Ryazan is an ancient Russian town, about 180 km southeast of Moscow. It is beautifully located on the Oka river, with a very romantic Kremlin, standing high above the city. The first mention about Ryazan is dated to 1301. The town sprang up as trading and defensive point of the Ryazan princedom; in 1365 and 1379 was burnt by mongol-Tatars, but was restored. In the time of prince Oleg Ivanoviche (1350-1402) Ryazan was strengthened vastly, developed as a trading and craft center, and played an important part in the transit trade of north-east Russia and the East. In 1521 it was joined to the Moscow state.

These days, Ryazan is a multifunctional city - a diverse industrial center, particularly heavy industry. Mechanical engineering takes the leading hand in the industrial structure. Sharing the city with industry are institutes including radio engineering, agricultural, pedagogical, medical, branches of the Moscow institute of culture and the Moscow state open university; research and project institutes, theatres, museums, and more.

Throughout history Ryazan has been a center for science and culture. Ivan Pavlov, the discoverer of the conditioned reflex and pioneer of modern psychology, was born here. Another Nobel prize winner, Alexandr Solzhenitzsyn, taught at the local university. Isadora Duncan, the fascinating queen of the Free Dance, was married here to the well-known lyric poet Sergey Esenin.

Ryazan has a beautiful ensemble of churches and monastery buildings with typical Russian golden domes. The Russian Art Museum exhibits pictures from painters like Aivasovsky, Korovin , Sarian, Serov, Venezianov & others. The concert hall is a center for classical music. Twelve beautiful churches are restored and full of ancient valuable icons. Two famous monasteries are situated not far away from the town. The male monastery of Ioan Bogoslov (circa 15th century), and one for females in Solotcha (circa 12th century).

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