Ilyinskaya Sloboda in Nizhny Novgorod is a pleasant suburb filled with Old World charm. Situated atop Ilya Hill in Nizhny Novgorod’s historic region, the neighborhood is also known as Zapochainskaya for its location directly across the Pochainaya River.
Ilyinskaya Sloboda holds a rich collection of 16th-19th century monuments. On the bank of a large ravine is Assumption Church and Chamber of Merchant Afanasy Olisov, both of which were built around 1672. In a park nearby is Monument to Ivan Kulibin, a Nizhny Novgorod native who was an outstanding self-taught mechanic in the 18th and early 19th centuries.
Move beyond the center of Ilyinskaya Sloboda and you will reach the historic Church of the Myrrh-Bearing Women, filled with glorious frescoes. Be sure to cross the nearby bridge which spans a deep ravine, before which magnificent views open up. Stroll along Krutoy Lane to the 1895 Chernonebov Estate, which now houses a kindergarten. The most striking building along Ilyinskaya Street is the beautiful, green-domed Ascension Church.
Among the many classic homes which have survived in Ilyinskaya Sloboda, the oldest is House of the Merchant Chatygin, built at the end of the 17th century. The home is also referred to as House of Peter the Great, for the tsar stopped here in 1695 as he was marching out to war. Pushnikov’s Chambers is another landmark associated with Emperor Peter the Great, for according to legend he not only visited the mansion but also celebrated his 50th birthday here in 1722, just before setting off on the Persian Campaign.
Modern buildings and residential areas may have changed the face of Ilyinskaya Sloboda in Nizhny Novgorod over time, yet walk about this suburb and you can still sense a spirit of antiquity in this island of Russian classicism.
