Rostov-on-Don is a port city and the
administrative centre
An administrative centre is a seat of regional administration or local government, or a county town, or the place where the central administration of a commune, is located.
In countries with French as the administrative language, such as Belgi ...
of
Rostov Oblast
Rostov Oblast ( rus, Росто́вская о́бласть, r=Rostovskaya oblastʹ, p=rɐˈstofskəjə ˈobləsʲtʲ) is a federal subjects of Russia, federal subject of Russia (an oblast), located in the Southern Federal District. The oblast ...
and the
Southern Federal District of
Russia
Russia, or the Russian Federation, is a country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia. It is the list of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the world, and extends across Time in Russia, eleven time zones, sharing Borders ...
. It lies in the southeastern part of the
East European Plain on the
Don River, from the
Sea of Azov
The Sea of Azov is an inland Continental shelf#Shelf seas, shelf sea in Eastern Europe connected to the Black Sea by the narrow (about ) Strait of Kerch, and sometimes regarded as a northern extension of the Black Sea. The sea is bounded by Ru ...
, directly north of the
North Caucasus
The North Caucasus, or Ciscaucasia, is a subregion in Eastern Europe governed by Russia. It constitutes the northern part of the wider Caucasus region, which separates Europe and Asia. The North Caucasus is bordered by the Sea of Azov and the B ...
. The southwestern suburbs of the city lie above the Don
river delta
A river delta is a landform, archetypically triangular, created by the deposition of the sediments that are carried by the waters of a river, where the river merges with a body of slow-moving water or with a body of stagnant water. The creat ...
. Rostov-on-Don has a population of over one million people and is an important cultural, educational, economic and logistical centre of
Southern Russia.
History
Early history
From ancient times, the area around the mouth of the Don River has held cultural and commercial importance. Ancient indigenous inhabitants included the
Scythian and
Sarmatian
The Sarmatians (; ; Latin: ) were a large confederation of Ancient Iranian peoples, ancient Iranian Eurasian nomads, equestrian nomadic peoples who dominated the Pontic–Caspian steppe, Pontic steppe from about the 5th century BCE to the 4t ...
tribes. It was the site of
Tanais,
an ancient Greek colony,
Fort Tana under the
Genoese, and
Fort Azak in the time of the
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman Empire (), also called the Turkish Empire, was an empire, imperial realm that controlled much of Southeast Europe, West Asia, and North Africa from the 14th to early 20th centuries; it also controlled parts of southeastern Centr ...
.
In 1749, a custom house was established on the
Temernik River, a tributary of the Don, by edict of
the Empress Elizabeth, the daughter of
Peter the Great
Peter I (, ;
– ), better known as Peter the Great, was the Sovereign, Tsar and Grand Prince of all Russia, Tsar of all Russia from 1682 and the first Emperor of Russia, Emperor of all Russia from 1721 until his death in 1725. He reigned j ...
,
in order to control trade with
Turkey
Turkey, officially the Republic of Türkiye, is a country mainly located in Anatolia in West Asia, with a relatively small part called East Thrace in Southeast Europe. It borders the Black Sea to the north; Georgia (country), Georgia, Armen ...
. It was co-located with a
fortress
A fortification (also called a fort, fortress, fastness, or stronghold) is a military construction designed for the defense of territories in warfare, and is used to establish rule in a region during peacetime. The term is derived from L ...
named for
Dimitry of Rostov, a
metropolitan bishop
In Christianity, Christian Christian denomination, churches with episcopal polity, the rank of metropolitan bishop, or simply metropolitan (alternative obsolete form: metropolite), is held by the diocesan bishop or archbishop of a Metropolis (reli ...
of the old northern town of
Rostov the Great.
Azov, a town closer to the Sea of Azov on the Don, gradually lost its commercial importance in the region to the new fortress, but it remains an important historical center.
In 1756, the "Russian commercial and trading company of Constantinople" was founded at the "merchants' settlement" (Kupecheskaya Sloboda) on the high bank of the Don. Towards the end of the eighteenth century, with the
incorporation of previously Ottoman Black Sea territories into the
Russian Empire
The Russian Empire was an empire that spanned most of northern Eurasia from its establishment in November 1721 until the proclamation of the Russian Republic in September 1917. At its height in the late 19th century, it covered about , roughl ...
, the settlement lost much of its militarily strategic importance as a frontier post.
[
In 1796, the settlement was chartered and in 1797, it became the seat of Rostovsky Uyezd within Novorossiysk Governorate.] In 1806, it was officially renamed Rostov-on-Don. During the 19th century, due to its river connections with Russia's interior, Rostov developed into a major trade centre and communications hub. A railway
Rail transport (also known as train transport) is a means of transport using wheeled vehicles running in railway track, tracks, which usually consist of two parallel steel railway track, rails. Rail transport is one of the two primary means of ...
connection with Kharkiv
Kharkiv, also known as Kharkov, is the second-largest List of cities in Ukraine, city in Ukraine. was completed in 1870, with further links following in 1871 to Voronezh and in 1875 to Vladikavkaz
Vladikavkaz, formerly known as Ordzhonikidze () or Dzaudzhikau (), is the capital city of North Ossetia–Alania, Russia. It is located in the southeast of the republic at the foothills of the Caucasus, situated on the Terek (river), Terek River. ...
.
