Bezhetsk

Bezhetsk (Russian: Бе́жецк) is a town and the administrative center of Bezhetsky District in Tver Oblast, Russia, located on the Mologa River at its confluence with the Ostrechina. Population: 24,522 (2010 Census);[3] 28,643 (2002 Census);[10] 30,377 (1989 Census);[11] 29,000 (1967). It was previously known as Gorodetsk (until 1766).[12]

Bezhetsk Бежецк
Town[1]
Flag Coat of arms
Location of Bezhetsk
Bezhetsk Location of Bezhetsk Bezhetsk Bezhetsk (Tver Oblast)
Coordinates: 57°46′N 36°42′E
Country	Russia
Federal subject	Tver Oblast[1]
Administrative district	Bezhetsky District[2]
Urban settlement	Bezhetsk[2]
Town status since	1776
Elevation	145 m (476 ft)
Population  (2010 Census)[3]
• Total	24,522
• Estimate  (2018)[4]	21,179 (−13.6%)
Administrative status
• Capital of	Bezhetsky District[5], Bezhetsk Urban Settlement[2]
Municipal status
• Municipal district	Bezhetsky Municipal District[6]
• Urban settlement	Bezhetsk Urban Settlement[6]
• Capital of	Bezhetsky Municipal District[7], Bezhetsk Urban Settlement[6]
Time zone	UTC+3 (MSK [8])
Postal code(s)[9]	171980–171984, 171987, 171988, 171999
Dialing code(s)	+7 48231
OKTMO ID	28604101001
Website	bezhetsk.tv

History

The settlement of Bezhichi was first mentioned in 1137, when it was owned by Novgorod. The original name, with the literal meaning of "refugees", suggests that early settlers were former Novgorodians. Historical Bezhichi was located 20 kilometers (12 mi) north from the present-day town; the settlement was destroyed by raiders in 1272 and re-established on the present site as the fortress of Gorodetsk (Городецк).

In the early 15th century, the area of Bezhetsky Verkh was annexed by Grand Duchy of Moscow. Since 1433, Bezhetsk had its own prince, who was subordinate to the Grand Prince of Moscow.[12]

In the course of the administrative reform carried out in 1708 by Peter the Great, Gorodetsk was included into Ingermanland Governorate (known since 1710 as St. Petersburg Governorate), but in 1727 it was transferred to Moscow Governorate. In 1766, Gorodetsk was renamed Bezhetsk.[12] In 1775, Tver Viceroyalty was formed from the lands which previously belonged to Moscow and Novgorod Governorates. In 1776, Bezhetsk became the seat of Bezhetsky Uyezd. In 1796, Tver Viceroyalty was transformed into Tver Governorate. Bezhetsk remained the administrative center of the uyezd until 1929.[13]

On July 12, 1929, the governorates and uyezds were abolished.[13] Bezhetsky District, with the administrative center in Bezhetsk, was established within Bezhetsk Okrug of Moscow Oblast.[13] On July 23, 1930, the okrugs were abolished and the districts were directly subordinated to the oblast.[13] On January 29, 1935, Kalinin Oblast was established and Bezhetsk was transferred to Tver Oblast.[13]

In the late 20th century, Bezhetsk, as a "reference small town" with well-preserved archives, became a subject of detailed academic studies of the 18th-century Russian countryside.[14]

Administrative and municipal status

Within the framework of administrative divisions, Bezhetsk serves as the administrative center of Bezhetsky District.[5] As an administrative division, it is, together with four rural localities, incorporated within Bezhetsky District as Bezhetsk Urban Settlement.[2] As a municipal division, this administrative unit also has urban settlement status and is a part of Bezhetsky Municipal District.[6]

Economy

Enterprises of timber, textile, and food industries, as well as a plant producing air compressors, are located in Bezhetsk.[15]

Transportation

Bezhetsk railway station

A railway connecting Rybinsk and Bologoye via Sonkovo passes through Bezhetsk, which is an important railway station.

Bezhetsk is located on the road connecting Tver and Vesyegonsk. It is also connected by roads with Sonkovo, Kesova Gora, and Maksatikha. There are local roads as well, with bus traffic originating from Bezhetsk.

