Oka is one of the most important rivers in the European part of Russia. A number of cities have grown on its shores. Where and how does it flow? Where does it flow, and where is the source of the river?
Oka is the largest tributary of the Volga. The river begins its “race” of one and a half thousand kilometers in the Oryol region, and ends in Nizhny Novgorod.
Oka River : source and mouth. Nature of the current
The exact length of the watercourse is 1,498.6 kilometers. The total area of the pool is 245 thousand square meters. km The slope of the Oka is small: only 0.1 m / km, which fully corresponds to the orographic conditions in which it flows. Where is the source of the river?
Oka originates on the outskirts of the small village of Aleksandrovka, located within the Glazunovsky district of the Oryol region. On the territory of the same village on the Oka, several artificial ponds were created. 52 ° 21 ′ 45 ″ N and 36 ° 13 ′ 20 ″ E - Here are the exact coordinates of the point where the source of the river is located. The eye on the map looks like this (the source and mouth of the watercourse are indicated in the diagram by blue and red circles, respectively):
In the upper reaches of the Oka, as if a choosy young lady, more than once changes the direction of her run. Either it runs north, then east, then again - north. Taking in the waters of the Moscow River, the Oka turns to the southeast.
In the hilly Ryazan region, the river begins to loop noticeably. Near the city of Kasimov, the Oka makes a deep loop, merges with Moksha and then flows strictly northward up to its mouth. The river ends its long journey in the ancient and beautiful Nizhny Novgorod. The cape at the confluence of the Oka with the Volga is called the Arrow. This part of the city is adorned with the majestic temple of Alexander Nevsky 87 meters high.
The name of the river and its meaning
We have already figured out what is the length of the Oka River, where does it flow, and where is the source of the river. Oka is a watercourse not only large, but also very interesting. And, above all, the origin of the name of this river is curious.
One of the versions is related to the name Oka with the Latin aqua, which means "water". Other researchers consider the origin of this hydronym to be Mari or Baltic. The latter theory, in particular, is supported by the famous linguist and philologist Vladimir Toporov. So, for example, in the Latvian language there is the word aka (“well”), and in Lithuanian there is the word akis, which translates as “eye” or “hole”. It is noteworthy that in Latvia and Lithuania there are a number of hydronyms with such a root.
Cities, bridges and attractions on the Oka
The Oka River flows through the territory of seven Russian regions. On it are large cities - Oryol, Kaluga, Serpukhov, Kolomna, Ryazan, Dzerzhinsk, Nizhny Novgorod and others. On the banks of the Oka are several famous attractions. Among them - the old Russian city of Old Ryazan of the XII century, the Polenovo estate, the Nizhny Novgorod and Ryazan Kremlin.
A total of 31 bridges connect the opposite banks of the Oka. The most remarkable and most beautiful of them are the Red Bridge in Orel, the cable-stayed Murom and Kashirsky railway bridges, the Kanavinsky Bridge in Nizhny Novgorod.
The Shukhov Tower near the city of Dzerzhinsk can be considered the most unusual building on the Oka. This hyperboloid iron structure was built in 1929 by the famous engineer Vladimir Shukhov. The height of the tower is 128 meters.
The beginning of the Oka River is also a popular and visited tourist attraction. The source in the village of Aleksandrovka is recognized as a natural monument. It is from this that the river flows. A modest wooden chapel was built nearby, and the area around the source is decorated with numerous carved sculptures. Bioenergetics and creative people like to visit this place, considering it a powerful “place of power”.
Finally…
Now you know where the source of the river is. Oka is the largest watercourse in the European part of Russia. On the banks of this river are cities such as Oryol, Kaluga, Murom, Ryazan and Nizhny Novgorod. Taking a water trip along the Oka, you can admire the domes of the churches of the Ryazan Kremlin, see the Nizhny Novgorod Annunciation Monastery beautifully inscribed in the slope of the river valley, or see the futuristic Shukhov Tower.