Astrakhan

Categories: Cities on the Volga | Cities and towns in Russia

Astrakhan coat of arms features the Khan's crown and a sabre

Astrakhan (А́страхань; Tatar: Ästerxan), a major city in southern European Russia and the administrative center of Astrakhan Oblast. The city lies on the Volga river, close to where it discharges into the Caspian Sea, at 46°22′ N 48°05′ E. Population (1.1.2004): 502,800.

1 Medieval history
2 Modern history
3 Notable people
4 External links

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Medieval history

Astrakhan is situated in the Volga delta, rich in sturgeons and exotic plants. The fertile area formerly contained the capitals of Khazaria and the Golden Horde. Astrakhan itself was first mentioned by travellers in the early 13th century as Xacitarxan. Tamerlane burnt it to the ground. From 1459 to 1556, Xacitarxan was the capital of Astrakhan Khanate. The ruins of this medieval settlement were found by archaeologists 12 km upstream from the modern-day city.

In 1556 the khanate was conquered by Ivan the Terrible, who had a new fortress built on a steep hill overlooking the Volga. In 1569, Astrakhan was besieged by the Ottoman army, which had to retreat in disarray. A year later, the Sultan renounced his claims to Astrakhan, thus opening the entire Volga River to Russian traffic. In the 17th century, the city was developed as a Russian gates to the Orient. Many merchants from Armenia, Persia, and Khiva settled in the downtown, giving it a multinational and variegated character.

Image:Astrakhan Russia-v2-p168.jpg

Astrakhan in the 17th century.

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Modern history

For 17 months in 1670-71 Astrakhan was held by Stenka Razin and his Cossacks. Early in the following century Peter the Great constructed here a shipbuilding yard and made Astrakhan the base for his hostilities against Persia, and later in the same century Catherine II accorded the city important industrial privileges.

The city rebelled against the tsar once again in 1705, when it was held by the Cossacks under Kondraty Bulavin. A Kalmuck khan laid an abortive siege to the kremlin several years prior to that. In 1711, it was made a capital of a guberniya, whose first governors included Artemy Petrovich Volynsky and Vasily Nikitich Tatishchev. Six years later, Astrakhan served as a base for the first Russian venture into Central Asia. In 1702, 1718 and 1767, it suffered severely from fires; in 1719 was plundered by the Persians; and in 1830 the cholera swept away a large number of its people.

Astrakhan's kremlin was built from 1580s to 1620s from bricks pillaged at the site of Sarai Berke. Its two impressive cathedrals were consecrated in 1700 and 1710, respectively. Built by masters from Yaroslavl, they retain many traditional features of Russian church architecture, while their exterior decoration is definitely baroque.

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