Krasnodar
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Krasnodar (Russian: Краснода́р) is a city in Southern Russia on the Kuban River. It is the administrative center of Krasnodar Krai (also known as Kuban). Geographical location Population: 646,175 (2002 Census); 710,400 (2006 est.).
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[edit] Name
Founded in 1793 as Yekaterinodar or Ekaterinodar (Екатеринодар), the original name meant "Catherine's Gift" either in recognition of Catherine the Great's grant of land in the Kuban region to the Black Sea Cossacks or in recognition of Saint Catherine, the Martyr, who is considered to be the patron of the city. After the Russian Revolution of 1917, Yekaterinodar was renamed Krasnodar (December, 1920). There are two potential meanings for the new name of the city: Krasno- (Красно-), meaning either 'beautiful' (an older root) or 'red' (especially relevant considering the political atmosphere of the time); and -dar (-дар), meaning 'gift'. Thus, the city's name means either beautiful gift or red gift (i.e. 'gift of the reds').
[edit] History
The origin of the city starts with a fortress built by Cossacks in order to defend Imperial borders and claim Russian ownership over Circassia, which was contested by Ottoman Turkey. In the first half of the 19th century Krasnodar (then Yekaterinodar) grew into a busy center of the Kuban Cossacks. By 1888 about 45,000 people lived in the city and it became a vital trade center of southern Russia. In 1897 an obelisk commemorating 200 year old history of Kuban Cossack Host was built in Yekaterinodar.
During the Russian Civil War the city changed hands several times between the Red Army and Volunteer Army, many Kuban Cossacks were committed anti-Bolsheviks who supported the White Movement. During the Great Patriotic War (World War II), Krasnodar was occupied by the German Army between August 12, 1942 and February 12, 1943. The city sustained heavy damage in the fighting but was rebuilt and renovated after the war.
Famous Russian soprano Anna Netrebko, cosmonaut Gennady Padalka, counterrevolutionary Andrei Shkuro and rhythmic gymnast Inna Zhukova were born in Krasnodar.
[edit] Coat of arms
The Coat of Arms of Yekaterinodar was introduced in 1841 by the Cossack yesaul Ivan Chernik. The royal letter "E" in the middle is for Ekaterina II (Russian for Catherine II). It also depicts the date city was founded, the Imperial double headed eagle (symbolizing Czar patronage of Black Sea Cossacks), a bulava of a Cossack ataman, Yekaterinodar fortress, and flags with letters "E", "P","A" and "N" standing for Catherine II, Paul I, Alexander I and Nicholas I. Yellow stars around the shield symbolized 59 Black Sea stanitsas around the city.
[edit] Travel information
The main airline is Kuban Airlines (at Krasnodar Pashkovsky Airport), and the largest hotels in the city include the Intourist, Hotel Moskva, Hotel Platan. Krasnodar uses a 220 V/50 Hz power supply with two round-pin like most European countries.
The major tourist attractions include St. Catherine's Cathedral, the State Arts Museum, a park and theatre named after Maxim Gorky, the beautiful concert hall of the Krasnodar Philharmonic Society, which is considered to have some of the best acoustics in southern Russia, State Cossack Choir and the Krasnodar circus.
Public transportation within Krasnodar consists of city buses, trolleybuses, trams, and marshrutkas. Trolleybuses and trams, both powered by overhead electric wires, are the main form of transportation in Krasnodar. Unlike Moscow and Saint Petersburg, Krasnodar does not have a metro system.
[edit] Sister cities
Krasnodar has four sister cities, as designated by Sister Cities International, Inc. (SCI):
[edit] Famous people
- Anna Netrebko, (* 1971) opera singer
- Sergei Tiviakov, (* 1973) chess Grandmaster
- Eduard Kokcharov, (* 1975) handball player
[edit] External links
- Krasnodar city administration
- (English) News and events of Krasnodar Krai
- Krasnodar city photographs
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Cities and towns in Krasnodar Krai |  |
| Administrative center: Krasnodar Abinsk | Anapa | Apsheronsk | Armavir | Belorechensk | Gelendzhik | Goryachy Klyuch | Gulkevichi | Khadyzhensk | Korenovsk | Kropotkin | Krymsk | Kurganinsk | Labinsk | Novokubansk | Novorossiysk | Primorsko-Akhtarsk | Slavyansk-na-Kubani | Sochi | Temryuk | Tikhoretsk | Timashyovsk | Tuapse | Ust-Labinsk | Yeysk |
