- Yelets
Yelets ( _ru. Еле́ц) is a city in
Lipetsk Oblast ,Russia , situated on theSosna River , which is a tributary of the Don River. Its population was 116,726 as of the 2002 Census.Yelets is the oldest centre of the Black Earth Region. It is mentioned in historical documents as far back as 1146
AD , when it belonged to the Princes ofRyazan . The town's position at the very south of Russian lands made it an easy prey for Turkic conquerors. TheMongols burnt it in 1239,Uzbeg Khan ravaged it in 1316,Timur sacked it in 1395, and theTatars devastated it in 1414.In 1483, the Principality of Yelets was absorbed by
Muscovy , while the localRurikid rulers (last heard of in the 19th century) entered the service of Ivan III. In 1591,Boris Godunov revived the largely deserted town by establishing a fortress there. In 1618, the fortress was captured "by subterfuge" by 20,000 Cossacks underPetro Konashevych , allied withWladyslaw IV ofPoland . They dismantled a large part of town fortifications.In the 19th century, Yelets became the largest trade centre of the region. Handmade
lace has been a notable product of the city since then; other important industries are grain milling and the manufacture of machinery. The town's chief landmark is the vast Ascension Cathedral, built over the years 1845–1889 to a Neo-Muscovite design byKonstantin Thon . It is the only church by Thon to survive the Soviet years more or less intact.External links
* [http://www.virtualtravel.ru/user/3778/index.phtml?wid=3264&tips=12 Yelets in old and modern photos]
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