Cheboksary District: Bichurin, Embroidery and a Lake

Two very different themes take center stage in Cheboksary District: the “Bichurin i sovremennost” museum, which focuses on the scholar N. Y. Bichurin, and the rectangular Lake Iz'yar. The range of attractions thus extends from the history of science and culture to a distinctive landscape.

Bichurin’s life and work in Kugesi

The “Bichurin i sovremennost” museum opened in 2001 in the hometown of N. Y. Bichurin and is located in Kugesi. The building houses the “Nauchnyi podvig Bichurina” hall. The exhibition is dedicated to Bichurin (1777–1835), the founder of Russian Sinology and Mongolian studies and a recipient of the Demidov Prizes. His monastic name was Father Iakinf.

The hall features Bichurin’s scholarly works and is arranged as a reading room. The exhibition thus connects Bichurin himself with his scholarly work: its focus is not only his life dates but also his academic activity. The “Bichurinskiy sad” area is also located on the museum grounds.

The “Chuvashskaya vyshivka ‘Pakha tere’” museum is also located in Kugesi. Opening hours may change; check directly with the museum before visiting.

The rectangular Lake Iz'yar

The rectangular Lake Iz'yar is a distinctive feature of the district’s landscape. Coniferous and mixed deciduous forests surround the lake; its eastern shore is flat and sandy. This provides a separate landscape highlight to include in travel plans alongside the district’s cultural attractions.

The history of embroidery in the Chuvash Republic

The wider travel destination of the Chuvash Republic also includes a museum of Chuvash embroidery in Cheboksary. It is housed in a historic two-story building in the city center and opened there on June 23, 2015. The building was initially used as an infirmary for soldiers of the tsarist army. The museum is a branch of the Chuvash National Museum, which is one of the centers of ethnic tourism in the Chuvash Republic.

The first exhibition hall presents the history of Chuvash folk embroidery from the 18th century and its professional development in the 20th century. Among the oldest and most valuable exhibits are a women’s shirt from the 18th century with three pairs of kĕskĕ chest patterns, a bridal blanket, and the groom’s cloths, embroidered with stitches on both sides. The pieces showcase different forms of embroidery, from the pattern on the shirt and the blanket to the double-sided stitches on the cloths.

More things to do in the Chuvash Republic

As part of its regional program, the Chuvash National Museum offers several city walking tours. “From Fortress to Capital” takes visitors through the historic part of the city and lasts up to two hours. The “Merchants’ Quarter” tour follows the boulevard and includes both the exhibition “The History of the Chuvash Region and the Chuvash People from the 9th to the Beginning of the 20th Century” and the Merchants’ Hall at the Museum and Exhibition Center. “Walks with Chapayev” combines a walk through a park with a visit to the V. I. Chapayev Museum. The wider cultural context of the republic thus encompasses both historical city themes and visits to museums and parks.

Discover more destinations: Kozlovsky District, Shumerlya City, Alatyr City, Cheboksary District, Yantikovo District, Novocheboksarsk City, Mariinsky Posad District.

For the overall travel guide: Chuvash Republic.