Khvalynsk

Khvalynsk is a river port town in Saratov Oblast, Russia, located by the Volga River. Population: 13,094 (2010 census); 13,752 (2002 census); 14,948 (1989 Soviet census); 16,000 (1974). It is located on the right bank of the Volga, at the foot of the Khvalynsk Mountains, 180 kilometers (110 mi) northeast of Saratov and 160 kilometers (99 mi) southwest of Samara. The place name stems from the old Russian name of the Caspian Sea: Хвалынское море, or "Khvalyn Sea". The latter is derived from the name "Khwalis" for the inhabitants of Khwarezm. The town is the namesake of the Khvalynsk Hills and Khvalynsk culture. History It was founded in 1556 as a Russian outpost on the Sosnovy Island on the Volga. In 1606, the whole settlement was relocated to the spot of today's Khvalynsk and came to be known as Sosnovy Ostrov (Сосновый Остров, lit. pine island). In 1780, the settlement was granted uyezd town status and renamed Khvalynsk. In the 18th–19th centuries, Khvalynsk was known as a local center for trading bread and agricultural produce. It was also one of the centers of the Old Believers. Some scholars believe that Khvalynsk was used by Nikolai Gogol as a setting for his play The Government Inspector. Administrative and municipal status Within the framework of administrative divisions, Khvalynsk serves as the administrative center of Khvalynsky District, even though it is not a part of it. As an administrative division, it is, together with four rural localities, incorporated separately as Khvalynsk Town Under Oblast Jurisdiction—an administrative unit with the status equal to that of the districts. As a municipal division, Khvalynsk Town Under Oblast Jurisdiction, together with two rural localities in Khvalynsky District, is incorporated within Khvalynsky Municipal District as Khvalynsk Urban Settlement. Notable people and culture Khvalynsk is the birthplace of the artist Kuzma Petrov-Vodkin, whose museum was established in the town in 1995. References Notes Citations Sources Саратовская областная Дума. Закон №46-ЗСО от 2 июня 2005 г. «Устав (Основной Закон) Саратовской области», в ред. Закона №54-ЗСО от 28 апреля 2015 г. «О внесении изменений в Устав (Основной Закон) Саратовской области». Вступил в силу после официального опубликования. Опубликован: "Неделя области", Спецвыпуск, №38 (156), 4 июня 2005 г. (Saratov Oblast Duma. Law #46-ZSO of June 2, 2005 Charter (Basic Law) of Saratov Oblast, as amended by the Law #54-ZSO of April 28, 2015 On Amending the Charter (Basic Law) of Saratov Oblast. Effective as of after the official publication.). Саратовская областная Дума. Закон №79-ЗСО от 23 декабря 2004 г «О городских округах». Вступил в силу с 1 января 2005 г. Опубликован: "Саратов — столица Поволжья", №264 (1215), 24 декабря 2004 г. (Saratov Oblast Duma. Law #79-ZSO of December 23, 2004 On the Urban Okrugs. Effective as of January 1, 2005.). Саратовская областная Дума. Закон №112-ЗСО от 29 декабря 2004 г «О муниципальных образованиях, входящих в состав Хвалынского муниципального района», в ред. Закона №46-ЗСО от 25 марта 2013 г. «О преобразовании Горюшинского и Сосново-Мазинского муниципальных образований Хвалынского муниципального района Саратовской области и о внесении изменений в Закон Саратовской области "О муниципальных образованиях, входящих в состав Хвалынского муниципального района"». Вступил в силу с 1 января 2005 г. Опубликован: "Саратов — столица Поволжья", №11–12 (1234–1235), 21 января 2005 г. (Saratov Oblast Duma. Law #112-ZSO of December 29, 2004 On the Municipal Formations Constituting Khvalynsky Municipal District, as amended by the Law #46-ZSO of March 25, 2013 On the Transformation of Goryushinskoye and Sosnovo-Mazinskoye Municipal Formations of Khvalynsky Municipal District of Saratov Oblast and on Amending the Law of Saratov Oblast "On the Municipal Formations Constituting Khvalynsky Municipal District". Effective as of January 1, 2005.). External links Media related to Khvalynsk at Wikimedia Commons Official website of Khvalynsk Archived February 27, 2021, at the Wayback Machine (in Russian)