Ekaterinburg - 18th century

Before we start our story about modern Ekaterinburg, we should look back into its history. In the first half of the 18th century, in Russia, the necessity in the united, centralized administration of all Ural plants appeared. The administrative centre of mining industry had to be focused in a large city. This city had to combine management function, metallurgical industry, and play the role of trading Russian-Siberian intermediary. More over, this city had to become the centre of plants with trained personnel.

Ekaterinburg

met all these requirements. Peter the Great called this city in the honor of his wife, the empress, Ekaterina I. At that time there were a lot of foreign words, that's why the city was called as a European city: "Ekaterin"(in the honor of Ekaterina 1) and "burg" (means "city").

In 1720, the captain in the artillery, Tatischev V. N. was sent to the Ural by Peter the Great. He was to manage governmental plants. Tatischev V.N. was Peter the Great's follower. He was a well educated and energetic person.

Soon after his arrival to the Ural, Tatischev V.N. planed to build a new plant. This plant was to be located on the bank and upper reaches of the river Iset. There were the best conditions for the future plant: ore, water and timber. High banks, deep rivers, woods, hills and picturesque surroundings, all this seemed to be the best place not only for a new plant, but for a new town. But Tatischev V.N. couldn't realize his idea, because of the crafty designs of his enemy, Demidov N.D. Demidov N.D. was Peter's fellow-fighter and since 1719, a commissioner, manufacturer and merchant. At the beginning he was known as Antufyev N.D. Later he got the title of nobility under the name of Demidov N.D. He got this title for his great services in mining industry development. Demidov N.D. was the peasant's elder son. He moved to town Tula from his native village and became a farrier. It was Demidov N.D., who became the forefather of the famous clan, the Demidov's. The Demidov's possessed incredible richness and high titles. They founded many Ural and Siberian mines and plants. Demidov N.D. didn't approve Tatischev's activity. He sent to Peter 1 a complaint about Tatischev V.N., and the plant's building was finished under the direction of another tsar's minister Gennin V. I.

The plant's construction began in summer, 1723. Except this plant other buildings were constructed on the territory of the fortress. There were rows of shops, a church, a school, about 300 small houses and the building of Mining Chancellery that controlled all the Ural and Siberian plants.

Construction of Ekaterinburg Plant

had the important role for Ural mining development. There was the mining center. It was the most economically developed region not on the Ural only but in Russia as well. So this plant gave the birth to a new town, Ekaterinburg. In the18th century, in 30-s, production began to reduce. The plant began to loose its importance as metallurgical enterprise. But the town, connected with all Ural mines and plants, began to develop. Finally it turned into the administrative mining centre.

Ekaterinburg appeared 2 decades later than St. Petersburg. St. Petersburg

, a new Russian capital, supposed to become "a window to Europe" and Ekaterinburg supposed to become the Ural capital of "mountain kingdom" and "a window to Asia".

With the time, city's architectural style was formed. It combined tendencies of Russian architecture of the 18th century and traditional features of Ural town-plants.