UNIVERSITIES

Saransk is the city of the students and universities. There several universities in our city like Ogarev Mordovia State University, Mordovia State Pedagogical Institute named M.E. Evseveva and other. If you walk in the city center you will see the main beautiful building of Ogarev Mordovia State University near Millennium Square. 

The photo of main building:

The university was founded in 1931 as the Agronomy Pedagogical Institute it gradually expanded and granted the University status in 1957. Its appearance was a milestone in the evolution of quality education in the Republic of Mordovia. The great majority (about 75%) of eligible Mordovian students attend Ogarev Mordovia State University. This determines its pivotal role as a centre of education, research, culture and services for Mordovia and its people.

Ogarev Mordovia State University is situated in Saransk (popul. 298,000), capital of the Republic of Mordovia, 620 kilometers south east of Moscow. With its 28 academic buildings, 12 residence halls (9 for undergraduate students and 3 for graduate students and academic staff) it is active in other Mordovian towns where it has 2 filiations.

The University has a student population composed of over 13.000 full timers, 8.000 part timers and 240 evening students. There are also over 300 international students.

All information about university you can find on official website: http://www.mrsu.ru

Near the building you find a monument of N.P. Ogarev. He was Russian poet, writer, revolutionary, a close friend of A.I. Herzen:

Cathedral Church of St. Feodor Ushakov

One of the main sights is the orthodox  Cathedral Church of St. Feodor Ushakov.

Historical fact: Feodor Ushakov was Russian naval commander, Admiral of Black Sea Fleet. He was consecrated a saint by the Orthodox Church in 2001.

The Cathidral was built in 2002-2006. It has Empire style and able to accommodate about 3000 people. The high is 62 m. Along the perimeter there are 4 bell towers with 12 bells each other which were made in Tutaev-city by old technology. The largest one weighs 6 tons, then 3 tons, 1.5 tons. Now you can hear the sounds of this bells every Sunday and holidays. Around the main "drum" of the cathedral there is an observation area and you can see a panorama of the city on high 40 m.  Indescribable beauty!

The architects: Khodnev, Kirdyashova, Brodovsky.

The official website of  Cathedral Church of St. Feodor Ushakov: http://www.sobor-ushakova.ru/
Location on map: https://www.google.ru/maps/place/Кафедральный+Собор+Св.+Воина+Феодора+Ушакова

The monument of Feodor Ushakov is located near the cathedral:

A monument of a family you also can find near the cathedral. It is a work of sculptor Nicolai Filatov. It was made in foundry of city Zhukovsky. Monument of the family is a symbol of main value ​of any society: 

There is a monument of Patriarch Nikon in the center of Saransk  near the cathedral. Nikon was born in a rural family of Mordovia in village Veldemanovo. He played an important role in the orthodox church of Mordovia. Behind the monument there is a rotunda with a beautiful view of the river embankment "Saranka".

VICTORY SQUARE

There is the monument for those who perished in the Great Patriotic War in the center of Saransk near Soviet Square. It was opened on 9 May in 1970. The composition consists of Mother-Mordovia  gives a sword for son-soldier. There is inscription: "Eternal glory to the soldiers who died for the freedom and independence of the Soviet Motherland during the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945. You have died to save a life . Your heroic deed is forever in the hearts of a grateful nation".  The eternal light burns before this monument. Authors: sculptor N.V. Tomsky and architect A.N. Dushkin.

In 1985 five stelae of pink granite near were installed the monument, on which  you can find the names of natives of Saransk, who did not return from the battlefield:  more than six thousand people. In 2005 on the eve of the 60th of the Victory, the ensemble was complemented by the composition of the columns with arches connecting the entire complex. Architects: V.A. Brodovsky and I.V. Solovyev. (V.A. Brodovsky is the famous architect in our city. Also he is my father-in-law).
Location on map: https://www.google.ru/maps/place/Музей+Военного+И+Трудового+Подвига

In 1985 on the west side of the Memorial Military Museum there was a memorial composition of the five -lined pink granite stelae, where there were about 5000 names of soldiers of Saransk natives who died in the Great Patriotic War. However, this composition was rapidly destroyed and after several attempts to repair was dismantled . In 2005 in this place a monument to soldiers-internationalists and soldiers who died in local wars and conflicts (Sculptor N.M. Filatov, architect V.A. Brodovsky) was built. The monument is a figure of a soldier running attack with a gun in his hand, is lodged between two gray marble pillars. It symbolizes the vice of War and debt of soldier. It is engraving the names of dead soldiers, as well as the inscription: "It is to soldiers who performed their sacred duty. 1952-1989 with courage, fortitude and honor"and "The heroic deed is forever in the hearts of your sons, Russia. 1994-2003".

Obelisk "The Escape from the Hell". On the east side of the museum there is a monument dedicated to the heroic escape from a concentration camp a group of Soviet prisoners headed by native of Mordovia M.P. Devyataev:

On the west side of Victory Square the Chapel in the name of St. Alexander Nevsky was built in 2000. The building of the chapel (the project of Babakov) is octangle, with a diameter 4.5 meters, high 6 meters. It was decorated with white and red bricks. The total height of the chapel with the cross is 20 meters:

Interesting fact: a three-floored building behind the Memorial Military Museum was a prison. It was built in the XIX century. This building was surrounded by a high wall. The famous Russian writer P.N. Gorsky was prisoner in 1860 here. Now the city administration is located in this building.

  

THE FOXES OF SARANSK

The fox is a symbol of our city. You can find a fox on the coat of arms and the flag of Saransk. Why is this furry animal? Because a fox and arrows symbolizes hunting, because it was the main occupation of our ancestors. Many foxes live in forests of Mordovia. For the modern city and its inhabitants fox has become a symbol of the mind, wealth and enterprise. You can find different foxes in our city. This monument is located near the Park of Culture and Rest:

Location on map: https://www.google.ru/maps/place/Парк+им.А.С.Пушкина

This monument you will see on Lenin Avenue (location on map: https://www.google.ru/maps/place/Гимназия+№+12):

This fox on the bridge you can find near Erzya Fine Arts Museum:

On the wall of buildings:

On the coat of arms of Republic:

In the end you will find fox as keepsake of Saransk.