№ 2124. The 450th Foundation Anniversary of Orel City

 

Orel city was founded in 1566 year such as a fortress to protect the southern borders of the Russian state. The city was called in honor of the Orel river (from the end of XVIII century the river was called Orlik), another reason of the name was a visual similarity of the confluence of two rivers reassembling the head and beak of a winged predator.

The city has a rich history. In the early 17th century there was located one of the centers of the peasant uprising, which was leaded by Ivan Bolotnikov. In the 18th and 19th centuries, Orel has become a major noble - merchant city. Also it became the center of bread trade and in 1937 it became the center of Orel region and turned into a big industrial city. The Orel city received the title of "City of military glory" for bravery, fortitude and heroism of Soviet soldiers during the great Patriotic war.

The Orel city is closely connected with names of outstanding people. There were born famous writers such as Ivan Turgenev, Leonid Andreev, Boris Zaytsev, the historian Timofey Granovsky, the polar researcher Vladimir Rusanov. In Orel were born, lived, studied and worked writers as Nikolay Leskov, Ivan Bunin, composers: Mikhail Glinka, Alexandr Gluhovtsev, state and public figures such as Mikhail Stakhovich, Peter Stolypin. The life of a prominent military leader Aleksey Yermolov, the hero of the Patriotic war of 1812, also connected with the Orel city.

The postage stamp features the landscape of the Orel city and the anniversary logo of the celebration.