And on the way to it, it has been serving for centuries and centuries as a water transport route, a good place for settling people, for trade. So it was in those days when the concept of "tourism" was not even in sight. And nowadays the Volga is also a blessed tourist route. What cities are on the Volga? There are 68 of them in total. A large number. And this is only the so-called Big Volga! And how many cities are still in the Volga region?

There are countless rivers, streams and streams that flow into the main river. Cities that stand on the Volga appeared gradually, but the largest settlements are also the most ancient. So, Kazan and Yaroslavl celebrated their millennial anniversaries, a little younger than Kostroma - the younger sister of Moscow ("dad" they have in common - Yuri Dolgoruky), founded in 1152. Tver, Nizhny Novgorod are quite respectable, and Astrakhan, Cheboksary, Saratov, Samara, Volgograd are a little younger. And that's just big cities, regional or republican centers!

And what other cities are on the Volga? Not so big, but with deep historical roots. Myshkin, Rybinsk, Uglich, Kineshma, Ples, Rzhev - it is impossible to simply list all 68 cities and not offend those that are not named. Some of them are included in the famous tourist route " Golden ring", for example, Yaroslavl, Kostroma, Ples, Uglich. But other cities along the banks of the Volga deserve close attention.

So, answering the question: "What cities are on the Volga?" - the tourist is trying to solve his problem of choice. And the choice is really huge. Rest on the Volga includes, for example, staying in all kinds of sanatoriums, rest houses, tourist bases, of which there are more than 400 tour operators in total! Moreover, in the cities and towns of the Upper Volga there are both places for rest and relaxation, as well as sanatoriums, which also focus on the general improvement of vacationers. Fishing here is specific, for an amateur. The Middle Volga specializes in sanatorium treatment and recreation. But the Lower Volga provides tourists with fishing, which attracts lovers from different parts of the country and from abroad. It cannot be found equal in all of Central Russia.

And, of course, the Volga itself is at the disposal of tourists throughout the entire shipping period, since a developed branch of the tourism business is river cruises. You can find a variety of routes in terms of length and price range. There are short cruises, literally for a few days, and there are long and very expensive ones, but covering almost all the famous Volga cities. For example, a cruise from Moscow to Astrakhan and back. Curiously, most ships bear the names of Russian writers and artists.

Thanks to the system of canals and locks, some cruises combine a trip along the Upper Volga with sailing to Valaam and St. Petersburg. Which cities are on the Volga, you can see with your own eyes not only from the ship, but also during the excursions that are full of stay in each city. And each is interesting and beautiful in its own way.

Posted Sun, 15/01/2017 - 08:41 by Cap

Volga. It is difficult to find another such toponym that would be so strongly associated with Russia. Russian megacities and small cozy towns have found a place for themselves on the banks of this amazing river. Nizhny Novgorod, Kazan, Samara, Astrakhan, Volgograd - these are the main places you can visit during a cruise on the Volga.

Hundreds of large and small towns are combined along the banks of the Volga into one region - the Volga region. The Volga region today has every chance of becoming iconic place on tourist map Russia. Even now, a cruise on the Volga is an exceptionally popular tourist service for those wishing to admire the beauties of the Volga.

A mixture of cultures, peoples, religions and different traditions! The beautiful Kremlin, churches and monasteries interspersed with mosques and minarets. The old corners of this ancient city are preserved.

The city attracts many visitors and tourists.

The Kazan Kremlin is one of the objects world heritage UNESCO.

The city has a registered brand "the third capital of Russia". Unofficially and semi-officially, it is called the "capital of Russian federalism" and "the capital of all the Tatars of the world."

In 2005, the millennium of Kazan was celebrated.

The length of the city from north to south is 29 km, from west to east - 31 km. The city in the western, central and southwestern parts overlooks the Volga River for about 15 km. In Kazan, there is one bridge across the Volga - at the extreme western border of the city.

The Kazanka River flows from northeast to west through the middle of the city and divides Kazan into two parts comparable in territory - the historical one to the south of the river and the newer beyond the river to the north. The two parts of the city are connected by five dams and bridges, as well as a subway line.

The relief of the city is flat and hilly.

