Dankov

Dankow (Russian Данков ) is a city in Russia with a population of 21,064 (as of October 14, 2010 ). It lies on the upper reaches of the Don and circle center within the Lipetsk Oblast. The city is 86 km north-west of the regional center of Lipetsk.

History

The village was founded in 1568 on the site of an ancient town called Donkow, which belonged to the Ryazan principality and was a few centuries earlier ravaged by the Tartars. Since Dankow was at this time on the southern borders of Russia, it was initially intended as a border post. With the expansion of the empire in the 17th century, however, the place lost its importance and has long been a poor, mostly living from farming province settlement. Only with the local government reform in the late 18th century it was Dankow 1778 city status. After a major fire in 1791, the town was re- built in many parts, there emerged several stone church buildings and merchant houses.

In the 19th century the city played a major role in the production of and trade in agricultural products, especially grain. Late 19th and early 20th century there were in the city several smaller industrial companies. 1890 Dankow was connected to the Russian railway network.

After the October Revolution Dankow lost its previous importance in trade, which even resulted that in 1924 the city status was revoked. However, after 1940 there is a chemical factory was built, Dankows increased economic importance again, and in 1959 it was returned to the city status.

Demographics

Note: Census data

Economy and Transport

The most important industrial operation Dankows is the chemical factory, founded in 1940, and there are smaller establishments in the city of light and food industries. Nearby dolomite is mined and processed in a factory. Otherwise, especially farming is done in Rajon Dankow.

The town has a railway station with direct connections among other Paveletsky railway station in Moscow.

Attractions

In the city there is a local history museum, which is housed in a former church building from the year 1790. Another historic church, St. Vladimir's Church from 1799, can be found in the village ten kilometers away Balownewo. About 20 km to the east lies the Dankows Astapovo Station, in its 1910 building the famous writer Leo Tolstoy died.

Local museum / former church

The Don in Dankow

Christ's Birth Church

St. George's Church

Sons and daughters of the town

• Alexei Lebedev, (1924-1993), tuba player and composer
• Irina Rakobolskaja ( born 1919 ), physicist and bomber pilot
• Anatoly Solovyov (1922-2000), theater and cinema actor