It is known to have existed since 1356 as a part of the
Principality of Ryazan. In the 14th century, it was owned by
Vladimir the Bold, but passed to the
Grand Duchy of Moscow when his granddaughter Maria of Borovsk married
Vasily II. In 1444, the St. Paphnutius Monastery was founded near Borovsk. Its strong walls, towers, and a massive cathedral survive from the reign of
Boris Godunov. Two famous
Old Believers—archpriest
Avvakum Petrovich and
boyarynya
Feodosiya Morozova—were incarcerated at this monastery in the second half of the 17th century. The town was liberated by the Red Army on January 4, 1942. ==Administrative and municipal status==