During the Great Patriotic War, shells for Katyushas were produced here, and every 5th shell fired at the enemy was made at this plant, the older generation of the city is especially proud of this, and now they can already tell stories from their youth to their grandchildren and great-grandchildren . But it was not always so. For a very long time the city was very secret.

Even during the war, Soviet intelligence obtained information about the development of an atomic bomb in the West, which prompted the country's government in February 1943 to adopt a decree on the creation of a "tsar bomb". To speed up the process of its creation (after the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki by the Americans), Stalin ordered the creation of a number of closed cities in which development and testing of an even more powerful atomic bomb would be carried out. This is how 10 “nuclear” cities were created, now they are known under the names: Sarov, Snezhinsk, Novouralsk, Zarechny, Lesnoy, Ozersk, Zheleznogorsk, Seversk, Zelenogorsk, Trekhgorny, and all of them still have the status of HIGH secrecy.

All these cities were built by prisoners of the Stalinist Gulag, and after construction, some of them were shot right in the boxcars, where they were supposedly placed to be transported to the construction of the next facility. It's scary, but it happened, and you need to know about it.

After the war, in 1946, the famous scientists I.V. Kurchatov and Yu.B. Khariton, the place of the former monastery, where a factory producing various shells is already operating, is chosen as the territory of a secret facility in order to create a “product” here, that is, an atomic bomb. Deputy Minister of Transport Engineering P.M. Zernov was appointed head of the closed design bureau, and Professor Yu.B. Khariton - its chief designer.

In 1947, design bureau number 11 became a highly sensitive enterprise, and the entire village of Sarov was removed from all textbooks. Due to strict secrecy, all employees of the facility and members of their families could not leave the zone even on vacation, only on a business trip until the mid-50s. Passes for people permanently residing in the zone were introduced later.

Since 1946, the best scientists, engineers, and production workers have been brought to the city. According to the country's universities, the most capable students from Moscow, Leningrad, Gorky, Kazan, Kharkov, Sverdlovsk were searched for, who, after defending their diplomas, were offered to work in various areas of science, on very interesting topics, and even with favorable living conditions, and many gladly agreed .

At that time, entire sleeping areas were being built in Sarov for future scientists and engineering and technical workers who came with their families. For the lonely, comfortable hostels were built in the very center of the city, a stadium was laid, a house of culture was built (by the way, it was in this palace that my dad was engaged in a musical circle - he learned to play the button accordion, and at one time I ran there to gymnastics classes, fortunately, they lived near.),

Cinema "October" (Now the exhibition hall is located in the former building of the cinema).

The “object” received the city status in 1954, but its name often changed: either it was KB-11, then Moscow Center-300, then Shatki-1, then Kremlev, then Gorky-150, then Arzamas-75, then Arzamas- sixteen.

It is interesting: in my Komsomol ticket there was a note that it was issued by the Kremlin department of the Komsomol, and at first this record surprised me, because this ticket was handed to me in the city of Arzamas-75. I did not know then that these different names meant the same place. A little later, my father told me something - what he considered necessary and sufficient at that time.

From 1948 to 1968 Andrey Dmitrievich Sakharov worked in the research group for the development of thermonuclear weapons. My mother was lucky enough to see him at work several times, and she always spoke of this man with warmth of heart, noting his intelligence and modesty.

In August 1949, the first atomic bomb was tested at the Semipalatinsk test site, these tests were successful. In August 1953, a hydrogen bomb was successfully tested there. The secret facility, which at that time was headed by the leading scientists of the country I.V. Kurchatov and Yu.B. Khariton, fulfilled their main task, and since then the city has been called the Nuclear Shield of Russia.

In 1954 it received city status. By this time, the life of the townspeople had become more free - they were allowed to leave for the holidays. I remember how happy my father was when our family was going to his homeland - to the Krasnoyarsk Territory - to show his mother her granddaughters. But it will take many more years until the regime city gives permission for its relatives to visit the townspeople. Already married and having children, I came to my parents in the city only with my children, my husband was not allowed. And I so wanted to show him my city! For the first time we came there with the whole family in 1985, just before the New Year 1986.

