The Millennium Square was built for the 1000th anniversary of the unity between the Mordovian people and the Russian state. A popular attraction here is the 'Mordovian Star' fountain, with its beloved 'barefoot zone'. On the square you can also find a big memorial stone displaying a map of Russian settlements 1,000 years ago. Get directions.
This church is located on the territory of the Republican Clinical Hospital, but it is free to enter for anyone. Unique in its design, this church is made entirely of wood in the form of an old-Russian house. Inside you can find quite beautiful church decoration, and a nice iconostasis. Get directions.
The location of this sculptural composition is symbolic, with the monument on the descent to the Central Park of Culture and Recreation, which was named after Alexander Pushkin and founded on the 100th anniversary of the poet's birth. The muse above his head, is about to crown Russia’s greatest poet with laurels. Get directions.
The Erzia Museum is dedicated to the work of Stepan Erzia, an outstanding 20th century sculptor. Here you can find over 15,000 exhibits (including the works of other Mordovian artists) in a collection consisting of modern Russian art, decorative and applied art. All expositions are equipped with bilingual information panels.
Please note that the museum (Ru) is closed on Mondays. Get directions.
The Monument to the Soldiers (Ru) is a colossal memorial that was established in 1970 to commemorate the Saransk townspeople who fell during WWII – their names are engraved on granite pylons in the back of the monument. The statue behind the eternal flame represents Mother Mordovia blessing a warrior. Get directions.
City Park is the biggest mall of Saransk, and locals' favorite for shopping. The mall is bright with a modern feel, offering a combination of international and local brands. In addition to the stores, the three-story mall offers cafés and fast-food places, as well as a cinema.
City Park is open every day! Check out the official website (Ru) to learn more. Get directions.
Sobornaya Square ('sobor' is Russian for cathedral) is the main square of Saransk, in front of the Ushakov Cathedral. It is a calm area, with flowers and some benches from which you can admire the magnificent cathedral. The square is also the place for youngsters to show their skateboard tricks. Get directions.
This cute monument to the family was established in 2008, which was the 'Year of the Family' in Russia. On the day of the wedding, the newlyweds usually visit this monument, sincerely believing that the sculpture will bring them luck. Get directions.
In the north of Proletarskiy Park you can find a small amusement park with a ferris wheel and large playgrounds, as well as an 'extreme sports' area with a rope park offering routes of various degrees of difficulty. The remainder of this huge park is green and quiet, with asphalted paths, and sandy footpaths leading you through a forest of amazingly tall pine trees. Get directions.
This church in honor of the Mother of God was consecrated on 21 July 2011. It is distinguished by its majesty and luxurious decorations. The facade is painted in a noble blue color, thereby symbolizing unity with the sky. The landscaped territory around the temple is paved with tiles and decorated with flowers.
Learn more about the Kazan Church on the official website (Ru). Get directions.
Glory Square is a green hillside on the borders of the Saranka River. The sloping park was laid out in 1979, and is an excellent place to have a rest, with some benches offering great views. On the eastern side of the park you can find monuments to famous natives of Mordovia, such as the poets Alexander Polezhaev and Nikolai Ogarev. Get directions.
The Central Market is the primary marketplace of Saransk, located inside a big market hall with a large number of stands selling all types of fresh food. Usual suspects are meat, seafood and vegetables, but also Mordovian specialties. Outside the market hall, babushkas give extra character to the market, selling lovely local flowers.
The Central Market is open every day! Get directions.
A memorial museum dedicated to WWII, with military relics, weapons and uniforms, and outside an exhibition of artillery and armoured vehicles. The roof of the building resembles the form of a national headdress, a Kokoshnik, whereas the orange black pattern refers to the Ribbon of St George.
The Museum of Military and the Labors of 1941-1945 (Ru) is free of charge and closed on Mondays. Get directions.
The Ushakov Cathedral is one of the largest churches in Russia and with 63 meters the tallest in the Volga region. It can accommodate up to 3,000 worshippers. There are 12 bells on four belfries, the largest of which weighing 6 tons. One of the main shrines of the cathedral is the ark with the relics of the holy righteous warrior Fyodor Ushakov (1745-1817), the admiral of the Russian Navy, canonized in August 2001. Get directions.
