Orenburg Located on the Russia Map

Orenburg is a southwestern city of Russia and it is found on the Ural River just at the border of Europe and Asia. Started in 1743 as a fortress, it was a major hub of trade between Russia and Central Asia. It is the administrative center of Orenburg Oblast and it has a population of more than 500,000. The city is described as a place of cultural diversity, rich historic architecture and also prides in the famous shawls that are made of goat down. It also has a well-developed industry covering food processing, machinery, and gas production.

History

The Russian Empire established Orenburg in 1735, as a fortified base to stabilise and facilitate trade routes with Central Asia and guard its southern frontiers. The initial location has been considered improper and the settlement has been moved two times before finally settling at its present place in 1743. It was highly strategic in the sense that it is located on the Ural River situated towards the boundary point between Europe and Asia hence the river was very essential economically.

During the 18th century, the city turned into a major administrative place as well as a trade point between Kazakh steppes and Russia. It was the place of living for a vast number of different people, such as Russians, Tatars, Bashkirs and Kazakhs, which created the multicultural atmosphere up to nowadays.

Such importance to the empire was evidenced by the fact that during the Pugachev Rebellion (1773-1775), the Orenburg was placed under a siege by rebel troops. In spite of the destruction, the city did not give up and went on developing, being more involved in the Russian imperial system. During the 19th century it was the residence of the governor-general of the Orenburg Governorate, which had an expanse of large land stretching far into central Asia.

As the process of Russian expansion was taking place, the city became a keystone in political, economical and militaristic factors of the region. Trade relations were developed, European Russia was opened to Central Asia, and domestic resources were turned to local industries as the demand increased. By the end of the 1800s, it had been known as an educational, cultural and scientific research center.

The early part of the 20th century saw a lot of political disarray in the city. It passed to and fro between the Reds and the Whites, during the Russian Civil War. After succeeding the Bolsheviks, it ended up as one of the components of the newly established Soviet Union where it experienced an extensive phase of industrialization, especially in the 1930s. It was a strategic centrally located site to produce during wartime since World War II and its population increased significantly with evacuee and shifted factories arriving along with factory workers arriving in it after the western areas of the country.

The era of the Soviet was followed by streamlining, increase in infrastructure and emergence of new industries. The well known Orenburg shawls not only became the national symbol of craftsmanship but remained the delicate, warm garments of local goats down to this day. Following the break-up of the Soviet Union in 1991, the city experienced economic difficulties though it was a slow process towards a market economy.

Culture

The culture of Orenburg as well as the geographic location of the city between Europe and Asia is a result of the centuries-old interaction between various ethnic and religious groups. It has a powerful cultural background full of close links to Russian cultures as well as the culture of the other nations that reside in the region such as the Bashkir, the Tatars, and the Kazaks who have inhabited the region generations ago.

The Orenburg shawl, which is very delicate and warm, is one of the most iconic cultural symbols of the city. These handmade goat down shawls are knitted using the down of the local goats and they have been produced since the 18th century and they are internationally renowned as a mark of craftsmanship. The tradition is kept alive, and is nowadays remembered in local museums and exhibits, an example being the Orenburg Shawl Museum.

The multicultural history is also shown in the architecture in the city. Russian Orthodox Cathedral of the Epiphany is in a line with mosques and historic administrative buildings of the imperial and soviet time. The design style of the European mix with the design style of Central Asia can be observed all over the streets and other public areas in the city.

Orenburg also has a musical regional center, theatrical and visual arts. The Orenburg Regional Drama Theater, which is one of the oldest in the Urals, hosts not only the performances based on the classical Russian plays but also the modern ones. Concerts in The Philharmonic Hall offer folk, or classical music, and mostly feature local talents as well as national ones. Both Russian and ethnic folk ensembles exist with activity in the retention of traditional music and dancing.

Orenburg Regional Museum of Local Lore provides a wide range of exhibits on archeology, ethnography and the history of the region, and the Fine Arts Museum preserves the collections of Russian art and decorative crafts. The traditional festivals and events like the annual festival of Orenburg - Heart of Eurasia present the culture of numerous ethnic groups of the region in a form of music, dance, and food.

There has also been thriving literature and education. The city is connected with famous historical persons such as Alexander Pushkin, who took a trip to the area in the process of researching the book The History of the Pugachev Rebellion.

Language

The language of Orenburg is diverse, and culturally and historically connected to Russia and Central Asia. Russian is the major and the official language spoken by an overwhelming majority of people. It has been applied in every formal sector: the government, education, business, media, and the provision of any service to the people. Russian is a language of teaching in institutes and schools, urban and professional spheres.

Nonetheless, the border to the nation of Kazakhstan and the geographical position of Orenburg with its multinational population show that some of the minor languages also fully contribute to the cultural environment of the region. These extend to include Tatar, Bashkir and Kazakh among others. Most of the families of these ethnic communities preserve their native languages especially in the rural setting and within community or religious context. Such languages are frequently transmitted on a generational level and remain a part of the day-to-day language and music, oral stories and religion.

One of the most popular minority languages in the area is Tatar and there is a large number of Tatars residing in and around this city. There is also the presence of the Bashkir language particularly in regions nearer to Bashkortostan. The ethnic Kazakhs speak Kazakh and its presence is easily noticed given that the region is close to the Kazakhstan country. These are languages belonging to the Turkic language family and are somewhat similar, not that they are related though.

Bilingualism and even multilingualism is quite a regular issue especially with people who belong to minority groups as they tend to have Russian and their own ethnic language. Even though Russian is very strongly represented, minorities attempt to revive and maintain the existence of their language, mostly through the support of cultural associations and religious organizations. Such steps involve the holding of language courses, folk festivals, and the printing of literature and media in Tatar, Bashkir, Kazakh.

Geography

Orenburg is situated in the south eastern region of European Russia close to the Kazakhstan border and is the administrative capital of the Orenburg Oblast. It represents a special geographic place between Europe and Asia and thus becomes the historical and cultural exchange between the Russian and Central Asian cultures. The city is situated at the Ural River which conventionally forms the dividing line between the two continents, thus location has contributed quite a lot to the strategic and economic significance of the city.

The area is covered with a complex of regions, like steppe and semi-desert topographies. The countryside of these open plains is dominated by this kind of countryside that is very favorable to agriculture and grazing of animals. Irrigation by rivers has made it possible to grow crops such as wheat, sunflowers, among others due to their fertile chernozem (black soil) covering much of the oblast. Due to this agricultural abundance it has become an essential part in the local economy and settlement.

The city is located in the flow of the Ural River that provides its geography and becomes a main source of water. Historically the river used to support trade and movement between the Russian heartland and Central Asia. It also gives recreational activities and sustains local fisheries. The area is also blessed with several minor rivers and watersheds including the Sakmara River.

The Orenburg region is located at an average height of approximately 150-200 meters above sea level. On the northeastern boundary one can see the land as it rises to the southern fringes of the Ural Mountains, but the actual mountains cannot be seen in the city.

The climate in this area is continental and its climate is hot in summer and cold in winter. The average temperatures of July tend to surpass 30°C (86°F) whereas in January it may go as low as -15°C (5°F). Precipitation is moderate with most of it appearing in late spring and summer. The winter is generously snowy and dry with the winds making the situation challenging especially in the open areas of steppe.

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