Kirzhach

 city, district center

Town and the administrative center of Kirzhachsky District in Vladimir Oblast, Russia, located on the Kirzhach River in the west of the oblast, 125 kilometers (78 mi) west of Vladimir and 29 kilometers (18 mi) south of Alexandrov. Population: 27,318 (2021 Census). The town is named after the Kirzhach River. The root of the name (kirzh) corresponds to a Moksha or Erzya word meaning "left".
It was established in the 14th century as a sloboda assigned to the Annunciation Monastery. The latter was established by Saint Sergius of Radonezh, who lived in the area between 1354 and 1358. For most of its history, the abbey remained heavily dependent upon the Trinity Lavra of St. Sergius, which lies 48 kilometers (30 mi) to the west. After the monastery was disbanded in 1764, the sloboda was granted municipal rights in 1778. Thereafter, Kirzhach, as many other towns in the vicinity, developed primarily as a textile center. On October 12, 2004, the settlement of Krasny Oktyabr was merged with the town.