True self-knowledge is possible only through knowledge of the world. This person helps travel. Everyone is free to choose their own path: someone, tired of the noise of a megalopolis, travels to nature - to test himself and return to the origins of human life. Someone, on the contrary, rushes to places with a developed information space, where every little thing is important, where the brain works to its fullest. Many begin to study the surrounding reality from their small homeland, delve into the history of the region or region, and study the surroundings. As a rule, the next stage of cognition of the world is a real journey through your native country.
What were the cities in Russia called?
The centuries-old history of Russia is filled with many significant events for the further development. These include the period of the Tatar-Mongol yoke, Yermak’s campaign to Siberia and its annexation to the territory of the Russian state, a window cut into Europe by Peter the Great, and so on. These facts are reflected in the Russian language. For example, the words "caravan", "watermelon", "noodles", "fog", to which today's people are so accustomed, were borrowed from the Tatar language. The "camp" and "resort" were once brought from modern Germany. "Marmalade" and "actor" came from France in the nineteenth century. All of the above refers to the category of ordinary, often used in colloquial speech words. We do not think about their origin, nor do we think about the origin of city names.
Similar historical situations influenced geographical names. So, “Derbent” is the Persian “narrow gate”. "Chita" is understood as well as "read", from Sanskrit this toponym is translated as "comprehend" or "know." "Murom" came from the Cheremis "Murom", which means "a place of fun and songs." "Perm" is translated from Vepsian - "distant land". "Ufa" literally from Bashkir - "dark water". There are a lot of similar examples, and, digging a little deeper, you begin to understand how the names of cities are connected with the history, culture and traditions of the peoples living in this place.
Interesting place names
Other countries also boast a rich history of events - toponyms in them have a special sense of humor. In America, for example, there is a town whose name translates as "why." In Canada, you can stumble upon the "abyss of bison killed to the death." The name of the German commune as it were calls tourists to action - it translates as "kissing." It is worth noting that the names of cities by the name of the founder exist also abroad. In America, you can stumble upon the small town of Quincy, named after John Quincy Adams, who holds the post of Secretary of State of the United States of America.
"Broad and vast Mother Russia" - this is what our ancestors said. The newly made tourist is convinced of this. The number of settlements, small and large, is in the thousands. This is where the real discoveries concerning uncommon place names begin. What are the villages of Taz and Bolshoi Pupsy, the Tukhlyanka river, the village of Such ... Often the geographical names reflect the history of the place. So, the name of the city of Raisins (Kharkov region) came from the Tatar "guzun" - a ferry. Knowing this, one can understand that much earlier in this place there was an important crossing across the local river. However, only linguists can draw such conclusions. More interesting for ordinary people are the names of cities by the name of the founder, because they indicate a specific historical personality.
Folk love
Geographic names always carry some specific semantic load. Like the names of important city streets, cities named after a particular person comprise recognition of the merits of this person. Sometimes you have to sacrifice the historical names of the place. This fact demonstrates the deep respect of the inhabitants of the village to the bearer of the name given to the small homeland. In this regard, a reasonable question arises: which cities are named after people?
Long live the revolution!
Most renaming of cities and towns dates back to the twentieth century. The leaders of the revolutionary movement enjoyed the greatest respect at that time, and, according to popular opinion, it was their names that should adorn the names of settlements. A wave of change of toponyms swept over the RSFSR, in this regard, it is appropriate to answer the previously asked question (which cities are named by people) with a list:
- Leningrad (formerly St. Petersburg);
- Ulyanovsk (formerly - Simbirsk);
- Karl Marx village (located in the Tver region);
- Sverdlovsk (previously and now - Yekaterinburg);
- Kuybyshev (previously and now - Samara);
- Kaliningrad (formerly Koenigsberg);
- Dzerzhinsk (formerly Rastyapino, Chernoe);
- Frunze (currently Bishkek);
- Makhachkala (formerly Anji Kala).
Thus, the origin of the names of Russian cities is not always exclusively etymological in nature. Renaming associated with the life and work of significant individuals is also known. For example, the names of V. G. Belinsky and A. S. Pushkin are assigned to cities to which these historical figures are directly related. Khabarovsk is named after Erofei Khabarov, a seventeenth-century explorer who discovered the city. The name of the Ukrainian city of Pereyaslav was later added by the name of Bogdan Khmelnitsky, who contributed to the reunification of Ukraine and the Russian Empire.
