Tver's coat of arms depicts grand ducal crown placed on a throne. A coat of arms or armorial bearings (often just arms for short in European tradition is a design belonging to a particular person (or group of people A crown is the traditional Symbolic form of Headgear worn by a Monarch or by a Deity, for whom the crown traditionally represents power This article is about royal thrones for the order of Angels by the same name see Thrones.

This tent-like church was commissioned by Simeon Bekbulatovich in his manor near Tver in 1584. A hipped roof or tented roof is a special type of Roof, widely used in 16th and 17th century Russian architecture for churches and Simeon Bekbulatovich (Симеон Бекбулатович (died January 5, 1616) (born Sain-Bulat, Саин-Булат) was a baptized khan

Tver (Russian: Тверь) is a city in Russia, the administrative center of Tver Oblast. Russian ( transliteration:,) is the most geographically widespread language of Eurasia, the most widely spoken of the Slavic languages The classification system of the types of inhabited localities in Russia, the former Soviet Union, and some other post-Soviet states has certain peculiarities compared Russia (Россия Rossiya) or the Russian Federation ( Rossiyskaya Federatsiya) is a transcontinental Country extending Tver Oblast (Тверска́я о́бласть Tverskaya oblast) is a federal subject of Russia (an Oblast) Population: 405,500 (2007 est. ); 408,903 (2002 Census). Russian Census of 2002 (Всеросси́йская пе́репись населе́ния 2002 го́да was the first Census of the Russian Federation carried Tver was formerly the capital of a powerful medieval state and a model provincial town in Imperial Russia. The Russian Empire ( Pre-reform Russian: Pоссійская Имперія Modern Russian: Российская Империя translit: Rossiyskaya It is located at the confluence of the Volga and Tvertsa Rivers. Tvertsa (Тверца is a River in the Tver Oblast in Russia, a left Tributary of the Volga River. The city was known as Kalinin (Кали́нин) from 1931 to 1990.

Medieval origins

View of Tver in the winter

The first written record of Tver is dated 1164. Originally a minor settlement of Novgorodian traders, it passed to the Grand Prince of Vladimir in 1209. The Novgorod Republic (Новгородская республика / Novgorodskaya respublika Новгородская земьля / Novgorodskaya zemlja) was a Vladimir (Влади́мир) is a city in Russia, located on the Klyazma River, to the east of Moscow along the M7 motorway In 1246, Alexander Nevsky granted it to his younger brother Yaroslav Yaroslavich (d. Saint Alexander Nevsky (Алекса́ндр Яросла́вич Не́вский in Russian; transliteration Aleksandr Yaroslavich Nevskij) ( May 30 Yaroslav III Yaroslavich (Russian Ярослав Ярославович was the first Prince of Tver and the tenth Grand Prince of Vladimir from 1264  1271), from whom a dynasty of local princes descended. Four of them were killed by the Golden Horde and were proclaimed saints by the Russian Orthodox church. This article refers to the medieval Turkic state For the Irish rock band see The Golden Horde (band. See also Eastern Orthodox Church Structure and organization The Slavic Orthodox Church is organized in a hierarchical structure

Formerly a land of woods and bogs, the Tver principality was quickly transformed into one of the richest and most populous Russian states. As the area was hardly accessible for Tatar raids, there was a great influx of population from the recently devastated South. Tatars ( Tatar: Tatarlar/Татарлар sometimes spelled Tartars, are a Turkic -speaking ethnic group or multiple ethnic groups By the end of the century, it was ready to vie with Moscow for supremacy in Russia. Moscow (Москва́ romanised: Moskvá, IPA: see also other names) is the Capital and the largest city of Both Tver and Moscow were young cities, so the outcome of their rivalry was far from being certain.

