Vyazma, Administrative center in Smolensk Oblast, Russia
Vyazma is a town in western Russia that sits along the river of the same name, midway between Smolensk and Moscow. Several main roads cross through the town center, connecting older residential districts with newer industrial zones on the outskirts.
Written records mention the town for the first time in the 13th century, when it was under the rule of Smolensk. It later changed hands several times and became part of the growing Muscovite state in the 16th century, cementing its position along important trade routes.
The town maintains collections of regional artifacts and traditional crafts, with particular emphasis on the production of Russian gingerbread called pryaniki.
The train station connects the town daily with Moscow and other major centers in western Russia, and many travelers use it as a stopover. Bus services run to surrounding villages and smaller towns, while the town center remains easy to walk through.
Leather processing has shaped local crafts for centuries, and smaller workshops still produce goods from this material today. Nearby, factories specialize in graphite and flax products, showing the industrial range of the region.
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