While there are no historical records, archaeological evidence shows that a fortress settlement existed between theOka River andOrlik Rivers as early as the 12th century, when the land was a part of thePrincipality of Chernigov. The name of the fortress is unknown; it may not have been called Oryol at the time. In the 13th century, the fortress became a part of theZvenigorod district of theKarachev Principality. In the early 15th century, the territory was conquered by theGrand Duchy of Lithuania. The city was soon abandoned by its population after being sacked either by Lithuanians or theGolden Horde. The territory became a part of theTsardom of Russia in the 16th century.
Ivan IV Vasilyevich decreed that a new fortress be built on the spot in 1566 for the purpose of defending the southern borders of the country.[citation needed] The fortress was built starting in the summer of 1566 and ending in the spring of 1567. The location chosen was less than ideal strategically, as the fortress was located on a seasonally flooded low ground easily targeted from the neighboring high ground.False Dmitry I and his army passed through Oryol in 1605;Ivan Bolotnikov in 1606;False Dmitry II camped in Oryol for the winter of 1607–1608. Polish forces sacked it in 1611 and 1615. While the population fled after the second sacking and moved toMtsensk, the Orlovsky Uyezd continued to exist administratively.
Oryol was rebuilt in 1636. The question of moving the fortress to the more advantageous high ground was debated until the 1670s, but the move was never made. The fortress was deemed unnecessary and taken apart in the early 18th century.
In the mid-18th century Oryol became one of the major centers of grain production, with the Oka River being the major trade route until the 1860s when it was replaced by a railroad.
Oryol was granted town status in 1702. In 1708, Oryol was included as a part ofKiev Governorate; in 1719,Oryol Province was created within Kiev Governorate. The Province was transferred to the newly createdBelgorod Governorate in 1727. On March 11 (February 28old style), 1778Oryol Vice-Royalty was created from parts ofVoronezh and Belgorod Governorates. In 1779, the city was almost entirely rebuilt based on a new plan; and the Oryol River was renamed Orlik (lit: "little eagle").
After theOctober Revolution of 1917, the city was in Bolshevik's hands, except for a brief period between October 13 and October 20, 1919, when it was controlled byAnton Denikin'sWhite Army.
Oryol was once again moved between differentoblasts in the 1920s and 1930s: first as Oryol Governorate until 1928, thenCentral Black Earth Region between 1928 and 1934, finally inKursk Oblast), finally becoming the administrative center of its own Oryol Oblast on September 27, 1937.
The French air squadronNormandie-Niemen fought in the skies over Oryol.
Oryol was liberated on August 5, 1943 during theOryol strategic offensive operation "Kutuzov" on theOryol-Kursk Bulge. The city was almost completely destroyed. By Order No .2 of I. V. Stalin of August 5, 1943, on this day in Moscow, an artillery salute was given to the troops that liberated Oryol. Since then, the city has had the nickname, "City of the First Salute", and the day of the liberation from the German invaders was celebrated as the city's day.[citation needed]
On September 19, 1943, in the Oryol, was the first parade of partisan units stationed in the Oryol region during the war.
NASA'sFIRMS detected fire at a Oryol oil depot on 14 December 2024 00:20:00 (UTC)
On December 14, 2024 during theRussian invasion of Ukraine an oil depot in Oryol was attacked and set on fire by Ukrainian drones. Russian social media reported explosions and the governor confirmed a fire had broken out at an "infrastructure facility".[11] A fire at the oil depot was detected byNASA'sFIRMS.
Oryol was founded at the behest of Ivan the Terrible in 1566, in the area between the Oka and Orlik rivers. Little information exists about its early history; the earliest data available refers to 1636, when the city was rebuilt after its destruction during theTime of Troubles. According to historian T. G. Svistunova, the 16th-century Oryol fortress had three lines of fortifications and consisted of a city, anostrog and aposad surrounded by gaps. The city housed a cathedral, avoivode's (warlord or military leader's) house, government buildings and courts for theboyar children; the prison consisted of gunners' yards, a blacksmith, and two parish churches near the prison towers. In the posad was asloboda. In 1636, Oryol was rebuilt by the voivode B. Koltovsky; it expanded with annexation of land beyond the Oka. Oryol remained a fortress city with a corresponding garrison; Pushkarskaya Sloboda was still located in the prison, boyar children and nobles settled on the left bank of the Orlik, and a Cossack sloboda developed near the Oka. Oryol lost its military character after the 1689 fire, when the partially-burned city fortress was not rebuilt.[citation needed]
In central Oryol, streets fan out from the fortress; two main axes are the Upper and Lower Korchak Roads. Opposite the fortress was probably a second marketplace in the Zaotsk section, where the dragoon settlements had a relatively-regular layout along the river. Away from the river, the grid becomes a fan. The city – its fortress, three marketplaces, two monasteries and a number of parish churches – was developed from the river. Its structure was visible from the Oka: the central fortress, the fan-shaped center and the grid of the Zaotsk settlements. The city was connected by bridges, making Oryol a military fortress and a trade center.[13]
The city's earliest plans, by Mikhail Buzovlev and Petr Botvinev, date to 1728. A 1778 plan fixed its radial layout, and a radial-semicircular system was proposed the following year. In 1848, a new plan including Polesskaya Square was approved.
