View source for Yelets

{{Short description|City in Lipetsk Oblast, Russia}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}}
{{Other places3|Yelets (inhabited locality)}}
{{Expand Russian|topic=geo|date=April 2020}}
{{Infobox Russian city
|en_name      = Yelets
|ru_name      = Елец
|image_skyline= Ascention Cathedral in winter, Yelets.jpg
|image_caption= [[Yelets Cathedral]]
|coordinates  = {{coord|52|37|00|N|38|28|00|E|display=inline,title}}
|map_label_position=right
|image_coa    = Coat of Arms of Elets (Lipetsk oblast).png
|coa_caption  =
|image_flag   = Flag of Yelets.svg
|flag_caption =
|anthem=
|anthem_ref=
|holiday=
|holiday_ref=
|federal_subject=[[Lipetsk Oblast]]
|federal_subject_ref=<ref name="Ref109" />
|adm_city_jur  =Yelets [[City of federal subject significance|City Under Oblast Jurisdiction]]
|adm_city_jur_ref=<ref name="Ref109" />
|adm_ctr_of1  =[[Yeletsky District]]
|adm_ctr_of1_ref=<ref name="Ref109" />
|adm_ctr_of2=Yelets City Under Oblast Jurisdiction
|adm_ctr_of2_ref=<ref name="Ref109" />
|inhabloc_cat=City
|inhabloc_cat_ref=<ref name="Ref109" />
|inhabloc_type=
|inhabloc_type_ref=
|urban_okrug_jur=Yelets Urban Okrug
|urban_okrug_jur_ref=<ref name="Ref373" />
|mun_admctr_of1=Yelets Urban Okrug
|mun_admctr_of1_ref=<ref name="Ref373" />
|mun_admctr_of2=Yeletsky Municipal District
|mun_admctr_of2_ref=<ref name="Ref373" />
|leader_title=Head
|leader_title_ref=
|leader_name=Evgeny Borovskikh
|leader_name_ref=
|representative_body=
|representative_body_ref=
|area_of_what=
|area_as_of=
|area_km2=
|area_km2_ref=
|pop_2010census=108404
|pop_2010census_rank=151st
|pop_2010census_ref=<ref name="2010Census">{{ru-pop-ref|2010Census}}</ref>
|pop_density=
|pop_density_as_of=
|pop_density_ref=
|pop_latest=
|pop_latest_date=
|pop_latest_ref=
|established_date=1146
|established_title=First mentioned
|established_date_ref=
|current_cat_date=
|current_cat_date_ref=
|prev_name1=
|prev_name1_date=
|prev_name1_ref=
|postal_codes=399770—399788
|postal_codes_ref=
|dialing_codes=47467
|dialing_codes_ref=
|website=http://elets-adm.ru/
|website_ref=
}}
'''Yelets''' or '''Elets''' ({{langx|ru|Елец}}) is a [[types of inhabited localities in Russia|city]] in [[Lipetsk Oblast]], [[Russia]], situated on the [[Bystraya Sosna River]], which is a tributary of the [[Don River, Russia|Don]]. Population: {{ru-census|p2021=99,875|p2010=108,404|p2002=116,726|p1989=120,261}}

==History==

Yelets is the oldest center of the [[Central Black Earth Region]]. It was mentioned in historical documents as early as 1146 or 1147, when it was a fort belonging to the princes of [[Ryazan]].<ref name=EB1911>{{Cite EB1911 |wstitle=Elets |volume=9 |page=262}}</ref> The town's position at the very south of the Russian lands made it an easy prey for Turkic conquerors. The [[Mongols]] burned it in 1239,<ref name=EB1911/> [[Uzbeg Khan]] ravaged it in 1316, [[Timur]] sacked it in 1395,<ref>{{cite book |last1=Auty |first1=Robert |last2=Obolensky |first2=Dimitri |title=Companion to Russian Studies: Volume 1: An Introduction to Russian History |date=1976 |publisher=Cambridge University Press |isbn=978-0-521-28038-9 |page=88 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=D0iVBLGd9xEC |language=en}}</ref> and the [[Tatars]] devastated it in 1414.<ref>{{cite book |title=The New Encyclopaedia Britannica |date=2003 |publisher=Encyclopaedia Britannica |isbn=978-0-85229-961-6 |page=831 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=DgDjAAAAMAAJ |language=en}}</ref>

In 1483, the Principality of Yelets was absorbed by the [[Grand Duchy of Moscow]], while the local [[Rurik Dynasty|Rurikid]] rulers (last heard of in the 19th century) entered the service of [[Ivan III of Russia|Ivan&nbsp;III]]. In 1591, [[Boris Godunov]] revived the largely deserted town by establishing a fortress there. In 1618, the fortress was captured "by subterfuge" by 20,000&nbsp;[[Cossacks]] under [[Petro Konashevych-Sahaidachny]], allied with [[Władysław IV Vasa|Władysław&nbsp;IV]] of [[Poland]]. They dismantled a large part of town fortifications.

In the 19th century, Yelets became the largest trade center of the region. Handmade [[lace]] has been a notable product of the city since then; other important industries are grain milling and the manufacture of machinery. The town's chief landmark is the vast Ascension Cathedral, built over the years 1845–1889 to a Neo-Muscovite design by [[Konstantin Thon]]. The town was occupied by the [[Wehrmacht|German Army]] from December 4–9, 1941 and damaged during the brief occupation and Soviet offensive in the region.

==Geography==
The city is situated on the Bystraya Sosna River, which is a tributary of the Don.
===Climate===
{{Yelets weatherbox}}

==Administrative and municipal status==
Within the [[subdivisions of Russia#Administrative divisions|framework of administrative divisions]], Yelets serves as the [[administrative center]] of [[Yeletsky District]], even though it is not a part of it.<ref name="Ref109">Law #382-OZ</ref> As an administrative division, it is incorporated as '''Yelets [[City of federal subject significance|City Under Oblast Jurisdiction]]'''—an administrative unit with a status equal to that of the [[administrative divisions of Lipetsk Oblast|districts]].<ref name="Ref109" /> As a [[subdivisions of Russia#Municipal divisions|municipal division]], Yelets City Under Oblast Jurisdiction is incorporated as '''Yelets Urban Okrug'''.<ref name="Ref373">Law #536-OZ</ref>

==Economy and transportation==
[[File:МАРЗ в Ельце.jpg|thumb|MARZ bus]]
The city is connected to [[Moscow]], [[Lipetsk]], [[Oryol]], and [[Rostov, Yaroslavl Oblast|Rostov]] by rail and the [[M4 highway (Russia)|M4 highway]] runs past it.

The main industries are limestone quarrying, engineering, food processing, textiles and clothing (Yelets Lace), tobacco processing, and beer distilling.

==Culture and education==
The city has a theatre, cinemas, and several sports venues.

The Yelets State University was upgraded from an institute in 2000 and the city has eight secondary schools.

== Notable people ==

* [[Iulia Dombrovskaia]], pediatrician
* [[Tikhon Khrennikov]], composer and administrator

==References==
===Notes===
{{Reflist}}

===Sources===
*{{RussiaAdmMunRef|lip|adm|law}}
*{{RussiaAdmMunRef|lip|mun|list0}}

{{Lipetsk Oblast}}
{{Cities of Military Glory}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Cities and towns in Lipetsk Oblast]]
[[Category:Yeletsky Uyezd]]