Belinskii

(until 1948, Chembar), a city and administrative center of Belinskii Raion, Penza Oblast, RSFSR. Situated on the Malyi Chembar River (Don basin), 55 km southwest of the Belinskaia railroad station (on the Penza-Riazhsk line). Population, 6,800 (1970). Belinskii has butter, hemp, and brick plants. There is a pedagogical school in the city.

Chembar became a city in 1784. It was renamed in honor of V. G. Belinskii, who spent his childhood in Chembar. (The Belinskii Museum is located here.) The museum estate and grave of M. Iu. Lermontov are in the village of Lermontovo (formerly Tarkhany) near Belinskii.