Names of cities by the name of the founder
As mentioned above, during a trip to the Russian Federation you can discover incredible, at first glance, geographical names. In addition to funny and vaguely familiar toponyms formed from borrowed words or from the names of famous historical figures, there are also proper names. It is logical to assume that such cities were named after their founder. Obviously, the origin of the names of Russian cities can have a very different background.
Yuryev-Polsky
This provincial town in the north of the Vladimir region is a storehouse of cultural and historical heritage of Russia. It was founded in the middle of the twelfth century by the great Moscow prince - Yuri Dolgoruky. There was a name of the city by the name of the founder. An example of a description of the area surrounding the town is “Russian field-pole”, because this primordially Russian settlement has a rare compound name. One of the main attractions of Yuryev-Polsky is St. George's Cathedral - a unique architectural monument of Ancient Russia, whose construction date dates back to the second quarter of the thirteenth century. Equally important is the Mikhailo-Arkhangelsk monastery, on the territory of which ancient churches are located.
The churches of Nikita Martyr and the Protection of the Holy Virgin deserve close attention. The construction of a complex of two buildings dates back to the late eighteenth century, which is what distinguishes the church from other architectural monuments. And if the Church of the Intercession was erected in the image of traditional Russian cathedrals, then the church of Nikita Martyr is a building designed in the Empire style, with a red brick bell tower that rises above the whole city.
Vladimir
This city, like the previous one, is part of the Golden Ring of Russia. It is named after Vladimir Monomakh, whose reign dates back to the eleventh century. Vladimir is located in the area of two hundred kilometers east of Moscow. A lot of tests fell on his lot, which predetermined the course of the history of the whole country. The fact is that Vladimir was one of the most influential cities of Russia during the period of feudal fragmentation. In those days, large administrative centers fought with each other for power in the state. In the end, Moscow won. However, this majestic city also fully claimed the title of capital.
The centuries-old history of Vladimir is reflected in the rich culture of the city. Now thousands of tourists come here to see the Assumption Cathedral, built in the twelfth century, the Golden Gate, which is rightly considered a masterpiece of architecture of Ancient Russia, the Patriarchal Gardens, the Water Tower ... Vladimir's list of attractions is not limited to this, the city has something to show the whole world !
St. Petersburg
St. Petersburg is also included in the list of city names by the name of the founder. Peter the Great laid the first stone on the site of the future city, now the majestic Peter and Paul Fortress rises on that very spot. It is worth noting that the first emperor of the Russian Empire named the city not by his name, but by the name of his patron - the apostle Peter. Nevertheless, everyone who meets with St. Petersburg understands the city’s connection with the great reformer of the Russian state. And listing even a small part of the sights of St. Petersburg will take more than one page - it is better to see everything with your own eyes.
Temryuk
This small city is located at the mouth of the Kuban, near Krasnodar, on the shores of the Sea of Azov. This settlement was founded by Prince Temryuk, son-in-law of Ivan the Terrible. Currently, Temryuk is famous for its breathtaking landscapes and mud volcanoes. Many travelers go to this town to find peace of mind: fields, sea, forests - what else does a person need to feel truly free?
Yaroslavl
There are many names of cities named after the founder in Russia. Not the last on this list is Yaroslavl. It was founded in the eleventh century by Yaroslav the Wise, who was nicknamed so for his significant contribution to the country's culture. In terms of reputation, the city is in no way inferior to its founder - countless sights demonstrate how old and majestic Yaroslavl is. Travelers from all over the world come here to see the church of Peter and Paul, the “House with Lions”, the Peter and Paul Park, which carefully preserves the heritage of the great emperor Peter Alekseevich.
But in Yaroslavl, modernity is in no way inferior to historical heritage. So, here you can see the unique Yaroslavl zoo - the only landscape type zoo in Russia. The building of the Yaroslavl station is an architectural complex - a monument of modern monumental art. The Yaroslavl Museum-Reserve is rightly called the heart of the city. Located in the very center, it carefully guards the oldest Transfiguration Monastery and several churches. Antiquity side by side with modernity - this is what real Yaroslavl is.
Wherever you look, everywhere is a discovery
The variety of geographical names in Russia is amazing. A person who first goes on a trip to his native country constantly discovers something new. Here are funny place names, whose meaning can be understood only by looking at the etymological dictionary or history guide, and the settlement whose name changed depending on the course of modern history, and the name of the city by the name of the founder ... The list is long. It’s better to set aside time and see it all with your own eyes.