| Rostov-on-Don (English) Ростов-на-Дону (Russian) |
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Location of Rostov Oblast in Russia |
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Rostov-on-Don
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| City Day | Third Sunday of September |
| Administrative status | |
| Country | Russia |
| Federal subject | Rostov Oblast |
| Administrative center of | Rostov Oblast |
| Municipal status | |
| Urban okrug | Rostov-on-Don Urban Okrug |
| Mayor | Mikhail Chernyshyov |
| Representative body | City Duma |
| Statistics | |
| Area | 354 km2 (137 sq mi) |
| Population (2010 Census, preliminary) |
1,089,851 inhabitants[1] |
| - Rank in 2010 | 10th |
| Population (2002 Census) | 1,068,267 inhabitants[2] |
| - Rank in 2002 | 10th |
| Density | 3,079 /km2 (7,970 /sq mi)[3] |
| Time zone | MSD (UTC+04:00)[4] |
| Founded | 1749 |
| Postal code(s) | 344000-344999[5] |
| Dialing code(s) | +7 863 |
| Official website | |
Rostov-on-Don (Russian: Ростов-на-Дону, tr. Rostov-na-Donu; IPA: [rɐˈstof nə dɐˈnu]) is a city and the administrative center of Rostov Oblast and the Southern Federal District of Russia, located on the Don River, just 46 kilometers (29 mi) from the Sea of Azov. Population: 1,089,851 (2010 Census preliminary results);[1] 1,068,267 (2002 Census);[2] 1,019,305 (1989 Census).[6]
The center of Rostov-on-Don is located c. 1076 km (2006) southeast from Moscow. It is situated to the southeast from the East European Plain, mostly on the right bank of the Don river, 46 km from its confluence with the Sea of Azov. South-Western suburbs of the city side with the delta of the Don river.
The population of Rostov-on-Don is 1,089,900 people (2010 Census preliminary results), making it the tenth biggest city in Russia.[1] The population of the Rostov-on-Don agglomeration is 1.8 million people (6th most populous in the country).[7] There are about 2.57 million people in the Rostov-Shakhtinsk conurbation.
The climate of Rostov-on-Don is humid continental (Köppen climate classification Dfa). The winter is cold, with the average February temperature of −3.1 °C (26.4 °F). January 1940 saw the lowest recorded temperature of −31.9 °C (−25.4 °F). Summers are long, warm, and sunshine is abundant. July averages 23.3 °C (73.9 °F). The city's highest recorded temperature of 40.1 °C (104.2 °F) was reported on August 1, 2010. The mean annual precipitation is 643 mm (25.31 in), the average wind speed is 2.7 m/s, and the average air humidity is 72%.[8]
| Climate data for Rostov-on-Don | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 15.0 (59.0) |
19.8 (67.6) |
26.0 (78.8) |
33.6 (92.5) |
35.6 (96.1) |
38.4 (101.1) |
39.6 (103.3) |
40.1 (104.2) |
38.1 (100.6) |
31.0 (87.8) |
23.1 (73.6) |
18.5 (65.3) |
40.1 (104.2) |
| Average high °C (°F) | −0.1 (31.8) |
0.7 (33.3) |
6.9 (44.4) |
16.1 (61.0) |
22.3 (72.1) |
26.6 (79.9) |
29.2 (84.6) |
28.8 (83.8) |
22.6 (72.7) |
15.0 (59.0) |
6.3 (43.3) |
1.2 (34.2) |
14.6 (58.3) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | −2.9 (26.8) |
−3.1 (26.4) |
2.2 (36.0) |
10.6 (51.1) |
16.8 (62.2) |
20.9 (69.6) |
23.3 (73.9) |
22.6 (72.7) |
16.7 (62.1) |
10.0 (50.0) |
2.9 (37.2) |
−1.7 (28.9) |
9.9 (49.8) |
| Average low °C (°F) | −5.3 (22.5) |
−5.6 (21.9) |
−0.9 (30.4) |
6.1 (43.0) |
11.4 (52.5) |
15.8 (60.4) |
18.0 (64.4) |
16.9 (62.4) |
11.8 (53.2) |
6.2 (43.2) |
0.3 (32.5) |
−4 (24.8) |
5.9 (42.6) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −31.9 (−25.4) |
−30.9 (−23.6) |
−28.1 (−18.6) |
−10.4 (13.3) |
−4.3 (24.3) |
−0.1 (31.8) |
7.6 (45.7) |
2.6 (36.7) |
−4.6 (23.7) |
−10.4 (13.3) |
−25.1 (−13.2) |
−28.5 (−19.3) |
−31.9 (−25.4) |
| Precipitation mm (inches) | 59 (2.32) |
53 (2.09) |
51 (2.01) |
47 (1.85) |
56 (2.2) |
70 (2.76) |
53 (2.09) |
44 (1.73) |
49 (1.93) |
39 (1.54) |
53 (2.09) |
69 (2.72) |
643 (25.31) |
| Avg. precipitation days | 4 | 5 | 7 | 12 | 11 | 9 | 10 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 12 | 10 | 106 |
| Sunshine hours | 65.1 | 84.1 | 127.1 | 189.0 | 263.5 | 285.0 | 313.1 | 294.5 | 240.0 | 158.1 | 63.0 | 37.2 | 2,119.7 |
| Source: pogoda.ru.net,[9] Hong Kong Observatory[10] for data of sunshine hours | |||||||||||||
The mouth of the Don River has been of great commercial and cultural importance since the ancient times. It was the site of the Greek colony Tanais, of the Genoese fort Tana, and of the Turkish fortress Azak. (See the article on Azov for detailed information on those settlements.)
