Tula is famous for its kremlin which was built in the 16th century to protect Russia from Tatar raids. The city later became closely associated with weapons when Russia’s first armament factory was set up here on the orders of Peter the Great. On a more peaceful note, the city is also famous for its pryanik spiced-bread and for traditional samovar water boilers. In fact there is even a Russian saying of “taking a samovar to Tula” meaning doing something unnecessary, like “carrying coal to Newcastle”.

During the Second World War, the city withstood heavy attacks by the Nazis and thereby defended the southern approach to Moscow. For these efforts Tula was named a Hero City of the Soviet Union. In addition to this, Tula also has a link with Russian literary giant Lev Tolstoy whose beloved ancestral estate of Yasnaya Polyana is located outside the city.