Myshkin

 

Myshkin is a city in the Russian Federation, the district center of the Yaroslavl region, located on the Volga River (Wharf), 20 km south of the Volga railway station, 85 km west of Yaroslavl. The population of 6.5 thousand inhabitants (2001). Myshkin has been known since the 17th century, the status of the city has been since 1991. The main industrial enterprises: brick factory, poultry farm. Near the city there are gas compressor shops of the Severgazprom association, an oil pumping station. In the Myshkinsky district discovered deposits of clay.

According to legend, the city was named after a mouse that saved one of the representatives of the Mstislavsky family from a snake bite. According to another version, the name of the city comes from the nickname of one of the first inhabitants of the settlement. The first evidence of the existence of the village on this site dates back to the 15th century. Until the middle of the 16th century it belonged to the Ushat princes. Since the second half of the 16th century, these lands were part of the specific Jukhotsk principality. Gradually, the settlement grew, acquiring the value of a shopping center for the surrounding villages. In 1777, Myshkina Sloboda received the status of a city. In the 19th century, the city was the center of wholesale trade in butter, eggs, fabrics and bread. The villages of Myshkin district specialized in flax cultivation.
Myshkin has always been a small provincial town. Until the beginning of the 20th century, its population was about two thousand people. In 1927 it was transformed into a village.

In the 20th century, its appearance has hardly changed. In 1943, Myshkin received the status of an urban settlement, and in 1991 - returned the status of a city. In the center of Myshkin is its main attraction - the summer Assumption Cathedral (1805-1820, architect I. Manfrini), characterized by its original architectural appearance. Partially preserved paintings of its walls, made by the artist T. A. Medvedev in 1829-1832. In 1837, the winter Nikolsky Cathedral was built in the western part of the city.

Another monument of temple architecture of Myshkin is the Church of Our Lady (1866). The monuments of civil architecture, most of which are made in the style of classicism, include the houses of the Pozhalovs and Litvinovs (early 19th century), the building of the city Duma (mid-19th century), the building of the county treasury (1860-1870). The city has a local history museum, which presents expositions on the history of the city and the region. The Myshkin open-air museum has 16 traditional buildings: houses, barns, forges, baths.

Unique city "Museum of Mouse", which is dedicated to representatives of the mouse family. Here are collected toys, crafts, dolls, various illustrations one way or another related to the mouse. The city library has been operating since 1875, and bears the name of its founder - bibliophile F. K. Opochinin. Myshkin has its own art gallery. Near the city are the Golden and Gypsy pine forests.