Penza: a Guide to the City

Welcome to Penza, a city that keeps its historical traditions, but grows rapidly. It has become a hub of science and education, culture and sport. If you come to Penza, you will be stunned by welcoming atmosphere, hospitality and friendliness of local people.

Penza is the administrative centre of the Penza Region. It is located on seven hills on both banks of the Sura River, 625 kilometres southeast of Moscow. Surprisingly, but being the part of the Volga Region, Penza is the only administrative city in its territory, where the Volga River does not flow.

Facts and figures

History

Penza derived its name from the eponymous river, on the bank of which the fortress was built in 1663 under Tsar Aleksey Mikhaylovich. In 1665, the population of the town was about 3,300 people. In 1668, 1680 and 1717, Penza was attacked by nomads, but they did not manage to capture the fortress. In the early 18th century, Penza turned into an inner town of the Russian Empire and lost the strategic importance. In the late 18th century, it became the main town of the Penza Governorate, thus causing cultural and economic prosperity.

Railway Station	Race Track	Governor’s Street

The 19th century was marked by the construction of railway and various public institutions, e.g. Governor’s House, Library. One of the oldest race tracks in Russia was established at that time. In 1939, the Penza governorate was transformed into the Penza Region. During the Great Patriotic War (1941 – 1945), Penza accepted refugees and evacuated enterprises. In the post-war years, the city grew and flourished through springing up machine-building, engineering, textile and food industries. Nowadays, Penza is the major economic and educational centre in the Volga region.

Climate

The city of Penza is virtually located in the centre of European Russia, far from large water areas. The climate is moderate continental. The weather is similar to seasonal changes in the Moscow Region, but drier and more volatile.

Winter in Penza is usually snowy and frosty. It begins in November, when the average daily temperature drops below 0°C. February is considered the coldest month and the average daily temperature is -10°C. Snow covers ground in early December, the snow cover depth can be up to 40 cm.

Melting season starts by the end of March, although the average temperature still stands at around -8°C. April is stormy and warm and the average temperature is about 5°C. May is marked by apparent warming, blossoming and blooming.

In summer, the city is full of green colours. The weather is mild with daytime temperatures 20 – 25°C. Short-term heavy rainfalls are frequent.
September is warm and characterised by an abundance of sunny days. October weather is much colder with numerous rainfalls. The average temperature in this month is 5°C with night frosts.

Cultural landscapes and natural sites

Much is being done to preserve and restore numerous monuments of architecture, history and culture. Penza has quite a number of landmarks worth seeing.

Defence Fortress	The First Settler	Penza Planetarium

Virtually every city or town has its own landmark, which is depicted on souvenirs and local goods. In Penza, it is the First Settler monument. Today, this area is one of the most beautiful viewing platforms, where residents and guests of Penza love hanging around. The monument was opened in September 1980. It was timed to the 600th anniversary of the victory in the Battle of Kulikovo.

The Defence Fortress is the memorial complex dedicated to the founding of the city. It comprises a wooden belfry with cast-iron cannon. A segment of that defensive wall preserved from the 17th century is located behind the belfry.

Penza Planetarium is the national observatory in V.G. Belinsky Park, which was erected in 1928 to tempt citizens to astronomy. It is a wooden building of an unusual three-sectional shape. The planetarium has a viewing platform for the telescope and a dome, on the inside of which a star map is projected.

Trinity Nunnery	Spassky Cathedral	Penza Mosque

Trinity Nunnery dates back to the 17th century, when several nuns decided to found their own monastery. The wooden trinity church with a side-chapel of the Smolensk Icon of the Mother of God appeared in 1700 – 1702, while the wooden gate church in the name of Alexander Svirsky – in 1717. The first stone temples were erected in 1746 – 1747. By the middle of the 18th century, the monastery included the abbess’s cell, the hospital cell, eight monastic cells and about forty small cells.

Spassky Cathedral is the reconstructed metropolitan church built in 1800 – 1824. It was not only an architectural gem of the city, but also a kind of art gallery. Eighty scenes depicted on its walls consistently unfolded the entire biblical history of the Old and New Testaments. The cathedral housed the miraculous Kazan Icon of the Mother of God, which, according to the legend, saved the city from nomad raids in 1717.

