Kashin (town)

Infobox City
official_name = Kashin, Russian Federation


imagesize = 220px


subdivision_type = Country
subdivision_type1 = Oblast
subdivision_type2 = District
subdivision_name = Russia
subdivision_name1 = Tver Oblast
subdivision_name2 = Kashinsky District
leader_title = Mayor
leader_name = Anatoly Sokolov
area_magnitude = 1 E8
area_total_km2 = 5-15
established_title = Founded
settlement_type = Town
established_date = 1238
population_as_of = 2002
population_total = 17299
timezone = MSK
utc_offset = +4
utc_offset_DST = +5
latitude = 57°21' N
longitude = 37°37' E
website = [http://www.kashin.info/ Town of Kashin]

Kashin ( _ru. Ка́шин) is a town in Tver Oblast, Russia, located around a rural agricultural area on the Kashinka River (Volga's tributary) 204 km away from Moscow and 25 km away from Kalyazin. Kashin is located close to the borders of Tver, Moscow, and Yaroslavl Oblasts. Population: 17,299 (2002 Census); 21,186 (1989 Census); 18,000 (1970). The telephone code for Kashin is 08234.

History

The town of Kashin was first mentioned in a chronicle under the year of 1238, when it was sacked by the Mongols. It was given by Grand Duke Mikhail Yaroslavich as an appanage to his son Vasily, who founded a short-lived dynasty of local princes. Mikhail Yaroslavich's wife Anna took the veil in Kashin's nunnery and died there on October 2, 1368 and was glorified by the Russian Orthodox Church in 1650 as a holy patroness of all women who suffer the loss of relatives. Her miracle-working relics are preserved in the Ascension Cathedral of Kashin.

In 1382, Kashin was annexed by the Principality of Tver. From 1399 to 1426, it was held by a second dynasty of Kashin princes, which claimed their seniority in the house of Tver. In 1452, Kashin withstood a siege by Dmitry Shemyaka. It finally passed to Muscovy in 1486 with the rest of Tver Principality.

In 1708, the town was assigned to Ingermanland Governorate. There are several architectural monuments in Kashin, including monasteries, churches, and cathedrals. The most ancient of these, a wooden chapel from 1646, was burnt to the ground in 1998. The town is also known as a balneological resort.

Government

Kashin is the administrative center of Kashinsky District of Tver Oblast. The current mayor of Kashin is Anatoly Sokolov.

Economy

During the present day, Kashin remains an economically important location in the Tver Oblast. For example, Kashin is home to "Veresk", one of the largest alcoholic drink producing companies in the region. Another major business is the mineral water company "ERA" which produces the Kashinskaya brand of mineral water.

There are also an electric equipment company, a wool factory, and a milk and meat-processing company. There is a resort area near Kashin where many residents of the oblast spend their vacation near the Kashinka River.

Kashinsky District is a primarily an agrarian region where seed and potatoes is grown. Also, cows and poultry are raised around Kashin.

Dining

Kashin is home to numerous bars and restaurants. One of the most expensive restaurants in Kashin is called "Stary Kashin" (Old Kashin), and is frequently used to host major events such as weddings and birthday parties. Other dining locations in Kashin include the Baltika beer cafe, restaurant "U Lyovy", a tea house "U Kseni", and the town dinery.

Entertainment

Kashin is home to numerous places of entertainment. During the day, the most popular entertainment locations are the pool house, internet cafes, and computer clubs. One of the computer clubs is located in the former church, Uspensky Sobor, which is now a recreation center. During the nighttime, the recreation center occasionally hosts a nightclub. On holidays and special dates, the town hosts large festivals which involve dancing, food, and various performances.

Bazaar

Several times a week, a Bazaar takes place in the main square of the town. In it, residents of the town can sell various items, sometimes rare antiques. Also, fruit and vegetables from nearby rural farms are sold.

Culture

The Museum of Local Lore is located in Kashin. Also, in the village of Verkhnyaya Troitsa, situated 30 km from Kashin, the house of Mikhail Kalinin is located.

Climate

The mean temperature in Kashin is −11° in January and +18° in July.

Transportation

There are low-price buses traveling around the town and nearby region throughout the day. For longer range transport, there are shuttle buses traveling to nearby cities: Tver, Moscow, and Yaroslavl. Also, there is a train traveling twice a day throughout Kashin. The morning train travels from Sonkovo to Savyolovo, while the afternoon train travels in the opposite direction. The passengers can easily travel from Savyolovo to Moscow via the elektrichka train. Several times a week, a train from Saint Petersburg passes the station.

ee also

*Kimry
*Kashin class destroyer

External links

* [http://www.towns.ru/towns/kashin_en.html History and monuments of Kashin]
* [http://encarta.msn.com/encnet/features/MapCenter/Map.aspx?TextLatitude=55.21490432583&TextLongitude=34.3053525215356&TextAltitude=8&TextSelectedEntity=35541&SearchEnc=false&MapStyle=Comprehensive&MapSize=Small&MapStyleSelectedIndex=0&searchText
]
* [http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=57.359312,37.615814&spn=0.060076,0.152967&t=k&hl=en Satellite photo via Google Maps]
* [http://archive.spaceimaging.com/ikonos/2/kpms/2002/04//browse.138020.crss_sat.1.0.jpgSatellite photo from www.spaceimaging.com, taken on 11 April, 2002]