The first Russians to appear on these lands were the Cossacks from the detachment of the pioneer Vasily Poyarkov, who came here in 1644. In the middle of the 17th century, the first prison was founded on the left bank of the Amur, but due to the restless relations between the Russians and the Chinese state, this prison was abandoned at the end of the century. The future capital of the Amur Region, as it is believed today, was founded in 1856, when the Ust-Zeya military post was founded here. The fact is that by this time the need to declare imperial rights to own the left bank of the Amur was finally ripe. Blagoveshchensk began as a border fortress founded during the expansion of state territories - a common story for many Russian cities and towns.
Border outpost
During the second half of the 19th century, Blagoveshchensk became increasingly stronger as a stronghold of Russian civilization and statehood in the Far East. In the first years of its existence, the future capital of the Amur Region intensively expanded its territory due to the arrival of new Cossack regiments, which remained with their families for permanent residence. In 1858, the first Orthodox church of the Annunciation of the Most Holy Theotokos was laid here. By the way, it was by the name of the temple that the village subsequently acquired its own name. In the same year, as a result of the Aigun Treaty between Russia and China, the entire left bank of the Amur was recognized by the Russian side, and the village received official recognition from the Qing dynasty. In December 1858, a map of the Amur Region appeared on the state maps of the fatherland, and Blagoveshchensk became its administrative center. The creation of the region took place through the highest imperial decree of Alexander II.
Amur Region: the capital
In the second half of the century, the city is developing more and more intensively. In the sixties, gold deposits were discovered here, which gave a significant impetus to the growth of prosperity and the status of the city. River location is increasingly turning Blagoveshchensk into a significant shipping center. The region's agriculture is developing at a high rate. All this, of course, has a positive effect on the development of urban infrastructure and the growth of the local population. The capital of the Amur Region is of great importance in the heavy industry of the country. So, in 1888, the first iron foundry appeared here, and at the beginning of the 20th century, a railway was laid through the city. Of course, the population of Blagoveshchensk has always had a large proportion of the Chinese. The restless beginning of the new century both in Russia and in the Celestial Empire brought a number of national clashes to the city. So in 1900, the so-called Boxer Rebellion led to military clashes between Russians and Chinese in the Far East. As a result of these eventsthe latter were partially destroyed and for the most part expelled from the city.
Soviet period
During the civil war, the capital of the Amur Region was occupied for some time by Japanese troops, who tried to extract their own benefit and appropriate part of the territories of the former empire. However, they were expelled by local partisans in the summer of 1920. Since 1922, Blagoveshchensk with the adjacent territories became part of the Soviet state. In the 1920-30s, heavy and light industry again actively developed here. The specifics of the border city left its mark on local trade - the city became one of the main points of smuggling. During the Great Patriotic War, the Far East was one of the important components of the domestic industry, working for the needs of the front. And in the post-war period, Blagoveshchensk remained a city closed to entry for a long time, since strategically important enterprises were located here. A new era came only with perestroika in the mid-1980s.