The history of Penza Mosque begins in the late 19th century. Its building was erected at the intersection of Predtechenskaya and Kazanskaya streets in 1887. In 2010, the city initiated the construction of a new Jameh Mosque. The snow-white building with golden domes and high minarets will be another landmark of Penza.

The Victory Monument	Folk Art Museum	The Sprout	‘Cuckoo’ Clock

The Victory Monument is dedicated to the military and labour feats of residents and natives of the Penza Region during the Great Patriotic War of 1941 – 1945. It was opened on 9 May 1975 and timed to the 30th anniversary of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War. At the top of the hill on a granite pedestal the Motherland holds a child with a gilded branch symbolising the triumph of life. At the pedestal foot the bronze warrior-defender stands with a rifle in his hand. In front of the monument there is the Eternal Flame.

The wooden building of the Folk Art Museum is an architectural site. It was constructed in the 19th century style, its main highlight is the so called wooden lace decorations. Thanks to the restoration work, the appearance of the mansion is perfectly preserved up to now. The building and nearby old arboretum park today represent an interesting ensemble, which favourably stands out against modern urban landscape.

The Monument ‘The Sprout’ is located on the embankment of the Sura River. A 25-meter tall obelisk made of stainless steel in the form of a symbolic sprout was opened on the 50th anniversary of the October Revolution. Next to ‘The Sprout’ there is a memorial stele “Glory to the Heroes!” with bas-reliefs depicting the labour and military feats of the Penza Region residents and natives.

The ‘Cuckoo’ Clock monument opened in the city centre in 1974 quickly became a favourite city attraction and a meeting place. The clock was created in three factories of the Penza Region: the mechanism – at Serdobsk Watch Factory, the crystal columns – at Nikolsk Glass Factory, and the tower – at Penza Diesel Factory. The monument prototype was a swiss cuckoo clock.

Apalikha Park	Zolotaryovka Settlement	Sura Reservoir

The beautiful Apalikha Park allures visitors with mystery, music of ancient trees and silence of steppe river overgrown with water lilies. The old park in Apalikha, on the territory of which the estate of Shan Gireyev was located, is now part of the State Lermontov Museum-Reserve.

Zolotaryovka Settlement is a unique archaeological monument located on the territory of the Penza Region not far from Zolotaryovka village. In the course of exploration, three cultural layers were revealed on its territory: the first layer belongs to the town archaeological culture and refers to the 2nd – 3rd centuries; the second one belongs to the Mordva and dates back to the 8th – 10th centuries; the third layer refers to the period of medieval settlement and dates back to 11th – 13th centuries.

Being the largest water reservoir in the Penza Region, the Sura Reservoir is known for clean water and picturesque landscape. In summer, it is the favourite vacation destination in the region. Numerous holidays camps are located on the reservoir banks, where citizens and guests of the region can pitch tents, rest and have fun.

More detailed information about Penza cultural landscapes and natural sites is available on the website “Tourism and Recreation in the Penza Region”.

Culture and leisure

Penza attracts its guest with its culture, entertainment and leisure activities.

Museums

Museum of One Painting	Penza Art Gallery	Penza Local History Museum

G.V. Myasnikov Museum of One Painting is a unique museum. The museum does not house a permanent exhibition. Its specific feature is that only one artist’s work is displayed here. The show is accompanied by a film about artist’s life and work and story of creating the exhibited picture.
Location: 11 Kirova Street

Penza has many museums, which preserve the glorious past of the region. K.A. Savitsky Art Gallery was founded in 1892. The exhibition features paintings by Russian authors of the 18th – 20th centuries, as well as works of French, Italian and Dutch artists of the 17th – 19th centuries. The museum jewel is the collection of works by artists of the Russian avant-garde generating interest among museum visitors. The gallery occupies two historic buildings: the Governor’s House (erected in 1790s) and the Peasant Land Bank (built in 1912).
Location: 3 Sovetskaya Street
Useful information: Art Gallery website (in Russian)

Established in 1905, the Local History Museum is the oldest in the Volga Region. Currently, the museum’s collection includes more than 100 thousand exhibits of the main and scientific supplementary reserves, including about 5000 works of art, more than 7000 archeological items, about 8000 numismatic objects.
Location: 73 Krasnaya Street
Useful information: Museum website (in Russian)

V.E. Meyerhold House is the theater and museum of performing arts. This house was built in 1881 and here the theatrical producer was born. This is the first memorial of the great reformer of theatrical art in Russia, opened in February 1984. The museum will be interesting for the admirers of Melpomene. Penza visitors can also go to the Museum of I.N. Ulyanov, father of Vladimir Lenin, public figure and educator, who worked in the local Nobility Institute for several years. N.N. Burdenko Museum introduces its visitors to the life and work of a world-renowned scientist and neurosurgeon.