Since 1995, the city began to be officially called Sarov, but to this day it is one of the closed cities of the Russian Ministry of Atomic Energy, a closed administrative-territorial entity (ZATO). Currently, the Russian Federal Nuclear Center deals with the development, storage and disposal of nuclear weapons, processing of radioactive and other materials. In addition, work is underway in fundamental and applied physics, and, of course, work in the national economy of Russia.

Back in 1989, the conversion program provided for two areas: the production of medical equipment and trailers. The BP-3 perfusion unit, the SP-1 perfusion system, and the artificial kidney apparatus created at the Sarov plant are already successfully operating in hospitals in various regions of Russia. One of them (block "BP-3") also works in Melitopol, where my husband and I brought it in our car from Sarov. He is located in our regional oncology center, and I am very glad that my husband and I have a merit in the fact that he helps many people.

August 1, 2003 is the date of the 100th anniversary of the canonization of St. Seraphim of Sarov. By this time, the restoration work of the Cathedral of Seraphim of Sarov had been completed.

On the evening of July 30, Patriarch Alexy and representatives of all Orthodox churches from all over the world arrived in Sarov by special train. The next day, July 31, Putin arrived, then the president of Russia.

In 2010, when there were numerous areas of forest fires throughout Russia, the Mordovian forests were no exception. The fire came so close to the city of Sarov that there was a real danger, both for the inhabitants and for the storage of nuclear weapons. The situation was indeed difficult. The forces of the Ministry of Emergency Situations of Russia were involved in the fires. Sergei Shoigu told reporters at the time:

“All crews of the Ministry of Emergency Situations are working with a serious load. Six field air traffic stations have been deployed, gunners are working on fire sites. Complicate the work of bad weather conditions and poor visibility. Four aircraft are working to prevent the forest fire from spreading to the nuclear center in Sarov. 180 people and 80 pieces of equipment are involved, including 20 aircraft and helicopters, which operate mainly in the Central region. Many thanks to the residents of the settlements threatened by the fire, for helping the firefighters and plowing the settlements themselves and carrying out other preventive measures.”

The fire was dealt with in that hot summer, but the conclusions were drawn, and today there is already a fire clearing around the city. Honor and praise to all who took part in extinguishing fires and in all auxiliary activities.

Today Sarov is a young, beautiful, clean and well-groomed city with a well-developed infrastructure. I like to come there, meet my classmates, just wander along the forest paths (I really miss the forest, living in the Tauride steppes of the Melitopol region).

This is my city, where I was born and raised, where my parents' graves are, where my relatives and friends live. For many years I could not tell anyone about him. Even when I was in a pioneer camp in the Crimea, I said that I was from Moscow (as our "uncles" taught us). Now that the veil of secrecy has been lifted, I am glad that many can learn about Sarov, but, unfortunately, they will not be able to get there, since it has remained closed. The city is surrounded by a double iron wire, divided by a border strip. Entrance to it is possible only with special passes. There are several checkpoints, including those by rail.

Over the years, I have become accustomed to such procedures, and I consider them quite justified. As long as the Russian Federal Nuclear Center exists, Russians (and not only them, but also many CIS countries) can feel safe. And, nevertheless, if you are in the church, light a candle for Seraphim of Sarov ("fire-winged"), because his shield is no less important for Russia.

Recently I read in A. Markov's blog about Sarov.
http://macroevolution.livejournal.com/163216.html

I have great respect for Alexander Vladimirovich and we even met once (last summer) in the company of K.V. Anokhin at the Zvenigorod biological station, where Alexander Vladimirovich gave a lecture to students on the "moral" behavior of animals (I am the father of one of the young employees of Konstantin Vladimirovich and cooked pilaf there).
However, respected A. Markov was simply unlucky with Sarov. Firstly, the worst time is dirty, etc. You should come to the City either at the beginning of summer (possibly in May) or in autumn. Once upon a time there was a beautiful winter: sparkling snow, dry frosty air, blue sky, but ... the climate!
Secondly, as in any business, history is important here. Since from the age of 2 to the 9th grade of the school (until 1978) I lived with my parents in the City and now I often go there (at parties with classmates), I will take the liberty of telling Alexander Vladimirovich what they didn’t tell him (I was unlucky with the guide ).

