Bolshoy Lug (Russian: Большой Луг) is a rural locality (selo) in Shelekhovsky District of Irkutsk Oblast, Russia. It was previously classified as an urban-type settlement (work settlement) from 1958 until 2019, when its status was changed to a rural settlement.
Geography Bolshoy Lug is located on the Olkha River, approximately 20 km south of the district administrative center, the city of Shelekhov, and about 30 km southwest of Irkutsk. It lies at an elevation of approximately 492 meters (1,614 ft) above sea level. Its coordinates are 52°04′39″N 104°05′29″E.
History The settlement was founded in 1932. In 1949, the Bolshoy Lug railway station on the Trans-Siberian Railway (part of the East Siberian Railway) was opened. It was granted urban-type settlement status in 1958, which it held until 2019, when it was reclassified as a rural settlement (selo) by a law of Irkutsk Oblast.
Administrative Status Bolshoy Lug serves as the administrative center of the Bolshe lugskoye Municipal Formation (Bolshe lugskoye Rural Settlement) within Shelekhovsky District.
Population According to census data, the population has fluctuated over time:
- 1959: 7,261
- 1989: 5,332
- 2002: 4,508
- 2010: 5,015
- 2021: 4,472
Economy and Infrastructure The settlement is centered around the Bolshoy Lug railway station on the Trans-Siberian Railway. A portion of the local population commutes to work in the nearby cities of Irkutsk and Shelekhov. The settlement has a school (School No. 8) and a sports and fitness complex.
Transportation Bolshoy Lug is served by commuter rail (elektrichka) connections to Irkutsk, Slyudyanka, Cheremkhovo, and other nearby destinations via the East Siberian Railway.
Postal Codes: 666013, 666014 Dialing Code: +7 39550 Time Zone: UTC+8 (Irkutsk Standard Time, MSK+5)
