Volokolamsk

Volokolamsk (Russian Волоколамск ) is a city in Russia in the Moscow Oblast. It counts 23 433 inhabitants (as of October 14, 2010 ) and is the administrative center of the Rajons Volokolamsk. The city is located around 124 kilometers north- west of Moscow, not far from the Moscow -Riga railway.

History

Volokolamsk was first mentioned in 1135, making it likely to be the oldest city in the Moscow Oblast. The name comes from Wolok na Lame from, a flat area of the river Lama ( river system of the Volga River ), which flows near the city and served as a trade route from Novgorod to Moscow and Ryazan. Due to its location between Moscow and Novgorod the place long time between Moscow and the Grand Prince of Novgorod was controversial and was devastated several times in the 12th and 13th centuries, including in Tatar attacks. After intermittent connection to Lithuania Volokolamsk went in 1513 to the Grand Duchy of Moscow. During the Smuta early 17th century ravaged by the Poles, the permanent place in the next 200 years in the shadows. It was not until 1781 Volokolamsk received city rights, whereupon a general plan for the building was made ​​. In the course of the 19th century produced some industries, including trade strongly developed. Beginning of the 20th century it was Volokolamsk a railway connection in the course of establishing a direct link between Moscow and Riga.

During the Russian uprising in 1905 Volokolamsk was an important center of the labor movement; among others, the textile factory went on strike the city, at that time the largest industrial enterprise in Volokolamsk. In October 1905 called insurgent peasants near Volokolamsk Markowoer the Republic, which was liquidated in July 1906 by the state power.

After the October Revolution all industrial enterprises of the city were nationalized. 1929 Rajon Volokolamsk was formed, whose administrative center was Volokolamsk.

In the fall of 1941, the city was during the German invasion of the Soviet Union as one of the outposts of Moscow highly competitive and wore them considerable damage. It was occupied from October 27 to December 30, 1941 by German troops. A Soviet assault gun had blown up in November 1941 seven German armored vehicles in their advance on Moscow and the crew lost their lives. A monument with an assault gun commemorates this event.

In the 50s, the city was rebuilt largely and into the 60s in significantly increased by incorporations of neighboring villages.

Economy

Today Volokolamsk is an important industrial city. In addition to a textile factory and several processing plants for agricultural products here, there is a factory for building materials. 2006-2007 a ​​chemical factory of U.S. manufacturer 3M was built near Volokolamsk. In Wolokalamsk is the 4.07 km long racetrack Moscow Raceway, on August 4, 2013 for the first time took place in Russia on the race of the DTM.

Attractions

• Resurrection Cathedral (15th century)
• Mother of God Church of the Nativity (1535 )
• Protection and Intercession Church ( 1695)
• Nicholas Cathedral (1864 )
• Joseph- Volokolamsk Monastery near (16th - 17th century)
• Motor racing (2012 )