Concurrent with improvements in communications, heavy industry developed. Coal
Coal is a combustible black or brownish-black sedimentary rock, formed as rock strata called coal seams. Coal is mostly carbon with variable amounts of other Chemical element, elements, chiefly hydrogen, sulfur, oxygen, and nitrogen.
Coal i ...
from the Donets Basin and iron ore
Iron ores are rocks and minerals from which metallic iron can be economically extracted. The ores are usually rich in iron oxides and vary in color from dark grey, bright yellow, or deep purple to rusty red. The iron is usually found in the f ...
from Krivoy Rog supported the establishment of an iron foundry in 1846. In 1859, the production of pumps and steam boilers began. Industrial growth was accompanied by a rapid increase in population, with 119,500 residents registered in Rostov by the end of the nineteenth century along with approximately 140 industrial businesses. The harbour was one of the largest trade hubs in southern Russia, especially for the export of wheat
Wheat is a group of wild and crop domestication, domesticated Poaceae, grasses of the genus ''Triticum'' (). They are Agriculture, cultivated for their cereal grains, which are staple foods around the world. Well-known Taxonomy of wheat, whe ...
, timber
Lumber is wood that has been processed into uniform and useful sizes (dimensional lumber), including beams and planks or boards. Lumber is mainly used for construction framing, as well as finishing (floors, wall panels, window frames). ...
, and iron ore
Iron ores are rocks and minerals from which metallic iron can be economically extracted. The ores are usually rich in iron oxides and vary in color from dark grey, bright yellow, or deep purple to rusty red. The iron is usually found in the f ...
.
In 1779, Rostov-on-Don became associated with a settlement of Armenia
Armenia, officially the Republic of Armenia, is a landlocked country in the Armenian Highlands of West Asia. It is a part of the Caucasus region and is bordered by Turkey to the west, Georgia (country), Georgia to the north and Azerbaijan to ...
n refugees from Crimea
Crimea ( ) is a peninsula in Eastern Europe, on the northern coast of the Black Sea, almost entirely surrounded by the Black Sea and the smaller Sea of Azov. The Isthmus of Perekop connects the peninsula to Kherson Oblast in mainland Ukrain ...
at Nakhichevan-on-Don. The two settlements were separated by a field of wheat. In 1928, the two towns were merged. The former town border lies beneath the Teatralnaya Square of central Rostov-on-Don. By 1928, following the incorporation of the hitherto neighbouring city of Nakhichevan-on-Don, Rostov had become the third-largest city in Russia.
In the early 20th century, epidemics of cholera
Cholera () is an infection of the small intestine by some Strain (biology), strains of the Bacteria, bacterium ''Vibrio cholerae''. Symptoms may range from none, to mild, to severe. The classic symptom is large amounts of watery diarrhea last ...
during the summer months were not uncommon.
20th century
During World War I
World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...
Rostov-on-Don was briefly occupied by the German Empire
The German Empire (),; ; World Book, Inc. ''The World Book dictionary, Volume 1''. World Book, Inc., 2003. p. 572. States that Deutsches Reich translates as "German Realm" and was a former official name of Germany. also referred to as Imperia ...
in 1918.
During the Russian Civil War
The Russian Civil War () was a multi-party civil war in the former Russian Empire sparked by the 1917 overthrowing of the Russian Provisional Government in the October Revolution, as many factions vied to determine Russia's political future. I ...
, the Whites and the Reds contested Rostov-on-Don, then the most heavily industrialized city of South Russia. By 1928, the regional government had moved from the old Cossack capital of Novocherkassk to Rostov-on-Don.
In the Soviet years, the Bolshevik
The Bolsheviks, led by Vladimir Lenin, were a radical Faction (political), faction of the Marxist Russian Social Democratic Labour Party (RSDLP) which split with the Mensheviks at the 2nd Congress of the Russian Social Democratic Labour Party, ...
s demolished two of Rostov-on-Don's principal landmarks: St. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral (1908) and St. George Cathedral (1783–1807).
During World War II
World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
, Nazi German
Nazi Germany, officially known as the German Reich and later the Greater German Reich, was the German state between 1933 and 1945, when Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party controlled the country, transforming it into a totalitarian dictat ...
forces occupied Rostov-on-Don, at first from 19/20 November to 2 December 1941, after attacks by the German First Panzer Army in the Battle of Rostov, and then for seven months from 24 July 1942 to 14 February 1943. The town was of strategic importance as a railway junction and a river port accessing the Caucasus
The Caucasus () or Caucasia (), is a region spanning Eastern Europe and Western Asia. It is situated between the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea, comprising parts of Southern Russia, Georgia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan. The Caucasus Mountains, i ...
, a region rich in oil and minerals. It took ten years to restore the city from the damage during World War II.
In 1942 up to 30,000 Russian Jews were massacred by the German military in Rostov-on-Don at a site called Zmievskaya Balka.
21st century
On 19 March 2016, Flydubai Flight 981, a Boeing 737-800 operating from Dubai to Rostov-on-Don in Russia, crashed during a go-around in inclement weather at Rostov-on-Don Airport, killing all 62 people (55 passengers and 7 crew) on board.
Rostov-on-Don hosted several matches of the 2018 FIFA World Cup
The 2018 FIFA World Cup was the 21st FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial world championship for national association football, football teams organized by FIFA. It took place in Russia from 14 June to 15 July 2018, after the country was awarded t ...
.