Music and theatre

The performing arts have a strong tradition in Penza. The fast-paced cultural scene offers music, theatre, concerts and festivals throughout the year.

Penza Symphony Hall		Penza Concert Hall

Penza Symphony Hall and Penza Concert Hall host the best in folk, rock, pop, jazz music and even stand-up comedy. Their stages are suited for various performances: plays, operas, classical concerts. These facilities are also a venue for official meetings, conferences, and festive events. Moreover, Penza guests may visit Organ Hall, the music lounge for 200 seats. The Penza 12-meter long and 11-meter high organ was made by the German company Hugo Mayer, taking into account the hall and acoustics parameters. Francis Vidil, Gianluca Libertucci, Aleksey Shmitov, Peter van de Velde are among the most notable performers at Penza Symphony Hall.
Location: 215 Suvorova Street
Data on events and concerts: Symphony Hall and Concert Hall website (in Russian)

	Penza Drama Theatre

The first amateur theatre in Penza was initiated by the Penza vice-governor, poet and memoir writer I.M. Dolgoruky in 1793. Here, the future theatre and literature critic V.G. Belinsky and the future stage director V.E. Meyerhold gained impressions of the dramatic arts. A.V. Lunacharsky Drama Theatre annually puts on dozens performances ranging from drama and tragedy to children’s New Year shows.
Location: 89 Moscovskaya Street
Useful information: Drama Theatre website (in Russian)

	Doctor Dapertutto Theatre

Doctor Dapertutto Theatre is the professional intimate theatre located in V.E. Meyerhold House. It stages enchanting, unique and slightly delirious performances, which can leave nobody indifferent.
Location: 59 Volodarskogo Street
Useful information: Doctor Dapertutto Theatre website (in Russian)

Parks

I.I. Sprygin Botanical Garden

Being the part of Penza State University, the Botanical Garden is one of the oldest in Russia. It was established in 1917 by the Penza Society of Nature Lovers headed by Professor I.I. Sprygin and with strong participation of Penza residents.

The Botanical Garden boasts a significant collection of the local and foreign flora (over 1500 species!) and thus preserves Earth biodiversity. It comprises three major sections:
•    dendrology section represented by the park, nursery garden and geographical areas of trees and shrubs from Siberia, Central and East Asia, Europe, and North America;
•    natural flora section, i.e. a systematic collection of herbs (about 200 species);
•    cultivated flora section, where one-, two-years, perennial adornment plants grow.

From the launch of the garden to the fire in 1966, there was a fourth section – a greenhouse with subtropical and tropical flora.
Useful information: Botanical Garden website (in Russian)

V.G. Belinsky Park

V.G. Belinsky Central Park of Rest and Recreation is located within the walking distance from Penza State University. It is one of the oldest parks in Penza, which occupies an area of 370 hectares. The city park dates back to 1821. Originally, it was called the public garden.

The park has many interesting places and buildings, among which there are recreational facilities, a planetarium, and cafes. Its visitors may walk along a health path, explore natural springs and much more. Some trees are more than 300 years old. These are unique natural landmarks. V.G. Belinsky Park is the place, where Penza residents and guests can relax, hang with friends and have a good time.
Useful information: Park website

Penza Zoo

Penza Zoo is the largest zoo in the Volga Region: more than 200 animal species live on 10 hectares. It has more than 200-year history. The zoo territory comprises three natural lakes inhabited by waterfowl – pelicans, swans, and ducks. In total, it has more than two thousand pets, including lions, tigers, camels, zebra, bears, monkeys, and ostriches.

