Nikonova on the Rezh: Local History and Landscape

• Nikonova lies three kilometers downstream from Koptelovo.
• One half of the village lies on a hill, the other in a lowland.
• A memorial to the victims of the Civil War and the Great Patriotic War stands by the Rezh.
• Nikonova is considered the ancestral home of the Mamin family.

Nikonova’s location on the left bank of the Rezh and its distance from Koptelovo help situate the village geographically: it lies three kilometers downstream from Koptelovo. Nearby, the Karamash stream flows into the Rezh opposite the village. These details provide different points of reference—the village’s position by the river and the confluence in its surroundings.

There is also a topographic contrast within Nikonova. One half lies on a hill, the other in a lowland. Several old farmhouses stand on the hill. The riverbank, higher ground, and lowland are the main geographic reference points in the description of the village.

A memorial to the victims of the Civil War and the Great Patriotic War stands on the bank of the Rezh. It was erected in 1967 on a concrete base topped with a metal pyramid; the names of the fallen are inscribed on it. The memorial site has its own history: it stands where a fire station once stood. In September 1918, seven supporters of the Reds were tortured there.

The memorial thus brings together a visible monument and two historical reference points: the names of those killed in the two wars and the event that took place at this site in September 1918. Visitors interested in the village’s history will find a concrete point of connection here by the Rezh.

Nikonova is considered the ancestral home of the Mamin family. Its best-known member was the writer D. N. Mamin-Sibiryak. The village’s earlier names also reflect this connection: in 1680, Nikonova was also called Mamina; in 1696, it was renamed Nikonova. These dates place the name’s history in context without reducing the village’s name to a single form.

Vasily Ignatyevich Mamin was born in Nikonova and was the family’s first clergyman. Another cultural connection is to Ural folk painting: Ivan Danilovich Samoylov collected a significant part of the collection for the museum in Nizhnyaya Sinyachikha in Nikonova. The story of the collection complements the biographical connections with a distinct perspective on the village’s cultural setting.

The list of approved road tourism routes for Sverdlovsk Oblast was published in 2026. Among the routes named in the 2026 list is the Demidov Route, between Yekaterinburg, Nevyansk, and Nizhny Tagil. Also included is “Discovering the Urals: Nature, History, Legends,” with Yekaterinburg, Irbit, Turinsk, and Tavda as stops.

The approved road tourism routes for Sverdlovsk Oblast also include “Along the Iset to the Sound of the Bell: A Trip to Kamensk-Uralsky,” which the list says connects Yekaterinburg and Kamensk-Uralsky. The routes differ in their listed destinations and titles. Since the underlying approval list was published in 2026, check route information before departure.

Discover more destinations: Krasnyy Partizan, Aramil, Kosulino, Nizhnyaya Tura, Asbest, Novouralsk, Iset', Monetnyy.

Where is Nikonova?

Nikonova lies on the left bank of the Rezh, three kilometers downstream from Koptelovo.

What does the memorial by the Rezh commemorate?

It commemorates the victims of the Civil War and the Great Patriotic War; the names of the fallen are inscribed on it.

What is Nikonova’s connection to the Mamin family?

The village is considered the family’s ancestral home. D. N. Mamin-Sibiryak was its best-known member.

For the overarching travel guide: Sverdlovsk Oblast.