Rostov-on-Don is the location of the Russian Southern Military District, which includes the 58th Combined Arms Army. As such, it was a key logistical hub during the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine
On 24 February 2022, , starting the largest and deadliest war in Europe since World War II, in a major escalation of the Russo-Ukrainian War, conflict between the two countries which began in 2014. The fighting has caused hundreds of thou ...
and the 2023 Ukrainian counteroffensive.
On 23 June 2023, amid the war, the Wagner Group, a private military company fighting on behalf of the Russian Federation
Russia, or the Russian Federation, is a country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia. It is the list of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the world, and extends across Time in Russia, eleven time zones, sharing Borders ...
, declared a rebellion
Rebellion is an uprising that resists and is organized against one's government. A rebel is a person who engages in a rebellion. A rebel group is a consciously coordinated group that seeks to gain political control over an entire state or a ...
against the Russian Ministry of Defence and took control of Rostov-on-Don. On June 24, after reaching a negotiated settlement with the Russian government and military, the Wagner Group withdrew from the city.
Government
Within the framework of administrative divisions, it is incorporated as Rostov-na-Donu Urban Okrug—an administrative unit with the status equal to that of the districts.[Law #340-ZS] As a municipal division, this administrative unit also has urban okrug status.[Law #238-ZS]
City districts
Rostov-on-Don is divided into eight city districts:
Demographics
The 2021 census recorded the population of Rostov-on-Don at 1,142,162 making it the 11th most populous city in Russia.At the time of the official 2010 Census, the ethnic makeup of the city's population whose ethnicity was known (1,066,523) was:
Geography
Climate
Albert Parry, born in 1901 in Rostov-on-Don, wrote of the summers of his childhood:
:There were sultry days of brassy sun, but also cool evenings on the balconies facing the Don River, with the soft glow of charcoal in the samovar, with the ripe cherries crushed by your spoon against the bottom and sides of your glass of scalding tea.
Rostov-on-Don lies in a humid continental climate
A humid continental climate is a climatic region defined by Russo-German climatologist Wladimir Köppen in 1900, typified by four distinct seasons and large seasonal temperature differences, with warm to hot (and often humid) summers, and cold ...
(Köppen Köppen is a German surname. Notable people with the surname include:
* Bernd Köppen (1951–2014), German pianist and composer
* Carl Köppen (1833-1907), German military advisor in Meiji era Japan
* Edlef Köppen (1893–1939), German author ...
: ''Dfa''). The winter is moderately cold, with an average January temperature of . The lowest recorded temperature of occurred in January 1940.
Summers are warm and humid; July temperatures average . The city's highest recorded temperature of was reported on 7 July 2020. The mean annual precipitation is , the average wind speed is 2.7 m/s, and the average air humidity is 72%.
Symbols
In December 1996, Rostov-on-Don adopted a coat of arms, a flag and a mayoral decoration as the symbols of the town. The first coat of arms of Rostov-on-Don was designed in 1811 and approved by the Tsar. In 1904, some changes were made. One lasting oil painting of the coat-of-arms is kept in the regional local history museum but its accuracy and authenticity are uncertain. In June 1996, the Rostov-on-Don City Duma adopted a variant of the coat-of-arms in which a tower represents the St. Dimitry Rostovsky Fortress. The ancient Russian arms reference the role Rostov played in the defense of Russia's borders. The coat-of-arms adorns the mayor's decoration but all other cases of its use are first considered for approval by the City Duma.
Flag
The flag of Rostov-on-Don 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 raised under this flag. The "Flag of Rostov" is kept in the town's municipal building under glass. Its length is and width, . The flag is taken out of the building only on Victory Day and Rostov-on-Don Day by a guard of honour.
In 1870, an oval-shaped mayoral decoration wrought from precious or semi-precious white metal was introduced. On the front is written "Rostov-on-Don" at the top, the Rostov-on-Don coat-of-arms is in the center and the inscription, "Mayor of the City" is written at the bottom. On its reverse side, the day of its adoption, April 9, 1996, is recorded. The decoration is worn over the suit on a large chain. The mayor returns the decoration to the Duma on his or her retirement from office.
The Emblem of the Don Host Oblast
Don Host Oblast was a province (''oblast'') of the Russian Empire which consisted of the territory of the Don Cossacks, coinciding approximately with present-day Rostov Oblast in Russia. Its administrative center was Cherkassk, and later Nov ...
was introduced in July 5 (18), 1878. The flag of the All Great Don Army was introduced in May 1918 on the "Circle of the Don Saving".
Awards
*December 1970: Order of Lenin
*1982: Order of the Great Patriotic War 1st class
*2008: City of Military Glory status
Economy
Overview
Rostov's favourable geographical position at trading crossroads promotes economic development. The Don River is a major shipping lane connecting southwestern Russia with the north. Rostov-on-Don is a trading port for Russian, Italian, Greek and Turkish merchants selling, for example, wool, wheat and oil. It is also an important river port for passengers. The Rostov-on-Don agricultural region produces one-third of Russia's vegetable oil from sunflowers.
Volga–Don Canal
With the construction of the Volga-Don Shipping Canal in 1952, Rostov-on-Don has become known as a "port of five seas" (reachable from the Black Sea
The Black Sea is a marginal sea, marginal Mediterranean sea (oceanography), mediterranean sea lying between Europe and Asia, east of the Balkans, south of the East European Plain, west of the Caucasus, and north of Anatolia. It is bound ...
