Perhaps you’ve heard about Ilyinskoye, a place that has transformed over the decades. Today, we find ourselves in Ilyinskoye, an urban-type settlement near Moscow, Russia. It’s located in the Ramensky District. Once a part of count Vorontsov-Dashkov’s estate, Ilyinskoye’s story took a turn in the 19th century.
N.I. Ilyin, a member of the Moscow-Ryazan railroad construction board, bought the estate. After Ilyin’s death, his widow owned the lands. She held them until the 1917 revolution.
The construction of the railroad spurred development here. The Ilyins were enterprising. They sold land to Moscow’s elite at high prices. They also built villas for lease. To further serve the community, they started a dairy farm and cultivated vegetables.
Later, the Moscow railroads purchased land for their employees. The settlement grew steadily. Amid pine forests, residents created ponds and built bathhouses. They also cut alleys and streets. A power plant and other facilities appeared.
Bykovo village saw similar development. Ilyinsky’s cottages belonged to merchants and plant directors. Publisher I.D. Sytina was among them. New residents bought large plots. They created gardens and built country houses. Servants’ quarters were common.
In 1913, a church was built in Ilyinskoye. Sadly, it burned down in the late 1920s. A stone with a cross was placed there in 1994. This marked the start of the Peter and Paul temple’s restoration by parishioners and sponsors.
After the revolution, most large villas were nationalized. Some became orphanages and kindergartens. Others were rented as dachas or permanent homes.
The 1926 census recorded 225 homes and 1371 residents in Ilyinsky. The village council was active in the 1930s. 300 workers’ families from the Ramensky textile factory “Red Banner” were moved here. This was an effort to improve their living conditions.
Ilyinsky gained urban-type settlement status in 1975. The museum “Scorched youth” is located in school number 25. In 1941, all 25 students from the same 9th grade volunteered for the front. Only four returned alive. Yuri Denitsky, one of the survivors, wrote books about his comrades. One was titled “Scorched youth.”
Most of Ilyinsky lies north of the railway. Large forest areas and Apariha village are to the north. Ilyinsky borders Kratovo and Popovka to the east. Zhukovsky is to the south and Bykovo to the west.
Ilyinsky is a well-known summer resort. A pond and recreation area with athletic fields is popular. A children’s playground is also in the central part of town. Ilyins’ square opened in 2015. It features a public garden and a fountain near the railway station.
There are children’s recreation facilities and two schools. You’ll also find a kindergarten, a music school, and a house of culture. The township has its own fire and police departments and two post offices.
Next to the railway station, you’ll find the temple complex of Peter and Paul. It includes the temple of the Prophet Elijah and the Church of Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary. On the temple grounds is the grave of father Paul, the founder. Relics of St. Optin elders and St. Alexander Nevsky are revered here. In 2018, the Church of the Holy apostles Peter and Paul was consecrated.
Opposite the temple complex, a small park features a fountain. It also features a monument to heroes who died in 1941-1945.
In the southern part of Ilyinsky, bordering Zhukovsky, stands the “Scorched youth” obelisk. It honors the students of school number 25 who went to war.
Ilyinskoye continues to evolve. It blends its historical roots with modern life. It has become a unique place.