A resident advertises his cow for sale in the local newspaper. The only cafe in the village, still decorated in Soviet style, offers a three-course meal for $1.50. Only one out of every 600 people here has a computer.

According to a resident, people in the city live "without too much enjoyment; however, with some cautious hopes."

Mozhaisk, only 100 km west of Russia's capital and the oldest city in the Moscow Oblast, has simply been left in the dust, with only its crumbling ancient churches signifying that here once existed a dynamic town.

Before Perestroika, most of Mozhaisk's residents were employed in agriculture. However, a lack of funds in the last decade has turned the fields fallow. The only source of jobs is in the local printing house and concrete factory, and a juice factory in Borodino. As the factories employ mainly men, unemployment is especially high among women.

Founded in the 11th century, the town arose at the intersection of two important trade routes — from Moscow to Lithuania and from Russia's southern regions to Novgorod.

The town was nearly sacked by Lithuanian barbarians in the 15th century. Legend has it that at a crucial moment during the battle, an image of St. Nikola Mozhisky — defender of the poor and persecuted — appeared above the town, causing the Lithuanians to flee. To give thanks to the saint, the citizens renamed the city in his honor. The legend spread and Russians began making pilgrimages to the ‘holy city.' During the summer months, they outnumbered the town citizens.

Today, St. Nicholas' image adorns the central square in Mozhaisk.

One of the most beautiful sites in Mozhaisk is the Luzhetsky Monastery. Standing on a high-rising bank along the Moscow River, the monastery's five-domed cathedral is the only structure that breaks the dominance of ancient trees resting alongside the river.

Not far from the Luzhetsky Monastery is the Church of Iokim and Anna, surrounded by tiny village houses, as if growing out of them.

This is a typical feature of Mozhaisk — the beauty of its buildings in perfect harmony with the surrounding landscapes, which creates both an urban and rural feel.

The dark side of the ‘village' feel is the lack of modern infrastructure and services. There is only one hotel in the city, which leaves a lot to be desired, and only one cafe. Despite the seeming hardships, many Muscovites rent houses in Mozhaisk to spend their summer vacations.

If you are traveling by car, beware of bad roads. According to local journalist Alexei Safronov, the city's new administration, headed by Vlasimir Nasonov, has said improving road conditions is one of his top priorities. Some new asphalt has already been laid.

On the eastern outskirts of the city, there is another remarkable sight – Nikolina Gora (Nicholas Hill) featuring the Nikola Cathedral with a belfry built in early 19th century.

Initially erected in the 16th century, the cathedral had become dilapidated by late 17th century but was restored in the 19th century. The workers decided to recover its original form. Its present shape remarkably combines old architecture and relatively recent construction and is in harmony with tiny houses at the foothill. Goats pasturing nearby impart the landscape with a truly idyllic and even biblical view.

If you have time, you can take a bus from Mozhaisk to Borodino, the site of the famous battle of 1812 between the Russian army and Napoleon's troops. Though winning the battle, Napoleon's troops suffered heavy losses.

The battle became the turning point in Russia's attempt to defeat the French Emperor. The bus ride from Mozhaisk to Borodino takes 20 minutes, but it is better to take a gypsy cab because the buses are shabby and intervals are long. A cab will cost some $3-4.

The ‘Borodino' memorial park is huge and includes a museum dedicated to the Borodino battle, Leo Tolstoi's house (now a museum), where the famous writer wrote his masterpiece novel ‘War and Peace,' and a functional monastery. There are many memorials at various sites on the battlefield describing crucial moments of the Borodino battle.

How to get there:
Local trains, electrichkas, depart to Mozhaisk at regular intervals from the Belorussky Railway Terminus, from 6 a.m. until 10:45 p.m. The ride takes two hours and costs 24 rubles.