Rostov is one of the most beautiful cities of the country. It is located on the right shore of the River Don. Several centuries ago, this land attracted the attention of Peter the Great who found here the source of drinking water during his Azov Campaigns. There was a Russian camp near it. The source had been called “Rich Well” since that time. Originally, the customs post was built here. Then, the military fortress for protecting the southern border of Russia from the Tatars and the Turks was built. The fortress was named after Metropolitan Dimitry of Rostov.
At the end of the 18th century, there was not only a military fortress, but also a seaport. Ten years after, the first international trade company that obtained a huge profit appeared here. This was because the Port Temernitsky was the only port in the south of Russia and it was possible to trade with the countries of the Black, Mediterranean and Aegean Seas only via this port. The city was formed near the fortress that gave it the name. Not to confuse Rostov with Rostov Veliky, it was called Rostov-on-Don. Such famous warlords, as Alexander Suvorov and Fyodor Ushakov, served in the Rostov Fortress.
Then, water pipelines, a telephone, a railway and even a tram appeared in Rostov. Despite the fact that the city was mainly merchant, its industrial sector was quickly developing too. At the beginning of the 20th century, about a hundred industrial enterprises worked here. Today, Rostov is still an industrial city, the population of which is over a million people. There are many prestigious educational institutions, research centers, libraries, tobacco factories, and car plants.
The city is rich in wonderful architectural monuments. There is the House of Margarita Chernova in one of the central streets of Rostov. This magnificent mansion with luxurious facade was built in the late 19th century. Festive events and concerts were often held here. Nowadays, this historic mansion is an outstanding monument in the eclectic style. Since its construction, it has remained almost unchangeable. On the facade of the mansion, you can see several wonderful sculptures.
In the city, there is the amazing Art Museum that occupies one of the most magnificent historic buildings too. It was opened in 1928. Today, besides paintings, it presents the rich collection of pieces of applied art. Its visitors can see here works of famous artists and sculptors of the 18th-19th centuries. Despite the fact that the museum lost most of its exhibits in the period of the Great Patriotic War, its collection was reproduced after the war.
In the first half of the 20th century, the Rostov Local History Museum was founded. Today, you can see here unique collections dedicated to the history, culture and nature of the Rostov Region. After the war, the museum occupied a new building where it is located now. This building has a great value from an architectural point of view.
The most religious monument in the city is the Cathedral St. Blessed Virgin built in the middle of the 19th century. It is a miracle that the cathedral has been preserved to this day. It is a spectacular monument in the Russian and Byzantium style. The cathedral was reconstructed not so long ago and most of its original interior elements were restored.
Another interesting religious monument is Surb-Hach Church built by Armenian settlers in the 18th century. Before, the church had been a part of the big monastery that has not been preserved to this day. After over 200 years, the tiny church in classic style has remained almost unchangeable. It houses several important religious relics. The most valuable now is the stone cross transferred here from the historic town Ani.
