbol and soul of Russia.

Map of the Volga with cities, green parking lots and hydroelectric power plants

Name

Until now, the origin of the name of the Volga River remains a mystery. At what time and what people gave it its name?

How has the name of the river changed over time?

In the 1st century AD, the Greek scientist Claudius Ptolemy and the ancient Roman historian Ammianus Marcellinus called the Volga the word Ra
In the 9th century it was called Atel (among different nations it was called differently: Itil, Etel or the Tatar word Idel), that is, the river of rivers or the great river
In the "Great Polish Chronicle" the name Bulga appears, which is explained by the residence of the Volga-Kama Bulgars in the Volga and lower Kama basins.
At the beginning of the 12th century, in The Tale of Bygone Years, the river is already described under the name Volga: “From the same forest, the Volga flows to the east and flows through seventy mouths into the Khvalis Sea.”

Origin of the name of the river:

The ancient Balts lived in the upper reaches of the river and, according to the Baltic origin of the name of the river, the Latvian valka means “a stream flowing through a swamp”, “a small river overgrown with grass”. This is what the Volga looks like in its upper reaches
Translated from the Finno-Ugric language, the word valkea means "light" and "white"
Old Slavonic Vьlga - "vologa" is translated as "moisture".

From the history of the Volga shipbuilding

In the 16th century, after the annexation of Kazan and Astrakhan, waterways to the Urals and the Caspian opened before Russia. The Volga became the main waterway, along which caravans of 500-600 plows transported a variety of goods.

A plow is a flat-bottomed sailing and rowing vessel that served in the 11th - 18th centuries for transporting people and goods. Usually its length was 20-45 meters and width - 4-10 meters.

Later, the Volgarians learned how to build the so-called bark, in windy weather they sailed, and in calm weather they were pulled by barge haulers.

The first steamboat was built in 1816 at a factory in the village of Pozhva, located on the river of the same name, a tributary of the Kama. The shipping company began to develop especially successfully after the abolition of serfdom in Russia.

To transport oil, the Volgarians built oil tanker sailboats, and then the world's first iron oil tank barges "Elena" and "Elizaveta" were built. The method of transporting oil in bulk has become widespread throughout the world and is called the "Russian way".

Volga shipbuilders overtook craftsmen from countries Western Europe- it was on the Volga that a comfortable passenger ship was launched, which has survived to this day without significant changes.

At the beginning of the 20th century, internal combustion engines were first installed on the oil tanker Vandal, running on oil instead of kerosene. The ship "Sarmat" was also improved, and soon the world's first towing ship "Thought" entered the Volga. In 1910, the world's first wheeled passenger ship "Ural" was built at the Kolomna Plant, and the following year the famous screw ship "Borodino" was launched.

Hydroelectric power plants on the Volga

Eight hydroelectric power stations have been built on the Volga, which are part of the Volga-Kama cascade of hydraulic structures. The total capacity of the Volga HPPs is 10 GW (10 million kW), and the average annual electricity generation is more than 40 billion kWh.

The creation of a complex of hydroelectric power plants was initiated by the construction of the Moscow-Volga canal and its main structure - the Ivankovsky hydroelectric complex, built near the city of Dubna, Moscow Region. The Ivankovskaya hydroelectric power station was launched in 1937, its design capacity is 30 MW (30 thousand kW), the shipping lock is single-chamber, single-line. In 1941, when German troops approached, the equipment of the hydroelectric power station was dismantled and evacuated; in May 1942, the hydroelectric power station was restarted.
The Uglich HPP with a capacity of 110 MW is located in the city of Uglich, Yaroslavl Region, was commissioned in 1940, the shipping lock is single-chamber, single-line, the length of the chamber is 290 meters, the width is 30 meters
The Rybinsk hydroelectric complex was built on the Volga and Sheksna rivers, the capacity of the Rybinsk HPP is 330 MW. There are two navigable single-chamber double-line locks, the length of each chamber is 283 meters, the width is 30 meters. The Rybinsk and Uglich HPPs played a significant role in providing Moscow with electricity during the Great Patriotic War
In the Nizhny Novgorod region near Gorodets in 1948-1962, the Nizhny Novgorod hydroelectric power station with a capacity of 520 MW was built. The total length of the dams of the hydroelectric complex is 18.6 km, navigation facilities include four two-line two-chamber locks
The construction of the Cheboksarskaya hydroelectric power station was carried out from 1968 to 1981, its capacity is 1.4 GW, it is located near the city of Novocheboksarsk in the Republic of Chuvashia, the lock is a two-chamber single-stage
Zhigulevskaya HPP was previously called Volzhskaya HPP named after V.I. Lenin. It is located above Samara and is the second in the complex of the Volga hydroelectric complex (its capacity is 2.3 GW). The 17-meter drop of the river is overcome by two steps of locks
Near the city of Balakovo, the Saratov hydroelectric power station with a capacity of 1.29 GW was built, a two-line shipping lock
Above Volgograd, the Volgograd hydroelectric power station named after the XXII Congress of the CPSU with a capacity of 2.54 GW was built, this is the largest hydroelectric power station in Europe, built in 1952-1961, two-line two-chamber shipping locks.

