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Tourist’s route across Nizhny Novgorod
Sights of the region
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Nizhny Novgorod region
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Sights of the region

Pavlovo

Pavlovo is renowned for its minibuses, which are not too popular among Russia’s urbanites, its canaries, its goose fights (you can observe them in March), a special variety of lemon, and its beautiful and interesting architecture. This is a real city of craftsmen, where you can have an interesting walk, and buy a lot of fascinating souvenirs. And we can guess that every Russian most probably has Pavlovo-made cutlery at home.

A FEW FACTS

Since the Time of Ivan the Terrible
Since the Time of Ivan the Terrible
The first written mention of Pavlovo dates back to April 5, 1566. This reference in a letter written by Ivan the Terrible is deemed to mark the year of Pavlovo's founding.
The Pavlovo Stockade
The Pavlovo Stockade
According to one legend, the town got its name from a certain itinerant courier by the name of Pavel. According to another, the town was named after the first inhabitant of the stockade, since in all important documents it was referred to as the Pavel’s Stockade.
Pavlovo-na-Oke
Pavlovo-na-Oke
The town has an unofficial name, Pavlovo-na-Oke («Pavlovo on the Oka»), because the toponym Pavlovo is quite common. For example, the current Pavlovsky Posad in the Moscow region was also called that before 1844. Therefore this clarifying suffix came to be used in colloquial speech.
Blacksmiths and Tinsmiths
Blacksmiths and Tinsmiths
Artisans, including blacksmiths, tinsmiths, coopers, and potters, actively settled in Pavlovo under the patronage of the stockade. With their arrival, a metalworking industry began which was to make Pavlovo famous across Russia. The industry was booming due to the proximity of Vyksa, where metal was produced, as well as the abundance of forests, as wood was used to produce the charcoal needed for blacksmithing.
Legendary Craftsmen
Legendary Craftsmen
Describing the skill of Pavlovo’s blacksmiths, the locals would say: «The Tula craftsmen shod the English flea, but the Pavlovo ones made a collar and chain for it so that it would not run away.»
Goose Fights
Goose Fights
One of Pavlovo’s ancient local traditions are the annual goose fights. A breed of fighting geese has been maintained here, and fights are held every spring, with participants come from different towns. In 2013, a monument dedicated to goose fights was erected in the Lenin Garden.
The Pavlovo Lemon
The Pavlovo Lemon
Another tradition of the Pavlovians is the cultivation of lemons. In the middle of the XIX century, a local merchant Ivan Karachistov brought lemon tree cuttings from Turkey to Pavlovo, and over time the penchant for lemons spread throughout Pavlovo. There is even a monument to the Pavlovo lemon, which was installed in the Lenin Garden in 2005.
Movies
Movies
Not far from Pavlovo, the town of Gorbatov is a popular spot for film-making. The views here are very beautiful, so films «Silent Souls» by Alexei Fedorchenko, «The Barber of Siberia» and «Burnt by the Sun 2: Exodus» by Nikita Mikhalkov, as well as Stanislav Svetlovs’s drama «Ada», were filmed in these parts.
Nikita Mikhalkov
Nikita Mikhalkov
Gorbatov residents owe their cinematic fame to Nikita Mikhalkov. In 1996 he shot only a couple of episodes of «The Barber of Siberia» here, but the director came to like the place, built himself a large manor house in the area, and in 2006 he returned here to shoot «Burnt by the Sun 2». About 400 local people were involved in the filming as extras, or in other words every sixth Gorbatov resident starred in the movie!

WHAT TO DO IN THE CITY

01
Visit the Historical Museum
The opulent estate of the merchant Gomulin, where the Pavlovo Historical Museum is located, is a stunning building. Inside, you will find a collection of locks of various shapes and sizes, but most importantly, tiny exhibits from master craftsman Pavel Kulikov: a knife smaller than a match head, a flea forging a horseshoe — all this is a must-see! And don’t miss the 100-tool penknife in the shape of a pig: they say that it was made special for Stalin, but no one dared to present it.
02
Visit one of two knife museums or both of them, and buy yourself a souvenir
Back in 1851, Melnikov-Pechersky wrote in the Moskvityanin magazine: «Who doesn't know about Pavlovo products? Almost every one of us dines with a Pavlovo knife and fork, mends their pen with a Pavlovo knife, wears a dress cut with Pavlovo scissors, locks his belongings away with a Pavlovo lock, and for some time we even shave with Pavlovo razors.» This is a true town of craftsmen, so be sure to visit the knife museums in Pavlovo and Vorsma, learn about their history, and buy a knife or spoon in the official souvenier shop near the Pavlovo Factory of Artistic Metal Products.
03
Have lunch at Dynasty
Pavlovo's most spectacular restaurant is without doubt Dynasty. The menu includes game dishes, and the interior is eminently historical. Here you will also find the Tsar Padlock, the largest of its kind in the world, standing almost two meters high. Each of its keys weighs 16 kilograms. You can go and look at it for free ща charge.
04
Marvel at the local monuments
Be sure not to miss the local sculptures telling about the important things about the town. For example, the monument to the blacksmith is a symbol of hard work and metalworking, as in times past the majority of Pavlov's population were blacksmiths. Another monument is dedicated to goose fighting, where two fighting geese are depicted with their «lyubki» close by, lyubki being the term for the female geese. And another piece of exotica: Pavlovo is famous for its lemon variety, so lemon trees can be found on many windowsills. There is even a real lemonarium in the town, along with a monument to lemons.
05
Visit the smallest town in the region
Gorbatov is the smallest town in the Nizhny Novgorod region, with a population of fewer than two thousand people, and it is very beautiful and atmospheric here. The famous traveler Alexandra Potanina, the first woman to be accepted as a member of the Russian Geographical Society, who explored little-known areas of Central Asia, was born and spent her childhood here. Ancestral crypts and tombstones from the early XIX century have been preserved in Gorbatov. Here even lies the grave of Grigory Smolin, on whom the character of the merchant Marko Smolokurov from the Melnikov-Pechersky novels «In the Woods» and «On the Mountains» was based.
06
Search for the filming locations of Nikita Mikhalkov's films
It was in the vicinity of Gorbatov that Nikita Mikhalkov filmed «The Barber of Siberia» and «Burnt by the Sun» sequel. Locals still remember how it all happened, and many even starred in these films. Try to find the filming locations and get inspired!
07
Go rafting on the Toscanka and the Klyuchik
Probably one of the most fashionable and photogenic locations in the Nizhny Novgorod region is the Toskanka and Klyuchik lakes near Vorsma. Here people regularly go rafting and take incredible photos against the background of clear blue water. The main thing is to be careful not to fall into the water, the temperature of which does not rise above five degrees even in the hottest weather. Incidentally, the Russian Toscania festival takes place in Vorsma every summer, with a parade of stylized boats, historical reconstructions and numerous master classes.

