Chistopol (russian: Чи́стополь; tt-Cyrl, Чистай, ''Çistay''; cv, Чистай, ''Çistay'') is a
town
A town is a human settlement. Towns are generally larger than villages and smaller than cities, though the criteria to distinguish between them vary considerably in different parts of the world.
Origin and use
The word "town" shares an ori ...
in
Tatarstan
The Republic of Tatarstan (russian: Республика Татарстан, Respublika Tatarstan, p=rʲɪsˈpublʲɪkə tətɐrˈstan; tt-Cyrl, Татарстан Республикасы), or simply Tatarstan (russian: Татарстан, tt ...
,
Russia
Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a List of transcontinental countries, transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia, Northern Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the ...
, located on the left bank of the
Kuybyshev Reservoir
Kuybyshev Reservoir or Kuybyshevskoye Reservoir (russian: Ку́йбышевское водохрани́лище, Kuybyshevskoye Vodokhranilishche), sometimes called Samara Reservoir and informally called Kuybyshev Sea, is a reservoir of ...
, on the
Kama River
The Kama (russian: Ка́ма, ; tt-Cyrl, Чулман, ''Çulman''; udm, Кам) is a long[«Река ...]
. As of the
2010 Census, its population was 60,755.
History
It was first mentioned in chronicles at the end of the 17th century. It developed very quickly, and by 1761 the number of inhabitants exceeded 1,000. In 1781, a decree by
Catherine the Great
, en, Catherine Alexeievna Romanova, link=yes
, house =
, father = Christian August, Prince of Anhalt-Zerbst
, mother = Joanna Elisabeth of Holstein-Gottorp
, birth_date =
, birth_name = Princess Sophie of Anhal ...
granted Chistopol the status of an
uyezd town
An uezd (also spelled uyezd; rus, уе́зд, p=ʊˈjest), or povit in a Ukrainian context ( uk, повіт), or Kreis in Baltic-German context, was a type of administrative subdivision of the Grand Duchy of Moscow, the Russian Empire, and the ea ...
, with the establishment of its own coat of arms. At the end of the 19th century, Chistopol became a major center of trade for grain. Prior to 1917, it was the second largest town (after Kazan) in
Kazan Governorate
The Kazan Governorate (russian: Каза́нская губе́рния; tt-Cyrl, Казан губернасы; cv, Хусан кӗперниӗ; mhr, Озаҥ губерний), or the Government of Kazan, was a governorate (a ''guberniya'') o ...
.
During the
Great Patriotic War
The Eastern Front of World War II was a theatre of conflict between the European Axis powers against the Soviet Union (USSR), Poland and other Allies, which encompassed Central Europe, Eastern Europe, Northeast Europe (Baltics), and Sout ...
, Chistopol become a shelter for the
Union of Soviet Writers
The Union of Soviet Writers, USSR Union of Writers, or Soviet Union of Writers (russian: Союз писателей СССР, translit=Soyuz Sovetstikh Pisatelei) was a creative union of professional writers in the Soviet Union. It was founded ...
, which included
Boris Pasternak
Boris Leonidovich Pasternak (; rus, Бори́с Леони́дович Пастерна́к, p=bɐˈrʲis lʲɪɐˈnʲidəvʲɪtɕ pəstɛrˈnak; 30 May 1960) was a Russian poet, novelist, composer and literary translator. Composed in 1917, Pa ...
,
Leonid Leonov
Leonid Maximovich Leonov (russian: Леони́д Макси́мович Лео́нов; — 8 August 1994) was a Soviet novelist and playwright of socialist realism. His works have been compared with Dostoyevsky's deep psychological torment.
...
and other notables.
The town is notable for its
Vostok watches
Vostok Watch Makers, Inc. (russian: Восток; literally meaning "East") is a Russian watchmaker based in Chistopol, Tatarstan, Russia. The company produces mainly rugged military and amfibia mechanical watches. It also makes clocks and watch ...
factory, which was founded in 1942.
