Balakovo is one of the largest cities in the Saratov region, second only to the regional capital and Engels. It is located partly on the left bank of the Volga, partly on an island. It is separated from the regional center by 176 kilometers in a straight line, this is not the longest distance for the Volga regions.
The territory of the city is 75 square kilometers. Communication with surrounding cities is ensured by the operation of a bus station, railway station, and river port.
About the city of Balakovo
The townspeople are proud that Balakovo is the only city in which 5 high-impact all-Union construction projects took place, during which the most important production facilities were created, on which the economy of both the settlement and the region is based. They also contribute to the regional budget.
Balakovo also became the only city in which three types of power plants operate simultaneously. The Saratov hydroelectric power station was built in the period from 1956 to 1971; part of the coastal areas, villages, churches was flooded to ensure the fulfillment of the tasks of the electric power industry.
Balakovo Nuclear Power Plant is a modern nuclear power plant that supplies energy to many neighboring regions.
The history of the settlement is connected with the Cossacks, free people who were the first to begin to develop the territory of the Saratov province. Thus, the first mention of the town in chronicles dates back to 1738, then Balakovo was a Cossack meadow possession and was called Balakov Yurt.
Perhaps the first settlement with this name arose during the time of Ivan the Terrible; it served to protect the waterway from robbers. The official history of Russian urban planning dates the founding of the future city to 1762.
It was then that Empress Catherine II, in her manifesto, obliged the Old Believers to move to the banks of the Volga and cultivate wild virgin lands. At first they settled in the area between the Greater and Lesser Irgiz rivers. In this area, settlers received about 76 thousand hectares of fertile land for use.
The transformation of a village into a city dates back to 1911. More than 18 thousand people lived here then. The economy of the settlement was built on the trade in bread and rafting of timber. Before the revolution, there were 7 schools, 6 churches, an iron foundry and a grain exchange.
The founder of the plant, Yakov Vasilyevich Mamin, and his colleague Fedor Abramovich Blinov left a mark not only in the history of Balakovo, but throughout Russia, by creating the country's first caterpillar tractor, wheeled self-propelled vehicle and diesel engine.
For a long time, Balakovo was part of the Samara province, and only in 1936 it became part of the Saratov region.
Numerous industrial enterprises make a significant contribution to the city’s economy, among which the recently built one occupies a special place. Among the sister cities of Balakovo one can name the capital of Azerbaijan Baku and Cherepovets.
Crime
The crime situation in the city can hardly be called difficult. Although weekly police reports contain information about thefts, robberies, and fraud. One of the high-profile cases, which was even reported on by central channels, is connected with a gang of “black realtors.” Gang members looked for lonely pensioners, socially disadvantaged people and arranged the “disappearance” of these citizens, criminally registering their real estate in the name of the right people.
Recently, the head (now former) of the Balakovo district administration also distinguished himself. He, taking advantage of his official position, made sure that one of his deputies received a three-room apartment (he even managed to privatize it). The court declared the official’s actions illegal and made a truly “strict” decision - he banned the culprit from holding leadership positions in government structures for two years.
Coat of arms of Balakovo
The coat of arms of the locality has a long and glorious history. It was officially approved in 2000, but carries the symbolism of antiquity.
In the official description you can read that a boat with a golden sheaf floating in the blue field of the shield symbolizes the historical significance of the city as a large grain pier on the Volga.
The rising Sun framed in red indicates the Saratov Hydroelectric Power Station and the Balakovo Nuclear Power Plant, thanks to which the city acquired the status of the largest energy center on the Volga.
In the free part there is the coat of arms of the Saratov region, like all regional centers, it depicts three intertwined silver sterlets in an azure field.
Enterprises and work in Balakovo
Balakovo is an industrial city. First of all, it is worth mentioning two giants - enterprises of all-Russian significance: the Balakovo Nuclear Power Plant and the Saratov Hydroelectric Power Plant. These giants always worked stably, without blues and worries. Salaries at these enterprises are higher than the city average. But getting a job here without cronyism or connections is almost impossible. And although representatives of these enterprises claim that this is not so, the majority of Balakovo residents know very well that the positions of nuclear and hydropower engineers are filled “from father to son” or in other ways of family and friendship.
Balakovo NPP
Now in Balakovo the construction of the Severstal - Balakovo High-Products Plant is in full swing. It should start working soon. Officials talk about the fabulous sums that the enterprise will pay to the budget in the form of taxes, and residents are sounding the alarm, fearing for the already not-so-good environment. Other enterprises include (now going through hard times), Balakovo Mineral Fertilizers, Thermal Power Plant 4. In total, there are about 15 large enterprises and many medium and small enterprises in the city.
Saratov HPP
According to official data, the average salary in Balakovo is about twenty thousand rubles. However, in fact, most city residents receive 10-15 thousand rubles (many less). The average salary figure is this way because giants like nuclear power plants and hydroelectric power plants (where salaries are many times higher than at other enterprises and organizations in the city) are involved in the calculation. It’s like the joke: “My boss eats meat, and I eat cabbage, but on average we both eat cabbage rolls.”
