The history of the Nizhny Novgorod Fair goes
back to the beginning of the XVI century. At that
time the international trade venues attracted
merchants from various lands. The Fair was
officially opened in 1523 in the town of Vasil
(now called Vasilsursk). In 1624 it was moved to
St.Makariy Monastery. In the XVIII century
foreign guests observed that the Makarievskaya
Fair could boast of greater abundance and
variety of goods than its famous European
counterparts, i.e. the Leipzig and Frankfurt ones.
However, the outrageous fire of 1816 razed all
Fair constructions to the ground. It was then
decided to transfer the Fair to the city of Nizhny
Novgorod, to the place commonly referred to as
the Strelka ("Pointer" - a piece of land actually
dividing the Volga and the Oka at the place of
their confluence.)
A whole constellation of talented Russian
masters- architects, engineers, painters-
participated in construction of the Fair. In 1817
eleven months after the fire devastated the
Makarievskaya Fair, about three thousand new
stalls, a church and even a temporary theatre
were built in Nizhny Novgorod in order to bring
it back to live. The total value of merchandise
amassed at the Fair amounted to 24 million
rubles. The trade was roaring, merchants struck
bargains actively. Rows of stalls were named by
the goods they sold. The Nizhny Novgorod Fair
became a presentation ground for many
engineering and industrial novelties. Thus, in
1820 one of the first paddle-wheel steamers
built on the Kama River was introduced here.
After the construction of a shipyard in Sormovo
in 1849 Nizhny Novgorod had become a center
of shipbuilding industry too; steamer companies
began to emerge here, and their number grew
steadily.
Caravans of tradesmen that went to this fair, are
the ones who carried Erik's fame (according to
Leroux), to the Shah who ordered he was taken
to his palace in Persia.
Probably Erik was in this fair on that time trying
to survive thanks to his magic arts and his
prodigious voice.
back to the beginning of the XVI century. At that
time the international trade venues attracted
merchants from various lands. The Fair was
officially opened in 1523 in the town of Vasil
(now called Vasilsursk). In 1624 it was moved to
St.Makariy Monastery. In the XVIII century
foreign guests observed that the Makarievskaya
Fair could boast of greater abundance and
variety of goods than its famous European
counterparts, i.e. the Leipzig and Frankfurt ones.
However, the outrageous fire of 1816 razed all
Fair constructions to the ground. It was then
decided to transfer the Fair to the city of Nizhny
Novgorod, to the place commonly referred to as
the Strelka ("Pointer" - a piece of land actually
dividing the Volga and the Oka at the place of
their confluence.)
A whole constellation of talented Russian
masters- architects, engineers, painters-
participated in construction of the Fair. In 1817
eleven months after the fire devastated the
Makarievskaya Fair, about three thousand new
stalls, a church and even a temporary theatre
were built in Nizhny Novgorod in order to bring
it back to live. The total value of merchandise
amassed at the Fair amounted to 24 million
rubles. The trade was roaring, merchants struck
bargains actively. Rows of stalls were named by
the goods they sold. The Nizhny Novgorod Fair
became a presentation ground for many
engineering and industrial novelties. Thus, in
1820 one of the first paddle-wheel steamers
built on the Kama River was introduced here.
After the construction of a shipyard in Sormovo
in 1849 Nizhny Novgorod had become a center
of shipbuilding industry too; steamer companies
began to emerge here, and their number grew
steadily.
Caravans of tradesmen that went to this fair, are
the ones who carried Erik's fame (according to
Leroux), to the Shah who ordered he was taken
to his palace in Persia.
Probably Erik was in this fair on that time trying
to survive thanks to his magic arts and his
prodigious voice.
