Sarov, Research city in Nizhny Novgorod Oblast, Russia.
Sarov is a closed city in Nizhny Novgorod Oblast, Russia, set among forested hills and home to a large nuclear research center. Multiple checkpoints monitor access, and fences run along the entire city boundary, which can only be approached through a few guarded roads.
In 1691 an Orthodox monastery was founded here, later becoming home to Saint Seraphim and drawing pilgrims from across Russia. After 1946 the Soviet government transformed the area into a closed nuclear research center under the code name Arzamas-16.
The old monastery complex draws Orthodox pilgrims who visit the tomb of Saint Seraphim and attend services held within its walls. Many residents work at the research center and live in apartment blocks distributed between pine forests and wide streets.
Foreign visitors need a special permit that must be requested several weeks in advance, and they must hand over their electronic devices at checkpoints. Routes within the city are clearly marked, and photography is forbidden in many areas.
The city has maintained direct contacts with Los Alamos in New Mexico for many years, where nuclear research is also conducted. This exchange allows meetings between Russian and American scientists despite the strict security rules.
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