Meshchovsk

Meshchovsk (Russian: Мещо́вск) is a town and the administrative center of Meshchovsky District in Kaluga Oblast, Russia, located on the Tureya River 85 kilometers (53 mi) southwest of Kaluga, the administrative center of the oblast. Population: 3,810 (2021 Census);^[6] 4,100 (2010 Census);^[2] 4,540 (2002 Census);^[7] 5,382 (1989 Soviet census).^[8]

Meshchovsk Мещовск
Town[1]
New Cathedral of the Annunciation
Coat of arms
Location of Meshchovsk
Meshchovsk Location of Meshchovsk Show map of Russia Meshchovsk Meshchovsk (Kaluga Oblast) Show map of Kaluga Oblast
Coordinates: 54°19′28″N 35°16′51″E
Country	Russia
Federal subject	Kaluga Oblast[1]
Administrative district	Meshchovsky District[1]
First mentioned	1238
Town status since	1776
Elevation	215 m (705 ft)
Population  (2010 Census)[2]
• Total	4,100
Administrative status
• Capital of	Meshchovsky District[1]
Municipal status
• Municipal district	Meshchovsky Municipal District[3]
• Urban settlement	Meshchovsk Urban Settlement[3]
• Capital of	Meshchovsky Municipal District,[3] Meshchovsk Urban Settlement[3]
Time zone	UTC+3 (MSK [4])
Postal code(s)[5]	249240
OKTMO ID	29627101001

History

Historical affiliations

Principality of Mezetsk 1238–ca. 1400
Grand Duchy of Lithuania ca. 1400–1503
Grand Duchy of Moscow 1503–1547
Tsardom of Russia 1547–1721
 Russian Empire 1721–1917
Russian Republic 1917
Soviet Russia 1917–1922
 Soviet Union 1922–1991
 Russian Federation 1991–present

It was first mentioned in Russian chronicles in connection with the Mongol invasion of Rus' in 1238.^{[citation needed]} During the Middle Ages it was the patrimony of Princes Mezetsky.

Catherine the Great granted it town rights in 1776.^{[citation needed]}

During World War II, Meshchovsk was occupied by the German Army from October 7, 1941, to January 7, 1942.

Administrative and municipal status

Within the framework of administrative divisions, Meshchovsk serves as the administrative center of Meshchovsky District, to which it is directly subordinated.^[1] As a municipal division, the town of Meshchovsk, together with forty-eight rural localities, is incorporated within Meshchovsky Municipal District as Meshchovsk Urban Settlement.^[3]

Architecture

Notable buildings include the old (1678–1696) and new (1829–1854) Orthodox cathedrals, both dedicated to the feast of the Annunciation.

Notable people

It was the birthplace in 1846 of Vyacheslav von Plehve, the German-descended director of the Imperial Russian Police and later Minister of the Interior.