WHERE TO GO AND WHAT TO SEE

Dalnaya Krucha Park
Pavlovo, Dalnaya Krucha str.

Here you will find children’s playgrounds and sporting facilities, a rope park, «green» artworks and a place of power: an observation deck with a magnificent view of the River Oka.

The Pavlovo Historical Museum
Pavlovo, 6 Krasnoarmeyskaya str.

The museum is located in the luxurious estate of the merchant Gomulin, where you can see antique items and micro-exhibits measuring only a few millimeters.

Working hours
Tuesday - Sunday — 10:00 – 17:00;
Monday - day off
The Monument to the Pavlovo Blacksmith
Pavlovo, Krasnoarmeyskaya str.

A monument dedicated to the craft of metalworking, for which Pavlovo is famous.

The Pavlovo Kirov Plant
Pavlovo, 77 Mayakovskogo str.

Knives and artistic metal products, renowned throughout Russia, have been produced here since 1887, and cutlery is available for sale in the factory shop.

The Restaurant «Dynasty»
Pavlovo, 8 Lenina str.

Here you can see the largest padlock in the world, which weighs 399 kg and is included in the Guinness Book of Records.

Working hours
Daily — 12:00-00:00
The Monument to the Pavlovo lemon
Pavlovo, Leninsky Sadik public garden

A monument dedicated to the cultivation of lemons, one of the historical traditions of the people of Pavlovo, which was installed in the public garden in 2005.

The Goose Fight Monument
Pavlovo, Lenin Garden sq.

A monument dedicated to goose fights, which have been held annually in Pavlov for several centuries.

The house of the merchant Alipov
Pavlovo, 3 Nizhegorodskaya str.

A brick house built at the beginning of the XX century, notable for its corner tower and balcony with a wrought-iron openwork lattice.

The house of Smirnov
Pavlovo, 3/13 Kuibysheva str.

The apartment house of the peasant Smirnov, from whose balcony the famous pilot Valery Chkalov gave a speech in 1937.

The house of the merchant Klokov
Pavlovo, 25 Mayakovskogo str.

A wooden house built in the Russian style, decorated with small towers and carved architraves.

The Pavlovo Bus Plant
Pavlovo, 1 Suvorova str.

Minibuses that can be found on roads all over Russia and in many other countries are manufactured here.

The PAZ-651 Monument
Pavlovo, 1 Suvorova str.

A monument to the first bus produced at the Pavlovo Bus Plant in 1952.

The Knife Museum
Pavlovo, 8A Lunacharskogo lane

This museum located in a building dating back to the middle of the XVIII century is dedicated to the history of knife manufacture, from pre-revolutionary times to the present day.

Working hours
Tuesday - Sunday — 10:00 - 17:00;
Monday — day off
The Vorsma Knife Museum
Vorsma, 41A Zavodskaya str.

The first museum in Vorsma, where you can see all the variety of knife craft: decorative, souvenir, and even experimental products.

Working hours
Visit by appointment only
The Gorbatov Museum of Local History
Gorbatov, 7 1 Maya str.

The museum located on an estate dating back to the late XIX century has displays dedicated to the famous Krasnogorbatov cow, as well as local merchants and crafts.

Working hours
Visit by appointment only
Lake Vorsma (Toscanka)
Vorsma

A picturesque and popular spot for swimming, where you can go fishing, do active water sports or see the Ostrovoezersky Monastery from the pier.

The Ostrovoezersky Monastery of the Holy Trinity
Vorsma

A monastery on an island in the middle of Lake Vorsma, accessed by a beautiful garden path and a plant-covered arch.

Lake Klyuchik
Vorsma

A lake with bluish, crystal clear water, especially popular among fans of rafting and wakeboarding.

How to get there

By car

Leave Nizhny Novgorod along the P125 highway in the direction of the villages of Doskino and Berezovka, and the town of Vorsma. If you drive, the distance to Pavlovo is 79.8km.

Travel time
~ 1,5 hours
By bus

You can get to Pavlovo by bus from the Shcherbinki bus station. Buses run to Pavlovo bus station.

Travel time
~ 1,5 hours
Departure time
15-60 minutes
Cost
₽313

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