Oryol's modern layout was developed in 1939 by Suborov, an architect at the leningrad-basedRussian State Research and Design Institute of Urbanism. The first post-war reconstruction plan was made in Lengiprogor under the direction of architect V. A. Gaikovich. Oryol's development required a new general plan, which was drawn up in 1958 by V. A. Gaikovich and A. M. Suborov of Lengiprogor. The city's center was Lenin Square, on which the House of Soviets was built in 1961. In 1966, construction of flood-control embankments in the central city began.[14]
Oryol has ahumid continental climate (Köppen climate classificationDfb). Winters are moderately cold and changeable. The first half is softer, second with often warmings. Summers are warm, in separate years — they can be rainy or hot and dry.
Climate data for Oryol (1991–2020, extremes 1948–present)
In February 2012, the city duma abolished the direct election of mayor. In December 2013, a referendum was held and 71% of the people supported the return of direct mayoral election.[16]
According to theFederal State Statistics Service, in January 2020 the number of residents came to 308 838. It is the 66th place among 1117 cities of Russia for 2019.
The formation of the Oryol as an important transportation hub is due to the favorable geographical position of the city on the borders of theCentral andCentral Black Earth economic regions.
The city has trolley, tram and bus systems. These kinds of public transport cover the entire territory of the city. Each bus, tram and trolley is equipped with route indicators that inform about the route through the city, designated stops. There are also taxis and rental cars.
In past years, in the summer on the Oka River waterbus operated as a form of transport excursion and walking orientation.
Since 1868, there has been a railway connection between Oryol and Moscow.[17] Here converge 5 railway lines: onYelets, Moscow,Kursk,Bryansk, Mikhailovsky mine.
The main terminals: Oryol Station, Station Luzhki-Oryol.
On November 3, 1898, Oryol inaugurated an electric tram. The draft was prepared by the Belgian entrepreneur FF Gilon and firm «Compagnie mutuelle de tramways», which won the right to build not only a tram, but also lighting in the city. Oryol tram is one of the oldest electric tram systems in Russia. It is 1 year older than Moscow and 9 years — St. Petersburg. In 2017, the length of the lines in double-track calculation was 18.3 km (11.4 mi). For 2019, there are 3 routes, which are operated:Tatra T3 (74 units),Tatra T6B5 (13 units), 71-403 (1 unit), 71-405 (1 unit).[further explanation needed]
^Татьяна Николаевна (2001).Масштабность в планировке городов Центральной России : На примере Калуги, Тулы, Рязани, Орла, Брянска, Курска, Белгорода (Thesis) (in Russian). Moscow. pp. 84–86.
^Татьяна Николаевна (2001).Масштабность в планировке городов Центральной России : На примере Калуги, Тулы, Рязани, Орла, Брянска, Курска, Белгорода (Thesis) (in Russian). Moscow. pp. 120–123.
Орловский областной Совет народных депутатов. Закон №522-ОЗ от 6 июля 2005 г. «Об административно-территориальном устройстве Орловской области», в ред. Закона №1187-ОЗ от 1 апреля 2011 г «О внесении изменений в законодательные акты Орловской области». Вступил в силу с момента официального опубликования. Опубликован: "Орловская правда", №116, 13 июля 2005 г. (Oryol Oblast Council of People's Deputies. Law #522-OZ of July 6, 2005On the Administrative-Territorial Structure of Oryol Oblast, as amended by the Law #1187-OZ of April 1, 2011On Amending the Legislative Acts of Oryol Oblast. Effective as of the moment of the official publication.).
Орловский областной Совет народных депутатов. Закон №467-ОЗ от 28 декабря 2004 г. «О статусе и границе города Орла как муниципального образования Орловской области», в ред. Закона №1059-ОЗ от 11 мая 2010 г «О внесении изменений в Закон Орловской области "О статусе и границе города Орла Орловской области"». Вступил в силу со дня официального опубликования. Опубликован: "Орловская правда", №233, 30 декабря 2004 г. (Oryol Oblast Council of People's Deputies. Law #467-OZ of December 28, 2004On the Status and Borders of the City of Oryol as a Municipal Formation of Oryol Oblast, as amended by the Law #1059-OZ of May 11, 2010On Amending the Law of Oryol Oblast "On the Status and Borders of the City of Oryol of Oryol Oblast". Effective as of the day of the official publication.).
Орловский областной Совет народных депутатов. Закон №466-ОЗ от 28 декабря 2004 г. «О статусе, границах и административных центрах муниципальных образований на территории Орловского района Орловской области», в ред. Закона №1327-ОЗ от 2 марта 2012 г. «О внесении изменений в Закон Орловской области "О статусе, границах и административных центрах муниципальных образований на территории Орловского района Орловской области" и признании утратившими силу отдельных положений Закона Орловской области "О внесении изменений в Закон Орловской области "О статусе, границах и административных центрах муниципальных образований на территории Орловского района Орловской области"». Вступил в силу со дня официального опубликования. Опубликован: "Орловская правда", №233, 30 декабря 2004 г. (Oryol Oblast Council of People's Deputies. Law #466-OZ of December 28, 2004On the Status, Borders, and Administrative Centers of the Municipal Formations on the Territory of Orlovsky District of Oryol Oblast, as amended by the Law #1327-OZ of March 2, 2012On Amending the Law of Oryol Oblast "On the Status, Borders, and Administrative Centers of the Municipal Formations on the Territory of Orlovsky District of Oryol Oblast" and on Rescinding Parts of the Law of Oryol Oblast "On Amending the Law of Oryol Oblast "On the Status, Borders, and Administrative Centers of the Municipal Formations on the Territory of Orlovsky District of Oryol Oblast". Effective as of the day of the official publication.).