From the settlement in the Upper Volga region of the Finno-Ugric tribe Merja. The Merja named their “homeland” Kineshma, which means “dark deep water” or “quiet convenient harbor.” The first written mentions of Kineshma date back to 1429, in connection with the Tatar-Mongol invasion. The region was mentioned in the will of Grand Duke Ivan III Vasilyevich among the possessions (including the town of Lukh) that he granted to Prince Fedor Ivanovich Belsky as an estate. Belsky presumably owned these lands from early 1494. Kineshma was one of the richest merchant towns on the Volga in pre-revolutionary Russia. At different times, Kineshma was a town of fishermen, salt makers, manufacturers, and merchants, and now it is the second largest and fastest-growing city in the Ivanovo region. From a major industrial and commercial center, Kineshma has turned into a quiet tourist corner. Here you can enjoy picturesque landscapes, visit museums and architectural monuments. 5 FACTS ABOUT KINESHMA 1. At the end of the 19th - beginning of the 20th century, thanks to its wealthy merchants, Kineshma was one of the most elegant and well-maintained towns on the Volga: it was adorned with piers, river cafes, modern lighting, and the first cinema on the Russian Volga coast. 2. Playwright Alexander Nikolaevich Ostrovsky served for twelve years as an honorary justice of the peace in Kineshma. Materials from the Kineshma court cases formed the basis of many of his works - “Without a Dowry,” “Wolves and Sheep,” “In a Busy Place,” “The Storm,” and others. The playwright’s family participated in the creation of the Kineshma Drama Theater. 3. The canvas produced in Kineshma was famous far beyond the borders of the Russian Empire. The famous Admiral Nelson, commander of the British fleet, sailed the seas under sails made of Kineshma canvas. 4. In October 1834, the Assumption Cathedral in Kineshma was visited by Emperor Nicholas I. In 1850, at the insistence of the emperor, the city was visited by his sons, Nicholas Nikolaevich and Mikhail Nikolaevich. 5. Kineshma was the birthplace and long-time residence of Bishop Vasily of Kineshma of the Russian Orthodox Church, who was canonized as a saint. You can learn about his life in the house-museum. Felt Boots Museum How many kilograms of wool are needed for one pair of felt boots? Why is it beneficial to wear felt boots and how to choose them correctly? The museum will answer these questions. You will find simple and embroidered felt boots, painted and souvenir ones, tiny and huge. Kineshma Drama Theater named after Ostrovsky One of the oldest provincial theaters - created at the end of the 19th century with the participation of Alexander Nikolaevich’s family. In the theater museum, you can see costumes, posters, and set design sketches from the 19th century to the present day. International festivals are also held here – chamber theater forms “Ostrovsky-FEST” and the festival of Russian classical drama “Hot Heart.” Volga Boulevard Volga Boulevard is Kineshma’s calling card. In the 19th century, the prototypes of the heroes of Ostrovsky’s plays and the playwright himself walked along this embankment. Almost every building on the boulevard is a landmark: the mansion of merchant Shemyakin, the estate of manufacturer Mindovsky, and the main cathedral of the city - the Trinity-Assumption Cathedral.