Famous people of Balakovo
Many famous people were natives of Balakovo. The already mentioned Y. Mamin and F. Blinov influenced the history of technology in Russia. But there were also more famous Balakovites.
Among them, the first place is rightfully occupied by the legendary Vasily Ivanovich Chapaev, who lived in the city for a long time. Now there is a museum in his house. The famous performer Denis Maidanov and Sergei Chelobanov, a widely known composer and singer in the 90s of the twentieth century, influenced the domestic stage.
It is impossible not to pay attention to Valery Dmitrievich Gordeev, the most famous motorcycle racer of the Soviet era, who won many domestic and foreign awards. The city is also famous for its famous nuclear scientists and industrialists.
History of Balakovo
The history of Balakovo begins in the 18th century. Catherine II called on the Old Believers who fled abroad to settle on the lands between the Bolshoi and Maly Irgiz rivers. They were allocated large plots of land. They returned and founded villages that began to grow rapidly.
In 1911, a decree was issued granting Balakovo the status of a city with self-government rights. It housed industrial and commercial facilities. The year 1971 was marked by the completion of the construction of the Saratov hydroelectric power station, which changed and flooded part of the territory. In the 80s, the chemical, metallurgical, and construction industries flourished. Within the Russian Federation, the development of these areas is slow. In 2004, the Balakovo municipal district was formed.
Education and culture Balakovo
The city is responsible for the cultural development of not only its residents, but also the population of the region. Now there are about 30 secondary schools successfully operating in the city. Professional education of young people is provided by the Balakovo Industrial and Transport College named after. N. V. Gribanova, medical college, polytechnic college, college of arts.
Future employees of State Energy and Nuclear Power Plants can receive high-quality education at the Balakovo Engineering and Technology Institute, a branch of the MEPhI Nuclear Institute. There are also branches of RANEPA and the well-known Saratov Law Institute.
The newspapers “Essence” and “Stubborn Facts” inform citizens about life in Balakovo. Balakovo also has its own television. The local history museum is located in the mansion of V.V. Golovanov, here you can get a complete picture of the history and culture of the area.
The city has a drama theater and a Young Spectator Theater, and has its own philharmonic society, on whose stage many famous artists have performed. The Balakovo Art Gallery presents the viewer with an interesting collection of icons of ancient writing and paintings by artists of the 19th and 20th centuries.
Where is Balakovo located?
Balakovo is the administrative center of the Balakovo municipal district of the Saratov region, which is located in the southeastern European part of Russia and forms a municipal entity.
Balakovo has the status of an urban settlement and is located on the left bank of the Volga River. The approximate population of the city is 189 thousand people; the total area of Balakovo is 79 square kilometers. The climate in Balakovo is temperate continental and arid. The average annual air humidity is 65%. The annual precipitation rate is 431 mm. The height of the city center above sea level is 25 m. The time zone of the city of Balakovo is MSK+1, the offset relative to Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) is +4.
Streets and sights of Balakovo
The city grew according to a general plan, typical for all regional centers created during the reign of Empress Catherine II. It is distinguished not by the ring structure characteristic of former fortresses, but by a regular layout with designated quarters.
Now geographically the city is divided into 3 parts. These are the island (located only on the island of Zhilgorodok, the Old Town and the small village of Dzerzhinsky), the canal (microdistricts 1 to 4, which also includes the village of Sazanley) and the central, located on the shore and built up with modern houses (from microdistricts 5 to 11 and the village of Raduzhny ).
The island is separated from the city by a canal; transport communication previously took place via an inconvenient sluice bridge. This significantly hampered transport communication during peak hours. More than 80 thousand people live on the island, and the long-awaited opening of the new bridge in 2015 significantly changed the quality of life of the townspeople.
It was planned back in the USSR period and was built over 6 years, with the last months at an accelerated pace. It was opened in the year of the 70th anniversary of the victory in the Great Patriotic War and was named the Victory Bridge. The monument to the Builders of the Five All-Union Komsomol Shock Construction Projects will be of interest to fans of Soviet-era monuments. It is located in the old part of the city. The flat fountain with 48 colored jets attracts everyone's attention.
Lenin and Torch of Socialism streets are considered prestigious streets in Zhilgorodok and the old center; ancient merchant mansions have been preserved here. Among the main attractions of Balakovo, the Chapaev House-Museum, the Lebedev Drama Theater, and the estate of the merchant Maltsev are most often mentioned. The estate is an elegant one-story mansion, decorated with a balustrade, stucco molding and columns.
The architecture of the old part of the city was largely created by the works of famous architects H.V. Meyer and F.O. Shekhtel, who built the most beautiful temple in the city, the Church of the Life-Giving Trinity and the mansion of P.I. Maltsev. You can take a walk in the ancient park, which has been called the esplanade since pre-revolutionary times.