, the Sea of Azov
The Sea of Azov is an inland Continental shelf#Shelf seas, shelf sea in Eastern Europe connected to the Black Sea by the narrow (about ) Strait of Kerch, and sometimes regarded as a northern extension of the Black Sea. The sea is bounded by Ru ...
, the Caspian Sea
The Caspian Sea is the world's largest inland body of water, described as the List of lakes by area, world's largest lake and usually referred to as a full-fledged sea. An endorheic basin, it lies between Europe and Asia: east of the Caucasus, ...
, the White Sea
The White Sea (; Karelian language, Karelian and ; ) is a southern inlet of the Barents Sea located on the northwest coast of Russia. It is surrounded by Karelia to the west, the Kola Peninsula to the north, and the Kanin Peninsula to the nort ...
, and the Baltic Sea
The Baltic Sea is an arm of the Atlantic Ocean that is enclosed by the countries of Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Russia, Sweden, and the North European Plain, North and Central European Plain regions. It is the ...
). See the article Port of Rostov-on-Don
Modern industry
In modern times, Rostov-on-Don has experienced economic growth. Numerous start-up companies have established headquarters in the city, the median income is increasing, and the city is being transformed into a modern, industrial and technology-rich hub. For instance, Rostov-on-Don is a center for helicopter and farm machinery manufacturing. The "Tebodin" engineering company opened its fourth office in Rostov-on-Don in June 2010.
Transportation
Public transport in Rostov-on-Don includes buses, trolleybuses, trams, and '' marshrutkas'' (routed minibus, usually a 17-passenger Mercedes Sprinter). The Rostov Metro was planned in the early 1990s and later in the 2000s and 2010s. At the end of 2021, the Government of the Rostov Region and the Sinara company signed an agreement on the creation of a high-speed tramway in Rostov-on-Don on a concession basis. This happened at the international forum Transport Week 2021 in Moscow. By signing this agreement, the regional government put an end to the idea of developing the metro in the city in favour of the tram.
The Rostov-on-Don Airport caters for domestic travel, as well as flights to and from the former C.I.S., Europe, Africa and Asia. Its IATA code is "ROV". Donavia airlines (formerly "Aeroflot Don") has its head office in Rostov-on-Don. The Bataysk military aerodrome (which is located northwest of the city center) may be developed into a new airport hub for Southern Russia. Platov International Airport was opened in late 2017 as part of preparations for the 2018 FIFA World Cup
The 2018 FIFA World Cup was the 21st FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial world championship for national association football, football teams organized by FIFA. It took place in Russia from 14 June to 15 July 2018, after the country was awarded t ...
.
The international river port specializes in the packaging and freighting of minerals and timber. Shipping information is published online.
The main railway stations in Rostov-on-Don are " Rostov-Glavny" and "Rostov-Prigorodny". The "St. Petersburg-Rostov-Caucasus" railway crosses the territory of Rostov-on-Don. The North Caucasus Railway Administration Building is in Rostov-on-Don.
Several highways of federal and regional significance cross Rostov. The M-4 "Don" route passes Rostov to the east and crosses the Don River in the Aksay city area. The "Rostov-Novoshakhtinsk" starts from the Northern housing block area of the city running north to connect with the M-4 "Don" route between Shakhty and Novoshakhtinsk.
LiAZ-5292.60.jpg, New LiAZ-5292 buses
Rostov trolley.jpg, AKSM-321 low-floor trolleybus
Rostov's Tram.jpg, KTM-19 tram
The Greater Rostov supercity
The Ministry of Regional Development of Russia has prepared a program to create eight multimillion conglomerate population centees or 'super cities'. The Rostov Oblast will be one of these. "The Greater Rostov" metropolitan area will include the cities of Rostov-on-Don, Novocherkassk, Taganrog, Aksay, Bataysk, and Azov.
Communications
In 1929, the first automatic telephone exchange in Russia with a capacity of 6,000 numbers commenced in Rostov-on-Don. Since 2004, standard telephone numbers in Rostov-on-Don have been seven digits in length. Since 2009, city numbers have begun with "2". The city dialing code is "863".
Financial services
The first commercial bank in the South of Russia, Rostovsoсbank, was opened in Rostov-on-Don. The bank existed from 1989 to 1998, and before the withdrawal of the banking license it made a full return of deposits to all depositors. The largest bank in the Rostov region is Center-Invest. In total, there are about 50 banks and their branches, 17% local banks, 80% representative offices of federal banks, and 4% representative offices of foreign banks.
Education
Rostov-on-Don hosts higher educational establishments, including universities, academies, secondary schools of vocational training including colleges, technical schools, specialized schools, and elementary schools of vocational training including lyceums, professional colleges and schools of general education.
The largest educational establishments in the city include:
* Southern Federal University
* Don State Technical University
*Rostov State University of Economy
* Rostov State Transport University (The Railway Engineers' University)
*Rostov State University of Civil Engineering
* Rostov State Medical University
*Rostov State Conservatory named after Sergei Rachmaninoff
Sergei Vasilyevich Rachmaninoff; in Russian pre-revolutionary script. (28 March 1943) was a Russian composer, virtuoso pianist, and Conducting, conductor. Rachmaninoff is widely considered one of the finest pianists of his day and, as a compos ...
