Серпухов / Serpukhov - 1880-1916

Дореволюционная Россия в фотографиях Серпухов 1880-1916 Pre-revolutionary Russia in photographs Serpukhov 1880-1916 Музыка Времена года, - Май (Белые ночи) - П. И. Чайковский Music: The Seasons, - May (White Nights) by P. I Tchaikovsky The city of Serpukhov is located at the confluence of the Oka and Narva Rivers, 99 Km (63 mi) south of Moscow. The original settlement was established in 1339 to protect the souther approaches to Moscow. Two years later it was made a seat of the powerful princedom ruled by a cousin and close associate of Dmitry Donskoy, Vladimir the Bold. Town status was granted to it in 1374. The princedom continued until 1456, when the last prince escaped to Lithuania. The town frequently fell prey to the hordes of Tokhtamysh, Crimean Tatars, and other steppe conquerors. It was necessary to protect it with a stone citadel, or kremlin, which was completed by 1556... The citadel commands a steep hill where the small Serpeyka River enters the Nara. However, during the 19th century, parts of the citadel were demolished by the town's inhabitants, who used its limestone for their private residences. Even now the vast majority of basements in nearby houses are built from this material. In the kremlin, the chief monument is the Trinity cathedral, built in 1696 in Moscow Baroque style......