Tarutino, Russia
Tarutino sits on the banks of the Nara River within Kaluga Oblast, Russia. The village rests at a specific altitude that defines its landscape. Current records show 733 people call this rural locality home. It lies eight kilometers from Maloyaroslavets along the river's path. This small settlement exists as a selo rather than a city or town. Its location places it directly in the historical theater of Napoleon's invasion.
Prince Simeon the Proud received the land through a treaty with his brothers dated 1348. He claimed the territory had been given to him by his aunt Princess Anna. By 1486, Prince Mikhail Andreyevich held spiritual jurisdiction over the village. The House of Naryshkin maintained feudal ownership from the end of the 17th century until the late 19th century. Alexander Alexandrovich Naryshkin was the final owner from that noble family. His wife Anna Nikitichna Naryshkina inherited the estate after his death. She bequeathed the land to her nephew Nikolai Rumyantsev and later his brother Sergei. Sergei Rumyantsev became the last member of the Rumyantsev line to hold the property.
Russian troops under Graf von Bennigsen launched a surprise attack on French forces on the 18th of October 1812. The battle took place eight kilometers from the village itself. Joachim Murat commanded the retreating French army during this engagement. Cossack troops led by Count Orlov-Denisov attacked the French flank while they were forced back. Karl Gustav von Baggehufwudt died when French cannon fire struck him directly. Russian casualties remained light compared to the heavy losses suffered by the French. This tactical victory boosted morale after Moscow fell to Napoleon. It marked the beginning of a strategic counteroffensive that would eventually expel Napoleon from Russia. Prince Mikhail Kutuzov's army used the village as a base for these operations.
Nazi forces occupied Tarutino from October to December 1941. An anti-aircraft battery was stationed close to the monument before the retreat. German troops heavily mined the area upon their departure in late 1941. On the 17th of May 2023, a Ukrainian Air Force Tupolev Tu-141 Strizh unmanned reconnaissance aircraft was shot down over the settlement. Wreckage landed in the forested area between the village and the Moscow Big Ring Road. In 2025, Russian Minister of Culture Olga Lyubimova announced plans for further development including new museums and historical trails.
Count Sergey Petrovich Rumyantsev stated in his will that 745 peasants be freed if a monument to the battle was built. The original monument was inaugurated on the 25th of June 1834 with a parade salute from the Ryazan Infantry Regiment. Renovations occurred for the 100th anniversary in 1912 under architect Antonelli. A board listing the Russian order of battle appeared during these renovations. The site received renewed gilding and paint work during the centennial celebrations. In 1962 and 2012, further repairs marked the 150th and 200th anniversaries of the Patriotic War. The Central Bank issued a five-ruble coin depicting the monument in 2012. Soldiers of the Red Army who died between October and December 1941 are buried in a flowerbed covered mass grave. A memorial board lists the six-hundred and thirty nine soldiers buried there. A T-34 tank mounted on a plinth stands behind the graves.
A church was erected in patronage of Saint Nicholas the Wonderworker in 1654. A new wooden church replaced it after a fire destroyed the predecessor in 1735. The present stone church was constructed in 1872 using resources given to freed serfs by Rumyantsev. Soviet anti-religious campaigns closed the church during the 1920s. German occupation forces used the building to imprison village residents from 1941 onward. Sections of the wooden interior including the iconostasis were burned for warmth during the extreme cold of winter 1941-1942. Soviet authorities relented to pressure and reconsecrated the Church in 1947. Archpriest Tikhon lived within the old chapel from 1947 until 1993 because no house was available. He refused an offer of a city apartment building when Nikita Khrushchev launched another campaign against religion. The church contains three altars dedicated to Saint Sergius of Radonezh, Saint Nicholas of Myra and Saint Paphnutius of Borovsk.
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Common questions
Where is Tarutino Russia located?
Tarutino Russia sits on the banks of the Nara River within Kaluga Oblast. The village lies eight kilometers from Maloyaroslavets along the river's path.
Who owned the land in Tarutino before 1900?
Prince Simeon the Proud received the land through a treaty with his brothers dated 1348. The House of Naryshkin maintained feudal ownership from the end of the 17th century until the late 19th century, and Sergei Rumyantsev became the last member of the Rumyantsev line to hold the property.
When did the Battle of Tarutino take place?
Russian troops under Graf von Bennigsen launched a surprise attack on French forces on the 18th of October 1812. Joachim Murat commanded the retreating French army during this engagement while Cossack troops led by Count Orlov-Denisov attacked the French flank.
What happened to Tarutino during World War II?
Nazi forces occupied Tarutino from October to December 1941. German troops heavily mined the area upon their departure in late 1941, and sections of the wooden interior including the iconostasis were burned for warmth during the extreme cold of winter 1941-1942.
Who is buried at the memorial site in Tarutino Russia?
Soldiers of the Red Army who died between October and December 1941 are buried in a flowerbed covered mass grave. A memorial board lists the six-hundred and thirty nine soldiers buried there alongside a T-34 tank mounted on a plinth.