Starocherkasskaya(Russian:Старочерка́сская), formerlyCherkassk(Черка́сск), is arural locality(astanitsa) inAksaysky DistrictofRostov Oblast,Russia,with origins dating from the late 16th century. It is located on the right bank of theDon Riverapproximately 35 kilometers (22 mi) upstream from the major Russian port city ofRostov-on-Don.
It is famous for having been the center ofDon Cossackculture and politics for nearly two centuries as the capital of theDon Host Oblast.Due to regular spring floods that submerged the small city on several occasions, the Cossacks moved their capital to higher ground atNovocherkasskin 1805.
In and around Starocherkasskaya there are over forty noteworthy historical and cultural sites including the Resurrection (Voskresensky) Cathedral, completed in 1719, and its famous gilded woodeniconostasis.
History
editA Cossack fortress on the island of what was later calledMonastyrskyon theDonriver was probably built before 1570 although it is first mentioned in chronicles from 1593. After fifty years it became the capital of theDon Cossacks,first as an independent entity in between Russia,TurkeyandPoland,then avassalof the Russiantzars,then as an administrative region, then as theDon Voisko Provinceof the Russian Empire.
In its heyday in the 18th century, Cherkassk was a busy city with a strong fortress. The city was the major residence of quite a few famous Don cossacks of the 17th and 18th centuries, includingStepan Razin,Yermak Timofeyevich,Kondraty BulavinandMatvei Platov.It was also the location of fierce battles between Russian,Ottoman,Crimeanand Cossack forces.
Being on an island, the city's position was very convenient for a fortress and military camp, but inconvenient for an administrative and trade center — in spring the island was flooded by Don river and the crowded wooden city was subject to devastating fires.
In 1805, theDon Voisko Province'sataman,Matvei Platovmoved the capital to the newly and specially built city ofNovocherkassk(literallyNew-Cherkassk), which was on a hill, about 40 kilometres from Cherkassk. Most of the residents of Cherkassk moved to the new capital. The remnants of the old city got the name of thestanitsa(village) of Starocherkasskaya (literally Old-Cherkassk). Now it is a site of an important museum, tourist center and orthodox male convent.Michail Aleksandrovich Sholokhovwas a major contributor to the museum's organization.
Historical and cultural points of interest
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- Resurrection cathedraland iconostasis; location of the chains which are said to have heldStepan Razin
- Transfiguration (Preobrazhensky) Church(1740)
- Petropavlovsk Church (1751)
- TheAtamanestate museum (Атаманское подворье)
- The houseofKondraty Bulavin
- TheAnnensky fortressruins (1730)
- Our Lady of the Don monastery
External links
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