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)
In 1858 a military post to guard Russian-Chinese frontier was founded . It was named Khabarovka after the Russian explorer of the 17th century Yerofei Khabarov. In 1880 it was promoted to a city rank and in 1893 was renamed Khabarovsk. During the 20th 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.
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 7th, 1925. It has been called Lenin Square since 1957. The main square of the city was opened after reconstruction in October, 1988.
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.
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. 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.
No less great contribution to cultural life meant the construction of the Khabarovsk Circus for 1.300 viewers. It has no architectural analogues.
The largest super– modern sports and entertainment centre "Platinum Arena" with an artificial ice rink and a field for training was built in 2003.
From the history of Khabarovsk foundation and development.
Success of Russia at Amur was predetermined by joining of efforts of two distinguished state figures – Nikolay Nikolaevich Muravyov and Gennadiy Ivanovich Nevelskoy. Nevelskoy understood the importance of the Priamurskiy and Priussuriyskiy regions for Russia and really felt the state strategic value of the place between the rivers Ussury and Amur for the foundation of a town. In February 1854 Nevelskoy wrote to Muravyov: ”I beg your excellency to order to set up a post of 30 people at the Ussury estuary…it is the place, where we should concentrate our activities and management of the region.” The foundation of the range of settlements became necessary and urgent after signing Aigun treaty on the Russian-Chinese border by the general-governor of the Eastern Siberia count Muravyov and the Chinese amur Commander in Chief in May, 1858. The military post named after Khabarov was founded on May 31, 1858 by order of Muravyov-Amurskiy (awarded the additional name after signing the treaty). It was the military post of the 13-th linear battalion commanded by the captain Yakov Vassilievich Dyachenko.
The Eastern-Siberian battalions had to become the first builders of most of the settlements, appeared along the Amur river and the coast of the Sea of Japan. The battalions of this type were to defend the border. The military post spread along the river from mountain Artilleriyskaya (now Radio building there) to mountain Kazachya (near river cargo port). The first street was about two kilometers.
In administrative connection Khabarovka submitted to Sofiysk (founded in November 1858), then it became the center of Sofiysk district. 15 years later it could compete with the capital of the region, Nikolaevsk. Its advantageous geographic position was seen better year after year. From 1858 new settlement became the center of the post communication for the whole Far East. In 1860 the percentage of civil citizens was only 8%, three years later it was 38%. Khabarovka became the fur and fish fair and the trade center. They sold up to 20 thousand sable skins during one season. Foreign capital prevailed here, in 1868 its share was 73%.
In summer 1873 the first distinguished visitor, Grand Prince Alexey Alexandrovich visited Khabarovka.Due to his visit the first and main street in Khabarovka was named Alexeevskaya (now Shevchenko street), the first educational institution founded in 1875 was Alexeevskaya preliminary school. In 1891 Cesarevitch Nikolay followed the way of the Grand Prince. His visit was more pompous, with triumphal arch, church service and opening of the monument to Muravyov-Amursky. The new square was named Nikolaevskaya. The trade school named after Nikolay was built there in 1900-1903 (now Nechepayev Hospital).
The imperial decision on the transfer of the regional center was made on April 28 (May 10) 1880. It granted Khabarovka the status of a town. It caused a construction boom. More and more stone houses were built, some of them can be still seen in the central part of the city. In 1893 Khabarovka was renamed into Khabarovsk. Business and construction in the town was also caused by construction of Ussuriyskaya railroad and later due to the Transsiberian railroad finished by the construction of the bridge (1916).