Krasnoyarsk

Krasnoyarsk is the largest industrial and cultural centre of Eastern Siberia, and capital of Krasnoyarsk Territory, the second largest region in Russia by area. It is situated in the centre of Russia at the confluence of the small river Kacha and mighty Yenisei. The town was founded in 1628 by Cossacks under troop leader Andrey Dubenskiy’s command and was originally named ”Krasniy Yar”. Krasnoyarsk received the status of city in 1690, when Siberia finally joined Russia. In 1822, it became the centre of the Yenisei province.

The city is distinguished by its unique landscapes, mountain views, majestic Siberian forest and well-known Stolby Nature Reserve. This work of nature is a series of exotic rocky eminences situated in the taiga on the spurs of the Eastern Sayan Mountains. The territory of the reserve totals 47 000 hectares.

Today’s Krasnoyarsk is a modern industrial city with unique architecture, a capital of artistic and talented people of Siberia and one of the most beautiful cities in the country. According to the All-Russian census of population carried out in 2002, more than 912 000 people live in Krasnoyarsk.

Several years in succession, Krasnoyarsk has been recognized as one of the most ‘comfortable’ cities in Russia. The event “My courtyard” has been repeated seven times. For the last four years, about 700 courtyards in different areas of city have been reconstructed under this programme. The Kacha river of Krasnoyarsk is gradually being improved. The ”Clean Entrance – Clean City” programme was started in 2004. In May 2004, drinking water in Krasnoyarsk was awarded a gold medal at the International ”Great Rivers - 2004” forum.

Over 17 000 enterprises, organizations and institutions, including 124 industrial enterprises are situated in Krasnoyarsk. Krasnoyarsk takes the leading position in Siberia by volume of per capita industrial production. Alongside the traditional industrial sectors for the region, such as metallurgy, power engineering and mechanical engineering, new areas are developing more and more actively. Proposals and creation of technologies and projects will allow the city to maintain its leading position and develop its attractiveness for investment.

In the 1960’s, Krasnoyarsk became a major transport junction. Three of the most important transport routes, the Trans-Siberian railway, a highway of federal significance and the river Yenisei pass through the city.

The city is a leader by both quality and quantity of housing construction. At present, Krasnoyarsk takes second place in Russia after Moscow in housing construction. Last year was a record in the last 15 years: 520 000 sq. metres of living space were constructed.

Parameters of such a level are considered to be high not only for Siberia, but for Russia as a whole. Only Kazan, constructing slightly more living space per citizen, surpassed Krasnoyarsk. According to results of 2004, Krasnoyarsk surpassed Moscow and St Petersburg. A total of 344 units were put into operation in Krasnoyarsk in 2004.

In 2003, a programme of municipal loan bonds for citizens was developed. The first rapidly erected block of flats was commissioned in December 2004. More than 3 billion roubles are to be invested into construction of new houses in Krasnoyarsk using municipal-bonded loans over the next 8 years. It will allow the erection of more than 260 000 sq. metres of living space. In addition, the city mortgage programme ”For Young Families – Accommodation at a Reasonable Price“ has been developed.

Citizens of Krasnoyarsk carefully maintain their history, restoring and preserving monuments of architecture and valuable features of ways of life. Krasnoyarsk is well known in Russia for its Paraskeva Pyatnitsa Chapel, for an architectural ensemble of office buildings on Karl Marks street, as well as for its Clock Tower. Krasnoyarsk bridges are among the main sights of the city. The Railway Bridge over the Yenisei, constructed in 1899 by mechanical engineer E.K. Knorre as part of the project by known Russian engineer L.D. Proskuryakov, was awarded with gold medal at the World Fair in Paris in 1900 as the highest achievement of technical idea. At present, there are 166 cultural heritage of regional and national importance in Krasnoyarsk.

Krasnoyarsk is a city that has turned to the future. It is among the top 5 Russian cities in the sphere of education. Significant scientific potential, rich cultural and sporting traditions are concentrated in Krasnoyarsk. The city has rich cultural traditions. Great Russian artist, Vasiliy Surikov, writer Victor Astafyev, and opera singer Dmitry Khvorostovskiy were all born, educated and worked here. There are 5 professional theatres in Krasnoyarsk. Mikhail Godenko's State Academic Dance Company of Siberia is known to spectators of more than 50 countries worldwide.

In 2003, a new symbol, the Historical Gates to the City, appeared in Krasnoyarsk. They were constructed at the exact place, where almost four centuries ago the settlement’s history began. In year of the 375th Anniversary of Krasnoyarsk, another tradition appeared – a carnival, which became one of the main events of City Day. The carnival procession of 2004 included over 12 000 people from creative and labour collectives of all large enterprises of the city.

Krasnoyarsk is a city of innovations, partnership and accord. Krasnoyarsk has entered the 21st century as a city of rights, where rules of long-term and mutually advantageous cooperation between authorities, businesses and citizens are precisely prescribed and these rules take into account individual, corporate and public interests.

Krasnoyarsk confidently conquers the international market, actively advertising itself in many countries of the world. Krasnoyarsk strengthens participation in political dialogue on the international scene. Krasnoyarsk represents Russia in the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe. Our city, one of three in Russia, together with St Petersburg and Kazan became a member of the Council of the World Organization of the United Cities and Local Authorities.

Krasnoyarsk is a symbol of bright victories in rugby, bandy (ice hockey with a ball) and free-style wrestling. Twice, in 1982 and 1986, Krasnoyarsk was host of the Winter Games of Peoples of the USSR, the biggest mass competition of the country. Nine Krasnoyarsk men were champions and prize-winners at the Olympic games. The Central Palace of Sports of the city was named in memory of honourable citizen of Krasnoyarsk, Ivan Yarygin, twice champion of the Olympic games in free-style wrestling. Names of prize-winners of the Russian, European and World championships in biathlon Olga Pyleva and Pavel Rostovtsev, pupils of the ‘Yenisei’ bandy team Lomanov father and son, Ivan Maksimov, Olympic champions in free-style wrestling Saytiev brothers, as well as Alexey Shumakov are known all over the world.

The "Everybody Starts" jogging competition has celebrated its 6th anniversary and the number of participants grows year after year. Over 16 000 citizens took part in the final run in 2004. The Children's Olympic Games, in which pupils of all kindergartens and schools of the city participated, became a visiting card of Krasnoyarsk.

Krasnoyarsk is a city of health. Over recent years in Krasnoyarsk, the maternal death rate was reduced by a factor of eight and the annual average birth rate increased by 10 percent. Achieving these results became possible due to the professionalism of physicians, equipping of maternity homes and children’s intensive care departments with modern technical equipment and to opening new polyclinics.

Everyone wishes to find the place on Earth where he would desire to live, meet dawn and see the sunset, study, work, build a house and bring up children. Krasnoyarsk is exactly such a place for its citizens. It is the city providing confidence in tomorrow, a city famous for its remarkable people. Krasnoyarsk is a city, which every day enters significant pages of its life into the annals of history.