Saransk: the capital of Mordovia and fountains

In 1641 a jail was built on the bank of the river Saranka. Later a powerful fortress with a waywode yard, storage houses with weapons and salt were built at this placе. As a rule, Cossacks, gunmen, archers and residents of local villages — Mokshas, Erzyans, Russians and Tatars used to settle here. The rebellious Don Cossacks, led by Stepan Razin and Emelian Pugachev, occupied Saransk at different periods of time and used it as a strongpoint. At the end of the XVIII century Saransk received the status of a district town, lost its military significance and became a trade and craft center with big fairs and bazaars. During the XIX-XX centuries Saransk expanded and improved: stone houses were built at the streets, churches were erected, parks and public gardens were opened. In 1893 a railway was built through the city, several large plants and factories were opened. In particular, the production of soap, brick, oil and makhorka (sort of tobacco) was established. In 1934 the Republic of Mordovia appeared on the map of the Soviet Union with its capital city Saransk.

Today this comparatively small city is considered to be one of the most comfortable and rapidly developing in Russia. The main Cathedral of Mordovia, consecrated in the name of Admiral Feodor Ushakov, has been recently rebuilt in Saransk. The beautiful Millenium Square with a huge fountain «The Star of Mordovia» and the historical and ethnographic open-air museum «Mordovskoe Pdvorye» were opened in Saransk. However, local residents are not only proud of the new buildings in Saransk. They also like to visit A. Pushkin Park of Culture and Leisure, which exists here since 1899! It also houses the only zoo in Mordovia.

In 2018 Saransk is taking football matches of the World Cup. The capital of Mordovia has become the smallest city in which matches of the World Cup are held! Football battles take place at the «Mordovia Arena» stadium the construction of which was completed in 2017. This sports arena is located on the banks of the Insar River near the center of Saransk and not far from the airport, railway station, bus station, hotels and major attractions of the city. The stadium is really large for such a small city: it accommodates 45 thousand fans! Within the framework of the World Cup four matches of the group stage, scheduled for 16, 19, 25 and 28 June 2018 will be held on this field.

Mordovian cuisine is also among the sights of Saransk. One should visit an open-air museum of wooden architecture «Mordovskoe Podvorye» to taste traditional dishes made according to ancient recipes. There one can taste one of the key dishes of Mordovian cuisine — fluffy pancakes (patch) made of wheat groats, which are served both with melted butter, and with all kinds of fillings, like meat or curd. Here one can also taste one of the most favorite Mordovian drinks — a posa — beetroot home-made beer (something like Russian kvas) made according to the very much complicated ancient recipe.

In the city one can find delicious traditional cutlets «bear paw» made of pork, beef, liver and potatoes. Before frying such a cutlet it is breaded with rye dry bread crumbs, which gives the meat a special taste. In addition, in the menu of restaurants one will meet traditional cabbage soup of fresh cabbage on chicken broth — a favorite Mordovian first dish. For dessert in Mordovia it is customary to take herbal teas with honey, apples baked with nuts and sweet pies with raspberries, blueberries and blackberries.

Dozens of interesting and various festivals are held in Saransk every year. Among them is the national-folklore festival «Sabantuy», which takes place in summer in the locality Lyambir near Saransk. During this ancient holiday, dedicated to the end of the sowing campaign, the fair with national clothes and ornaments is held, traditional dishes are served and а spectator belt wrestling «Keresh» is held. Another major annual event, which is held in Saransk in the autumn, is the international jazz festival Veyse Jazz by the well-known in Russia musician and saxophonist Igor Butman. The colorful spring All-Russia festival of the Mordvin song «Od vii» is also interesting. The zest of this holiday is the performing of the well-known pop songs in the Mordovian language. In the summer, June 12 Saransk celebrates the day of the city. On this holiday they organize a fair of folk crafts, sports competitions, concerts and traditional fireworks.

Saransk is a hospitable and very quiet city. There are no crowds and fuss here. Therefore, one can enjoy leisurely walks along the banks of the Saranka River, admire the gilded domes of old churches, get acquainted with the culture of the Finno-Ugric peoples and even try to enjoy the local bath. And after climbing the observation deck of the Cathedral of Feodor Ushakov to enjoy the panoramas of the old Saransk.

Get directions

There is an airport in Saransk that received the international status in 2015. On the threshold of the World Cup in 2018 it was well reconstructed. As a result of the work done, the Saransk airport can now receive Boeing 737-800 and Airbus A320 aircraft. The regular flights from Moscow (about an hour), St. Petersburg (2 hours), Samara and Kazan are very much popular routes. One can also get to Saransk by train. There is a daily train «Mordovia» from Moscow to Saransk. The journey takes 9.5 hours. There is also a railway connection with Kazan, Yekaterinburg, Nizhny Novgorod, Penza and Astrakhan.