Orel - Encyclopedia

GEOGRAPHICAL NAMES

OREL, a town of Russia, capital of the government of the same name, lies at the confluence of the Oka with the Orlik, on the line of railway to the Crimea, 2 3 8 m. S.S.W. from Moscow. Pop. (1875) 45,000, (Igloo) 70,075. It was founded in 1566, but developed slowly, and had only a very few houses at the beginning of the 18th century. The cathedral, begun in 1794, was finished only in 1861. The town possesses a military gymnasium (corps of cadets), a public library, and storehouses for grain and timber. The manufactures are rapidly increasing, and include hempcarding and spinning, rope-making, flour-mills and candle factories. Orel is one of the chief markets of central Russia for corn, hemp, hempseed oil, and tallow, exported; metal wares, tobacco, kaolin, and glass ware are also exported, while salt, groceries and manufactured goods are imported.