The town of Korolev was named after world-famous scientist, Sergey Pavlovich Korolev, who opened mankind the gates to space. Till 2006 the town’s name was Kaliningrad of Moscow Region (and it was very easy to confuse it with another Kaliningrad, most “European” city of Russia).

Former Kaliningrad was born in 1938. Earlier it was a settlement, named Kalininsky, which appeared near the ordnance factory, which moved there from Petrograd (future St. Petersburg) in 1918 soon after socialist revolution. Since 1942 the town hosted Central Ordnance Design Bureau under supervision of eminent Russian engineer, Vasily Grabin.

In May 1946 the Soviet government issued a resolution, ordering to open research and development establishments, planning and design offices and plants in order to create missile ordnance for country defense. That changed the town’s future. Korolev’s town-forming ordnance factory was reformed into a research institution, which later became Russia’s main centre for development of liquid-propellant rockets. Design office of this centre, as well as its chief designer board, was headed by Sergey Pavlovich Korolev, who got together leading Soviet scientists in this field.

At that time we can see rapid growth of various enterprises, which later formed large rocket and space complex, which employed many great scientists. Roots of Korolev are ancient: Slavonic tribes inhabited high banks of the Klyazma River as far back as 12th century. Historians and archeologists think that ancient trade routes from Moscow Princedom to Vladimir and Suzdal Princedom went through these territories.

In 18th century the town acquired one of the first Russian industrial establishments – linen and cloth manufactory. Another fabric-producing plant, which belonged to a family of Moscow industrialists and philanthropists, was famous throughout Russia for its best samite in the world, amazing satin and brocade. These fabrics then went to decorate royal palaces. The enterprise carried Russia’s coat of arms due extremely high quality of its fabrics.

The town of Korolev is located in a very picturesque corner of the Moscow Region, on the banks of the Klyazma River. Surrounding villages and small settlements are ideal places for spending great time in the summer houses. Beautiful nature and very clean air have always attracted many celebrities. The town gave shelter to many brilliant artists, poets, writers, and actors of our country: Anton Chekhov, Marina Tsvetaeva, Valery Brusov, Konstantin Stanislavsky, Isaac Levitan, Anna Akhmatova, Pavel Tretyakov and many more.

At the moment Korolev’s population exceeded 100 thousand people. Citizens of this not very big town enjoy sports at the stadium, watch movies in the cinemas, and entertain themselves in shops, nightclubs and restaurants. Children get educated in 24 secondary schools, numerous hobby groups and music schools. Korolev is a green town – its streets and parks are full of trees and bushes, and many of them are planted every year.