Mozhaysk

Mozhaysk (English) Можайск (Russian)
-  Town  -
The new Mozhaysk Cathedral, constructed in 1802–1814
Location of Moscow Oblast in Russia
Mozhaysk Location of Mozhaysk in Moscow Oblast
Coordinates: 55°30′N 36°02′E / 55.500°N 36.033°E / 55.500; 36.033Coordinates: 55°30′N 36°02′E / 55.500°N 36.033°E / 55.500; 36.033
Coat of arms	Flag
Administrative status
Country	Russia
Federal subject	Moscow Oblast
Administrative district	Mozhaysky District[citation needed]
Administrative center of	Mozhaysky District[citation needed]
Municipal status
Municipal district	Mozhaysky Municipal District[citation needed]
Urban settlement	Mozhaysk Urban Settlement[citation needed]
Mayor[citation needed]	Igor Sungurov[citation needed]
Statistics
Population (2010 Census)	31,363 inhabitants[1]
Time zone	MSK (UTC+04:00)[2]
Founded	1231[citation needed]
Dialing code(s)	+7 49638[citation needed]
Official website

Mozhaysk^[3] (Russian: Можайск, IPA: [məˈʐajsk]) is a town and the administrative center of Mozhaysky District of Moscow Oblast, Russia, located 110 kilometers (68 mi) to the west of the Russian capital, on the historic road leading to Smolensk and then to Poland. Population: 31,363 (2010 Census);^[1] 31,459 (2002 Census);^[4] 30,735 (1989 Census).^[5]

History

The town was first mentioned in 1231 as an appanage of Chernigov; it was named after the river Mozhai or Mozhaya, whose name is of Baltic origin (cf. Lithuanian mažoja 'small').^[6] Later it was an important stronghold of the Smolensk dynasty, one time owned by Feodor the Black. The Muscovites seized it in 1303, but in the course of the following century had serious troubles defending it against Algirdas of Lithuania (Lith. Lietuva). The principality was usually held by a younger brother of the ruling Grand Duke of Moscow, until the practice was dropped in 1493. In 1562, the Treaty of Mozhaysk was signed there. Mozhaysk continued to defend the Western approaches to Moscow during Napoleon's invasion of Russia and World War II (during which it was captured by the Germans on October 16, 1941 and recaptured by the Red Army on January 20, 1942). The great Battle of Borodino took place 12 kilometers (7.5 mi) from the city. Town status was granted to it in 1708.

Architecture

The first stone cathedral was built in the kremlin in the early 14th century; in 1849, it was demolished stone by stone and then reconstructed exactly as it used to be. A larger blood-red cathedral in the Gothic Revival style was completed in 1814. The church of St. Joachim and Anna preserves some parts from the early 15th century. Another important landmark is the Luzhetsky monastery, founded in 1408 by Saint Ferapont and rebuilt in brick in the 16th century. The monastery cathedral, erected during the reign of Basil III, was formerly known for its frescoes, ascribed to Dionisy's circle.

In popular culture

The fact that Mozhaysk was frequently the last major stop on the way to the capital, led to the "push beyond Mozhay" expression (загнать за Можай, zagnat' za Mozhay), which literally means "push (people, enemy) away (from Moscow) further than Mozhaysk."^[7] Mozhaysk was Lithuania's city from the ancient times and Lithuania had the border with Muscovia (many times remarked with many piece treaties) or closer to Moscow or farther from Moscow than Mozhaisk. The borders were chosen along Lithuanian rivers: Mozhaya, Lakhovnya, Nara (same root like in other Lithuanian rivers Narev and Neris), Ruza, Sezha or Vazuza (all Lithuanian rivers like Mozhaya). North of Mozhaisk still there are rivers like Palna (Lith. pilna means full) or Litonka (Lithuanian name is derived from such words lietauka or lytava or lietuva means a flow) or Vandovo (Lith. vanduva means water) village. On the same road to Lithuanian city Smolensk east to Vyazma city there are two more Lithuanian rivers Zhizhula (Lith. zhiezhula is very angry and nasty women usually to describe a witch) and Menka (Lith. menka is small and weak).

International relations

Twin towns and sister cities

Mozhaysk is twinned with:

• Château-du-Loir, France
• Drochtersen, Germany
• Etropole, Bulgaria
• Lohja, Finland
• Pereiaslav-Khmelnytskyi, Ukraine
• Ujazd, Poland
• Vileyka, Belarus

References

External links

• Unofficial website of Mozhaysk

v t e Administrative divisions of Moscow Oblast Administrative center: none Cities and towns Aprelevka Balashikha Bronnitsy Chernogolovka Chekhov Dedovsk Dmitrov Dolgoprudny Domodedovo Drezna Dubna Dzerzhinsky Elektrogorsk Elektrostal Elektrougli Fryazino Golitsyno Istra Ivanteyevka Kashira Khimki Khotkovo Klimovsk Klin Kolomna Korolyov Kotelniki Krasnoarmeysk Krasnogorsk Krasnozavodsk Krasnoznamensk Kubinka Kurovskoye Likino-Dulyovo Lobnya Losino-Petrovsky Lukhovitsy Lytkarino Lyubertsy Mozhaysk Mytishchi Naro-Fominsk Noginsk Odintsovo Orekhovo-Zuyevo Ozherelye Ozyory Pavlovsky Posad Peresvet Podolsk Protvino Pushchino Pushkino Ramenskoye Reutov Roshal Ruza Sergiyev Posad Serpukhov Shatura Shchyolkovo Solnechnogorsk Staraya Kupavna Stupino Taldom Vereya Vidnoye Volokolamsk Voskresensk Vysokovsk Yakhroma Yegoryevsk Yubileyny Zaraysk Zheleznodorozhny Zhukovsky Zvenigorod Closed administrative-territorial formations Krasnoznamensk Molodyozhny Vlasikha Voskhod Zvyozdny gorodok Districts Chekhovsky Dmitrovsky Istrinsky Kashirsky Klinsky Kolomensky Krasnogorsky Leninsky Lotoshinsky Lukhovitsky Lyuberetsky Mozhaysky Mytishchinsky Naro-Fominsky Noginsky Odintsovsky Orekhovo-Zuyevsky Ozyorsky Pavlovo-Posadsky Podolsky Pushkinsky Ramensky Ruzsky Serebryano-Prudsky Sergiyevo-Posadsky Serpukhovsky Shakhovskoy Shatursky Shchyolkovsky Solnechnogorsky Stupinsky Taldomsky Volokolamsky Voskresensky Yegoryevsky Zaraysky

v t e Historical towns and monasteries of the former Grand Duchy of Moscow Borovsk Dmitrov Joseph-Volokolamsk Monastery Kirzhach Klin Kolomna Mozhaysk New Jerusalem Monastery Radonezh Ruza Serpukhov Staritsa Trinity Vereya Volokolamsk Zaraysk Zvenigorod