Penza is the city in the Southern central European Russia. Penza is the administrative, industrial, transport and cultural centre of Penzenskaya Oblast. The city stands on the banks of the river Sura. Penza was founded as a fortress in 1663 (1596 according to the newest research). Situated in the chernozem zone Penza developed as a trading center in the 18th century. Penza has the highly developed light and woodworking industries. Manufacture includes diesel engines, compressor equipment, computers, agricultural machines, bicycles, etc. Penza is included into the Volga economic region. The basic industries are the machine-building industry (chemical, textile, compressor equipment, diesel engines, agricultural machines, devices, bicycles), the light (textile, shoe), food (sugar, flour-and-cereals and other), woodworking, paper industries and the industry of building materials. Penza is known for its cultural traditions. The Penza territory is motherland of many famous people. Here live or were born such outstanding people as M.Y. Lermontov, A.N.Radishev, V.G.Belinsky, M.E.Saltykov-Shedrin, V.O.Klyuchevsky, A.I.Kuprin, A.G.Malyshkin, V.E.Mayerhold, K.A.Savitsky, A.V.Lentulov, N.F.Filatov, etc. Penza Drama Theatre is more than 200 years old now. It was founded in 1793. In 1874 in Penza was opened the first Russian Stationary circus, which has recently celebrated its 125th anniversary.