Oryol is located on the Oka River and is the main city of the region of Oryol Oblast. Its history began when Tsar Ivan IV initiated the construction of a fort on this site in 1566. The fort was one of several to protect Russia’s southern border regions. However, the location of the fort proved not to be ideal due to the risk of seasonal and floods and hostile threats, which happened in 1611 and 1615, when Polish troops attacked Oryol. After the attack in 1615, the town’s population moved to nearby Mtsensk, and Oryol was not rebuilt before 1636. Throughout the 17th century it was debated whether the fort should be moved to a better location, but it did not happen, and by the beginning of the 18th century the fort had lost its military significance and was demolished.

Oryol gained city status in 1702, and in the mid-18th century Oryol developed into a major grain producer, and the Oka River served as an important transport route for many years until railways were established, which took over transport. From 1779, Oryol was rebuilt according to a new town plan, which laid the foundation for modern Oryol. The city became the residence of the bishops of the Oryol Diocese in 1820, and throughout the 19th century the city’s infrastructure was developed, and banks and other institutions were established. By the end of the century, the city’s population had grown to just over 70,000.

Oryol became part of the Soviet Union after the Russian Revolution and Civil War, and during World War II the city was occupied by German troops in October 1941. Oryol was liberated by the Red Army on August 5, 1943, and Stalin fired a salute to mark the occasion in Moscow. Oryol fell victim to the scorched earth tactic, when the Germans almost destroyed the town completely during the retreat, and a major reconstruction work was initiated. The growth of the city continued, and the population almost tripled from 110,000 in 1939 to over 300,000 with many new suburbs as a result.

Today, Oryol is a relatively new city to visit with several attractions. You can start a stroll on Ploshad Lenina, the city’s central square. Here you can see a statue of the head of state Lenin standing in front of the large government building of Oryol Oblast, which was built in Soviet monumental classicism in 1961 as Dom Sovetov. Opposite the government building you can see Oryol’s academic theatre, which was built in modern architecture in the years 1964-1975. Behind the theater is the city’s administration building, and if you continue to the southeast, you will come to a monument to the writer Ivan Buninu. From here there is a fine view of the central course of the Oka River through Oryol.

You can make some nice walks in the parks along the Oka, and in the area in front of the Buninu monument, the Orlik River flows into the Oka. The estuary forms a small peninsula, which is also laid out as a park, and at the tip of both rivers stands a stele from 1966, which was erected on the city’s 400th anniversary. South of the stele you can walk through the Jubilee Park, located on the site of Oryol’s historic fort. South of the park is Holy Trinity Cathedral, which is the city’s oldest stone building and the only preserved building in Oryol’s historic city center. The church was built in the Naryshkin Baroque at the beginning of the 18th century but was later rebuilt. South of the cathedral, you can visit the Oryol regional museum, which exhibits collections in areas such as archeology and applied arts.

In the area around the Orlik River there are several things to see. You can walk from the regional museum to the west, where there is an ensemble of neoclassical buildings like the Oryol State University. Here you can also see the city’s central bank building, which was built in 1897-1899 in Russian style with stylized forms of Russian architecture from previous centuries in the facade decoration. On General Ermolov Square there is an equestrian statue of the military leader and statesman Ermolov, and close to this is the Archangel Michael Cathedral, a beautiful church from 1801-1817. In 1823, Tsar Alexander I attended a service in the church, and his body also rested here after his death in Taganrog in 1825, when it had to be transported to Saint Petersburg. From the church you can cross Orlik and walk along the elegant main street Ulitsa Lenina.