Kirov, Kirov Oblast


Kirov is the largest city and administrative center of Kirov Oblast, Russia. It is located on the Vyatka River in European Russia, 896 km northeast of Moscow. As of the 2010 Census, its population was 473,695. Kirov is known for being the origin of Dymkovo toys.
It was previously known as Khlynov, and Vyatka.

History

Principality and republic

The native Slavic tribe of Central Russia and Volga regions, the Vyatichis, mixed here with the Novgorodian Slovenes and Finno-Ugric people. According to the medieval chronicles the first Russian settlements in the area appeared in 12th century. Kirov itself was first mentioned for the first time in 1374 when Novgorod ushkuyniks plundered it on their way to Bolghar. Vyatka was governed by a public assembly as other Northern Russian republics of Pskov and Novgorod.
At different times in the late 14th and 15th centuries Vyatka militias raided Ustyug, Novgorod and Tatar lands on Kama and Volga. Vyatka supported Yury of Zvenigorod during the Muscovite Civil War and after his party lost the victorious Vasily II sent Muscovite armies twice against Vyatka to subjugate it and eventually it was forced to accept the suzerainty of Moscow while retaining a significant measure of autonomy. In 1469 Vyatka allied with Khan Ibrahim of the Khanate of Kazan and did not take part in the campaign of Ivan III against the khanate.
After several unsuccessful campaigns by Moscow against Vyatka in 1480s, the latter was finally annexed in 1489.

Part of Grand Duchy of Moscow and Russian Empire

Khlynov became known throughout Russia for its clay statuettes and whistles. The town's oldest surviving monument is the Assumption Cathedral, an imposing structure surmounted by five globular domes.
In 1780, Catherine the Great renamed the town Vyatka and made it the seat of Vyatka Governorate. The town also served as a place of exile, notably for Alexander Herzen, Alexander Vitberg, and Mikhail Saltykov-Shchedrin. By the end of the 19th century, it was an important station on the Trans-Siberian railway.

Soviet and post-Soviet period

In December 1934, it was renamed for the Soviet leader Sergey Kirov, who had been assassinated on December 1. However, whilst the name Kirov has remained since the dissolution of the Soviet Union, numerous institutions such as the university bear the former name of Vyatka.

Administrative and municipal status

Kirov is the administrative center of the oblast. Within the framework of administrative divisions, it is, together with 134 rural localities, incorporated as the City of Kirov—an administrative unit with the status equal to that of the districts. As a municipal division, the City of Kirov is incorporated as Kirov Urban Okrug.

Economy

Kirov is a major transport hub and river port. It is served by Kirov Pobedilovo airport. During the 1990s this airport was closed and for several years provided only irregular service. During the 2003-2006 summer seasons there were signs of a revival in air transportation as several companies attempted to establish flight routes from Kirov to Moscow and Krasnodar. Since 2006 Kirov airport has been used by a local company operating flights to Moscow.
The Kirov River port went bankrupt in the late 1990s and all its river boats were sold to other regions. Kirov is a center of machine building; metallurgy, light, the printing trade, biochemical and the timber industry.

Culture

Museums

Vyatka Museum of Art, one of the oldest museums in Russia, was founded in 1910 by local artists.
The idea of creation belongs to natives of Vyatka land, brothers artists Viktor Vasnetsov and Apollinary Vasnetsov. At the core of the collection — works that received the most part in the 1910-1920s from the State Museum Fund, private collections and as gifts — from patrons and artists. Today the museum has more than fifteen thousand exhibits and is located in four buildings in Kirov downtown.
According to a report in Pravda dated January 4, 2005, Kirov is known as the "city of twins" for the unusually high number of multiple births there.
According to a report, the city is home to a high concentration of red-haired individuals.

Sports

plays in the highest division of Russian Bandy League. Their home arena has a capacity of 7500. It was the venue of the national final in 2013. Rodina-2 will participate in the Russian Rink Bandy Cup 2017.

Education

Kirov is the home of Vyatka State University, Vyatka University for the Humanities, Vyatka Agricultural Academy and Kirov State Medical University.

Climate

Kirov has a humid continental climate. Summers are warm and rainy, coupled with cool nights, while winters are cold and extremely snowy, with snow falling on most days during winter.

Gallery

Twin towns – sister cities

Kirov is twinned with: