Orel is situated in the central part of the East European plain within the Central Russian height (278 m high). Orel is the territory of numerous (255) shallow and slow rivers. All they belong to the basin of three largest rivers of Central and Southern Russia - Volga, Don and Dnepr. Orel was founded in the year of 1566. It was intended as a fortress for protection of southern borders of the Russian state. In the beginning of XVII century the city was one of the centers of Bolotnikov revolt. During the Patriotic War of 1812 Orel was one of the main rear bases of the Russian army. In middle of XVIII-XIX centuries it was a merchant city with small handicraft enterprises for processing of agricultural production and a large corn-trade centre. Since 1928 the city of Orel became a part of Tsentralnochernozemnaya Oblast, since 1934 - of Kurskaya Oblast. In 1937 the city became the centre of Orlovskaya Oblast. In honour of liberation of Orel and Belgorod on August 1943 the first salute in the history of Great Patriotic War was given in Moscow. Orel is the centre of the country, a territory rich in historical and cultural traditions. Here lived and worked such famous Russian writers and poets as Turgenev, Leskov, Fet, Andreyev, Bunin and others. Here during the Great Patriotic War took place the biggest battle of the 20th century - the Orel-Kursk battle. These are the ancient cities and modern manufactures, purposeful creative people and fine Central Russian nature.