Chelyabinsk is the 7th largest city in Russia in terms of population. Due to its geographical position, it is often called the gateway to Siberia, which accurately reflects its role as an important transport hub and link between Russian regions. The history of the creation of Chelyabinsk and its transformation into one of the most important industrial centers of our country is interesting for everyone who is interested in the past of our Motherland. Therefore, in the article we will talk about it in detail.
History of the name of Chelyabinsk
At the moment, the most plausible is the version according to which the toponym comes from the Turkic word "chelebi", which translates as "prince" or "educated". There is also an opinion, based on the stories of the descendants of the first settlers, that the fortresses of Chelyaba were named so because of the tract, that is, “silabe” (“depression”) in Bashkir. The latter version is indirectly confirmed by the notes of the famous medieval Germantraveler Johann Gmelin, who visited the Chelyabinsk fortress in 1742.
Foundation
The need for a fortress located on the border of the Urals and Siberia arose at the beginning of the 19th century.
It is officially accepted that the year of foundation of Chelyabinsk is 1736. It was then that on the site of the large Bashkir village of Chelyaba, Colonel A. I. Tevkelev (Kutlu-Muhammed) laid the foundation for a Russian fortress. It began to be built with the consent of the owner of the land, Tarkhan Taimas Shaimov. This was the reason that over time the Bashkirs were exempted from taxation. Later, the management of the construction of the Chelyabinsk fortress was entrusted to Major Y. Pavlutsky, who, according to some reports, several years earlier, on behalf of the command, was looking for a place to found the city.
In the first half of the 18th century
As already mentioned, in 1742 Chelyabinsk (the history of the city contains many amazing facts) was visited by I. G. Gmelin. He made the first description of the fortress. According to this document, it was located on the southern bank of the Miyass River, and in terms of fortification it was similar to Miyasskaya, however, it was large. At the same time, she had only wooden walls made of lying logs, each of which was about 60 fathoms (160-170 m) long.
In the spring of 1748, the construction of the first stone church began in Chelyabinsk, which became the main cathedral of the Iset province. Soon the city began to actively expand, and various public institutions appeared there.
In the second half of the XVIIIcentury
One of the most significant events in its history took place in 1774, when the governor A. Verevkin was able to withstand the siege of the Pugachevites. However, after a few months, the rebels were able to enter Chelyabinsk and de alt with representatives of the authorities. General I. A. Dekolong, who arrived with reinforcements, helped in the liberation of the city.
If you are interested in what year Chelyabinsk was founded as a city, then this is 1781 - 45 years after the founding of the fortress. That is how long it took for the Bashkir village with the fort to turn into a large settlement. This fact was marked by the assignment of the status of a county town to it. In addition, by decree of Empress Catherine II, the coat of arms of Chelyabinsk was approved, on which a loaded camel was depicted at the bottom of the provincial shield.
In 1788, a global event took place in Chelyabinsk: a group of doctors, led by S. Andrievsky, studied the symptoms of anthrax, gave the name to this disease and invented a serum capable of protecting a person from a deadly disease.
In the 19th century
The new century was marked by the development of trade and crafts. Due to its geographical location and location on traditional caravan routes (the coat of arms of Chelyabinsk is a reflection of this circumstance), by the middle of the 19th century the city had firmly taken one of the leading places in the fair trade of the Urals. However, its explosive growth occurred after 1892. It was associated with the completion of the construction of the railway that connected Chelyabinsk with the European provinces. Russian Empire. It is known that Alexander the Third himself intervened in the matter, canceling the previously proposed project, which involves the construction of a railway through Kazan - Yekaterinburg - Tyumen, bypassing the city. Since 1892, the Trans-Siberian Railway has been continued further east. The commissioning of the railway to Yekaterinburg in 1896 further contributed to Chelyabinsk taking the leading positions in the field of interregional trade. Suffice it to say that in a few years the local stock exchange has become the first in Russia in terms of the volume of transactions for the purchase / sale of bread and the second - in the trade of imported tea.
Chelyabinsk by the beginning of the 20th century
In 1897, the population of Chelyabinsk was approximately 20,000 people. At the same time, its sharp growth was observed, which was associated with the emergence of more and more new settlements around the railway station (detailed information about this can be found by visiting the Museum of the History of the City of Chelyabinsk).
In parallel with this, educational institutions of various profiles were modernized and opened in the city, such as a religious school, a female pro-gymnasium, a real school, a trade school, etc. A railway club and a people's house were built. As for the sphere of entrepreneurship, about 1,500 commercial and industrial establishments operated in Chelyabinsk, the total annual turnover of which was about 30 million rubles. Trading offices and dozens of representative offices of foreign companies were constantly opening, supplying the Russian Empire with ultra-modern machines and equipment for those times.
For fastdynamics of development and accelerated growth of Chelyabinsk (the history of the city in the XVIII-XIX centuries is presented above), they even began to call Zaural Chicago. Already by 1910, the population of the city had tripled, and by 1917 it had increased to 70,000 people.
