Meshchovsk

Meschtschowsk (Russian Мещовск ) is a small town in the Kaluga oblast (Russia) with 4100 inhabitants (as of October 14, 2010 ).

Geography

The city is located about 85 km southwest of the Oblasthauptstadt Kaluga at the Tureja, a left tributary of Serena in the river system of the Volga.

Meschtschowsk is the administrative center of the homonymous Rajons.

History

The town was first mentioned in 1238 as a fief Seweriens documented. From the series, various forms of the name as Mestschewsk, Mesezk, Mesetsch ( e) sk, Mesezesk, Mesesk, Meschtschorsk are known on a Baltic origin, derived from forest ( cf. Latvian mežs ) indicate.

In the 15th century the city belonged to the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. In 1503 it was conquered by the Grand Duchy of Moscow. 1584 gave the town a siege by the Crimean Tatars was, during the Time of Troubles another by troops of the second " False Dimitris ". 1617 were able to take the time for a short time Polish troops.

1776 the modern city law as an administrative center of a circle ( Ujesds ) was awarded.

During World War II Meschtschowsk was occupied on 7 October 1941 by the German Wehrmacht and recaptured on 6 January 1942 by the Western Front of the Red Army during their counter-offensive in the Battle of Moscow.

Demographics

Note: Census data (1926 rounded)

Culture and sights

Main point of interest is Cathedral of the Annunciation Cathedral ( собор Благовещения / Blagoweschtschenija Sobor ) of 1832 with a bell tower of 1907. The bell tower has a clock tower, which is relatively rare for Russia.

Here also is the Holy George's Monastery ( Свято - Георгиевский монастырь / Swjato - Georgievsky monastyr ), which was founded in the 19th century instead of an old, same name, but more distant monastery, closed during the Soviet period and reopened in 2003.

Economy and infrastructure

In Meschtschowsk there are smaller companies in the food industry and the building materials industry.

The station opened in 1899 Kudrinskaja the railway Moscow - Bryansk Kiev located 21 kilometers east of the city ( kilometer 237).

The M3 highway Moscow - Bryansk - Ukrainian border ( then on to Kiev) leads twelve kilometers south-east over the city.

Sons and daughters of the town

  • Valentin Berestov (1928-1998), Youth Writers and Translators
  • Nikolai Mikhailovsky (1842-1904), sociologist, writer and theorist of Volkstümlerbewegung
  • Vyacheslav Plehwe (1846-1904), statesman
Central Federal District Vehicle registration plates of Russia OKATO Volga River Raion Severia Baltic languages M3 highway (Russia) Yukhnov Kirov, Kaluga Oblast Kozelsk Lyudinovo Maloyaroslavets Medyn Obninsk Zhizdra Zhukov, Kaluga Oblast Spas-Demensk Sukhinichi
565305
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