Ivanovo Oblast.

History

Plyos was founded in the 12th century, suffered in the Mongol invasion of 1238, and in 1410 became a border post of the Grand Duchy of Moscow. Ivanovo grew from a flax-working village that in 1871 merged with the factory settlement of Voznesensky Posad to form Ivanovo-Voznesensk. In the 19th century it became Russia's leading textile centre, earning the nickname 'Russian Manchester'. In 1905 one of the first soviets in history was formed here, and the years 1914–1934 are seen as the golden age of Ivanovo constructivism. The oblast was created on 11 March 1936.

Culture & traditions

Palekh has a long tradition of icon painting and, since the 1920s and the work of Ivan Golikov, of lacquer miniatures; a museum in the village is devoted to these crafts. Ivanovo is a centre of Soviet constructivism, and buildings such as the 1930 'Ship House' draw lovers of avant-garde architecture. Most of the mill workers were women, so the city became known as the 'city of brides'. Ivanovo natives include the writer Nathalie Sarraute and the fashion designer Slava Zaitsev.

Nature

The Volga flows across the north of the oblast, and on its right bank stands Plyos, a small town forever linked with the landscape painter Isaac Levitan. Ivanovo is split in two by the Uvod, a tributary of the Klyazma, and the Talka and Kharinka also run through the city. The climate is continental, averaging around −12 °C in winter and +18 °C in summer. The area around Plyos also interests palaeontologists, as Early Triassic fossils have been found there.

Sport

The region's best-known club is the football side Tekstilshchik, founded in Ivanovo in 1937; its name, meaning 'textile worker', recalls the city's mill heritage, and its home ground carries the same name. The city also hosts regional student sports competitions.

Food & drink

Local cooking is plain, homely central Russian fare with no famous signature dishes. It is best enjoyed in Plyos on the Volga, where lunch pairs naturally with a walk along the embankment.

Practical information

Ivanovo lies 254 km north-east of Moscow; the two cities have been linked by rail since 1896, and Ivanovo Yuzhny Airport handles civilian flights. Plyos is about 70 km north-east of Ivanovo and easy to reach by car or bus. The oblast keeps Moscow time (UTC+3). Summer is the best season, when Plyos and the Volga banks are at their finest, though constructivist Ivanovo can be explored year-round.

What to see

• Plyos — a Volga town with an Isaac Levitan Museum and a museum-reserve
• Palekh — home of lacquer miniatures, with a museum of icons and the craft
• Ivanovo constructivism — the Ship House and other buildings of the 1920s and 1930s
• Assumption Church and Church of St Barbara in Plyos — historic churches above the Volga
• Ivanovo — the 'city of brides' and former 'Russian Manchester', steeped in textile history

Cities on the map

• Ivanovo 361,644