# Chkalov Stairs, Nizhny Novgorod > The Chkalov Stairs are a figure eight of 560 steps from the Chkalov monument by the Kremlin’s St George Tower down to the Lower Volga Embankment and the boat Geroy. Free and open 24/7, no ticket. Allow about 30 minutes to walk down, pause on the viewing landings and climb back. Come at sunset, when the stairs light up. Web page: https://yesgo.io/russia/nizhny-novgorod/chkalov-stairs - City: [Nizhny Novgorod](https://yesgo.io/russia/nizhny-novgorod), Russia - YesGo score: 55/100 (Yes, go) - Time on site: 30 min - Opening hours: Open 24/7, every day — it’s a public staircase with free access - With kids: Fine with kids - Entry: Free, no ticket - Open: 24/7, every day - Steps: 560 counting both sides of the figure eight - Top: Chkalov monument next to the Kremlin’s St George (Georgievskaya) Tower - Bottom: Lower Volga Embankment (Nizhne-Volzhskaya naberezhnaya), the boat Geroy - Nearest stop (top): Ploshchad Minina i Pozharskogo, ≈ 5 min walk - Nearest stop (bottom): Kater Geroy, on the Lower Volga Embankment - Metro: Gorkovskaya, ≈ 20 min walk via Bolshaya Pokrovskaya - Accessibility: Steps only — no ramp or lift - Coordinates: 56.33121, 44.00949 - Facts checked: 30.10.2026 ## Key facts - **560 steps** — counting both sides; one side bottom to top is 442 (source: English Wikipedia, “Chkalov Stairs”; the 560 total also in Tonkosti and Komsomolskaya Pravda travel guides) - **1943–1949** — designed in 1943, opened in 1949 (source: English and Russian Wikipedia, “Chkalov Stairs”) - **Figure eight** — the shape, with two viewing landings where the side flights cross (source: Russian Wikipedia; Tonkosti travel guide) - **Yakovlev, Rudnev, Munts** — architects Alexander Yakovlev, Lev Rudnev and Vladimir Munts (source: English and Russian Wikipedia; Tonkosti travel guide) - **Volga Stairs** — the official name, still on a plaque dated 1949; “Chkalov Stairs” stuck later (source: Russian Wikipedia, “Chkalov Stairs”; English Wikipedia) - **1940** — the Chkalov monument went up at the top, giving the stairs their popular name (source: English Wikipedia; Komsomolskaya Pravda travel guide) - **1985** — the boat Geroy of the Volga Military Flotilla was set on a pedestal at the bottom, for the 40th anniversary of victory in WWII (source: Russian Wikipedia; Votpusk.ru; Komsomolskaya Pravda travel guide) - **Stalingrad** — Geroy carried ammunition and wounded during the battle of 1942–1943 (source: Votpusk.ru; Autotravel; Bolshaya Strana travel guide) - **POW labour** — German prisoners of war worked on the construction (source: Russian Wikipedia; Tonkosti travel guide) - **Listed** — a protected cultural heritage site of regional significance (source: Russian Wikipedia (Unified State Register of Cultural Heritage Sites)) > **Going down is easy — coming back up is a workout** The walk down takes about ten minutes. The climb back to the Kremlin is over 400 steps on one side, with no shade in summer. If that’s too much, walk down and take a taxi back up from the embankment, or return by the gentler Zelensky Descent road. With a pushchair, skip the stairs and use the road. ## Are the Chkalov Stairs free, and when are they open? **Yes, they’re free and open around the clock.** This is a public staircase, part of the city’s street network — there’s no gate, no ticket office and no closing time. You can walk it at sunrise or at midnight. Nothing on the stairs needs paying for, so payment only matters for what’s around them: cafés on the embankment, taxis and summer river cruises. Foreign Visa and Mastercard cards don’t work in Russia (since March 2022), so carry roubles in cash or use a Russian card. ## How many steps are there? **560 if you count both sides of the figure eight.