Built on remnants of an earlier settlement, Nizhny Novgorod’s magnificent kremlin dates to 1500–15 when Italian architect Pyotr Fryazin began work on its 13 towers and 12m-high walls. Most of the buildings are government offices, though the city's two most important museums are here as well as the 17th-century Cathedral of the Archangel Michael and a striking Monument to Heroes of WWII. You can walk the walls from May to November and take in riverside views.
© Maks Ershov/Shutterstock
Kremlin
Top choice in Nizhny Novgorod
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
Memorial Apartment of Andrei Sakharov
6.97 MILES
The nondescript flat where dissident scientist Andrei Sakharov, father of Russia's hydrogen bomb, spent seven years in exile after protesting the 1979…
0.52 MILES
This exhibition space is located inside a 19th-century mansion once belonging to the Rukavishnikov merchant family. You can wander through the rooms on…
1.44 MILES
Connecting Nizhny Novgorod with the unattractive settlement of Bor across the Volga, this cable car offers a spectacular 13-minute ride. In winter there…
Arsenal/National Centre of Contemporary Art
0.11 MILES
Situated in the former kremlin arsenal, on the right after you enter the main gate, this top-ranking national gallery has changing exhibitions of…
Nizhegorodsky State Art Museum
0.17 MILES
The former governor’s house inside the kremlin houses the Russian collection of the vast Nizhegorodsky State Art Museum. Exhibits range from 14th-century…
Western European Art Collection
0.39 MILES
The Nizhegorodsky State Art Museum's collection of Western European art is exhibited a short walk from the kremlin along Verkhne-Volzhskaya nab, an…
1.83 MILES
This 17th-century monastery, overlooking the Volga, is perfect for a tranquil stroll in small but picturesque grounds. It's located about 500m east of the…
0.13 MILES
Squat Dmitry Tower, topped in green, is the main entrance to the kremlin and is visible for the length of pedestrianised Bolshaya Pokrovskaya ul. The…
Nearby Nizhny Novgorod attractions
1. Arsenal/National Centre of Contemporary Art
0.11 MILES
Situated in the former kremlin arsenal, on the right after you enter the main gate, this top-ranking national gallery has changing exhibitions of…
2. Cathedral of the Archangel Michael
0.12 MILES
This small church within the kremlin walls is the oldest surviving building inside the complex. It dates from the middle of the 16th century and it was…
0.13 MILES
Squat Dmitry Tower, topped in green, is the main entrance to the kremlin and is visible for the length of pedestrianised Bolshaya Pokrovskaya ul. The…
0.14 MILES
On the river side of the kremlin is a large monument and eternal flame dedicated to the fallen soldiers of WWII.
5. Nizhegorodsky State Art Museum
0.17 MILES
The former governor’s house inside the kremlin houses the Russian collection of the vast Nizhegorodsky State Art Museum. Exhibits range from 14th-century…
6. Pilot Valery Chkalov Monument
0.3 MILES
This stirring monument and photo-op overlooks the Volga near the kremlin. It honours the memory of Soviet test pilot Valery Chkalov, who made historic…
7. Western European Art Collection
0.39 MILES
The Nizhegorodsky State Art Museum's collection of Western European art is exhibited a short walk from the kremlin along Verkhne-Volzhskaya nab, an…
0.52 MILES
This exhibition space is located inside a 19th-century mansion once belonging to the Rukavishnikov merchant family. You can wander through the rooms on…