The city was created, as is known, as a Design Bureau, a test site for gas-dynamic and other tests of units and components of nuclear weapons and a site for their production. The whole project was really supervised by L.P. Beria. The first chiefs of the "object" were the generals of state security, who built the "factory" and the City using the Gulag method. The camp was located inside the zone on the site of modern garages (between Silkina Street and "21 site"). During the first, so-called "heroic period", a small group of scientists and engineers were brought to the City to copy the American plutonium bomb "Fat Man". The fact is that a group of American nuclear scientists headed by R. Oppenheimer quite consciously established contact with Soviet intelligence and handed over ALL (!, up to working drawings!) Documentation. It was a choice based on a deep understanding that there should be no nuclear monopoly. (If I'm not mistaken, still neutral Sweden received copies through N. Bora). In the USSR, probably Stalin, Beria, Kurchatov and Khariton (scientific supervisor - chief designer of the "product") knew about this (except for direct intelligence agents). Stalin's order was: copy! What was the scientific and organizational genius of Kurchatov and Khariton: yes, they knew everything, but they created teams of scientists, engineers, production workers who knew nothing and who worked "as if" from scratch. It was a grandiose school (now it was called a "project"), where everyone understood the significance of the work (for the Motherland) and the impossibility of failure. It is clear that in reality, they could not be mistaken, because their two bosses KNEW EVERYTHING. But it is one thing to KNOW, and another thing - DO". The ingenious Khariton took advantage of situations by 100% - he invited his colleagues to the project, they called their employees and a team was formed that "as if blindly" carried out a grandiose complex of R&D (gas dynamics, nuclear research, creation of pilot production, design bureaus, etc.). As a result, by the time of the release of the "one-piece drawn" (according to the subsequent remark of A. D. Sakharov) product, the model of which was shown to you in the museum, our own original "product" was developed that surpassed the American one in all characteristics (also shown in the museum). As a result of this work, by 1949-50, a base appeared for the creation of a research and production Institute. And such a decision was made. As a result, in the fifties, several thousand young specialists came to work in the City every year. So, my parents appeared there, who did not know each other yet, one graduate of the Moscow Engineering Physics Institute, the other graduate of the Moscow Chemical Technology Institute ("Mendelavochki"). Everyone lived in a hostel. And everyone was like that: They arrived: scientists, engineers, teachers, doctors. Everyone knew each other. It was only later that I realized that when I was walking with my parents around the City, they greeted almost everyone they met! In kindergarten, we went to famous teachers (mother's friends), in polyclinics we were treated by doctors who once lived on the next floor in a hostel with dad, at school we were taught by teachers with whom our parents either played volleyball or worked for Komsomol subbotniks. It was a grandiose "collective farm", but the interests of business and science were valued above all else. It was a moral imperative that the project leaders supported.
