Galich

The territory of Galich has been inhabited by man since ancient times. This is evidenced by such ancient Neolithic sites as the Galich Hill.

The date of the foundation is usually considered to be 1159. During the reign of Prince Yuri Dolgoruky, who at that time strengthened the borders of the Rostov-Suzdal principality, Galich was called to play the role of an outpost of North-Eastern Russia in the development of the North and Vyatka land.

However, in written sources, it was first mentioned under 1237When the Laurentian Chronicle indicated that the Tatars "captured all along the Volza and up to Galich of Mersk"..

The first archaeological research of the city, carried out in 1957, showed that the cultural layer with ceramics of XII century comes under the base of the rampart of the Lower fortress - the most ancient fortress of Galich. In the mound itself there were found several fragments of ceramics, dated by the researcher XI-XII centuries, it was concluded that by the middle of the 12th century, there was already a Slavic settlement on the place of the future city. In 2009, the study of Nizhny Gorodishche was continued. The presence of Old Russian layer of XII century was confirmed. At the same time, the settlement of the XI century, which existed on the place of the future settlement, although confirmed by some finds and the first identified burial complexes with traces of pagan rituals, is correlated with the "Meryan" population.

In 1246, Galich became the capital of an independent principality, which was formed after the death of Grand Prince Yaroslav Vsevolodovich of Vladimir. The first prince of Galich was Konstantin Yaroslavich - the son of Yaroslav Vsevolodovich, brother of Alexander Nevskiy. In 1255 he died and Galich began to be ruled by the independent prince, his son David Konstantinovich. Nikonov's chronicle informs, that in 1280 Grand Prince David Konstantinovich Galich and Dmitrovsky "passed away". Thus Galich in second half XIII century was the center of princely parish. In the second half of the XIII-XV centuries, the principality of Galich owned vast lands in the basins of Lake Galich and Chukhloma, on the left bank of the Volga, the Kostroma River and its tributaries, the middle course of the Unga and Vetluga rivers. Among the settlements of that time are known Chukhloma and Sol Galitskaya, which were quite rich and densely populated. Galich itself at that time was one of the centers of defense of Russian lands. In the 1st half of the XIV century, Galich was part of the "font" of Ivan Kalita. Halych princes continued to rule the principality, but lost their independence. In 1362, according to Nikon's Chronicle, "Prince Dmitry Donskoy was removed from Galich prince Dmitry of Galich. Galich became part of the Grand Duchy of Moscow. The city was directly subordinate to the Grand Duke, and Dmitry Donskoy administered in Galich, as in his fiefdom. Thus, in 1378, Metropolitan Pimen, rejected by the Grand Duke, was sent to Galich and then to Chukhloma for imprisonment.

After the death of Dmitry Donskoy, Galich was inherited by his son Yuri Dmitrievich. Having strategic importance - covering the central parts of the Moscow Grand Duchy from the northeast - Galich was subjected to invasions of its enemies. In 1398, during the war of Novgorod with Grand Duke Vasily Dmitrievich, the Novgorodians captured Veliky Ustyug and devastated the outskirts of Galich. In 1408, units of Yedigei reached Galich. In December 1428, "Tatars came to Galich with no knowledge and standing" (they stood at the walls of the city for a month, but could not take it).

In the XV century, Galician princes took an active part in the internecine war in Moscow Russia (1425-1453). Having suffered defeat in it, Galician prince Dmitry Shemyaka fled to Novgorod, where he was poisoned, and Galich itself was finally annexed to Moscow in 1450. From that time it became the center of the county, which included Suday, Chukhloma, Soligalich, Parfenev, Kologriv and Unzhensk sieges. To manage such a vast territory in Moscow was created a special prikaz, called Galitskaya chyat.

1506 (7014) The Gratitude of Grand Duke Vasily Ioannovich to Galicia fishermen - foundation of the fish settlement, - one of the most important economic foundations of the city.

After joining Moscow, Galich became a strong point for Moscow in the fight against the Kazan Khanate, so a third fortress was built in Galich.

In the fall of 1522 the Kazan Khan Sahib Geray organized new raids on the eastern Russian lands. In September squads of Tatars and Meadow Cheremisses made raids on the land of Galicia.

