Volgograd
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Volgograd (Russian: Волгоград; IPA: [ˌvɐlɡəˈɡrat] (
listen)), formerly called Tsaritsyn (Russian: 
Цари́цын (help·info); 1589–1925) and Stalingrad (Russian: Сталингра́д (help·info); 1925–1961) is an important industrial city and the administrative center of Volgograd Oblast, Russia. It is 80-kilometer (50 mi) long,[7] north to south, situated on the western bank of the Volga River. Population: 1,021,244 (2010 Census preliminary results);[2] 1,011,417 (2002 Census);[3] 1,022,578 (1989 Census).[8]
The city was made famous for its resistance, extensive damage, and loss of life during the Battle of Stalingrad during World War II.
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[edit] History
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Volgograd originated with the foundation in 1589 of Tsaritsyn at the confluence of the Tsaritsa and Volga Rivers. The fortress Sary Su (a local Tatar language name meaning: Yellow Water/River), was established to defend the unstable southern border of Tsarist Russia. It soon became the nucleus of a trading settlement. It was captured twice by Cossack rebels, under Stepan Razin in the rebellion of 1670 and Yemelyan Pugachev in 1774. Tsaritsyn became an important river port and commercial center in the 19th century.
The original name of the city, Tsaritsyn, was first recorded by English explorer Barry in 1579, though he did not refer to the city, but to the island on the Volga. The origin of the name is usually traced back to the Turkic "Sary-Su" (yellow water) or "Sary-Sin" (Yellow Island). The date of the founding of the city is considered to be July 2, 1589, when the fortress Tsaritsyn was first named in a royal charter. The fortress was located slightly above the confluence of the Volga River Queen on the right bank.
Before Tsaritsyn, in the mouth of the river, there was a settlement of the Queen of the Golden Horde.
In 1607, the fortress was in revolt against the king's troops but was suppressed six months later. In 1608, the city had its first stone church, St. John the Baptist.
At the beginning of the 17th century, the garrison consisted of 350-400 people.
In 1670 the fortress was taken by troops of Stepan Razin, who left after a month. In 1708, the fortress was held by insurgent Cossacks Kondrati Bulavin. In 1717, Bulavin was sacked by the Crimean Tatars and Kuban. Later, in 1774, the city unsuccessfully stormed Yemelyan Pugachev.
In 1691, Tsaritsyn established customs. In 1708, Tsaritsyn was assigned to the Kazan Governorate; in 1719[citation needed], to Astrakhan Governorate; According to the census in 1720, the city's population was 408 people. In 1773, the city became the provincial and district town. From 1779 it belonged to the Saratov Viceroyalty. In 1780, the city was under the Saratov Governorate (later as a province).
The population expanded rapidly during the 19th century, increasing from fewer than 3,000 people in 1807 to about 84,000 in 1900.
The first railroad came to the town in 1862. The first theatre opened in 1872, the first cinema in 1907. In 1913, Tsaritsin's first tram line was built, and the city's first electric lights were installed in the city center.
During the Russian Civil War Tsaritsyn was under Soviet control starting from November 1917. In 1918, Tsaritsyn was besieged by White troops under Ataman Krasnov. Three assaults by White troops were repulsed. However, in June 1919 Tsaritsyn was captured by White forces of General Denikin, which left the city in January 1920. This was known as the Battle for Tsaritsyn.
The city was renamed Stalingrad after Joseph Stalin on April 10, 1925. This was officially to recognize the city's and Stalin's role in its defense against the Whites in 1918-1920.[9]
In 1931, in the city including the German settlement-colony Sarepta (founded in 1765), subsequently became the largest area of the city — Krasnoarmeysky. The first institute was opened in 1930, a year later was opened and the Pedagogical Institute.
Under Stalin, the city became a center of heavy industry and transshipment by rail and river, and as a result was attacked by Axis forces during World War II. In 1942, the city became the site of one of the pivotal battles of the war. The Battle of Stalingrad saw perhaps the greatest casualty figures of any battle in warfare (estimates are between 1,250,000[10] and 1,798,619[11]). The battle began on August 23, 1942, and on the same day, the city suffered heavy aerial bombardment that reduced most of it to rubble. By September, the fighting reached the city center. The fighting was of unprecedented intensity; the central railway station of the city changed hands thirteen times, and the famous Mamayev Kurgan (one of the heights of the city) was captured and recaptured eight times. By early-November, the German forces controlled 90% of the city, and had cornered the Soviets into two narrow pockets but they were unable to eliminate the last pockets of Soviet resistance in time. On November 19, Soviet forces launched a massive counterattack. This led to the encirclement of the German Sixth Army and other Axis units. On January 31, 1943 the Sixth Army's commander, Field Marshal Friedrich Paulus surrendered, and on February 2, with the elimination of straggling German troops, the Battle of Stalingrad was over.