*Branch of the Moscow State Academy named after F.F. Ushakov
*Rostov Eparchy Religious College
*Rostov Institute of Advocacy of Entrepreneurs
*Rostov Institute of Foreign Languages
*Rostov International Institute of Economy and Management
*Rostov Juridical Institute of Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation
*Rostov Institute of Physical Training and Sports (branch of the Cuban State University of Physical Training, Sports and Tourism)
*Rostov Social & Economic Institute
*Rostov branch of Moscow Institute of Economy, Management and Law
*South-Russian Institute of the Humanities
*North-Caucasian Academy of Public Service
*North-Caucasian Institute of Anthropology and Applied Psychology
* The Modern University for the Humanities
*Russian State University of Trade & Economy
*Institute of Management, Business and Law,
*Rostov Institute of Law of the Russian Juridical Academy of the Russian Federation
*Rostov State Academy of Architecture and Arts,
*Rostov College of Arts named after M.B. Grekov.
There is also a French cultural centre (Alliance Francaise), a British Council and German Goethe Institute (DAAD and Bosch foundation), and a Korean Cultural Centre.
File:Rostov-on-Don, Southern Federal University, Russia.jpg, Southern Federal University
File:РГУПС.jpg, Rostov State Transport University
File:Don state technical university.JPG, Don State Technical University
Culture
The most conspicuous architectural feature of the central part of the city is the Cathedral of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary (1860–1887), designed by Konstantin Thon.
Libraries
Rostov-on-Don's libraries include:
*The Don State Public Library,
*Central Library named after Maxim Gorky,
*Regional Children's Library named after V.M. Velichkina
*Rostov Regional Special Library for the Blind,
*Scientific Library of the Medical University,
*Central State Children's Library named after Lenin
*Children's Library named after A.S. Pushkin
*Children's Library named after Mayakovsky
*South-Russian Don State Public Library.
Theaters
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.
*Maxim Gorky Academic Drama Theater
* Rostov State Puppet Theater
*Rostov Regional Academic Theater of the Youth
* Rostov Musical Theater
*Philharmonic centre
* Theater 18+
*Kim Nazaretov jazz centre
Museums
The small collections of the Art Gallery and the Museum of Arts include some works by Repin, Surikov, Perov, Levitan and Aivazovsky as well as modern Rostov artists.
*Museum of Local Lore
*Rostov Regional Museum of Fine Arts
*Museum of Fine Arts on Dmitrovskaya
*Museum of Russian & Armenian Friendship
*Pioneer and Railway Museum and Children's Railway
Other facilities
Other facilities include seven stadiums, a Palace of Sports, a circus, a zoo botanical gardens and parks. Rostov-on-Don hosts the North Caucasian Science Center and research institutes.
Religion
The Administration of Rostov and Novocherkassk Eparchy
Eparchy ( ''eparchía'' "overlordship") is an Ecclesiology, ecclesiastical unit in Eastern Christianity that is equivalent to a diocese in Western Christianity. An eparchy is governed by an ''eparch'', who is a bishop. Depending on the administra ...
of the Russian Orthodox Church
The Russian Orthodox Church (ROC; ;), also officially known as the Moscow Patriarchate (), is an autocephaly, autocephalous Eastern Orthodox Church, Eastern Orthodox Christian church. It has 194 dioceses inside Russia. The Primate (bishop), p ...
is located in Rostov. Other religious facilities in Rostov-on-Don are the Roman Catholic "Church of the Lord's Supper", the Old Believers' temple, a synagogue, a mosque, and the Diamond Way Buddhist Center of the Karma Kagyu
Karma Kagyu (), or Kamtsang Kagyu (), is a widely practiced and probably the second-largest lineage within the Kagyu school, one of the four major schools of Tibetan Buddhism. The lineage has long-standing monasteries in Tibet, China, Russia, M ...
Tradition. There are also several Armenian and Greek Orthodox churches in the city, with one of the Armenian churches being the oldest standing building in Rostov. All of the Armenian churches are in the Nakhichevan-on-Don district of the city.
Russian Orthodox
The Russian Orthodox Church (ROC; ;), also officially known as the Moscow Patriarchate (), is an autocephaly, autocephalous Eastern Orthodox Church, Eastern Orthodox Christian church. It has 194 dioceses inside Russia. The Primate (bishop), p ...
churches
* Church of the Intercession
* Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church (belongs to Moscow Patriarchate)
* St. Alexandra's Church
* Ascension Church
* Cathedral of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary
* Church of St. John of Kronstadt, Rostov-on-Don
Old Believers churches
* Old Believers Pokrovsky Cathedral
Armenian Apostolic Church
The Armenian Apostolic Church () is the Autocephaly, autocephalous national church of Armenia. Part of Oriental Orthodoxy, it is one of the most ancient Christianity, Christian churches. The Armenian Apostolic Church, like the Armenian Catholic ...
* Church of the Resurrection, Rostov-on-Don
Synagogues
''See also List of synagogues in Russia and History of the Jews in Rostov-on-Don''
* Soldier Synagogue, currently home to the Rostov Jewish Community and the only active synagogue in Rostov-on-Don
* Main Choral Synagogue, no longer in active use as a synagogue
* The Artisans' Synagogue, destroyed by fire during WWII, formerly located at 106 Stanislavskogo St.