** A single walk from the bottom to the top on one side is 442 steps, according to English Wikipedia. That’s why you’ll see different numbers quoted — some count the whole structure, some just the route they walked. The layout is simple once you see it: a wide central flight at the top and the bottom, and in the middle two side flights that curve apart and meet again. Where they cross there are two viewing landings — the natural place to stop for breath and photos. Height and length figures vary between sources (travel guides mention “about 150 metres” of length), and there’s no measured figure in encyclopedias, so YesGo doesn’t quote one. ## Are the Chkalov Stairs worth it? **Yes, as part of a walk through the centre — not as a trip on their own.** The stairs sit right next to the [Kremlin](https://yesgo.io/russia/nizhny-novgorod/nizhny-novgorod-kremlin), so you’ll pass them anyway. Fifteen minutes on the top landing gives you the widest open view of the Volga in the city, and the walk down drops you on the riverside promenade. They’re less worth it in heavy rain or ice, or if climbing is hard for you — the view from the top is free without taking a single step, so you can simply enjoy it from the Chkalov monument and continue along the [Upper Volga Embankment](https://yesgo.io/russia/nizhny-novgorod/upper-volga-embankment). ## Why a figure eight? A short history The idea came before the war: in 1939 the head of the city council, Alexander Shulpin, wanted a staircase to the Volga grander than the Potemkin Stairs in Odessa. The war halted it, and the project was revived in **1943**, after Stalingrad, by Leningrad architects Alexander Yakovlev, Lev Rudnev and Vladimir Munts. It was built in the late 1940s, partly by German prisoners of war, and cost over 7 million roubles of the time — one of the most expensive city projects in the USSR. A river station, a fountain and several statues were dropped to save money. The stairs opened in **1949** under the name Volga Stairs, and a plaque with that name is still there. The popular story is that the figure eight echoes the Stalingrad encirclement: the curved side flights are the ring, the straight central one is the breakthrough to the river. No document from the architects confirms it, but it’s the explanation you’ll hear from every guide. The Chkalov name comes from the 1940 statue of aviator Valery Chkalov at the top. The stairs were restored for the city’s 800th anniversary and reopened, repainted terracotta and lit at night, in summer 2021. ## What to see on and around the stairs - **The Chkalov monument** on the top landing — the view takes in the Volga, the Strelka and the town of Bor on the far bank. - **The two middle landings** — the best spot to photograph the staircase from above. - **The boat Geroy** at the bottom, a Volga Military Flotilla vessel that served at Stalingrad, with an open-air amphitheatre of benches around it. - **St George Tower** of the Nizhny Novgorod Kremlin, right behind the monument — a good start for a walk along the walls. - **The Lower Volga Embankment** — the riverside promenade leads west to Rozhdestvenskaya Street and on to the Strelka. - **The view from below** — from the embankment you see the whole figure eight with the monument and tower above it. > **Best time: sunset and after dark** The sun sets over the Strelka, where the Oka meets the Volga, and you watch it from the top landing. After sunset the stairs are lit up — then the best photo is from below, by the boat Geroy. Summer evenings get busy; early mornings are almost empty. ## How to get to the Chkalov Stairs 1. Start at [Minin and Pozharsky Square](https://yesgo.io/russia/nizhny-novgorod/nizhny-novgorod-minin-and-pozharsky): buses and trolleybuses stop at **Ploshchad Minina i Pozharskogo**. Check route numbers in Yandex Maps or Yandex Go — the city’s network has been renumbered. 2. From the square, walk along the Kremlin wall past the Dmitrievskaya Tower to the St George Tower — about 5 minutes. The Chkalov monument stands there, and the stairs start behind it. 3. By metro, ride to **Gorkovskaya** (one stop from Moskovskaya, the main railway station) and walk pedestrian [Bolshaya Pokrovskaya Street](https://yesgo.io/russia/nizhny-novgorod/bolshaya-pokrovskaya-street) to Minin Square — about 15 minutes, then 5 more to the stairs. 