Shchigry, Kursk Oblast

Schtschigry (Russian Щигры ) is a town in Kursk Oblast (Russia) with 17,040 inhabitants (as of October 14, 2010 ).

Geography

The city is located about 60 km northeast of Oblasthauptstadt Kursk to the river Schtschigor (also Schtschigra ) and Lesnaya Plata river system of the Don.

Schtschigry the Oblast is administratively subordinated directly and as the administrative center of the homonymous Rajons.

History

In place of the present-day city existed in the 17th century, the village Troizkoje na Schtschigrach, named after the village of Trinity Church (Russian Troitskaya Tserkov, of Troiza ) and the regional, popular name for schtschigor wooded hills.

1779 the municipal law as an administrative center of a circle ( Ujesds ) was awarded under the present name.

Main livelihood of the population in the 19th century were farming and pig breeding.

During World War II Schtschigry was occupied on 21 November 1941 by the German Wehrmacht and recaptured on February 5, 1943 by troops of the Voronezh Front Red Army during the Battle of Kharkov.

Demographics

Note: Census data (1926-1939 rounded)

Culture and sights

The city has a museum of local history.

Economy and infrastructure

In Schtschigry there is a work for geological exploration equipment ( Geomasch ), a plastics factory ( Plastpolimer ) as well as companies in the building materials industry and the food industry.

The town lies on the railway line opened in 1894 Kursk - Voronezh.