Rostov-on-Don was founded on December 15, 1749, as a customs house was set up on the Temernik River (a tributary of the Don) to control the trade with Turkey. The custom house was built according to the edict of the Empress Elizabeth, the daughter of Peter the Great. Not far from the customhouse grew the fortress. It was named after Russian metropolitan, Saint Dimitry of Rostov, a newly-glorified bishop from the old Northern town Rostov the Great. Later the name was changed to Rostov (in 1806) and then to Rostov-on-Don. As Azov gradually declined, a settlement near the new fortress superseded it in importance as a chief commercial centre of the region. In 1756 the "Russian commercial and trading company of Constantinople" set up there, establishing a settlement on the high bank of the Don known as the "Kupecheskaya Sloboda" ("The merchants' settlement"). In 1796 this settlement received town rights and was renamed Rostov-on-Don, in order to distinguish it from its ancient namesake.
Rostov's favorable geographical position on the crossing of trade routes promoted the rapid economic development of the city. The Don River that the city is named for is a major shipping lane connecting southwestern Russia with regions to the north, and Rostov-on-Don is an important river port in both passenger-oriented and industrial shipping. Rostov became a busy trading port, which was visited by Russian, Italian, Greek, Turkish, as well as other foreign merchants. As the most heavily industrialized city of South Russia, it was a bone of contention between the Whites and the Reds during the Civil War. By 1928, the regional government was moved from the old Cossack capital Novocherkassk to Rostov, which also engulfed the nearby Armenian town of Nor Nakhijevan (Nakhijevan, Proletarsky district now).
After the construction of the Volga-Don Shipping Canal in 1952 Rostov became a port of five seas: the Black Sea, the Sea of Azov, the Caspian Sea, the White Sea, and the Baltic Sea.
The population of Rostov-on-Don was 15,000 in 1850 and 110,000 in the early 1900s. In the neighborhood there developed another town, founded in 1779 by the Crimean Armenians, who were granted shelter in the South of Russia. It was Nakhichevan-on-Don. A wheat field was the border between two towns. Nowadays the central square of Rostov-on-Don, Theatre Square, is situated directly on the place of the former town border. In 1928 two cities were united and Nakhichevan became part of Rostov.
In the Soviet years, the Bolsheviks demolished two of Rostov's principal landmarks - St Alexander Nevsky Cathedral (1908) and St George Cathedral in Nakhichevan (1783–1807).
Much of the city was reduced to rubble by the German forces who occupied it twice during World War II (known locally as the Great Patriotic War) - in 1941 and 1942. The city was first occupied on November 21, 1941 for seven days. Hitler's generals regarded Rostov as a city of special importance, a strategic railway junction and a river port, a gateway to the Caucasus, rich in minerals, especially in oil. The city was badly damaged by bombing. The best units of the German panzer army were driven out of Rostov. But on 24 July 1942 the German army occupied the city for the second time. The second occupation lasted seven months (until 14 February 1943). It took ten years to raise the city from the ruins and restore it even further.
Nowadays, the most conspicuous feature of the downtown is the enormous Cathedral of Virgin's Nativity (1860–87), designed by Konstantin Thon.
