Cheboksary.

History

Cheboksary is first mentioned in 1469, a date that appears on the city's coat of arms. Archaeology points to earlier settlement: after the Mongol invasions of the 13th century, the Bulgar town of Veda Suvar is thought to have stood here. In 1555 the Russians built a fortress on the site, and Cheboksary was granted town status in 1781. The railway arrived only in 1939, with the first train pulling in on 21 January.

Culture & traditions

Theatre thrives here: the city has the Chuvash Drama Theatre, the Chuvash Opera and Ballet Theatre, a puppet theatre, a Russian drama theatre and a philharmonic. The Chuvash National Museum covers the people's history and culture, including its renowned embroidery, and the beer museum is described as the only one in Russia. The Mother Patroness monument was raised by the bay in 2003; the city also has a monument to Vasily Chapaev, the Vvedensky Cathedral and the Assumption Church. Cosmonaut Andriyan Nikolayev and the painter Marie Vorobieff (Marevna) are linked with Chuvashia.

Sport

Cheboksary is known for race walking: it hosted the IAAF World Race Walking Cup in 2008 and the European Athletics Team Championships in 2015. The Olympic race walkers Elena Nikolaeva and Olimpiada Ivanova are from Cheboksary. A BMX trail park was built in the city in 2012.

Food & drink

Cheboksary has a local brewing tradition, celebrated in its own beer museum. The city is also home to many food-industry businesses.

Practical information

Cheboksary Airport has had international status since 1995 and has regular flights to Moscow. The Chuvashia express train links the city with Moscow, and the M7 Volga and R176 Vyatka highways pass nearby. The city is on Moscow time. The climate is temperate continental: winter lasts about five months with snow on the ground for 150–160 days, and the roughly three months of summer are the best time to visit.

What to see

• Mother Patroness monument — a 2003 monument by Cheboksary Bay
• Chuvash National Museum — Chuvash history, culture and embroidery
• Beer Museum — described as the only one of its kind in Russia
• Vvedensky Cathedral — one of the city's principal churches
• Chapaev Monument — one of the city's well-known memorials
• Opera and Ballet Theatre — opera and ballet in the Chuvash capital