In the central part of the city there are low-lying plains Zabulache, Predkabanye, Zakabanye, the elevated plain Arskoye Pole and separate hills stand out - the Kremlin (Kremlin-Universitetsky), Marusovsky, Fedoseevsky, First and Second Mountains, Ametyevo, Novo-Tatarskaya Sloboda, etc. In the direction of southeast and east, the territory of the city as a whole gradually rises, and large residential areas of Gorki, Azino, as well as Nagorny, Derbyshki are located at isoheights of 20-40 meters and higher than part of the historical center, southwestern regions and Zarechye. Zilantova Gora stands out in the District, as well as hills of settlements in the north of the city. IN different places there are ravines and similar local elongated depressions of the terrain.

The territory of the city is characterized by a very significant proportion of water surfaces. A strip of a part of the Volga water area more than 2 km wide (along the western border of the city), as well as a predominantly shallow end and a new mouth of the Kazanka River about 1.5 km wide (completely inside the city) were formed when the Kuibyshev reservoir appeared in the middle of the 20th century instead of many times more narrow natural widths of rivers.

Kazan is one of the largest cultural centers of Russia, preserving the classical achievements, and also contributing to the development of modern, avant-garde trends in many areas of culture. The capital of Tatarstan is traditionally called "multicultural", meaning the mutually beneficial enrichment of the peacefully coexisting Russian and Tatar cultures. With the support of UNESCO, the world's first Institute for the Culture of Peace was established in Kazan.

SHAMIL'S HOUSE - GABDULLA TUKAY MUSEUM

Kazan annually hosts international festivals of Shalyapinsky’s opera, Nurievsky’s ballet, Rachmaninovsky’s classical music, Kazan Autumn open air opera, Concordia contemporary music, Creation of the World folk and rock music, literary Aksyonov Fest, and Muslim cinema. "Golden Minbar" (since 2010 - Kazan International Muslim Film Festival), role-playing games "Zilantcon", numerous festivals and competitions at the federal and republican level. The only Kazan film studio in the Volga region operates in the city.

Starting from the 9th century, there was a gradual peaceful colonial movement of the Slavs along the upper Volga to the lands inhabited by the Finno-Ugric peoples. By the end of the 11th century, Rus' owned the entire upper Volga almost to the mouth of the Oka. The borders of the Volga Bulgaria began a little lower, and the right bank of the Volga up to the mouth of the Sura was inhabited by the Erzya. At the same time, Gorodets was the “last” Slavic city on the Volga until 1221.

In 1221, Prince Georgy Vsevolodovich, at the confluence of the Volga and Oka, founded a stronghold for the defense of the borders of the Vladimir principality from the Moksha, Erzi, Mari and Volga Bulgars called Novgorod of the Nizovsky land (the Novgorodians called the Vladimir principality the Nizovsky land) - later this name was transformed into Nizhny Novgorod , and remained in the imperial title until 1917.

NIZHNY NOVGOROD KREMLIN - MILITARY EXHIBITION

There are more than 600 unique historical, architectural and cultural monuments in the city. The main one is the Nizhny Novgorod Kremlin. Until 2010, Nizhny Novgorod had the status of a historical settlement, however, by Order of the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation dated July 29, 2010 N 418/339, the city was deprived of this status.

In total, there are about two hundred cultural institutions of regional and municipal significance in Nizhny Novgorod. Among these institutions are 13 theaters, 5 concert halls, 97 libraries, 17 cinemas, 25 children's clubs, 8 museums, the digital Nizhny Novgorod Planetarium, 8 enterprises that ensure the functioning of parks.

There are three academic theaters in Nizhny Novgorod (drama, opera and ballet named after A. S. Pushkin and a puppet theater), theaters of comedy, a young spectator, etc.

There are 3 regional and 92 public municipal libraries in Nizhny Novgorod. There are also libraries at organizations, educational institutions and enterprises of the city.

NIZHNY NOVGOROD KREMLIN - VIEW FROM THE VOLGA

One of the largest is the Nizhny Novgorod State Regional Universal Scientific Library. V. I. Lenin, opened in 1861. A legal information center has been established on its basis.

On the territory of the city there is a museum of A. M. Gorky, which includes the Literary Museum; the scene of the autobiographical story "Childhood" Kashirin's House; a museum-apartment in which work was carried out on several works of the writer. The city also houses the only museum in Russia of N. A. Dobrolyubov in the former apartment building of the Dobrolyubov family, as well as a house-museum in the wing of the Dobrolyubov estate, where the critic spent his childhood and youth; Museum of A. S. Pushkin; museum-apartment of A. D. Sakharov, Russian Museum of Photography.

