Kozelsk, Russia

Kozelsk

Transportation

Hotels, motels and where to sleep

Restaurant, taverns and where to eat

 

Description of Kozelsk

Kozelsk is located in the Kaluga region. Old Russian legendary city is located few dozen kilometers south of Kaluga. It is quite a popular tourist destination, connected not so much with the history of the city, as with the no less famous monastery - Optina Monastery, which is located in close proximity to Kozelsk.

Kozelsk is an ancient Russian city known since 1146. He became famous for his heroic defense in 1238 from besieging Tatar-Mongolian troops, who captured the city and burned it to the ground. Last defenders formed an army and exited the main gate of the town. They attacked the Mongolian troops, but were all cut down. Most of citizens of the city were killed. Few either escaped or were sold into slavery.

The administrative center of Kozelsky region.
Kozelsk travel and excursion bureau, B.Sovetskaya str., D.66. k_tour@kaluga.ru

 

Travel Destinations in Kozelsk

Church architecture
The city has a preserved cathedral and the Church of the Annunciation, but the widely known monastery Optina Pustyn has the greatest interest.

Optina desert. Holy Vvedensky monastery is located two kilometers from the city.
Civil architecture
Well-preserved numerous stone urban buildings, merchant mansions of the XIX century.

Park 3 heroes, City Garden, Stela
Kozelsky local history museum, st. B. Sovetskaya, d. 75.

 


Transportation

How to get there

By train
There are trains going once a week through Kozelsk station: Brest - Karaganda (year-round) and Kaliningrad - Chelyabinsk (summer) (in the 2014 schedule, all trains go on weekdays, at 8.35 in the east direction and at 17.30 in the west). On other days, you can get here only by commuter trains from Sukhinichi (a large junction station in the Kiev direction from Moscow; 2 per day) and Belyov (from which there are no trains in other directions at all; 3 per day).

 

Hotels, motels and where to sleep

Hotel "Kars", Kolkhoznaya street, 19A. kars-hotel@mail.ru ☎ +7 (48442) 2-64-64, +7 (48442) 2-64-44. The hotel also has a restaurant with 130 seats.
Guest house "Kozelsk", Chkalov Street, 90. hostal-kzk@mail.ru ☎ +7 (910) 864-95-52.
Vityaz Hotel, Oktyabrskaya Street, 2. ☎ +7 (48442) 2-1591. Belongs to the unit, located on the territory of the military camp, only multi-bed rooms
At the monastery of Optina Pustyn there are pilgrim guest houses and the private hotel“Shelter of pilgrims”.

 

Restaurant, taverns and where to eat

Cafe Kozelsk.
Cafe Vstrech
Cafe Raduga
Cafe Apelsin
Cafe Fantasia
Sushi bar

 

Geography

The city is located on the left bank of the Zhizdra River (a tributary of the Oka), 72 km southwest of Kaluga. Railway station at the branch of non-electrified directions Smolensk - Tula and Smolensk - Michurinsk (partially dismantled).

 

Climate

The prevailing climate is moderate continental. Winters are moderately cold and long. Summer is warm and rainy.

The average annual precipitation is 623 mm.

 

History

The ancient center of Kozelsk - its detynets and settlement - were located in a steep loop of the Druguska River before its confluence with Zhizdra, while the “throat” of the loop was covered by a rather large ravine. This location gave the city a favorable strategic advantage.

1146 - the first mention of the city (as part of the Chernigov principality). The first prince of Kozel was Mstislav Svyatoslavich, who died in the battle with the Mongols on Kalka already as the prince of Chernigov (1223).
1238, March-May - the city resisted the Mongols for seven weeks. It was burned to the ground and called “Evil City” by Batu.
Since 1246, as part of the Karachev Principality.
1365 - participation of Titus Mstislavich Kozelsky in the battle of the Shishevsky forest.
1480 - the city, which at that time was part of Lithuania, was burned by Khan Akhmat during his return to the steppe after standing on the Ugra in revenge for Casimir IV, who did not send his troops for a joint attack on Moscow with the Horde.
Since 1708, Kozelsk has been a district town of the Kozelsky district of the Moscow province, since 1776 - of the Kaluga governorate (province).
In 1785, merchant Matvey Bryuzgin launched the first sailing and linen factory in the city.
In 1803, Ivan Ivanovich Pelissier created the first forestry school in the Russian Empire in Kozelsk. It was intended for training noble children; the first intake included thirty people.
Since 1929, the city has become the regional center of the Kozelsky district of the Sukhinichi district of the Western region (since 1944, part of the Kaluga region).
In 1931, a rest house named after Gorky was opened on the territory of the Optina Monastery, located 2 km from Kozelsk. In November 1939, after the partition of Poland, by order of L. Beria, the NKVD of the USSR converted the rest house into the Kozelsk prison camp, where about 5,000 Polish officers were sent in anticipation of the exchange of prisoners of war between Germany and the USSR to return home.
On October 8, 1941, it was captured by the Germans and liberated by the 1st Guards Cavalry Corps on December 28, 1941 during the Belevsko-Kozel operation of the Battle of Moscow.
During the Great Patriotic War, on the territory of Optina Pustyn there was first a hospital, in 1944-1945 a testing and filtration camp of the NKVD of the USSR for Soviet officers returning from captivity, and after the war, until 1949, a military unit was located.
In 1997, the Zhizdrinsky section of the Ugra National Park was formed near Kozelsk and Optina Pustyn.
On December 5, 2009, Kozelsk was awarded the honorary title “City of Military Glory.”

 

Economy

The Kozelsky Mechanical Plant operates in the city, producing vans and special vehicles on the GAZ, ZIL, VAZ, KamAZ chassis; as well as glass, brick (inactive), canning (closed), dairy, woodworking plants and three asphalt plants.

The 28th Guards Missile Division of the Strategic Missile Forces is located in the Kozelsk area. Two-thirds of the population of Kozelsk is in one way or another connected with the missile division.