Belgorod

Belgorod, city and administrative centre of Belgorod oblast (region), western Russia. Located near the Russia-Ukraine border, Belgorod lies along the upper Donets River where it is crossed by the Moscow-Kharkiv (Ukraine) and Sumy–Donets Basin railways. Archaeological finds indicate the existence of a settlement on the site in the 10th century. First mentioned in 1237, it was founded in 1593 as a fortress, becoming the key stronghold in the elaborate Belgorod defensive line set up in 1635–58 to protect Russia’s southern frontier against Tatar attack. It maintained its military and administrative significance until the late 18th century. Modern Belgorod has a range of light-engineering, building-materials (chalk and slate), cement, and food-processing industries, as well as technical and pedagogical institutes. Pop. (2005 est.) 340,943.