A rare cruise along the Volga is not complete without a visit to the South Russian river port in Astrakhan. Astrakhan is a famous city in the south of Russia, one of the largest and interesting places on the Volga.

Astrakhan is a city in Russia, the administrative center of the Astrakhan region, 1500 km southeast of Moscow. The city is located on 11 islands of the Caspian lowland, in the upper part of the Volga delta.

There are about 38 bridges in the city. The main part of the city is located on the left bank of the Volga, about 20% of the city's inhabitants live on the right bank.

Both parts of the city are connected by two bridges across the Volga.

The total area of ​​the city is about 500 km². The length of the city along the Volga is 45 km. On two coasts it is over 45 km. The city is divided into 4 administrative districts; in the future, due to the large area of ​​its districts, comparable to the Moscow districts, it is planned to be divided into 7 administrative districts. Astrakhan is assigned to the same time zone as Moscow, although local real time is ahead of Moscow by 42 minutes. The flight time to Moscow is a little over 2 hours, up to 7 flights fly daily, the train to Moscow takes from 27.5 hours (No. 85/86 Makhachkala-Moscow) and more (including fast branded train No. as well as transit trains to Baku.

Up to 5 trains leave Moscow for Astrakhan daily. By bus from Astrakhan to Moscow can be reached in about 24 hours. Traveling along the Volga by boat takes 8 days to Moscow (with stops in the cities). Astrakhan has 21 large and small ports, 15 shipbuilding and ship repair yards.

the building of the former Azov-Don Bank, and now the building of the State Bank of Russia for the Astrakhan Region, 1910, architect Fyodor Ivanovich Lidval

Gubin's mansion, late 19th century;

the hipped tower of the fence of the Transfiguration Monastery (beginning of the 18th century) with inserts of polychrome tiles;

Demidov Compound (XVII-XVIII centuries); Church of St. John Chrysostom (1763; “octagon on a quadrangle” with rich sculptural decoration; rebuilt in the 19th century);

cathedral of st. Vladimir, 1895-1904 (in Soviet times, the building housed a bus station, in 1999 the temple was transferred to the Orthodox Church);

house of the Astrakhan Cossack army, 1906 (architect V. B. Valkovsky); cinema "October" with a unique winter garden-arboretum;

Indian trading compound; wooden houses in the "Russian" or "Ropetov" style;

Regional Scientific Library named after N. K. Krupskaya;

Swan Lake in the city center;

White Mosque; Black Mosque; Red Mosque; Persian mosque;

Monument to the Turkmen poet Magtymguly Fragi Monument to Kurmangazy

Illuminated tower of the Astrakhan television center

On the right bank of the Volga between Kostroma and Kineshma nestled small town- Ples. He knew the days of the highest rise of his fame - and experienced the streaks of complete oblivion.
Plyos was known not only here, but also in the West. It was the time (80-90s) when Plyos accidentally entered the history of art and became, as it were, the spokesman for the sentiments of a part of the Russian intelligentsia. This, however, will be discussed in more detail below.
Plyos, first of all, is beautiful. The beauty of Plyos is special, original and multifaceted. The stretch is beautiful as a whole, like an amazing panorama, beautiful in every detail, in every bend, in every nook and cranny. Walking through the hills of the city, you come across new and new effects that amaze and enchant you.

Almost four and a half centuries ago, the son of Ivan the Terrible, Tsar Fedor Ioannovich, decided to protect himself from foreign surprises of a military format and began to build up the Volga with fortress cities. This is how Samara and Tsaritsyn (Volgograd) appeared. And in 1590 between these two cities, Saratov was erected by the princely hand of Grigory Zasekin.

This city received many harsh lessons - it burned down several times, it was rebuilt, it was ruined by Pugachev, it was plundered by Kalmyks and Kubans ... It was tested by the diabolical power of Russian history, which was rarely merciful to its latitudes.

But the times of aggression and chaos died down. Legality was strengthened, the city began to rebuild. Schools, hospitals, printing houses, theatres, cathedrals, offices - Saratov was filled with its infrastructure, philosophy, great geniuses. The merchant center of the Volga region developed rapidly, carving many victories on massive plates of personal biography. And now the emotional outcry in Griboedov's play has ceased to have any basis.
in which the thirst for activity boils like hot lead. Here is one of the best universities in the country, offering an innovative education, and at the same time, carefully preserving its research heritage. In total, there are more than a dozen higher educational institutions in the city.