Historically, hydroelectric power plants have been named after nearby cities,some of which are slightly downstream. From the name of the power plant, the name was given to the reservoir formed by this power plant and located above. Therefore, Kazan stands on the Kuibyshev reservoir, Samara (former Kuibyshev) - on the Saratov, and Saratov - on the Volgograd reservoir.

Shipping

With the construction of hydroelectric power plants and the formation of reservoirs, the Volga became deep-water, which allows you to pass through it passenger ships, as well as most cargo ships from the Caspian Sea to the northern regions of the country.

In silent reproach stands in the water, in the center of the Uglich reservoir, the flooded bell tower of St. Nicholas Cathedral in the city of Kalyazin. During the construction of the Kuibyshev reservoir, it was completely transferred from the flood zone to a new location, Stavropol-on-Volga, now the city of Togliatti.

The city of Sknyatin and Korcheva, Balagansk and many other towns, villages and villages were flooded.

In addition, after the construction of the Volgograd hydroelectric power station, sturgeons do not rise above the dam, which led to a multiple decrease in their catch. The dam cut off 80% of the spawning grounds for Russian sturgeon and, despite the creation of special fish elevators and artificial breeding of this species of fish, the number of sturgeon is falling catastrophically.

The Volga is essentially no longer a river, but a chain of nine reservoirs, but despite this, in recent years there have been difficulties with navigation in the area of the city of Gorodets. On the 40-kilometer stretch from this city to Nizhny Novgorod depths on the ship's course are less than 2.5 meters. In this regard, transport vessels are forced to either underload or reload to other modes of transport, which leads to large economic losses.

Cruises on the Volga

Traveling along the Volga is one of the most popular species recreation. During the cruise on the ship you will get acquainted with Russian cities, their history and culture, learn a lot of interesting things about the republics and regions located on the banks of the Volga and, of course, see amazingly beautiful places.

There are four million-plus cities along the banks of the river, these are Kazan and Nizhny Novgorod, Samara and Volgograd. During the trip you will get acquainted with the ancient cities of the Golden Ring of Russia - Kostroma and Uglich, as well as the pearl of the ancient Russian cities - Yaroslavl.

The width of the river varies from a stream in the upper reaches to immense dimensions in the middle and lower reaches. Forests are replaced by steppes, and winding sections of the path are replaced by expanses of water.

Almost all Volga cities have travel agencies that organize cruises from this particular city or from the nearest city.

Tourists are offered both short routes (the so-called weekend routes lasting 2-3 days), for example Kazan - Samara - Kazan or Nizhny Novgorod - Yaroslavl - Nizhny Novgorod, and longer ones.

Most ships depart from Moscow. But since Moscow does not stand on the Volga, all cruises from the capital begin with a trip along the Moscow Canal, then they pass along the Volga.

Weekend cruises from Moscow:

Moscow - Uglich - Moscow
Moscow - Uglich - Myshkin - Yaroslavl - Moscow
Moscow - Tver - Moscow and others.

It should be noted that in such cruises you can see only a small segment of the Upper Volga. You can get acquainted with almost the entire Volga, perhaps in the longest cruise Moscow - Astrakhan - Moscow duration 20-22 days. There are also one-way cruises, for example, Moscow - Astrakhan with return by train or plane. Along this route, you can see almost the entire Volga and visit all the major cities on the Great Russian River.

Most popular cities and green sites (listed starting from the upper reaches of the Volga):

Shiryaevo - green camp in the Zhiguli mountains
Vinnovka - green parking
Usovka - green parking
Nikolskoye - green parking
Akhtuba - green parking

Main characteristics

Before the construction of the Volga HPP cascade, the length of the river was 3690 km, at present its length is 3530 km
The number of inflowing tributaries is more than 200
The source is located at an altitude of 228 m above sea level, and the mouth is 28 m below sea level, that is, the elevation difference is 256 meters, the slope of the river is 0.07%
The average speed of the current is small and amounts to 2-6 km per hour.