Rostov has rich cultural traditions, with many well-known figures of art, literature and science who either lived or worked in Rostov or nearby. They are the poets, writers Anton Chekhov, Mikhail Sholokhov, Zakrutkin, Fadeev, Safronov, Kalinin, Alexander Pushkin, Maxim Gorky, S.A. Yesenin, Aleksey Nikolayevich Tolstoy, and Alexander Solzhenitsyn, the architect Yevgeny Vuchetich, the scientists Dmitri Mendeleev, A.S. Popov, L.P. Pavlov, Solzhenitsyn and Zhdanov, the actress Maretskaya, the composers Zaslavsky, Nazaretov, the Russian commander Alexander Suvorov and many others. Here Modest Mussorgsky gave his concerts and Maxim Gorky, being a youth, worked as a docker. The Russian actor Mikhail Shchepkin performed in the theatre and the explorer of the Arctic Sea George Sedov dreamt about his expeditions. Also associated with the city were the doctors N.Bogoraz and S.Fedosov, the Armenian writer and enlightener Mikael Nalbandian, and the Armenian painters Martiros Saryan and Ashot Melkonian. After visiting Rostov in 1831, Pushkin published his poem "The Don". The monument to Pushkin on Pushkin Boulevard is dedicated to these events.
Rostov-on-Don has experienced considerable economic growth in recent years, as the economy of Russia recovers nationwide. Numerous start-up companies have established headquarters in the city, the median income is increasing, and the city is being transformed from a place thrown back in time by the dissolution of the Soviet Union into a modern, industrial and technology-rich hub.
In December 1996 Rostov Duma (Rostov Municipality) adopted the main symbols of Rostov-on-Don: the coat-of-arms, the flag and the mayor's decoration.
For the first time the coat-of-arms of Rostov was designed in 1811 and was approved by the tsar. But in 1904 some changes were made in it. Now there is only one picture left of that coat-of-arms painted in oil; it is kept in the Regional Local Lore Museum but nobody knows if it is exact or not.
In June 1996 Rostov Duma decided to adopt the variant of the coat-of-arms where the tower represents the St. Dimitry Rostovsky Fortress. The ancient Russian arms remind about the role Rostov played in the defense of Russian borders. The coat-of-arms is located now on the mayor's decoration, all other cases of its use are considered by the Duma.
The Flag was approved by the Duma on September 20, 1864. At the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th centuries the home guard regiments, which defended the Southern borders of Russia, were formed under this flag.
The Flag of Rostov is kept in the building of the City Municipality and protected by the glass case. Its length is 1370 mm and the width - 850 mm. The Flag is taken out of the building only on the Victory Day and City's Day by guard of honour.
The decoration has an oval shape and was introduced in 1870. On its front side in the center there is the city coat-of-arms; at the top - the inscription "Rostov-on-Don" and at the bottom - "Mayor of the City". On its reverse side the day of adoption is written: "April 9, 1996".
The mayor's decoration should be worn over the suit on a big chain. It is done of precious or semi-precious white metal. It should be returned to the Duma when the Mayor retires.
The Emblem of the Don Army Region was established in July, 5 (18), 1878. The flag of the All Great Don Army was established in May, 1918 on the Circle of the Don Saving. It consists of three length-wise stripes of blue, yellow and red of equal width. The decision of the Circle said: "Three nationalities live on the Don land and make native population of the Don region: Don Cossacks, Kalmyks and Russian peasant. Their national colours were blue (Cossacks), yellow (Kalmyks) and scarlet (Russian).
The city is divided into eight city districts: Voroshilovsky, Zheleznodorozhny, Kirovsky, Leninsky, Oktyabrsky, Pervomaysky, Proletarsky, and Sovetsky.[12] Another city district (Liventsovsky) is being built. Its central avenue will be named after the famous Russian novelist, dramatist, and historian Alexander Solzhenitsyn.
The airline Donavia (formerly Aeroflot Don) has its head office in Rostov-on-Don.[13]
As per January 2007 Rostov-on-Don has 48 higher educational establishments, including 13 universities, 9 academies,[14] 34 secondary schools of vocational training (including 24 colleges, 5 technical schools, 5 specialized schools[15]), 40 elementary schools of vocational training (including 24 lyceums, 16 professional colleges[16]), as well as 159 schools of general education.[17]
The largest educational establishments of the city are:
Along with the higher educational institutions a French cultural center (Alliance francaise) [1], a British Council and German Goethe Institut, DAAD and Bosch foundation, Korean Cultural Center can also be found in Rostov.
As per January 2007 Rostov-on-Don has 43 active libraries,[18] the largest of which are:
The South-Russian Don State Public Library is the richest and the largest in the Northern Caucasus.
As per the year 2007 Rostov-on-Don has the following theatres[19]:
In the Academic Drama Theater named after Maxim Gorky works Mikhail Bushnov, who is the national artist of the USSR and an honorary citizen of Rostov-on-Don.[20]
There is also Philharmonic, the Jazz Center named after Kim Nazaretov, many music schools and art studios in Rostov-on-Don.