The streets of the central part of the city enthusiastically present all the diversity architectural styles and forms of old Russia. From 17th century cathedrals to neo-Gothic and Art Nouveau. From the Stalinist baroque to the configurations of modern fantasies. Behind the windows of each house are hidden mystical stories about time and fate, which so often change the real course of things.

Museum spheres absorb real masterpieces of art. There is always a chance to admire the finest work of French masters on Sèvres porcelain of the 18th century. The best collection of paintings and drawings in the country by A.P. Bogolyubova has long attracted lovers of fine art. As well as the works of world-famous masters: V.E. Borisov-Musatov, P.N. Kuznetsova, K.S. Petrov-Vodkin.

You can talk about the natural beauty of the Saratov region for a very long time. But only by feeling its invisible atmosphere of peace, you can fully indulge in spiritual rest. Saratov.

Upper Volga (from the source to the mouth of the Oka) - Tver, Moscow, Yaroslavl, Kostroma, Ivanovo and Nizhny Novgorod regions;

Middle Volga (from the right tributary of the Sura to the southern edge of the Samara Luka) - Chuvashia, Mari El, Tatarstan, Ulyanovsk and Samara regions;

The Lower Volga (from the confluence of the Kama [officially, but not hydrologically] to the Caspian Sea) - the Republic of Tatarstan, Ulyanovsk, Samara, Saratov, Volgograd regions, the Republic of Kalmykia and the Astrakhan region.

After the construction of the Kuibyshev reservoir, the boundary between the middle and lower Volga is usually considered to be the Zhigulevskaya HPP upstream of Samara.

Attractions

Almost all regional and capital cities located on the Volga are major centers of educational tourism: Kostroma with the magnificent Ipatiev Monastery; rapidly developing Nizhny Novgorod with a complex of buildings of the medieval Kremlin, with a unique monument to Valery Chkalov and a permanent exhibition of Russian weapons produced during the war years; the capital of Chuvashia, Cheboksary, where everyone will be shown a monument and a house-museum to the legendary V. I. Chapaev; ancient Kazan, the capital of now sovereign Tataria; the birthplace of the organizer-inspirer of the October Revolution, V. I. Lenin, is the city of Ulyanovsk, where the largest memorial and museum complex still operates.

Tourists will also remember the magnificent embankments of Samara, the longest pedestrian street in Russia in Saratov, and the well-preserved Astrakhan Kremlin. It is impossible to walk past the majestic monument to the Motherland on Sapun Gora in the hero city of Volgograd without heart trepidation.

There are many places in the Volga region associated with the names of I. A. Goncharov, N. G. Chernyshevsky, A. M. Gorky, I. I. Shishkin, A. D. Sakharov and other prominent people of the Russian state.

Geographic Information

Volga basin

The Volga originates on the Valdai Upland (at an altitude of 228 m), flows into the Caspian Sea. The mouth lies 28 m below sea level. The total fall is 256 m. The Volga is the world's largest river of internal flow, that is, it does not flow into the oceans.

The river system of the Volga basin includes 151 thousand watercourses with a total length of 574 thousand km. The Volga receives about 200 tributaries. The left tributaries are more numerous and more abundant than the right ones. There are no significant tributaries after Kamyshin.

The Volga basin occupies about 1/3 of the European territory of Russia and extends from the Valdai and Central Russian Uplands in the west to the Urals in the east. The main, feeding part of the Volga drainage area, from the source to the cities of Nizhny Novgorod and Kazan, is located in the forest zone, the middle part of the basin to the cities of Samara and Saratov is in the forest-steppe zone, the lower part is in the steppe zone to Volgograd, and to the south - in the semi-desert zone . It is customary to divide the Volga into 3 parts: the upper Volga - from the source to the mouth of the Oka, the middle Volga - from the confluence of the Oka to the mouth of the Kama, and the lower Volga - from the confluence of the Kama to the mouth.

The source of the Volga is the key near the village of Volgoverkhovye in the Tver region. In the upper reaches, within the Valdai Upland, the Volga passes through small lakes - Small and Big Verkhity, then through a system of large lakes known as the Upper Volga lakes: Sterzh, Vselug, Peno and Volgo, united in the so-called Upper Volga reservoir.

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Team Nomads.