Mosques
* Cathedral Mosque
Gallery
File:Армянская Апостольская церковь Сурб Хач (Святой Крест) (1792г.) в городе Ростове-на-Дону.jpg, Armenian Apostolic Church of the Holy Cross (built in 1792)
File:Храм Святого Великомученика и целителя Пантелеимона, Ростов-на-Дону.jpg, Orthodox Church of Great-Martyr Panteleimon
File:Храм во имя святителя Демитрия, Митрополита Ростовского (Ростов-на-Дону).jpg, Orthodox Church of Saint Dimitri of Rostov
File:Свято - Георгиевский храм, Ростов-на-Дону.jpg, Orthodox Church of Saint George
File:Pokrov's Square Rostov.jpg, Orthodox Church of the Intercession of the Theotokos
File:Mosque in the city of Rostov-on-Don, Russia,1.jpg, Cathedral Mosque
Mass media
The construction of the Rostov TV centre began in 1956 and was completed on 26 April 1958. The first television program was broadcast on 30 April 1958. Colour television was first broadcast in 1974. Radio transmission began in Rostov-on-Don on October 17, 1975. In 2009, there were fourteen FM radio stations in Rostov-on-Don. It is also possibly the home of the Squeaky Wheel number station.
Sports
Rostov-on-Don is one of the host cities for the 2018 FIFA World Cup
The 2018 FIFA World Cup was the 21st FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial world championship for national association football, football teams organized by FIFA. It took place in Russia from 14 June to 15 July 2018, after the country was awarded t ...
.
2018 FIFA World Cup
In 2018, Rostov-on-Don was one of the Russian cities to host the 2018 FIFA World Cup
The 2018 FIFA World Cup was the 21st FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial world championship for national association football, football teams organized by FIFA. It took place in Russia from 14 June to 15 July 2018, after the country was awarded t ...
. Rostov Arena
Rostov Arena () is an association football stadium in Rostov-on-Don, Russia. It was one of the venues for the 2018 FIFA World Cup. It also hosts FC Rostov of the Russian Premier League, replacing Olimp – 2. It has a capacity of 45,000 spectato ...
with a capacity of 45,000 spectators was built on the left bank of the Don River, left of the exit from the city via the Voroshilovsky Bridge.
The stadium hosted 5 games of the FIFA World Cup.
* June 17, 21:00, Brazil — Switzerland, Group E
* June 20, 18:00, Uruguay — Saudi Arabia, Group A
* June 23, 18:00, South Korea — Mexico, Group F
* June 26, 21:00, Iceland — Croatia, Group D
* July 2, 21:00, Belgium — Japan, Round of 16
During the FIFA World Cup, Teatralnaya Square served as a venue for the FIFA Fan Fest. The specially arranged area had a capacity of 25,000 people. Fans were able to watch all World Cup games on a big screen. The venue was serviced by food outlets and had several entertainment areas.
In preparation for the FIFA World Cup, the city implemented a large-scale development program. Apart from the new stadium, the city built a camping area for fans arriving for the World Cup, the Southern and Western Bypasses, and new hotels. Reconstruction works were carried out at the bridge crossing over the Don River (expanding the traffic way to 6 lanes), a number of healthcare facilities, and the embankment area. A new airport, Yuzhny, was built.
Notable people
Notable people include Olga Spessivtseva, a ballet dancer, Alexander Suvorov
Count Alexander Vasilyevich Suvorov-Rymniksky, Prince of Italy () was a Russian general and military theorist in the service of the Russian Empire.
Born in Moscow, he studied military history as a young boy and joined the Imperial Russian ...
, a military commander, Sholom Dovber Schneersohn, the 5th Lubavitcher Rebbe, Yelena Produnova, an artistic gymnast, Yulia Belokobylskaya, an artistic gymnast, Andrei Chikatilo (1936–1994), the serial killer, Alexander Pechersky (1909–1990) a leader of the rebellion at the Sobibor extermination camp
Sobibor ( ; ) was an extermination camp built and operated by Nazi Germany as part of Operation Reinhard. It was located in the forest near the village of Żłobek Duży in the General Government region of Occupation of Poland (1939–1945), ...
, and Maria Kharenkova another artistic gymnast.
Writers and poets
Authors of Rostov-on-Don include Anton Chekhov
Anton Pavlovich Chekhov (; ; 29 January 1860 – 15 July 1904) was a Russian playwright and short-story writer, widely considered to be one of the greatest writers of all time. His career as a playwright produced four classics, and his b ...
, Mikhail Sholokhov
Mikhail Aleksandrovich Sholokhov ( rus, Михаил Александрович Шолохов, p=ˈʂoləxəf; – 21 February 1984) was a Russian novelist and winner of the 1965 Nobel Prize in Literature. He is known for writing about life ...
, Yuri Kazarnovsky, Zakrutkin, Fadeyev, Safronov, Kalinin, Alexander Pushkin
Alexander Sergeyevich Pushkin () was a Russian poet, playwright, and novelist of the Romantic era.Basker, Michael. Pushkin and Romanticism. In Ferber, Michael, ed., ''A Companion to European Romanticism''. Oxford: Blackwell, 2005. He is consid ...
, Maxim Gorky
Alexei Maximovich Peshkov (; – 18 June 1936), popularly known as Maxim Gorky (; ), was a Russian and Soviet writer and proponent of socialism. He was nominated five times for the Nobel Prize in Literature. Before his success as an aut ...
