Sightseeing in Penza

This is a conversation between two fellow students. One of them is from Penza and the other is from Zaretchny. It`s the 1st of September and after the concert the girls go out to the yard.

- I say, what are you doing tonight?

- Frankly speaking , I haven`t decided yet. I don`t know where to go, because I know too little about Penza.

- Then we can spend the evening walking about the city.

- I`d love to. Let`s go somewhere right now.

- OK. If you want to enjoy yourself, only turn to the left and you`ll be in the park named after Belinsky. There we can ride different attractions or just have a walk among the beautiful trees.

- It would be wonderful to rest in such a place. But I`d also like to visit the centre of the city.

- Then we can pass through the park, go down Krasnaya Street and then down Volodarskaya Street. Then we can turn to the left and we`ll be in Moskovskaya Street, where the residents of the city like to walk. There are also many shops there.

- Still, I believe, the centre of the city is famous not only for its shops. I’ve heard that many historical buildings are situated down the city. Will you tell me about them?

- Certainly, I should have begun with them. Would you like to see the monument to the First Settler in Kirov Street?

- Oh, yes. It seems to me that I`ve already seen the monument through the car window.

- This monument reminds us about the history of the city. You know, Penza was founded in 1663, when Tsar Alexey Mikhailovich ordered a log fort to be built. In spring of that year the servicemen under the command of Yury Kotransky began the construction of the city.

- Yury Kotransky? It`s the first time I hear this name. And I suppose, Penza was built to defend the southern borders of Russia from the nomads.

- You`re right. Penza was a castle town.

- And where was that fortress built?

- This place is called the fort`s rampart. It`s located near the regional library named after Lermontov. From here you can see the broad expanse of the Sura dale.

- It`s wonderful !

- You can learn a lot about Penza`s history in the Museum of Regional Studies. Besides, different exhibitions often take place there.

- And are there any art galleries in Penza?

- If you`re interested in art, you ought to see the Penza Art Gallery named after Savitsky. You know he was a famous painter whose life and creative work were linked with Penza.

- It was he who founded the Penza Art School in 1898, wasn`t he?

- To be precise, Savitsky was its first director. Then there is also the Museum of One Picture, but unfortunately I have never been there myself.

- Talking of arts, I`ve heard a lot about the Drama Theatre of Penza. Do you often go there?

- To tell the truth, I`m not a theatre goer. Last time I went to the theatre in spring. I saw the play "The Businessman" by Balzac, performed by the Maly Theatre which was on a tour in Penza.

- Really! That must have been wonderful! How did you like it?

- I liked it. I liked it a lot. I loved it. The play was immensely funny.

- Penza turns out to be a nice place!

- Yes, we are proud of Penza and our famous countrymen.

- I know. First of all, these are Lermontov and Belinsky. Lermontov, the famous Russian poet, spent his childhood at his grandmother`s mansion, which was situated not far from Penza. Nowadays there is a museum there. And our university is named after Belinsky, the famous critic.

- And not only they. There are also Kuprin , Klyuchevsky, Meyerhold and many others. So you see, Penza is not a desert, as Speransky once said.

- Speransky? That prominent statesman? Did he also live in Penza?

- He was the Governor of the city at the beginning of the 19th century.

- Oh, that`s really very interesting, but I`m afraid, I feel hungry. Is there a cafe nearby where we could have a bite?

- I recommend you to visit my favourite one, which is called "Shokoladnitsa". It is located in Karpenski Street.

- But how do we get there?

- We can take minibus number 30 or 78. Oh, here is one coming. Let`s hurry up!

- OK.