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The Volga occupies the first position among the longest Russian rivers and the 16th position among the longest rivers of our planet. The big river takes its headwaters on the Valdai Elevation and flows into the Caspian Sea. It feeds on snow, ground directions and storm flows. In modern times, more than 40% of industrial production and more than 50% of agricultural production of the Russian Federation are concentrated in it. The Volga is characterized by a calm current. The banks of the river serve as a wonderful place for recreation, and more than 70 species of fish live in the water. Many of these fish widows are commercial.

Length of the Volga River

The length of the largest river is more than 3500 km, and before the construction of reservoirs on it, it was more than 3600 km. The water artery of Russia passes through many regions of the country. Tver, Moscow, Yaroslavl, Kostroma, Ivanovo, Nizhny Novgorod, Samara, Saratov, Volgograd, Astrakhan regions, as well as the republics of Chuvashia, Mari El, Tatarstan, are located on the banks of the water element. The upper course flows from the western part to the east, and the lower course from the northern part to the south. Ends in the Caspian Sea.

Source of the Volga River

(The source of the Volga on the Volgoverkhovye)

The powerful water element takes its origins from a small stream of groundwater, namely in the village of Volgoverkhovye. The village is located at the height of a mountain hill, more than 200 meters above sea level. Many tourists are attracted by a small chapel, which is built on the site where the river originates. Travelers love to share their impressions and tell that they stepped over such a mighty river.

(Here is such a small but fast stream becomes a wide river with a great history)

Gradually, a small stream gains its strength due to more than 100,000 tributaries, consisting of large and small rivers. Overcoming kilometers, the Volga transforms into a huge river.

Mouth of the Volga River

(The mouth of the Volga in the Astrakhan region is divided by many branches)

In the city of Astrakhan, the mouth of the Volga is formed, which is divided by many branches, among which the largest are Bakhtemir, Bolda, Buzan. Southern City on 11 islands in the upper coastal part of the river. A unique reserve was built at the confluence of the Volga. Rare species of flora and fauna are under state protection. The Astrakhan Nature Reserve attracts many travelers and impresses its guests with picturesque places.

Tributaries of the Volga River

(The magnificent confluence of the Oka with the Volga)

The Volga can be conditionally divided into three sections. The upper section originates at the source of the Volga and stretches to the end of the Oka. The middle part starts from the mouth of the Oka and ends at the mouth of the Kama. The lower section starts from the mouth of the Kama and ends at the mouth of the Volga. The upper course has large streams, such as Darkness, Unzha and Mologa. The middle course includes Sura, Vetluga and Sviyaga. The lower course consists of Samara, Yeruslan and Sok. The total number of tributaries is more than 500, as well as multiple channels and small rivers.

(The confluence of the Kama River into the Volga forms the magnificent Kama mouth, Mount Lobach)

There is an opinion among some scientists that the Kama River was the main river, and the Volga served as its tributary. Many studies show that the life of the Kama exceeds the Volga by several million years. In 1983, the Cheboksary reservoir was launched, and the Volga turned into many flowing lakes. And the Kama continues to feed on the tributaries of small rivers.

Cities of Russia on the Volga River

(Volga along the city of Yaroslavl)

On the banks of the Volga there are some powerful cities of Russia: Nizhny Novgorod, Kazan, Samara and Volgograd. Administrative centers are economic, cultural, sports, industrial centers For Russian Federation. Also important are the large cities on the river: Astrakhan, Saratov, Kharabali, Kineshma and many others. Along the way of the river there are many settlements. Railway and automobile routes have been created, so not a single tourist has problems with the question of how to get to the mighty Volga. More than 1,400 marinas and industrial ports are located on its banks.

Citizens and rural population use the Volga for a variety of purposes. The main function of the river is its economic role. The river transports industrial materials, foodstuffs and other necessary goods that improve people's livelihoods. The Volga is also the main source of water supply for the urban and rural population. It also serves as a favorite place for active rest, tourism and fishing thanks to fairly clean water and the colorful nature that surrounds its shores.

The Volga River in folk culture

The favorite symbol of Russia is the mighty mother - the Volga River. She inspired and inspires hundreds of poets, singers and artists to create real masterpieces. It was about this river that songs and poems were composed for centuries, which completely glorified and continue to glorify it. The Volga is also vividly depicted in the paintings of world artists. The Volozhskaya theme is regularly interpreted in a rich creative range and genre diversity. Hundreds of works by many nameless creators have survived to this day, depicting a variety of fragments of the great Volga River.