Pushkin Park is the favorite green space in Saransk centre. It offers not only greenery and rest, but also a small amusement fair for children, (summer) cafés and playgrounds. In addition, the south-eastern part of the park contains a small petting zoo.
Pushkin Park is open from 6h till 22h, every day. Get directions.
This typical Soviet building of the Mordovia University is the tallest in the city, with a height of 90 meters. On the 17th floor there is an observation deck, from where you can get a nice view over the city. Shifts go up every weekday at 13:30h, 14:30h and 15:30h. Please be prepared to show your ID upon entrance. A small fee is charged for visiting the observation deck. Get directions.
The Church of St John the Evangelist (Ru) appeared in Saransk as far back as in 1693, when it replaced its wooden predecessor. This church in honor of John the Evangelist is not only the oldest church in Saransk, but the oldest building in the entire Republic of Mordovia. Get directions.
According to the architect's idea, this great example of Soviet architecture should have been symbolizing a fluttering flag, finished by a red granite layer. The building was completed in 1987, but surprisingly enough with white limestone, for which it became known as the 'White House'. Nowadays the Republic’s House (Ru) serves as the residence of the head of the Mordovian Republic. Get directions.
The Museum of Mordovian Folk Culture (Ru) is located in a beautiful two-story house from the beginning of the 20th century, built during tsarist times. As a repository of items of Mordovian heritage and ancient folk traditions, the museum gives the visitor an idea of how people used to live in this region.
Please note that the museum (Ru) is closed on Mondays. Get directions.
This brick church in Russian-Byzantine style was built between 1897-1906, replacing a stone building from the 18th century. After being closed in 1937 following Soviet orders, the church has been used as a warehouse, department of culture and as a museum. In 1990 it was returned to the believers, and fortunately almost in its original state. Get directions.
This open-air market is dominated by typical food stands and bazaar-like passageways selling the cheapest clothes of Saransk. Looking carefully though, reveals that this place actually offers a large variety of products, with even carpets and spare parts.
The Ring Market is open every day! Get directions.
This mosque from 2011 received its name from one of the districts of Istanbul, Üsküdar. But not only the name connects the mosque with Turkey. Much of the interior and decoration was brought straight from there: wardrobes, mimbar, mihrab, carpets and kursi. Get directions.
The Green Wood is a large forest-like park with asphalted paths for cycling, and sandy paths for walking and exploring the wooded area. In the south-east of the park, there is a SKI-BIATHLON complex with sports and walking trails, perfect for some exercise in winter. You can rent skis, sledges and even snowmobiles on the spot – check out their official website (Ru) to learn more. Get directions.
The Mordovia State Drama Theatre (Ru) was opened in 1989. The theatre building itself is an adornment and heritage of the city, finished with lilac and dark red brick, mirror glass, and Mordovian ornaments. The plays here are not only in Russian, but also in the original local language. Get directions.
This central place in Saransk originally belonged to the City Society, which consisted of the City Duma, the Orphan Court and the public bank. By the middle of the 19th century, the original building made of wood had fallen into decay and needed to be replaced. It was eventually this elegant building that appeared here in 1915. Nowadays it is home to the City’s Deputies. Get directions.
This church in the name of St Cyril and Methodius was built in 2015. The bells were cast by masters of Kamensk-Uralsky, according to traditional Russian technology. Inside, the church is richly decorated with gold, and the beautiful iconostasis is considered to be the biggest in the Volga region. Outside the church there is also a monument devoted to the Saints Cyril and Methodius. Get directions.
The Theatre of the Republic of Mordovia (Ru) was founded in 1932, under the assistance of the Moscow Academic Maly Theatre. The theatre offers performances based on Russian and foreign classics of literature, as well as plays for children. In front of the theatre building there is a beautiful fountain in the form of an opening bud. Get directions.
Over the years the Local History Museum (Ru) has become a unique repository of artefacts related to the region, and its culture. In 2017, the museum moved into this big building on the bank of the Saranka River.
Please note that the museum is closed on Mondays. Have a look at the official website (Ru) for further visitor info. Get directions.
