The year of foundation of Kaluga is considered to be the 1371th. It was at this time that he was mentioned in the letter of the Lithuanian prince Olgerd. Investigations by archaeologists suggest that it existed long before that. But this year is the official date, which does not prevent it from being ranked among the oldest cities in Russia. The history of the state is closely connected with Kaluga. This city has much to be proud of.
Day of the city
The year of founding of the city of Kaluga is still a debate among pundits. Since 2009, Kaluga residents have been celebrating City Day. The celebration is usually held on the last Saturday of August. This citywide holiday is marked by mass festivities, various events in which citizens and guests participate.
Until 2008, City Day was celebrated on the second Sunday of September, but the Metropolitan of Kaluga and Borovsky Clement turned to the city authorities with a proposal to coincide the city holiday with the commemoration of St. Lawrence, the patron saint of Kaluga. The founding year was taken in 1371, as officially recognized by historians.
On this day there are concerts, various exhibitions, competitions. One of them is a baby stroller contest in which children and their parents participate. In 2018, the city will celebrate 647 years since its foundation. The celebration will take place on August 28th. Carnival procession will traditionally take place along the central streets of the city.
The creation of Kaluga
What is the reason for accepting this founding date of Kaluga? The year of origin was adopted conditionally, as the first date it was mentioned in the letter of the Lithuanian prince, who expressed dissatisfaction with the acquisition of land from the Tarusian prince by the Moscow prince. Kaluga land has always been a place of contention between Muscovites and Lithuanians. According to historians, initially Kaluga changed its location three times. After the complete destruction of the city by the Crimean Tatars in 1512, it was transferred to the banks of the Oka, where it is now.
Archaeologists have established that on the territory of modern Kaluga there were three ancient settlements: the first was located at the confluence of two rivers, the Oka and Ugra; the second is in the upper reaches of the Kaluga River. Third - Semenovo settlement on the river Yachenka. Excavations carried out at the end of the 19th century gave full reason to assume that the history of two of them has been going on for several millennia. Today, the year of foundation of Kaluga cannot be established with accuracy. The development of the city is closely connected with the formation of the Moscow Principality. It was at this time that the city of Kaluga became an outpost between Muscovy and the Principality of Lithuania.
Location of Kaluga
The city is located on both banks of the Oka River and is located on the Central Russian Upland. It’s only 88 kilometers to the Troitsky AO of Moscow; the distance from the Moscow Ring Road is twice as much and equals 161 kilometers. This is the distance given in most directories. The city of Tula is a hundred kilometers away. The largest reservoir in the Kaluga region is considered to be the Yachen reservoir.
Etymological origin of the word "Kaluga"
What does the word kaluga mean? There are several versions of the origin of the name. The simplest assumption is the origin of the name of the city from the Kaluga River, where, according to scientists, the ancient city was located. If you look at Dahl’s dictionary, you can read what such a word is in the dialect of many areas. In meaning, it is approximately the same - a swampy place. In Tula and Kaluga, it means peninsula and kalach. According to the Imperial Academy of Sciences, the word Kaluga means swamp, swamp. In other Slavic languages there is also the word "kaluga", "kaluga". It denotes the word puddle, swamp.
The position of Kaluga in the Time of Troubles
Since 1371, the city of Kaluga has been part of Moscow lands, periodically being the property of Moscow princes or their heirs. The independent principality of Kaluga was only once under Prince Semyon Ivanovich Kaluga.
A peculiar role was assigned to the city in the Time of Troubles. He was the first to take the side of False Dmitriy and was a refuge for him, and when he died in 1606, he joyfully met the army of Ivan Bolotnikov, who held the siege of the city for four months. Kaluga supported and accepted False Dmitry II, his son was born here.
This attitude to the interests of Russia can be explained by the fact that since the founding of the city of Kaluga, he, being a border city, has been constantly at the epicenter of hostilities. Its inhabitants are accustomed to free life, they were little interested in the problems of the state. He was captured and within a year was in the hands of Polish interventionists, was completely plundered and destroyed by the Cossacks of the chieftain Sagaidachny.
City development
After the end of the Time of Troubles, the city began to develop rapidly. Since the 17th century, the first metallurgical plant was built here, which was one of the first in Russia. In the city, due to its convenient location, there was a strong trade, the main trade routes went through it. Since the time of Peter I, Kaluga has become the center of the province. From 1721 to 1737, the Great Famine swept through the places where the city was located, periodically devastating its territory.
In 1796, by the Decree of Paul I, the Kaluga province was formed. The city played a large role in the Patriotic War of 1812. He served as the rear base of the Russian troops. Militia units were formed here, food and fodder were gathered.
Since the mid-19th century, the city has gradually turned into a deaf and quiet province, a place of exile for senior officials. Here were Shagin-Girey - the last ruler of the Crimea, Aryngazy Abulgaziev - the Kazakh khan of the Younger Zhuz, the imam of Chechnya, Shamil. The daughter of the king of Georgia with his sons was exiled here for participating in a noble plot.
The city developed rapidly during the years of Soviet power. Great importance was attached to industry. New factories, schools, hospitals, kindergartens, palaces of culture and sports were built. Much attention was paid to civil engineering, the infrastructure of the city. Thanks to this, today Kaluga is the largest transport hub, scientific and cultural center.