Instruction

Tver, which in Soviet times was called Kalinin, is located at the confluence of the Tvertsa and Tmaka rivers into the Volga and is the administrative center of the Tver region. The city was founded in 1135, the population is 403,726 people.

Yaroslavl is the administrative center of the Yaroslavl region. The population of the city is 591,374 people. Yaroslavl is ancient city on the Volga, in 2010.

Kostroma is the administrative center of the Kostroma region. The official date of foundation of the city is 1152. 269,711 people live in Kostroma.

Nizhny Novgorod is located at the confluence of the Volga and Oka rivers. It is the administrative center of the Nizhny Novgorod region, it is 1,271,045 people. The city was founded in 1221, when the Novgorod fortress of the Nizovsky land was founded.

Kazan is located on the Volga at the place where the Kazanka River flows into it. This city is the capital of the Republic of Tatarstan, often called the "third capital of Russia". The population of Kazan is 1,136,566 people. The exact city is unknown, but in 2005 Kazan celebrated its millennium.

Togliatti is the second in the Samara region and the first among the cities of the Russian Federation that are not the administrative centers of regions or republics. The city was founded in 1737 and currently has a population of 721,600.

Samara was built between the mouths of the Sok and Samara rivers, at their confluence with the Volga. Samara is the administrative center of the Samara region. Its population is 1,133,754 people. During the Soviet period, the city was called Kuibyshev. The first mention in this place dates back to 1361.

Syzran is located in the Samara region on the Saratov reservoir. The founding of the city is attributed to Prince Grigory Kozlovsky and dates back to 1683.

Saratov is located on the right bank of the Volgograd reservoir, is the administrative center of the Saratov region. The year of foundation of Saratov is 1590, a guard fortress was erected on this site. Currently, 837,400 people live in Saratov.

Volgograd from 1589 to 1925 was called Tsaritsyn, and after until 1961 Stalingrad. This city is the administrative center of the Volgograd region. The population of this city is 1,021,200 people.

Astrakhan is the last regional center along the Volga. In the 8th-10th centuries, on the site of Astrakhan was the city of Itil, which is the capital of the Khazar Khaganate. 520,700 people live in Astrakhan.

note

Cities are listed in order from source to mouth.

Sources:

• Federal State Statistics Service
• cities that stand on the Volga River

Volga- the largest in Europe. It begins on the Valdai Upland and flows into the Caspian Sea, forming a delta with an area of ​​19 thousand square kilometers. The length of the Volga is 3530 kilometers.

The ancient name of the Volga is Ra. And in the Middle Ages it was called Itil, like the capital of the Khazar Khaganate, which lay by the river flowing into the Caspian Sea. Begins Volga in the Tver region on the Valdai Hills, at an altitude of 228 m (the mouth is located 28 m below sea level), and in the Caspian Sea in the Astrakhan region. flowing Volga from Tver to Astrakhan through Russia: Yaroslavl, Kazan, Samara, Saratov and Volgograd. It has about 200 tributaries, the most significant of which are the Kama and Oka. There are famous reserves in Wola: national park Samara Luka, Volzhsko-Kamsky, Zhigulevsky and Astrakhan. By the nature of the flow, the Volga is usually divided into the Upper (from the source at the village of Volga-Verkhovye to the city of Shcherbakov), the Middle - to the mouth of the Kama and the Lower - to the mouth in the Astrakhan region. On the largest river there is a cascade of hydroelectric power stations with reservoirs: Ivankovskaya, Uglichskaya, Rybinskaya, two Volzhsky, Saratovskaya. The Volga basin occupies one third of the European territory of Russia from the west to

The first mention of the Volga River dates back to ancient times, when it was called as "Ra". In later times, already in Arabic sources, the river was called Atel (Ethel, Itil), which means “great river” or “river of rivers”. That is how the Byzantine Theophanes and subsequent chroniclers called her in the annals.
The current name "Volga" has several versions of its origin. The version about the Baltic roots of the name seems to be the most probable. According to the Latvian valka, which means "overgrown river", the Volga got its name. This is how the river looks in its upper reaches, where the Balts lived in antiquity. According to another version, the name of the river comes from the word valkea (Finno-Ugric), which means "white" or from the Old Slavic "volog" (moisture).