In 1522 "On the 15th day in September, the Tatars and Cheremisses came to Galich's districts and killed them a lot, and they drove away the Grand Duke's outpost in Parfenievo and killed the governors, and drove some of them into captivity". Then "in the same month in the 28th day the Tatars struck at Unzha, unknown, at the monastery, and the church of Saint Nicholas the Wonderworker burned, and the people were taken away into captivity, and the others were killed. And the Galician voivode Andrey Piyalov has gone after them in chase with Galich's boyar children".

Defense value of Galich remained until 1552, when the Kazan Khanate was annexed to Moscow. However, armed clashes with the rebellious Cheremis continued to occur in the second half of the 16th century.

1587-1591 Vasily Ivanovich Shuisky in exile in Galich.

During the Time of Troubles (in Polish historiography the so-called Dimitriada), Galich and a number of cities to the northeast of Moscow fell into the hands of the Poles. In December 1608 revolt broke out: many cities "were laid off from the thief. False Dmitry II sent troops to suppress it. January 3, 1609 the Poles led by Pan Lisovsky burned the city and ravaged it completely. The Town Watch Book of Galich of 1620 recorded one more ravaging of the city by the Lithuanians in 7126 (1619). The scale of the devastation in the city: about 350 courtyards in Galich were found beggars, and of 239 trading places a fifth part stood empty. Based on this scribe book, P.P. Smirnov concluded that during the years of the Troubles the population of Galich decreased sixfold.

Galich found itself in the center of the country, lost its defense importance, but gradually became stronger economically, as trade with Siberia went through it, Galich traded with Arkhangelsk, Veliky Ustyug, Mangazei, Vyatka and Moscow, and later with St. Petersburg. From here was the fur trade with Western Europe and Asia, and fish trade was also developed. In medieval Galich and its district there were 10 monasteries.

By decree of Peter I in 1709, Galich together with other northeastern towns was annexed to the Province of Arkhangelsk, after the establishment in 1778 of the Kostroma Viceroyalty, and then the province became a county town and got its coat of arms: in a scarlet field with a military armature with the cross of John the Baptist coming out of it. From that time the appearance of the city changed, as it began to be built up according to a new regular plan.

According to P.P. Svinyin's testimony published in 1839: Houses are considered in Galich about a thousand, of which up to 70 stone, belonging to the inhabitants, and three public. There are about 5000 inhabitants of both sexes. An excellent pharmacy, a good physician, a skilled midwife - all this the traveler will find in Galich.

Svinin reports that the lake gave the city 10 thousand poods of fish, which amounted to 40 thousand rubles annually income.

According to the census of 1897 in Galich lived 6,237 people.

In the first half of the XIX century in the city appear industrial enterprises. In 1845, the merchants Vakorin and Redkin established a fur factory for processing squirrel skins, in 1852 the same Vakorin opened a plant for processing fox skins, and in 1854 - a glove factory.

There has been a school in Rybnaya Sloboda since 1872. At first it was a one-class men's school. Later it was joined by a one-class parochial school for girls at St. Basil the Great Church, which existed since 1892. In 1902 a new building was illuminated and the school began to be called "Rybno-sloboda elementary folk school with a period of study of three years". The school existed under that name until 1918.

By the early 1880s the city was already connected to the general telegraph network of the Ministry of Posts and Telegraphs of the Russian Empire. In 1882 a new telegraph line was extended from Galich through Chukhloma to Soligalich . In 1885 the Galich telegraph station received and sent 3,396 telegrams.

1901 Ivan Mikhailovich Neshpanov, a merchant, was elected town mayor. Held the post until 1917.

Under I.M. Neshpanov and his direct participation, a new building was built for the Rybnosloboda School (1901-1902).

The city government leased the fishing grounds on Lake Galich to the society of the Fish Sloboda. By the beginning of the XIX century, fishermen caught up to 160 tons of fish per year. The city's income from fisheries in 1903 was 1,200 p. - 4.5 % of the city's total budget.

1905 water pumping station and water supply system, 1908 public baths, 1907 female, 1908 male gymnasium, 1912 children asylum, 1913 city garden was laid out.

At the beginning of the 20th century, a railroad was opened in Galich. Ivan Sytin, a native of Kostroma Province, was a particular advocate of the railroad, believing that it was the railroad that would help Galich become a major industrial center. In 1905, the first train arrived in Galich, a section of the road was opened in November 1906. The railroad connected St. Petersburg with the Urals, dramatically boosted the industrial development of the city: by 1913 the number of plants rose to 68, and their output doubled over the previous decade.

