Khabarovsk

Khabarovsk is one of the biggest administrative, industrial, scientific and cultural centres of the Far East, the capital of the Far Eastern Federal Okrug. It stretches along the right bank of the mighty Amur river and Amurskaya tributary for 45 kms (28 miles) and covers the area of almost 154 square miles (40 hectares). Khabarovsk is a centre of a vast and rich territory where the first Russian settlements appeared a very long time ago. These lands attracted people from Central Russia, the Urals and Western Siberia with their fertile soil, rivers swarming with fish, large forests and fur animals.

In 1858 a military post to guard Russian-Chinese frontier was founded . It was named Khabarovka after the Russian explorer of the 17^th century Yerofei Khabarov. In 1880 it was promoted to a city rank and in 1893 was renamed Khabarovsk. During the 20^th century Khabarovsk has grown into a big modern city with the population of about 600 thousand people.

The central part of Khabarovsk is built on the summits of 3 hills named Muravyov-Amurskiy street, Lenin street, Seryshev street, which in their turn are crossed by a number of parallel streets going up and down the hills.

Komsomolskaya Square is the beginning of the main street of the city-Muravyov-Amurskiy street, which ends by Lenin square. Previously it was called Sobornaya after a beautiful Assumption Cathedral which stood here. It was the place were all city's religious ceremonies were held. Later the square and the Cathedral were destroyed. At the end of the 30-s the Komsomol members rebuilt the square, that was how the square got its name. But a beautiful Cathedral appeared there again only in 2002. In the Square there is also a monument devoted to the participants of the Civil war.

There are some buildings adjoining the square. One of them the old red-brick building dates back to 1902. It belonged to the family of the rich merchants Plusnins, one of them was the mayor of the city just before 1917. Today it is the Far Eastern State Scientific-Research Library with the modest modern information support facilities and unique editions. Its repository now has 2 mln 700 thousand books and the annual input exceeds 80 thousand.

The main street leads to the main square of the city-Lenin Square. It was built as Nikolaevskaya Square in honour of the last Russian Tsar Nikolay II. After the Great October Socialist Revolution it was renamed the Square of Freedom and later the Square of Stalin. The monument to Lenin was unveiled on November 7^th, 1925. It has been called Lenin Square since 1957. The main square of the city was opened after reconstruction in October, 1988.

Another place of interest of Khabarovsk is the War Memorial Complex. It consists of two parts: the War Memorial itself and Glory Square. Glory Square was built in 1975. There is an obelisk here with the names of the Far-Easterners rewarded by the Star of the USSR Hero. The second part, the War Memorial, was built in 1985 in honour of the 40^th anniversary of victory over Nazi Germany. On the granite wall there are the names of the Far Easterners fell in the battles of the World War II. There is the eternal flame to remember the heroes of the WWII for ever.

There are several museums in Khabarovsk. The State Museum of the Far East, named after N.I. Grodekov, is one of the largest and oldest of them. It was founded in 1894 on the initiative of the Russian Geographical Society. Different displays of the Museum tell visitors about flora and fauna of the Far East, its history, life and customs of the indigenous people.

Another leading museum is the Far Eastern Art Museum. It was opened in 1931. The Museum has a big collection of paintings, sculptures, icons, many of which arrived from Russia's largest state museums like the Hermitage, the Tretyakov Gallery and the State Russian Museum. The museum also has works representing the traditional art of the indigenous people of the Far East.

There are some places of interest just along the bank of the Amur. One of them is the monument to Muravyov-Amurskiy. The monument is situated just near the famous Amur cliff, which is also considered to be the sight of Khabarovsk. Originally, a monument to the Governor-General of Eastern Siberia count Muravyov-Amurskiy was erected in 1891. In 1925 it was dismantled. On the initiative of the citizens of Khabarovsk it was re-erected in May 1992.

Khabarovsk is situated in the centre of the Far-Eastern economic region and it is the point of intersection of the most important transport ways. The Transsiberian Railway (the longest in the world – over 10.000 km) goes through the city. Every day about 30 passenger trains go through Khabarovsk and all guests who come to the city by trains are met by the impressive statue of Yerofei Pavlovich Khabarov. Though, it was Vasiliy Poyarkov, who was the first Russian to come to Amur, but actually Y. Khabarov was the first to found the Russian settlements here. The monument to Y. Khabarov (designed by Milchin) was erected in the Railway Station Square in 1958.

Khabarovsk is often called an air gate of the Far East as many airlines of national, local and international importance cross here. Khabarovsk airport is the largest and the most important in the Russian Far East and Siberia.

