Semyonov, Nizhny Novgorod Oblast
Semyonov (Russian: Семёнов) is a town in Nizhny Novgorod Oblast, Russia, famous for being a major center for traditional handcrafts such as Khokhloma wood painting and matryoshkas. Population: 24,472 (2010 Census preliminary results);[1] 25,298 (2002 Census);[2] 26,282 (1989 Census).[3]
History
The town was formed 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 (Russian: Оленевский скит) (today, the village of Bolshoye Olenevo, some 24 km south-east from Semenov), 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.[4]
Today's Semyonov was first mentioned as Semyonov's hamlet in 1644, 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.
Economics & crafts factory
Since 1918 Khokhloma wood painting became a major craft in Semyonov. In 1960 Semyonov was organised 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.[5] 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
Semenov is located on the Nizhny Novgorod-Kotelnich railway, which is part of one of the main routes used by trains travelling from Moscow to the Urals and Siberia. The city is served by electric commuter trains, connecting it to Nizhny Novgorod in just over an hour.
References
- ^ Федеральная служба государственной статистики (Federal State Statistics Service) (2011). "Предварительные итоги Всероссийской переписи населения 2010 года (Preliminary results of the 2010 All-Russian Population Census)" (in Russian). Всероссийская перепись населения 2010 года (2010 All-Russia Population Census). Federal State Statistics Service. http://www.perepis-2010.ru/results_of_the_census/results-inform.php. Retrieved 2011-04-25.
- ^ Федеральная служба государственной статистики (Federal State Statistics Service) (2004-05-21). "Численность населения России, субъектов Российской Федерации в составе федеральных округов, районов, городских поселений, сельских населённых пунктов – районных центров и сельских населённых пунктов с населением 3 тысячи и более человек (Population of Russia, its federal districts, federal subjects, districts, urban localities, rural localities—administrative centers, and rural localities with population of over 3,000)" (in Russian). Всероссийская перепись населения 2002 года (All-Russia Population Census of 2002). Federal State Statistics Service. http://www.perepis2002.ru/ct/doc/1_TOM_01_04.xls. Retrieved 2010-03-23.
- ^ "Всесоюзная перепись населения 1989 г. Численность наличного населения союзных и автономных республик, автономных областей и округов, краёв, областей, районов, городских поселений и сёл-райцентров. (All Union Population Census of 1989. Present population of union and autonomous republics, autonomous oblasts and okrugs, krais, oblasts, districts, urban settlements, and villages serving as district administrative centers.)" (in Russian). Всесоюзная перепись населения 1989 года (All-Union Population Census of 1989). Demoscope Weekly (website of the Institute of Demographics of the State University—Higher School of Economics. 1989. http://demoscope.ru/weekly/ssp/rus89_reg.php. Retrieved 2010-03-23.
- ^ Оленевский скит (Olenevsky Skete) (Russian)
- ^ "The hardworking women behind the matryoshkas hope for an Olympic boost". July 18, 2011, Natalya Radulova, Ogonyok
External links