Английский для бакалавров. Зарубина Л.П - 46 стр.

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46
THE TULA KREMLIN
For a number of centuries the history of Tula was
closely linked with the formation of the Russian state. In
1380 the famous Kulikovo Battle which led to the expulsion
of the Tartar-Mongolian hordes from the Russian territory
was fought to the South-East of Tula.
After joining the Moscow state in 1503, Tula’s
importance increased greatly. It became a strong fortress in
the defence line of the Moscow state. A wooden fortress
was built and by 1521 the Tula Kremlin had been
completed.
The Tula Kremlin differs from others in that its outline is almost rectangular.
The square lay-out of the Tula Kremlin walls is explained by the fact that when they
were built the development of artillery made it more convenient to deliver direct fire
from symmetrically disposed towers.
The walls are up to three metres thick and almost 11 metres high. Four towers
out of nine have gates. The walls and towers have about 300 loop-holes. Usually the
Kremlin was not heavily garrisoned but due to its strength and reliability it could
stand up to long sieges.
Within the Kremlin stands the Cathedral of the Assumption
*
built in 1762-64.
Its five cupolas are typical of Russian cathedrals of the 17-th century. Its frescoes,
painted by masters from Yaroslavl are the last copies of frescoes in ancient Russian
churches.
In 1552 the Tula Kremlin withstood a severe onslaught by the Crimean Khan
Devlet Girei, whose troops several times outnumbered the fortress defenders. The
town’s inhabitants and a garrison of 200 men beat off all attacks of 30-thousand-
strong troops. Moscow troops, which approached the town two days later, drove off
the enemy and defeated him near Tula.
Fifty years later the Tula Kremlin became the stronghold of the troops of Ivan
Bolotnikov, a peasant leader. For four months rebels against the princes and boyars
defended themselves within the Kremlin walls against the tsar’s troops. When the
long siege did not wear down the defenders, the attackers flooded the town by dam-
ming the river and forced them to surrender. Ivan Bolotnikov was kept prisoner and
killed. In the Kremlin one can see the monument to the peasant leader.
*
Cathedral of the Assumption – Успенский Собор.
XIII. Make a written translation of the text. Use a dictionary.
THE CITY RECEIVES HONOUR TO ITS RESISTANCE TO NAZIS
The city of Tula with its population doubled to 500,000 since World War II was
awarded the ‘Hero City’ honour, the eleventh city to get it. The award was given for
Tula’s role, as a defense bastion against the Nazis as they neared Moscow from the

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