Grand princedom

17th century icon of St.  Michael of Tver, slain by the Mongols, holding the town of Tver in his hands. Mikhail Yaroslavich (Михаил Ярославич (1271 &ndash November 22 1318) also known as Michael of Tver, was a Prince of Tver (from

Mikhail of Tver, who ascended the throne of Vladimir in 1305, was one of the most beloved of medieval Russian rulers. Mikhail Yaroslavich (Михаил Ярославич (1271 &ndash November 22 1318) also known as Michael of Tver, was a Prince of Tver (from The title of Prince of Tver was born by members of the Rurikids dynasty who ruled the Principality of Tver. Vladimir (Влади́мир) is a city in Russia, located on the Klyazma River, to the east of Moscow along the M7 motorway His policy of open conflict with the Golden Horde led to his assassination there in 1318. This article refers to the medieval Turkic state For the Irish rock band see The Golden Horde (band. His son Dmitry "the Terrible Eyes" succeeded him, and, concluding an alliance with the mighty Grand Duchy of Lithuania, managed to raise Tver's prestige even higher. A military alliance is an agreement between two or more military factions related to Wartime planning commitments or contingencies such agreements can be both The Grand Duchy of Lithuania (Lietuvos Didžioji Kunigaikštystė old literary Lithuanian Didi Kunigiste Letuvos, Ruthenian: Wialikaje Kniastwa Litowskaje

Exasperated by Dmitry's influence, Prince Ivan Kalita of Moscow engineered his murder by the Mongols in 1326. Ivan I Danilovich Kalita (Ива́н I Дани́лович Калита́ in Russian) (1288 &ndash March 31, 1340, Moscow) Prince of The Grand Duchy of Moscow (Великое княжество Московское was a medieval Russian polity centered on Moscow between 1340 and On hearing the news of this crime, the city revolted against the Horde. The latter joined its forces with Muscovites and brutally repressed the rebellion. Rebellion is a refusal of obedienceIt may therefore be seen as encompassing a range of Behaviours from Civil disobedience and mass Nonviolent resistance Many citizens were killed, enslaved, or deported. This was the fatal blow to Tver's pretensions for supremacy in Russia.

In the second half of the 14th century, Tver was further weakened by dynastic struggles between its princes. A dynasty is a succession of rulers who belong to the same family for generations Two senior branches of the ruling house, those of Kashin and Kholmsky, asserted their claims to the grand ducal throne. Kholm (Холм is a town in the southern part of Novgorod Oblast, Russia, the administrative center of Kholmsky District. The claimants were backed up by Moscow and eventually settled at the Kremlin court. The Moscow Kremlin ( Russian: Московский Кремль Moskovskiy Kreml) usually referred to as simply The Kremlin, is a historic fortified

During the Great Feudal War in Muscovy, Tver once again rose to prominence and concluded defensive alliances with Lithuania, Novgorod, Byzantium, and the Golden Horde. Vasily II Vasiliyevich Tyomniy (Blind (Василий II Васильевич Тёмный in Russian) ( March 10, 1415 – March 27, 1462 The Grand Duchy of Moscow (Великое княжество Московское was a medieval Russian polity centered on Moscow between 1340 and This article is about the city See also Byzantine Empire. Byzantium ( Greek: Βυζάντιον Latin: la BYZANTIVM Grand Prince Boris of Tver sent one of his men, Afanasiy Nikitin, to search for gold and diamonds as far as India. Afanasy Nikitin ( Афана́сий Ники́тин in Russian) (? - 1472 was a Russian merchant and one of the first Europeans (after Niccolò India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country Nikitin's travelogue, describing his journey from 1466 to 1472, is probably the first ever firsthand account of India by a European. A Journey Beyond the Three Seas (Хожение за три моря Khozheniye za tri morya) is a Russian literary monument in the form of travel notes A monument to Nikitin was opened on the Volga embankment in 1955.

Later history

At last, on September 12, 1485, the forces of Ivan the Great seized the city. Events 1213 - Albigensian Crusade: Simon de Montfort 5th Earl of Leicester, defeats Peter II of Aragon at the Ivan III Vasilevich (Иван III Васильевич ( 22 January 1440, Moscow – 27 October 1505, Moscow also known as Ivan the Great The principality was given as an appanage to Ivan's grandson, only to be abolished several decades later. Last scions of the ruling dynasty were executed by Ivan the Terrible during the Oprichnina. The Oprichnina (Опричнина formed the domestic portion of Russian territory ruled directly by Ivan the Terrible. At that turbulent time, Tver was ruled by Simeon Bekbulatovich, a former khan of Kasimov. Simeon Bekbulatovich (Симеон Бекбулатович (died January 5, 1616) (born Sain-Bulat, Саин-Булат) was a baptized khan Kasimov (Касимов Касыйм tt ''Qasím'' historically Xankirmän, Gorodets Meschorsky, Novy Nizovoy) is a town in Ryazan Oblast The only remnant of his ephemeral reign is a graceful tent-like church in the village of Kushalino, 28 km north-east of Tver. A hipped roof or tented roof is a special type of Roof, widely used in 16th and 17th century Russian architecture for churches and

