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Voronezh

geography Maturity 11-13 Next article →

Voronezh is a large and busy city in southwestern Russia.

Voronezhold
Voronezhold

It sits right along the Voronezh River. This river flows into the much larger Don River. The city is a very important place for travel and trade. A major railway connects the city to the Urals and Siberia.

Districts of voronezh
Districts of voronezh

A large highway also passes through the area. This road links Moscow to the southern coast. Many people live in this growing city. In 2021, the population reached 1,057,681 people. This makes it the 14th-most populous city in Russia.

Площадь Ленина в день города
Площадь Ленина в день города

The history of this land goes back a very long time.

Beker van Voronezj Voronezh drinking vessel (4e eeuw v. Chr. 4th century BC)
Beker van Voronezj Voronezh drinking vessel (4e eeuw v. Chr. 4th century BC)

Archaeologists found a huge Slavic settlement here many centuries ago. It was one of the largest ancient hillforts in Europe. The area covered more than 9 hectares. This is 13 times larger than the main settlement in Kiev in the year 988. Some experts believe the name Voronezh comes from an old word for "black" or "dark."

Annunciation Cathedral in Voronezh1
Annunciation Cathedral in Voronezh1

They think it described the vast, dark oak forests that once covered the region.

In the 16th century, the area changed as the Grand Principality of Moscow took control. The current city was established in 1586 by Feodor I. It was built as a fort to protect trade routes. Later, Peter the Great did very important work here.

Памятник Петру 1
Памятник Петру 1

He built a dockyard to create Russia's first fleet of ships. One of these ships was named the Goto Predestinatsia.

Гото Предестинация у Адмиралтейской площади
Гото Предестинация у Адмиралтейской площади

Because of these ships, Voronezh became a major economic center in South Russia.

Voronezh faced very difficult times during World War II. The city was a place of fierce fighting between different armies.

Niemiecki wóz pancerny w drodze do Woroneża (2-960)
Niemiecki wóz pancerny w drodze do Woroneża (2-960)

During the war, the city was almost completely ruined. About 92% of all the buildings were destroyed. After the war ended, people worked hard to rebuild everything. By 1950, most of the buildings and monuments were repaired. The city also became a place for learning. It even had a special school for young boys.

Today, Voronezh is a center for science, industry, and culture. It is known for making many things, including large planes.

RIAN archive 566221 Tu-144 passenger airliner
RIAN archive 566221 Tu-144 passenger airliner

In the 1960s, workers there built the supersonic Tu-144 plane. They also built the first Soviet wide-body plane. The city is also a beautiful place to visit. Every winter, the main square is decorated with themes from famous books.

A parkway in Koltsovsky Garden Square, Voronezh, Russia
A parkway in Koltsovsky Garden Square, Voronezh, Russia

In 2020, it looked like The Nutcracker. In 2021, it was themed after The Snow Queen.

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🖼️ Images & Media (13)
File:Beker van Voronezj Voronezh drinking vessel (4e eeuw v. Chr. 4th century BC).jpg
Beker van Voronezj Voronezh drinking...
File:Памятник Петру 1.JPG
Памятник Петру 1.JPG
File:Гото Предестинация у Адмиралтейской площади.JPG
Гото Предестинация у Адмиралтейской площади.JPG
File:Voronezhold.jpg
Voronezhold.jpg
File:Niemiecki wóz pancerny w drodze do Woroneża (2-960).jpg
Niemiecki wóz pancerny w drodze do...
File:Площадь Ленина в день города.jpg
Площадь Ленина в день города.jpg
File:Мэрия.Воронеж.jpg
Мэрия.Воронеж.jpg
File:Districts of voronezh.png
Districts of voronezh.png
File:RIAN archive 566221 Tu-144 passenger airliner.jpg
RIAN archive 566221 Tu-144 passenger airliner.jpg
File:ВГМУ (ВГМИ) -2.jpg
ВГМУ (ВГМИ) -2.jpg
File:A parkway in Koltsovsky Garden Square, Voronezh, Russia.jpg
A parkway in Koltsovsky Garden Square,...
File:В парке авиастро..JPG
В парке авиастро..JPG

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