Hotels, motels and where to sleep
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Borovsk is located in the Kaluga region. The ancient Russian city
has been known since the middle of the 14th century.
Borovsk
is the regional center of the Kaluga region. The population is about
11,000 people. It is located on the Protva River, a left tributary
of the Oka. Before the revolution, it was one of the centers of
Russian Old Believers, the place of exile of Protopop Avvakum and
Boyarina Morozova.
Borovsk has never had heavy industry, and
the city as a whole has retained its historical appearance. Now
Borovsk is interesting for the preserved architecture of the
XVII-XIX centuries, the atmosphere of a small county town and modern
street frescoes.
Borovsk is unique for its street murals. The
artist Viktor Ovchinnikov, after retiring, moved to Borovsk and
began painting the walls of houses, currently there are already
about 100 frescoes.
Tourist information Center "Borovsky Krai": Kommunisticheskaya
str., 6.
Paphnutievo-Borovsky Monastery, an ensemble of
architectural monuments of the pre-Petrine period (XVI—XVII
centuries): Dmitrova str., 1.
Church of the Intercession of the
Blessed Virgin Mary on the High: Rabochaya str., 41.
Old
Believers Cathedral of the Intercession of the Most Holy Theotokos:
63 Kommunisticheskaya str.
, Old Believers Vvedenskaya Church: 10
Tsiolkovsky str.
Museum and Local History complex "Stolny gorod
Borovsk" (Borovsky Museum of Local Lore): Lenin Square, 7.
K. E.
Tsiolkovsky's apartment museum: 49 Tsiolkovsky str.
The prison
castle — the history of the Old Believers, Paintings by Ovchinnikov,
art and historical exhibitions. The restored Catherine's prison in
1866, 66 Bernikova St.
Computer Museum: Kommunisticheskaya str.,
2.
Municipal Cultural Institution "Museum and Exhibition Center":
Lenin str., 27.
Museum of the History of Borovsk and Old
Believers: Sovetskaya str., 6a (Borovskoye settlement).
Museum of
the History of Borovsk merchants and Entrepreneurship (Polezhaev
House): Lenin St., 18.
Museum of Fire Protection of the city of
Borovsk: Kaluzhskaya St., 95a.
D. A. Zhukov Cultural Center: 42
Lenin Square.
L. G. Kiseleva Art Gallery: Mira str., 11.
Museum-Gallery "On Molchanovka" (workshop and exhibition hall of the
iconographer and restorer Vladimir Kobzar): Kommunisticheskaya str.,
6.
Monument to Tsiolkovsky: Sovetskaya str., Borovskoye
settlement.
Boris and Gleb Church (the church was built in 1704,
the bell tower in 1819): 102 Kommunisticheskaya str.
The chapel
is a monument at the place of imprisonment and death of Boyarina
Morozova and Princess Urusova: Borovskoye settlement.
Monument to
Admiral Senyavin, a native of Borovsky District: Lenin Square.
The city estate of the merchant F. I. Shokin: Lenin Street, 15.
Borovsk wall painting.
Ovchinnikov's spaceship.
A memorial
stone to the victims of political repression.
Yak-40 Aircraft
House Museum
In 2018, the city authorities announced their
intention to demolish 17 19th-century mansions in the historical
development area and replace them with modern dummies. VOOPIiK
regarded this action as vandalism and filed a complaint with the
prosecutor's office. Vladimir Medinsky said at the same time that
the Ministry of Culture would not interfere in the situation, since
Borovsk would receive the status of a historical settlement no
earlier than next year.
The most convenient way to get to Borovsk is through Balabanovo, a
transport hub on the M—3 highway and the Moscow—Kaluga railway.
By train
Balabanovo station.
By bus
In Balabanovo, buses
and minibuses depart from the square next to the station as they fill
up, the journey time to Borovsk is 20 minutes.
By car
From
Moscow:
Along the M3 highway (Kiev highway) to the right turn on the
A108 (Bolshoe Moskovskoe Ring, exit exactly at the 91 km mark), then
follow the signs to Borovsk. Alternative route (if the passage along the
A108 is complicated by road repairs): follow the M3 highway to the right
turn to Balabanovo (after the 95 km mark), then after the tunnel under
the railway to the right. Then straight down the station street, turning
into the A108, then follow the signs to Borovsk.