It was a real "developed socialism" in a single point (zone). Moreover, I only recently realized why it was a happy and, in general, very patriotic team. Because they all went through the "sieve" of frames! There physically could not be a young specialist with a "wrong" profile! For example, my father and mother did not have any repressed grandfathers, uncles and other relatives. And my buddies too! And friends of friends! They were not, because they could not be - they took care of it! It was a targeted selection! The young man found himself in unique conditions. On the one hand, he had brilliant scientific supervisors and a super job, on the other hand, his problems were really dealt with. In the City (through the efforts of Khariton) a unique administrative team was formed, which was headed by the former director (during the war years) of Uralmash B.G. Muzrukov, whom Stalin, by personal order, sent to work in the atomic project. The style of work of this man is remembered not only in the City, but also at Uralmash. Suffice it to say that under him, order was established in the City, that any appeal of any employee to the director was considered on the same day! As for scientific supervisors, the following worked in the City at different times: physicists academicians Ya.B. Zeldovich and A.D. Sakharov, doctors of sciences D.A. Frank Kamenetsky, academician I.E. Tamm, doctor L.V. Altshuler, mathematicians academicians N.N. Bogolyubov, V.S., Vladimirov, etc. . These were not only Scientists (with a capital letter), but also Citizens of their country. It's amazing, now in the museum of atomic weapons they tell how Putin or the Patriarch came to the City. And our parents told us about how Lev Vladimirovich Altshuler publicly spoke out in support of biology and genetics (although because of Altshuler, my father did not receive a state award - and this was also told to me) and about the fact that Andrei Dmitrievich Sakharov was an impeccably honest person . It was truly heaven. (Or maybe Hell). People of approximately the same age born in 20-30-40 years, united by extremely respected leaders and really honestly worked for the good of their homeland. Many (!!!) worked. Sometimes, objectively, at a risk to life and health. By the way, a special 6th Main Directorate under the USSR Ministry of Health was created - the famous "six", which dealt with all health issues, including statistics. It would be interesting for you to talk with someone, taking into account Sakharov's well-known idea about the non-threshold effects of radiation exposure on living organisms. There were many interesting ideas, for example, a friend of the father R.F. Trunin, who was engaged in underground testing of "products" in his main activity, carried out work on the study of the effect of shock waves on the germination of seeds (his wife was a biology teacher at the 20th school).
On the other hand, people who worked in the City (and this is very important to understand in order to understand the spirit of Sarov) took over from their leaders the principle of the highest responsibility for the final result. Suffice it to say that Khariton set things up in such a way that Minsredmash (the current Ministry of Atomic Energy) was responsible, for example, for how the warhead would behave in a rocket, how it would interact with the rocket, how it would resist missile defense, etc. Those. rocket men coordinated a rocket with Khariton, and not vice versa. Khariton was responsible for everything related to "products". This was the great organizing principle followed by the management and on which the employees were educated.
Well, of course, they were all there! (the best, of course). My parents' generation is now in their 80s. They raised some kind of similar shift, which fell on the famous 90s. And now everything is fine again. It is clear that the people in the City "saw" all sorts of changes in the coffin, because this is an analogue of a return to the dashing 90s!
Here is the City in full view! And Seraphim of Sarov is our saint. We went on pioneer trips past his small town with three birches, and we climbed around the monastery in search of an underground passage. Therefore, when I find myself in any church, I, of course, look for the icon of Seraphim, because this is my City, my childhood and youth, although I have been living in Moscow for a long time. And this is what every Sarov resident does, regardless of whether he believes or not. It's a matter of identity!