The Mologa River is not navigable.

Culture and recreation

Bezhetsk contains seven cultural heritage monuments of federal significance and additionally twenty-four objects classified as cultural and historical heritage of local significance. The federal monuments include trade arcades and the Church of the Presentation of Mary.[16] The oldest building in Bezhetsk is the white tent-like campanile of the Vvedenskaya Church, which was built by Yaroslavl masters in 1680-1682. The church itself was destroyed during the Soviet years. The Vozdvizhenskaya church goes back to the turn of the 18th century.

The Bezhetsk District and Literature Museum, located in Bezhetsk, shows expositions about the author Vyacheslav Shishkov and the musician Vasily Andreyev, who were both born in Bezhetsk.[17]

Military

Bezhetsk is home to Dorokhovo, a major military air base.

Notable people

Bezhetsk and Bezhetsky Uyezd were the birthplace of writer Vyacheslav Shishkov, artists Alexander Samokhvalov and Sergey Osipov, and musician Vasily Andreyev.

References

The Transfiguration Church in Bezhetsk

Notes

1. Law #34-ZO
2. Law #34-ZO stipulates that the borders of the settlements (administrative-territorial divisions) are identical to the borders of the urban and rural settlements (municipal divisions), and that the borders of the administrative districts are identical to the borders of the municipal districts. Law #18-ZO, which describes the borders and the composition of the municipal formations in Bezhetsky Municipal District, lists the town of Bezhetsk as a part and the administrative center of Bezhetsk Urban Settlement of that district.
3. Russian Federal State Statistics Service (2011). "Всероссийская перепись населения 2010 года. Том 1" [2010 All-Russian Population Census, vol. 1]. Всероссийская перепись населения 2010 года [2010 All-Russia Population Census] (in Russian). Federal State Statistics Service.
4. "26. Численность постоянного населения Российской Федерации по муниципальным образованиям на 1 января 2018 года". Federal State Statistics Service. Retrieved January 23, 2019.
5. Государственный комитет Российской Федерации по статистике. Комитет Российской Федерации по стандартизации, метрологии и сертификации. №ОК 019-95 1 января 1997 г. «Общероссийский классификатор объектов административно-территориального деления. Код 28 204», в ред. изменения №278/2015 от 1 января 2016 г.. (State Statistics Committee of the Russian Federation. Committee of the Russian Federation on Standardization, Metrology, and Certification. #OK 019-95 January 1, 1997 Russian Classification of Objects of Administrative Division (OKATO). Code 28 204, as amended by the Amendment #278/2015 of January 1, 2016. ).
6. Law #18-ZO
7. Law #4-ZO
8. "Об исчислении времени". Официальный интернет-портал правовой информации (in Russian). June 3, 2011. Retrieved January 19, 2019.
9. Почта России. Информационно-вычислительный центр ОАСУ РПО. (Russian Post). Поиск объектов почтовой связи (Postal Objects Search) (in Russian)
10. Russian Federal State Statistics Service (May 21, 2004). "Численность населения России, субъектов Российской Федерации в составе федеральных округов, районов, городских поселений, сельских населённых пунктов – районных центров и сельских населённых пунктов с населением 3 тысячи и более человек" [Population of Russia, Its Federal Districts, Federal Subjects, Districts, Urban Localities, Rural Localities—Administrative Centers, and Rural Localities with Population of Over 3,000] (XLS). Всероссийская перепись населения 2002 года [All-Russia Population Census of 2002] (in Russian).
11. "Всесоюзная перепись населения 1989 г. Численность наличного населения союзных и автономных республик, автономных областей и округов, краёв, областей, районов, городских поселений и сёл-райцентров" [All Union Population Census of 1989: Present Population of Union and Autonomous Republics, Autonomous Oblasts and Okrugs, Krais, Oblasts, Districts, Urban Settlements, and Villages Serving as District Administrative Centers]. Всесоюзная перепись населения 1989 года [All-Union Population Census of 1989] (in Russian). Институт демографии Национального исследовательского университета: Высшая школа экономики [Institute of Demography at the National Research University: Higher School of Economics]. 1989 – via Demoscope Weekly.
12. Краткий исторический обзор (in Russian). Bezhetsky District Administration. Archived from the original Check |url= value (help) on July 7, 2015. Retrieved August 18, 2014.
13. Справка об изменениях в административно-территориальном делении Тверской губернии - Калининской области (in Russian). Архивы России. Archived from the original on April 19, 2012. Retrieved August 18, 2014.
14. Kamensky 2006
15. Бежецкий район (in Russian). Законодательное собрание Тверской Области. Archived from the original on August 26, 2013. Retrieved August 29, 2013.
16. Памятники истории и культуры народов Российской Федерации (in Russian). Russian Ministry of Culture. Retrieved June 2, 2016.
17. Бежецкий литературно-мемориальный и краеведческий музей (in Russian). Российская сеть культурного наследия. Archived from the original on August 26, 2013. Retrieved August 30, 2013.