In summer, the visitors can weekly observe, how different species are fed. Feeding is preceded by a lecture about the animal. The zoo also has recreational facilities, playgrounds, photo zones, and a contact zoo. The viewing platforms of the zoo offer a beautiful view of the city and animal enclosures. Penza Zoo annually enlarges its collection of animals. It has created excellent conditions for its inhabitants, so that many pairs (like Amur tigers, camels, and marmosets) raise cubs.
Useful information: Zoo website

Sputnik Embankment

The Sputnik Embankment is one of the most beautiful and modern places for outdoor activities of citizens and tourists in Penza. It comprises a beach area, a health path, a park zone and a fountain square. The beach area is equipped with pool-houses, cafes, rental of beach accessories, water skis, jet skis, boats, and pedal boats. In addition, the leisure area offers water and other attractions, such as hydrosorb, aquasorb, slide, climbing wall. The health path with jogging and cycling trails spans around the lake. Its total length is 3.2 kilometres. Three wooden bridges between the islands unite the path and the park area with wide lawns, flower beds and hardscape elements. The central element of the embankment is the square with the amphitheatre and the light and music fountain. This site is unique in scale and technical complexity for the Penza Region.

Olympic Parkway

The Olympic Parkway is one of the most beautiful places for sport and leisure in Penza, which appeared more than a century and a half ago. In summer, roller skaters and cyclists ride here with their friends, and in winter there are great ski tracks for whole families. The parkway starting points have rentals with a variety of sports gear and equipment. The parkway hosts competitions, such as trials, ski races, bike rides. In addition, its display boards provide information about outstanding athletes of the Penza Region, who inspire youngsters to greater sport performance.

Sport

Sport can help to boost individuals’ energy, to maintain their mental health and even to improve their academic and professional performance. Therefore, Penza advances its sporting facilities and thus motivates its citizens and tourists to do sport. Many facilities offer coaching courses and provide leadership and volunteering opportunities for its visitors.

Athletic facilities

Burtasy Sport Palace	Semeyny Sport and Recreation Complex	Olimpysky Sport Palace

Burtasy Sport Palace is one of the greatest centres of artistic and rhythmic gymnastics in Russia. It has significantly expanded the capabilities of Penza gymnastics school. The palace comprises an artistic gymnastics hall, a rhythmic gymnastics hall, a swimming pool with 10 swim lanes, a diving pool, and a fitness centre equipped with modern sport gears. The sport palace annually hosts international, All-Russian and regional-level competitions.
Location: 96 Stroiteley Avenue
Facility information and prices: Burtasy website (in Russian)

Semeyny Sport and Recreation Complex (Family) is located in a picturesque ecologically clean district on the river bank. The complex includes 25 tennis courts (10 ground tennis courts, 9 hard-coated courts, 6 artificial grass courts), 2 mini-football grass grounds, 6 beach volleyball courts, 3 mini-football sand grounds, a roller skating rink, a playground, and a beach area.
Location: 150 Izmaylova Street
Facility information and prices: Semeyny website (in Russian)

Olimpysky Sport Palace (Olympic) is a hub for training high-category athletes in the Penza Region. It accommodates 2 swimming pools, 2 fitness halls for power, dance, and aqua aerobics, a wrestling hall, 2 tennis courts, a gym, a dance floor, a volleyball court, and a football ground. The All-Russian Championships in swimming, tennis, karate, sambo, and kickboxing are held here.
Location: 39A Antonova Street
Facility information and prices: Olympysky website (in Russian)


Winter sport facilities

Rubin Sport Palace	Dizel Ice Arena	Zolotaya Shayba Sport Complex

Opened in December 1984, Rubin Sport Palace (Ruby) is one of the largest sports facilities in Russia. It has a field and track ground, an artificial ice hockey rink, halls for choreography, wrestling, sports, a first-aid station, rehabilitation rooms, etc. The complex provides athletes with necessary equipment for competitions and training sessions, as well as for sport and recreational activity. Its visitors are engaged in 12 sports.
Location: 9 Revolyutsionnaya Street

Being the sport and entertainment complex, Dizel Ice Arena comprises 2 indoor ice rinks (central and training), a 25-metre swimming pool, a gym and a hotel. It is one of the largest sport facilities in the Penza Region, which hosts high-ranking competitions, as well as shows and performances. Five and a half thousand people can attend a sporting event or concert at the same time.
Location: 163 Okruzhnaya Street
Facility information and prices: Dizel website (in Russian)

Zolotaya Shayba Sport Complex (Golden Puck) is the olympic reserve school facility for ice hockey. It accommodates an ice rink, a playground for mini-football, and a gym. Currently, the sport complex holds training sessions on ice hockey and figure skating, public ice skating, various-level competitions and other events.
Location: 9A Antonova Street
Facility information and prices: Zolotaya Shayba website (in Russian)

Swimming pools

In total, there are 8 public swimming pools across Penza offering opportunities for fun, fitness and recreation.

