The fortress town was founded in 1154 by the prince Jurij Dołgoruski on the border of the Rostowsko- Suzdalskie Principality.
It is situated by the Moscow Channel, seventy kilometres from the capital of the Russian Federation. The town belongs to the important economic educational and cultural centres nearby Moscow. The tourist attractions are the remains of the Medieval town, the Usieński church (XVI century), the Orthodox monastery with the church (XVI-XVII century), two Baroque Orthodox churches (XVIII century). The town is the perfect place for leisure and recreation because of its natural advantages and an extensive sports and tourist infrastructure.