Gorodets

Gorodets is a town and the administrative center of Gorodetsky District in Nizhny Novgorod Oblast, Russia, located on the left bank of the Volga River, 53 km (33 miles) northwest of Nizhny Novgorod, the administrative center of the oblast. Population: 30,658 (2010 Census); 32,442 (2002 Census); 34,210 (1989 Census); 34,000 (1970).

The town was founded in 1152 by Prince Yury Dolgoruky (also the founder of Moscow) as a large fortress on the Volga River, the first Russian fortress in today's Nizhny Novgorod Oblast. It was a starting point for numerous campaigns of the princes of Vladimir and Suzdal against Volga Bulgaria. In 1216, Yury II of Vladimir was dethroned by his brother and exiled here. In 1239, the town was burned to the ground by Batu Khan's army. Folk tradition identifies Gorodets with Little Kitezh, a legendary town destroyed by the Mongols.

In 1263, Alexander Nevsky died in Gorodets on his way back to Novgorod from the Golden Horde. His son, Andrey, made the town his chief residence. A famous medieval icon-painter, Prokhor, was born there. In the mid-14^th century, the town was overshadowed by the neighboring Nizhny Novgorod but continued as the third largest town of Nizhny Novgorod Principality until 1408, when Edigu razed it to the ground.

For two following centuries the town was known as Gorodets Pustoy (i. e., "Gorodets the Empty"). Some chronicles state that its entire population moved slightly downstream and resettled at Salt-on-Gorodets (today's Balakhna). By the 19^th century, Gorodets was revived as a prosperous village settled by Old Believer merchants and reputed for its decorative handicrafts, such as wood carving and painting. In 1875, the Nizhny Novgorod writer A. S. Gatsisky described Gorodets as a major center of trade in grain and wooden kitchenware.

Of interest in Gorodets were the Ginger Bread Museum and the Samovar Museum.

All pictures are © Dr. Günther Eichhorn, unless otherwise noted.

Gorodets

Feodorovsky Monastery. (644k)

Fountain with a boat on top, the symbol in the coat of arms of Gorodets. (992k)

Former large merchant house from 19^th century. Some of the merchants were very wealthy and built large mansions. (744k)

Wrought iron work from the 19^th century. (905k)

Simple wooden house. (778k)

Wooden house with decorated windows. There are two styles of decorations, here the carvings are on solid wood. (626k)

The wood carvings started on ships, so many have nautical themes. This one shows a mermaid. (843k)

Wooden house with decorated windows. These are in the second style, open wood carvings. (744k)

Large wooden house with nicely decorated windows from the 18^th century. (865k)

Close-up of one of the decorated windows. (828k)

100 year old wooden entrance gate. (867k)

There are also some brick houses in Gorodets. (820k)

Shipping on the Volga River. (685k)

Local art, a painted wooden chest. The round faces are characteristic for the local art. (1107k)

Gorodets is famous for its ginger bread shaped with wooden stamps. Here is a rooster shaped bread with the wooden stamp. (733k)

Special stamps are made for special occasions. (647k)

This shows what the inside of a traditional Samovar looks like. In the inner vessel is the fire, mostly from small sticks and pine cones that heats the water in the outer vessel. On top is a tea pots that is kept warm as well. (566k)

Large restaurant-style Samovar with three spigots. (484k)

The Samovar is also used to dry bagel-like bread, strung up on strings and draped over the Samovar. (471k)

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Page last updated on Tue Sep 24 18:19:03 2019 (Mountain Standard Time)

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