On September 25, 2026, the Historic Center of Arzamas hosted the opening of the renovated square named after Alexander Vasilyevich Stupin — an academician of painting and the founder of Russia's first provincial art school. The renovation was completed under the "Formirovaniye Komfortnoy Gorodskoy Sredy" (Shaping a Comfortable Urban Environment) program, part of the "Infrastruktura dlya Zhizni" (Infrastructure for Life) national project, and was timed to coincide with the 250th anniversary of Stupin's birth.[1]
Project and Funding
The square, covering approximately 3,000 sq. m, is located near the Church of the Icon of the Mother of God "Znameniye." The site won a public ranking vote in which Arzamas residents selected it over other urban areas competing for improvement.[2] The total cost of the project exceeded 30 million rubles drawn from budgets at all levels.[1]
The concept for the space was developed by local designers in collaboration with the Institute for Urban Development of the Nizhny Novgorod Region. The central idea was to create an environment that inspires creativity.[2]
Layout and Features
The square is organized into eight functional zones. The compositional centerpiece is the plaza surrounding the monument to A. V. Stupin. For art enthusiasts, an exhibition alley with informational display cases and a landscape zone with tables and easels for plein-air painting have been provided. A particular feature of the entrance area is an interactive pylon model of Stupin's school, produced using 3D printing.[1]
Prior to construction, more than 760 sq. m of old asphalt was removed, along with hazardous trees and a dilapidated fence. During landscaping, 17 new trees and 261 shrubs were planted, and flower beds of perennial plants were laid out, covering over 58% of the square's area. Benches and modern street lighting were also installed.[2] A video surveillance system with neural-network analytics was installed to ensure security.[1]
The work was carried out by an Arzamas-based contractor; the facility comes with a five-year warranty.[2]
Response
Arzamas Mayor Aleksandr Shchelokov noted that the square should fittingly honor the memory of a man who brought fame to the city across the entire country, and emphasized the particular importance of the video surveillance system for the preservation of the site.[1]
Sources
- NIA "Nizhny Novgorod" — Landscaping of Stupin Square in Arzamas completed under the national project — Nizhny Novgorod News
- Vremya N — The renovated Stupin Square has been opened in Arzamas (archive)
- Zhivyom v Nizhnem — Arzamas's Stupin Square landscaped under the national project — Zhivyom v Nizhnem (archive)