The centres of life in all provincial towns were the open markets full of goods which peasants brought from the countryside, and the colourful fairs held regularly throughout the countries. In (1) _ Europe, such fairs disappeared during (2) Middle Ages, but in (3) Russia they remained widespread until the Revolution. The greatest fair of all, the largest in Europe and, indeed, the world, was the huge fair at (5) Nizhny Novgorod, which took place from July 15 to September 10 every year. The city of (6) Nizhny Novgorod is located (7) southeast of Moscow in what is one of the richest Russia. (4) agricultural districts of (8) Situated at the junction of two great rivers, where (9) Volga, goods could be transported there easily by water. And from the middle of the 14th century onward a fair had been held in the neighbourhood. In the 19th century, goods were delivered there from Europe and (11) by railway and from
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