Source

The waterway of the river begins on the Valdai Upland. Here, on the outskirts of the village of Volgoverkhovye, Tver Region, several springs gush out of the ground, one of which is enclosed by a chapel - this is the beginning of the great Russian river. The springs flow into a reservoir, from which flows a small stream no more than a meter wide and 25-30 cm deep. The height above sea level in this place is 228 meters.

This stream, almost 3.2 km long, flows into the Small Verkhity Lake, then passes through the Bolshiye Verkhity and Sterzh Lakes. The last lake is part of the Upper Volga reservoir, after which the Upper Volga begins.

Upper Volga

From the source of the river to the first city on its banks, Rzhev, is 200 km, then Tver is located and the Ivankovskoye reservoir begins, it is also called the Moscow Sea. Next come the Uglich and Rybinsk reservoirs, after which the Volga turns and flows not to the northeast, but to the southeast.

On the dam of the Rybinsk reservoir, a sculptural composition "Volga" is installed, dedicated to the builders of the hydraulic structure. The height of the monument together with the pedestal is 28 meters. The sculpture depicts a woman greeting passing ships. In her hand she holds a scroll with blueprints, a soaring seagull is depicted below. The inscription on the pedestal: "Communism is Soviet power plus the electrification of the whole country."

Initially, from the side of the reservoir it was planned to install sculptural composition Vera Mukhina "Worker and Peasant Woman", but since construction work had not yet been completed by that time, it was installed on a temporary site next to VDNKh.

Above, the largest left tributary and in many of its parameters superior to the Volga.

According to some geodetic indicators, it can be considered that the Volga is a tributary of the Kama, and not vice versa. At the confluence of these rivers, the Kama carries 4300 cubic meters of water per second, and the Volga - only 3100!

Lower Volga

The section from the mouth of the Kama to the mouth of the river itself is considered the Lower Volga. Here are cities such as Ulyanovsk and Tolyatti, Samara and Saratov, Volgograd and Astrakhan.

The largest reservoir on the Volga was built near the city of Tolyatti, where the Kuibyshev hydroelectric power station and the Kuibyshev reservoir are located, the length of which is 500 km and the width is 40 km.

Moving in southbound, in the region of Samara, the Volga goes around the Zhiguli mountains and forms a bend, the so-called Samara Luka. This is unique and very beautiful place, full of mysteries and attracting both tourists and scientists.

Downstream is the Saratov reservoir, 341 km long, formed by a dam built near the city of Balakovo.

From Saratov to Volgograd, the river flows in a southeasterly direction. Above Volgograd, a branch separates from it - Akhtuba, which flows in parallel and, together with the Volga, forms a well-known fishing region - the Volga-Akhtuba floodplain.

Above Volgograd, the Volgograd hydroelectric power station and the Volgograd reservoir were built, the length of which is 540 km, and the width is 17 km.

Delta

Below the hero city, the delta begins, the largest in Europe, having a width of 40 km and a length of 160 km. This is a unique area, which includes more than 500 branches, small rivers and channels, where such rare animals as pelicans and flamingos are found, lotus grows. Over the past 130 years, the level of the Caspian Sea has decreased and the area of the delta has increased significantly. Now this unique territory is recognized as a protected area and taken under state protection.

Although today the Volga is not the main highway of Russia due to the development of other modes of transport, its role remains very important. Hydroelectric power stations continue to operate, which make a significant contribution to the country's energy production. The main Russian river remains an important recreational area - along the banks there are sanatoriums and recreation centers, as well as numerous summer cottages. Landscapes do not cease to amaze tourists who went to

The beautiful Volga Mother is sung in many works of famous writers and poets, many wonderful Russian folk songs have been written about her. The amazing river delights not only with its spacious blue waters and fabulous banks. Almost all Russian cities on the Volga and villages attract attention with their amazing history, majesty and beauty.

Volga river, geography

The largest river in Europe is the Volga. Throughout its course, various settlements have been built since ancient times. Cities located on the Volga are quite significant in all respects both for their regions and for the country as a whole.

The length of the river before the creation of reservoirs and the cascade of hydroelectric power stations was 3690 km, today it is 3530 km. According to some unspecified data, the length of the Volga has become much smaller - 3430 km. AT general list in terms of the length of all Russian rivers, the Volga ranks sixth, and 16th among all the rivers of the Earth.

The territory of 1 million 360 thousand km² is occupied by the area of its basin, and this is about a third of the entire European part of Russia.

This amazing river begins on the Valdai Hills near the village of Volga-Verkhovye (Tver Region). The Volga flows from the west from the Valdai and Central Russian uplands to the Urals in the east (the European part of the Russian Federation).

