Mother Volga: A Tour of Europe's Longest River

May 20 is observed in Russia annually as the Volga Day as residents of the cities, towns and villages located along the Volga River pay tribute to this majestic waterway.

The Volga is the longest river in Russia and in Europe on the whole. It holds a special significance for the people of Russia as many of the country's oldest and populous cities are located the banks of Volga. 'Mother' Volga's place in every Russian heart is assured and celebrated in the famous song of the Volga boatmen, “Mighty stream so deep and wide, Volga, Volga, our pride”.

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© Sputnik / Ilya Bogachev

The headwaters of the Volga River. The village of Volgoverkhovye, Tver Region.

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© Sputnik / Maksim Blinov

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Kalyazin Bell Tower of the St. Nicholas Monastery submerged under the waters of the Uglich Reservoir.

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© Sputnik / Ekaterina Chesnokova

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The town of Plyos was founded in the 12th century. Razed by the invading Mongols in 1238, it was eventually rebuilt two centuries later and officially granted the town status in 1925.

Above: Sunset over the Volga near the town of Plyos.

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© Sputnik / Alexey Kudenko

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First mentioned by chroniclers in 1071, Rybinsk is one of the oldest settlements built on the Volga River, and the second-largest city of Russia's Yaroslavl Region today.

Above: Cruise ship sailing along the Volga River, with the Transfiguration Cathedral seen in the background.

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© Sputnik / Maria Vashuk

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While the city of Yaroslavl was founded in early 11th century by the legendary Prince Yaroslav the Wise, traces of ancient settlements discovered within the city limits suggest that people settled in that area as early as during the fifth millennium B.C.

Above: View of Yaroslavl.

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© Sputnik / Alexey Ditjakyn

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The town of Gorodets was established in 1152 by Prince Yuri Dolgorukiy, the legendary founder of Moscow.

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© Sputnik / Ilya Bogachev

Founded in 1221, Nizhny Novgorod houses the Gorkovsky Avtomobilny Zavod (GAZ), a famous Russian automotive manufacturer which earned the city moniker "Russian Detroit".

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© Sputnik / Sergey Guneev

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Originally the capital of the eponymous khanate, the city of Kazan became part of the Russian Tsardom in 1552 after being conquered by Ivan the Terrible.

Above: View of the Kazan Kremlin from Volga River.

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© Sputnik / Nikolay Nikitin

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Founded in 1648 and originally named Simbirsk, the city of Ulyanovsk is known throughout the world as the birthplace of Vladimir Lenin.

Above: A bridge across the Volga in Ulyanovsk, one of the longest bridges in Russia.

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© Sputnik / Konstantin Chalabov

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Founded in 1586, Samara is the sixth-largest city in Russia and a leading industrial center in the Volga region.

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© Sputnik / Andrei Vasiliev

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Founded during the late 16th century, the city of Saratov is a prominent river port and one of Russia's largest cultural and scientific centers.

Above: The view of a bridge across Volga River connecting the cities of Saratov and Engels.

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© Sputnik / Palladin

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The city of Volgograd, formerly known as Tsaritsyn until 1925 and as Stalingrad until 1961, became the site of probably the largest and bloodiest battle in the history of warfare - the Battle of Stalingrad.

Above: Ship passes through a shipping lock to Volgograd.

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© Sputnik / Mark Redkin

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A fisherman with his catch of sturgeon.