Osa is an old town in the Perm Territory of Russia, an administrative center of the Osa District established in 1924. It has the status of an urban settlement and stands on the banks of Rivers Kama and Osa. Its population makes 22.5 thousand people (as of 2008). Osa is located at the distance of 141 km (by highway) or 193 km (by river) from Perm.

History of Osa

Osa was founded in 1591 (1596) as the Novonikolsky Village on the Osinsky site of an ancient settlement. Later it became a fortress for protection of the eastern boundaries of the Russian State.

The village was named after St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, while the ancient settlement was named after Osa River.

In the document of 1623 the settlement is mentioned as the Osinsky Nikolsky Village, as Osinsky Village in 1678, Village Osa in 1732, and the town of Osa in 1708-19 and since 1739.

Under the reign of Peter I the fortress as enclosed with new double walls with a high abrupt roof, 5 towers were constructed, and elevating gates were built from the east side.

In the 18th century the Siberian Path passed through Osa.

In 1774 Osa was seized by Yemelyan Pugachyov's forces (the capture of the town is described in V.Y. Shishkov’s epopee "Yemelyan Pugachyov").

In 1708 it was attributed to the Kazan Province. From 1781 Osa was a district town of the Perm Region, and from 1796 of the Perm Province.

From the early 19th century it was an agricultural production trading center. The basic employment of inhabitants were manufacture of bast mats, sacks, ropes, and work on the wharf.

The first school appeared in Osa in 1846, the first public hospital was opened in 1870, and telegraph from Perm was laid down in 1872.

In 1856 in the district town of Osa of the Perm Province there were 2 churches, 288 houses, and 39 shops.

An important stage in the development of Osa was 1963, when oil extracting was started on the deposits discovered near Osa in 1960.

Sights in Osa

The town has the unique Museum-Diorama "Peasants’ War 1773-75 under leadership of Yemelyan Pugachyov".

There is also a museum of local lore.

Architecture monuments include Uspensky (Assumption) Cathedral (1790-1800; classicism), a mosque (the mid 19th century), and the Troitsky (Trinity) Cathedral (1902-16; pseudo-Russian style).

Among the historical buildings there are governor’s and district office houses (both built in 1800-02), Public Offices (1800-28) and Gostini dvor (Shopping Arcade) (first half of the 19th century), former Ivanov's House (wooden, first half of the 19th century), Houses of Safronov, Cherdyntsev, and Osipov (all of the mid 19th century), etc.

Picturesque views open from the banks of Kama River and from a ship on the river.