Radonezh

 village, place with historical importance, interesting place

Radonezh (Russian: Радонеж), formerly known as Gorodok (Городо́к) is a historic village in Moscow Oblast, Russia, located about 15 kilometers (9.3 mi) from Sergiyev Posad. The old town of Radonezh is known to have existed since the first half of the 14th century, when it belonged to Ivan Kalita (Prince of Moscow from 1325). In 1328, Ivan Kalita settled there many captives from Rostov, including the future Saint Sergii Radonezhsky. About twenty years later, Sergii founded the Trinity Monastery to the north of Radonezh. The town belonged to Vladimir of Serpukhov (lived in 1353–1410) and to his descendants until 1426, when the last appanage prince of Radonezh died without naming an heir. There ensued a bitter struggle for the possession of the town, which ended in Vasily II of Moscow's being taken captive in Radonezh by his cousin Dmitry Shemyaka and later blinded in 1446. The economic and political rise of the nearby Trinity Monastery adversely affected the overall development of Radonezh. In the late 15th to 16th century, the monastery eclipsed the town, which later became a village.