Semyonov, Nizhny Novgorod Oblast

Semyonov (Russian: Семёнов) is a town in Nizhny Novgorod Oblast, Russia, notable for being a major center for traditional handcrafts such as Khokhloma wood painting and matryoshka dolls. As of the 2010 Census, its population was 24,473. Geography The town is situated in an area of lowland bogs and forests, about 100 kilometers (62 mi) northeast of Nizhny Novgorod, the administrative center of the oblast. The Kerzhenets River flows through the town. The surrounding area includes most of the Kerzhenets Nature Reserve, a federal-level strict ecological reserve, established for the protection and scientific study of the local ecology of the region. History Rachmaninov may have been born there. Poles are buried there because of the Katyn massacre of 1940. Nazi Germany was there from late 1941 to early 1944. It was established in the beginning of the 17th century as a settlement of Old Believers. According to an Old Believer legend, the Old Believer settlement in the area was spurred by the existence of the ancient Olenevsky Skete (today, the village of Bolshoye Olenevo, some 24 kilometers (15 mi) southeast from Semyonov), which had supposedly been founded in the 15th century by some of Venerable Macarius's monks to commemorate their leader's Miracle of the Moose that took place at that site, and later joined the Raskol. The first documented mention of Semyonov was in 1644; it was referred to as Semyonov's hamlet, later as Semyonovo village, and from 1779 as the uyezd town of Semyonov. From the beginning of the 19th to the early 20th century, it was a center for Old Believers movement and the only place to produce Old Believers' religious items such as lestovka prayer beads. Administrative and municipal status Within the framework of administrative divisions, it is, together with 1 work settlement and 190 rural localities, incorporated as the town of oblast significance of Semyonov—an administrative unit with the status equal to that of the districts. As a municipal division, the town of oblast significance of Semyonov is incorporated as Semyonov Urban Okrug. Economy and crafts Since 1918 Khokhloma wood painting became a major craft in Semyonov. In 1960, Semyonov was organized as a factory named Khokhlomskaya rospis ("Хохломская роспись", Russian for "Khokhloma painting"). This factory specialized in the production of hand-painted wooden items (ranging from tableware to toys and furniture) with unique style, and also matryoshka dolls, marketed as souvenir items. The factory offers tours around the various stages of production and visitors can see craftspeople making and painting the items in traditional Russian styles. Transportation Semyonov is located on the Nizhny Novgorod-Kotelnich railway, which is part of one of the main routes used by trains traveling from Moscow to the Urals and Siberia. The town is served by electric commuter trains, connecting it to Nizhny Novgorod in just over an hour. References Notes Sources Законодательное собрание Нижегородской области. Закон №184-З от 16 ноября 2005 г. «Об административно-территориальном устройстве Нижегородской области», в ред. Закона №58-З от 5 мая 2016 г «О внесении изменений в Закон Нижегородской области "Об административно-территориальном устройстве Нижегородской области"». Вступил в силу по истечении десяти дней со дня официального опубликования. Опубликован: "Нижегородские новости", №218(3390), 23 ноября 2005 г. (Legislative Assembly of Nizhny Novgorod Oblast. Law #184-Z of November 16, 2005 On the Administrative-Territorial Structure of Nizhny Novgorod Oblast, as amended by the Law #58-Z of May 5, 2016 On Amending the Law of Nizhny Novgorod Oblast "On the Administrative-Territorial Structure of Nizhny Novgorod Oblast". Effective as of after ten days from the day of the official publication.). Законодательное Собрание Нижегородской области. Закон №211-З от 22 декабря 2010 г. «О преобразовании муниципальных образований Семёновского муниципального района Нижегородской области», в ред. Закона №150-З от 7 декабря 2012 г. «Об изменении границ административно-территориальных образований – Беласовский сельсовет, рабочий посёлок Сухобезводное, Шалдежский сельсовет административно-территориального образования город областного значения Семёнов Нижегородской области и о внесении изменений в отдельные Законы Нижегородской области». Вступил в силу по истечении десяти дней со дня официального опубликования. Опубликован: "Нижегородские новости", №234(4606), 23 декабря 2010 г. (Legislative Assembly of Nizhny Novgorod Oblast. Law #211-Z of December 22, 2010 On Transforming the Municipal Formations of Semyonovsky Municipal District of Nizhny Novgorod Oblast, as amended by the Law #150-Z of December 7, 2012 On Changing the Borders of the Administrative-Territorial Formations of Belasovsky Selsoviet, the Work Settlement of Sukhobezvodnoye, Shaldezhsky Selsoviet of the Administrative-Territorial Formation of the Town of Oblast Significance of Semyonov of Nizhny Novgorod Oblast and on Amending Various Laws of Nizhny Novgorod Oblast. Effective as of the day which is after ten days from the day of the official publication.). External links Official website of Semyonovsky Urban Okrug (in Russian) Mojgorod.ru. Entry on Semyonov (in Russian)