Stalingrad was awarded the title Hero City for its heroism in 1945, and Great Britain's King George VI awarded the citizens of Stalingrad the jeweled "Sword of Stalingrad" in admiration of their bravery. Stalingrad was destroyed during the war, and in 1946, the construction of a modern city started. It included the memorial complex on the Mamayev Kurgan. A number of cities around the world (especially those which had suffered similar wartime devastation) established sister/friendship/twinning links (see list below) in the spirit of solidarity or reconciliation. One of the first "sister city" projects was that established between Stalingrad and England's Coventry during World War II (as both suffered extensive devastation from aerial bombardment).
In 1961, the name was changed from Stalingrad to Volgograd ("Volga City") as part of Nikita Khrushchev's programme of de-Stalinization. This was and remains somewhat contentious, given the fame of the name "Stalingrad" and its importance in wartime remembrance. There were serious proposals to revert the name to "Stalingrad" during Konstantin Chernenko's brief administration in 1985. There remains a strong degree of local support for a reversion but intermittent proposals have been not yet accepted by the Russian government.
On May 21, 2007, the CPRF or Communist Party of the Russian Federation obtained an important success in the Volgograd mayoral election. Communist candidate Roman Grebennikov was elected as mayor with 32.47% of the vote. Grebennikov is Russia's youngest mayor of a regional capital.
[edit] Economy
Modern Volgograd remains an important industrial city. Industries include shipbuilding, oil refining, steel and aluminium production, manufacture of machinery and vehicles, and chemical production. A large Volgograd Hydroelectric Plant stands a short distance to the north of Volgograd.
[edit] Transport
Volgograd is a major railway junction serviced by Pri Volga Railway. Rail links include Moscow; Saratov; Astrakhan; the Donbas region of Ukraine; the Caucasus and Siberia. It stands at the east end of the Volga-Don Canal, opened in 1952 to link the two great rivers of Southern Russia. European route E40, the longest European route connecting Calais, France with Ridder, Kazakhstan, passes through Volgograd. The M6 highway between Moscow and the Caspian Sea also passes through the city. The Volgograd Bridge, under construction since 1995, was inaugurated in October 2009.[12] The city river terminal is the center for local passenger shipping along the Volga River.
Volgograd International Airport provides air links to major Russian cities as well as Antalya, Yerevan, and Aktau.
Volgograd's public transport system includes a light rail service known as the Volgograd metrotram. Local public transport is provided by buses, trolleybuses and trams.
The Volga River still is a very important communication channel.
Volvograd hosts one of the few floating churches in the world:[13] the floating church of Saint Vladimir of Volgograd.[14]
[edit] Climate
Volgograd has a semi-arid or steppe climate (Köppen climate classification BSk)
| Climate data for Volgograd | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 12.0 (53.6) |
14.0 (57.2) |
21.4 (70.5) |
28.9 (84.0) |
37.7 (99.9) |
39.2 (102.6) |
39.2 (102.6) |
41.1 (106.0) |
38.8 (101.8) |
31.5 (88.7) |
18.2 (64.8) |
11.0 (51.8) |
41.1 (106.0) |
| Average high °C (°F) | −3.5 (25.7) |
−3.3 (26.1) |
3.3 (37.9) |
14.5 (58.1) |
21.4 (70.5) |
26.4 (79.5) |
29.3 (84.7) |
28.1 (82.6) |
21.3 (70.3) |
12.7 (54.9) |
3.4 (38.1) |
−2 (28.4) |
12.6 (54.7) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | −6.3 (20.7) |
−6.7 (19.9) |
−0.5 (31.1) |
9.2 (48.6) |
15.9 (60.6) |
20.9 (69.6) |
23.5 (74.3) |
22.3 (72.1) |
15.6 (60.1) |
8.0 (46.4) |
0.3 (32.5) |
−4.8 (23.4) |
8.1 (46.6) |
| Average low °C (°F) | −9.2 (15.4) |
−9.9 (14.2) |
−4 (24.8) |
4.1 (39.4) |
10.1 (50.2) |
15.0 (59.0) |
17.5 (63.5) |
16.2 (61.2) |
10.3 (50.5) |
3.9 (39.0) |
−2.5 (27.5) |
−7.6 (18.3) |
3.7 (38.7) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −32.6 (−26.7) |
−32.1 (−25.8) |
−26.1 (−15.0) |
−10.1 (13.8) |
−2.6 (27.3) |
2.0 (35.6) |
7.0 (44.6) |
2.8 (37.0) |
−3 (26.6) |
−12.2 (10.0) |
−21.7 (−7.1) |
−29.5 (−21.1) |
−32.6 (−26.7) |
| Precipitation mm (inches) | 28 (1.1) |
23 (0.91) |
20 (0.79) |
24 (0.94) |
41 (1.61) |
39 (1.54) |
36 (1.42) |
28 (1.1) |
25 (0.98) |
25 (0.98) |
26 (1.02) |
32 (1.26) |
347 (13.66) |
| Source: Pogoda.ru.net[15] | |||||||||||||
[edit] Culture and recreation
A memorial complex commemorating the battle of Stalingrad, dominated by an immense allegorical sculpture of Mother Russia, was erected on the Mamayev Kurgan, the hill that saw some of the most intense fighting during the battle.