4. From the riverside, look for the boat Geroy on the Lower Volga Embankment; the bus stop next to it is called **Kater Geroy**. 5. By taxi, ask for “pamyatnik Chkalovu” (the Chkalov monument) for the top, or “kater Geroy” for the bottom. ## Walking on to the Strelka **On foot it’s roughly 40–50 minutes.** Walk down to the boat Geroy and follow the Lower Volga Embankment west towards the Oka. You come out at [Rozhdestvenskaya Street](https://yesgo.io/russia/nizhny-novgorod/rozhdestvenskaya-street), then cross the Kanavinsky Bridge over the Oka to the [Strelka](https://yesgo.io/russia/nizhny-novgorod/nizhny-novgorod-strelka). The time is our estimate from the map. There’s no regular ferry from the stairs to the Strelka. In summer, sightseeing boats leave from the River Station on the same embankment and pass both, but routes and timetables change every season — ask at the pier. ## Before you go: checklist - [ ] Comfortable flat shoes — it’s a lot of steps - [ ] A plan for getting back up: walk, the road or a taxi - [ ] Water in summer — there’s no shade - [ ] Care in winter — the steps can be icy - [ ] Roubles in cash or a Russian card for cafés and taxis - [ ] Timed for sunset or after dark, for the lights ## Chkalov Stairs vs Upper Volga Embankment vs the cable car | | Chkalov Stairs | Upper Volga Embankment | Cable car | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | What it is | Figure-eight stairs from the Kremlin to the river | Promenade along the high bank | Cable car across the Volga to Bor | | View | Volga, Strelka, the stairs from above and below | The Volga along the whole promenade | The river from above, the city from across the water | | Cost | Free | Free | Paid, priced per direction | | Effort | Hundreds of steps | Flat walk | None | | Time needed | ≈ 30 min | 30–60 min | About an hour return | Pair the stairs with the Upper Volga Embankment — it starts at the same Chkalov monument. Save the [cable car](https://yesgo.io/russia/nizhny-novgorod/nizhny-novgorod-cableway) for when you have a spare hour and want to see the city from the far bank. ## Nizhny Novgorod views compared Every place with a view in Nizhny Novgorod rated by YesGo. - [Nizhny Novgorod Kremlin](https://yesgo.io/russia/nizhny-novgorod/nizhny-novgorod-kremlin) — YesGo score 64/100 (Yes, go) · 2 h · Grounds free, wall from 300 ₽ - [Chkalov Stairs](https://yesgo.io/russia/nizhny-novgorod/chkalov-stairs) — YesGo score 55/100 (Yes, go) · 30 min · Free - [Upper Volga Embankment](https://yesgo.io/russia/nizhny-novgorod/upper-volga-embankment) — YesGo score 43/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 45 min · Free - [The Strelka (Oka–Volga Spit)](https://yesgo.io/russia/nizhny-novgorod/nizhny-novgorod-strelka) — YesGo score 41/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · Free - [Nizhny Novgorod Cableway](https://yesgo.io/russia/nizhny-novgorod/nizhny-novgorod-cableway) — YesGo score 36/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · 200 ₽ one way, closed for now ## Minin Square to the Strelka, downhill Minin Square, the Kremlin, down the Chkalov Stairs, along Rozhdestvenskaya Street and on to the Strelka — one downhill walk with no backtracking. Add it to your plan and YesGo fits in the timing and transfers. 1. [Monument to Minin and Pozharsky](https://yesgo.io/russia/nizhny-novgorod/nizhny-novgorod-minin-and-pozharsky) — YesGo score 44/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 15 min · Free 2. [Nizhny Novgorod Kremlin](https://yesgo.io/russia/nizhny-novgorod/nizhny-novgorod-kremlin) — YesGo score 64/100 (Yes, go) · 2 h · Grounds free, wall from 300 ₽ 3. [Chkalov Stairs](https://yesgo.io/russia/nizhny-novgorod/chkalov-stairs) — YesGo score 55/100 (Yes, go) · 30 min · Free 4. [Rozhdestvenskaya Street](https://yesgo.io/russia/nizhny-novgorod/rozhdestvenskaya-street) — YesGo score 52/100 (Yes, go) · 45 min · Free, public street 5. [The Strelka (Oka–Volga Spit)](https://yesgo.io/russia/nizhny-novgorod/nizhny-novgorod-strelka) — YesGo score 41/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · Free ## The longest staircase in Russia? That’s how it was long described, and many guides still say so. Russia now has longer ones — the stairs up the Torgashinsky Ridge in Krasnoyarsk, for example. The Chkalov Stairs remain the best-known monumental staircase on the Volga. ## Tips - Walk top to bottom: from the Kremlin down to the river, then let the embankment carry you on to Rozhdestvenskaya Street. - Best photo of the whole figure eight — from below, by the boat Geroy; best view of the Volga — from the top landing by the Chkalov monument. - Stop on the middle landings: fewer people than at the monument, and the stairs spread out below you. - Climbing up? Stick to one side and rest on the landings — it takes 10–15 minutes. - Combine it with the Kremlin: the St George Tower is right at the top of the stairs. - Don’t cross town just for the stairs in rain or ice — they shine as part of a walk through the centre. ## Questions ### How many steps are the Chkalov Stairs? 560 counting both sides of the figure eight. One side from bottom to top is 442 steps. ### Is it free to visit the Chkalov Stairs? Yes. It’s a public staircase — no ticket, no gate, no ticket office. ### What are the opening hours? There aren’t any: the stairs are open 24/7, every day of the year. ### How long does it take to walk the Chkalov Stairs? About 10 minutes down and 10–15 minutes back up with stops. Allow 30 minutes in total with time on the landings. ### How do I get to the Chkalov Stairs? Get to Minin and Pozharsky Square (Ploshchad Minina i Pozharskogo stop, or Gorkovskaya metro and a 15-minute walk), then walk 5 minutes along the Kremlin wall to the Chkalov monument by the St George Tower. ### Why are they called the Chkalov Stairs? They start at the 1940 statue of aviator Valery Chkalov. The official name is the Volga Stairs, but everyone calls them Chkalov’s. ### Why are the stairs shaped like a figure eight? They were built to mark the victory at Stalingrad, and the popular explanation is that the curves echo the encirclement and the straight flight the breakthrough to the river. No document from the architects confirms it. ### What is the boat at the bottom of the stairs? Geroy, a Volga Military Flotilla vessel that carried ammunition and wounded at Stalingrad in 1942–1943. It was set on a pedestal here in 1985. ### Are the Chkalov Stairs the longest in Russia? Not any more. They were long described that way, but there are longer staircases now, such as the one up the Torgashinsky Ridge in Krasnoyarsk. ## How we checked The stairs are a public city structure with no ticket office or opening hours, so no row carries an “official” badge: entry is free and round-the-clock. The 560-step total comes from English Wikipedia and travel guides; the 442 steps on one side appear only in English Wikipedia — we found no second confirmation. Sources disagree on height and length (“about 150 metres” of length in two guides, height figures that vary), so we give none. Sources give different build years for the boat Geroy (1899 or 1916) and different former names, so we leave those out; all agree on the Volga Military Flotilla, Stalingrad and its installation here in 1985. The post-restoration reopening is dated 1 or 4 August 2021, so we say “summer 2021”. Stop names come from two travel guides; we give no route numbers because the city network was reorganised. Walking times are our estimate from the map. ## Sources - English Wikipedia: Chkalov Stairs; Wikidata Q4516884 - Russian Wikipedia: Chkalov Stairs (Nizhny Novgorod), Lower Volga Embankment - Unified State Register of Cultural Heritage Sites of Russia: Chkalov Stairs, regional significance - Tonkosti travel guide: Chkalov Stairs - Komsomolskaya Pravda travel guide: Chkalov Stairs - Bolshaya Strana travel guide: Chkalov Stairs - Votpusk.ru and Autotravel: the boat Geroy - Visa and Mastercard statements on suspending operations in Russia, March 2022 --- This is the Markdown version of a YesGo page for AI assistants. Quote the web page link above, not this file.