Catherine Palace

Statue of Lenin on the Central square in Tver

The city's decline was not irrevocable, however. With the foundation of St. Petersburg, Tver gained importance as a principal station on the highway (and later railway) from Moscow to St. Saint Petersburg ( tr: Sankt-Peterburg,) is a city and a federal subject of Russia located on the Neva River  Petersburg. It was much visited by Russian royalty and nobility travelling from the old capital to the new one and back. At different times a ruler of the territory of modern Russia bore the title of Kniaz (translated as Duke or Prince) Velikiy Kniaz (translated The Russian Nobility (Дворянство Dvoryanstvo) arose in the 14th century and essentially governed Russia until the October Revolution

Following a great fire of 1763, the city was rebuilt in Neoclassical style. Under Catherine the Great, the downtown was thoroughly reconstructed. Catherine II, called Catherine the Great (Екатерина II Великая Yekaterina II Velikaya;) reigned as Empress of Russia for 34 years Crumbling medieval edifices were razed and replaced with imposing Neoclassical structures. Neoclassicism (sometimes rendered as Neo-Classicism or Neo-classicism) is the name given to quite distinct movements in the decorative and The most important of these are the Travel Palace of the Empress (designed by the celebrated Matvei Kazakov), and the Ascension church (designed by Prince Lvov and consecrated in 1813). Matvey Fyodorovich Kazakov (Матве́й Фёдорович Казако́в b

In 1931, the city was renamed Kalinin, after a notable Soviet leader Mikhail Kalinin who had been born nearby. Mikhail Ivanovich Kalinin (Михаи́л Ива́нович Кали́нин ( – June 3, 1946) was a Bolshevik revolutionary and the titular Head A last vestige of the pre-Petrine epoch, the Saviour Cathedral, was blown up in 1936. In 1940 the NKVD executed more than 6,200 Polish policemen and prisoners of war from Ostashkov camp. Ostashkov (Оста́шков is a town in Tver Oblast, Russia, 199 km west of Tver. During the Cold War it was home to the air base Kryuchkovo, which is no longer in service. Cold War is the state of conflict tension and competition that existed between the United States and the Soviet Union (USSR and their respective allies from the Kryuchkovo was an air base in Tver Oblast, Russia, located 34 km northwest of Tver. The historic name of Tver was restored in 1990.

The Wehrmacht occupied Kalinin for two months in 1941, leaving the city in ashes. Wehrmacht (literally "defense force" was the name of the unified Armed forces of Germany from 1935 to 1945 A large-scale resistance movement in the city and the region resulted in over 30,000 Nazi soldiers and officers eliminated during the occupation of the city. Actually, Kalinin was the first major city in Europe to be liberated from the Wehrmacht.

Apart from the suburban White Trinity Church (1564), there are no ancient monuments left in Tver. The downtown is graced with Catharinian and Soviet edifices, bridges and embankments. Tver's most notable industries are a railroad car plant, opened in 1898, an excavation-machine factory, and a glass making factory. A railroad car or railway carriage is a Vehicle on a rail transport system (railroad or railway that is used for the carrying of Cargo or Tver is home to Migalovo, which is one of Russia's biggest military airlift facilities. Migalovo (also given as Tver Migalovo, Kalinin) is an air base in Tver Oblast, Russia located 10 km west of Tver.

Education

Tver is home to Tver State University, the most highly rated university of the region. It is also home to a technical university, medical, military, and agricultural academies and more than 20 colleges and lyceums, branch campuses of some Moscow higher educational institutions and more than 50 high schools.

Notable natives

• Ilya Kovalchuk, professional hockey player

Sister cities

• Bergamo ,Italy
• Kaposvár, Hungary
• Osnabrück, Germany
• Veliko Turnovo, Bulgaria
• Besançon, France
• Lublin, Poland
• Hämeenlinna, Finland
• Buffalo, New York, USA
• Inkow, People's Republic of China

References

• FallingRain Map - elevation = 127m