TULA , a city in the Russian Federation, the center of Tula Oblast . , Is located in the north of Upland , at p . Upa at the confluence of the river. Tula, 193 kilometers south of Moscow. The population of 499,000 people. Junction of railway lines and roads. Airport . Known since 1146. Hero City in 1976 .Main industries: mechanical engineering and metal working. Production of defense products, iron and steel, food-processing industry, production of building materials, musical instruments.Tula is mentioned for the first time in the Nikon Chronicle in 1146 , when it was a part of the Ryazan principality. In the early 16th century. became part of the Duchy of Moscow , and in the 16-17 centuries . was the center of large defense line . In 1552, Tula was besieged forces of Crimean Khan Devlet Giray. From the 16th century . are actively developing iron industry and arms production . The first ironworks founded here in 1632 by a Dutch merchant A. Vinius . In 1712, by order of Peter I in Tula was the first in the Russian state arms factory that supplied weapons Russian army. In the late 19th century. here was created trilinear Mosin rifle . From the 18th century . Thule develops in production of precision measuring instruments and factory , samovars , art metal objects . During the Civil War — the base of the Red Army . In the 1929-1937 years. Tula was a member of the Moscow region, from 1937 — the center of the Tula region. Economy Tula keeps focus on weapons production .Educational and cultural institutions: Tula State Pedagogical University University . LN TolstoyArtillery Engineering Institute , a branch of the All-RussianCorrespondence Financial and Economic Institute , a branch of the MoscowState University of Commerce . Drama Theatre . Gorky , Puppet Theatre for Young People . Museums: weapons , founded in 1724 , in which exposures are samples of weapons and firearms 18-20 centuries . Tula manufacture; Regional Art Museum , the House -Museum of VV Veresaeva . At 14 km from Tula is a house- museum of Leo Tolstoy "Yasnaya Polyana" . Thecity is the oldest in Russia and Zooekzotarium velodrome with a uniquecollection of amphibians, reptiles and fish from all over the world.The historic center of the city — Tula Kremlin , built in the years 1507-1520 . Whose territory remained Assumption Cathedral . In the Cathedral of the Epiphany , located on the territory of the Kremlin , now housed the Museum of weapons. Inthe center of Tula are monuments of temple architecture of 17-19centuries .: Church of the Annunciation , the Church of St. NicholasZaretsky , the Church of the Ascension , Peter and Paul Church . Amongother architectural structures — a former Nobility Assembly withpillared hall , houses Batashova , Dobrynin, Goltyakova , Lalin .
