(Source: http://www.eastlines.ru/moskva-vyiksa)

Way to Vyksa from the capital takes five hours by train or by car - through Murom and Oka, in the very heart of Russia. Vyksun town on the river, few kilometers from the Oka, grew up in the XVIII century around the cast iron factory of Batashev Brothers.

In the vicinity the shallow layers of iron ore and production of iron could be deployed widely and inexpensively. Historic iron ore production for centuries defined the cityscape and Vyksa was glorified by huge man-made ponds with dams. In this sense, Vyksa reminds Chelyabinsk Kyshtym, where the water also gave power to Demidov plants.

There are four ponds in the city with a total area of one thousand acres: Upper Pond, Middle Pond, Lower Pond and Reserve Pond. In the vicinity there is Vilsky, Snovedsky, Doschatinsky Ponds and that's not all. Hydro-technical system is called as a blue necklace of Vyksa, a natural and historical monument. Woods still surround the city up to its streets. Therefore Vyksa is a city of metallurgists and machine builders.

Vyksa art castings are known throughout Russia: a grid of Kremlin Alexander Garden, figures of horses and knights on the Triumphal Arch in Moscow and fountain on the square of Minin in Nizhny Novgorod were manufactured in the local factories. Metallurgy and ecology are not usually friendly but near some street fountains, on embankments and green streets of Vyksa you may forget about it. The city today is surrounded by a pine forest, and the same manor linden park with a lake Lebedinka is located near the metallurgical plant. The city preserved the monuments of industrial, civil and religious architecture.

The most interesting of them are Batashevs Palace (XVIII century), their own hunting lodge in Doschatoe village, a picturesque park of the same epoch. Above the Upper Pond a "Big" Nativity Church flaunts, which was built in 1773 – a temple, erected during the life of Batashevs. Among the more modern monuments there are unique structures of Shukhov at the metallurgical plant: hyperboloid tower and a building with special sheet rolling shop floors. 

The city's name comes from the name the Vyksun river. It is assumed that the word is of the Ugro-Finnic origin and means "stream and flow". Residents of Vyksa are Vyksa citizens, and factories and region is of Vyksa.

A trip to Vyksa is often combined with a visit to Murom, Nizhny Novgorod or Diveevo village. Two days are enough for making an acquaintance with the urban districts and suburbs. In the city it is possible to recommend a hotel "Batashev", restaurant "Aristocrat" and Guesthouse Business Club on the picturesque banks of the Upper Pond for the tourists. In six or seven kilometers from Vyksa the river Oka flows, the recreation houses are constructed on the banks of this river. Tourist village "Dubki" and agro-tourist village "Berendeevo" are of particular interest to visitors of the city.

Events & Festivals

Winter is famous for Children's Ski Festival "World Snow Day." Legal right to hold ski festivals under FIS World Snow Day project auspices Vyksa received in late 2012.

June is famous for Festival of Contemporary Art "Art-gully." It attracts young artists who show street art on the facades of buildings in the city, arrange an exhibition of works by famous masters on the open air, workshops, lectures and demonstrations – dance and extreme sports.

July is famous for Festival of "Iron Rose": fiction, children, educational, concert, sports, multimedia shows, laser shows, workshops and crafts exhibition of masters of arts and crafts, and contemporary art.

What to bring from Vyksa

A Borodachevsk toy

Unique local craft – a Borodachevsk toy is reborn in Vyksa. These are painted wooden toys manufactured by the original technology of the last century. The technology was developed in the late XIX century by artist Elizabeth Vasilievna Kikina-Borodacheva (1868-1935). She made wooden dolls and caskets decorating them with carving, burning, oil, watercolor and tempera painting, inlay and varnishing. Today, Tatiana Ganina, a craftswoman of Vyksa, is involved in the revival of the decorative arts. Borodachevsk toy can be seen and bought at the manor-industrial complex Batashevs-Shepelevs and in hotel "Batashev".

Art casting

Foundry work souvenirs of Brothers Karpeev have become a trademark of Vyksa, and many tourists take away gorgeous orchids, poppies, and "Iron Rose" - a symbol of Vyksa in the memory of the city of metallurgists.

Ceramic and art works of Victor and Tatiana Bezumnov. Couple-artists make jugs, damasks, milk jugs, kettles and handmade mugs. You can order dishes or tiles with your monogram or family crest. Children like colorful clay whistles. Workshops of Victor Bezumnov are held every Sunday in the territory of the city park.