Matveyev Kurgan (russian: Матвеев Курган) is a

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 ...

(a ''

settlement Settlement may refer to: *Human settlement, a community where people live *Settlement (structural), the distortion or disruption of parts of a building * Closing (real estate), the final step in executing a real estate transaction *Settlement (fin ...

'') and 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 is located. In countries with French as administrative language (such as Belgium, Lu ...

of Matveyevo-Kurgansky District, Rostov Oblast,

Russia Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and Northern Asia. It is the largest country in the world, with its internationally recognised territory covering , and encompassing one-eig ...

Demographics

Its population has grown over the decades:

History

The Russians started settling this territory district in the beginning of the 18th century under the orders of

Peter I Peter I may refer to: Religious hierarchs * Saint Peter (c. 1 AD – c. 64–88 AD), a.k.a. Simon Peter, Simeon, or Simon, apostle of Jesus * Pope Peter I of Alexandria (died 311), revered as a saint * Peter I of Armenia (died 1058), Catholico ...

. The Mius river basin was settled especially in the second half of the 1770s and early 1780s. Thus, the history of the village of Matveev Kurgan dates to 1780. It was founded by the Cossack Ataman Ilovaiskiy. These places are mentioned in the legend of "The Word about Igor's regiment". The eighteenth century saw the colonization of Russia's southern territories. Runaway serfs who were attracted by the favorable climate and proximity to seas and rivers migrated to Matveyev Kurgan. Matvey was one of those settlers. He was known as "Terrible", because he was a terror to all passing carts. This legendary image is reminiscent of

Robin Hood Robin Hood is a legendary heroic outlaw originally depicted in English folklore and subsequently featured in literature and film. According to legend, he was a highly skilled archer and swordsman. In some versions of the legend, he is dep ...

. Like the latter Matvey robbed passing merchants and helped the poor, for which he was hated by the first and idolized by the second. Matvey lived in the steppes of Primiusye, uniting hundreds of like-minded people, and became their leader – Ataman. According to the legend explaining the name of the village, Matvey was killed and buried on the mound on the river. According to one version, the building of the district hospital stands on his grave, while another version points to the office the Center of employment. The Russian ''kurgan'' has another meaning – “grave”. The settlement Matveev Kurgan was formed around the ataman’s mound. In September 1937 Matveev Kurgan became part of Rostov region. 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 Sou ...

interrupted the peaceful labour of local inhabitants. In October 1941 German troops captured the area. Soon a powerful line of defense called the Mius-front was built and was the scene of fierce fighting. Having freed Rostov-on-Don on February 14, 1943, the troops of the Southern Front rushed to the Mius, and on February 17 Matveev Kurgan was liberated.

Geography

The village is located in the northwestern part of Rostov Oblast on the left bank of the

Mius The Mius (, ) is a river in Eastern Europe that flows through Ukraine and Russia. It is long, and has a drainage basin of .Миус< ...

. A railway station is sited 91 km from Rostov-on-Don, 45 km from Taganrog.

Culture

Matveev Kurgan is known for monuments of military glory: Monument "Anchor" Matveev Kurgan, Monument "Motherland" Matveev Kurgan, Monument "Regulator Maria" Matveev Kurgan, Monument "Soldier" Matveev Kurgan, Monument "Tank T-34" Matveev Kurgan. Most of them became landmarks of the district, attracting tourists.

References

Notes

Sources

* * * Pugaev G.K. Years and people. Historical records; Taganrog, 2010, 212 p. * Cities and districts of the Rostov region: local history essays. Mironov E.V, Arutunova E.I...; Rostov-on-Don, 1987, 320 p. * Matveevo-Kurganskiy district, 90 years; L. Esina; Taganrog, 2013, 120 p. {{Authority control Rural localities in Rostov Oblast Populated places established in 1780 Former urban-type settlements of Rostov Oblast