History of the region

The Penza Region is an administrative and territorial division and an equal constituent entity of the Russian Federation. State power in the region is exercised on the basis of its division into legislative, executive and judicial powers.

Ivan Belozertsev is the governor of the Penza Region since September 21st, 2015.

The representative body is the Legislative Assembly of the Penza Region. The executive body is the Government of the Penza Region. Beyond the authority of the Russian Federation and the powers of the Russian Federation in the fields of joint jurisdiction of Russia and the Penza Region, the Penza Region exercises all powers of government on its territory, including the adoption of laws and other government regulations.

Valery Lidin is the chairman of the Legislative Assembly of the Penza Region since 2015.

Under the Constitution of Russia, the Legislative Assembly of the Penza Region has the right of the Legislative Initiative in the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation. The regional economic system is based on the state, municipal and private property.

In 2013, the administrative centre of the Penza Region, the city of Penza, celebrated its 350th anniversary.

In preparation for the anniversary, major cultural facilities were built, reconstructed and upgraded:
- Penza Concert Hall for 1500 seats;
- Penza Philharmonic Hall for 750 seats, including the Organ Hall;
- the building and exhibition space of V.O. Klyuchevsky museum;
- the building and exhibition space of I.N. Ulyanov museum;
- the building of the Centre for Performing Art “Meyerhold House”;
- the building of Kirov Centre for Culture and Leisure.