Mokshan

Mokschan (Russian Мокшан ) is an urban-type settlement in the Penza Oblast (Russia) with 11,592 inhabitants (as of October 14, 2010 ).

Geography

The settlement is situated about 40 km north- west of the Oblastverwaltungszentrums Pensa on both sides of Moksha, a right tributary of the Oka.

Mokschan is the administrative center of the homonymous Rajons Mokschan. The settlement is also the administrative center of a municipality of the same name ( gorodskoje posselenije ) to continue the two rural settlements Krasny cordon and Krasnoje Polzo belong.

History

Until the 20th century was regarded as Year of the specified place of Nikolai Karamzin year in 1535. Recent findings have shown, however, that Mokschan emerged as a wooden fortress in the course of 1676 started Penza Verhaulinie no later than 1679. The place was named after the river; times were also the names and forms Mokschansk Mokschany in use.

First Mokschan was considered a " suburb " of Penza, later it became independent. From 1708 it was run as a city of the province of Kazan, in 1780 as the administrative headquarters of Ujesds the governorship Pensa. In 1798 it lost in the short term this management function, but received it again with the re-creation of the Penza 1801.

As part of the administrative reform after the founding of the Soviet Union Ujesd Mokschan was dissolved and the place lost its city charter. In 1928 which has now become village Mokschan was the administrative seat of the newly created, same Rajons. In 1960 it received the status of an urban-type settlement.

Demographics

Note: from 1897 census data

Attractions

The center of Mokschan forms a relatively well-preserved ensemble of secular and church buildings, as it was usual for a Russian provincial town in the late 19th century. These include the Archangel Michael Church ( церковь Михаила Архангела, Tserkov Michaila Archangela ) from 1817 to 1825 and the Epiphany Church ( церковь Богоявления Господня, Tserkov Bogojawlenija Gospodnja ) from 1893 to 1908. When you place a part of the wooden fortification from the 17th century was rebuilt with watchtower.

Since 1977, a commemorative museum exists in Mokschan for the village Bogorodskoje ( about 5 km to the west ) of the Ujesds Mokschan born writer Alexander Malyshkin ( 1892-1938 ).

Economy and infrastructure

Mokschan is situated in an agricultural area. There are various companies in the food industry and forestry.

Through the village the M5 highway, which runs from Moscow to Penza and continue to Chelyabinsk in the Urals runs. The nearest railway stations are Simanschtschina ( the village Netschajewka ) and Ramsai ( the same village) at the track Ryazhsk - Penza - Sysran, both about 20 km south-west or south-easterly direction from Mokschan.