Russian Holidays - Birthday of the Nizhny Novgorod Fair

The Volga has been the main Russian transport artery for centuries There was a trade route along it that connected the country with the East through the Caspian Sea and Astrakhan, and then with Central Asia, Persia and other regions Since 1627, near the walls of the Makaryevsky Monastery, 100 km from Nizhny Novgorod, one day a year, under the supervision of church authorities, who received a fee for this, merchants sold goods Since 1641, the fair began to operate throughout July For the convenience of visitors, a guest courtyard and storage rooms, bathhouses and overnight accommodations were built By 1817, after a fire at the old location, the fair moved to Nizhny Novgorod For this reason, by order of Alexander I, who understood that the presence of a shopping center on the Volga was very important for the country's economy, the reconstruction of the Winter Palace was suspended Time has proven that the king was right in allocating money for construction In the 19th century There was a saying in use: “Petersburg is the head, Moscow is the heart, and Nizhny Novgorod is the pocket of Russia” In honor of a large-scale event, the opening of a wholesale and retail trade center in 1822, a holiday was established July 15 marks the birthday of the Nizhny Novgorod Fair The buildings within which auctions took place, circus and theatrical performances were given, cathedrals for representatives of all faiths and hotels constituted a unique architectural ensemble The stone fairgrounds were built according to the design of the Spanish engineer Augustin Betancourt and the architect Auguste Montferrand The Gostiny Dvor is located on an earthen embankment and was surrounded by a bypass canal to prevent fire The fair had the first modern sewage system in Europe, which was important for the comfort of 200-300 thousand guests staying in one place in the summer In addition to engineering research, the complex of trade buildings was distinguished by its original architecture Thus, the buildings in the Chinese Rows, where tea was most popular, according to Montferrand’s idea, had the shape of pagodas, which attracted the attention of travelers The opening of the fair was attended by not only merchants, artisans and factory owners, but also ordinary people, for whom booths and circus tents worked, ballet troupes and opera singers performed In 1833, AS visited the Nizhny Novgorod fair Pushkin, who shared his impressions of her in “Eugene Onegin”: “Everyone fusses, lies for two, and there is a mercantile spirit everywhere” Nicholas II and his wife, members of the government, foreign delegations, cultural figures such as Maxim Gorky and others came to the city at different times By July 15, merchants flocked here every year on loaded wagon trains and barges, on steamships and by rail Goods were brought from all over the Russian Empire and from the countries of the East - China, Iran, India and Afghanistan On the first day, with a large crowd of people, representatives of the clergy served a prayer service at the Main House Business transactions began after the ceremonial raising of the fair flag The shops of Gostiny Dvor sold oriental goods (fruits, spices, precious stones, dishes, silk and textiles) and Russian goods (grain, cloth and other fabrics, furs and iron from the Urals) Wine, paints and glue were brought from Europe to Nizhny Novgorod Until 1863, the Nizhny Novgorod Fair worked for exactly a month, then - 40 days The trade ended with a thanksgiving service on August 25, but sometimes it was extended until September 1 and even 10 Drinking tea from a saucer became part of Russian everyday life thanks to the fair in Nizhny Novgorod Here the ritual of tasting it was formed, becoming part of the lifestyle of the townspeople, who were among the first in Rus' to become acquainted with the Chinese drink The hallmark of the fair was the Nizhny Novgorod harpists, who played in the orchestras of numerous restaurants In 1896, the newly invented cinematography appeared at the fair thanks to the entrepreneur Shar Oman For many years, the Nizhny Novgorod Fair acted as a magnet that attracted a diverse audience to the city At the beginning of the twentieth century Due to the advent of railways, the economic center on the Volga lost its former importance and status In memory of its former greatness, the Birthday of the Nizhny Novgorod Fair is celebrated annually on July 15