Temnikov is a city in the Russian Federation, a district center in Mordovia, located on the right bank of the Moksha River (tributary of the Oka), 71 km north of the Torbeevo railway station, 158 km northwest of Saransk. There is a small airfield in the city. Population of 9.2 thousand inhabitants (2001). The main industrial enterprises: small-sized lamp factory wallpaper factory, "Red Rose", timber mill, hemp plant. In the city there is also a factory of dry skim milk, vegetable drying, starch, bakery.
Temnikov is the oldest city of Mordovia, the first mention of it refers to the end of the 14th century. It was founded as a fortress on the site of the present village of Old Town. In 1536, the fortress was moved 8 km upstream of the Moksha River. Temnikov fortress was part of the Kasimov kingdom. In 1779, Temnikov received the status of a district city of the Tambov governorship. It was incorporated into Mordovia in 1930.
In the city there is a local history museum, a memorial museum of the composer L. I. Voinov. In Temnikov, architectural monuments have been preserved, among which the Assumption Church built in the style of classicism stands out. The temple was built in 1827 in honor of the people's militia of 1812. Near Temnikov there is an active men's Sanaksar monastery, the main buildings of which were erected in several stages in 1765-1820 under the leadership of I. I. Ushakov, then F. I. Bylinin. In the fence of the monastery is the grave of Admiral F. F. Ushakov. In the vicinity of Temnikov, in the interfluve of Moksha and its right tributary of Satis, in 1935 the Mordovian Reserve was created to protect and study the landscapes of the Oksko-Klyazminsky forest.
