Borovichi
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_(1772).png/150px-Coat_of_Arms_of_Borovichi_(Novgorod_oblast)_(1772).png)
Borovichi (Russian: Боровичи) is the second largest town in Novgorod Oblast, Russia, with a population of 57,755 (2002 Census).
[edit] Geography
The town is located in the northern spurs of the Valdai Hills, 194 km east of Novgorod. It stands upon the Msta river. Just upstream Borovichi there are the famous rapids of Msta popular among tourists.
[edit] History
The settlement was first mentioned in 1495. It received the status of a town in 1770 from the empress Catherine II. The main occupation of the town's inhabitants was piloting ships through the rapids of the Msta river that used to be a part of an important waterway connecting Central Russia with the Baltic Sea (hence a rudder appears on the town's coat of arms granted by Catherine II). However, by the middle of the 19th century, after opening of Volga-Baltic Waterway and the Moscow-Saint Petersburg Railway, the significance of the Msta river as a transport route has decreased.
Sources of fire clay were discovered near the town in the 19th century, and the first fire brick manufacturing plant opened in the region in 1855. In 1878, a railway branch connected the town to Uglovka station of the Moscow-Saint Petersburg Railway, which allowed to establish several large fire brick plants in 1880. Now about half of the town's population is employed in fire brick industry.
[edit] Famous residents
Alexander Suvorov spent several years in Konchanskoe estate near Borovichi. Nicholai Miklukho-Maklai was born not far from Borovichi.
Sister Cities; Binghamton, New York
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