Geography of Tula
Tula, Russia, a city on the Upa River, 110 miles (177 km) south of Moscow. Tula is a railway and highway junction and one of Russia's oldest industrial centers. The heart of the city is a 16th-century kremlin (fortress), preserved as a park and sports grounds. Nearby is the country estate and burial place of author Leo Tolstoy.
Tula has been known since the 12th century. It long served as a fortress protecting the southern routes to Moscow, especially against the invasions of the Crimean Tatars in the 16th and 17th centuries. The first Russian arms works was built in Tula in the early 18th century. In 1941, during World War II, Tula was the southern anchor of the Moscow defense line and withstood a German siege.
Population: 540,000.