Along the A130
highway (Kaluzhskoye, then Varshavskoye highway) to the intersection
with the A108 beyond the village of Vorobyov, turn right along the A108
to the intersection with the M3, turn right (towards Moscow) along the
M3 to the left turn onto the A108 at 91 km, then follow the signs to
Borovsk. Passage through the city of Balabanovo on this route is also
possible, but unforeseen delays are possible on the left turn from the
A108 to the M3.
There is a bus route in Borovsk, but all the sights are within walking distance.
Average cost
"Guest House in Borovsk", st. Bernikova, 66A.
Cheap
Druzhba, st. Lenin, 1.
Pizzeria "Peacock" or
"Pavlin", st. Communist, 45.
Average cost
Izba, st. Lenin,
9a. Cafe with a terrace overlooking the left bank of Protva.
The city is surrounded by forests and is located on hills on both banks of the Protva River about 15 kilometers from the Balabanovo station of the Kiev direction of the Moscow Railway and 84 kilometers southwest of Moscow.
The first mention of the city is contained in the spiritual charter
of the Grand Duke Ivan the Red, dated 1358. However, the ceramics found
at the Borovsky settlement (the site of the Borovsky Kremlin) dates back
to an earlier time, the XI—XIII century, which indicates the existence
of an ancient Russian settlement here. Archaeological excavations and
surveys of Borovsk show that at a distance of 500-800 meters from each
other there were settlements on the left bank of the Protva River
("Petrova Gora") and on the right (on the hillfort and in the area of
the Oblique Ravine).
Around 1378, Dmitry Donskoy transferred
Borovsk along with several volosts to Prince Vladimir the Brave and the
city became one of the centers of the Serpukhov-Borovsk principality,
which existed until the 3rd quarter of the XV century.
In the
middle of the XV century, Paphnutius Borovsky founded on the outskirts
of the city a large cultural and religious center of the Moscow state -
the Paphnutievo-Borovsky Monastery. In 1480, Ivan III, who owned the
city, was preparing troops near Borovsk for the battle with the Horde.
In 1565, when Tsar Ivan the Terrible divided the Russian state into
oprichnina and zemshchyna, the city with the surrounding lands became
part of the latter and was counted among it until the end of 1567.
In the XVII century, Borovsk became the scene of the tragedy of the
Old Believers. Protopope Avvakum was exiled here, they were placed in
the Borovsky prison (and destroyed there) his companions are Boyarina
Morozova and her sister Princess Urusova.
Since 1776, Borovsk has
been the county town of Borovsky District of Kaluga Governorate (since
1796 — Kaluga province). In 1777, the coat of arms of Borovsk was
established.
During the Patriotic War of 1812, the city and
Paphnutiev Monastery were burned and ravaged by the French. In May 1857,
the city was again severely damaged by fire — 150 houses, 200 shops and
several churches burned down.
From 1880 to 1892, Konstantin
Tsiolkovsky, who worked as a teacher here, lived in Borovsk. Previously,
the religious thinker N. F. Fedorov lived and taught here.
Since
July 1929, Borovsk has been the center of the Borovsky district of the
Kaluga Region of the Moscow Region.
Since July 1930, Borovsk has
been the center of the Borovsky district of the Moscow Region (Kaluga
District, like most other districts of the USSR, was abolished).
Since July 5, 1944, Borovsk has been the center of the Borovsky district
of the Kaluga Region.
Defense of Borovsk in the autumn of 1941
Military units and divisions of the 5th, 33rd and 43rd armies of the
Western Front and the Moscow Military District took part in the defense:
the 113th Rifle Division (formerly the 5th Moscow Rifle Division of the
People's Militia).
110th Rifle Division (formerly the 4th Moscow
Rifle Division of the People's Militia).
312th Rifle Division.
53rd Infantry Division.
17th Tank Brigade.
2nd motorized rifle
regiment of the separate motorized rifle division of the special purpose
NKVD named after F. Dzerzhinsky.
A special cavalry regiment.
Artillery regiments of the 43rd Army.
Units of the 151st and 152nd
motorized rifle brigades.
Anti-aircraft artillery Group 1 of the
Moscow Air Defense Corps.
The 3rd division of the 12th Guards Mortar
Regiment.
Units of the 22nd Tank Brigade (group of captain K. G.
Kozhanov).
Separate tank units of the 5th and 43rd armies.
