Skopin is a Russian town, the administrative center of the Skopin District in the Ryazan Region.

Skopin has the population of 28 092 people (as of 2014). It takes the overall area of 31 sq km.

The town is located on spurs of the Central Russian Upland, on the left bank of River Verda (the influx of River Ranova in the basin of Oka), 109 km to the southwest of Ryazan. It has a railway station.

History of Skopin

Skopin is one of the oldest towns in the Ryazan Region. It was founded in the 12th century as the Likharevsky Settlement fortified with ditches and a shaft to protect it from incursions of the Cumans.

In 1663 there appeared a wooden fortress as a part of defensive constructions in the southeast boundaries of the Moscow State.

It was named the Skopinsky Settlement from the late 17th century and became the town of Skopin in 1663.

In 1708 it was attributed to the Azov Province (the Voronezh Province from 1725). From 1778 it was the district town of the Ryazan Province.

Skopin lost its military value in the 18th century and developed as a trade and administrative center.

In 1856 the district town of Skopin had 11 churches, 1100 houses, and 317 shops.

In the second half of the 19th century the railroad was laid through Skopin. Brown coal production was launched there about the same time and went on till 1989. After the discovery of refractory clay deposits craft production of pottery (the so-called Skopin ceramics) was started. By the beginning of the 20th century the town had a tobacco factory, 4 soap factories, and 2 printing houses.

During the Great Patriotic War 1941-45 Skopin was occupied by fascist armies from November 25 to November 28, 1941.

Architecture and Sights

The town of Skopin harbours the St.George Church built in 1818.

5 km away from Skopin, on the left bank of River Verda there is the Likharevsky Ancient Settlement of the 12th -13th centuries.

The Dmitriyevo-Ryazhsky Monastery, a monument to the Kulikovo Battle of 1380 is located at the 12 km distance from Skopin.