A typical Soviet street, which can be considered the main street of Saransk. It cuts the city into a modern part in the north, and a more historical southern part. The extremely wide street with the perfectly planned architecture on both sides, might well give the visitor a true Soviet feel. The name of the street fits perfectly, Communist Street. Get directions.
The State Assembly of Mordovia is an outstanding piece of Soviet architecture which appeared here in 1939. It was originally built to house the regional committee of the All-Union Communist Party (the Bolsheviks). The building, which retained its original looks, currently houses the State Assembly. Get directions.
This church formed the ‘winter church’, originally called Nikolayevskaya, of the Assumption complex founded in the Saransk of 1802. Until the Soviet times, the complex also contained a ‘summer church’, the Church of the Assumption, and a bell tower – both were demolished in 1934-1935. The Nikolayevskaya Church has fortunately survived the turbulent times, and was renamed as Church of the Assumption in 1993. Get directions.
This eco park aside the Insar River offers tall trees and plenty of shade. It was recently created, so it might still be searching for its soul. The place is nice for a rest on one of the (simple) benches by the riverside, or for roller-skating on the newly asphalted pathways. Get directions.
Rio is a popular shopping center offering a broad range of products. Though the mall is very basic, it offers about everything you may need on a day-to-day basis. The mall includes a supermarket and an entertainment zone with a cinema.
Rio Mall is open every day! Have a look at the official website (Ru) for more info about the stores. Get directions.
The bowl-shaped Mordovia Arena is situated in the floodplain of the Insar River. The stadium was completed early 2018, offering seats for around 44,000 spectators. After having served as one of the venues of the 2018 FIFA World Cup, the arena became the home ground of FC Mordovia Saransk. Get directions.
The Botanical Garden of Saransk contains a vast collection of plants from the local flora, as well as from various regions around the globe. More than 1,700 species can be found here!
From May till October the garden can be visited on weekdays, from 9h till 16h. Please note that the entrance is from Molodezhnaya Street – get directions.
The State Musical Theatre offers operettas, operas, ballet and musical performances, and regularly hosts festivals and performances with famous actors on the big stage. The theatre is not only a place to hear world-known pieces of classical music, but it also offers the opportunity to listen to the works of national composers from the Mordovian Republic.
Check out the official website to learn more about the current performances. Get directions.
The Makarovka Monastery is a calm and green place, which can be visited for free. The very first piece of this complex was the temple of Archangel Michael, built in 1702. A couple of years later, the stunning St John the Evangelist Cathedral was built, protected by fence towers, and enriched with a 36-meters bell tower above the gate. Get directions.
Ogarev Plaza is a basic shopping center with local stores. Besides some cosmetics and electronics stores, you will find mostly clothes boutiques here. At the top floor, there's a small food court, with primarily fast-food.
Ogarev Plaza is open every day! Visit the official website (Ru) for more shopping info. Get directions.
This monument is a genuine MIG-17 plane. It was installed here, to commemorate the combat feats of brave aviators from the Mordovian region, defending their homeland against the Nazis during the Second World War. Get directions.
The tiny little Theatre Square is great for having a rest on one of the nice benches around the 'Stone Flower' fountain. The square was laid out in the 1960s, together with the construction of the State Russian Drama Theatre of the Republic of Mordovia. Get directions.
The Universal Hall is a covered multipurpose sports arena, built for major international competitions of volleyball, handball, basketball, mini-football, rhythmic gymnastics and boxing. This eye-catcher in the heart of Saransk, can accommodate up to 8,000 people. Get directions.
The Stratonaut Monument (Ru) is related to a Soviet mission in 1934, during which stratonauts raised into the stratosphere to an altitude of 22 km. Due to an accident on the way back to Earth, the participants didn’t survive their mission. The accident happened on the territory of Mordovia, so it was here that they decided to pay a tribute to these brave men. Get directions.
The People's Friendship Square was formed in honor of the centuries-old friendship of the Russian people with the Mordovian people. On the hill in the centre of the square, there is a monument that symbolizes the unification of peoples. It is called 'Forever with Russia'. Get directions.