Kashira

Kashira (Russian Кашира ) is a town in Moscow Oblast, Russia. It is situated 115 km south of Moscow, on the right bank of the Oka, and has 41,870 inhabitants (as of October 14, 2010 ).

History

The town's name comes from the river Kaschirka whose name origin is not exactly known. As village Kashira (then: Koschira ) was first mentioned in 1356 and is thus one of the oldest places in today's Moscow Oblast.

End of the 15th century Kaschira was a southern border town within the Moscow principality. This was the place repeatedly undoing: in 1480 made ​​him Tsar Ivan III. before the approaching Tartars precaution burn down the end of the 16th century Kaschira was repeated target of the Crimean Tatars. 1620 Kaschira was moved from the left to the right bank of Oka, while the fortifications were renewed. However, the fortress lost its military significance in the same century.

In the 18th century, increasingly developed in Kaschira the industry and trade, which was also due to favorable road and river links the town with Moscow, Tula, Serpukhov and other major cities at that time. 1777 received city rights Kashira, 1900 a railway connection. Since 1923, the city belongs administratively to the Moscow Oblast.

During WWII Kashira was at times contested and also served as one of the southern outpost in the Battle of Moscow. However, the end of November 1941, the Wehrmacht could be pushed back.

In the postwar years the city has been greatly expanded, including through incorporation of the town Nowokaschirsk, which was built in the 1920s, along with a large plant. This power plant has been expanded and modernized in the 1970s and remains one of the most important to Kaschiras industrial plants.

Coat of arms

Description: Silver and blue divided; above a golden mean cross down on a curved green sign foot a red gepflügelter and gezungter Basilisk with golden beak, legs and crown.

Economy and Transport

Among the industrial enterprises of the city today are in addition to the cogeneration plant a shipyard, an iron foundry, a machine factory for agricultural facilities, a brickyard, also furniture, textile and food factories.

Kashira is located on the Russian highway M4 from Moscow to Novorossiysk, branches off from the M6 here to Astrakhan. Since 1900, Kashira also has a railway connection to a main route leading from Moscow Paveletskaya Station to southern Russia and Ukraine. There are also direct trains transport with Moscow.

Attractions

Most historic buildings in Kashira are from the heyday of the city from the late 18th to the early 20th century. Among them are:

• Church of the Virgin in the Temple (1802-1817)
• Church of St. Nicholas the Miracle Worker (1815 )
• Ascension church (1826-1849)
• City Church Dormition of Mary (1829-1842)
• Buildings of the former Nikita Monastery
• Several neo-classical houses from the 19th century

Sons and daughters of the town

• Alexander Fyodorovich Feoktistow ( b. 1948 ), chess composer
• Maria Mikhailovna Korotejewa (* 1981), Russian hurdler