Sura Swim Centre	Open Swimming Pool	Enigma Sura

Sura Swim Centre is a modern facility of the Olympic Reserve School and sports excellence in swimming, diving, triathlon, and water polo. It comprises a swimming pool (size – 50x25 m, depth – 1.8-2.3 m), several swimming pools for diving with air cushion safety system (size – 23x23 m, depth – 4.25-5.5 m), and a baby bath for teaching children to swim. The centre provides the following services: recreational swimming, aqua aerobics, swim training (for different age groups), baby swimming, etc.
Location: 106 Krasnaya Street
Facility information: Sura website (in Russian)

Open Swimming Pool of the Olympic Reserve School in the Penza Region is the outdoor swimming pool (50x21 m) with diving towers and diving boards. It is a unique sports facility, which can be visited both in warm months and in winter. Steam from warm water heats the air above the surface of the pool.  Therefore the possibility of catching a cold is excluded. In addition it is the facility for training sessions in synchronized diving from the diving towers at any height. It is the training base for the Russian national team in diving.
Location: 1 Odoyevskogo Street (building no. 3)
Facility information: Open Swimming Pool website (in Russian)

Enigma Sura Sports Club is a modern fitness facility with a 50-meter swimming a pool with warm artesian water, a hammam (Middle East bath), two Finnish saunas, a gym, and a cardio area. The club offers various fitness and aqua-aerobics group classes and martial arts classes. Extreme sports enthusiasts may attend wakeboarding and diving classes.
Location: 115 Kalinina Street
Facility information: Enigma Sura website (in Russian)

Miscellaneous sport facilities

Lukomorye Horse Riding Club	Barbados Wakeboarding Park	Paintball and Laser Tag Club

Lukomorye Horse Riding Club is located in the picturesque area not far from the Sura Reservoir. It offers horse riding along the coast of the reservoir and in the pine wood, horse riding training for both newcomers and skilled horseback riders, as well as visiting Gorodishche excavation site. Expert coaches assist in bonding horses, confidently mounting and riding these beautiful animals. The club infrastructure comprises guest houses, event halls, Russian sauna facilities, gazebos, picnic grounds, etc. Amateurs and experienced anglers will obviously take fancy to fishing in the scenic pond. By way of background, Lukomorye is a fictional land in Russian folklore and history.
Location: 23A Surskaya Street, Zolotarevka Village
Facility information: Lukomorye website (in Russian)

Barbados Wakeboarding Park is the first of its kind in Penza. The park satisfies all the requirements of modern cable wakeboarding. It is a great site for training with installed platforms for aspiring and experienced wake boarders. Sports equipment and outfit can be rented here. Cable wakeboarding is the dynamic surface water sport that engages all muscles, arouses strong emotions and generates exhilarating experience. At that, it is one of the safest sports to go in for, which is suitable for all ages.
Location: 2 Ozdorovitelnaya Street, Ramzay Village
Facility information: Barbados website (in Russian)

Paintball and Laser Tag Club operates two in-door grounds for laser tag game. The Q-zar playground is organised as the labyrinth, the walls of which depict the scenes from Star Wars epic space-opera. The Air Ball playground contains inflatable shapes and figures, which can be interchanged thus transforming the settings. Two game modes are available: with conventional lighting and ultraviolet illuminating. For outdoor game lovers there are two open grounds with various small houses and two-storey shelters, which enable conducting tactical game involving up to 300 individuals. Paintball areas have been established according to the European norms and standards. The grounds features well-lit sophisticated tracks. Games can be held at sunset-to-sunrise time.
Location: 1 Raduzhnaya Street
Facility information: Club website (in Russian)

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