Penza is, perhaps, one of Russia’s most historic and fascinating cities. It is a charming and relaxing town in the midst of some beautiful countryside and may offer a variety of historic and cultural sights to explore. The city of Penza bears its name in honor of the river on whose shores it was built. The meaning of the word 'penza' has been lost over the centuries.

Penza is the regional centre of the Penza Region. The city stands on the Rivers Sura and Penza, which gave the name to the settlement, 709 kilometres eastwards from Moscow. On the whole about 512 thousand people live in the city.

Penza can boast a legitimate theatre, a puppet theatre, a philharmonic hall, a circus and 8 museums: regional Museum of Local Lore, Museum of Literature, Museum of dramatic art, a picture gallery and others. There is also a juvenile railway and a wonderful zoo in Penza.

What to see in Penza:

1. the ancient centre of the city with over 100-year-old buildings located along Moscow Street. There is a musical fountain within a several-minute walk from there. If you go up to the viewing point , just next to the Museum of One Painting, don’t forget your camera to take a picture of old breastwork’s ruins and a winter house, where small Misha Lermontov and his grandmother spend winter holidays. Besides. You can have a look at the first monument to Karl Marx and observe a Katyusha Rocket Launcher.

2. you can visit Akhuny Resort located within the city limits and a secret corner “zaseka” in the west part of the city.

3. the main places of intrestes I Penza shouldn’t be left behind: Lermontov’s country estate Tarkhany, museum of glass and crystal in Nikolsk, the cave Troitse-Skanov Monastery, the museum of Abashevo toy, etc.

Penza has got many surprises in store for its visitors, so, come and see it with your own eyes.