Argentina and Mordovia: diciembre 2007

Saransk is the capital of Republic of Mordovia. Saransk is a city of rich biography. It appeared in 1641 as a military stronghold on the boarder of the Russian state. At the beginning of the 20th century it was a backward township with the population less than 14.000 people. There were 14 churches and two cathedrals in old Saransk. As for educational establishments there were only 2 schools and a teachers’ seminary. Saransk was a town of narrow streets with kerosene lamps, single-storeyed houses and small workshops.

Now Saransk looks quiet different from what it looked before. From a small provincial town Saransk has developed into a large industrial and cultural center of Republic of Mordovia and Russian Federation. It is a big growing town with high buildings, treelined streets and green parks, a town that becomes more beautiful from day to day.

There are more than 60 large and medium-size enterprises in Saransk. A greater part of the production output comprises electric lamps, self-disloading lorries, cables, excavators, antibiotics, semi-conductor and rubber commodities, confectionary and other goods. Saransk is famous for well-known enterprises: “Lisma”, “Electric-Rectifier plant”, “Saransk Cables”, “Biochemist” and “Mordovspirt”.

Saransk is home to Scientific Research Institutes, Mordovian N.P. Ogariov State University, Pedagogical M.E. Evsevyev State Institute, Economic Cooperation Institute. There are many schools and technical schools.

Saransk, as the center of cultural life of the republic, holds museums, libraries, theatres, and each of these tamples of arts possesses its own individual images, its history and traditions. Taken together they all make a memorable portrait of Saransk.