, Sergey Yesenin, Shushanik Kurghinian, Aleksey Nikolayevich Tolstoy, Alexander Solzhenitsyn, Yuri Zhdanov, and Mikael Nalbandian. After visiting Rostov in 1831, Pushkin published his poem "The Don". The monument to Pushkin on Pushkin Boulevard is dedicated to these events. Maxim Gorky, worked as a docker in Rostov-on-Don in his youth. Vera Panova (1905–1973) was a Soviet-era writer. The modern era includes such names as Danil Korezky and Tony Vilgotsky. A monument to Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn
Aleksandr Isayevich Solzhenitsyn. (11 December 1918 – 3 August 2008) was a Soviet and Russian author and Soviet dissidents, dissident who helped to raise global awareness of political repression in the Soviet Union, especially the Gulag pris ...
, who lived in the city for 18 years and studied mathematics at Rostov University, is being planned by city authorities.
A monument to Anton Chekhov (see Chekhov Monument in Rostov-on-Don) was erected in 2010.
Musicians, composers and singers
Musicians from Rostov-on-Don include violinist Efrem Zimbalist, Mikhail Gnessin, Semyon-Samuel Zaslavsky, Kim Nazaretov, composer Andrey Pashchenko (1885–1972), film composer Nadezhda Simonyan, Zinaida Petrovna Ziberova (born 1909), pop music singer Irina Allegrova (1952), classical conductor and violist Yuri Bashmet, songwriter and disc jockey Bogdan Titomir (1967), Eva Rivas (1987), Mikhail Puntov (1995), the post-punk rock band Motorama, rapper Basta, and the rap band Kasta.
Actors, directors and playwrights
Actors and playwrights of Rostov-on-Don include Maretskaya, Mikhail Shchepkin, Yevgeniya Glushenko, Alexander Kaidanovsky (1946–1995), Evgeny Shvarts (1896–1958), Nikolai Sorokin (1952–2013), Konstantin Lavronenko (1961), film and theater director Kirill Serebrennikov (1969) winner of the Best Actor award at the 2007 Cannes Film Festival
The Cannes Film Festival (; ), until 2003 called the International Film Festival ('), is the most prestigious film festival in the world.
Held in Cannes, France, it previews new films of all genres, including documentaries, from all around ...
, and Sergey Zhigunov (1963). Marion Gering, noted for his stage and film productions in the United States, was born in the city.
Architects and artists
Architects and artists of the city include Yevgeny Vuchetich, Seyran Khatlamajyan, Ashot Melkonian, Natalia Duritskaya, Martiros Saryan (1880–1972), Roman Chatov (1900–1987), Leonid Eberg (1882–1954), and Lev Eberg (1907–1982).
Scientists and adventurers
Scientists and explorers include, doctors N. Bogoraz and S. Fedosov, scientists A. S. Popov, and I. P. Pavlov, George Sedov, the Arctic Sea explorer, Yakov Frenkel (1894–1952), a solid-state physicist, Svyatoslav Fyodorov (1927–2000), ophthalmologist, Sabina Spielrein (1885–1942), psychoanalyst, and Yuri Oganessian
Yuri Tsolakovich Oganessian (born 14 April 1933) is an Armenian and Russian nuclear physicist who is best known as a researcher of superheavy elements. He has led the discovery of multiple chemical elements. He succeeded Georgy Flyorov as dir ...
(a nuclear physicist who is the namesake of oganesson
Oganesson is a synthetic element, synthetic chemical element; it has Chemical symbol, symbol Og and atomic number 118. It was first synthesized in 2002 at the Joint Institute for Nuclear Research (JINR) in Dubna, near Moscow, Russia, by a joint ...
(element 118)).
Other
* Igor Eremenko (born 1997), Russian ice dancer who defected to the United States
* Tatiana Kotova (1985), beauty pageant titleholder
* Oksana Pochepa (1984), pop singer and model
* Anatoly Morozov (1973), professional association football player and coach
* Svetlana Boyko (1972), foil fencer
* Alexei Eremenko (1983), Russian-born Finnish professional association football player who currently plays in Kazakhstan
* Victoria Lopyreva (1983), model and popular television hostess
* Andrei Chikatilo (1936–94), serial killer
* Ivan Bukavshin (1995–2016), chess grandmaster
* Vladimir Shumeyko (1945), political figure
* Iosif Vorovich (1920–2001), mathematician, academician, full member of the Russian Academy of Sciences
Tourism
* Central Market, local bazaars and fresh fish markets
*Bridges over the Don river and Don Embankment
*Don River lookout
* Armenian Holy Cross Church
*Rostovchanka statue
*River Steamboat rides
* Orthodox Cathedral of the Nativity of the Holy Virgin
* Pushkinskaya Street
* Maxim Gorky Park
*Traditional Cossack villages (''stanitsa
A stanitsa or stanitza ( ; ), also spelled stanycia ( ) or stanica ( ), was a historical administrative unit of a Cossack host, a type of Cossack polity that existed in the Russian Empire.
