Ostrogoschsk is a Russian town located on the Central Russian Upland, on the Tikhaya Sosna River (inflow of Don), 3 km away from the railway station of the same name, and 142 km to the South of Voronezh.

The town with the area of 193 sq km has the population of 33 842 persons (as of 2010).

History of Ostrogoschsk

It appeared in the first quarter of the 17th century, when according to instructions of tsar Alexey Mikhaylovich settling on the banks of Tikhaya Sosna of Cherkas (Ukrainians) who had escaped from religious prosecution in Polish lands began.

In 1652 (which is considered the year of town foundation) a stockaded town was built in Ostrogoschsk ancient settlement as a part of the Belgorod line on the southern border of the Russian state. The stockaded town was located at the confluence of the Tikhaya Sosna River into River Ostrogoshch, which gave its name to the town. The river name originated as a possessive adjective from an Old Russian personal name of Ostrogost.

The town was called Rybny (i.e. Fish) in popular speech, because it has the main warehouse of fish that was transported from Don to internal provinces.

Cherkas people (Ukranians) went on moving here; a special Cherkassk Ostrogoschsk regiment was formed from them in 1664.

A meeting of Peter's I with hetman Mazepa took place in Ostrogoschsk in 1696. In 1765 a Hussars regiment was founded from Ostrogoschsk suburb settlement.

In 1708 Ostrogoschsk was attributed to the Azov Province (the Voronezh Province from 1725). From 1765 Ostrogoschsk was a provincial town of the Slobodsko-Ukrainsky Province. From 1779 it became a district town of the Voronezh Vicegerency. From 1796 it was in the Slobodsko-Ukrainsky Province, and from 1802 in the Voronezh Province.

In 1856 the district town of Ostrogoschsk of the Voronezh Province had 7 churches, 761 houses, and 106 shops.

An annual exhibition of agricultural working horses was organized in Ostrogoschsk from 1873.

In 1895 the railroad Kharkov - Balashov passed through Ostrogoschsk.

During the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945 Ostrogoschsk was occupied by fascist armies on July 5, 1942. It was released by armies of the Voronezh front on January 20, 1943 during the Ostrogoschsk-Rossoshansk operation.

Culture

The eminent artist Ivan Kramskoi was born in Ostrogoschsk, and therefore the town has a number of museums named after him: the House Museum of Ivan Kramskoi, Kramskoi Ostrogoschsk History and Art Museum, and Kramskoi Picture Gallery.

The poet and philosopher Nikolai Stankevich was born in Ostrogoschsk, and Samuil Marshak spent his childhood there.

Symmetrically designed planning and architecture of the 19th century have partially remained in the city.