Hydrography

Since ancient times, the Volga has not lost its grandeur at all. Today she is largest river Russia and ranks 16th in the world among the longest rivers. Before the construction of the cascade of reservoirs, the length of the river was 3690 km, today this figure has decreased to 3530 km. At the same time, navigable navigation is carried out for 3500 km. In navigation, the channel plays an important role. Moscow, which acts as a link between the capital and the great Russian river.
The Volga connects with the following seas:

• with the Azov and Black Seas through the Volga-Don Canal;
• with the Baltic Sea through the Volga-Baltic waterway;
• with the White Sea along the White Sea-Baltic Canal and the Severodvinsk river system.

The waters of the Volga originate in the region of the Valdai Upland - in the spring of the village of Volga-Verkhovye, which is located in the Tver region. The height of the source above sea level is 228 meters. Further, the river carries its waters through all of Central Russia to the Caspian Sea. The height of the fall of the river is small, because. the mouth of the river is only 28 meters below sea level. Thus, throughout its entire length, the river descends 256 meters, and its slope is 0.07%. The average speed of the river flow is relatively low - from 2 to 6 km/h (less than 1 m/s).
The Volga is fed mainly by melt water, which accounts for 60% of the annual runoff. 30% of the runoff comes from groundwater (which supports the river in winter) and only 10% brings rain (mainly in summer). Throughout its length, 200 tributaries flow into the Volga. But already at the latitude of Saratov, the water basin of the river narrows, after which the Volga flows from the city of Kamyshin to the Caspian Sea without support from other tributaries.
From April to June, the Volga is characterized by a high spring flood, which lasts an average of 72 days. The maximum level of water rise in the river is observed in the first half of May, when it spills over the floodplain territory for 10 or more kilometers. And in the lower reaches - in the Volga-Akhtuba floodplain, the width of the flood in places reaches 30 km.
Summer is characterized by a stable low-water period, which lasts from mid-June to early October. Rains in October bring with them an autumn flood, after which a period of low-water winter low water begins, when the Volga is fed only by groundwater.
It should also be noted that after the construction of a whole cascade of reservoirs and regulation of the flow, fluctuations in the water level became much less significant.
The Volga freezes in its upper and middle reaches, usually at the end of November. In the lower reaches, ice rises in early December.
Ice drift on the Volga in the upper reaches, as well as in the section from Astrakhan to Kamyshin, occurs in the first half of April. In the area near Astrakhan, the river usually breaks up in mid-March.
At Astrakhan, the river remains ice-free for almost 260 days a year, while in other sections this time is about 200 days. During the open water period, the river is actively used for ship navigation.
The main part of the river catchment falls on the forest zone, located from the very source to Nizhny Novgorod. The middle part of the river passes through the forest-steppe zone, and the lower part already flows through semi-deserts.

Volga Map

Different Volga: Upper, Middle and Lower

According to the classification adopted today, the Volga in its course is divided into three parts:

• The Upper Volga captures the section from the source to the confluence of the Oka (in the city of Nizhny Novgorod);
• The Middle Volga extends from the mouth of the Oka River to the confluence of the Kama;
• The Lower Volga starts from the mouth of the Kama River and reaches the Caspian Sea itself.

As for the Lower Volga, some adjustments should be made. After the construction of the Zhigulevskaya hydroelectric power station just above Samara and the construction of the Kuibyshev reservoir, today's border between the middle and lower sections of the river passes just at the level of the dam.

Upper Volga

In its upper course, the river made its way through the system of the Upper Volga lakes. Between Rybinsk and Tver, 3 reservoirs are of interest to fishermen: Rybinsk (the famous "fish"), Ivankovskoye (the so-called "Moscow Sea") and the Uglich reservoir. Even further downstream, bypassing Yaroslavl and as far as Kostroma, the riverbed passes through a narrow valley with high banks. Then, a little higher than Nizhny Novgorod, there is the dam of the Gorky hydroelectric power station, which forms the Gorky reservoir of the same name. The most significant contribution to the Upper Volga is made by such tributaries as: Unzha, Selizharovka, Mologa and Tvertsa.

Middle Volga

Behind Nizhny Novgorod Middle Volga begins. Here the width of the river increases by more than 2 times - the Volga becomes full-flowing, reaching a width of 600 m to 2+ km. Near the city of Cheboksary, after the construction of the Cheboksary hydroelectric power station of the same name, an extended reservoir was formed. The area of ​​the reservoir is 2190 square km. The largest tributaries of the Middle Volga are the rivers: Oka, Sviyaga, Vetluga and Sura.

