Galich (English) Галич (Russian) |
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View of Galich |
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Location of Kostroma Oblast in Russia |
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Administrative status (as of September 2014) | |
Country | Russia |
Federal subject | Kostroma Oblast |
Administratively subordinated to | town of oblast significance of Galich |
Administrative center of | Galichsky District, town of oblast significance of Galich |
Municipal status (as of March 2014) | |
Urban okrug | Galich Urban Okrug |
Administrative center of | Galich Urban Okrug, Galichsky Municipal District |
Statistics | |
Population (2010 Census) | 17,346 inhabitants |
Time zone | MSK (UTC+03:00) |
First mentioned | 1234 |
Town status since | 1778 |
Postal code(s) | 157200–157203, 157209, 157229 |
Dialing code(s) | +7 49437 |
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2010 Census | 17,346 |
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2002 Census | 19,151 |
1989 Census | 21,652 |
1979 Census | 21,270 |
Galich (Russian: Га́лич) is a town in Kostroma Oblast, Russia, located on the southern bank of Lake Galichskoye. As of the 2010 Census, its population was 17,346.
It was first chronicled in 1234 as Grad Mersky (lit. the town of the Merya). It gradually developed into one of the greatest salt-mining centers of Eastern Europe, eclipsing the southern town of Halych, from which it takes its name. In the 13th century, Galich was ruled by a younger brother of Alexander Nevsky and remained in his line until 1363, when the Muscovites seized the principality and ousted the ruling family to Novgorod.
The 15th and 16th centuries are justly considered the golden age of Galich. At that time it controlled most of the Russian trade in salt and furs. Dmitry Shemyaka and other local princes pressed their claims to the Muscovite crown, and three of them actually took possession of the Kremlin in the course of the Great Feudal War.
The early medieval earthen ramparts were further fortified in the early 15th and 16th centuries and have since been known as Shemyaka Hills. The Poles burnt it to the ground in 1612, Peter the Great had a wooden kremlin demolished, and it further declined with the transfer of Russian foreign trade from Arkhangelsk to St. Petersburg.
Town status was granted to Galich in 1778.
Within the framework of administrative divisions, Galich serves as the administrative center of Galichsky District, even though it is not a part of it. As an administrative division, it is incorporated separately as the town of oblast significance of Galich—an administrative unit with the status equal to that of the districts. As a municipal division, the town of oblast significance of Galich is incorporated as Galich Urban Okrug.