A Monument to Katherine II and the Alexander’s Column 

On the 18-th of September 1894 almost all the inhabitants of Nakhichevan as well as hundreds of guests from the nearest towns, Moscow and St.Petersburg gathered in the Gostinnaya Square (now Karl Marx Square). They witnessed the ceremony of unveiling the monument to the Empress Katherine II who had granted the Armenians for settling on the Don lands with the considerable privileges.

The monument was made by two well-known Russian sculptors     M.A. Chizhov and M.M. Chizhov and was considered one of the best sculptures of the empress. It cost 30 thousand roubles at that time. The pedestal for the monument was made of granite by S. Tonatto. We can still see it but quite at the other place –now it serves as a pedestal for the monument to Mikhailo Lomonosov near the cinema «Rostov», though its size does not fit a small monument. The pedestal has lost the following decorations: the emblem of Nakhichevan, an inscription «To the Empress Katherine II from the grateful Armenians»; the portrait of Archbishop Joseph Argutinsky-Dolgoruky who initiated the Armenians’ settlement in the Don area. 

By the 100-th anniversary of that memorial event in the history of Nakhichevan a group of talented sculptors had tried to restore the monument and even made several diminished copies of it. However their intentions had not been realized due to the fact that now all the citizens associate this place with the other monument – to Karl Marx.

Nevertheless the other monument which had been unveiled quite on the same day (September 18-th, 1894) was lucky to resume its initial form after the whole century. On that day in the park on the border between Nakhichevan and Rostov (now it is called the park named after Vitya Cherevichkin) the Column to the Emperor Alexander II was constructed. In 1880 the Duma declared to construct a column in order to commemorate the 25-th anniversary of Alexander’s reign and to call the park after him. Unfortunately the column was finished only after his death. In 1984 thanks to a number of sponsors the column was restored and now one can see two-headed eagles crowning it, as before.

VOCABULARY

1 to unveil a monument – открыть памятник

2 archbishop Joseph Argutinsky-Dolgoruky – архиепископ Иосиф Аргутинский-Долгорукий

3 reign – царствование

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Rostov in the 19-th Century

 

The first half of the 19-th century was a period of great significance for Rostov. It was connected with a rapid growth of its economy. Rostov was in the centre of a vast territory in the South of Russia and thanks to the gained military security and beneficial geographical position it turned out to be a link between Russia and countries of Europe and Asia. Rostov and Taganrog became the largest ports and executed export of numerous agricultural products: wheat, sugar, honey as well as timber, iron, copper, salt and coal.

At the beginning of the 19-th century industry was not well-developed yet. Though there were 53 factories and plants: among them several lard factories, leather, brick, tobacco factories, etc. Twice a year the fairs were held in Rostov attracting merchants from all over the world.

By the year 1860 the population had exceeded 17 thousand people. There were 14 streets and a number of by-streets in the town. The most important was Pochtovaya Street (now Stanislavsky Street), some years later the role of the main street was assumed by Moskovskaya Street. Sadovaya Street which had appeared not long ago was considered the suburb. There were no hospitals and streets were dirty. That is why the epidemics broke quite often. The situation with education was not better: only 200 children (girls and boys separately) from the families of noblemen, merchants and priests could get education in two schools.

The most alarming days for the Rostovites came when during the Crimean war the battle broke in the Azov Sea. But then the enemy withdrew the fleet into the Black Sea and the town could continue its peaceful life.

Rostov as a trade centre attracted hundreds of people and by the end of the 19-th century its population had increased rapidly up to 120 thousand people.

The part of Rostov in export of wheat acquired the leading position in the country and connected the town with Italy, France, England, Holland and other countries. This period is known as the time of intensive growth of the capital. The names of the Russian merchants: Paramonov, Panchenko, Asmolov as well as the foreign ones: Diamantidi, Oste, Kamm, etc. are connected with the economic and cultural development of Rostov. Their houses decorated Bolshaya Sadovaya Street which had become the main street by the second half of the 19-th century. It was the busiest and the most beautiful street in the town. The first horse-drawn tram and then in 1901 the electric tram ran along it. Several hospitals were opened but poor people could not afford being treated in them as it was necessary to pay either a monthly hospital tax or a ward-fee. They lived in shabby houses which they constructed in the suburbs near the Don without authorization. Their children were still illiterate, but some of them studied in the church school. By the end of the century there had been two single-sex gymnasiums. The boys from the middle class families could study in a number of colleges: railway, navigation or industrial.

At this time there were already two theatres belonging to the merchants Asmolov and Mashonkina but cinema turned out to be the most fascinating thing.

Rostov of the 19-th century is known as «a town-merchant»: its life was energetic, business-like and went in a full swing.

VOCABULARY

1 timber – древесина

2 a lard factory – салотопленный завод

3 a nobleman – дворянин

4 to withdraw (ir.: withdrew, withdrawn) – выводить (о войсках)

5 a horse-drawn tram – конка

6 a ward - fee – плата за палату

7 navigation college – мореходное училище

8 industrial college / school – ремесленное училище

EXERCISES

1 Answer the following questions:

1 Compare the situation in economy, industry, education and health protection in Rostov at the beginning and at the end of the 19-th century.

2 Why was the 19-th century so important in the development of Rostov?

3 What factors were favorable for its development and growth?

4 What cultural institutions, places of interest and houses of the 19-th century do you know in Rostov?

5 What branches of industry were developed in our town at that time and why?

 

2 Choose the correct answer:

1 Rostov connected Russia with the countries of

a) Asia;

b) Europe and Asia;

c) America.

 

2 At the beginning of the 19-th century industry

a) was not well-developed yet;

b) was highly developed;

c) was only developing.

 

3 The alarming days for the Rostovites came when

a) the town was attacked by the enemy;

b) the epidemic of plague broke;

c) the sea-battle broke in the Azov Sea;

d) the harvest of wheat perished.

 

4 The boys from the middle-class families could study

a) in a church school;

b) in a number of colleges;

c) in a co-educational gymnasium.

 

3 Say, if the statement is true or false:

1 Health treatment in Rostov was free in the 19-th century.

2 The first horse-drawn tram ran along Moskovskaya Street.

3 In Rostov there were two theatres but the most fascinating thing was cinema.

4 Rostov had occupied the second place in Russian export of wheat by the end of the 19-th century.

5 The most developed branches of industry in Rostov were leather processing, tobacco, brick, etc.

6 The fair took place once a year in Rostov.

7 At the end of the century children of the poor still could not get education.

8 Foreign merchants did not live in Rostov, they came only to the fair.

9 By the end of the 19-th century the population in Rostov was 120 people.

 

 

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