City Alatyr inextricably linked with the fate of the world famous artist Stepan Erzia (Nefedova), born in October 1876 in the village of Baevo Alatyrsky County Simbirsk. Username Erzya reflects Russian artist belonging to an ethnic group, which is part of the Mordovian people.

In 1899, the family moving to Nefedova Alatyr and settles in a wooden house in front of the temple Znamensky. Before moving to the city Stepan Nefedov has already established himself as a talented artist and a painter, and when Russia celebrated the 100th anniversary of the birth of Pushkin, the organizers of the anniversary evening invited the young talent to design performance. Nowadays preserved poster, which is written by hand Erzya "Alatyr. Commercial Club. 1899" and the building where the event took place with the established plaque (now the shoe factory).

In 1901, the money raised Alatyr intelligentsia, Stepan went to enter the Stroganov School, where he helped uncover young talent such teachers as: VA Serov, KA Korovin, IA Kasatkin, LO Pasternak, AE Arkhipov and sculptor Sergey Volnukhin. World fame and high recognition of the sculptor was in Europe in 1911. From 1925 to 1950 Erzya live in Argentina because of the difficult relations with the new government, but in 1951 returned to Moscow with a huge collection of his works (180 sculptures of different materials, with a total weight of 175 tons). In November 1956, S.D.Erzya died in his studio in Moscow.

Preserved in Sura house, where he spent his teenage years S.D.Erzya, listed historical monuments of regional significance. Also survived Znamensky temple across the street from the house. During the reconstruction of natural landscape zone - the park "Prudok" - in honor of the great sculptor was a monument.