Nevyansk
Encyclopedia
Nevyansk is a town in Sverdlovsk Oblast
, Russia
, located on the Neyva River
(Ob
's basin
) on the eastern slope of the Middle Urals, 97 kilometres (60.3 mi) north of Yekaterinburg
. Population: 29,800 (1970).
The posad
of Nevyansk was founded in 1700 due to the construction of a foundry
and iron
factory. Although it was not granted town status until 1919, it became highly important for the well-being of the Demidov
family, which extracted gold
from the local foothills. In the 18th century, Nevyansk was settled primarily by Old Believers
, who commissioned from local artisans some glimmering, stylish icons which may be regarded as the last phase in the history of Russian icon-painting. As for the Demidovs, they commissioned the 60-metre-high Leaning Tower of Nevyansk
, which was erected sometime between 1725 and 1740 and remains the town's principal landmark and claim to fame.
Sverdlovsk Oblast
Sverdlovsk Oblast is a federal subject of Russia located in the Urals Federal District. Its administrative center is the city of Yekaterinburg formerly known as Sverdlovsk. Population: -Geography:...
, Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
, located on the Neyva River
Neyva River
The Neiva or Nevya is a 294-km-long river in the Sverdlovsk Oblast of Russia, which flows out of the picturesque Lake Tavatui along the slopes of the Ural Mountains through the towns of Nevyansk, Alapaevsk, and Novouralsk. The basin formed by the river has a total catchment area of 5,600 km². The...
(Ob
Ob River
The Ob River , also Obi, is a major river in western Siberia, Russia and is the world's seventh longest river. It is the westernmost of the three great Siberian rivers that flow into the Arctic Ocean .The Gulf of Ob is the world's longest estuary.-Names:The Ob is known to the Khanty people as the...
's basin
Drainage basin
A drainage basin is an extent or an area of land where surface water from rain and melting snow or ice converges to a single point, usually the exit of the basin, where the waters join another waterbody, such as a river, lake, reservoir, estuary, wetland, sea, or ocean...
) on the eastern slope of the Middle Urals, 97 kilometres (60.3 mi) north of Yekaterinburg
Yekaterinburg
Yekaterinburg is a major city in the central part of Russia, the administrative center of Sverdlovsk Oblast. Situated on the eastern side of the Ural mountain range, it is the main industrial and cultural center of the Urals Federal District with a population of 1,350,136 , making it Russia's...
. Population: 29,800 (1970).
The posad
Posad
A posad was a settlement, often surrounded by ramparts and a moat, adjoining a town or a kremlin, but outside of it, or adjoining a monastery in the 10th to 15th centuries. Usually it was inhabited by craftsmen and merchants, known as posadskiye lyudi .In the Russian Empire a posad was a small...
of Nevyansk was founded in 1700 due to the construction of a foundry
Foundry
A foundry is a factory that produces metal castings. Metals are cast into shapes by melting them into a liquid, pouring the metal in a mold, and removing the mold material or casting after the metal has solidified as it cools. The most common metals processed are aluminum and cast iron...
and iron
Iron
Iron is a chemical element with the symbol Fe and atomic number 26. It is a metal in the first transition series. It is the most common element forming the planet Earth as a whole, forming much of Earth's outer and inner core. It is the fourth most common element in the Earth's crust...
factory. Although it was not granted town status until 1919, it became highly important for the well-being of the Demidov
Demidov
The Demidov family, also Demidoff, were an influential Russian merchant, industrialist and later chivalry family, possibly second only to the Tsar himself in wealth during the late 18th and early 19th centuries.-History:...
family, which extracted gold
Gold
Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au and an atomic number of 79. Gold is a dense, soft, shiny, malleable and ductile metal. Pure gold has a bright yellow color and luster traditionally considered attractive, which it maintains without oxidizing in air or water. Chemically, gold is a...
from the local foothills. In the 18th century, Nevyansk was settled primarily by Old Believers
Old Believers
In the context of Russian Orthodox church history, the Old Believers separated after 1666 from the official Russian Orthodox Church as a protest against church reforms introduced by Patriarch Nikon between 1652–66...
, who commissioned from local artisans some glimmering, stylish icons which may be regarded as the last phase in the history of Russian icon-painting. As for the Demidovs, they commissioned the 60-metre-high Leaning Tower of Nevyansk
Leaning Tower of Nevyansk
The Leaning Tower of Nevyansk is a tower in the town of Nevyansk in Sverdlovsk Oblast, Russia, built in the 18th century. Its construction was funded by Peter the Great’s associate and a famous Russian manufacturer Akinfiy Demidov .The height of the tower is 57.5 m from the ground and the...
, which was erected sometime between 1725 and 1740 and remains the town's principal landmark and claim to fame.