By the basin of the largest river there are many big cities. On the Volga, sailing along it, you can see many amazing natural landscapes with cities and villages that fit perfectly into them. Moreover, each has its own unique history, its own cultural values and unique sights.

The generally accepted division of the Volga regions. Cities located on the Volga

1. The Upper Volga represents the territory from the source of the river to the place where the Oka River flows (Nizhny Novgorod).

2. From the place where the Oka flows into the Volga to the place where the Kama flows into it - the territory of the Middle Volga.

3. The Lower Volga covers the zones from the confluence of the Kama to the Caspian Sea itself. Now (after the construction of the Kuibyshev reservoir) the border between the Lower and Middle Volga is the Zhigulevskaya HPP (the area of the cities of Tolyatti and Zhigulevsk).

Consider some of the largest cities located on the Volga, noteworthy in terms of history and attractions.

Yaroslavl

This ancient city on the Volga has a population of more than 590 thousand people.
The historical center of Yaroslavl, protected by UNESCO, is almost all a tourist attraction.

In total, there are 785 cultural and historical monuments. In one of them - the amazing Spaso-Preobrazhensky Monastery - a historical collection of old manuscripts and books has been preserved.

In the 16th century, the state treasury was transferred to Yaroslavl. Also here is a large state museum-reserve (historical, architectural and artistic) with a rich collection of icons.

This settlement, like other cities on the Volga River, has a rich historical heritage ancient times. It cannot be fully described.

Samara

Samara is located between the mouths of the Samara and Sok rivers, in the very place where they flow into the Volga. The population of the city is more than 1,100 thousand people. During Soviet times, the city was called Kuibyshev.

The very first mention of the city in historical chronicles dates back to 1361.

The most interesting sights: Stalin's bunker, built in less than a year in 1942; the legendary Revolution Square (the oldest street in the city); the bell tower of the women's Iversky monastery (built in 1850, 70 meters high).

It should be noted that the aforementioned bell tower stood without repair for about 80 years. Only in the 90s of the last century was the reconstruction of this historical building.

Many cities on the Volga also have similar historical buildings that have survived to this day.

Saratov

On the right bank of the reservoir (Volgograd) is the beautiful city of Saratov. The date of its foundation is 1590, when a guard fortress was built on this site.

The population of Saratov is over 830 thousand people.

Attractions: on Kirov Avenue is located "Saratov Arbat"; monument to flying cranes (Sokolova Gora); circus of the Nikitin brothers; conservatory. L.V. Sobinova; monument in honor of Yu.A. Gagarin (Cosmonauts Embankment); national village(national houses of all peoples of the Saratov region).

In this unusual village you can not only be in the atmosphere cultural heritage Dagestan, Uzbekistan, Tatarstan, etc., but also try dishes of various national cuisines.

Volgograd

What city on the Volga had several names? From 1589 to 1925, Volgograd was called Tsaritsyn, and then until 1961 - Stalingrad. The population of the city is more than 1 million people. Hero City is the largest historical and cultural center areas.

A majestic memorial monument (symbol of the Motherland) was erected in it in honor of the famous Battle of Stalingrad.

Nizhny Novgorod

At the confluence of two large rivers, the Volga and Oka, is located old City Nizhny Novgorod. It is not only one of the oldest cities in Russia on the Volga, but also one of the largest. Its population is more than 1200 thousand people.

The date of the foundation of the city is calculated from the date of the founding of the Novgorod fortress of the Nizovsky land (hence its name) - this is 1221. This fortress is the main attraction of Nizhny Novgorod.

The Church of the Reigning Icon of the Mother of God is located not far (7.5 kilometers) from Sennaya Square.

Kazan

Kazan is a city that relatively recently celebrated its millennium (2005), although the exact year of foundation has not been completely studied. It is located on the banks of the Volga River at the confluence of the Kazanka River. The city is the capital of the Republic of Tatarstan, and very often it is called the "third capital of Russia". The population is over 1,100 thousand people.

Almost all cities on the Volga have preserved unique historical ensembles in their architecture, perfectly combined with modern buildings.

The main attraction of Kazan is located in historical center cities: kremlin with Kul Sharif mosque and Syuyumbike tower.

The numerous ancient historical ensembles of the city fit perfectly and modern facilities: cultural center "Pyramid", the state circus, modern hotels, etc.

Also in Kazan, the following sights are very memorable and beautiful: puppet show, pedestrian cultural Bauman Street (like the Arbat in Moscow), beautiful embankments, one of which houses a wedding palace in the form of a bowl, etc.

Astrakhan

This city, by its location, is the last of the regional centers located on the banks of the Volga. It is inhabited by more than 500 thousand people.

