Novorossiysk (; ) is a
city in southern
Russia, the main Russian port on the
Black Sea, in
Krasnodar Krai. It is one of the few cities honoured with the Soviet title of the
Hero City. Population: 281,400 (2005 est.);
History
In antiquity, the shores of the
Tsemess Bay were the site of
Bata, an ancient Greek colony that specialized in the
grain trade. It is mentioned in the works of
Strabo and
Ptolemy, among others. The
Genoese merchants from the
Ghisolfi family maintained a trade outpost there in the
Middle Ages. Archaeological investigation of the area is in its infancy, but some interesting items have already been uncovered.
Since 1722, the bay was commanded by the Ottoman fortress of
Sujuk-Qale or Soğucak. After the coastline was ceded to
Russia in 1829 as a result of a
Russo-Turkish War, the admirals
Mikhail Lazarev and
Nikolay Raevsky founded an eastern base for the
Black Sea Fleet on the shore in 1838. Named after the province of
Novorossiya, the port formed a vital link in the chain of forts known as the
Black Sea Coastal Line, which stretched south to
Sochi.
During the rest of the 19th century, Novorossiysk developed rapidly and became the capital of the
Black Sea Governorate, the smallest in the
Russian Empire, in 1896. From August 26, 1918 until March 27, 1920 Novorossiysk was the principal centre of
Denikin's
White Army and the short-lived
Novorossiya Republic. Many
Whites escaped from Novorossiysk to
Constantinople.
In 1942, the town was occupied by the
Wehrmacht, but a small unit of Soviet sailors defended one part of the town, known as
Malaya Zemlya, for 225 days, until it was liberated by the
Red Army on September 16, 1943. The heroic defense of the port by the Soviet sailors allowed to retain possession of the city's bay, which prevented the Germans from using the port for supply shipments. Novorossiysk was awarded the title
Hero City in 1973.
In 1960, the town was commemorated in
Dmitri Shostakovich's work
Novorossiysk Chimes, the Flame of Eternal Glory (Opus 111b).
In 2003,
President Putin signed a presidential decree setting up a naval base for the Black Sea Fleet in Novorossiisk. Russia has allocated 12.3 billion rubles (about $480 million) for the construction of the new base between 2007 and 2012. The construction of other facilities and infrastructure at the base, including units for coastal troops, aviation and logistics, will continue beyond 2012
The Russian lease on port facilities in
Sevastapol,
Ukraine's main port on the Black Sea, used by the Russian Navy, expires in 2017.
Ukraine is reported to be planning to not renew the lease.
If it does not Russia will have to move the Navy to Novorossiysk.
Economy
The city sprawls along the shore of the
non-freezing Tsemess Bay, which has been recognised since antiquity as one of the superior bays of the
Black Sea.
The
Novorossiysk Commercial Sea Portwith the market capitalization of $1,110,000,000 and shares listed at
Russian Trading System and
London Stock Exchange serves Russian sea trade with regions of
Asia,
Middle East,
Africa,
Mediterranean, and
South America. It is the busiest oil port in the Black Sea and the terminus of the pipeline from the
Tengiz Field, developed by the
Caspian Pipeline Consortium.
Novorossiysk is also an industrial city, dependent on
steel,
food processing, and the production of metal goods and other manufactures. Extensive
limestone quarries supply important
cement factories in and around the city. The town is home to the and .
Transport
Novorossiysk is connected by rail and highways to the main industrial and population centres of Russia, Transcaucasia, and Central Asia. The public transportation within the city boundaries consists of city buses, trolleybuses, and
marshrutkas.
The closest airport,
Anapa Airport, is located in nearby Anapa and serves most major cities in Russia
Sport
The city football team,
FC Chernomorets Novorossiysk plays in the Russian first Division
Environs
Novorossiysk is not a resort town, but
Anapa to the north and
Gelendzhik to the south are. There are several urban settlements under the jurisdiction of Novorossiysk. The most famous is
Abrau-Dyurso, which consists of a townlet on the shore of
Lake Abrau and a village on the coast of the Black Sea, connected by a winding mountain road.
Myskhako, a small town of 5,700 inhabitants, is situated on the eastern slope of Mt. Koldun (447 m). It is associated with a
WWII marine operation involving
Leonid Brezhnev. The modern settlement is noted for its luxurious villas and wine-making facilities.
The area of Novorossiysk is one of Russia's main wine-growing regions. The
wineries of
Abrau-Dyurso, established by
Tsar Alexander III in 1870, produce table and sparkling
wines for domestic consumption.
Buildings and structures
The port of Novorossiysk
A panoramic view of the Tsemess Bay
Sister cities
Novorossiysk has ten
sister cities
