Rostov-on-Don.

Architectural Look of The City — архитектурный облик города.

  Rostov-on-Don has a specific unique outlook due to its rich historical and cultural heritage. Its whole history starting from a small settlement near Temernitskaya customs and St. Dimitry Rostovsky fortress until now is reflected in numerous architectural, archaeological and monumental arts; as well as in memorial ensembles of military glory.

   There are over 800 objects of cultural heritage in Rostov-on-Don. Among them are 470 architectural monuments, 55 archaeological monuments and 106 monumental objects of arts and military glory.

   The historical center of the city is especially rich in architectural buildings and monuments. The building constructed after architect A.N.Pomerantsev’s design - “City Duma” is unique. The building of M.Gorky drama theater refers to the masterpieces of world architecture. Its model is kept in the British Museum in London.

   One can see a lot of city sculptures on the streets of the city. These are as follows: a walking “Citizen”, a “Merchant” offering his goods, a pretty “Flower-girl” with the basket of first violets and a lot of small sculptures which attract city guests’ attention and bring great joy to people.

   The historical center of Rostov is particularly rich in heritage-listed buildings. Among them is the building of the State Duma, created according to the project designed by the academician of architecture A. Pomerantsev and located at 47 Bolshaya Sadovaya St. Also the city has several architectural masterpieces of global importance, including the building of the Academic Drama Theatre named after Maxim Gorky, designed by architects V. Shchuko and V. Gelfreich (it is interesting to note that its miniature is displayed at the British Museum in London). The building of the Rostov Youth Theater by the architect N. Durbakh is over 100 years old – in the past it hosted Nakhichevanskiy Theater. At the end of the 18^th century the complex of buildings of the Armenian monastery Surb-Khach was erected according to the project by an outstanding Russian architect I. Starov.

   Paying tribute to the past, the Rostovites immortalized in stone and bronze the images of its inhabitants and countrymen who made an outstanding contribution to the history of the Don capital: Maxim Gorky, Mikhail Sholokhov, Martiros Saryan, and Georgiy Sedov.

   In the city’s streets, one can also see a lot of urban sculptures. These include the “Citizen” strolling along an avenue, the “Peddler-Merchant” offering his goods to passers-by, the sweet “Flower Girl” with a basket of first violets, “My First Teacher”, “The First-Grader”, and many other small sculptures, which bring joy to city-dwellers and attract visitors’ attention.

   An important milestone in the spiritual revival of the people of Rostov was set with the opening of another monument in Sobornaya Square in front of the Central City Cathedral – the monument to the Christian patron saint of the city, Saint Dimitriy, Metropolitan of Rostov. Another event of the same scale was the restoration of the bell tower at the Rostov Cathedral of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin. In 2007 the Pokrov Church was erected in Kirov park, and the monument to the founder of Rostov, Empress Elizabeth II, was restored at its old historical place. In 2009 a statuary group devoted to the founders of the fortress named after St. Dimitriy of Rostov was erected at the intersection of Bolshaya Sadovaya and Krepostnoy streets, and in 2010 the city administration held a grand opening of a memorial in honor of the foundation of Temernik Customs House on the embankment of the River Don.

   In 2008 by decree of the President of the Russian Federation, the city of Rostov-on-Don was awarded the honorary title "City of Military Glory." to commemorate the courage and heroism of its citizens during the Great Patriotic War (World War II). To celebrate this event a stela monument called “Rostov-on-Don – a City of Military Glory” was built and opened in 2010 on Sholokhov Avenue, near Rostov Airport. Every year on such national holidays as Defender of the Motherland Day (February 23^rd),  Victory Day (May 9^th),  and City Day, celebrations are held near this monument, bringing together war veterans, schoolchildren and young men, other Rostovites and visitors to the city.

   Do you know how fireworks and lights reflect on the surface of The Mighty Don?

   Rostov belongs to those few cities in the world, whose names include the name of the river they stand at. This extends the notion of the city as “home” onto the river too. It goes without saying,  the native-born Rostovites love the Don with real love of patriots. 

   The construction of the embankment was started in1896, but a railway branch, running along the river made this impossible. Architects developing the reconstruction plan for war-destroyed Rostov, were inspired by the idea of linking the city and the river. In 1949 the railway was deconstructed and the embankment finally was built. So, now we can come here and enjoy the view.

  Voroshilovsky Bridge, The Southern gate of Rostov, was constructed in 1965 from the design by engineer N.I Kuznetsov. It is unique as its separate blocks, each weighing 27-30 tones, are neither welded, nor riveted, nor cabled as done before but glued. With bustilate. The bridge is 620 m long, its width is 12m, and distance to the river water reaches 32 m, so that any types of vessels could pass under. In 2007 scheduled examination revealed that the armature was damaged. It was under repair. The municipal and federal authorities boosted the construction of a new six-way federal  bridge, close to the existing railway bridge..The new 460 metres long structure makes a part of a 5 mile long transport semi-ring with interchanges, viaducts and flyovers. Its daily traffic capacity will make 60 thousand cars and trucks.