On the site of Astrakhan in the 8th-10th centuries was the city of Itil, which at that time was the capital of the ancient Khazar Khaganate.

Here you can also see the Kremlin, famous for its unprecedented beauty, built at the beginning of the 17th century.

Smaller notable towns on the Volga

Along the banks of the great Volga River, there are also smaller cities, which are historical and architectural monuments.

Togliatti is the second in the Samara region in terms of population. It was founded in 1737. The population is over 720 thousand people.

The city of Syzran is also located in the Samara region near the Saratov reservoir. It was founded by Grigory Kozlovsky in 1683. The population is over 170 thousand people.

The administrative and cultural center of the Kostroma region is Kostroma. The date of its foundation is 1152. The population is over 260 thousand people.

Tver (former Kalinin) is located at the confluence of the Tvertsa and Tmaka rivers into the Volga. The city was founded in 1135. The population is over 400 thousand people.

The capital of Chuvashia is Cheboksary. The population is over 450 thousand people.

The city of Mologa was once located near Yaroslavl, at the confluence of the Mologa and Volga rivers. It was located on a flat hill and stretched along the right bank of the Mologa and along the left bank of the Volga.

Its population was over 7,000 people.

During the Union in 1935, a government decree was adopted on the construction of a hydroelectric power station (Rybinsk). According to the project, the area of the reservoir was to be 2.5 thousand square meters, and the height of its water surface above sea level was 98 m. The elevation of the city was 98-101 m.

However, in 1937, the famous five-year plans of those times forced the project to be revised to increase the capacity of the hydroelectric power station. In this regard, it was decided to raise the water level to 102 meters. As a result, the area of flooded territories has almost doubled.

In April 1941, after the resettlement of people, the filling of the reservoir began. So the ancient original city of Mologa (800 years old), which was once a specific principality with numerous villages, did not become.

The flooded city on the Volga is a victim of the electrification of the country.

The amazing nature of the Volga basin, beautiful cities with original historical, architectural and cultural attractions attract the attention of a huge number of tourists to travel to these places.

And on the way to it, it has been serving for centuries and centuries as a water transport route, a good place for settling people, for trade. So it was in those days when the concept of "tourism" was not even in sight. And nowadays the Volga is also blessed a tourist route. What cities are on the Volga? There are 68 of them in total. A large number. And this is only the so-called Big Volga! And how many cities are still in the Volga region?

Do not count the rivers, streams and streams that flow into main river The cities that stand on the Volga appeared gradually, but the largest settlements are also the most ancient. So, Kazan and Yaroslavl celebrated their millennial anniversaries, a little younger than Kostroma - the younger sister of Moscow ("dad" they have in common - Yuri Dolgoruky), founded in 1152. Tver, Nizhny Novgorod are quite respectable, and Astrakhan, Cheboksary, Saratov, Samara, Volgograd are a little younger. And these are only large cities, regional or republican centers!

And what other cities are on the Volga? Not so big, but with deep historical roots. Myshkin, Rybinsk, Uglich, Kineshma, Ples, Rzhev - it is impossible to simply list all 68 cities and not offend those that are not named. Some of them are included in the famous tourist route " gold ring", for example, Yaroslavl, Kostroma, Ples, Uglich. But other cities along the banks of the Volga deserve close attention.

So, answering the question: "What cities are on the Volga?" - the tourist is trying to solve his problem of choice. And the choice is really huge. Rest on the Volga includes, for example, staying in various sanatoriums, rest houses, tourist bases, of which there are more than 400 tour operators in total! Moreover, in cities and settlements The Upper Volga has both places for rest and relaxation, as well as sanatoriums, which also focus on the general improvement of vacationers. Fishing here is specific, for an amateur. The Middle Volga specializes in sanatorium treatment and recreation. But the Lower Volga provides tourists with fishing, which attracts lovers from different parts of the country and from abroad. It cannot be found equal in all of Central Russia.

And, of course, the Volga itself is at the disposal of tourists throughout the entire shipping period, since a developed branch of the tourism business is river cruises. You can find a variety of routes in terms of length and price range. There are short cruises, literally for a few days, and there are long and very expensive ones, but covering almost all the famous Volga cities. For example, a cruise from Moscow to Astrakhan and back. Curiously, most ships bear the names of Russian writers and artists.

Thanks to the system of canals and locks, some cruises combine a trip along the Upper Volga with sailing to Valaam and St. Petersburg. Which cities are located on the Volga, you can see with your own eyes not only from the ship, but also during the excursions that are full of stay in each city. And each is interesting and beautiful in its own way.