Istra

Istra is a small riverside town about 40 kilometers west of Moscow in the Istrinsky District of Moscow Oblast. The settlement sits on the Moscow to Riga railway line and houses several schools, including a music school and a pedagogical college, for its population of over 35,000 residents.

The settlement was founded in 1589 as Voskresenskoye and initially developed as a small religious center around a monastery. In 1930, the place received its current name Istra when religious references were removed from its earlier designation Voskresensk, and later became a research location for electrical engineering.

The settlement takes its name from the Istra River, which flows through the center and shaped the region's development for centuries. Visitors today find several Orthodox churches in town that locals attend on Sundays and during feast days, offering glimpses into the religious life of residents.

From central Moscow, the small town can be reached by regional train in about an hour, with trains departing regularly from Riga Railway Station. Visitors planning to see the nearby monastery should allow around 20 minutes walking time from the station and expect uneven paths in the outdoor areas.

In the forests surrounding the settlement are several research facilities for electrical power engineering that continue to operate since Soviet times. Visitors on walks sometimes notice old test stands and technical installations along the wooded paths, reminders of the town's scientific past.