The Panorama Museum sited on the Volga contains artifacts from World War II. These include a panoramic painting of the battlefield from the location of the monument on Mamayev Kurgan. A rifle of the famous sniper Vasily Zaytsev (popularized in Western media in the film Enemy at the Gates) is also on display.
[edit] Education
Higher education facilities include:
- Volgograd State University
- Volgograd State Technical University (former Volgograd Polytechnical University)[16]
- Volgograd State Medical University[17]
- Volgograd State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering
- Volgograd Academy of Industry
- Volgograd Academy of Business Administration[18]
- Volgograd State Pedagogical University
[edit] Sports
FC Volgograd and FC Rotor Volgograd are both Russian Second Division football clubs, having been relegated after being in the Russian Premier League in the early 1990s. Lukoil-Spartak represent the city in water polo.
[edit] Famous residents
- Kurt Adler, conductor for the Metropolitan Opera (1943–1973)
- Ilya Borodin, footballer
- Zakhar Dubenskiy, footballer
- Sasha Fillipov, Red Army spy
- Oleg Grebnev, hand ball player
- Larisa Ilchenko, long distance swimmer
- Yelena Isinbayeva, pole vaulter
- Lev Ivanov (football manager)
- Yuriy Kalitvintsev, Ukrainian football manager
- Elem Klimov, film director
- Vladimir Kryuchkov, former head of the KGB, 1991 August coup gang of eight member
- Tatyana Lebedeva, long jumper and triple jumper
- Maxim Marinin, figure skater
- Maxim Opalev, sprint canoer
- Denis Pankratov Olympic swimmer
- Yevgeny Sadovyi Olympic swimmer
- Aleksandra Pakhmutova, composer
- Anton Sakharov, footballer
- Oleg Sergeyev, footballer
- Natalia Shipilova, handball player
- Yelena Slesarenko, high jumper
- Igor Vasilev, handball player
- Oleg Veretennikov, footballer
- Evgeni Plushenko, Olympic gold medal figure skater
- Nikolay Davydenko, tennis player
[edit] International relations
[edit] Twin towns and sister cities
Volgograd is twinned with:[19][20]
- Several communities in France and Italy have streets or avenues named after Stalingrad, hence Place de Stalingrad in Paris and the eponymous Paris Métro station of Stalingrad.
[edit] Gallery
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Volgograd from Space
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Map of Volgograd's City Districts
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Underground station of Volgograd metrotram — Lenin's Square
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Volgograd State Medical University (left) and New Experimental Theater of Volgograd
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Volgograd railway station
.JPG)
[edit] References
- ^ Official website of Volgograd
- ^ a b Федеральная служба государственной статистики (Federal State Statistics Service) (2011). "Предварительные итоги Всероссийской переписи населения 2010 года (Preliminary results of the 2010 All-Russian Population Census)" (in Russian). Всероссийская перепись населения 2010 года (2010 All-Russia Population Census). Federal State Statistics Service. http://www.perepis-2010.ru/results_of_the_census/results-inform.php. Retrieved February 9, 2012.
- ^ a b Федеральная служба государственной статистики (Federal State Statistics Service) (May 21, 2004). "Численность населения России, субъектов Российской Федерации в составе федеральных округов, районов, городских поселений, сельских населённых пунктов – районных центров и сельских населённых пунктов с населением 3 тысячи и более человек (Population of Russia, its federal districts, federal subjects, districts, urban localities, rural localities—administrative centers, and rural localities with population of over 3,000)" (in Russian). Всероссийская перепись населения 2002 года (All-Russia Population Census of 2002). Federal State Statistics Service. http://www.perepis2002.ru/ct/doc/1_TOM_01_04.xls. Retrieved February 9, 2012.
- ^ The value of density was calculated automatically by dividing the 2010 Census population by the area specified in the infobox. Please note that this value may not be accurate as the area specified in the infobox does not necessarily correspond to the area of the entity proper or is reported for the same year as the population.