Etymology
The Russian word is the diminutive of the word ...
s'')
* National Sholokhov Museum-Reserve
* Azov ancient fortress
*Rostov circus
*Rostov state opera and ballet theatre
*Monastery of St. Jacob
* Rostov Zoo
* Museum of North Caucasus Railway
* Botanical Garden of Southern Federal University
*Art Gallery 16th Line
* Alexander Column
* Grigory and Aksinya in a boat
* Park of Aviators
* October Park
* Anatoly Sobino Park
* Monument to Stepan Razin
Historic buildings
* Argutinsky-Dolgorukov House
* Bahchisaraytsev House
* Bostrikiny House
* Chernov House
* Chernova House
* Chirikov House
* F. N. Solodov House
* Gavala House
* Gayrabetov Mansion
* Gench-Ogluev House
* Gymnasium №36
* Ivan Zvorykin House
* Kechekyan Mansion
* Kisin House
* Kostanayev House
* Kostin House
* Kramer Mansion
* Krasilnikov Mansion
* Kushnarev House
* Leonidov House
* Lyakhmayer House
* Lyceum № 13
* Main building of Warsaw University
* Maksimov House
* Martyn Brothers House
* Masalitina House
* N. A. Semashko City Hospital No. 1
* North Caucasus Railway Administration Building
* Paramonov Mansion
* Paramonov Mill
* Paramonov Warehouses
* Petrov Mansion
* Pivovarova House
* Popov Mansion
* Reznichenko House
* Sariyev House
* Shirman House
* Soviet South building
* Spielrein Mansion
* Trunov House
Twin towns/sister cities
Rostov-on-Don is twinned with:
* Antalya
Antalya is the fifth-most populous city in Turkey and the capital of Antalya Province. Recognized as the "capital of tourism" in Turkey and a pivotal part of the Turkish Riviera, Antalya sits on Anatolia's southwest coast, flanked by the Tau ...
, Turkey
* Dortmund
Dortmund (; ; ) is the third-largest city in North Rhine-Westphalia, after Cologne and Düsseldorf, and the List of cities in Germany by population, ninth-largest city in Germany. With a population of 614,495 inhabitants, it is the largest city ...
, Germany
* Gera
Gera () is a city in the German state of Thuringia. With around 93,000 inhabitants, it is the third-largest city in Thuringia after Erfurt and Jena as well as the easternmost city of the ''Thüringer Städtekette'', an almost straight string of ...
, Germany
* Donetsk, Ukraine
* Glasgow
Glasgow is the Cities of Scotland, most populous city in Scotland, located on the banks of the River Clyde in Strathclyde, west central Scotland. It is the List of cities in the United Kingdom, third-most-populous city in the United Kingdom ...
, Scotland
* Kajaani, Finland
* Le Mans
Le Mans (; ) is a Communes of France, city in Northwestern France on the Sarthe (river), Sarthe River where it meets the Huisne. Traditionally the capital of the Provinces of France, province of Maine (province), Maine, it is now the capital of ...
, France
* Minsk
Minsk (, ; , ) is the capital and largest city of Belarus, located on the Svislach (Berezina), Svislach and the now subterranean Nyamiha, Niamiha rivers. As the capital, Minsk has a special administrative status in Belarus and is the administra ...
, Belarus
* Mobile, United States
* Pleven, Bulgaria
* Seville
Seville ( ; , ) is the capital and largest city of the Spain, Spanish autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Andalusia and the province of Seville. It is situated on the lower reaches of the Guadalquivir, River Guadalquivir, ...
, Spain
* Volos
Volos (; ) is a coastal port city in Thessaly situated midway on the Greek mainland, about north of Athens and south of Thessaloniki. It is the capital of the Magnesia (regional unit), Magnesia regional unit of the Thessaly Region. Volos ...
, Greece
* Yantai, China
* Yerevan
Yerevan ( , , ; ; sometimes spelled Erevan) is the capital and largest city of Armenia, as well as one of the world's List of oldest continuously inhabited cities, oldest continuously inhabited cities. Situated along the Hrazdan River, Yerev ...
, Armenia
* Toronto
Toronto ( , locally pronounced or ) is the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, most populous city in Canada. It is the capital city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Ontario. With a p ...
, Canada
Gallery
File:Rostov-on-Don, Panorama of Rostov-on-Don and Don River, Russia.jpg, Don River embankment and Old Voroshilovsky Bridge
File:Rostov-on-Don, Quietly Flows the Don, Russia.jpg, Left bank of Don River
File:Rostov-on-Don, Iconic view, Russia.jpg, Don River embankment
File:Rostov-on-Don, Majestic Don River at night, Russia.jpg, Rostov-on-Don at night
File:Rostov-on-Don, Don River at night, Russia.jpg, Voroshilovsky Bridge at night
File:Rostov-on-Don, Don River, Russia.jpg, Barge on Don River
File:Rostov on don 1.jpg, House of P. M. Zaslavskaya
File:Здание Доходного Дома.jpg, Masalitina House
File:Драмматичекий театр М.Горького.JPG, Maxim Gorky theater
File:Цирк, Ростов-на-Дону.jpg, Rostov-on-Don circus
File:Iconic view of Rostov-on-Don, panorama of Rostov-on-Don city centre as seen from Gorky Park, Rostov-on-Don, Russia.jpg, Gorky Park
File:С высоты птичьего полёта, Ростов-на-Дону.jpg, Aerial view of Rostov at night
File:Railway Bridge Rostov.jpg, Railway bridge over the Don at night
File:Казачки Ростова-на-Дону.jpg, Cossacks of Rostov
Notes
References
Sources
*
*
*
Bibliography
External links
Official website of Rostov-on-Don
{{Authority control
1749 establishments in Europe
Don Host Oblast
Cities and towns in Rostov Oblast
History of the Don Cossacks
Populated places established in 1749
Port cities and towns of the Azov Sea