The
40th Borovsky and 41st Podolsk fighter battalions of the NKVD.
Liberation of Borovsk in the winter of 1942
The city was liberated
from the German occupation by the troops of the 33rd Army of General M.
G. Efremov during the fighting, which lasted from December 31, 1941 to
January 4, 1942. Borovsk was occupied by units of the 113th, 93rd and
201st Rifle divisions with the support of units of the 338th Infantry
Division.
In 1777 (March 10), the coat of arms of the city of Borovsk was approved, reflecting the feat of Mikhail Volkonsky, who fell to the death of the brave with his soldiers at the hands of the Poles in 1610: "Recalling this incident worthy of being remembered, the coat of arms of this city consists of a silver field depicting innocence and sincerity, a scarlet heart showing loyalty, in in the middle of which is a cross, expressing true zeal for God's Law, the foundation of all virtue, and this heart is surrounded by a green laurel crown, showing the inviolability and firm stay worthy of glory to this leader and others, to those who died for a just cause with him." (PSZ of the Russian Empire. Vol. XX. 1775-1780).
The Borovskiye Izvestia newspaper is a socio-political publication.
It is published twice a week: on Wednesdays and Fridays on 4-12 pages
(the main newspaper) plus appendices. In addition to event materials and
chronicles of events taking place in all spheres of the district's life,
the newspaper has the status of an official publisher of legislative
acts of the Borovsky District municipal formation, as well as a number
of settlements that make up it (Borovsk, Asenyevskoye, Sovyaki, Borovsky
State farm, Vorsino, Krivskoye). Founders: the administration of the
municipal formation of the Borovsky District municipal district and the
Borovsky District municipal autonomous institution "District Information
Center". The first issue of the newspaper was published on September 20,
1921. The newspaper has had an electronic archive of its issues since
2011.
The newspaper "Borovsk — my heart" is a public newspaper of
urban cultural life, history and tourism. Articles on the culture and
history of Borovsk and other small historical cities of the Kaluga
Region and the Moscow region are published. The permanent section
"Memory" tells about famous Borovians — scientists, merchants, warriors
and historical figures. Information about new publications dedicated to
Borovsk is published on the pages of the newspaper. Materials related to
the development of tourism in Borovsk are published. The newspaper is
distributed free of charge in Borovsk, Obninsk, Kaluga, Balabanov,
Moscow. Founders: The Foundation for the Development of Small Historical
Towns and the Cultural and Historical Center "Borovsky Krai". It has
been published since August 2017. The newspaper has a complete
electronic archive of its issues.
The transmission of television and radio broadcasting signals in the
city is provided by a branch of the Kaluga Regional Radio and Television
Transmission Center of the Federal State Unitary Enterprise "Russian
Television and Radio Broadcasting Network". Broadcasting is conducted
from the tallest mast in the Kaluga region with a height of 198 meters,
located in Obninsk. Reception of a package of 20 TV channels and 3 radio
channels in digital format is provided throughout the city: the first
multiplex on 52 television channels (722 MHz), the second multiplex on
43 television channels (650 MHz).
Television news releases of the
city are held in the TV program "Borovsky district: yesterday, today,
tomorrow". The program is broadcast weekly by the official partner of
JSC TV-Center Obninsk television and radio company Krylia.
Plant of metal structures and industrial equipment "YVS"
Experimental plant "Vega", branch of the Ship Repair Center "Zvezdochka"
JSC "Vitasol", production of feed and therapeutic and prophylactic
additives for animals, birds and fish
LLC "Bass", production of
plastic products used in construction
Ligum LLC, industrial rubber
coating of shafts and sleeves
PHARM-SINTEZ LLC, manufacture of
medicines
Textile and knitting enterprises
Food industry
enterprises
Production of vans and other commercial vehicles
The
All-Russian Scientific Research Institute of Physiology, Biochemistry
and Animal Nutrition, known for its developments in the field of feeding
farm animals, biotechnology of microorganisms, cellular and genetic
engineering, is located within the city of Borovsk (village of
Institute).
The climate in Borovsk is moderately continental, with moderately cold winters (about -9 °C in January) and warm summers (about +18 °C in July).
On October 4, 2005, the Bank of Russia issued a commemorative bimetallic coin with a face value of 10 rubles "Ancient Cities of Russia. Borovsk".