Chistopol was ranked first among Category III cities (population up to 100,000) in the 2015 edition of
Most Comfortable City in Russia.
In the year 1781, Empress Catherine the Great established the center of the “Chistopol District of the Kazan Governorate” (Rusmania). In the 19th century, the city flourished in grain production. Nearly half of its lands were used for grain production along with trade. Its location and docks allowed for many resources and in due time, it became the second largest city in the Kazan Governorate (Rusmania). Following World War 2, many acclaimed writers were placed in Chistopol. Not long after this, a crucial watch factory was also transferred to the city in 1942. ‘Vostok’ watches are now very prominent in the town. Since then, the city has preserved its 19th century feel and remains a historical center.
Administrative and municipal status
Within the
framework of administrative divisions, Chistopol serves as the
administrative center
An administrative center is a seat of regional administration or local government, or a county town, or the place where the central administration of a commune
A commune is an alternative term for an intentional community. Commune or comună or ...
of
Chistopolsky District
Chistopolsky District (russian: Чистопольский райо́н; tt-Cyrl, Чистай районы, ''Çistay rayonı'') is a Administrative divisions of the Republic of Tatarstan, territorial administrative unit and Municipal divisions ...
, even though it is not a part of it.
[Order #01-02/9] As an administrative division, it is, together with one
rural locality
In general, a rural area or a countryside is a geographic area that is located outside towns and cities. Typical rural areas have a low population density and small settlements. Agricultural areas and areas with forestry typically are describ ...
(the settlement of
Yeryklinsky), incorporated separately as the
town of republic significance of Chistopol—an administrative unit with the status equal to that of the
districts
A district is a type of administrative division that, in some countries, is managed by the local government. Across the world, areas known as "districts" vary greatly in size, spanning regions or counties, several municipalities, subdivisions o ...
.
As a
municipal division, the town of republic significance of Chistopol is incorporated within Chistopolsky Municipal District as Chistopol Urban Settlement.
[Law #44-ZRT]
Transportation
The town is served by
Chistopol Airport
Chistopol was an airport in Russia located 7 km southwest of Chistopol. It was a small airport, with a single tarmac runway with one building.
Overhead imagery from Google Earth
Google Earth is a computer program that renders a 3D co ...
.
Notable people
*
Alexander Butlerov
Alexander Mikhaylovich Butlerov (Алекса́ндр Миха́йлович Бу́тлеров; 15 September 1828 – 17 August 1886) was a Russian chemist, one of the principal creators of the theory of chemical structure (1857–1861 ...
, chemist
*
Sofia Gubaidulina, composer
*
Nikolay Likhachyov (1862–1936), scientist
*
Anatoly Marchenko
Anatoly Tikhonovich Marchenko (russian: Анато́лий Ти́хонович Ма́рченко, 23 January 1938 – 8 December 1986) was a Soviet dissident, author, and human rights campaigner, who became one of the first two recipients (al ...
, dissident
*
Boris Pasternak
Boris Leonidovich Pasternak (; rus, Бори́с Леони́дович Пастерна́к, p=bɐˈrʲis lʲɪɐˈnʲidəvʲɪtɕ pəstɛrˈnak; 30 May 1960) was a Russian poet, novelist, composer and literary translator. Composed in 1917, Pa ...
, writer
*
Vazif Meylanov
Vazif Sirazhutdinovich Meylanov (russian: Вази́ф Сиражутди́нович Мейла́нов, 15 May 1940 – 11 January 2015) was a Soviet mathematician, social philosopher, writer, Soviet dissident and political prisoner (1980–19 ...
, dissident
References
Notes
Sources
*
*
External links
Official website of ChistopolChistopol Business Directory
{{Authority control
Cities and towns in Tatarstan
Chistopolsky Uyezd
Populated places on the Kama River