TULA

JOHN SLOAN

This is an extract from the Wikipedia entry

Tula is the largest city and the administrative center of Tula Oblast in Russia, located 193 kilometers (120 mi) south of Moscow. Tula is located in the north of the Central Russian Upland in Central Russia, on the banks of the Upa River, a tributary of the Oka, 193 km south of Moscow. As of the 2010 Census, Tula had a population of 501,169, an increase from 481,216 in 2002, making it the 32nd largest city in Russia by population. A primarily industrial city, Tula was settled sometime between the 12th and 14th centuries as a fortress at the border of the Principality of Ryazan. The city was seized by Ivan Bolotnikov, and withstood a four-months siege by the Tsar's army.
Historically, Tula was a major centre for the manufacture of armaments. The Demidov family built the first armament factory in Russia in the city, in what would become the Tula Arms Plant, which still operates to this day. Tula is home to the Klokovo air base, Tula State University, Tula Kremlin, The Tula State Museum of Weapons and Kazanskaya embankment of the Upa River (Video360 on YouTube). Tula has a historical association with the samovar, a metal container used to heat and boil water; the city was a major center of Russian samovar production. Yasnaya Polyana, the former home of the writer Leo Tolstoy, is located 12 kilometres (7.5 mi) southwest of Tula. Additionally, Tula is known for its imprinted gingerbread (pryanik), which has been made in Tula since the 17th century.

History:
Tula was first mentioned in the Nikon Chronicle related to the year 1146. As the chronicle was compiled in the 16th century, the date is disputed. The first confirmed mention of Tula dates to 1382. In the Middle Ages, Tula was a minor fortress at the border of the Principality of Ryazan. As soon as it passed to the Grand Duchy of Moscow, a brick citadel, or kremlin, was constructed in 1514–1521. It was a key fortress of the Great Abatis Belt (Zasechenaya Cherta) and successfully resisted a siege by the Tatars in 1552. In 1607, Ivan Bolotnikov and his supporters seized the citadel and withstood a four-months siege by the Tsar's army. In the 18th century, some parts of the kremlin walls were demolished. Despite its archaic appearance, the five-domed Assumption Cathedral in the kremlin was built as late as 1764.
In 1712, Tula was visited by Peter the Great, who commissioned the Demidov blacksmiths to build the first armament factory in Russia. Several decades later, Tula was turned by the Demidovs into the greatest ironworking center of Eastern Europe. The oldest museum in the city, showcasing the history of weapons, was inaugurated by the Demidovs in 1724, and Nicholas-Zaretsky Church in the city houses their family vault. The first factory to produce samovars industrially was also established there in the course of the 18th century. After the Demidovs moved the center of their manufacture to the Urals, Tula continued as a center of heavy industry, particularly in the manufacture of matériel.
In the 1890s, Ivan Savelyev, a medical orderly, became the founder of social democracy in Tula and set up a workers' study circle. The city grew rapidly in the early 20th century as a result of arms production during the 1905 Russo-Japanese War and World War I. Tula's factories also manufactured weapons for the Red Army during the Russian Civil War of 1918–1921.
During the World War II of 1941–1945, the city was important in the production of armaments. Tula became the target of a German offensive to break Soviet resistance in the Moscow area between Friday, October 24 and December 5, 1941.
According to Erik Durschmied in The Weather Factor: How Nature has Changed History, one German general reached the South Western Outskirts of Tula on 29th-30th October 1941. The heavily fortified city held out, however, and Guderian's Second Panzer Army was stopped near Tula. The city secured the southern flank during the Battle of Moscow and the subsequent counter-offensive. Tula was awarded the title Hero City in 1976. It is home to the Klokovo air base and the Tula Arms Plant.

These photos were made by John Sloan during an organized group tour to historical military locations in Russia and Ukraine.

A rural home along the road near Tula

Crossing the Oka River - the defense 'shore' line of Moscovy against the Tatars - Tula was a major fortress in the defense fortifications.

Over the Oka.

Tower

Tower and building

Towers and fortress wall in front of building

The Oka River in the distance

A bridge over the Oka River

Another view of the Oka River

Crossing the Oka River

The Assumption Cathedral built in 1764 behind for fortress wall

Fortress gate tower with Assumption Cathedral behind

Assumption Cathedral behind fortress wall

Tour members standing on walk way by fortress tower

A tower along the fortress wall

The Assumption Cathedral

A corner tower in the fortress walls.

A gate tower in the fortress walls

Fortress walls with corner and gate towers

A section of the fortress wall with tower

A Russian Frunze Academy instructor describing the critical defense of Tula during the German offensive - the Russian counteratack south of Moscow

Russian Frunze faculty officer pointing to statistics about the counteroffensive at Tula against the German offensive against Moscow.

Another Russian Frunze Academy officer discussing the battle around Tula in winter 1941-2 as out tour group listens

American tour group listening to description of the Russian counter attack at Tula

A large church in Tula

The Assumption Cathedral in Tula

Detailed view of fortress tower

Corner tower and walls in the Tula fortress

Section of Tula fortress walls with corner tower

Corner tower in the Tula fortress

Tula fortress gate tower and Assumption Cathedral

Stairway inside a Tula fortress wall

A corner tower in the Tula fortress

View inside a Tula fortress tower showing embrasures

Village near Tula beside the highway.

A section of the Tula fortress wall