I always go to Sarov with love. In May. You can already swim. The people of Sarov who grew up there differ from everyone else, probably in that they clearly remember how they really once lived with their parents in the City in a real paradise. And that's not bad.

  • Federal District: Volga
  • Region: Nizhny Novgorod Region
  • Administrative center: Nizhny Novgorod
  • Difference with Moscow: No

General information about the Nizhny Novgorod region

The Nizhny Novgorod region was formed in 1929, and from 1936 to 1991 it was called the Gorky region. The modern borders of the region have been established since 1994. The region is part of the Volga Federal District.

The Nizhny Novgorod region occupies about 0.45% of the territory of Russia, its area is 76.9 thousand square kilometers

The Nizhny Novgorod region includes 52 municipalities, including 9 urban districts and 43 districts. The total population of all regional cities, villages and villages is 3 million 291 thousand people.

The administrative center of the region is Nizhny Novgorod, whose population reaches 1 million 260 thousand people.

The predominant language is Russian, but in some areas (Krasnooktyabrsky, Sergachsky) Tatar and Mari languages ​​​​are also widely used.

Legislative power is represented in the region by the Legislative Assembly of the Nizhny Novgorod Region, and the executive branch is represented by the Government headed by the Governor of the Nizhny Novgorod Region.

Geography and climate

The Nizhny Novgorod region is located in the center of the European part of the country. Its borders from the northeast to the southwest along the Russian Plain stretch for 400 km.

The region is located on the banks of the largest river in Europe - the Volga. The land borders of the region are adjacent to such regions as Ivanovo, Vladimir, Kirov, Ryazan and Kostroma, as well as the republics of Mordovia, Chuvashia and Mari El.

Geographically, the region is located in several geographical zones at once - from meadow steppes to the southern taiga. Naturally, this is reflected in the flora, fauna of the region and the prevailing climate here.

The region has a temperate continental climate with pronounced seasons. The difference in temperatures in the north and south of the region averages 1-2 degrees. Traditionally, the Zavolzhskaya, wooded zone, and the Pravoberezhnaya zone are distinguished, where the plains prevail, and the climate here is warmer.

The best time to visit the Nizhny Novgorod region is from July to mid-August, when warm summer weather sets in the region, and from the second half of December to the end of January, moderately frosty, comfortable winter weather reigns in the region during this period.

The relief in the Nizhny Novgorod region is flat, but on the right bank of the Volga there are also elevations - the Peremilovsky, Dyatlov, Fadeev mountains. In general, one of the main wealth of the region is water resources. There are about 9 thousand rivers, streams and streams. The largest water artery is the Volga.

On the arrow of the Volga and its right tributary, the Oka, there is the "capital" of the Nizhny Novgorod province - the city of Nizhny Novgorod. Among the rivers and lakes of the region, many are natural monuments, for example, Lake Svetloyar or the Sundovik River.

The Gorky Reservoir, popularly proudly called the Gorky Sea, is a favorite vacation spot for residents of Nizhny Novgorod and neighboring regions. People come here with children or cheerful noisy companies to relax for the weekend or spend a whole vacation here. The mass of rest houses, sanatoriums, camps, campsites on the shores of the Gorky Sea makes rest in a picturesque place in the Nizhny Novgorod region as comfortable as possible.

The history of the appearance of the Gorky reservoir is as follows. Back in the 50s of the XX century, the Volga was blocked by the dam of the Gorky hydroelectric power station. Thus, a kind of "backwater" with an area of ​​​​about 160 hectares appeared.

If the upper part of the Gorky Sea, located on the territory of the Ivanovo region, with its endless expanses of water and desert islands, is most suitable for sailing regattas and boat trips, then the lower part of the reservoir in the Nizhny Novgorod region is a paradise for anglers. Almost no one is left without a catch. The most common "sea" inhabitants are perch, pike perch, bream, path.

The main beaches and recreation centers are located on the left bank of the Gorky Sea, while the right bank is not very suitable for recreation, as it is very steep and steep. There are a lot of options for recreation - from elite "vip" boarding houses to democratic student camps and recreation centers. Some beaches fell in love with the regulars of the "grief-sea" as a place for wild recreation.

From traditional marine entertainment here you can find catamaran and boat rides along the coast. Immediately behind the sandy strip of beaches - dense forests with berries and mushrooms. So, coming to the Gorky Sea in July-August, you can stock up not only with positive emotions, but also with a portion of vitamins.

Sights of the Nizhny Novgorod region

In the Nizhny Novgorod region there are natural monuments, and architectural monuments, and famous estates, and the embodiment of the highest engineering thought - everything that can be in the world treasury.

Naturally, the leader in the number of cultural heritage sites and simply interesting cultural monuments of different times is Nizhny Novgorod. Its main attractions are the Kremlin, the Volga slope, the Rukavishnikovs' estate and many others, however, the region does not lag behind its center.

Gorodetsky and Lyskovsky districts of the Nizhny Novgorod region are famous for their preserved original culture, wooden architecture and museums of the customs and traditions of the peoples of the Volga region. The Bolsheboldinsky district is the patrimony of the Pushkin family, sung by the famous Russian writer Alexander Sergeyevich Pushkin in his works.

