Bolkhov

Bolkhov (Russian: Бо́лхов) is a town and the administrative center of Bolkhovsky District in Oryol Oblast, Russia, located on the Nugr River (Oka's tributary), 56 kilometers (35 mi) from Oryol, the administrative center of the oblast. Population: 11,421 (2010 Census);^[3] 12,148 (2002 Census);^[8] 13,071 (1989 Soviet census);^[9] 12,800 (1969); 20,703 (1897).

Bolkhov Болхов
Town[1]
View of Bolkhov from the opposite bank of the Nugr River
Coat of arms
Location of Bolkhov
Bolkhov Location of Bolkhov Show map of Russia Bolkhov Bolkhov (Oryol Oblast) Show map of Oryol Oblast
Coordinates: 53°27′N 36°01′E
Country	Russia
Federal subject	Oryol Oblast[1]
Administrative district	Bolkhovsky District[1]
Town of district significance	Bolkhov[1]
First mentioned	1196[2]
Elevation	180 m (590 ft)
Population  (2010 Census)[3]
• Total	11,421
Administrative status
• Capital of	Bolkhovsky District,[1] town of district significance of Bolkhov[1]
Municipal status
• Municipal district	Bolkhovsky Municipal District[4]
• Urban settlement	Bolkhov Urban Settlement[4]
• Capital of	Bolkhovsky Municipal District,[4] Bolkhov Urban Settlement[5]
Time zone	UTC+3 (MSK [6])
Postal code(s)[7]	303140, 303142
OKTMO ID	54604101001
Website	www.bolhov-adm.ru

History

Bolkhov was first documented in a chronicle from 1196.^[2] After the Mongol invasion of Rus', it became the seat of a local princely dynasty, whose descendants may be traced until the 19th century. In the 16th century, it became one of the fortified posts for defending Moscow from the Tatars on the south. It was there that the army of Vasily IV was defeated by False Dmitry II in 1608.

During World War II, Bolkhov was occupied by the German Army from October 9, 1941 to July 28, 1943.

Administrative and municipal status

Within the framework of administrative divisions, Bolkhov serves as the administrative center of Bolkhovsky District.^[1] As an administrative division, it is incorporated within Bolkhovsky District as the town of district significance of Bolkhov.^[1] As a municipal division, the town of district significance of Bolkhov is incorporated within Bolkhovsky Municipal District as Bolkhov Urban Settlement.^[4]

Religion

Bolkhov preserves four churches dating from the turn of the 18th century, including the five-domed Trinity Monastery Cathedral (1688-1706) and the Trinity church with an elongated belfry. By far the largest church in the city is the Savior's Transfiguration Cathedral, built in 1841–1851 to a design by one of Konstantin Thon's disciples.