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Historically, cities were built along natural lines – rivers and roads, which ensured ease of communication and access to natural resources. This determines the predominantly elongated shape of a typical “city with history”.
With the development of transport, the advent of water supply and sewerage, buildings began to take on a more compact shape, occupying an area close to a circle. Most of the “young cities” have such architecture.
But there are exceptions. There are compact old-timer cities; some “newcomers” have elongated outlines. I wonder which city in Russia is the longest? In our top 1o, let’s get acquainted with the record holders in length.
10 Moscow (42 km)
The city is quite old. It is believed that its chronicles have been conducted since 1147, but the first settlements discovered by archaeologists date back to the Neolithic period. Nevertheless, even on the first historical maps, its compact, rounded outlines are clearly visible.
Obviously, this is due to the fact that the winding Moskva River made it possible to compactly place a significant number of farms in a small area. In addition, in order to defend against enemies, it is easier and cheaper to build fortifications that are close in shape to a circle.
Despite the fact that Moscow is the largest city in Russia in terms of population (it is more than 14 million people), it is a fairly compact city. It is generally accepted that it has a length from northwest to southeast of about 42 km.
9. Novosibirsk (43 km)
A comparatively young (1893) city has today a population of almost 1,7 million inhabitants. Occupying an area of 50 sq. km, the city is noticeably elongated from east to west, has a length greater than the diameter of Moscow – about 43 km.
This happened because the development of the city from the moment of its foundation was associated with the construction of the West Siberian Railway. Separate settlements arose around railway stations and, growing, gradually closed into the city. By the way, this agglomeration received the status of a city only in 1904.
Special Development Novosibirsk as an industrial center and a “city of scientists” began in 1957. Evacuation to the city of industries, the construction of new factories and the development of scientific institutes led to the fact that Novosibirsk became a “millionaire city” already in 1962.
8. St. Petersburg (44 km)
The city, founded in 1703, is located on the coast of the Gulf of Finland, covering it with a crescent. Despite the fact that in terms of the number of inhabitants it is the second city in Russia (about 5,5 million inhabitants), the population density is quite high. The length of the crescent along the north-south line is estimated at about 44 km.
This shape and high building density are due to historical reasons. The city was originally planned as a fortress and shipbuilding center. Therefore, buildings were grouped around shipyards and huddled up to fortresses and forts, gradually occupying the coast compactly.
7. Omsk (45 km)
Just like Novosibirsk Omsk located on the Trans-Siberian Railway. But its elongated shape is directed exactly across the path! The fact is that the city, founded two centuries earlier (in 1716), historically developed along another transport artery of Siberia – along the banks of the Irtysh and Om rivers.
In the XNUMXth century, at the height of the development of the natural resources of Siberia, rivers were the most important transport routes. Supplies were delivered along them, mined furs and gold were sent to the center of the state.
A military presence was required. This led to the foundation of a fortress – the Omsk prison. From 1918 to 1920 it even served as the capital of the Russian State.
The length of the Irtysh River through the territory of Omsk is about 25 km. But in fact, the diameter of the city with a population of about 1,2 million inhabitants is larger and is approximately 45 km.
6. Samara (50 km)
Located on the Volga River Samara is a large industrial and cultural center in the Middle Volga region. The city was founded in 1586 and was supposed to serve as a guard fortress. The main purpose was protection from nomads.
In addition, it was a base for conquering lands to the east of the Volga, as well as a stronghold of river trade. It was the most important highway linking Astrakhan and Kazan.
Like Novosibirsk, Samara was one of the evacuation centers. The transfer of industrial production to it led to an increase in the population by 1,5 times. Now the population living on an area of 541 sq. km, is about 1,17 million people. From north to south, the city stretches for almost 50 km, from west to east – for 20.
5. Ufa (54 km)
Ufa a city with an interesting history. It was founded on the banks of the Belaya River in 1574, and already in 1586 it became an important administrative center. Built as a fortress and administrative center at the request of the Bashkir people.
The Bashkirs complained to Ivan IV (the Terrible) that it was far and dangerous to carry yasak (tax filing) to Kazan. In addition, they would like to have a fortress to protect against wild hordes of nomads.
So they did. The city developed quite classically, naturally growing along the banks of the Belaya, Ufa and Dema rivers. Occupying an area of 708 sq. km, the city with a population of 1,12 million inhabitants stretches from north to south for almost 55 km.
4. Perm (70 km)
Since ancient times, people settled along the banks of the Kama River. But at the beginning of the XVIII century. the need to build factories for the smelting of copper led to the fact that, by order of Peter I, a settlement was founded in the area of the Chusovaya and Kama rivers. After the construction of the Yegoshikha plant began in 1723, the settlement received the official status of a city.
The development of the city was facilitated not only by the presence of copper ores. The Kama River allows you to send goods to five sea regions: the Caspian, Azov, the Black Sea, the White Sea basin, and the Baltic.
Today the city Permian, with a population of about 1,1 million people, stretches along the Kama River for almost 70 km.
3. Novy Urengoy (80 km)
As the name indicates, this is a very young city – founded in 1975 as a working settlement of oil workers, New Urengoy acquired the status of a city only in 1980, and only in 1982 the young city received a railway connection “with the mainland”.
The city is located in a swampy area (polar tundra). In fact, it represents an agglomeration – the union of individual areas of industrial oil and gas production, residential microdistricts and administrative complexes.
This division leads to the fact that with a population of only 117 thousand people, the city occupies an area of 111 square meters. km, stretched from north to south for almost 80 km.
2. Volgograd (85 km)
The Volga trade route has been around since the XNUMXth century. connected Scandinavia and the Arab Caliphate. Not surprisingly, many commercial and military settlements were founded along the Volga and Dnieper.
The first mention of border settlements that protected trade routes dates back to 1579. In 1589, on the site of the current Volgograd a Cossack fortress was founded. This fortress guarded the most important part of the Volga route: the 70-km “perevoloku” – a place through which ships with cargo were dragged to the Don basin and back. Since 1780, the fortress has become the administrative center of the Tsaritsy district, receiving full-fledged city status.
The growing industry quickly led to the expansion of the city. A large administrative and industrial center (population about 1 million inhabitants) today occupies an area of 860 square meters. km, stretching along the Volga for 85 km.
1. Sochi (145 km)
Sochi, “resort city”, stretches along the Black Sea coast for about 105 km, covering an area of 3,5 thousand square meters. km! This is, in fact, an agglomeration of 81 settlements – microdistricts, towns, auls.
The winding terrain with mountain passes leads to the fact that the length of the “main road” connecting the extreme points of the city with a population of 0,5 million people is as much as 145 km. However, recently the construction of new tunnels and passages has reduced the path to 140 km.