History of Chelyabinsk during the revolutionary events and in the first years of Soviet power
After October 1917, the city, like the entire Russian Empire, found itself in a whirlpool of events. According to the surviving historical documents and the recollections of eyewitnesses, the power of the Soviets of Workers' and Soldiers' Deputies was introduced not only peacefully, but also by armed means.
It is noteworthy that among representatives of historical science it is generally accepted that a full-scale civil war began on May 14, 1918 after the uprising of the Czechoslovak corps on the railway. Chelyabinsk station. And even in conditions of political instability, the city continued to develop. In particular, in 1918 the Chelyabinsk elevator was put into operation, which was supposed to play a crucial role in providing the region with grain.
By the middle of 1919, new authorities were finally restored and created in Chelyabinsk, and from September 3, 1919, it became a provincial center, later - a district one.
In the pre-war period
In early 1934, the Chelyabinsk region was formed by a decree of the All-Russian Central Executive Committee. The city became its administrative center, and in 1937 miraculously avoided being renamed Kaganovichgrad.
At the same time, the industrial development of Chelyabinsk did not stop for a minute. Suffice it to say that if by 1919 inSince only 2 enterprises operated in the city, from the beginning of the 1930s, abrasive, tractor, ferroalloy, machine-tool and zinc plants began to work there.
The Great Patriotic War
During the Second World War, Chelyabinsk (the history of the city at the end of the 20th century will be told later) played an important role in providing the army with armored vehicles.
From the very beginning of the war, the city received several hundred thousand evacuated citizens. As a result, the population of Chelyabinsk grew by 2.5 times, reaching 630,000 people. On the basis of more than 200 evacuated enterprises, by merging with local industries, the industrial giants ChKPZ, ChMK, ChTPZ were created. In addition, from 1941 to 1945, Chelyabinsk (the history of the city during this period is a story about the massive labor feat of the Soviet people) became the location of the people's commissars of the tank industry, ammunition, medium engineering and power plants.
During this period, there was a connection of the capacities of the local tractor plant with the evacuated Kharkov engine-building and Leningrad Kirov plants. This made it possible to launch the production of T-34 tanks in record time. During the Second World War, 60,000 diesel engines for combat tracked armored vehicles were produced in Chelyabinsk. In addition, the production of the famous Katyushas was mastered at the Kolyushchenko plant. In 1941-1945, Chelyabinsk enterprises also produced diesel engines, ammunition, electrical equipment for armored vehicles, parts for ZIS vehicles and tanks, as well as other products necessary for victory.
After the war
After the victory, Chelyabinsk became a supplier of machinery, equipment and labor for the reconstruction of Donbass, Stalingrad, DneproGES and other destroyed settlements and important industrial and energy facilities of our country.
In 1947, the plan for the development of the city was approved. As a result of its implementation, new microdistricts and industrial enterprises have appeared.
By 1960, the number of higher educational institutions in the city also increased sharply, and in 1976 ChelGU was opened there, which became the first classical university in the South Urals.
Especially rapid industrial growth in Chelyabinsk was recorded in the early 80s, when its enterprises took leading positions in the production of stainless steel, pipes, ferroalloys and road machines.
The city also developed culturally. In particular, in the 1980s, a new building of a drama theater for 1,200 seats, a chamber and organ music hall, a geological museum, as well as monuments to "On a New Way" and I. Kurchatov were opened there.
Modern period
The first half of the "dashing" 90s was a difficult period for Chelyabinsk, as it was marked by the bankruptcy of enterprises, non-payment of wages and underfunding of social programs. Fortunately, this situation did not last long, and by the end of this decade industry resumed work in the city, and many combines and factories entered the world market. There has been a revival in other areas as well. In particular, in 1996 a zoo was opened. In 2004, the history of the streets of Chelyabinsk was replenished with a new page, as the famousKirovka became pedestrian and turned into a favorite place for tourists and citizens to walk. Two years later, he moved to the new building of the State Historical Museum of the Southern Urals, a new building was opened, and in 2009, the Traktor ice arena, which seats 7,500 spectators.
From the well-known events that took place in Chelyabinsk in the last decade, one can note the fall of a meteorite, when 7,320 buildings were damaged by the blast.
Chelyabinsk City Day
This holiday was special in 2016. After all, the city is 280 years old! Chelyabinsk celebrated City Day on September 10 with magnificent celebrations and folk festivals. A total of 60 events took place. Since it was impossible to fit them all in 24 hours, the celebration lasted for several days and many stars from the capital took part in it.
Now you know what interesting events took place in the city of Chelyabinsk. Today, it is one of the industrial giants of our country and looks to the future with confidence.
If you are interested in the history and traditions of Chelyabinsk, be sure to visit this city, where your curiosity can be satisfied by visiting museums and talking with local residents.