Reports of the Galich district assembly for 1905-1908. The reports of the Galich district assembly in 1905-1908 show that during this period the city operated: Kalikin brothers' Trading House with its tannery, Pavlovsky brothers' Trading House with its tannery, Borodatov merchants with their tannery and fur production (in total there were 5 tanneries in Galich in 1905), Rudomazin brick factory, brick plant Zagvozdkin, iron and ironware production Ushakov, distillery Sotnikov, brewery Arkhangelsky, distillery Gromov, state wine warehouse, worked a wide trade network, both wholesale and retail - in the city 107 shops. In Galich functioned three markets: artisans', hay and wood. The Nikolskaya fair was established. Many craftsmen worked: shoemakers, saddlers, potters, seamstresses and tailors. From them there were whole streets and slobodas. There were several bakeries and confectioneries, working steam and windmills, 3 woodworking and cheese and butter manufacturing plants. The total number of enterprises in Galich in 1905 was 23, and already in 1912 it grew to 68. This gave tangible revenues to the city treasury.

In the house of merchant S. Parfyonov in 1905 opened a public library, which operated a corner of local history. In 1904 in the house of merchants Arkhangelsky was equipped with the Winter Theatre at public expense, and in 1910 in the city garden is built Summer Theatre. In Galich operated several theater groups, several choirs. Not only full-fledged dramas were staged, but also operas and musical operettas.

In 1909, Adel Kondorodovna Barsukova, a graduate of the Conservatory, opened the first music school in Galich.

In Galich operated Alexandrov's private printing house and published the newspaper Galichanin, whose editor was David Yakovlevich Leventhal.

The city had two fire stations, one urban built with money from the burghers and merchants in 1899, the other belonged to the society Rybnaya Sloboda.

Of the centralized city institutions, the city also had a network of street lighting, represented by several kerosene-potable lanterns of the Galkin "Russia" system, located on the square and on Proboynaya, Uspenskaya, and Tsarevskaya streets. The lanterns have been appearing in photographs of the city since 1913.

At the beginning of the century in the city operate: the district and parish schools, zemstvo maintains a hospital, one almshouse.

After the revolution of 1917 Galich continued to develop as one of the major industrial centers of the region. On the basis of pre-revolutionary enterprises and industrial artels created in the 1920s and 1930s, many modern industrial enterprises of the city emerged.

In 1917, Vladimir Alexandrovich Vishnevsky comes to Galich. He is engaged in equipping a shoe factory and organizing the first power plant in Galich according to his own thesis project. On May, 1, 1920 the power plant was officially opened. The power plant was located in the building of the former shop of Neshpanova Podbelskogo street 1a and had a local character. Later power plants were organized in other districts. In 1938 two steam engines of 300 hp each were installed in the building of the former nunnery. General electrification and light to homes for residents came in the early 60s with the connection of the city to the Unified Power Grid.

In the early 1930s there was a need for tractor maintenance. Rural cooperation began to buy mass-produced tractors "Fordson Putilovets". To train specialists, Galich vocational school (a trade school since 1916) was transformed into a tractor-mechanical school, which began to train specialists for agriculture: brigadiers of tractor units, tractor drivers, mechanics, mechanics. For training the school had tractors "Fordson", "Fordson-putilovets. In 1938 the school was reorganized into a school of agricultural mechanization, which trained specialists: traveling mechanics MTS, tractor teams leaders, mechanics, flax pullers, tractor drivers. In 1954 the school of mechanization was renamed to School of Agricultural Mechanization № 2.

In the postwar period appeared a clothing factory, a furniture factory, a factory of metal products, in 1961 in Galich was released the first excavator, which marked the beginning of the history of Galich crane plant. During the years of Soviet power in the city appeared new areas of the city, consisting of typical five-story houses.

In 2009, Galich celebrated its 850th anniversary. From the 15th century to 1928, Galich was the center of Galich district, and now the city is the center of Galich district.

By Order No. 1398-r of the Government of the Russian Federation dated July 29, 2014 "On Approval of the List of Monocities" the city was included in the category "Monocities of the Russian Federation (single-industry municipalities) with risks of deterioration of the social and economic situation".