Введение Guide to Istra for future "Extern Plus" students

Istra is a town in the Moscow Region of Russia, the center of the Istra Urban District. 
Some facts about the city:
It was founded in 1589. 
From 1781 it was named Voskresensk, in 1930 it was renamed Istra. 
Area - 7 km². 
Time zone - UTC+3:00. 
Population - 34,971 people (2024). 
Telephone code - +7 498-31. 
Postal code - 143500. 
The city is situated on the river Istra, 40 km north-west of Moscow, in a picturesque area of the southern slope of the Klin-Dmitrovskaya ridge. 
The main attraction is New Jerusalem Monastery (XVII century). The city holiday - Istra City Day - is celebrated on June 12.