Rostov museums, as per January 2007[21]:
The small collections of the Art Gallery and the Museum of Arts include some genuine works by such masters of Russian painting as Repin, Surikov, Perov, Levitan, Aivazovsky as well as of modern Rostov artists. The Rostov Regional Local Lore Museum gives its visitors a good idea of Rostov and its surroundings - the history, culture, nature and the traditions and life of the Cossacks.
There are eight cinemas in Rostov-on-Don, as of January 2010:
One can also find the State Don Public Library cinema hall, “Zeitnot” auto-cinema, as well as “Chester-Pub” mobile cinema hall.
Besides, there are seven stadiums, a Palace of Sports, a circus, a zoo,[22] as well as many parks (including botanical garden[23]) in Rostov.
Today Rostov-on-Don is the site of the North Caucasian Science Center. There are many research institutes in Rostov.
Ministry of Regional Development of Russia has prepared a program to create eight “Super Cities”, i.e. agglomerated centers with the multimillion population. The project applies to the Rostov Oblast as well. “The Greater Rostov” metropolitan area will include the cities of Rostov-on-Don, Novocherkassk, Taganrog, Aksay, Bataysk and Azov.
The City Day is celebrated on the third Sunday of September.
Starting from May 13, 2000 the Plenipotentiary of the President of the Russian Federation in the Southern Federal District is allocated in Rostov. The federal district is not a part of an administrative and territorial division of the Russian Federation.[24]
The headquarters of the North Caucasus Military District are situated in Rostov-on-Don.
The Administration of Rostov and Novocherkassk Eparchy of the Russian Orthodox Church is located in Rostov.
There are a Roman Catholic church of the Lord's Supper, an Old Believers' temple, a synagogue,[25] a mosque, Armenian and Greek churches, Diamond Way Buddhist Center of the Karma Kagyu Tradition.[26]
Rostov-on-Don is a major transport junction.
Rostov-on-Don Airport has domestic flights, as well as flights to and from former C.I.S., Europe, Africa and Asia.[27] The international river port[28] is specialized in processing freights (mineral and construction, packing), timber and metal. There are also the main ("Rostov-Glavny") & the suburban ("Rostov-Prigorodny") railway stations, as well as the main & the suburban bus stations available. The railway line “St.Petersburg-Rostov-Caucasus” crosses the territory of Rostov-on-Don. One can also find the navigable way, which goes from the center of Russia towards the Black and the Mediterranean Seas; and the air line “St.Petersburg-Moscow-Caucasus”.[29]
The administration of a North Caucasus Railway is based in Rostov.
Starting from 2011 construction of the Southern Hub is planned. It will be the biggest airport in the South of Russia. The airport will be constructed at the territory of the former military aerodrome of Bataysk.
Several highways of federal and regional significance cross Rostov. The M-4 “Don” route passes Rostov right on the eastern side of it, crossing the Don river in Aksay city area. There is another route, called “Rostov-Novoshakhtinsk”, which starts from the Northern housing block area of the city and goes further northwards, connecting with the M-4 “Don” route between Shakhty and Novoshakhtinsk.
As per January 2007 there are 72 bus routes, 9 trolleybus routes and 54 route-taxi routes in Rostov-on-Don.
The beginning of Rostov-on-Don television dates to 1956, when construction of the Rostov TV-center started. The construction was finished by April 26, 1958. The first trial TV programs appeared on TV on April 30, 1958. Rostovites could see the first colour TV in 1974.
The history of Rostov radio dates back to October 17, 1975.
There are 14 FM radio stations in Rostov (as of 2009).
The first automatic telephone exchange in Russia with the capacity of 6 thousand numbers was let out to Rostov-on-Don into operation in 1929.[30] Standard numbers of Rostov-on-Don include 7 digitals (starting from 2004).[31] The city dialing code is "863". Starting from 2009 all city numbers begin with "2".
Present:
Women's handball team Rostov-Don plays in the Russian Handball Championship. The men's team is known as TIBL-Group.
Nowadays there are several ecological organizations in Rostov and one of them is "And Quiet Flows the Don", named after M.A. Sholokhov's famous novel about the Cossacks, that has been working recent years trying to make the environmental situation in Southern Russia better and healthier.
One of the group's main tasks is to analyze the state of the environment and make the information public. Besides this the group takes actual measures. For example, they have reforested 25 hectares of land on the left bank of the river Don. The Cossack group plans to clean up polluted rivers in the region and has enlisted the help of Peace Corps volunteers to identify potential allies in Russia and abroad.
Rostov-on-Don is twinned with:
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