Barnaul

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Barnaul is a city and the administrative center of Altai Krai, Russia. Barnaul is situated in the southwest of the Siberian Federal District on the Ob River.

History

Barnaul was one of the earlier cities established in Siberia. Originally chosen for its proximity to the mineral-rich Altai Mountains and its location on a major river, the site was founded by the wealthy Demidov family in the 1730s. In addition to the copper which had originally attracted the Demidovs, substantial deposits of silver were soon found as well. In 1747, the Demidovs' factories were taken over by the Crown, and soon became the major silver center of Russia.

By the 18th and early 19th centuries, 90% of Russian silver was produced in the Altai region. Barnaul was the site of the country's largest silver-smelting factory, and as production expanded, so did the population. In 1771, the once-small settlement acquired the status of a mining town that was one of the largest in Siberia.

By the 1900s, Barnaul had grown into a major center for trade and culture of the region, especially after the construction of the Turkestan-Siberia Railway.

World War II

Despite the fact that Barnaul was thousands of miles away from the actual fighting, hundreds of thousands of citizens from Altai Krai were killed on the front during World War II. As there are in many Russian cities, a large Soviet memorial dedicated to those who died can be found in the city center.

Economically speaking, Barnaul benefited during the World War II period as a result of the relocation of major Soviet factories from the west of Russia and Ukraine to areas less likely to be overrun by enemy forces in Siberia.

As a legacy of this period, today Barnaul continues to be home to one of the largest ammunition factories in Russia.

Transport

Barnaul is linked by air, railways, roads and riverboats with other parts of Russia. The city lies approximately 220 kilometers (137 mi) south of Novosibirsk, the largest city in Siberia and the third-largest in Russia. It takes about four hours to reach the Altai Mountains in the south by car along the Chuysky highway.

Barnaul airport located about fifteen minutes from the center of the city, which offers daily flights to and from Moscow and Saint Petersburg among other more local flights. Barnaul is approximately four hours by plane from Moscow, and slightly longer to Saint Petersburg. It also takes approximately four hours by plane to reach Vladivostok on the Pacific coast of Russia.

Any part of the city can be reached using public transport, whether one decides to use the city's many buses, trolleys, or taxis.

Although many of Barnaul's main roads have been recently upgraded, most of the roads in Barnaul are in extensive disrepair.