Sources

• А. Б. Каменский (A. B. Kamensky). Повседневность русских городских обывателей (Everyday Life of Russian City Dwellers). М., РГГУ, 2006. ISBN 5-7281-0807-5
• Законодательное Собрание Тверской области. Закон №34-ЗО от 17 апреля 2006 г. «Об административно-территориальном устройстве Тверской области», в ред. Закона №66-ЗО от 1 октября 2014 г. «О внесении изменения в статью 18 Закона Тверской области "Об административно-территориальном устройстве Тверской области"». Вступил в силу со дня официального опубликования. Опубликован: "Тверские ведомости", №17 (специальный выпуск), 19 апреля 2006 г. (Legislative Assembly of Tver Oblast. Law #34-ZO of April 17, 2006 On the Administrative-Territorial Structure of Tver Oblast, as amended by the Law #66-ZO of October 1, 2014 On Amending Article 18 of the Law of Tver Oblast "On the Administrative-Territorial Structure of Tver Oblast". Effective as of the official publication date.).
• Законодательное Собрание Тверской области. Закон №18-ЗО от 28 февраля 2005 г. «Об установлении границ муниципальных образований, входящих в состав территории муниципального образования Тверской области "Бежецкий район", и наделении их статусом городского, сельского поселения», в ред. Закона №55-ЗО от 13 июля 2009 г. «О внесении изменений в Приложение №1 к Закону Тверской области "Об установлении границ муниципальных образований, входящих в состав территории муниципального образования Тверской области "Бежецкий район", и наделении их статусом городского, сельского поселения"». Вступил в силу со дня официального опубликования. Опубликован: "Тверские ведомости", №10, 11–17 марта 2005 г. (Legislative Assembly of Tver Oblast. Law #18-ZO of February 28, 2005 On Establishing the Borders of the Municipal Formations Comprised by the Territory of the Municipal Formation of "Bezhetsky District" and on Granting Them the Status of Urban and Rural Settlements, as amended by the Law #55-ZO of July 13, 2009 On Amending Appendix 1 of the Law of Tver Oblast "On Establishing the Borders of the Municipal Formations Comprised by the Territory of the Municipal Formation of "Bezhetsky District" and on Granting Them the Status of Urban and Rural Settlements". Effective as of the day of the official publication.).
• Законодательное Собрание Тверской области. Закон №4-ЗО от 18 января 2005 г. «Об установлении границ муниципальных образований Тверской области и наделении их статусом городских округов, муниципальных районов», в ред. Закона №65-ЗО от 24 июля 2012 г. «О внесении изменения в статью 2 Закона Тверской области "Об установлении границ муниципальных образований Тверской области и наделении их статусом городских округов, муниципальных районов"». Вступил в силу через десять дней после официального опубликования. Опубликован: "Тверские ведомости", №3, 21–27 января 2005 г. (Legislative Assembly of Tver Oblast. Law #4-ZO of January 18, 2005 On Establishing the Borders of the Municipal Formations of Tver Oblast and on Granting Them the Status of Urban Okrugs, Municipal Districts, as amended by the Law #65-ZO of July 24, 2012 On Amending Article 2 of the Law of Tver Oblast "On Establishing the Borders of the Municipal Formations of Tver Oblast and on Granting Them the Status of Urban Okrugs, Municipal Districts". Effective as of the day which is ten days after the official publication.).