Balakovo: what you must see on your own
The most significant sights of Balakovo are associated with the two main values of the city - history and industry.
Saratov hydroelectric power station and gateways
- Address: Zaovrazhnaya st., 10.
In the 1960s In Balakovo, on the banks of the Volga, a hydroelectric power station was built. The monumental construction required a lot of effort and resources; the work lasted 15 years. The resulting reservoir became the largest in the Saratov region. For more than half a century, the hydroelectric power station has been supplying water and electricity to local industry.
At the same time as the hydroelectric power station, builders built locks, from which a shipping embankment eventually stretched to the Drama Theater. Locals and visitors love to stroll along the embankment, watching the passing ships from above. From here there are some excellent views for photography.
House-Museum of V.I. Chapaeva
- Address: Chapaeva, 112.
Balakovo is the small homeland of Vasily Chapaev. This is where the red commander’s parental home is located, where he lived since he was 10 years old. The house is a small wooden hut; the windows have carved frames and shutters. The building preserved original items that belonged to the family of Vasily Ivanovich. Before the Civil War, the future commander worked as a carpenter; in one of the rooms you can see a sideboard made by the hands of a Soviet hero.
Many important events in Chapaev’s life are connected with this home. Here he brought his wife, who bore him two sons and one daughter, and from here he went to the front. While Vasily was fighting, his father was in conflict with his daughter-in-law. The young woman ran away more than once, but each time she had to return to her father-in-law. In the end, unable to withstand the pressure, his wife divorced Chapaev, leaving him with the children. After the death of Vasily Ivanovich, his daughter lived in the hut. In 1948, a museum in memory of the people's favorite was organized in the house.
Maltsev Estate
- Address: Kommunisticheskaya, 75.
Balakovo is rightly called a merchant city. Many beautiful buildings appeared in the settlement thanks to merchants, in particular, thanks to the famous Maltsev dynasty. One of the best examples of ancient architecture is the mansion of Paisiy Maltsev, the richest and most influential Balakovo resident of the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
Two talented architects worked on the appearance of the manor house at different times: F. Shuster and F. Shekhtel. The first built the mansion in the 1890s, the second was involved in its reconstruction in 1912. Shekhtel turned a modest provincial house into an exquisite palace in the spirit of aristocratic St. Petersburg.
After the Revolution, the estate began to be used for the needs of the Communist Party and the working people. At first, the district committee met in the mansion, and later a library was located. In 1998, the noticeably dilapidated building was handed over to restorers. Ten years later, the merchant's house turned into a museum.
The luxurious interior of the mansion amazes with its splendor. The one-story manor house is adjacent to a fairly large area, which includes a servants' house, a laundry room, a stable, a carriage house and a garden. Near the mansion there are lilac bushes planted about a hundred years ago.
Neighborhoods of Balakovo
When visiting Balakovo, you should definitely plan excursions around its surroundings. Summer holidays will be incomplete without visiting the numerous lakes surrounding the city, thanks to which it is also called the “Volga Venice”.
On Pustynny Island you can have a good rest the whole summer by pitching tents and fishing. This is exactly how many Balakovo families relax.
A visit to Balakovo will be interesting both from the point of view of understanding the history of the region and from the point of view of exploring the sights.
See also: Districts of the Saratov region.
Automobile highways
The following roads pass through Balakovo:
- P228 is a federal highway with a total length of 678 km. The route passes through the territory of the following regions: Volgograd region, Ulyanovsk region, Samara region, Saratov region. The road surface is asphalt.
- 63Р-00002 is a highway of regional importance, which passes through the territory of the Samara, Volgograd and Saratov regions. The total length of the route is 792 km. The road surface of route 63Р-00002 is asphalt.
Map of Balakovo with houses
When you get to Balakovo, it begins to seem that either the Soviet 80s have returned, or you are walking through a merchant town. Modern construction here is represented only by elite cottages in the village of Raduzhny.
The old town still has a large number of low-rise ancient stone buildings. But Balakovo residents are not particularly sensitive to architectural monuments, so many of them have long since fallen into an unsightly state.
High-rise buildings were built back in Soviet times and are either typical Khrushchev buildings or old-style 9-story buildings. Using a map of Balakovo with house numbers, you can find any building, knowing its address or approximate location.
There are few attractions in the city. Local residents consider one of the main ones to be the house where Vasily Chapaev once lived. This is a log hut with a wooden roof and porch. Historians and local historians have tried to recreate inside it the life in which the legendary division commander lived.
Guests of the city are always brought to the Maltsev estate and the fire tower. The location of these monuments can be found on a detailed map of Balakovo.
It’s interesting that the “business card” of the city in our time has become the washcloth. It all started with the fact that someone bought this homemade bath accessory from my grandmother on the station platform. Since then, the business of making and selling washcloths has been put on stream, and the shopping malls at the station are littered with these products.
