The city of Cheboksary celebrates its 555th birthday in 2024. To mark the glorious anniversary of the city, the National Library of the Chuvash Republic has designed a book and illustrative exhibition “The Ancient City! The Glorious City!”
Our capital is rich in its history and culture, sights, remarkable events and memorable dates. The exhibition presents unique research by scientists, revealing the history of the city from antiquity to the present to the widest range of readers.
The long history of the city is presented by the works of scientists: the collective monograph of researches of the Chuvash State Institute of Humanities (hereinafter CSIH) “Cheboksary: a historical essay” (2019), where for the first time the systematic account of the history of Cheboksary is given from the moment its foundation in the XIII century to 1991; the book of Doctor of Historical Sciences V. D. Dimitriev “Cheboksary: essays on the history of the city at the end of the XIII – XVII centuries” (2003), which highlights the history of the city of the specified historical period on the basis of preserved documents. The author describes the ancient past of Cheboksary district, pays attention to its foundation and construction, the role of the city as a military fortress, its geographical location, climatic conditions, the number of social composition of citizens, handicrafts, crafts and trade, material and spiritual culture. The research “Old Cheboksary: archeology, history, toponymy” (2012) by E. P. Mikhailov on the basis of archeological excavations, preserved different sources, historical legends and other folklore material highlights the development of material culture, crafts, the early history of Cheboksary (be the XVIII century). In the book of the famous Russian writer and journalist V. Gilyarovsky, “Volga. A Guide to the cities of Russia” (2009), an interesting historical materials of the end of XIX century are provided, the sights and remarkable features about all Volga cities and villages are described. Books by historian, ethnographer and folklorist, V. K. Magnitsky, “Cheboksary city according to the second national census in 1742-1748.” (1898), a research by scientists of the CSIH “Cheboksary in the notes of contemporaries and travelers: the second half of XVI – the beginning of XX century.” (2019); “Cheboksary in the second half of XVI-XVIII century: documents and materials from the funds of the Russian State Archive of Ancient Acts: a collection of documents” by D. V. Basmantsev, Candidate of Historical Sciences, and other publications are presented in the section “Cheboksary Antiquity”.
The capital of the Chuvashia is rightfully called the one of the most wonderful parts of Russia. The city is preserved and protected by the Patron Mother, whose majestic monumental sculpture towers over the man-made bay. The unique publications introduce you to the memorable places and sights of the city: the photo album “Cheboksary from the skies” (2013) by Valery Timofeev, the album “Cheboksary: the city and citizens in the works of the artists from the meeting of Chuvash State Art Museum” (2020) by M. V. Gotlib, the book album “Cheboksary: the views of the city for the last 150 years” (2022) by V. N. Trofimov and A. G. Kirov, “Memorable places and sights of Cheboksary and the Chuvash ASSR” (1984) by G. G. Mozharov and A. S. Nikitin and others. The books will help the users get acquainted with the historical part of the city, Orthodox churches and monasteries of the capital of Chuvashia, “walk” through the parks and streets, squares of our city, get acquainted with its sights.
Today Cheboksary is a modern city, the center of economic, political and cultural life of the Chuvash Republic. The information about enterprises and organizations, institutions that contribute to the development of the republic is also presented at the exhibition.
The electronic presentation “Honorary citizens of Cheboksary” and electronic collection “Cheboksary: History and Modernity” became an addition to the exhibition.
The exhibition is open at the Department of National Literature and Bibliography (room № 201) until September 15. We invite all interested citizens to get acquainted with the exposition!