Dubna

For other uses of "Dubna", see "Dubna" (disambiguation).

Dubna Дубна
Headquarters of JINR in Dubna
Flag Coat of arms
Location of Dubna
Dubna Location of Dubna
Coordinates: 56°44′11″N 37°9′45″E
Country	Russia
Federal subject	Moscow Oblast
Founded	1956
Elevation	125 m (410 ft)
Time zone	UTC+3 (MSK )
Postal code(s)	140472
OKTMO ID	46718000001

Dubna (Russian: Дубна́) is a town in Moscow Oblast, Russia, under immediate jurisdiction of Moscow Oblast. It has a status of naukograd (i.e. town of science), being home to the Joint Institute for Nuclear Research, an international nuclear physics research centre and one of the largest scientific foundations in the country. It is also home to MKB Raduga, a defence aerospace company specializing in design and production of missile systems.

The modern town was developed in the middle of the 20th century (and town status was granted in 1956). Population: 60,951 (2002 Census); 65,805 (1989 Census).

Geography

The town is 120 m above sea level, situated approximately 125 km north of Moscow, on the Volga River, just downstream the Ivankovo Reservoir. The reservoir is formed by a hydroelectric dam across the Volga situated within the town limits. The town is located on both banks of the Volga, and the dam serves as the only bridge. The western boundary of the town is defined by the Moscow Canal joining the Volga, while the eastern boundary is defined by Dubna River joining the Volga.

Dubna is the northernmost town of Moscow Oblast.

The public transport connections to Moscow include express trains, suburban trains and bus shuttles which depart from the Savyolovsky Rail Terminal.

History

Pre-science time

Fortress Dubna (Russian: Дубнъ) belonging to Rostov-Suzdal Principality was built in the area in 1132 by the order of Yuri Dolgoruki and existed until 1216. Fortress was destroyed during the feudal war between the sons of Vsevolod the Big Nest. Village Gorodische (Russian: Городище) was located on the right bank of Volga river and belonged to Kashin Principality. Dubna customs post (Russian: Дубненское мыто) was located in the area and was a part of Principality of Tver.

Before the Great October Socialist Revolution few villages were in the area: Podberezie (Russian: Подберезье) was on the left bank of Volga, and Gorodische (Russian: Городище), Alexandrovka (Russian: Александровка), Ivankovo (Russian: Иваньково), Yurkino (Russian: Юркино), Kozlaki (Russian: Козлаки) on the right bank.

Right after revolution one of the first collective farms was organized in Dubna area.

In 1931 Orgburo of the Communist Party decided to build Volga-Moscow canal. Genrikh Yagoda, then leader of State Political Directorate, was put in charge of construction. Canal was finished in 1937. Ivankovo Reservoir and Ivankovo hydroelectrical plant were also created as a part of the project. Many villages and the regional center town Korcheva (Russian: Корчева) were left under water.

A town of science

See also: Joint Institute for Nuclear Research

The decision to build a proton accelerator for nuclear research was taken by the Soviet government in 1946. An impracticable place where the current town is situated was chosen due to remoteness from Moscow and the presence of the Ivankovo power plant nearby. The scientific leader was Igor Kurchatov. The general supervisor of the project including construction of a settlement, a road and a railway connecting it to Moscow (largely involving penal labour of Gulag inmates) was the NKVD chief Lavrentiy Beria. After three years of intensive work, the accelerator was commissioned on December 13, 1949.

The town of Dubna was officially inaugurated in 1956, together with the Joint Institute for Nuclear Research (JINR), which has developed into a large international research laboratory involved mainly in particle physics, heavy ion physics, synthesis of transuranium elements, and radiobiology. In 1960 a town of Ivankovo situated on the opposite (left) bank of the Volga was merged into Dubna.

Outstanding physicists of the 20th century including Nikolay Bogolyubov, Georgy Flyorov, Vladimir Veksler, Bruno Pontecorvo used to work at the institute. A number of elementary particles and heavy nuclei (including the 118th element) were discovered and investigated there. In recognition of that, in 1997 the chemical element 105 Dubnium (Db) was named after the town. In 1964 Dubna hosted the prestigious International Conference on High Energy Physics.

Economy

Before the dissolution of the Soviet Union, JINR and MKB Raduga were the main employers in the town. Since then their role has decreased significantly. Several small industrial enterprises have emerged, however the town still experiences some employment difficulties. Proximity to Moscow allows many to commute and work there. Plans by AFK Sistema and other investors including government structures have been announced to build a Russian analogue silicon valley in Dubna. As of beginning of 2007, nothing has commenced.

Notable personalities

In addition to a number of world-known scientists, the following people can be noted:

• Natalia Rumyantseva, 3 times figure water skiing world champion and absolute water skiing world champion of 1993, was born in Dubna and is an honorary citizen of the town. She was absolute water skiing champion of Europe in 1982, 1984, 1987, 1989, 1992. Nataliya Rumyantseva cup is held annually since 1997 in Dubna.
• A notable Russian Avant-garde painter Vyatcheslav Shmagin resides in the town.

Trivia

• One of the world's tallest statue of Vladimir Lenin, 25 m high, built in 1937, is located in Dubna at the confluence of the Volga and the Moscow Canal. The accompanying statue of Joseph Stalin of similar size was demolished in 1963 during the period of de-stalinization.
• Several scenes of the Russian hit television series "Brigada" were filmed around Dubna, especially on the coast on Ivankovo Reservoir just next to the dam across Volga river.
• Important documentation which figured in the YUKOS battle is said to apparently have disappeared after a YUKOS company car fell into Dubna River, while on its way to a YUKOS owned yacht club based on the Volga River.

International relations

Main article: List of twin towns and sister cities in Russia

Twin towns — Sister cities

Dubna is twinned with the following sister cities:

• Alushta, Ukraine.
• Givat Shmuel, Israel.
• Lisec, Austria.
• Ravak, Czech Republic.
• La Crosse, Wisconsin, USA.

External links

• Template:Ru icon Dubna.ru - popular information portal and discussion forum, owned by local ISP "Kontakt"
• Template:Ru icon Dubna.org - local news and ads
• Template:Ru icon History of Dubna