The word "sarah" in the Finno-Ugric languages, which include the Mordovian dialects of jarzah and moksha, means a swampy place. In the place where Saransk is located , the Insar rivers and its tributaries Tavla and Saranka formed large wetlands. Hence the name of the capital of the Mordovian Republic.
Rescue forest
The city was founded in 1641 as an outpost to protect the eastern borders of the state from the steppe nomads, who, while raiding settlements, never went deep into the forests. And the hills where the city of Saransk is located are covered with forests. Naturally, all the buildings were wooden: walls, towers, and a stockade. To protect against enemies around the fortress, high earthen ramparts were poured and deep ditches were dug. As the territory of the Russian state expanded, the need for this function of the city disappeared. The intersection of two large tracts, where Saransk is located , contributed to the development of trade and various crafts. Saran bazaars and fairs have become popular.
At the epicenter of war and rebellion
Residents of Saransk joined the units of Stepan Razin, who chose the city as their stronghold in 1670. One of the sights of the capital of Mordovia is the Pugachevskaya tent, the preserved pantry of the house, in which in 1774 the leader of another peasant war - Emelyan Pugachev - lived for a week. According to one legend, he ordered the mistress of the house to be hung on the gate - the governor's widow, whom the peasants complained of cruelty.
The war with Napoleon did not pass Saransk: a militia was formed, funds and products were collected for regular troops. But one event of 1812, connected with the territory where the city of Saransk is located , is known only to historians: this is the uprising of the militias, who refused to march without taking the oath and “without a personal command” - the decree of the king, demanded to read it. When the instigators were arrested, unrest began: robberies, beating of officers and officials, many of whom fled from the city . Troops were called in to restore order. The Saransk warriors of the Penza militia succeeded: they were sworn in before being sent to war. But the participants in the unrest suffered a brutal reprisal: eight of them were sent to hard labor, having previously been punished with a whip, 118 were sent to remote garrisons.
What will interest tourists?
The indigenous inhabitants of Mordovia - two nationalities, Erzya and Moksha - belong to the same Finno-Ugric group, but they speak different dialects. Therefore, in Saransk, inscriptions on street signs are made in three languages, including Russian.
The main attractions of the capital of Mordovia are the Stepan Erzi Museum of Fine Arts and the cathedral in honor of Fedor Ushakov. The museum has a large collection - more than 200 works - of the famous Mordovian sculptor and artist, as well as paintings by Russian artists: I. Shishkin, I. Repin, V. Serov.
The estate of the famous naval commander in which he spent the last years of his life is located in the same district where Saransk is located . It was Fyodor Ushakov who was offered to lead the people's militia, which was formed in 1812 to fight the Napoleonic army. But the naval commander refused, citing old age. Nevertheless, he made a huge contribution to the victorious outcome of the war for Russia: he was involved in the formation of the militia, in collecting donations, at his own expense opened a hospital near the place where Saransk is located . A monument to F. Ushakov was erected in the city, in his honor the majestic cathedral in the central square, built in 2006, was consecrated.