Khabarovsk is a recognized centre of cultural, artistic and sports life both for the Khabarovskiy Kray and the entire region. Here come touring the leading theatres of the Russian Far East and here take place theatre and musical festivals, Kray and zonal art exhibition, sports competitions. The following theatres work in Khabarovsk: Drama Theatre, the only in the Far East Operetta Theatre (Musical Comedy Theatre), Young Spectators Theatre, Puppet Theatre and Triad Pantomime Theatre. The reconstruction of the Concert Hall of the Kray philharmonic society was a nice present for musicians and the audience. In its technological and design solutions the Hall is unrivalled for all Russia.

No less great contribution to cultural life meant the construction of the Khabarovsk Circus for 1.300 viewers. It has no architectural analogues.

The success of local sportsmen is a special pride of Khabarovsk citizens. The citizens can attend good level sports facilities (sports palace in Lenin stadium, tennis courts in Lenin and Dynamo stadiums, swimming pool "Neptun").

The largest super– modern sports and entertainment centre "Platinum Arena" with an artificial ice rink and a field for training was built in 2003.

Khabarovsk is growing and improving all the time. Old houses are knocked down to give place to high modern buildings. It attracts many tourists from various parts of Russia and from foreign countries by its modern housing developments, its light-filled streets and wonderful squares, its theatres, museums and recreation centers.

Ex. 2. Find English equivalents in the text:

плодородная почва, пушные звери, Успенский собор, переименовать, участники Гражданской войны, хранилище, называть в честь, торжественно открыть, по инициативе, народное творчество коренного населения, генерал-губернатор Восточной Сибири граф Муравьев-Амурский, приезжать на гастроли, спортивно-зрелищный комплекс.

Ex. 3. Make up word combinations:

centre, intersection, to guard, library, museum, representing, statue, summit, anniversary, to reward, indigenous, to found, capital, theatre, reconstruction

Ex. 4. Complete the sentences:

1. Khabarovsk is …

2. In 1858 a military post …

3. Khabarovsk is built …

4. Komsomolskaya Square is the beginning …

5. Previously Komsomolskaya Square was called …

6. The old red-brick building …

7. The main street leads …

8. Another place of interest of Khabarovsk …

9. There is an obelisk here …

10. On the granite wall there are …

11. The State Museum of the Far East …

12. Another leading Museum is …

13. The monument to Muravyov-Amurskiy …

14. Khabarovsk is situated in the centre …

Ex. 5. Insert prepositions were necessary:

1. Khabarovsk stretches along the right bank of the mighty Amur river and Amurskaya tributary … 45 kms (28 miles).

2. The military post was named Khabarovka … the Russian explorer … the 17^th century Y. Khabarov.

3. During the 20^th century Khabarovsk has grown … a big modern city.

4. The central streets are crossed … a number of streets going … and … the hills.

5. There are some buildings adjoining … the square.

6. Lening Square was built as Nikolaevskaya Square … honour … the last Russian Tsar Nikolai II.

7. Originally, a Monument … the Covernor-General … Eastern Siberia count Muravyov-Amurskiy was erected in 1893.

8. The Transsiberian Railway goes … the city.

9. All guests who come … the city … trains are met … the impressive statue of Y.P. Khabarov.

Ex. 6. Explain the dates:

1858, 1880, 1902, 1925, 1931, 1956, 1957, 1894, 1891, 1958, 1988, 1992, 2002

Ex. 7. Expand the Statements:

1. Khabarovsk is the centre of the Far Eastern region.

2. In 1858 a military post was founded.

3. Komsomolskaya Square has a long history.

4. Lenin Square is the central square of the city.

5. The War Memorial Complex is another place of interest of Khabarovsk.

6. The State Museum of the Far East is one of the largest and oldest museums.

7. The Far Eastern Art museum was opened in 1931.

8. The city is the point of intersection of the most important transport ways.

9. The city was named after Y. Khabarov.

10. Khabarovsk is a recognized centre of cultural, artistic and sports life both for the Khabarovskiy Kray and the entire region.

11. The citizens of Khabarovsk can attend good level sports facilities.

Ex. 9. Answer the questions

1. Where is Khabarovsk situated?

2. Does Khabarovsk have favourable location? Can you prove it?

3. When and why was Khabarovsk founded?

4. Why was Komsomolskaya Square called Sobornaya?

5. What is the history of Lenin Square?

6. What is the War Memotial Complex?

7. What are the oldest and largest Museums in Khabarovsk?

8. Is Khabarovsk a recognized centre of cultural, artistic and sports life?

9. Where is the statue of Y. Khabarov situated?

10. Why do you think the city was named after Y. Khabarov?