   Are you a theatre-goer, or maybe a reading-lover?

   Rostov State Musical Theatre. First theatrical and music societies appeared in the second half of the 19^th century. They welcomed popular singers, composers and artists. In 1869 compositions by Jaques Offenbach were brought from Paris to Rostov. Since then operetta “found its home” here. But it couldn`t find a place “to house” its artists for a long time. The official date of birth of the musical comedy theatre is 1919.  And only in 1999 a group of operetta artists moved to the new theatre building, which had been constructed during several decades. The architects of this grandiose house of the 1960s faced the problem of creating a nameable building whose silhouette would symbolize musical art. They chose a grand piano with its cover open. The floor area makes 27000 sq meters; the stage by its engineering feature proscenium opening is only second to that of the Bolshoi Theatre. The house acquired a new status of a music theatre: it has its own opera and ballet companies.

   As the legend says, millionaire Yeppidiphor Paramonov (the father of Nikolay Paramonov) gave actress M.N.Chernova a villa on the crossing of Bolshaya Sadovaya Street and Nikolski (now Khalturinski) Lane. 1899 saw quite a number of masterpieces: Rosov Duma and Nakhichevan theatre opened their door that year. Balls, concerts, literary salons made this villa a high life center. After the Revolution the building housed the dramatic studio of the future playwright Ye. Schwartz. Many celebrities like M.Gnesin, M. Sarian also started their careers here. After nationalization the house “changed hands”: a children`s commune, a sewing school, Kozhsiryo, a shared apartment, North Caucasian Territorial Procuracy and Oblast Party Archieve. After the War the attic was ruined and the building lost its dashing air forever. And after the breakdown of its heating system in 1986 it became a structure beyond repair. The decision was unprecedented for the newest time: in according with the historical drawings, a copy was erected at the same place. This was a merit of the Bank of Moscow Rostov Branch located here.

Have you ever dived at Paramons`?

   It`s probably exciting but not quite safe, we should say. Then why not speak about that Paramonov, an extremely rich hereditary businessman Nikolay Paramonov. Nowadays his noble mansion in Pushkinskaya Street houses the Scholarly Library of Rostov State University. It was built in 1914 from the design by L. F. Eberg in the style of neoclassicism. He was a very progressive businessman, who financed the liberal newspaper Donskaya Rech, founded a publishing house of the same name, which in two years already sold nation-wide inexpensive well-looking books by progressive writers.

   During the Civil War Paramonov consigned the mansion to the use of the Army Government. Herefrom five thousand officers and junkers started their desperate winter campaign, later named “icy”. Paramonov was a member of the Army Council  of Ataman Krasnov, he fought in trenches.

   At the end of 1919 the fleet of Paramonov`s steamers put off the Port of Rostov holding course for Constatinopole. From there his family moved to Germany, where he was buried in 1951.

   The Intourist Hotel, the ancestor of the today`s modern hotel complex in Bolshaya Sadovaya Street, is the only building in Rostov-on-Don  whose project was awarded with the State Prize of Russia. As any other remarkable building ,this one has its own legend. They say, it was originally named Aksinia, but the high authorities were too anxious about the people`s moral portray and thus concerned that such a name would suggest frivolous ideas to those on business since this Sholokhov`s heroine was known to be a person of passion and amorous disposition. Therefore the Intourist appeared. Nowadays it`s one of the principal centers of the city`s business life. Close to the earlier building they are now constructing an international congress center and finishing all preparations before they start erecting a new five-star hotel. We know it now as Don Plaza Congress Hotel.

   In 1883, at the crossing of Bolshaya Sadovaya and Nikolaevsky (now Semashko) Lane the first Rostov multistory trading house appeared.  Its customers and owners had founded the S. Gench-Ogluev & Shaposhnikov  Commercial Company. The trading House, which had its own branches and warehouses in a number of provinces, could afford to erect not just a respectable building, but a palace. For this purpose Gench-Ogluev and Shaposhnikov invited the recent graduate and gold medal winner of St. Petersburg Academy of Arts A.N.Pomerantsev. Gench-Ogluev`s trading house appeared to be among the first designs of the future academician of architecture put into practice.

The fabulously looking palace, built in mixed styles with baroque predominance, became one of the most picturesque houses in the city and a symbol of the of merchant prosperity. Apart from the notions stores of its owners, it gave area to numerous rents, bank offices, and joint-stock companies. After the nationalization the building was occupied by various institutions and since the 1930s even a popular fish market has been located on the ground floor. During the Grate Patriotic War the building was badly damaged. It was rehabilitated but simplified.