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Orenburg
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Orenburg is a city on the Ural River and the administrative center of Orenburg Oblast in the Volga Federal District of Russia. It lies 1,478 km southeast of Moscow, very close to the border with Kazakhstan. Population: 542,700 (2005 est.); 549,361 (2002 Census). Highest point: 154.4 m. International dialing code: +7 (3532). Postal code: 460000. As of 2006, the mayor of the city is Yuri Meshcheryakov.
Russian Empire began plans for the construction of an eastern frontier fortress town in the southern Ural region to be named Orenburg in 1734.
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Encyclopedia
Orenburg is a city on the Ural River and the administrative center of Orenburg Oblast in the Volga Federal District of Russia. It lies 1,478 km southeast of Moscow, very close to the border with Kazakhstan. Population: 542,700 (2005 est.); 549,361 (2002 Census). Highest point: 154.4 m. International dialing code: +7 (3532). Postal code: 460000. As of 2006, the mayor of the city is Yuri Meshcheryakov.
History
The Russian Empire began plans for the construction of an eastern frontier fortress town in the southern Ural region to be named Orenburg in 1734. The colonists originally founded a settlement in 1735 at the confluence of the Ural River with the Or River. The town's name meant "fortress near the Or," as Burg is German for fortress. This settlement changed its name in 1739 to Orsk. An attempt was made to found another Orenburg at a location called Krasnogor, or "Red Hill," in 1741, but this settlement failed. A third Orenburg was successfully established by Ivan Neplyuyev at its present location approximately 250 km down the Ural from Orsk in 1743.
This third Orenburg functioned as an important military outpost on the frontier with the nomadic Kazakhs. It became the center for the Orenburg Cossacks.
Orenburg played a major role in the rebellion of Pugachev (1773–1774). At the time, it was the capital of a vast district and the seat of the governor. Pugachev besieged the city and its fortress from nearby Berda from October 1773 - March 26, 1774. The defense was organized by lieutenant-general Reinsdorp. General Golytsin defeated Pugachev at Berda, and later again at Kargala (north of Orenburg). Most of the city was left in ruins, and thousands of inhabitants had died in the siege.
The famous Russian writer Alexander Pushkin visited Orenburg in 1833 during a research trip for his books "The History of Pugachev" and his famous novel "The Captain's Daughter". He met his friend Vladimir Dahl here, who would later write the first serious dictionary of the Russian language.
Orenburg was the base for General Perovsky's expeditions against the Khanate of Khiva in the 1830s through 1850s. After the incorporation of Central Asia into the Russian Empire, Orenburg became a trading station and, since the completion of the Trans-Aral Railway, a prominent railway junction on route to the new Central Asian possessions and to Siberia.
Orenburg functioned as the capital of the Kyrgyz Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic (in present-day Kazakhstan) within Russia from 1920–1925. When that republic was renamed Kazakh Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic in 1925, Orenburg joined Russia and Qyzylorda became the new capital. Alma-Ata became the capital in 1929 after the construction of Turksib. Kazakh Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic was promoted to the union republic status as the Kazakh Soviet Socialist Republic Kazakh SSR in 1936. Orenburg remained in Russia.
From 1938 to 1957, the city bore the name Chkalov (after the test pilot Valery Chkalov). The city's distance from the German invasion during World War II led many Soviet enterprises to flee there, helping in the city's economic growth.
Economy
Orenburgenergy company is one of the biggest energy generating companies in Russia. Other big local businesses are Orenburggazprom, natural gas company and Orenburgneft, oil company . Orenburg is served by Orenburg Tsentralny Airport and is home to Orenburg air base.
Education
Higher education institutions include Orenburg State University, Orenburg State Medical Academy, Orenburg State Pedagogical University (http://www.ospu.ru/), Orenburg State Agricultural University, Orenburg branch of the Moscow State Law Academy (http://www.oimsla.edu.ru), the Orenburg Institute of Economics & Culture, and the Orenburg State University of Management.
Culture
Orenburg Drama Theater, Musical Theater, Tatar Drama Theater, and Puppet Show Theater Pierrot are located in Orenburg. Orenburg is also home to Orenburg Academic Russian Folk Chorus.
Tourism
Mountain and river tourism is developed in the region. There are a number of fast mountain rivers and rocks in pleated spurs of the southern edge of the Urals range, popular with tourists.
The city is famous for its down Orenburg shawls. The thinnest lacy design, knitted by hand shawls and cobweb-like kerchiefs (pautinkas), is not only warm, but also is used for decorative purposes.
Architecture
A famous boulevard on the embankment of the Ural River is one of the most notable places in Orenburg.
Orenburg TV Tower is a guyed mast of unusual design. It is a 200 metres tall mast equipped with 6 crossbars running from the mast structure to the guys .
Sister cities
Orenburg is twinned with the following sister cities:
Famous people
Honours
The asteroid 27709 Orenburg was named in the city's honour on 1 June 2007.
External links
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