Chuvash Republic - Culture

Culture

While Russian is the predominant business language, the Chuvash language is still spoken by many, especially in the country. The Chuvash language belongs to the Oghur subgroup of the Turkic language group. In ancient times a runic system of writing was used. Chuvashi now uses a modified Cyrillic script that was adopted in 1871.

There has been a resurgence of native Chuvash pride, with many people looking back to their Chuvash roots and exploring the culture and heritage and relearning the language. Most building signs, road signs, and announcements are in both Russian and Chuvash.

At present Chuvash Republic has 6 professional theaters:

• Chuvash State Opera and Ballet Theater
• Chuvash State Academic Drama Theater
• Chuvash Children`s Theater
• Chuvash State Puppet Theater
• Chuvash State Philharmonic Society
• Russian State Drama Theater
• Chuvash State Youth Theater
• Chuvash State Experimental Drama Theater

and over 30 amateur theaters, a Philharmonic Society, an Academic Folk Song and Dance Group, an Academic Choir, a Chamber Orchestra, and some professional concert groups.

There are also more than 20 museums, exhibition halls and modern art galleries.

• Chuvash National Museum.
• Art Museum
  • Museum of Vasily Chapayev
  • Literature Museum named after K.Ivanov
  • Museum and Exhibition Center
  • Culture and Exhibition Center «Raduga»
  • Chuvash Beer Museum
  • Chuvash State Geological Museum
  • Museum of Cheboksary
  • Space Museum
  • Art Gallery
  • Contemporary Art Center
  • Art Gallery «6Х7»

Chuvash Republic has more than 565 public libraries, the book collection being over 10 million units.

• The Chuvash National Library

Monuments of Architecture

There are about 627 monuments of architecture in Chuvashia, including 54 of national importance: the Vvedensky Cathedral (1657), the Holy Trinity Monastery (1566), the Salt House, the houses of Chuvash famous merchants (Zeleischikov, Solovtsov, the Efremov family) (18th-19th century) in Cheboksary, the Tolmachev family house and Trinity Cathedral (18th century) in the town of Tsivilsk, the Burashnikov house in the town of Yadrin.

Surhuri (Chuvash: Сурхури) is the true Chuvash national heathenish holiday.