There are natural monuments in almost all districts of the Nizhny Novgorod region. The most famous are the Kerzhensky Reserve, the Ichalkovsky Reserve, the Svetloyar and Vadskoye lakes, the Sundovik River and others. The virgin nature, the abundance of animals, birds and fish stagger the imagination.

A special pride of the Nizhny Novgorod region are monasteries, temples and holy places. There is no such person in the Orthodox world who has not heard about the village of Diveevo - the patrimony of St. Seraphim of Sarov - or Makaryevsky, Annunciation or Pechersky monasteries. In terms of the number of pilgrims, these places are in no way inferior even to Israeli Christian shrines.

There are quite rare industrial and engineering structures in the Nizhny Novgorod region, which have become architectural monuments. So, in the Dzerzhinsk region there is a hyperboloid openwork tower - a steel work of art by engineer Shukhov. The structures built by him stand in Vyksa and also represent a certain architectural value for the world community. This is a workshop with sail-shaped steel ceilings and the world's first hyperbolic tower.

There are dozens of excursion routes in the Nizhny Novgorod region, and here are the most popular of them:

TOP-10 excursions in the Nizhny Novgorod region

Video about the Nizhny Novgorod region

The amazing and mysterious city of Sarov. Many people know about him, many have heard ... even more secret information about him is circulating somewhere in the country, and even abroad. But be that as it may, it just so happened that in one administrative unit, on the same land, a scientific city grew up behind barbed wire - the Russian Federal Nuclear Center and the Center for Orthodox Culture - a kind of VIP-mecca of our Motherland, St. Seraphim-Sarovskiy male monastery. (Diveevo is a real Mecca, they let everyone in there whom God sends, they live with this, they are happy with this, and in the "prickly" Sarov in this monastery they live, recently, by the way, 14 monks, hermit there in their own way, in general only our Presidents visit them ...)
In general, there are many different rumors around Sarov. And it’s hard to somehow describe it, show pictures - where a mysterious, almost mystical halo appears, where prison-military associations flash in connection with external pricklyness ...
But once comrade Artemy Lebedev came to us and clicked on his camera - and we all saw the light: so this is the “Uryupinsk” from the cities of “Zato” we live in (ZATO is a closed administrative territorial association). His report came out interesting, I, as a native of those places, really liked it. I post everything in full. Otherwise, Sarov will remain unseen. After all, personally, for example, I can only bring my husband to Sarov. You can't make everyone a husband.)
I will only add something relevant: but in Sarov, a poster hangs along the entire length of the madhouse: "ZATO Sarov is unique!"
Well, how to understand it?)

The small city of Sarov is located in the Nizhny Novgorod forests. It is so small that in the Nizhny Novgorod forests there is only one pointer to it, and in front of the city there is not even a stele with the name. And not all maps mark it.


The city is famous for Seraphim of Sarov, for whose sake Orthodox pilgrims come here. For their sake, temples were repainted here.


Services are held for them.


And the pilgrims themselves tend to the forest - to drink healing water from the spring, to scratch a cross on a pine tree.


Sarov does not like sudden changes. Therefore, the new here does not cancel the old.

Modern traffic lights hang on a non-modern pole.


The tags on the wall are new, and the decorative holders under the balcony are old.


The payphone is push-button, and the telephone booth is strongly pre-perestroika. The call is free.


New cars drive past the Brezhnev pavilions.


Modern garbage lies in museum urns.


The new entertainment center is called "Samira", but it is read, of course, as "Satire".


The construction, previously intended for portraits and other important propaganda, is installed in the central square. Today only the funeral home is advertised here. But not because the city is dying, but because there is nothing more to advertise.


In general, the old Soviet establishments are well preserved here.


And public transport.


And the nature here is pristine.


The houses, by the way, are almost all brick. Half of the balcony railings are decorated with a special corner.


They also love to connect houses with at least something. Possibly balconies.