Oryol, situated in the heart of Russia, is the most beautiful place to visit and is famous for its extensive historical background and literary traditions.
Being founded in 1566 by Ivan the Terrible, Oryol is still one of the main outposts of Russian culture and literature. During Peter I board the city has received the status of the centre of a province, and at the end of 18 century - the centre of the Oryol province, where the significant part of present Bryansk and Lipetsk areas entered. Orel was also centre Orlovsko-Serpskaya diocese of orthodox church.
The fertile grounds located around Orel attracted the most outstanding nobiliary families, therefore the  city became the centre of nobiliary culture.
There are many literature museums in Oryol and even plain enumeration of famous people who have ever been or lived in Oryol takes a lot of time. It is enough to name Ivan Turgenev and Ivan Bunin, Afanasiy Fet and Nikolay Leskov, Leonid Andreev, Alexander Pushkin and many others.
The very first Russian theater was founded in Oryol in the last century by Count Kommensky. Now it is one of the best theaters in Russia.
With connection of Ukraine to Russia city loses military value and become administrative and shopping centre. Oryol became also the centre of the extensive grain market, providing Moscow with a grain and a flour.
The city population is about 400,000 people. Oryol is a fine old city which combines beautiful old architecture with modern buildings. Because city traffic is not heavy and there are many trees - the air in the city stays clean and healthy. That is why so many people in Oryol often prefer to walk on foot.
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