- ^ Правительство Российской Федерации. Постановление №725 от 31 августа 2011 г. «О составе территорий, образующих каждую часовую зону, и порядке исчисления времени в часовых зонах, а также о признании утратившими силу отдельных Постановлений Правительства Российской Федерации». Вступил в силу по истечении 7 дней после дня официального опубликования. Опубликован: "Российская Газета", №197, 6 сентября 2011 г. (Government of the Russian Federation. Resolution #725 of August 31, 2011 On the Composition of the Territories Included into Each Time Zone and on the Procedures of Timekeeping in the Time Zones, as Well as on Abrogation of Several Resolutions of the Government of the Russian Federation. Effective as of after 7 days following the day of the official publication.).
- ^ a b c Энциклопедия Города России. Moscow: Большая Российская Энциклопедия. 2003. pp. 81–83. ISBN 5-7107-7399-9.
- ^ "В Волгограде строится самый длинный мост Европы" (in Russian). geo.1september.ru. 2009 [last update]. http://geo.1september.ru/2006/10/1.htm. Retrieved 4 January 2012.
- ^ "Всесоюзная перепись населения 1989 г. Численность наличного населения союзных и автономных республик, автономных областей и округов, краёв, областей, районов, городских поселений и сёл-райцентров. (All Union Population Census of 1989. Present population of union and autonomous republics, autonomous oblasts and okrugs, krais, oblasts, districts, urban settlements, and villages serving as district administrative centers.)" (in Russian). Всесоюзная перепись населения 1989 года (All-Union Population Census of 1989). Demoscope Weekly (website of the Institute of Demographics of the State University—Higher School of Economics. 1989. http://demoscope.ru/weekly/ssp/rus89_reg.php. Retrieved February 9, 2012.
- ^ Breweres Dictionary of 20th Century Phrase and Fable
- ^ Grant, R. G. (2005). Battle: A Visual Journey Through 5,000 Years of Combat. Dorling Kindersley. ISBN 0756613604. http://books.google.com/books?id=iU-pAQAACAAJ&ei=OtqJSa-lLJTUlQTVuu3rAQ.
- ^ Wagner, Margaret, et al. (2007). The Library of Congress World War II Companion. Simon & Schuster. ISBN 0743252195. http://books.google.com/books?id=0bRaa7UuD6EC.
- ^ "Ivanov otkryl v Volgograde samy bolshoy most v Evrope (Иванов открыл в Волгограде самый большой мост в Европе)" (in Russian). Vesti. http://www.vesti.ru/doc.html?id=319840. Retrieved 2011-02-09.
- ^ SELF-PROPELLED FLOATING CHURCH LAUNCHED IN VOLGOGRAD
- ^ Unique Floating Church
- ^ "Pogoda.ru.net" (in Russian). http://www.pogoda.ru.net/climate/34560.htm. Retrieved September 8, 2007.
- ^ "Volgograd State Technical University - Main page". Vstu.ru. 2011-08-21. http://www.vstu.ru/eng/index.shtml. Retrieved 2011-09-15.
- ^ Россия. "Волгоградский государственный медицинский университет (ВолгГМУ)". Volgmed.ru. http://volgmed.ru/. Retrieved 2011-09-15.
- ^ "Internet Archive Wayback Machine". Web.archive.org. 2007-06-27. http://web.archive.org/web/20070627081652/http://www.vags.ru/. Retrieved 2011-09-15.
- ^ Friendly relationship at Official website of Volgograd
- ^ "VISIT VOLGOGRAD - RUSSIA - WELCOME TO THE CITY - THE HERO VOLGOGRAD!". www.visitvolgograd.info. http://www.visitvolgograd.info/Vennskapsbyer.htm. Retrieved 2010-01-05.
- ^ "広島市の姉妹・友好都市". City.hiroshima.jp. http://www.city.hiroshima.jp/shimin/kokusai/shimai/top-e.html. Retrieved 2009-07-17.
- ^ "Ruse Municipality - Fraternize Cities". © 2008-2009 Ruse Municipality. http://www.ruse-bg.eu/index.php?area=2&p=gallery&action=showimages&galid=18. Retrieved 2009-07-06.
- ^ Executive power of Baku city
[edit] External links
- Official website of Volgograd (English)
- (Russian) Official website of Volgograd
- (Russian) Volgograd.ru — City Web Portal, Local Business and Web Directory, News, Press, Webcams, 3D Mamayev Kurgan
- Over 2,000 original German WWII soldier photographs from the Eastern Front
- VISITVOLGOGRAD.INFO Tourist Information
- Sights of Volgograd
- Photo Gallery from Volgograd
- Stalingrad - Bilder einer erbitterten Schlacht (German)
- Volgograd city streets views
- Volgograd State University
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