Lower Volga

The Lower Volga begins immediately after the confluence of the Kama River. Here the river, indeed, can be called mighty in all respects. The Lower Volga carries its full-flowing streams along the Volga Upland. Near the city of Tolyatti on the Volga, the largest reservoir was built - Kuibyshevskoe, on which in 2011 there was a disaster with the notorious motor ship Bulgaria. The reservoir of the Volga hydroelectric power station named after Lenin is propped up. Even further downstream, near the city of Balakovo, the Saratov hydroelectric power station was built. The tributaries of the Lower Volga are no longer so full of water, these are the rivers: Samara, Eruslan, Sok, Big Irgiz.

Volga-Akhtuba floodplain

Below the city of Volzhsky, a left branch called Akhtuba separates from the great Russian river. After the construction of the Volga hydroelectric power station, the beginning of the Akhtuba was a 6 km canal extending from the root Volga. Today, the length of Akhtuba is 537 km, the river carries its waters to the northeast parallel to the mother channel, then approaching it, then moving away again. Together with the Volga, Akhtuba forms the famous Volga-Akhtuba floodplain - a real fishing eldorado. The floodplain territory is pierced by numerous channels, saturated with flood lakes and unusually rich in all kinds of fish. The width of the Volga-Akhtuba floodplain averages from 10 to 30 km.
Through the territory of the Astrakhan region, the Volga travels 550 km, carrying its waters along the Caspian lowland. At the 3038th kilometer of its journey, the Volga River splits into 3 branches: Bold Curve, City and Trusovsky. And in the section from 3039 to 3053 km, the city of Astrakhan is located along the branches of the City and Trusovsky.
Below Astrakhan, the river makes a turn to the southwest and splits into numerous branches that form a delta.

Volga Delta

The Volga delta first begins to form in a place where one of the branches called Buzan separates from the main channel. This place is located above Astrakhan. In general, the Volga delta has over 510 branches, small channels and eriks. The delta is located on a total area of ​​19 thousand square kilometers. In width, the distance between the western and eastern branches of the delta reaches 170 km. In the generally accepted classification, the Volga delta consists of three parts: upper, middle and lower. The zones of the upper and middle deltas consist of small islands separated by channels (eriks) 7 to 18 meters wide. The lower part of the Volga delta consists of very branched channel channels, which pass into the so-called. Caspian peals, famous for their lotus fields.
Due to the lowering of the level of the Caspian Sea over the past 130 years, the area of ​​the Volga delta is also growing. During this time, it has increased more than 9 times.
Today, the Volga delta is the largest in Europe, but is famous primarily for its rich fish stocks.
Note that vegetable animal world The delta is under protection - the Astrakhan Reserve is located here. Therefore, amateur fishing in these places is regulated and not allowed everywhere.

The economic role of the river in the life of the country

Since the 30s of the last century, electricity has been produced on the river with the help of hydroelectric power stations. Since then, 9 hydroelectric power plants with their reservoirs have been built on the Volga. On this moment the river basin sheltered approximately 45% of industry and half of all agriculture in Russia. More than 20% of all fish for the food industry of the Russian Federation is caught in the Volga basin.
The logging industry is developed in the Upper Volga basin, and grain crops are grown in the Middle and Lower Volga regions. Horticulture and horticulture are also developed along the middle and lower reaches of the river.
The Volga-Ural region is rich in natural gas and oil deposits. Near the city of Solikamsk there are deposits of potassium salts. The famous lake Baskunchak on the Lower Volga is famous not only for its healing mud, but also for its salt deposits.
Upstream ships carry oil products, coal, gravel materials, cement, metal, salt and food products. Downstream supplies timber, industrial raw materials, lumber and finished products.

Animal world

Tourism and fishing on the Volga

In the mid-90s of the last century, due to the economic decline in the country, water tourism on the Volga lost its popularity. The situation was normalized only at the beginning of this century. But the outdated material and technical base hinders the development of the tourism business. Motor ships that were built back in Soviet times (60-90 years of the last century) still sail along the Volga. There are quite a lot of water tourist routes along the Volga. From Moscow alone, motor ships run on more than 20 different routes.