On the picturesque banks of the great Russian Volga River there are many settlements. The city of Ples occupies a special place among them. Thousands of tourists come annually to relax and enjoy the unique beauty of the local nature, among which there are often writers, artists, and filmmakers.
Why are these places so attractive? The history of Ples, its sights, the celebrities who lived and worked here, and much more will be discussed in this article.
Geographical location and population of the city
The city of Ples is located in the north of the Ivanovo region and is part of the Volga region. This is a tourist pearl of these places, included in the Golden Ring of Russia. Ples is 370 km from Moscow, and 70 km from the Ivanovo district center. This small resort town is located on the right Volga coast. The river here spills a width of 680 to 700 m, the fairway depth is about 15 m. The highest point of the city is 54 m above the Volga.
The largest population in Ples was recorded in the 60-80s of the last century. After which there was a gradual decline. Currently, the town has only about 2,000 permanent residents. There are no industrial enterprises here, it is a purely resort town, in which the greatest revival is observed in the summer months.
Pages of the history of the Pless settlement
The city of Ples has its official reckoning since 1410. It was then that one of the sons of Dmitry Donskoy - Vasily, who reigned in Muscovy - founded on the banks of the Volga, on the site of the current resort town, a wooden military fortress, the purpose of which was to protect the approaches to Moscow and the Volga cities.
But the history of the settlement began much earlier than the specified date. Folk legends tell that long before the construction of the fortress there was an ancient settlement called Chuvil, destroyed by the hordes of Batu Khan in the XIII century. Archaeological excavations confirm this data.
For many years, the city of Ples was in the center of numerous military events. Closer to the XVIII century. the situation became calmer, and this place ceased to function as a fortified military facility. The ruined wooden fortresses were not restored, and in their place a magnificent stone Orthodox cathedral and several stone buildings were erected.
Due to the convenient economic location of the city, trade and production began to actively develop here. The population was engaged in fishing, weaving, rafting on the river forest. Prior to the opening of the Ivanovo-Kineshma railway in 1871, Ples served as the main port on the Volga for the entire region. Gradually, the development of production and trade in these places subsided, and the town turned into a country-resort zone for wealthy gentlemen.
The origin of the name of the city
There is no consensus on why the place was called Ples. Some historians and local historians are inclined to believe that the city owes its name to its geographical position: in this place, the Volga flows straight for many kilometers and does not make turns. Since ancient times, such river sections were called reaches. Another version says that the word "reach" means a sandbank.
Plessa resort area
What is the first thing I want to say about the city of Ples? The Ivanovo region can be proud that such a reserved resort area is located on its territory. Tourists have the opportunity to come here not only in the summer months, but also in winter. In the summer you can swim, sunbathe, pick mushrooms and berries, enjoy the beautiful Volga landscapes, and in winter, skiing enthusiasts come here. In recent years, much attention has been paid to the construction of ski slopes in Ples.
From December to March, tourists are welcomed by the modern sports complex "Sweet Mountain". Here you can not only ski from the mountains, but also go in for snowboarding, as well as ice skating, sledding and air travel. The city has several well-equipped recreation centers: the sanatorium "Actor-Ples" (the former WTO), the hotel "Fortecia Rus", several comfortable pensions.
Ples City: Attractions
Among the many attractions of this town, it is necessary to highlight first of all the Levitan Museum. It is located in the house in which the great Russian landscape painter lived for many years. Connoisseurs of beauty can see here the best paintings of the painter. Also, tourists are usually offered to make excursions to the Museum of Landscape and the Museum of the Old Russian Hut.
In addition, each guest of the city must definitely climb Mount Levitan, from where a wonderful view of the Volga expanses opens . On this mountain, once the artist painted his famous painting "Above Eternal Peace" and many other landscapes. I must say that artists still love to come to rest and work in Ples. City Day is celebrated annually on July 14. This event has become famous throughout Russia for hosting the Linen Palette fashion festival, in which the best young fashion designers of the country take part.