Lebedyan

Lebedyan (Russian: Лебедя́нь) is a town and the administrative center of Lebedyansky District in Lipetsk Oblast, Russia, located on the upper Don River, 62 kilometers (39 mi) northwest of Lipetsk, the administrative center of the oblast. Population: 20,049 (2021 Census);^[7] 21,012 (2010 Census);^[2] 22,966 (2002 Census);^[8] 22,850 (1989 Soviet census).^[9]

Lebedyan Лебедянь
Town[1]
Central Lebedyan
Flag Coat of arms
Location of Lebedyan
Lebedyan Location of Lebedyan Show map of Russia Lebedyan Lebedyan (Lipetsk Oblast) Show map of Lipetsk Oblast
Coordinates: 53°01′N 39°09′E
Country	Russia
Federal subject	Lipetsk Oblast[1]
Administrative district	Lebedyansky District[1]
Town under district jurisdiction	Lebedyan[1]
Founded	1613
Town status since	1779
Elevation	160 m (520 ft)
Population  (2010 Census)[2]
• Total	21,012
Administrative status
• Capital of	Lebedyansky District,[1] Lebedyan Town Under District Jurisdiction[1]
Municipal status
• Municipal district	Lebedyansky Municipal District[3]
• Urban settlement	Lebedyan Urban Settlement[3]
• Capital of	Lebedyansky Municipal District,[4] Lebedyan Urban Settlement[3]
Time zone	UTC+3 (MSK [5])
Postal code(s)[6]	399610–399613, 399619
OKTMO ID	42633101001
Website	lebedyan.lipetsk.ru

History

It was founded in 1613 largely to guard the holdings of I. N. Romanov, the Tsar's uncle, and served as a border outpost protecting South Russia from the Crimean Tatars' incursions.^{[citation needed]} The Trinity Monastery was established in 1621 and several churches were built by the end of the century; they are all now reduced to ruins.

Chartered in 1779,^{[citation needed]} Lebedyan developed in the 19th century as a center of horse racing and horse breeding. The locals claim that the first racetrack in Russia was opened here in 1826. The Agricultural Society of Lebedyan, founded in 1847, was influential in preparing the emancipation reform of 1861.

In 1984 construction of an underground metro began as hobby tunneling. However this was abandoned in 2010 without having opened.^[10]

Administrative and municipal status

Within the framework of administrative divisions, Lebedyan serves as the administrative center of Lebedyansky District.^[1] As an administrative division, it is incorporated within Lebedyansky District as Lebedyan Town Under District Jurisdiction.^[1] As a municipal division, Lebedyan Town Under District Jurisdiction is incorporated within Lebedyansky Municipal District as Lebedyan Urban Settlement.^[3]

Economy

The town is the location of the largest fruit juice manufacturer in Eastern Europe, Lebedyansky.

Architecture

The New Cathedral

Lebedyan has two cathedrals, both dedicated to the icon of the Theotokos of Kazan. The old and neglected cathedral goes back to the 18th century, while the larger cathedral on the market square was designed in the Empire style and consecrated in 1839.

Notable people

Lebedyan is the birthplace of Yevgeny Zamyatin. Other residents of the town include Mikhail Bulgakov and Andrey Bely. Ivan Turgenev incorporated a story titled Lebedyan in his collection A Sportsman's Sketches. It was also the home of Leonid Mulyarchik, who attempted to singlehandedly build a subway system in the town. (He eventually gave up on the project.)^[11]