Tarusa - History

History

The town of Tarusa is known to have existed since 1246, when it was the capital of one of the Upper Oka Principalities - the Principality of Tarusa (Russian: Тару́сское княжество). The first ruler of the Principality of Tarusa was Grand Duke Jury Mikhailovich, the son of Grand Duke Mikhail Vsevolodovich of Chernigov. Later, the local rulers moved their seats to Meshchovsk and Boryatino, and Tarusa was subjugated by Muscovy in the late 14th century. Tarusa has been used as a stronghold at the southern approaches to Moscow in the 15th-17th centuries. The Soviet authority in Tarusa was established on December 27, 1917. The town’s churches were closed, and a monument to Stalin was erected on the central square. During the Second world war, the German troops approached Tarusa and took it on their way to Moscow. The town was occupied by the Germans between October 24 and December 19, 1941. After that, the town was retaken by the Red Army which heroically crossed the Oka river in winter under the frantic German fire and successfully attacked the German strongholds on the higher bank of Oka.

Remnants of the town's fortifications and the town wall can still be seen today in the community park near the principal city church - the Peter and Paul Cathedral (Lenin square, 1). Tarusa also has another cathedral - the Voskresenskaya church (Efremova street, 1).