• 327,000 (data from 2010)
• 1371 year
• 170.5 sq.km
• 54° 32' N 36° 17' E

Capital of Kaluga Region

Originated as a fortress on the Oka river near the southern borders of Muscovy. The rapid development of Kaluga came at the end of the 18th century, and the city became the centre of Kaluga Province. Then came active stone building, and many brick factories appeared. One of the first theatres in Russia also originated in Kaluga.

Today, Kaluga and Kaluga Region has a high level of industrial and cultural development. Obninsk research town is located in Kaluga Region. Near Kaluga, in particular, is the Volkswagen plant, a technical partner of the Sochi Olympic Torch Relay in 2014.

Interesting Facts

Kaluga is known as the city where Konstantin Tsiolkovsky, inventor and cosmonautics theorist, lived and worked. Even in the modern coat of arms of the city, along with usual heraldic symbols, features the image of a satellite.

Located near Kaluga are Koltsovskie caves: a system of catacombs, very popular with speleologists.

During Soviet times, the whole country used matches produced in Kaluga. The price for one box of matches was one kopek. The production of matches in Kaluga was discontinued.

In Kaluga, the oldest Russian grandmaster and chess theorist Yury Averbakh was born.

One of the twin towns of Kaluga is Finnish winter resort Lahti, a popular place for international competitions in skiing and biathlon.

Citizens from foreign countries taking part in the Sochi 2014 Olympic Torch Relay:

Baumert Josef Johannes

Bexultanova Zhuldyz Bolotbekova

Davidova Katerina

Dresler Zdenek

Fabro Mykola Mykolayovych

Haase Frank

Hirsekorn Alexander

Hoffmann Jurgen Dieter

Jun Sung Ho

Kim Eduard Vissarionovich

Kim Sang Ho

Klar Andreas

Kober Julia

Kuzmin Roman Sergeevich

Leonhard Tatjana

Mehringer Thomas Ralf

Merschkotter, Dr. Bettina

Mommertz Joerg

Najman Lubomir

Osegowitsch Marcus

Park Cheol Yong

Stepanek Pavel

Sultangazin Almas Umirzakovich

Tardell Hans Hakan