Moscow Oblast.

History

People lived here more than 20,000 years ago. The first towns appeared in the mid-12th century: Volokolamsk is recorded in 1135, Zvenigorod in 1152, Dmitrov in 1154 and Kolomna in 1177. The Battle of Borodino was fought near Mozhaysk in 1812, and in the winter of 1941–42 the Battle of Moscow raged across this land. The region itself was created in January 1929 as the Central Industrial Oblast and renamed Moscow Oblast that June.

Culture & traditions

The most revered site is the Trinity Lavra of St Sergius in Sergiyev Posad, founded by Sergius of Radonezh in 1337; Andrei Rublev and Daniil Chyorny painted its cathedral. Near Istra stands the New Jerusalem Monastery, badly damaged in the war and since restored. At Abramtsevo, the estate of the patron Savva Mamontov, Polenov, Vasnetsov, Repin and Nesterov worked side by side. The region is also known for its crafts: Gzhel ceramics, Zhostovo trays, Fedoskino lacquer miniatures and wooden toys.

Nature

The land is mostly flat, with the highest point at 310 metres near the village of Shapkino in Mozhaysky District. The Volga, Oka, Moskva and Klyazma flow through the region, which counts more than 300 rivers in all. There are also around 350 lakes of glacial origin, the largest being Lake Svyatoye. The Prioksko-Terrasny Biosphere Reserve shelters European bison and rare steppe plants.

Sport

The Kolomna Speed Skating Centre is an indoor oval that hosted the 2008 European Championships and the 2016 World Single Distance Championships. Zorky of Krasnogorsk is a well-known bandy team and a three-time national champion. Football is represented by FC Khimki and Saturn of Ramenskoye. In winter, ski slopes open on the Klin-Dmitrov Ridge.

Food & drink

The region's best-known treat is Kolomna pastila, a fruit confection with a museum of its own in Kolomna. A visit pairs naturally with a walk around the Kolomna Kremlin. Beyond that, local cooking follows familiar Central Russian lines.

Practical information

Almost every trip starts in Moscow: the international airports of Sheremetyevo, Vnukovo and Domodedovo are close by, and eleven railway lines fan out from the capital. Most towns are an easy suburban-train ride or drive from the MKAD ring road. The region runs on Moscow time. The climate is humid continental, with average winter temperatures around −9 to −12°C and summers around +18 to +20°C. Late spring to early autumn is the most comfortable time, and winter suits skiers.

What to see

• Trinity Lavra of St Sergius — a 14th-century monastery on the UNESCO World Heritage List since 1993
• Kolomna Kremlin — a red-brick fortress of 1525–1531 where the Moskva meets the Oka
• Abramtsevo — the Aksakov and Mamontov estate that became an artists' colony
• New Jerusalem Monastery — Patriarch Nikon's cathedral modelled on the Church of the Holy Sepulchre
• Borodino Field — site of the famous 1812 battle near Mozhaysk
• Prioksko-Terrasny Reserve — bison and steppe grasses on the banks of the Oka

Cities on the map

• Krasnogorsk 187,634